© All Rights Reserved 2022.
Dressage at Devon is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Dressage has been called poetry in motion and ballet on horseback. Its beauty dates back hundreds of years and yet, today, continues to gain popularity across the county. Dressage is a French word meaning “training” and describes the sequential development of the horse’s suppleness, obedience and strength. The result is a breathtaking blend of power and artistry. Competition involves a series of movements based on a horse’s action, not unlike gymnastics or figure skating competitions.
For more than 40 years, Dressage at Devon (DAD) has brought top competitors, horses, trainers and judges from across the continent and around the globe together for one of the highest-rated international dressage competition.
DAD opens with the three-day Breed Division, in which horses and ponies from young foals to 5 year old mares and stallions, are judged for movement and conformation. Individual Breed Classes have featured more than 20 breeds, from Appaloosas to Knabstruppers and Dales Ponies. Our show is the USDF Breeders Championships East Coast Series Finals. TheFoal Championships, and the Born in the USA Breeders Awards are among the highlights of the show’s first days.
The four-day Performance Division begins on. Most Dressage at Devon classes are FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) level, including four Grand Prix classes, the level of Olympic competition. Musical freestyle classes are favorites.
Festival Shops offer exclusive apparel, fine arts, antiques and collectibles, and food from burgers to full gourmet meals at charming outdoor cafes. Families enjoy the weekend atmosphere, where exhibitions are geared towards family fun. Sunday is family day, with young riders performing throughout the day.
Dressage Explorers, a program created for kids, takes place on Sunday, and includes a stick horse competition, equine jeopardy, a selfie-scavenger hunt plus new activities every year.
Dressage at Devon takes place at the Devon Horse Show Grounds, Route 30, in Devon, Pennsylvania. General admission is available for $10 at the show grounds during the show; children under 3 are free and children 4-12 are $5 for General Admission. Reserve seats and box seating are available.
In 1965, a group of riding enthusiasts got together and formed a club, in response to the question “How come the kids get to have all the fun?” The idea of an adult pony club caught on and the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association or “DVCTA” was born.
The mission of the club is to provide instruction and training for members and to inform and demonstrate dressage to the public. So, in the early 70s, the club put on a successful dressage show at the Willcox’s Tory Hill Farm in Glen Mills, PA. Gaining in popularity, the show moved to The Radnor Hunt Club in Malvern, PA while continuing to search for a permanent home. We credit the late Pat Franco with the idea of moving the show to the Devon Horse Show Grounds and in 1975 Dressage at Devon or “DAD” was born.
The increasingly popular Fall Festival actually started as an Art’s & Craft’s Festival, a reflection of the “back to nature” culture of the 70s. At that time there were more horses than spectators, but the high level of enthusiasm among the competitors convinced the volunteer DAD committee that this was a show with great potential. Early on, most of the volunteers came from the ranks of the DVCTA membership. Today, volunteers come from all over the country.
The show continued to grow, added two days for the breeding show, adding exhibitions and larger classes. Today these efforts at improvements continue, with revamped scheduling, new classes in performance, new vendors, additional educational opportunities, and the increasingly popular Dressage Explorers.
Dressage at Devon has evolved into one of the most prestigious dressage competition in the hemisphere. It is an internationally rated dressage show as well as the largest open breed show in the world. The food vendors are rated as the best on the horse show circuit and the Festival area and overall venue is unique in the horse show world.
But what makes Dressage at Devon truly special is the dedication and efforts of our competitors, sponsors, volunteers and spectators. We couldn’t do it without you.
Anne Snipes Moss has served on many equestrian related non-profit boards and committees. These include: Cochran Hunt Club Board, United States Pony Club National Examiner and National Examiner Committee, United States Dressage Federation Historical Recognition and Freestyle Committee and is a Past President of the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association (DVCTA). She is a USEF “R” Dressage, USEF ‘R’ Western Dressage Judge and USEF ‘r’ Sport Horse Judge. Anne has been a member of DVCTA since 2001 and has volunteered on the DAD Committee for more than 15 years, adding her experience and expertise to the show.
Audrey bring her financial skills and community leadership to our team. Audrey is the Executive Director for Community Lenders, mission driven 30-bank loan consortium that provides long-term financing to organizations committed to improving their communities. She is also the Treasurer for the Buxmont Riding Club of Tylersport, PA. She grew up Eventing, moved to hunters while in college, jumpers after college, and dressage after having children. Audrey continues to care for her horses and like to trail riding.
Sarah brings her goal-oriented program director skills to the Dressage at Devon Board as the Secretary. She has served on the board of the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association (DVCTA) and co-chaired the show secretary role for the DVCTA Fair Hill Dressage USEF two-day show where she lead the club’s transition into the digital entries and show management era. She has been actively coming to Dressage at Devon for many years as a spectator, volunteer, scribe and Amateur Adult competitor. Sarah grew up just down the road from Devon and currently resides in Chester County, PA where she keeps her 3 dressage horses. Sarah has earned her USDF Bronze and Silver medals.
Christina is a Managing Principal at Graham Partners, Inc., a private investment firm based in Newtown Square, PA with $3.7 billion of assets under management. She holds several senior leadership roles at Graham Partners and serves on the firm’s Investment and Valuation Committees, as well as on the boards of certain portfolio companies. Prior to joining Graham Partners, she worked in investment banking at Comerica Bank (through W.Y. Campbell & Co.) and Goldman, Sachs & Co. Christina graduated from the University of Virginia and holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Christina lives with her husband and children on a farm not far from the Devon Horse Show Grounds, and actively competes as an amateur dressage rider.
