Devon started her career in horses at the young age of 7 by taking lessons from a local barn. After a few years of lessons her parents decided she was interested enough to get her, her own horse to help her progress her riding. After spending months looking for the right horse in January of 2004 they brought home Ginger Latte, who would become Devon's partner up until July of 2013. They quickly formed a partnership despite both horse and rider being beginners. For the First year or so they spent there time in the hunter and equitation rings. After a push from her mother who had previously been an eventer they entered there first schooling horse trial in September of 2005 where they brought home a blue ribbon and became hooked ever since. In September of 2007 Devon entered her first usea recognized event and came home with a double clear round and a 5th place ribbon from full gallop farm. After gaining one qualifying placing her goal was to qualify for the American Eventing Championships with Ginger. In August of 2007 Devon got a new partner for eventing a 10 year old 17.1 hand Holsteiner/ Thoroughbred gelding out of Rolando. She was given Reincheque or "Charlie" as he was known around the barn as a project to bring along as an upper level prospect. Charlie had been sitting in the pasture most of his life as he was cold backed and intimidating because of his size. He was a great challenge to tackle and taught Devon a lot about training horses because of how difficult he was to restart. After a few more recognized events, moving up to the novice level and one broken leg later Devon and Ginger headed to Wayne, Illinois for The US Eventing Championships at the beginner novice level. An unlucky stop left them in 53rd place but it was a great learning experience and her first experience at such a big event. After the AEC's she put Ginger in semi retirement to try and prepare Reincheque for usea recognized events. Devon took Reincheque to his first event at the novice level after several successful schooling shows in the jumpers. They completed their first event together in the fall of 2010 at Chatt Hills to finish in 8th place on their dressage score. They went on to complete 4 more novice recognized events together. In the Summer of 2011 after graduating high school a year early Devon decided to become a working student to further her education in riding with upper level trainers. In June of 2011 she became a working student for Michael and Sharon Poulin (Bronze Medal at the Barcelona Olympics) to get correct and effective dressage training under her belt. She learned a lot from the Poulins including a correct basic dressage foundation, care and management for 30+ horses, and how to work hard. Having learned a lot from the Poulins she hoped to find a fit with an event barn to see how her and Charlie progressed with their new training. After several offers from upper level event and dressage riders she settled with Mollie Zobel of South Carolina (see molliezobeleventing.com) to help her progress her event riding. While with Mollie she learned tons about sales, proper fitness, riding lots of different horses of all ages, and how to really survive in the south. Reincheque and Devon settled in nicely to their new South Carolina home and were prepping for their first show back before hoping to move up to the training level together when the night before the show Charlie coliced and did not make it. As sad as this was Devon received so much support from all of her new contacts in Aiken and of course from home. Luckily Aiken is a great town to be in when looking for a horse, and Laura Anderson of Full Gallop Farm had just the horse Devon was looking for. Lu E Davor was his race name and he had more personality than he knew what to do with as the small three year old that he was. Devon fell in love with him instantly and they've been inseparable ever since. Karisma was his new found show name and he goes by Blaze around the barn. Luckily Devon had both Mollie and Elly Schobel to start this one off right, at the very beginning. At just three years old and two solid months of work since racing he tackled his first beginner novice three phase and brought home a 6th place ribbon. He also came home with a lovely 3rd place ribbon from his first recognized events beating four star riders like Boyd Martin and Allison Springer. Needless too say he has the whole package. His first year with Devon he completed two four year old YEH shows placing 2nd and 4th and qualified for YEH Nationals at Fair Hill Interantional where they finished Twelfth. He also completed five recognized events at beginner novice that year qualifying him for the AEC's at Chatt Hills where they finished twenty fifth. In August of 2012 after a year at Mollie's Devon and Blaze moved back to Georgia so Devon could start college. They have since moved up to the training level in eventing and have completed their first two events to try and qualify for a training three day event. They are currently prepping for their first YEH 5yr old event in August of 2013. Devon hopes that her and Blaze can keep climbing up the levels as blaze matures and hopefully eventually qualify for a four star international event.
