Chasin'

It’s the last week of May and you see this color:

You’re thinking:  a box from Tiffany’s, The Robin’s eggs that have just hatched, a beautiful cloudless sky?  If you’re one of the legions of competitive hunter or jumper riders, breeders, pony, horse or coaching drivers, side saddle, gaited or western riders, you are seeing Devon Blue, the ubiquitous color that drapes the boxes and grandstands at The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.

The first Saturday night of the 2012 Devon Horse Show brings a chance to check out the vendors, the food, the carnival, who else is there, and, oh yeah, the horses. Devon has something for everyone punctuated by a few traditions of its very own.

The seating area alongside "Cafe Row" is not only a place to nosh, but a place to catch up with your friends.

Casual clothes and home furnishing accessories (here shown at Anthropoligie) are side by side with fine estate jewelry and antiques.

Fishing for prizes

The carnival area had a water spray in action to cool the customers.

Bright colors abound

The merry-go-round attracts young and old.

As my companion pointed out "you pick your fights". This young spectator seemed comfortable with the extra ventilation.

A tradition of The Devon Horse Show is the Lemon Stick - a lemon candy straw stuck into a fresh lemon through which you drink the lemon juice.

A half hour before the evening competition begins, the lines for food are long but moving quickly.

This little girl really would have rather cleaned a stall than her room.

Now appropriately nourished and clothed, we move to our seats.

A competitor's tools await the rider at the in-gate while she walks the course.

Competitors walk the course with their coaches just prior to the first round.

Course builders tweak the jumps and rake the footing.

Class 203, the $15,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper SJHOF Classic was won by Victoria Colvin on Waminka, owned by Rivers Edge, taking home $4500.00 for her effort.

A Clean Round One….

…and here winning the Time First Jump Off.

Victoria Colvin picked up the second place, as well, with her own Monsieur du Reverdy, winning $3000.00.

The Clean Round One…

….followed by the winning time-first jump off.

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Before you read any further, take a closer look at images (5) and (7) above to see what I discovered today on editing these images:

Victoria Colvin took the last two jumps in the winning ride…… without stirrups.!

Following the Junior Jumpers, there was a competition for Hunt Teams, won by Royal Crown Stables.  Radnor Foxhounds came to the ring and made a swing through with Huntsman Joe Cassidy.  Young rider/trainer Lizzie Traband gave a demonstration with her pony riding Unicorn and performing several tricks with him.

You can see more of Lizzie at her Youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4N1L_-ZsL0

She is a most impressive young lady.

Cindy and Audrey Buchanan rode together in the Parent and Child class, taking fourth.  They hunt with Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds.

Cindy Buchanan

Audrey Buchanan

Finally, the Buchanans won the Family Class with Cindy, Audrey and Maggie (on the far right in this picture) riding Side Saddle.  Father Richard Buchanan rode astride.  The family moved through the walk, trot, canter and turning phases as one.

The family leaving the ring with Blue Ribbons and a joyful "We Did It" from Cindy.