Wynn MedingerThe Devon Horse Show and Country Fair
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is the longest running and largest outdoor multi-breed competition in the United States. With the grandeur of Philadelphia’s prestigious Main Line setting the stage, the event features a world-class field that annually ranks among the most prominent internationally. The event also includes the country fair, which benefits Bryn Mawr Hospital and has donated over $14 million to date. The country fair offers world-class shopping, rides, games, multiple dining options and special entertainment events.
Fittingly, Thursday night once again belonged to the “King of Devon” McLain Ward of Brewster, New York, who surpassed 31 contenders to claim the $250,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon CSI4* for a record tenth time in his career. Watch it here. It was at Devon where Ward retired the remarkable partner, Sapphire, who died following complications from colic in 2014. See a Sapphire from 2012 video here.
Upperville Colt and Horse Show
Held in the shade of the majestic oaks near the village of Upperville, Virginia, the Upperville Colt and Horse Show dates back to 1853 and this year is the 165th anniversary of the oldest horse show in America. Originally horses – particularly stallions – had been exhibited for prizes at country and state fairs, but it is believed and accepted that the horse show, as a separate entity, was introduced on the American sporting scene at Upperville, Virginia in that year. This year, the show ran from Monday, June 4th thru Sunday, June 10th 2018. During this week, the nation’s top ranking hunters and jumpers will compete alongside the local ponies, sidesaddle ladies and racing Jack Russell Terriers. The show, considered one of the most prestigious in the country, now spans seven days and showcases over two thousand horse and rider combinations. The prize list includes classes in breeding, hunters, and jumpers, and entries range from local children to leading Olympic and show jumping World Cup horses and riders.