Devon, Pa.—May 26
Consistency is key if a rider hopes to take the R.W. “Ronnie” Mutch Equitation Championship at Devon. With four classes that focus on both hunter and jumping seat equitation, riders must demonstrate their ability to tackle a variety of challenges. And for the second consecutive year, two riders emerged at the end of two days of competition with the same number of points, so both Avery Glynn and Carlee McCutcheon took the coveted championship.
Glynn, 18, was also involved in a tie for the top spot last year with Luke Jensen.
“I keep tying with all these Texas kids, which is kind of funny,” she joked.
Glynn heaped praise upon her partner for this year’s championship, Acer K, a 12-year-old Westphalian gelding (Armitage—Daylight, Dynast) owned by North Run. She rode the gelding in all four classes, earning first in the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal, second in the WIHS Equitation Classic Jumper Phase and second in the ASPCA Maclay.
“It really means so much to be able to win this prestigious award, especially this year with my partner Acer K, who is just pretty unreal,” she said. “He’s the best horse I’ve probably every sat on. Every single time he goes in the ring, he is ready to win. … So truly I have the best team: North Run, my parents [Hope and Ned Glynn], my longtime trainer Jim Hagman.
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“I felt like I had the best partner, honestly, here,” she continued. “I wouldn’t trade him for any other horse at this show, truly. I’m just so thankful and excited to have won this.”
Glynn, who lives in Petaluma, California, started riding “Max” in February. But the gelding resides at North Run in Warren, Vermont, and Wellington, Florida, so she’s only been able to ride him a handful of times. He’s a proven winner, having topped the ASPCA Maclay Finals (Kentucky) in 2019 with Ava Stearns.
“He’s really a horse that gives you so much confidence going into the ring,” she said. “I feel like I’ve ridden him for years, even though I haven’t done that much on him, because he’s just a wonderful animal.”
McCutcheon, 17, has a slightly longer partnership with her mount, Chacco Star, having started riding him about a year and a half ago.
She described the 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Chacco-Blue—Carieny Z) owned by Kennedy McCaulley as “perfect.”
“[He’s] as good as a partner can get,” she said. “He just tries so hard every time, and the harder the courses, the better he is, so I’m very fortunate to have him.”
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McCutcheon won a section of the ASPCA Maclay, was third in a section of the WIHS Equitation Classic Jumper Phase, third in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, and fifth in the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal.
“He makes it so much fun,” she said of “Chacco.” “He makes me brave. He really wants to win, so it was really fun.”
McCutcheon, Aubrey, Texas, trains with Max Amaya and TJ O’Mara out of Stonehenge Stables in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and has earned top equitation ribbons before this weekend. She was fourth last year in the ASPCA Maclay Finals and won this year’s WEF Equitation Championship with Chacco.
“Last year was my first Devon, and it’s been a great experience for me,” she said. “It’s such a prestigious horse show just to be able to come here and have the privilege to ride with these great junior riders means a lot to me.”
The Chronicle will have photo galleries, stories about each day’s competition and so much more on www.coth.com. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
Don’t forget to pick up copies of The Chronicle of the Horse magazine. Junior Weekend coverage will be found in the June 12 & 19 issue, and coverage of Senior Week will be in the June 26 issue.
