A Golden Morning at Devon
The sun shone brightly over the Dixon Oval on the final day of the 50th Anniversary Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon. With the Performance Division in its fourth day and the grounds buzzing with spectators, shoppers and families, Sunday began with competition, camaraderie and celebration: a fitting close to one of the country’s most storied dressage shows.
Spectators eased into the morning with Musicals and Mimosas, a lighthearted gathering on the showgrounds featuring freestyle performances paired with music and refreshments. The event offered a relaxed start to the day and set an upbeat tone for the final hours of the show.
Bortuzzo and Doc Doc Dance to Victory in CDI1* Freestyle
The CDI1* FEI Intermediate I Freestyle presented by Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center ended with Elizabeth Bortuzzo and her own Degenhardt (aka Doc Doc) clinching the blue ribbon with a 70.220%. Doc Doc is a 7-year-old Westphalian gelding by Harmony’s Don Noblesse out of Etiene la Petite by Ehrentusch.
“I am absolutely thrilled with him,” she said. “He’s just a wealth of talent and I can’t wait to work on all of it until we can develop it. And he’s been just maturing and coming along and I’m just so excited about him.”
Elizabeth Hotchkiss and Backstage Beaudi claimed the red ribbon with a 70.145%. The 9-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Borsalino 32 out of Wega Weissera by De Niro is owned by Stony Hill Stables.
Harmoniums Takes the Spotlight in CDI2* Intermediate II
The CDI2* FEI Intermediate II kicked off the final day with six horse and rider combinations entering the Dixon Oval on a perfectly sunny morning.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Johanne Dubé’s Harmoniums, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Jazz out of Dancing Girl W by Flemmingh, captured the class with a 67.412%.
“He’s new at this level, so I’m showing him to get some experience,” she said. “He’s a Jazz, so yesterday he just had a little bit too much tension. Today, I was focusing on making the half-halt work and trying to get him to take a breath and relax and to go clean. He has so much expression and so much quality, it’s just making him wait and listen to me. So I was really happy with his performance.”
JJ Tate and her own Romeo, a 2012 Oldenburg gelding by Harmony’s Rousseau out of Chloe by Opus, will go home with the red ribbon after earning a 65.235%.
Blessing of the Animals Adds Heart to Tradition
After the awards ceremony, Father Larry McCormick, also known as Father Mack of Holy Trinity Parish in North Bergen, New Jersey, enjoyed his fifth year celebrating a traditional Blessing of the Animals in the Dixon Oval. A horse enthusiast and avowed Corgi lover, Father Mack mentioned Corgis several times during the ceremony.
His wife Ruth McCormick, who sported a hat band decorated with Corgis, said she competed at Devon at Fourth Level in what is now called the Wheeler Ring. She and Father Mack have been coming to Dressage at Devon for decades, helping to make the Blessing of the Animals a much-loved ritual of Sunday mornings at the show.
Sunday Belongs to the Kids at Devon
Sundays at the Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon are all about the kids. From hands-on activities to horse-themed adventures, the Devon Dressage Explorers program offered something for every young equestrian enthusiast. Families explored the grounds, met exhibitors and cheered on freestyle performances in the arena, while many joined the Blessing of the Animals celebration.
The exhibitors included All4Paws Rescue, a face-painting station by Kimberly & Company, a children’s book signing with a chance to meet the author and the star of the book, Muggles the Pony, Thorncroft Equestrian Center, Dressage4Kids, Sebastian Riding Associates and Freely Forward Bodywork.
Kids made their own “stick horses’ made of pool noodles and joined a “centerline ride” in the Dixon Oval. Famed horse show announcer Nicho Meredith exclaimed that he thought it was the largest crowd of “dressage horses” yet!
In addition, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center brought a medical transportation horse trailer and interactive exhibits about horse anatomy for kids to explore.
A Milestone Celebration Draws to a Close
As the sun set on Sunday evening, the 50th Anniversary of the Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon came to a joyful close. With record crowds, thrilling performances, and a spirit of community that blended top sport with tradition, the show once again proved why it holds a special place in the hearts of dressage fans around the world.
From the young riders taking their first steps into the Dixon Oval to the seasoned competitors at the top of their game, the weekend celebrated not just five decades of excellence, but the promise of the future. With its golden milestone behind it, Dressage at Devon is already galloping toward its next chapter.
