Maggie Jayne Has All the Answers in $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby   

Maggie Jayne and The Answer trotted into the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby as the tenth in the order, took over the lead and never relinquished it, riding to the win Thursday afternoon at the Devon Horse Show.

Jayne and the 8-year-old gelding earned scores of 90 and 87 from the two judging panels, which, coupled with four high option points, gave them a first round score of 185. Thirty-two combinations followed Jayne and The Answer in the first round, including last year's winners, Kelley Farmer and Mindful, and 2013 winners Tori Colvin and Inclusive, but none were able to touch the leading score.  

 

Maggie Jayne and The Answer

Second in the first round went to Sandy Ferrell and Meralex Farm Inc.'s El Primero with a total from the two judges of 180.5 points, while Jennifer Alfano and Helen Lenahan's Miss Lucy rounded out the top three with 180 points.

The top 12 combinations returned for the technical handy round, designed by Alan Lohman, which included numerous options for riders to display their horses' handiness. Liza Boyd perhaps did that nearly as well as anyone. Finishing in the eleventh place position after the first round, Boyd and Sterling were the second to return for the handy round, and Boyd took a risky turn that paid off big time.

"I had nothing to lose," Boyd said. "I was actually the only one that did the inside turn to the oxer. I made that decision when I walked the course, I just knew. I knew I had to go for it. We all go for it. If you are sitting in 11^th and you know you have a horse that can do it, you go for it."

Boyd and Sterling, owned by Pony Lane Farm, landed from the oxer set as the sixth fence and made an extremely tight turn to the oxer set as fence seven. 

 

Liza Boyd and Sterling

Boyd continued, "It seemed nearly impossible, but that horse is amazing. I don't know how he did it. He made it, and it honestly seemed easy. I don't think I would have even tried it on Brunello. A couple weeks ago in Tryon he was second in the Derby behind Mindful, and he did all the turns that Mindful did there, so he kind of proved to me that he could do it. I took a shot, and it worked out."

The move shot Boyd from 11^th to the third place position where she would remain through to the end. No on else in the class attempted such a move, instead all elected more conservative displays of handiness, with positions staying much the same from the first round through the second round.

Ferrell and El Primero fell from second to sixth leaving the door open for Alfano who returned with Miss Lucy to deliver scores of 87 and 86 plus four high option points for a second round total of 196 and an overall score of 376. Jayne and The Answer were the last to return, with a combined score of 191 necessary to remain in the lead and take the win.

With a seamless trip delivered and three of the high option fences tackled, Jayne and Pony Lane Farm's The Answer finished on scores of 86.5 and 85.5 for a second round total of 195 and a grand total of 380, clinching the victory.

"The horse has just been coming along so nicely," Jayne said of The Answer. "It's a nice notch on his belt to prove that he can do this. It's great for his resume because it's Devon. I got a new stock tie because we are at Devon! My other shadbelly lost a button, so the shipper left yesterday, and it came overnight in the trailer, because it's Devon. It's very important, and I couldn't be more thrilled for the Thatchers and for the horse - it all came together."

Jayne took over the ride on The Answer from her sister, Haylie Jayne Rolfe, who is expecting her first child in November. The Answer typically competes in the Second Year Green Hunters with Jayne and in the Amateur-Owner Hunters with Kelsey Thatcher.

"I started at the end of Florida, and I've done one show since Florida. Then we came here," Jayne said. "He's a blast, tries really hard and always tries to jump clean. I am having a lot of fun."

Jayne continued, "[Haylie] was watching on the computer, and she texted me. She's hysterical. She's like 'it's the hormones!' She's really cute and supportive."

The Derby on Thursday is one of only a handful that The Answer has done thus far, but competing in the derby at Devon was the perfect fit for him.

"That's the great part about this derby, you get to show out here during the week," Jayne said. "The horses get so comfortable. It's very inviting." 

 

Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy

Finishing in second were derby veterans Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy who finished on an overall score of 376. After colic surgery two years ago and surgery on a keratoma in her hind foot last year, Miss Lucy is back in the show ring and in top form.

