It’s hard to win at Devon. All the best horses are at the top of their game, it’s a spooky ring, and there’s a prestige to Devon that can rattle the most seasoned competitor. That’s why a tricolor from the Dixon Oval in Devon, Pa.,means so much, and riders remember winning there. After today, June 1, Scott Stewart will be remembering Devon as one of the biggest moments in his much-acclaimed hunter riding career.

Stewart rode to a historic record today at Devon, taking the grand hunter championship with Molly Ohrstrom’s Fellini, the leading hunter rider title, and the championship in four of the five hunter divisions. The only tricolor he missed was the regular working hunter title, which went to Louise Serio and Gray Slipper. But he still managed to claim the reserve championship in that division.

Stewart started the day with the first year green championship with Fellini, winning the stake class to clinch the title. Danny Robertshaw and the elegant bay Island Heart took the reserve championship. Fellini placed first or second in each of the four over fences classes in the division. Stewart imported the 6-year-old in October of 2004, and just began showing him during the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.) in the beginning of this year.

Stewart’s winning continued in the green conformation division with Ohrstrom’s Truly. Liza Towell and the cute chestnut mare Protege looked to be on their way to the championship, earning blue in the first two over fences classes on Monday and Tuesday. But when Stewart and Truly won the last two over fences trips, after having placed third to Protege earlier, they just edged ahead for the title.

In the second year green division, Stewart and True battled it out for the championship. Tim Goguen and the flashy Word For Word placed second in every class but the stake, which they won. True, a classy gray, added second in the stake to two wins and a second in the earllier over fences classes for the tricolor. Stewart’s other gray star, Cool Blue, won the other over fences class. Word For Word took the reserve honors.

There were only seven horses in the regular conformation division, but that didn’t make the competition any easier. Stewart and Tribute won two over fences classes, but Popeye K and Tommy Serio had won the model and the under saddle. If Popeye K won the stake class, Serio would have grabbed the tricolor. And that outcome looked like a distinct possibility when Tribute struggled through a big oxer-to-oxer two-stride combination, and added a stride. But Popeye had similar trouble in the same combination, pulling a rail. They placed sixth and seventh, out of championship points. But Tribute’s record stood for the championship. Stewart also claimed the reserve title with For The Music.

The final division of the day, the regular working hunters, was the only one which escaped Stewart. Serio and the big-jumping Gray Slipper had won the first two over-fences classes. But Stewart and Beyond lurked, having been second twice, third and fourth. And when Stewart and Beyond laid down a score of 90 in the stake class, Serio knew that nothing but Gray Slipper’s best would keep Stewart from his fifth championship. She and the easy-going gray galloped around the course to a score of 92, winning the final class and relegating Stewart and Beyond to reserve.

Devon action continues tomorrow with the hunter breeding divisions during the day, and the grand prix in the evening. Then, the amateur-owner hunters and jumpers compete on Friday and Saturday. Check in on Thursday and Saturday nights for more coverage.