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Parking is available near the Devon Show Grounds with several options depending on when you arrive and how close you want to be.
Attendants will direct spectators on where to park when you arrive. Please allow extra time to walk across the street and into the gates especially during busy evening events Thursday through Saturday nights.
Additional parking is sometimes available in nearby overflow lots. Signs and attendants will guide you if the main lot is full.
Accessible parking for guests with mobility needs is located close to the entrance gates. Be sure to bring your placard and let the attendants know so they can direct you to the right area.
Street parking around the neighborhood and in designated resident lots is limited. Please follow all posted signs and instructions to avoid being ticketed or towed.
If you are traveling by train or rideshare you can be dropped off right at the front gates on Lancaster Avenue. This can be a great option on busy nights.
From Tuesday through Thursday the breed division showcases foals young horses and breeding stock. From Friday through Sunday the performance division features the sport side of dressage including tests that lead up to the Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix Freestyle on Saturday night under the lights is a highlight of the entire week. Freestyles continue through Sunday with additional rides on Saturday afternoon.
Check the Header
At the top of the sheet you will see:
Understand the Columns
The sheet is usually set up as a table with
Reading the Scores
Dressage tests are scored from 0 to 100. Here’s how to understand what those percentages mean:
Awards and Breaks
Breaks are noted for judges and ring staff. Awards ceremonies are a celebrated part of the Dressage at Devon tradition so stay to cheer for the winners!
hen you watch a test notice the rhythm balance and harmony of horse and rider.
The best rides look effortless as though the horse is dancing on its own. At the higher levels watch for advanced movements such as the piaffe, passage and pirouette. See if you can name the movement. When the ride ends you can view the official results after the test (link coming soon).
You know a rider is doing well when they stay the course of the pattern, don’t break strides for a few steps, when the horse is expressive and free flowing and he rider looks like they aren’t doing anything up there.
Wheeler Arena
Next to the grandstands. This arena often hosts the breed classes and select performance rides. The rail is open to stand along and gives you an up close view
Dixon Oval
The main arena surrounded by the famous blue grandstands. The atmosphere especially at night is one of a kind. Seating in the Dixon Oval includes paid and reserved box seats or reserved grandstand seats. Some seats may be open if not occupied and you can always ask a staff member if you are unsure. Standing at the rail and on any benches is also an option if you do not have tickets for reserved seating.
The shared energy between the crowd and the competitors makes Dressage at Devon one of the most unique shows in North America. It is important to remember that horses are extra sensitive to their surroundings by nature. They are prey animals and even the most highly trained horses can spook or lose focus when they enter a new arena. By following these few things, you help horse and rider partners show their best and you help create an experience for all those around you.
Cheer and clap when a ride is finished especially at the salute. Riders and horses thrive on it here!
On Friday and Saturday nights during the Grand Prix classes, spectators are invited to score along with the judges. It’s a fun and interactive way to learn how tests are evaluated.
Dressage at Devon is more than a horse show. Throughout the week, you’ll find hands-on experiences, expert lectures, unique exhibitions and family-friendly activities that add to the tradition and energy of the event.
Tuesday
• Parade of Breeds returns to the Dixon Oval, celebrating the beauty and diversity of dressage breeding with commentary and group presentation of class winners
Wednesday
• Shop Sip and Stroll brings after-hours shopping, drinks and music to the Fall Festival vendor area
• Lecture Series begins with educational talks on training, development and breeding
Thursday
• The Capital Square Masterclass with Carl Hester features Olympic-level insight to six all-star equestrians
• Vendor pop-ups, lectures and special events continue throughout the showgrounds
Friday
• Performance Division continues with qualifying tests, including the Grand Prix level freestyle qualifier
• A Dance Off featuring top riders going head to head with celebrity breakdancing judges
Saturday
• Grand Prix Freestyle takes center stage under the lights in the Dixon Oval
• Food, shopping and music bring a festival atmosphere
Sunday
• Dressage Explorers Day invites families and kids to enjoy crafts, games and hands-on learning
• Musical Freestyles and Mimosas on the Midway offer a relaxed final day with plenty of riding action
Monday
• Devon Plant Sale takes place near the front gate before show close
Dress for changing weather. Afternoons can be warm and evenings cool. Bring layers and a jacket for the night events and classes. Wear comfortable shoes since you may walk on gravel or grass and sometimes in mud. Leave umbrellas at home when possible and bring a rain jacket or poncho instead since umbrellas can spook horses. Sometimes they do not but sometimes they do so it is better to plan ahead.
One of the best parts of Dressage at Devon is the people. The community is welcoming and open. If you have questions about the schedule, the classes or where to go, do not hesitate to ask. Staff, volunteers and even fellow spectators are happy to help you feel at home.
Dressage at Devon is not just a horse show. It is one of the most prestigious equestrian events in North America, blending high level sport, tradition and community. Each fall the historic Devon Show Grounds in Pennsylvania become the stage where the best dressage riders and horses from the United States and abroad come together.
What Makes it Stand Out
Why the Grand Prix Matters
The pinnacle of dressage is the Grand Prix level, which only a small fraction of riders ever reach. Out of thousands of competitors in the United States, only a few hundred ride at this level each year, and fewer than fifty compete in international Grand Prix classes on American soil.
Dressage at Devon is one of the rare places on the East Coast where spectators can see this elite level up close. Many of the riders who perform here go on to represent the United States at the Olympics, the World Cup Finals and the World Equestrian Games. Winning or even placing at Devon is a once in a lifetime achievement that marks a rider’s career.
Long Story Short
For someone new to the sport, Dressage at Devon is where you go to see the very best. It combines the history of a landmark event with the thrill of top level competition and the welcoming energy of a community gathering. Whether you know horses or not, you leave with the sense that you have witnessed something rare and world class.
Dressage is often called the art of horse training, but at its heart it is about partnership. Horse and rider learn to move as one, with the horse responding to the smallest signals so every stride looks effortless.
The word itself comes from the French for “training.” The goal is to bring out a horse’s athletic ability and willingness so that the movements look natural and fluid. To someone new, the best comparison is figure skating on horseback, where strength, precision, and artistry meet in the arena.
The Basics
At its most basic level, dressage teaches a horse to:
Riders guide with subtle aids from their legs, seat, and hands. To an observer it can look like the horse is dancing on its own.
Dressage in Competition
In the Performance Division, horse and rider perform a set series of movements called a test inside the arena. Judges score each movement on accuracy, balance and harmony.
At the highest levels, horses perform advanced movements such as:
These require years of careful training and athleticism, yet the goal remains for it all to appear effortless.
The Breed Division focuses on evaluating foals, young horses, mares and stallions. Horses are judged on conformation, movement and genetic potential. This is often where future dressage stars make their first appearances, giving breeders recognition and offering buyers a chance to see promising horses at the very beginning of their careers.
Competition Levels Explained
Dressage is structured in progressive levels, like school for horse and rider. Each stage adds new skills while building strength and understanding.
Why Levels Matter
The levels are designed to protect both horse and rider. Just as a student cannot skip from basic math to calculus, a horse cannot jump from simple gaits to piaffe.
Progression through the levels:
The beauty of dressage lies not only in the freestyles under the lights but in the journey itself. Each level deepens the partnership and proves that patience, trust, and respect create the highest form of art.
