For the next 10 days, the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair’s revered Dixon Oval will usher in some of the nation’s top horses and riders. And for the next 10 days, PhelpsSports will be providing you with all the updates and behind the scenes coverage, presented by Equine Couture and TuffRider.
Spencer Smith was one of the big winners of the day and will be a top contender for tomorrow’s R.W. Mutch Equitation Championship. He and Beau Van Het Keyershow won both Section B of the WIHS Equitation Jumper Phase and Section B of the Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search.
Spencer Smith and Beau van het Keyershof. Photo (c) The Book LLC.
Devon, PA – May 22, 2014 – The 2014 Devon Horse Show & Country Fair kicked off on Thursday with junior equitation and young pony competition at the renowned showgrounds in beautiful Devon, PA. Showcasing the best horses and riders in the country, the Devon Horse Show hosts 11 days of top-tier competition across multiple breeds and disciplines through Sunday, June 1.
While junior competitors showed their equitation in Devon’s famous Dixon Oval, the young hunter ponies competed in-hand in the Gold Ring on Thursday. The ponies showed in their respective age groups divided by gender, and the top ponies of all ages were then judged together for championship honors. The Best Young Pony was ultimately crowned overall.
The Hunter Pony Championship for Fillies and Mares was awarded to Denise Hankinson’s Three Royal Cheers with handler Emily Anne Belin. Jody Vesty’s Bryn Taran Miss Riley placed in reserve with handler Jay Raach.
The Hunter Pony Championship for Colts and Geldings went to Orchard Hills Dragonflyy, owned by Orchard Hill Farm Ponies, with handler Oliver Brown. Jamie Sindell’s Secretive and handler Dowell Johnson placed in reserve.
Orchard Hills Dragonflyy then earned the Best Young Pony award and was presented The Violet Haines Memorial Challenge Trophy. Handler Oliver Brown was awarded The Magic Hill Farm LLC Challenge Trophy as the Leading Pony Breeder Handler. A special Pennsylvania Pony Breeders Association Perpetual Trophy was also presented to Denise Hankinson’s Three Royal Cheers for the second year in a row.
Orchard Hills Dragonflyy (known in the barn as ‘Wesley’) is a two-year-old colt by Smoke Tree Dragon Tail out of Vanity Fair, owned by Sara McCormick’s Orchard Hill Farm Ponies in Aiken, SC. Former top junior rider Elizabeth Lubrano brought the pony along this year after turning professional and deciding to get involved in different aspects of the sport after college. Based out of her family’s Horizon Hill Farm in Glenmore, PA, Lubrano has enjoyed making a name for herself in a new way and becoming more well-rounded in the industry.
“I started doing pony handling this year, and Wesley has been living with me since February,” Lubrano explained. “I have been handling him until this horse show and then I handed him off to Oliver Brown because I am still learning and this is a huge venue. I knew that this pony could do something big and I thought that for Devon we needed to put him in the hands of someone that could do that for him.”
“It was definitely a team effort to get him here,” Lubrano emphasized. “Cindy Diebert was a huge help as well as Jessica Forliano. Without Cindy putting all of the pieces together for today none of this would have happened. She had the connection with Oliver and she knows Jess, who helped handle him today. Stud colts can be difficult, so it is good to have someone who is proficient and Jess is very good. She is the one who made the magic happen today. I have just kind of been managing it from the beginning.”
Owner Sara McCormick plans to keep Orchard Hills Dragonflyy for breeding and can be proud of his top placing and development. Lubrano described the colt as “a bundle of personality,” noting, “He is a funny pony. He runs around in the field with this big jolly ball. He is the one where you go in the barn in the morning, and he is throwing his ball around the stall. He is a goof, but he is a two-year-old colt who is still trying to figure out who he is.”
“He has matured a lot this year,” she added. “He is really easy to live with and it is just a pleasure to work with ponies like that because they keep you entertained. They have all of this personality, and places like this are great venues where they can really show themselves. He likes to show off. He stands there and presents himself, and I think that is what really makes a show pony.”
