Dressage at Devon
Devon PA
2014

The Kentucky Derby is just as much about the fashion as the race itself. Every spring since 1875 Churchill Downs floods with society’s most fashionable spectators to watch the Run for the Roses. There are many traditions associated with the Derby’s long history such as mint juleps, the roses awarded to the winning horse, and the playing of “My Old Kentucky Home” but none are as fun and unique as the hats that are displayed each year.

The tradition of the Kentucky Derby hat began at the inception of the race; the founder Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. wanted to ensure a good crowd at his event. At the time the race track had a reputation as immoral and dangerous so Clark looked to other successful races for inspiration. It’s easy to call to mind the glamorous Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Dolittle and her moment of 2 worlds colliding at the Ascot races in England. According to the Kentucky Derby Museum “He loaded up a wagon full of high society women and they were going door-to-door telling their friends, ‘We’re going to have a picnic at the racetrack,’”. And it worked! The wealthy class poured into the stadium in their finest, as a place to see and be seen.

The tradition of the hat lives on as a fun element to the races (and more practically to keep the sun out of spectator's eyes).



Dressage has been called poetry in motion and ballet on horseback. Its beauty dates back hundreds of years and yet, today, continues to gain popularity across the county. Dressage is a French word meaning “training” and describes the sequential development of the horse’s suppleness, obedience and strength. The result is a breathtaking blend of power and artistry. Competition involves a series of movements based on a horse’s action, not unlike gymnastics or figure skating competitions.

For more than 40 years, Dressage at Devon (DAD) has brought top competitors, horses, trainers and judges from across the continent and around the globe together for one of the highest-rated international dressage competition.

https://dressageatdevon.org/about/

A TRADITION SINCE 1975

History
In 1965, a group of riding enthusiasts got together and formed a club, in response to the question “How come the kids get to have all the fun?” The idea of an adult pony club caught on and the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association or “DVCTA” was born.

The mission of the club is to provide instruction and training for members and to inform and demonstrate dressage to the public. So, in the early 70s, the club put on a successful dressage show at the Willcox’s Tory Hill Farm in Glen Mills, PA. Gaining in popularity, the show moved to The Radnor Hunt Club in Malvern, PA while continuing to search for a permanent home. We credit the late Pat Franco with the idea of moving the show to the Devon Horse Show Grounds and in 1975 Dressage at Devon or “DAD” was born.

The increasingly popular Fall Festival actually started as an Art’s & Craft’s Festival, a reflection of the “back to nature” culture of the 70s. At that time there were more horses than spectators, but the high level of enthusiasm among the competitors convinced the volunteer DAD committee that this was a show with great potential. Early on, most of the volunteers came from the ranks of the DVCTA membership. Today, volunteers come from all over the country.

The show continued to grow, added two days for the breeding show, adding exhibitions and larger classes. Today these efforts at improvements continue, with revamped scheduling, new classes in performance, new vendors, additional educational opportunities, and the increasingly popular Dressage Explorers.

Dressage at Devon has evolved into one of the most prestigious dressage competition in the hemisphere. It is an internationally rated dressage show as well as the largest open breed show in the world. The food vendors are rated as the best on the horse show circuit and the Festival area and overall venue is unique in the horse show world.

But what makes Dressage at Devon truly special is the dedication and efforts of our competitors, sponsors, volunteers and spectators. We couldn’t do it without you.