Wednesday at the Devon Horse Show and County Fair saw the return of the highly anticipated Ladies Day, along with the presentation of the Devon Grand Hunter Championship in the Dixon Oval. Taking home the prestigious honors for 2019 was Victoria Colvin with Brad Wolff’s Private Practice. Colvin also claimed the coveted Leading Lady Rider award to complete the special day.
Victoria Colvin and Private Practice are awarded Devon Grand Hunter Championship award. Photo by Phelps Sports.
Colvin and Private Practice, a 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding, were awarded the Devon Grand Hunter Championship award and the Fourth Sally Deaver Murray Memorial Challenge Trophy, after their beautiful rounds in the High Performance Working Hunters. The pair earned the tricolor in the division with impressive scores throughout two days of competition. In Tuesday’s over fences classes, the pair scored an 89 and 90 to take home two Devon blues. Although competition on Wednesday was close, with Scott Stewart and Catch Me winning the day’s over fences classes, Private Practice’s impressive style captured the blue in the under saddle, ultimately securing their championship win.
“I was champion last year with Private Practice, but not grand,” Colvin share. “[Private Practice] was really great this year. It means a lot to me [to win the championship]. I wasn’t really expecting to get champion today so it was a shock, but a good shock.”
Originally trained as a jumper, Private Practice has made quite a name for himself in the hunter ring. With 21-year-old Colvin, the small but mighty 16 hand gelding wowed crowds to win the 2018 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship. Since then, the pair have been in numerous winner’s circles, including stealing the show in the 2019 $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular during the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, Florida.
Victoria Colvin and Private Practice. Photo by Phelps Sports
“He always rises to the occasion. He is a really spectacular horse,” Colvin said of Private Practice. “He had a little bit of a jumper background, so he always comes in and impresses everyday. He is never spooky, he will always jump anything, but he never gets bored with the jumps. He’s never get plain. He still jumps every jump like he’s never seen it before. He is pretty special.”
Colvin was additionally awarded the Leading Lady Rider Award and the Tarad Hill Perpetual Trophy. Continuing with the day’s theme of victory for Colvin and her team, Private Practice’s groom, Aurelio Elizondo, was also honored in the Dixon Oval with the Devon Leading Groom Award.
Also awarded on Wednesday in the Dixon Oval was the Devon Leading Hunter Rider Award, sponsored by Hermes, which was awarded to renowned hunter rider, Stewart. Taking home the award for the fifteenth time in career, Stewart was honored to be awarded The Hope Montgomery Scott Perpetual Trophy winner. Stewart was awarded the title based on his impressive performances with multiple mounts at the 2019 Devon Horse Show, including Scandal, Private Life, Catch Me, Lucador and more.