Lubrano thanked McCormick for the opportunity to work with a great young pony. “Sara has done a fantastic job with that breeding program,” she stated. “I can’t give her enough compliments. Orchard Hill ponies were represented more than any other line here in the hunter breeding. I think she had eight showing. There’s a lot to be said about her lines and her hard work. I am really happy that she has given me the opportunity, because not a lot of people would give a 24-year-old an opportunity to take a winning pony and get it ready for Devon and trust them. Trust is a big foundation for a lot of relationships and I hope that this is one that will continue for a long time.”
While the young ponies were showing off in the Gold Ring, the junior exhibitors competed in their equitation classes in the Dixon Oval. The WIHS Equitation Classic Jumper Phase was held in a California Split and awarded four sets of prizes. Top honors went to Megan MacPherson of Boulder, CO, in Section A. Kelli Cruciotti of Elizabeth, CO, won Section B. Spencer Smith of Wellington, FL, topped Section C, and Michael Hughes of Allendale, NJ, was the winner in Section D.
The Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search was held next in the Dixon Oval with two sections and wins for Caitlin Boyle of Hampshire, IL, and Spencer Smith of Wellington, FL. Boyle was also presented the Honey Craven Perpetual Memorial Trophy for her top score.
FEBRUARY 24th, 2014 – WELLINGTON, FL – Ashland Farms is pleased to announce the selection of three of their up-and-coming riders for the FEI Nations Cup. Sophie Howell and Addison Piper were chosen to represent USA as one of four riders on the Children’s team and Spencer Smith with serve as the USA alternate in the Junior competition.
Coach and trainer, Emily Smith, is very proud of the achievements of the young riders: “Sophie, Addison and Spencer have continued to make great progress through the initial weeks of WEF this season. Being selected to compete on this global stage is a testament to how hard each have them have worked, we are so proud to cheer them on as they represent the United States.”
The FEI Nations Cup Series is the oldest and most prestigious team show jumping competition in the world. Like the Olympics, and the World Equestrian Championships, it is a competition where official ‘National’ teams compete against each other and includes a record number of teams competing from across the globe: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Mexico and the United States.
The competition will begin on the 26th of February in Wellington, Florida.
Wellington, FL – February 1, 2013 -Week four of the2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) continued on Friday with the junior and amateur-owner riders beginning their jumper competition in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). In the first class of the morning, 16-year-old Wellington resident Spencer Smith jumped to victory in the $1,500 Griffis Residential High Junior Jumper Power and Speed class aboard Skara Glen’s Voltan H.
Week four of the FTI WEF, sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, will continue through February 3. The week will feature the $100,000 Fidelity Investments® CSI 2* Grand Prix on Saturday evening and the $25,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday afternoon. The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival features 12 weeks of competition running from January 9-March 31, 2013, and will be awarding almost $7 million in prize money throughout the circuit.
Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela is the course designer in the International Arena for week four. In the Griffis Residential High Junior Jumper Power and Speed, Palacios saw 13 entries compete with ten advancing to the speed phase and five pairs completing both rounds without fault. Last to go in the class, Spencer Smith’s time of 28.305 seconds aboard Skara Glen’s Voltan H would be the best.
Emanuel Andrade and Hollow Creek Farm’s Crossfire 10 finished second with their time of 28.632 in the speed round. Dana Scott and Nod Hill Farm’s KM Whatever RV placed third in 29.062 seconds, and Chloe Reid and King of Hearts were fourth in 29.930 seconds.
Spencer Smith and Skara Glen's Voltan H Sportfot
Skara Glen’s Voltan H is an eleven-year-old Royal Dutch Warmblood gelding by Pacific x Voltaire, owned by Ashland Farms. Spencer Smith rides out of Ashland and trains with his parents Ken and Emily Smith. He has been showing Voltan H for about one year.
“He’s a really top horse,” Smith said Friday morning. “His ride is a little tricky, but he can jump anything.”