Past and Current Horses
Karisma or Blaze as he's known around the farm is a 16.1H ten year old off the track thoroughbred. Purchased from Full Gallop Farm in 2011 as a three year old, Devon has brought Blaze along from the very beginning. His career on the track may not have been what his breeders hoped for, but he has proven himself a very successful event horse. At four Blaze began his career as an eventer and Qualified and competed at the American Eventing Championships in the Beginner Novice division at Chattahoochee Hills. He also qualified for the USEA young event horse championships at Fair Hill and placed 12th. At six he was the year end champion for Training level and Overall at Chattahoochee Hills. At seven he made a successful move up to the preliminary level and the 1.25 meter jumpers. At eight he helped the University of Georgia bring home the Collegiate National Championship and won the Jumper Stakes under the lights at Kentucky. At nine he was third in the GDCTA year end awards at the Preliminary level. He also finished second at the Tryon derby under the lights in November of 2017. As well as winning the 1.10 meter jumper championship division at the 2017 TIP Championships. He has continued to move up the levels over the years and he is headed towards his first FEI competition in the fall of 2018
FGF Cold Hard Blast or Pickett is a 6 year old, 16.3H thoroughbred gelding. Pickett raced once as a four year old before Devon purchased him in November of 2016 as her retired race horse project horse. Since coming off the track he has shown lots of potential as an event horse and a high level show jumper. In their first year together the picked up several blue ribbons in the 2017 show season. Their highlights so far include a move up to novice level eventing, competing in the 1.05m jumpers, a win in the suitable jumpers and the Jockey Club TIP championships and a top ten finish in the Young Horse Derby at Tryon International.
Gallifrey or "Elmo" is an eight year old 16.2H unraced thoroughbred gelding. He has competed in the 1.10m jumpers quite successfully. He finished third in the Jumper Stakes under the lights at Kentucky in 2016 and finished third in the 1.05 meter division at the 2017 TIP Championships in Kentucky. Elmo is also used in our lesson program.
Reincheque or Charlie as he was known around the farm was a 17.1 hand Holsteiner/ Thoroughbred out of Rolando. Charlie was a beautiful mover and could jump the moon with his excellent breeding to back him up. He came to Devon at the age of 10 and taught her how to ride the warmblood ride. He knew nothing when he came to her besides how to walk trot undersaddle and some Clinton Anderson ground work. When he came to her he was a couple hundred pounds under weight and didn't even have the muscles to canter. With a lot of TLC and diligent work he proved to be a good event horse after all. They competed in the 3ft hunters and Jumpers before making his transition to Eventing at the Novice level in 2010. He also went with Devon to the Poulins to work on his dressage and both he and Devon progressed tremendously while they were under their watchful eyes. Unfortunately just a mere month after moving to Aiken, SC Charlie had a severe case of colic and did not make it. He will never be forgotten for all he taught and how much he gave. Devon also received her bronze medal at the novice level on Reincheque in 2011.
Ginger Latte or Ginger as everyone knows her is a 15.1 hand Thoroughbred/ Quarter Horse cross mare. Ginger was Devon's first horse and the one that started it all. Ginger was an excellent teacher and a great event horse. Her size and build are the only things holding her back from the upper levels. Devon and Ginger formed an amazing partnership in the almost fifteen years they have been together and they trusted each other to do anything. Ginger has an amazing ability to do well in whatever she tried, in 2010 she was champion in 3ft hunters, reserve in 2'6" hunters, reserve in 2'6" jumpers, 3rd in 3'ft jumpers and 4th in western pleasure, 5th in mare halter and reserve champion in basket weaving, coming home with a Ribbon in every discipline for the year at the Rolling Hills Saddle Club. Ginger is currently used in our lesson program and is leased to one of Azalea Stables students.