"She was awesome. It's so great to have her back in the ring and going again," Alfano said. "She's a really special horse to me. Having her back really means a lot. There is not a jump you wouldn't point her at. You don't ever have to really give that a second thought with her."

The $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby marked the conclusion of the professional hunters at the Devon Horse Show, but competition resumes on Friday with the Amateur-Owner Hunters beginning at 8:55 a.m.

Nancy Ehle has spent many years attending horse shows, but for much of that time, she has stayed on the sidelines to cheer on her daughter, Allyson Ehle. On Thursday at the Devon Horse Show, however, it was Nancy Ehle who took her turn in the spotlight, earning a blue ribbon in the Three Gaited Show Pleasure - Adult class.

"My daughter's been riding for 15 years, and I was the horse show mom for most of that," Ehle said. "I started seriously riding six years ago, on my 50th birthday, and it's been wonderful. My daughter showed last night, and she shows again tomorrow. We get to hang out at all these shows. It's a great thing for moms and daughters."

Nancy Ehle and Trust In Love

Ehle rode Trust In Love, an American Saddlebred mare, to the victory at Devon. She feels the mare is a perfect partner for her as she continues to gain experience in the show ring.
 
"She's just a gem," Ehle said. "She's the happiest mare. She's very pleasant and just gives her all 100 percent of the time. She works hard, and she takes care of me."

A resident of Orefield, Pennsylvania, Ehle sees the Devon Horse Show as a highlight of the year. She has plenty of friends and family in the area who come out to watch and cheer her on.

"This is my favorite show," she said. "[The atmosphere] is a little overwhelming, with the people so close, but I just love it. People get excited. They don't even know what our breed is because they're hunt seat people, but they get excited and cheer. It's such a high."

Thursday marked the second day of competition for American Saddlebreds, Hackney ponies and Friesians at the 2015 Devon Horse Show. Coaching continued as well, with Misdee Wrigley Miller notching another victory in the division driving her own Miller Park Drag. She returned later in the afternoon to win the Three Gaited Amateur class with Hillcroft Farm's Moonbeams and Dreams.   

The Young Devonaires are auctioning off a number of fun and unique items in onsite and online auctions to raise money for the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Foundation. The Foundation owns the show's property and, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, relies on donations to make improvements necessary to ensure its position as a premier equestrian event and maintain the classic charm of the Country Fair. The Young Devonaires hope to build off the success of last year's auction and need your help to do so!

This year, Devon hosts another Philadelphia tradition: Fralinger String Band. The band, famous for their performances each year in the Mummers Parade on New Year's Day, will perform in the Dixon Oval Friday evening at approximately 7:45 and Saturday evening at approximately 8:15.

"The Devon Horse Show has a long, distinguished history and is an important event in the Philadelphia area," said Steve Coper, Fralinger member and business manager. "The Fralinger String Band is celebrating our 100th anniversary in 2015, and we are steeped in Philadelphia history as well. So we each represent a unique, Philadelphia-based tradition."

Fralingers - Photo By: Brenda Carpenter

The band consists of 150 members. Of those members, 85 are performing musicians and 65 are marshals, who help out, and the retired members who no longer perform in costume.

Fralinger's performances take a lot of preparation, so the band practices year-round. The band begins rehearsing in late August for the Mummers Parade, beginning with music rehearsals and then moving on to drill rehearsals in late September. They then practice on Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons through Jan. 1.

Fralinger's rehearsals do not end with the conclusion of the Mummers Parade on New Year's Day. The group performs at over 60 other events, such as parades, concerts and special events, to raise money for their New Year's Day production. In order to do this, the band practices on Tuesday evenings for the remainder of the year.

"We rehearse every Tuesday evening throughout the year to keep our sound consistent. New Year's Day takes months of preparation. But it is such an honor to perform at Devon, we were really motivated during the last several weeks to be at our best for the crowds," Coper said.

The creation of the routines is also a large undertaking. Fralinger has a theme committee which focuses on costuming, music and production. The committee develops the New Year's Day productions. The routines must be new and different for each year's Mummers Parade.

"The Fralinger String Band exists to bring joy and happiness, and a bit of a getaway, through our energetic music," Coper said.  "We look forward to performing.