Commenting on the class, Smith described, “I just rode him forward and he really jumped today. The course was a little tricky. The last line was seven (strides), but for the speed round we tried to do it in six and it worked out really easy, so it was good.”
Smith has been showing in the Medium and High Junior Jumpers and hopes to move up to do some bigger classes during the FTI WEF circuit. He has the advantage of living in Wellington and showing at PBIEC throughout the year, so he feels very comfortable showing in the impressive venue.
“This show is awesome. I grew up here and I have been coming here since I was like four,” Smith noted. “I live about a mile away. It is home and to have all of these people come here to compete is awesome. I get in the ring a lot because after the show and before WEF we do a lot of classes here too, so we get to show here a lot.”
Also showing in the International Arena on Friday, Annie Cook and Signe Ostby’s Banba won in the $2,500 RCG Farm High Amateur-Owner Jumper Power and Speed. In the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge, Alexander Zetterman and Canora jumped to victory. The $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class completed the day with a win for Darragh Kerins and S&L Elite.
Final Results: Griffis Residential High Junior Jumper Power and Speed
1. SKARA GLEN’S VOLTAN H – SPENCER SMITH – ASHLAND FARMS: 0/0/28.305
2. CROSSFIRE 10 – EMANUEL ANDRADE – HOLLOW CREEK FARM: 0/0/28.632
3. KM WHAT EVER RV – DANA SCOTT – NOD HILL FARM: 0/0/29.062
4. KING OF HEARTS – CHLOE REID – CHLOE D REID LLC: 0/0/29.930
5. PROMISED LAND – CHARLOTTE JACOBS – CANDY TRIBBLE: 0/4/27.200
6. WAMINKA – VICTORIA COLVIN – RIVERS EDGE: 0/4/29.008
7. PHINEAS – LUCAS PORTER – SLEEPY P RANCH LLC: 0/4/29.074
8. BARIANO – MADELINE THATCHER – PONY LANE FARM: 0/4/31.735
10. RADIO CITY – LUCAS PORTER – GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES: 0/8/28.590
11. BELLE BLEU S – KAELY TOMEU – SIBONEY RANCH: 4/47.457
12. WILKINA LITHYA – EMANUEL ANDRADE – HOLLOW CREEK FARM: 4/50.343
JANUARY 31st, 2014 – WELLINGTON, FL – While some of the rings at the Winter Equestrian Festival today more closely resembled lakes, yesterday’s heavy rains did not stop the show today. Twelve riders competed in the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search class this morning, with Spencer Smith taking home the blue ribbon for the second week in a row aboard Beau Van Het Keysershof.
Despite there being quite a few scratches from the class this morning, Smith had no complaints regarding the conditions in the ring. “The footing held up really nicely I think in the ring,” Smith said. “It was a nice course, kind of loose, and nothing too tricky.”
While there were no surprises on course for Smith, he admits he did not expect on of the movements the judges called for during the flat phase: a simple change of lead, to be done directly in front of the judge’s stand.
“They called for that, and I was like “Oh nooo!” Smith joked. “But it worked out nice, it wasn’t too hard, and my horse did it well.” Smith came down to the trot before picking up the opposite lead, though some of the other riders, most notably Colvin, came all the way down to a walk. “I was debating, but I did the trot,” Smith explained.
Tori Colvin explained her choice to walk for the maneuver. “I was always trained that the simple change is to the walk,” Colvin said. Colvin was not expecting to be asked for the movement, either. “We haven’t had that yet in the USET, I would have liked a flying change better,” Colvin admitted. “But the simple was something different, it was nice to have something different.”
Spencer Smith and Beau Van Het Keysershof
For judges Jimmy Torano and Rachel Kennedy, it was not important whether or not riders walked or trotted- what mattered was how promptly and smoothly the move was executed.
“We were just looking to see how smoothly they could do that in front of us,” Torano explained. “Some did it a little too soon, some did it not very well, but the better riders I thought did it very well.”
