Every Sunday before Memorial Day spectators line the streets surrounding the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair for one of the great Devon traditions: the Carriage Pleasure Drive, also known as the Carriage Marathon.
Started in 1966, the carriage marathon is an integral part of the Devon Horse Show’s long history, and on Sunday afternoon, Todd Draheim and Misdee Wrigley Miller and James Miller’s four-in-hand team of horses drove their way into the show’s history books.
The team of bay Dutch Harness horses, owned by Misdee and James Miller’s Hillcroft Farm and driven by horseman Todd Draheim, was named the top team in the Unicorns and Four-In-Hand class for horses before returning for the championship drive-off. From among all of the day’s class winners, the team then received the Robert & Virginia Weaver Challenge Trophy as the overall best turned out team.
“What is so neat about the driving sport is that there’s so much tradition, especially here at the Devon Horse Show,” Draheim said. “It’s the best of the best. Just as it says over the ring, it’s ‘where champions meet.'”
The four-in-hand team driven on Sunday by Draheim is driven by Wrigley Miller throughout the United States and Canada and regularly prepared for the ring by Draheim. As the team’s horseman, Draheim ensures that the horses, harness and carriage are all in pristine condition, as was evident on Sunday.
The Millers’ Hillcroft Farm team was selected as the best of the day by judges Steve Holm and Sir John Richards who each bring to the Devon Horse Show lengthy driving histories of their own.
Hailing from England, Richards has been driving for 45 years, competing for Great Britain at the FEI level and serving as the chairman of the British Driving Society. Richards is also a two-time winner at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and the publisher of Prince Phillip’s, Duke of Edinburgh, book on carriage driving.
Holm also has an impressive record in the sport: he has won championships at the Royal Winter Fair, the National Horse Show, Walnut Hill, the Kentucky State Fair and the Wisconsin State Fair. He is a master evaluator for the Carriage Association of America’s Driving Proficiency Program and a board member and past vice president of the Carriage Association of America.
For Holm, the Devon Horse Show has played a significant part in his life. Teams trained by Holm have won the coaching championship at Devon a record 11 times. Those teams have also retired every trophy in the Devon coaching division, several of them twice. Additionally, Holm has trained the Carriage Pleasure Drive marathon champions seven times.
“I have shown here and participated at the Devon Horse Show for the past 42 years,” Holm said. “I also met my wife here 30 years ago so there are a lot of things in my life that have happened at Devon.”
Like Holm, countless Devon Horse Show exhibitors have held the show near and dear as a part of their lives for decades. Among them are Lore Homer and Mary Stokes Waller.
Homer was Sunday afternoon’s winner of the Single Harness Four-Wheeled Vehicles class for horses, and this year marks her 50th year competing at the Devon Horse Show.
“This is the greatest show there is as far as I’m concerned. I just adore this show,” said Homer, age 85, who drove the Brewster Lady’s Phaeten alongside her husband, Bernard Homer, age 86.
Waller first began competing at Devon in the junior hunters more than four decades ago and now returns each year to compete in carriage driving.
“There is no other place on earth like Devon. It has always been the most special of horse shows,” Waller said. “The fudge is still good. The teacakes or tea sandwiches are still good. The ice cream is great, and the line is always way too long, and Devon is Devon. I think you come here because it is Memorial Day and there is no other place you want to or should be.”
This year, Waller earned the victory in the Double Harness-Pairs-Tandem class for ponies and her husband, Harvey Waller, won that class in the horse division. Mary Stokes Waller was then presented with the Susie S. Buchanan Perpetual Trophy, the carriage marathon amateur whip award presented to the amateur whip who most exemplifies the traditions of carriage driving at the highest level.
In the Single Harness Two Wheeled Vehicles class for horses, the win went to Rachel Shoemaker, driving the Willisbrook Rally Cart.
“I have to say that this is one of the most exciting moments of my life. I bred this mare, and I raised her. I trained her. We’ve been doing this for a few years now. It is just the most exciting moment. I can’t even tell you,” said Shoemaker, whose family has been showing at Devon for five generations. “Ever since I was little we would come here and watch the marathon. I just always thought it was the coolest thing.”
Other class winners on Sunday afternoon in the pony division included Nicole Cable in the Single Harness Two-Wheeled Vehicles, Tara Miliziano-Crowley in the Single Harness Four-Wheeled Vehicles, Lisa Knox in the Unicorns and Four-In-Hand. Roberta Odell won the Light Commerical and Farmers class driving the Odell Popcorn Wagon.
Driving at the Devon Horse Show continues Monday evening with the Horse Pairs Pleasure Turnout beginning at 4:40 p.m.
Hannah Dodd and Blink of an Eye Capture Pony Jumper Championship
Hannah Dodd will be going home from the Devon Horse Show with much more than prize from the country fair and the famous Devon fudge. Competing at the historic event for the first time at just 13 years old, Dodd piloted her talented mount Blink Of An Eye to the Pony Jumper Championship after winning the $2,500 Pony Jumper Classic.
