Today kicks off Junior Weekend for the Devon Horse Show (Pa.) and as the country’s top ponies, junior hunters, junior jumpers and equitation riders take the stage, we took a look back 30 years ago to when some future stars were competing on Devon Junior Weekend.
Keep in mind, the Chronicle has reporters on the ground for the entire Devon Horse Show. You can find links to everything like live streaming and results in COTH’s What You Need To Know and find all of the Chronicle’s Devon coverage here.
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Molly Ashe (now Cawley) was named Best Child Rider at the 1987 Devon Junior Weekend at age 16 after riding L’Airen to the small junior hunter championship. “I love riding the hunters, but I also have ridden my brother’s jumper and I’d like to go on with that,” said Ashe, who would go on to a prominent grand prix career, in the Chronicle’s report that year. Photo by Pennington Galleries
Another future grand prix star, Nicole Shahinian, 12, piloted her own Another Touch to the medium pony and grand pony hunter championships. “She moves like a miniature Thoroughbred and she’s a wonderful jumper,” she said of the 7-year-old pony she developed from a green pony. Photo by Pennington Galleries
Ashley Kennedy and Lyrik claimed the large junior and grand junior hunter championships. Lyrik, who was a Hanoverian-Thoroughbred cross, was Kennedy’s mount in the hunter and equitation divisions. Photo by Pennington Galleries
Courtney Wolf rode Farnley Trilby to the small pony hunter tricolor. Wolf, 12, rode with Christine Schlusemeyer and Bobby Braswell in Ocala. Fla. She had owned “Trilby” for two years. “She just keeps getting better all the time,” she said. Photo by Pennington Galleries
Marissa Penders, 17, won sections of both the Medal and Maclay equitation classes at Devon on It’s A Secret. She rode with Bruce Burr out of the Fairfield Hunt Club (Conn.). “Marissa is one of those people who brings out the best in any horse she’s on,” Burr said in the 1987 Chronicle report. Photo by Pennington Galleries
Don’t forget, the Chronicle will be on site at this year’s Devon with full reports, great photos and behind-the-scenes stories for the whole show. Make sure to follow the Chronicle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @Chronofhorse.