Some observers of the Talent Search class may have been surprised to hear Tori Colvin called in second after the flat phase, since she had tipped a rail down on course with Stallone VDL. Torano explains that having a rail in the USET knocks you down in the placing’s, but not out.
“Rails are a deduction of points, so she got points deducted from her. It knocks you down. She’s a very nice rider but there were other nice riders in the class, and it I think she fell into the right spot she belonged.”
Colvin said she needed to get Stallone VDL more lively to keep him from rubbing the rails. “I was told I had to get him more riled up and excited out there,” Colvin explained. “He was just too tired and he went in there kind of dead.”
Wondering what the top two finishers in the Talent Search did with their day off from showing yesterday? “I went surfing, no riding,” Smith smiled. The 17-year-old Wellington native said being near the ocean is one of the many things he loves about living in Florida. “I love living here, it’s the best place to be!” Smith said.
Spencer Smith and Beau Van Het Keysershof
The rain did not bother Loxahatchee resident Tori Colvin in the slightest. “I like the rain!” Colvin said. “I was riding in the rain at the barn, and I got soaked! It started to rain and I just didn’t put on my jacket, I was like ‘who cares’”, Colvin laughed.
Tori says the weather does not mess up her schedule, no matter how extreme. “I went to school and rode, that was my whole day. That was it. Normal day,” Tori said. “Doesn’t matter if it’s raining, doesn’t matter if it’s snowing!” joked Colvin.
While Colvin does not mind a little water, her jumper that she rode in the rain yesterday did. “The whole ring was full of puddles, and only my jumper who doesn’t like the water cared, Don Juan. He doesn’t like walking in puddles at all,” Colvin laughed. “But it was good water training!”
Check back with Phelps Sports for more coverage from the equitation rings at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
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Ann Glavan for PhelpsSports.com Reporting from Wellington, Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, Wellington, Florida Friday, January 31, 2014 :: Posted 01:13:12 PM CST
JANUARY 24th, 2014 – WELLINGTON, FL – To the casual observer sitting ringside at this morning’s Platinum Performance USEF Talent Search class, it would probably be very difficult to pick a decisive winner. With 37 entries in the class, many of whom have already won this and other big equitation classes in the past, there was no obvious victor. If you ask judge Linda Andrisani, her top three picks for the class were separated by the smallest of details in both their over fences rounds and flatwork.
Spencer Smith ended up taking home the blue ribbon for the class aboard Beau Van Het Keysershof. For Andrisani, it was his flawless round that had him in first going into the flat.
“We were ecstatic with his first round,” Andrisani exclaimed. “Spencer really rode the course from start to finish beautifully.”
Smith maintained his lead on the flat, which is where Andrisani says second place finisher Lillie Keenan may have had a chance to move up in the ribbons.
“Lillie is elegant at all times,” Andrisani assured. “She had a flawless round, but she left the door open a little bit when her horse skipped out after the water jump.” Andrisani is referring to when Keenan’s mount, Clearway, gave a bit of a buck during his lead change on the back side of the final fence. “Spencer had the edge coming into the flat; Lillie could have closed it up on him, but I thought he just really out shined them all over the jumps.”
Spencer Smith and Beau Van Het Keysershof
Andrisani emphasized that when riders are at this caliber, it is tiny details like Clearways’ playfulness on the backside of the fence that can decide who comes out on top. “That was a tie-breaker,” Andrisani said.
It was the flat phase of the Talent Search that put Tori Colvin and Incalan into third behind Smith and Keenan, according to Andrisani.
“All three navigated the course extremely well,” Andrasani said, “but when it came to the flat, Tori’s horse was a little uncooperative with his head carriage in the transitions. I love her; she’s such a natural. The horses love her, but he just kept resisting her when she had to make transitions. That’s what splits it up.”
For top two finishers Smith and Keenan, the Talent Search is a welcome change from the other big equitation divisions. “I like that it has the idea of jumpers behind it,” Smith said of the Talent Search. “It makes you want to be a strong rider, and the jumps are a little bit bigger than the Maclays and everything like that so it makes you really have to ride.”
