2005 Dressage at Devon

2005 Dressage at Devon Kicks Off with Wild Vet Check

2005 Dressage at Devon kicked off with some rain, some sunshine and a wild vet check. Devon could not have started traditionally without some rain drizzling from the sky. On Wednesday the weather was perfect, but on Thursday morning, a few hours before the jog, it started to pour. Even though it does ruin the fun a bit, a big splash is always good to get rid of "Devon dust". Fortunately right before the action started the sky cleared and a beautiful warm sun came out.

A few changes were made this year to the vet check. Normally it is done on a slightly sloping hill next to the stabling area, but this year they saw it fit to block the entire road between the competition area and the stables for the jog. They poured a strip of four inches of sand on the road and neatly manicured it into a what looked like a sandy miniature golf track. Unfortunately they forgot to water this artificial sand strip, so during the jog, judges and spectators were constantly sand stripped, and with some imagination the scene resembled tourists lost in the Sahara during a big desert storm.

The horses were not really set up by this run on the street and though most of them behaved nicely, several took the opportunity to become maniacs and bopped all over the place. It all could be funny if no one gets injured, but the 2005 Devon jog came to a crashing ending when the last horse kicked out and slipped on the concrete, shaving off the skin on both his hocks. Let's draw a new plan for next year's vet inspection.

After the jog and during the young horse classes, Markel hosted its annual welcome party in the trade fair at the beer garden for all competitors, exhibitors and spectators. The buffet with Asian and Cajun chicken wings was delicious, which explained the everlasting long queue in line for food. Food and drinks were served for free thanks to Markel Horse Insurance, which was represented by Mary Phelps, a Markel insurance specialist, and her husband JJ Hathaway.

With everyone wined and dined on Thursday evening, with horses who got acquainted with the show grounds and friends from all over the world meeting here in Devon to watch America's best dressage horses compete, a fantastic atmosphere was set on the first Devon Dressage day.

By Astrid Appels

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