Sixteen ponies competed in the Dixon Oval during Sunday night’s highlight event, and five advanced to the jump-off with clear efforts over the first course. Maya Lovdal was the first to return with Miracles Happen, but a rail at one of the tall verticals incurred four faults in 35.389 seconds, which would only be good enough for fifth place.
Elizabeth McDougald was the pathfinder during the tiebreaker, clearing the short course in a time of 34.143 seconds with Knock My Sox Off. Emily Schnebel tried to catch McDougald with Suspicious Minds, but as she raced to the last fence it hit the ground for a four-fault effort in 33.673 seconds for fourth place.
Prima Rose Bonaventura also tried to beat McDougald aboard Just One Look, and while the pair had the time, a rail at the double combination cost them four faults. Their time of 33.122 seconds would be good enough for the third place award.
It was the last in the class that would prove to be the best of the night. Hannah Dodd picked up a quick gallop to the first fence with Blink Of An Eye and never held back. Slicing the fences and sharply cutting the turns, the duo raced over the final obstacle in a time of 33.792 seconds to take home the victory over McDougald.
“I think a lot of my time gets shaved off because I land and I try to go out as fast as I possibly can,” said Dodd. “I try to keep my momentum through the turns too. I work a lot on trying to control him while still going quickly. I thought the courses were really nice here.”
With Sunday night’s victory and a sixth place ribbon earlier in the day, Dodd and Blink Of An Eye captured the division’s championship award, while McDougald and Knock My Sox Off’s second place finish paired with a win on Saturday earned them the reserve championship.
Dodd’s skillful ride with Blink Of An Eye not only helped them win the Pony Jumper Championship, but they were also presented with the Pony Jumper Style Award sponsored by Kathryn Lily Equestiran, given to the pony jumper rider who exhibits the best classic jumper style of riding.
“This is my first time at Devon,” expressed Dodd. “I thought the show is really nice. I love the footing. I love everything about it like the location and all of the people here. Everyone’s been very nice.”
Dodd has been riding Blink Of An Eye for two years and hopes to compete with him at the U.S. Pony Finals later this year at the Kentucky Horse Park. “He’s very funny,” she laughed. “We call him a drama pony, because he likes to throw little dramas all the time. He likes to flick his head overdramatically a lot. ”
Dodd concluded, “I’ve always been really into my horses and try to give them lots of love and support for how much they’ve done for me.”
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair will continue on Monday with the NAL Adult Jumper Classic taking center stage in the evening. For more information about the show and complete results visit www.DevonHorseShow.org.
RESULTS: Pony Jumper Classic
1567BLINK OF AN EYE HANNAH DODD 00061.98500033.792
21003KNOCK MY SOX OFF ELIZABETH MCDOUGALD 00064.84900034.143
393JUST ONE LOOK PRIMA ROSE BONAVENTURA 00064.09540433.122
4952Suspicious Minds Emily Schnebel 00064.99240433.673
5393MIRACLES HAPPEN MAYA LOVDAL 00069.23540435.389
6376BROADWAY’S PUZZLE PIECE ALLIYAH ANTONIADIS 40471.633
71304CAPEZIO ALEXIS C DIPASQUA 80864.209
8168NORTHWIND’S OPUS JULIANNA EMPIE 80866.207
Carriage Pleasure Driving Delights the Crowd
The Carriage Pleasure Drive, or Carriage Marathon as many may call it, is one of the most anticipated events during the Devon Horse Show. The much anticipated event took place on Sunday, May 24 from 12 – 2 p.m. This year the carriages met on the Devon Grounds and proceeded on a route through residential neighborhoods in Devon. They were judged for the condition of the horses and ponies, the soundness of the wind and limb and complete turnout. The term ‘complete turnout’ is a special phrase used to evaluate the overall picture of the horses, carriage, harness and attendants. There are specific guidelines as to how the attendants must dress. They are also expected to sit erect, and the women should have a blanket over their legs. The route itself cannot take any longer than 40 minutes to finish.
Once they depart the Dixon Oval, the single, pair and four-in-hand carriages and coaches began their progress to Leopard Lakes, passing groups, small and large, who waved and cheered them on. Several neighborhoods made it quite an event with sumptuous spreads laid out under tents on the lawn. Upon their return to the Devon, they carriages again entered the Dixon Oval for a second round of judging where a large crowd had assembled and loudly cheered for their favorites. Finally, the ribbons were awarded for best turnout in each class.
Exhibitors for the Carriage Pleasure Drive come as far as California, the Midwest, Florida and New England to partake in this elaborate event. Jamie O’Rourke has had an entry in the marathon since 1968. “I grew up in Long Island, New York, and I moved down here about 25 years ago. My mother’s family has been showing at the Devon Horse Show since the 1940s. My aunt’s family was among the founders in 1896. I guess you could say we’ve had some involvement for a period of time.”
The carriages are prized possessions themselves and are built anywhere from 1890 to 1910. They are in spectacular condition and have been built by the best makers in the country – Brewster and also Studabaker, who also built cars for a time. “These carriages were properly equipped with large luncheon boxes so you could serve your champagne and eat lunch along your trip. The men wear top hats, and the women are dressed elegantly. It’s a throwback to a bygone era,” said O’Rourke.
Source: Press release