Keenan, who has won 19 Talent Search classes to date, appreciates the continuity between this class and the bigger jumper divisions. “I like that the Talent Search really acts as a bridge between the equitation and jumper rings,” Keenan said. “The USET is timed and the fences are just a little bit bigger, so it has more of a jumper nature, which I think is great practice. It’s good to feel like you can transfer those skills into the other rings.”
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Ann Glavan Reporting from Wellington, Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, Wellington, Florida Friday, January 24, 2014 :: Posted 10:59:23 PM CST
APRIL 1, 2013- WELLINGTON, FL– Ashland Farms wishes to congratulate all its riders and horses on a great WEF circuit. Ashland Farms ended the circuit with many blue ribbons, champions and major top placings as well as many circuit champion awards.
Marissa Thompson and Little Freebie finished as the circuit champion in the Child/Adult Training Jumper Division, only having shown for the first half of WEF.
Addison Piper and Superfly were circuit champions of the 11 and Under Equitation division.
Tracey Mack-Gorin rode two different mounts to circuit championships this season, Condor and Bravour VDL. With Condor, Mack-Gorin bested the Adult Amateur 18-35 Section A division and with Bravour VDL she was the victor in the Adult Equitation.
Gucci and Darragh Kenny took the circuit champion honors in the 1.35 Jumper division.
Ashland Farms also wishes much success to the many horses sold this circuit at their new homes. Thank you everyone for a great WEF circuit.
MARCH 24, 2013- WELLINGTON, FL- Ashland Farms had another successful week at the 2013 Winter Equestrian Festival. Spencer Smith was a standout this week in the equitation and jumper rings aboard several different mounts. Aboard S&L Technicolor, Smith took the overall win in the Washington Equitation class and finished a fantastic 12th place in the George Morris Equitation Championship class. Smith rode Lord Spezi to a convincing win in the High Junior Power and Speed class this week as well. Addison Piper and her newly acquired mount, Superfly, were once again a dominating force in the 11& Under equitation division and swept all 3 classes for the division championship. Davinci and Shawn Casady and Gucci and Darragh Kenny, both owned by Cavallo Farms, had fantastic results in the 1.35 division. Bravour VDL and Morgan Qualls capped off a great week with a win in the USEF/ Pessoa Hunt Seat medal. One of Ashland Farm’s youngest riders, Victoria Mirabel, had a great weekend in the walk/ trot division on Bayview High Hopes and finished with the reserve championship.
Ashland Farms now looks to finish out a great WEF circuit with week 12 of WEF.
MARCH 4, 2012- WELLINGTON, FL- Ashland riders enjoyed great successes at week 8 of WEF. Alexandra Smith and the Ashland owned entry Sunday Sneakers took the division championship in the Large Childrens Ponies. Addison Piper had a standout week on Cavallo Farm’s’ Superfly in the equitation, winning the division championship in the 11 and Under Equitation and also taking the win in the Taylor Harris Medal 14 and Under. Spencer Smith rode to excellent placings in the Medium Junior Jumpers on Cavallo Farm’s Nakano RB and Ashland Farm’s Skara Glens Voltan and had a 4th place finish in the ASPCA Maclay on S&L Technicolor. Gabriella Mershad also rode to consistent placings in the Medium Junior Jumpers on the Mershad Stable’s Skara Glens Basel. Andre Mershad made his debut in the jumpers on the Mershad Stable’s Epilot Can De Moskifarm.
Additionally during WEF 8, Ashland riders Spencer Smith and Gabby Mershad were invited to ride as individuals for the United States Junior Rider and Young Rider teams. Spencer Smith and Ashland’s own Lord Spezi rode to 2 clear rounds over the 3 days of competition and finished in 4th place in the Junior Rider Welcome. Gabby Mershad and the Mershad Stable’s Caprilli HSF finished an exciting 2nd place in the Young Rider Welcome.
Ashland Farm looks forward to competing at WEF week 9 with its jumpers, as head trainer Ken Smith has been asked to handle Hunter and Equitation judging duties for the week.
