DEVON,Pa.--It was an all Matz and Keenan evening as Alex and Lucy Matz finished first and third in the $145,100 Idle Dice Stake on Saturday e evening, June 1 at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, and Lillie Keenan swept the championships while Alex was reserve.
Alex Matz on Cashew CR (Photo by Olivia Airhart)Keenan was Leading Open Jumper Rider, Leading Open Jumper Lady Rider, and rode Kick On to the Open Jumper Championship with 27 points, and Alex on Cashew CR was Open Jumper Reserve Champion with 21 points.
Alex on Cashew, despite the handicap of going first in the jump-off, was clean in 34.71 to beat Keenan on Kick On, clean in 36.70, while Lucy on Fyolieta, the only other clean in the six horse jump-off, finished in 38.03 to place third.
Jessica Mendoza on In The Air was fourth with four faults in 37.11, followed by Chloe Reid on Chelsea 179, four faults in 37.74, and Darragh Kenny of Ireland on Serendepety, eight faults in 35.38.
It had been all Ireland and England at the beginning of the week, but the U.S. came thorough in the end, with Americans taking seven of the top eight places in the Idle Dice Stake and all the week's end championships.
"IT WAS a great evening," said Alex. "I'm really proud of the horses."
Lillie Keenan on Kick On (Photo by Olivia Airhart)"Cashew is a naturally fast horse, so I thought if I could go clean I could win it, even though there were some great riders behind me,"said Alex. "I was really fast to one and two. I don't know how Cashew got over the second fence. He made an athletic move that I didn't know a horse could do.
"I got Cashew when he was 8, and he's 16 so I've had him for eight years, so I know him pretty well. He's a fountain of youth. I'd like to know what he's drinking.
"He was so fresh in the warm-up ring. He was so eager to compete. He has a lot of blood, but he's really easy to ride. He's brave and he's careful.
"I'm on my was to Upperville, but Cashew won't show again until Spruce Meadows," said Alex. "Lucy will show at Upperville, and then she's going to Europe to ride with Laura Kraut. She rode with Laura last summer, too."
Father Michael Matz was at Devon and celebrated the wins, but mother DD, who has been with both her children throughout their careers as their mentor and biggest supporter, missed their biggest combined event.
"DD was in England with Dell Hancock to celebrate the 150th combined birthdays of Diana Cooper and her mother," said Michael. "Diana is 60 and her mother is 90. It was 2 a.m. in England, but we called her anyway. She was thrilled."
"I'm in England for very special family fiends," said DD in a text. "Was totally thrilled with the results as you can imagine."
Earlier in the day, Sophie Gochman on Colter was Amateur Owner Hunter 18-35 Champion with 225 points with Augusta Iwasak ion Small Love Reserve with 20 points.
Irene Neuwirth on Guess Who was Amateur-Owner over 35 Champion with 26 points and John Ingram on Romeo was Reserve with 22 points, so Neuwith was Leading Amateur-Owner Rider and Guess Who was Devon Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Champion.
David Oberkircher on Vulkato won the $20,000 1.45m Amateur Jumper Classic, clean in 34.017, with Baylee McKeever on Formidable second in a three horse jump-off, while Alexander Alston on oak Grove's Carlyle was eliminated in the jump-off to place third.
Oberkircher was Leading Amateur Owner Rider and Vulkato was Champion with Manou De Muze, ridden by Emile Dehoff Amateur Owner Jump+-er Reserve Champion.