Anne Gribbons was the U.S. Equestrian Federation technical advisor for dressage from 2010-2012. She has trained and shown 15 horses of her own to Grand Prix and competed in 10 national championships, as well as in Europe, including the Aachen CHIO (Germany). Seven of her horses have been named U.S. Dressage Federation Horse of the Year, and she was a member of the 1995 Pan American Games silver-medal winning team for the United States. Anne is a Federation Equestre Internaionale five-star judge, and she was a member of the FEI Dressage Committee from 2010-2013. She was inducted into the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame in 2013. Anne is a columnist for the Chronicle of the Horse and a collection of those columns is now available in her book “Collective Remarks.”
Lori was President and CEO of Dressage at Devon from 2009 to 2021, but for many years before that she was a dedicated volunteer. Lori has been instrumental in bringing about positive changes in the show, including Born in the USA and working with the United States Dressage Foundation to pilot many successful programs and classes in the Breed Division. She worked in diagnostics for Siemens Healthcare DX in the manufacturing organization, developing new and revised methods for blood and urine analysis.
Robbie is an innovative and decisive corporate leader with extensive experience initiating and managing complex projects and operations. She is a diversified non-profit Board Member and Officer with a passion for volunteer programs in science, engineering, history and education. She has been on the Board of Dressage at Devon for several years and served as Chair from 2017 until spring 2020. Robbie will continue as an advisor to the Board.
Anne Snipes Moss has served on many equestrian related non-profit boards and committees. These include: Cochran Hunt Club Board, United States Pony Club National Examiner and National Examiner Committee, United States Dressage Federation Historical Recognition and Freestyle Committee and is a Past President of the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association (DVCTA). She is a USEF “R” Dressage, USEF ‘R’ Western Dressage Judge and USEF ‘r’ Sport Horse Judge. Anne has been a member of DVCTA since 2001 and has volunteered on the DAD Committee for more than 15 years, adding her experience and expertise to the show.
A longtime DVCTA Member, and Dressage at Devon competitor and owner, Karen is an advocate of dressage and DAD enthusiast. She has volunteered, scribed, sponsored, ridden, and attended the show for decades. She now is based in Wellington, FL. and has a large base of contacts in the US and FEI dressage world and is enthusiastic in promoting the show. She hopes to use her contacts to encourage more FEI competitors to come to the show and support the long-term success of the show. Her goal is to help the show improve in areas that are important to competitors and work to bring more FEI Grand Prix competitors to the show.
Mo and Jim have been raising warmblood sport horses for over 20 years, with a particular focus on Hanoverians for much of that time. Mo is a judge for the Oldenburg Horse Breeder’s Society (GOV) on its yearly inspection tours. She makes numerous tours to Germany and has extensive contacts and friends there. She is on the Board of Directors of the Mid-Atlantic Hanoverian Breeders Association (MAHB), a successful regional breed club, and she is one of their founding members. She originated and has helped to organize their Annual Fall Mare Show.
Jessica Jo “JJ” Tate began to take her place among the country’s riding elite early, making her FEI debut at just 16 years old. Earning numerous national and regional titles, JJ’s has trained and competed over 29 horses at the FEI levels, including eight at Grand Prix. Known for her classical education and elegant riding, she is a top competitor who’s devotion to the very highest standards of horsemanship and integrity make her a positive role model in the contemporary dressage world. JJ has been long-listed for the World Equestrian Games and represented the United States in competitions abroad. JJ is now a resident in Landrum, SC, and wintering at Yellow Bird Farm in Wellington, she is a sought-after clinician and trainer.
George is one of the longest serving Presidents of the United States Dressage Federation, and a prominent figure in international Dressage. As a well-respected US team competitor, Trainer, Coach, Clinician and Author, he has successfully represented the United States in International Competitions and has won numerous National Championships. He has trained many horses and riders from Junior/Young Riders to Adult Amateurs, however, he is most known for piloting the black Westfalen mare, Rocher, to international fame. He is currently the US Dressage National Youth Coach and his leadership skills have earned him a recent appointment to the Federation Equestrian International Dressage Committee. George is known for his quiet, Classical approach to his horses and his riders as well as notorious for his dry sense of humor.
Nancy is a partner with the law firm of Kleinbard LLC (Philadelphia, PA) practicing in the fields of corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on real estate, finance, mergers and acquisitions and equine law. She is currently Vice President of the Board of Directors for Dream Catchers, a premier therapeutic riding center. Nancy has been a science teacher and athletic trainer both in public and private secondary school settings and is currently active in equine activities and animal rescue.
Nicole DelGiorno is a USDF gold medalist, dressage instructor, and Content Strategist for MarketSmart from Medford Lakes, NJ. Nicole is dedicated to promoting youth in dressage and has served two years as Chair of the USDF Youth Executive Committee and four years as Region 1’s USDF youth representative. Today, she is an active volunteer and committee member for Dressage4Kids, board member for The Dressage Foundation, and chef d’equipe for Region 1’s NAYC team. In her roles, she is particularly interested in attracting kids to dressage, giving them a good start in the sport, and helping them grow beyond the youth program into successful professionals and amateur riders.
In addition to Nicole’s equestrian interest, her experience as a Content Strategist at MarketSmart, is helping our nonprofit organization to engage and inspire their major donors.
© All Rights Reserved 2022.
Dressage at Devon is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.