Elegance and Speed Take the Spotlight at the 130th Devon Horse Show

JJ Torano celebrates with victory lap around the iconic Dixon Oval after claiming another championship title at the historic Devon Horse Show.. (Photo courtesy of Phelps Sports/Phelps Media)

The historic 130th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair continued its prestigious run this week by crowning its first breed and driving champions alongside the high-stakes $32,000 Devon Speed Derby.

Article by Alex Zimmerman, AKSM Sports

DEVON, Pa. - The second Friday of the 130th Devon Horse Show and Country Fair brought a thrilling mix of speed and time-honored tradition to Devon, Pennsylvania, as an impressive array of classic breed and driving competitions took center stage. The historic Dixon Oval served as the battleground for fierce but refined competition, ultimately concluding with the crowning of this year's highly anticipated first champions. According to event organizers, the arena "came alive on Friday with the elegance and excitement of classic breed and driving championships." The day's extensive schedule flawlessly merged the deep-rooted heritage of the equestrian world with exhilarating show jumping, highlighted by the $32,000 Devon Speed Derby, which was sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover Main Line.

Among the standout victors of the day, Cora Wilder expertly guided the American Saddlebred gelding Nutoriously Innocent to victory in the Saddlebred Show Pleasure Driving Championship for owner Anet Beardsley-Blanco. In the Opportunity Open Breed Pleasure Driving Open Championship, Chris Reiser claimed the top prize with MSHS Charming, a Half Saddlebred and Half Friesian mare owned by Whitney Hunter. Additionally, Jane Frisch rode her own American Saddlebred gelding, RO & Me's Alla Kazam, to a triumphant finish in the Western Country Pleasure Championship. As the country fair and equestrian events continued into the busy weekend, officials praised the winning competitors and the atmosphere of the venue, noting that "this year's first champions were crowned, celebrating the best of equestrian tradition."

As evening fell on Friday, speed fully took over the spotlight when FEI riders navigated Colm Quinn's challenging 15-obstacle track, which impressively spanned both the Dixon Oval and Wheeler Ring. The top prize in the $32,000 Devon Speed Derby ultimately went to 15-year-old American rider JJ Torano, who rode Jet Show Stable's Dora Du Valon to an immaculate finish in 86.21 seconds with zero faults. Torano seized the lead after studying the early rides of competitors like McKayla Langmeier and Stella Wasserman, who finished third and second, respectively. "If I would have gone first, I maybe would have tried to go a little faster," Torano explained of his calculated strategy. "I kind of eased off a little bit. I would still say I went pretty fast, but I didn't pull out all the stops."

Taking home the Salem Perpetual Trophy, the win marked the young rider's first career FEI victory, adding a deeply personal milestone to his first FEI four-star week at Devon. "I'm really happy," Torano shared after his triumphant ride. "This is my first four-star week. I still have tomorrow night, but I'm really pleased I'll leave here with a win already." Earning his breakthrough victory in front of the packed and energetic Dixon Oval crowd made the accomplishment even sweeter for the youngest rider in the class. "There can't be a better place to win my first FEI class," he noted. "The crowd is always behind you the whole way going around."

You can stream all live and past coverage of the 130th Devon Horse Show on USEF Network, powered by ClipMyHorse.TV.