DRIVING DAILY NEWS | DRIVING PONIES
PJ Crowley Takes the Tricolor in Single Horse Driving Championship at Devon Horse Show
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Posted by Callie Clement for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
DEVON HORSE SHOW AND COUNTY FAIR
PJ Crowley wins the Single Horse Driving Championship (Photo: Callie Clement/Phelps Media Group)
Devon, PA - To finish out the evening in the Dixon Oval, the Single Horse Driving division took place with nine entries. The Devon blue was stolen by PJ Crowley after accumulating the most points in the Single Horse Pleasure Driving Turnout and the Single Horse Scurry. Reserve champion was captured by Steve Wilson in his Brewster County Gig carriage.
Crowley competed with the 11-year-old Friesian gelding, Willem, in a Gentleman’s Pheaton carriage that was restored by Crowley’s father, Pat. Crowley secured the tricolor champion ribbon of the evening after placing first in the Single Horse Pleasure Driving Turnout and the Single Horse Scurry with a speedy time of 75.292 seconds.
PJ Crowley (Photo: Equiscape Photography)
Crowley and the Friesian gelding have a long history of showing together and are familiar with success at the Devon Horse Show after winning reserve champion in 2016.
Competition will continue in the Dixon Oval on Wednesday, May 30, with Ladies Day. One of the feature events of day will be Ladies Side Saddle taking place at 12 p.m.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Tara Crowley – Wife of Single Horse Driving championship winner PJ Crowley
On Willem:
“He is an 11-year-old Friesian that we imported from Holland for our customers James and Kathleen Leo of Rochester, New York. He came over here when he was a year and a half old. He has been in the four-in-hand, tandem, driven dressage and ridden dressage. He kind of does everything and is a really special guy. We started showing him when he was 4 years old and so this is his seventh year showing with us. He was here two years ago and was reserve champion. We’re extremely proud of how he was back in the ring today. He is a super guy.”
PJ Crowley (Photo: Equiscape Photography)
On Competing at the Devon Horse Show:
“This show is such a tradition for us. PJ, my husband, has shown here since he was 8 years old and it’s just one of those shows that is such a staple for us. Being such a historic show itself, and then so many of our customers have such a history of showing here, it’s really important to us. We have one customer who has been a part of Devon for 64 years. It always fun to come here, be a part of its history and have our friends and family come to watch.”
On the Carriage:
“The carriage PJ used tonight was a Gentleman’s Pheaton. It was restored by PJ’s father, Pat Crowley Jr. He is a national restoration champion and has won several awards for his restoration projects. This carriage was one that he did 10 years ago and it’s still in impeccable condition.”
