Rabiola is Grand Champion of Devon, Mustang is Reserve Stallion Champ
14 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Rabiola is Grand Champion of Devon, Mustang is Reserve Stallion Champ
DEVON, Pennsylvania, Sept. 29–Iron Spring Farm’s Rabiola, a KWPN mare who has won more than 10 championships at Dresage at Devon over the years, won the Grand Championship, the most covered ribbons at North America’s premier breed show.
Dazzle, a two-year-old mare by Jazz, was Reserve Grand Championship.
Rabiola kicked off her day by winning the Four-Year-Old and Older Broodmares class. She then trotted to the Mare and Mature Horse Championships before clinching the title of Grand Champion.
The mare, by Metall out of Fabiola by Zadok, is not only a frequent big winner at Devon, she also has produced several Dressage at Devon winners.
“She’s the Queen,” said Mary Alice Malone, owner of Iron Spring Farm of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. “This was really amazing. I’m really lucky to own her.”
Dazzle, bred by Victoria Lamas Wanner and owned by Taylor Minnucci, is also a multiple Dressage at Devon champion.
The two-year-old won Tuesday’s Filly Championship and the Reserve Young Horse Championship, as well as Reserve Grand Champion.
“I’ve been showing at Dressage at Devon since 1992,” Victoria said. “I thought the competition this year was really strong. In the Championship today it was thrilling to see such good horses with such good bloodlines. It was everything you could possibly hope for!”
Dazzle also received the Born in the USA Breeders Award for Two Year Old Fillies.
Another Born in the USA winner was Reserve Champion Mare, Conturri. The Contucci daughter, bred and owned by Hilltop Farm of Colora, Maryland, won the Four-Year-Old and Older Maiden and Yeld Mares class with an 82.150 per cent.
The Born in the USA Breeders Awards were developed in 2003 to recognize and reward the achievements of American sport horse breeders. Only horses that were conceived and foaled in the U.S.A. are eligible. More than $54,000 (€39,500) has been awarded since.
Overall Champion Born in the USA Breeder’s Award was De Feiner Star, a 2006 AHS stallion by De Laurentis out of Feiner Dance by Feiner Stern. The flashy chestnut with four white socks also won the Stallions class and the 4-and 5-Year-Old Stallions Materiale class before claiming the Stallion Championship. Owner Greg Strait, along with co-owner Melinda Brown, selected De Feiner Star as a weanling after seeing a photo on the Internet.
“I basically bought him sight unseen,” Strait said. “He’s got a great mind and is very smart. He’s very easy to deal with.”
An unexpected selection for Reserve Champion Stallion was Padré, a 10-year-old Bureau of Land Management Mustang that was born wild in the Palomino Valley, Nevada, herd.
Rounded up and then adopted by Dr. Rick Redden as a yearling, Padré spent time at the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Kentucky before becoming Patti Gruber’s partner as a seven-year-old. The Vernon Hills, Illinois resident met Padré as a two-year-old and thought he had naturally beautiful gaits. The duo quickly developed a bond and is now schooling third level.
Patti hopes to ride down the centerline at Dressage at Devon next year.
