DEVON, Pa.--McLain Ward, who has won the $250,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon 12 times, leads the list of top international riders qualified to compete in the Open Jumper division at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.
McLain Ward on Contagious celebrating his Grand Prix win last year (Photo by Emma Miller)A five time Olympian, Ward won last year's Grand Prix on Contagious, and his most recent accomplishments include winning the Nations Cup and the Grand Prix at the San Juan Capistrano International and winning three classes at Old Salem the week before Devon.
Other Olympic and World Championships veterans entered at Devon include Daniel Bluman, Ashlee Bond, Devin Ryan and Roberto Teran.
Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station,N.J., who has been Devon Leading Open Jumper Rider a number of times, and Circuit Champion Open Jumper Rider at the Winter Equestrian Festival for the past decade, will be bringing her top horses to Devon.
Alex Matz of Coatesville, Pa., whose father Michael and mother D D were both top international riders and competitors at Devon, has notched a number of wins in his young career, including in the WEF Challenge Cup and at Lake Placid Horse Shows, and he also will be bringing his top horses to compete at Devon.
Aaron Vale, who on one weekend last winter won three grand prix in three days, is another top international rider who will be vying for his share of the prize money in Open Jumpers.
OPEN JUMPERS compete in the Welcome Stake at 7 pm Tuesday evening, the Main Line Challenge at 6:30 Wednesday evening, the Grand Prix at 8:15 Thursday evening, the Speed Derby at 8:30 Friday evening and the Idle Dice Jumper Stake at 8:15 Saturday evening.
Competition at Devon begins tomorrow,Thursday, May 25 with equitation classes during the day and a junior jumper class at 6 pm, followed by junior hunter and jumper and pony competitions over Junior Weekend, Friday and Saturday, May 26 and 27.
To watch the show live streamed,, go to www.devohorseshow.com,and click on "USEF Livestream."
The eight days of adult competition begins Sunday, May 28 with Adult Jumpers at 9:15 am, followed by the Carriage Pleasure Drive final judging in the Dixon Oval at 1 pm.
The much anticipated Devon Arena Eventing is scheduled for 7 pm Sunday evening.
Hunters compete Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with the $25,000 International Hunter Derby at 10 am Thursday.
Amateur Owner Hunters and Jumpers compete towards the end of the week, with jumpers beginning Thursday at 1 pm in the Wheeler ring and continuing Friday and Saturday and hunters on Friday and Saturday.
Breeding classes complete the show on Sunday, June 4.
