The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is underway, celebrating milestone year
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is underway, now celebrating its 130th year. The show is rain or shine and runs through May 31. "We have a little bit of something for everyone," said Country Fair Chair Christine Conners.
This is the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed horse show in North America. "It is one of the top prestigious horse shows in the country. Kids try to qualify for this all year long, so if you make it here, you're showing and competing with the best riders," said show manager Pat Boyle.
The horse show draws more than 1,500 competitors and 125,000 attendees each year. This is an elite competition. "It is something that people strive and work for all year to qualify for," said show manager Phil DeVita.
"So many riders started here, developed here, became Olympic riders. We have many Olympic riders here competing with us," added DeVita. While people come from all over the country, and the world, to compete, this is also an opportunity to showcase local talent like 14-year-old Kinsley Nolte from Downingtown with trainer Troy Hendricks.
"It is really such a special show with so much history here. It is so cool to be among the top level of people, who have competed here for so many years, and it is so special because it is so close to home-we live about 30 minutes from here," Nolte told ActionNews, about an hour before she competed herself. "You see the sign that says, 'Where champions meet', and I mean, there's nothing more iconic than that sign," Hendricks said.