Devon, Pa.—Rebecca Forbes of Stuarts Draft, Va., rode her Kick The Clouds to win the $2,500 Adult Amateur Monday evening at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, and that win gave her the Championship in the division. Second in the class and Reserve Champion was Murray Kessler of Bedford Corners, N.Y., on All That.
Six horses from a starting field of 18 went clean in the first round to return for a jump-off against the clock. Kessler, second in the jump-off, posted the first jump-off clear round in the quick time of 36.274.
Forbes said she and her trainer, Tommy Serio, had talked about doing an inside turn from the first fence to the second, and when she knew Kessler was clean, they decided to try it. That turn worked and she cut over two seconds off Kessler’s time, and as she and Kessler were the only ones clean in the jump-off, the win was hers.
“This is my second time showing at Devon,” said Forbes, who had shown here for the first time last year, but she admitted her nerves had gotten to her last year.
“I had just gotten Kick The Clouds the fall before, and Devon last year was our first big show together,” said Forbes. “I came here this year to have fun. I didn’t have any huge expectations. Winning this is icing on the cake.”
“Kick The Clouds is fun to ride,” said Forbes. “He knows his job. He’s fast on his own, so if I just stay out of his way, we’re O.K.”
Scott Stewart of Flemington, N.J., has had a strangle hold on the Leading Hunter Rider title, having won it for the past four years, many times by a huge margin over the other riders in the division. But it appears this year he has some serious competition for that prestigious award.
On the first of three days of hunter competition, Californian John French won three classes and placed second in another, while Stewart won two and placed second twice. However, couning up all the points, for first through sixth, Stewart still holds a tenuous lead over French – 42 ½ to 42.
French’s wins came with Scout in First Year Green Hunter and in Green Conformation Hunter and with Andiamo in Regular Working Hunter, where he also placed second on Overseas. Stewart’s win was on Dynamic in Regular Working Hunter under saddle, and he placed second on Ovation in First Year Green Hunter and with Highland Park in Regular Conformation.
Hunter classes continue today and tomorrow, with championships and the Leading Rider award presented Wednesday morning.
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