Dressage for Days

It’s been a somewhat high profile summer for dressage, largely due to being dubbed the “Sport of the Summer” (thanks again to Stephen Colbert) and new world records set in London. As fall weather starts to creep in, a decades old tradition sets the stage for summer’s inevitable departure. For about six days each September, the dressage world turns its eyes to Devon, PA. A storied venue with over a century of history, the Devon show grounds hosts the best in warmblood and sport horse breed classes and dressage performance classes at the annual Dressage at Devon (DAD). Breeders from all over bring their top prospects from this year’s foal crop to current breeding stock in an effort to extend their credentials and pit their horses against some of the best in the country. On the performance side, professionals and amateurs alike converge to get a gauge on their progress and set the stage for the next training progression – plus saying you cantered the center line in the famed Dixon Oval isn’t too shabby of a day!



Silva Martin on Duvent



Now while hours of test-watching may not appeal to all, as a dressage fan and hobbyist, I couldn’t ask for a better line up than all dressage, all day! (There’s also some pretty stellar shopping like at all good horse shows). It’s even better when there are a few familiar names on the day sheets. This event was a great success for several of our Purina Ambassadors including Hilltop Farm in the breed divisions, Silva Martin with several young and developing horses, Chris Hickey and Witness Hilltop in the I1 division and Ashley Holzer in the Grand Prix classes. Check out the full list of results here.



Chris Hickey on Witness Hilltop



DAD provides a wide spectrum of nutritional targets to hit: foals at their mare’s side, broodmares, young stallions, developing young horses and high caliber performance athletes all of whom traveled in for the show, have full competition schedules in a new environment and travel home or to off season training facilities while under the same expectations of performance. We’re very proud of our extensive product line that plays many different roles for horses like these and couldn’t be happier to see so many of our customers succeed at their passion!