The breed and performance competition is great during the week of Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon, but going beyond that, this Heritage show offers a fun experience combined with the opportunity to learn. It’s really a multi-dimensional festival, unique in reaching a far wider audience than just consummate dressage fans.
Sessions on everything from veterinary insights to Western Dressage, and an educational Masterclass that’s also entertaining are highlights of this special show in a Philadelphia suburb. Anyone who thinks dressage is boring will enjoy having their eyes opened with the show’s variety and exciting dimensions. For detailed information about attractions and tickets, go to https://dressageatdevon.org/.
DAD, which will mark the fiftieth anniversary of its founding next year, offers enthusiasts from the Northeast a destination where they can immerse themselves in the discipline they love (or are getting to know) from Sept. 24-29. Those unfamiliar with dressage will get a feeling for what it’s about, while taking advantage of other offerings on-site. And oh yes, there’s also the chance to shop at a wide range of vendors on the historic Devon showgrounds.
DAD really offers a unique opportunity for the region.
We tend to think of Florida in the winter as the center for U.S. dressage, but DAD is a chance for Northeasterners to see some of the big names in the sport during a different season, as well as promising horseswho might well be candidates for the next world championships or FEI World Cup Finals (the show is a qualifier for the 2025 Cup in Switzerland.)
It may surprise some, but “A lot of us don’t go to Florida for the winter,” noted DAD President Anne Moss, “so it really is an inspirational show for all the spectators, whether they are owners or riders, or used to be riders. It brings the sport at the highest level to the mid-Atlantic area and inspires so many people to keep riding. I think that trickles all the way down to the grass roots.
Anne Moss, president of Dressage at Devon.
“When that happens,” she continued, “not only do the people get educated about riding and dressage and become better riders, but they also give their horses better lives.
“It does a whole lot for the welfare of the horse, for the sport to be successful all the way down to the grass roots. And then to have the opportunity to have horses at the top level of the sport brings all of us along with them in our dreams about our riding and then realities about improving. To see the breed show on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and see some of the parents of these horses competing in CDI classes Thursday through Sunday, that’s really exciting.”
The Thursday night Masterclass, which requires a separate ticket, offers the opportunity to watch riders at a variety of levels get critiqued and improve in the process. Brett Parberry, who is giving the class this year, is an Australian who was a rodeo rider before he became immersed in dressage a quarter-century ago. He’ll be working with a group of participants that includes Anna Marek, the 2023 Pan American Games individual bronze medalist.
Anne Gribbons, the former U.S. dressage chef d’equipe, said of Brett, “A more outgoing and enthusiastic person is hard to find, and yet Brett is very humble about his success in promoting dressage `Down Under.’”
U.S. Dressage Federation President George Williams called Brett “a warm, well-loved, and talented expert…who is known for his ‘horse first’ approach. Brett combines classical dressage training with a unique background that is sure to deliver inspiring educational content for all.”
The Dance-Off, a feature that made its debut last year in front of an enthusiastic crowd, will be back this year with its outrageous costumes, glitter and lively music. Break dancers are also part of the scene, courtesy of the contacts made by Steve Graham, CEO of a private equity firm.
Glitter and costumes were hallmarks of the popular Dance-Off.(Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Breaking, as it is formally known, was a 2024 Olympic sport. Its head spins and aerial moves don’t have a direct relationship to piaffe and passage (but maybe to pirouettes?) yet the joyousness it projects was inspirational for the Dance-Off, where breakers were among the judges and celebrities at the competition. Riders performed to live music produced by a quartet right in the arena.
The husband of DAD board member Christina Morin-Graham, Steve was an athlete who had been involved in ski racing, but at Williams College, he met people who told him about breaking. Curious, he decided to check it out when he moved to New York City in the early 1980s to work at Goldman Sachs, and found himself getting involved in the sport after visiting the real deal for breaking in the South Bronx.
He developed “what I called my portfolio of good, very good, athletic college white boy breaking moves. It was sort of unusual to have somebody like me” doing that, said Steve, known at the time among breakers as Vanilla Shake. Now his breaking persona is called Silverback.
Steve said the breaking connection for DAD started because his wife was interested in “creating some sort of spectacle” a fun diversion at the event, and he agreed to have some breakers there. That was the concept in its infancy, but it will be more refined this month during the Friday evening portion of the show, when such famous breakers as Ivan and Nemesis will be on hand.
Lauren Sammis, winner of the Dance-Off last year, felt it was an important innovation.
“I think we’ve got to do things to pull in the crowd, because if you pull in the crowd, we have more money for our sport,” she said.
There’s always a great audience for the big classes at Dressage at Devon. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Speakers during the week include Lynn Palm on the Thursday discussing the increasingly popular Western Dressage and two lecturers from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center on equine health issues on the Friday, when there also will be a presentation on finances for equestrian from sponsor Kingsview Partners. Shawna Karrsch lecures about positive reinforcement for dressage horses on the busy Friday as well.
Other attractions include the Grand Prix Special and musical freestyle FEI World Cup Finals qualifier on the Saturday night, and a series of freestyles in other divisions on the Sunday.
For those between the ages of 14 and 25, the U.S. Dressage Federation is joining forced with the show to offer the Youth/ Young Adult Dressage Sport Horse breeding seminar Sept. 23 and 24.
It’s an introduction to the ProElite/USDF Breeders Championship Series and to teach them safe and effective handling techniques for showing in hand. Those between the ages of 14 and 25, are invited to attend.