R Stetson Named Grand Champion of the 2024 Devon Breed Show

Breeding

Dutch warmblood

The 3-year old KWPN stallion R Stetson was named Grand Champion of the 2024 Devon Breed Show on Wednesday 25 September 2024.

Owned by Lauren Chumley, the black R Stetson is by Gørklintgårds Shaolin × Jazz and bred by Lauren Kimmel in the U.S.A.

Grand Championship: R Stetson

The winner and the runner-up of the Young Horse and Mature Horse Championship battled it out for the Grand Championship finale.

After placing second in the Young Horse Championship Final, Chumley's R Stetson was favoured by judges Robin Birk, Susan Graham White, Kristi Wysocki, and Gail Hoff-Carmona for the overall title.

"Never in my wildest dreams," Chumley took to Facebook, ecstatic with her stallion having won the title.

The reserve champion is last year's Devon Grand Champion, the 7-year old Oldenburg mare Love Dance (by Vitalis x Furst Romancier). Bred by Jürgen Fetzer in Germany and owned by Iron Spring Farm, Love Dance was trotted up by Quinnten Alston. Earlier in the day Love Dance won the Mature Horse Championship Final and Mare Championship.

The two other horses that competed for the Grand Champion's title were Iron Spring Farm's 2-year old KWPN mare Sensation ISF (by Vivaldi x Bordeaux) and Lauren Dearlove's 7-year old Oldenburg mare Salsa (by Starlight x Widmark).

Stallion Championship: Crescendo GSF

Earlier in the day the 4-year old Westfalian stallion Crescendo GSF (by Crumble x Le Mode) won the Stallion Championship. He is bred and owned by Carolyn Miller and was presented by Paige Kyle.

The runner-up in this class was Ruth Cox' 4-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Phoenix Rising (by Contango x Vivaldi). He was presented by Janae Griffin.

Mare Championship: Love Dance

The Mare Championship was won by Iron Spring Farm's Love Dance ahead of Dearlove's 7-year old Oldenburg mare Salsa.

Young Horse Championship: Sensation ISF

The Young Horse Championship was awarded to the best overall out of the Champion and Reserve Champions of both the Filly & Colt/Gelding Championship Sections.

The winner was Iron Spring Farm's 2-year old KWPN mare Sensation ISF. She is by Vivaldi out of Beau Monde (by Bordeaux x Sir Donnerhall). She also goes by the name Solei Sensation ISF

R. Stetson was second in the Young Horse Championship.

Colt/Gelding Championship: Vector D

Capturing the tri-color honours for the overall Colt/Gelding Championship was the 2-year old Hanoverian bred gelding Vector D (by Vitalis x Widmark). He is bred, owned and presented by Lauren Dearlove.

Vector D referred Chumley's R Stetson to the runner-up spot.

Filly Championship: Sensation ISF

Sensation ISF began the day by winning the Filly Championship first, and from there went to take the title in the Young Horse Championship, which earned her a spot in the Grand Championship finale.

The reserve champion in the the Filly championship was Mila Perry's 3-year old Oldenburg bred Jabberwocky Eden (by Jameson x Ibizi). She is bred by Nedergaard Dressage in Denmark.

Pony Grand Championship: Knightwynds Chiron

At the start of the breed show the pony foal Knightwynds Chiron was named Pony Grand Champion. The Welsh Cob colt (by MHS Cool Jazz x Knightwynds Model T) is bred and owned by Rachel Laufen-Wengerd. He referred Katie Cook's 12-year old American Bashkir Curly mare Ongie (by BCF Splash Dancer) to the reserve champion's position.

“He is just awesome," said a proud Rachel Laufen-Wengerd. "We’re probably going to keep him as a stallion. He’s super chill hanging out here, and he’s taken all of this in so well. He’s gotten better each time. I’ve been coming to [Dressage at] Devon for ten years, and he’s the first homebred pony I’ve brought.”

The other two ponies competing in the Grand Championship were Christina Warfel's Dutch registered 2024 filly Alléchante (by Amazing x Wicker Courtjester) and Kelsy Petersen with Danielle Toscano's 10-year old Arabian bred mare Velencia SLG (by Zaire SLH).

Complete results here.

Photos © PMG