Music Street and Stewart & Gray Slipper and Serio Tie for Grand Hunter Championship at 2006 Devon Horse Show
Devon, PA – It all came down to the last class of the day to determine if Music Street and Scott Stewart would share the prize of Grand Hunter Champion at the Devon Horse Show. After yet another fantastic performance and blue ribbon presentation for Gray Slipper and Louise Serio, both riders knew that they would be walking in together for the Grand Hunter championship presentation.
“I was nervous after last year because it was so good. It was hard to come back, but the horses were wonderful,” Stewart admitted. Stewart did not repeat his record of last year, when he earned four championships and one reserve championship, but came close, winning three division titles and two reserve champions.
Both riders were happy to have tied with each other. “When we figured out we could be tied, I could root for her!” Stewart added with a laugh. Serio went on to say, “It’s great to win it, but I love being tied with Scott. I love the camaraderie of it. The picture of the two of us out there together I’ll have for years. It means a lot.” She also spoke of their relationship as friends and competitors. “He’s a fantastic competitor,” she said. “We’re very good friends, but it’s very comfortable. We compete in the ring, and we are happy for each other. We respect each other abilities.”
Gray Slipper, a ten year old Belgian Warmblood owned by Bridget Hallman of Oyster Bay, NY, was champion in the Regular Working Hunter division. Krista and Alexa Weisman of Sherborn, MA, own Music Street, who is a seven year old Oldenburg. Music Street was champion in the Second Year Green Hunters. Both horses won two over fences classes, were second in two over fences classes, and won the under saddle. Reserve champion in the Regular Working Hunters was Touchstone, ridden by Jenny Karazissis and owned by Davlyn Farms. Reserve champion in the Second Year Green Hunters was Brad Wolf’s Rio Renoir, ridden by Holly Orlando.
Scott Stewart and Music Street have been paired for many years, so their fluidity in the ring has been tuned to perfection. “I was very confident with him,” Stewart revealed. “He was great as a First Year horse, certainly, but he’s a little fitter and stronger now. He’s got even more jump now than he had before.”
Stewart’s confidence also came with the fact that Music Street does not blink an eye in the ring. “He’s always quiet, and you barely work him,” Stewart said. “You just pick up the reins, and he’s so relaxed. He’s probably the easiest horse to ride. He’s very simple.”
Stewart compared Music Street to another of his championship rides, Good Life, who picked up the tricolor in the Regular Conformation Hunters. “Music Street is totally opposite,” he described. “Good Life is very sensitive. You can jump a cross rail, and he’ll jump the top of the standards. He needs to take a breath and relax; he’s an overachiever.”
Good Life’s overachievement led to a short stint as an Open Jumper with Ken Berkley, who owns Rivers Edge Farm with Stewart, but they have found that the handsome bay gelding has a niche in the four foot hunters. “He has a tendency to overjump and be a little too powerful, but he had some very good classes here,” Stewart acknowledged. “He was quite good at [the jumpers], but I think we’ll stick with this for a little while.”
Reserve champion in the Regular Conformation Hunters was another Stewart ride, Chopard, owned by Krista and Alexa Weisman. He was also champion in the First Year Green Hunters on his own horse, Federal Hill, who “was the greenest of the bunch,” explained Stewart. “He’s gotten better and better, but this is the best he’s gone. He was better than I expected him to be.” Reserve champion in the First Year Green Hunters was Cape Town, ridden by Peter Pletcher and owned by Becky Gochman.
Managing so many top horses is a difficult job, but Stewart narrowed it down to a few key factors. “Fortunately, I’ve had most of these horses since they were two or three,” he mentioned. “I’ve had them a long time, and I show them all through Florida. It’s pretty much the same routine. I also have a great staff. They know the horses and ride them everyday.” One team member he mentioned was barn manager Kate Cardalico, who led in Good Life for the championship presentation. “Good Life is her pet. She rides him every day!” he said with a smile. Louise Serio chimed in, “That girl works hard!” Stewart also has help on the ground from his partner, Ken Berkley, and trainer Scot Evans.
For his incredible accomplishments at Devon once again, Stewart was named the Leading Hunter Rider.
Serio had high words of praise for Gray Slipper, who was also champion in the same division in 2005. “He is just an awesome athlete,” she effused. “He steps up to the plate every time. He just was amazing. Going into the last class, I had to get nothing, and Touchstone had to win for champion. I didn’t have a lot of pressure, like last year. I got to relax and have a good time with my horse.” Serio was also named the Leading Lady Rider.
Both Serio and Stewart were pleased with their horses’ performance over courses built by Philip DeVita that were deemed large and somewhat difficult compared to those in other venues. Serio commented, “I felt the distances were longer, and the oxers were wider. It was a scope test this year.” Stewart added, “Last year was difficult in its own right, but this year you really had to get on it and stay with it. You couldn’t really let up anywhere. He built it for a big, scopey horse. You were either brilliant, or you weren’t.”
The champion in the Green Conformation Hunters was a young, striking horse named Boulevard Deir, ridden by Tim Goguen and owned by Janet Read of Wellington, FL. The six year old Westfalen gelding has little competition experience, but did not show that this week. Reserve champion in the division was Compliment, ridden by Scott Stewart and owned by Molly Ohrstrom of The Plains, VA.
“I was surprised,” Goguen said candidly. “He’s been great, but this ring can fool you a little bit, especially on Monday with all the people. He rose to the occasion and went beautifully. I think at the end, he’ll be a great junior or amateur horse.”
He also explained why Boulevard Deir, at only six years of age, was able to compete without a problem at Devon. “I think his mind is very easy to deal with. That, at the end of the day for a junior or amateur horse, is just outstanding. He’s easy to get to the ring. He really wants to win and please. He’s never looking to the door,” he said.
Goguen only had one horse to ride at this year’s Devon Horse Show. “I wish I had a couple more to jump around the courses! It’s always better to get around the ring sometimes and thaw out a little bit,” he said with a smile. Despite having only one chance, Goguen made the most of it. “After the first class I thought, ‘Wow, this could happen.’ It’s a great horse show, and it’s fun to be champion here.”
The Leading Mare in the Hunter Division was the venerable GG Valentine, ridden by Jennifer Alfano and owned by Barbara Kearney of Placerville, CO. GG Valentine won the Handy Hunter class in the Regular Working Hunter division with a high score of 90 and also placed third in two other over fences classes. “In the Handy, she was unbelievable,” Alfano remarked. The award was a special reminder of their successful partnership. “I love mares,” Alfano said. “Even as a kid, on ponies and junior hunters, I’ve always had a lot of mares. GG gives you 110% all the time and always has.”
Full results for the 2006 Devon Horse Show can be found at www.thedevonhorseshow.com.
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