Dressage at Devon (DAD) is one of the highlights of the horse show calendar for Iron Spring Farm. The magic of the Dixon Oval and the iconic baby blue grandstand are the perfect backdrop for one of the largest breed shows in North America. This beautiful venue and historic show offer breeders the opportunity to showcase the results of their breeding programs. This year’s edition demonstrated the depth and quality of North America’s sport horses and breeding stock. There were diverse bloodlines and scores in the 80s. DAD has been an Iron Spring Farm (ISF) favorite for more than 40 years and the 2024 edition was one for the memory books.
“Dressage at Devon is always something to look forward to,” said Mary Alice Malone, owner of Iron Spring Farm. “There is wonderful competition and a great atmosphere. I’m so appreciative of our horses and staff for all their hard work this week.”
ISF’s KWPN stallion Cum Laude won the Get of Sire class for the second year in a row. He was represented by two fillies, Uriel ISF and Twilight ISF, who earned him the winning score of 81%.
“Cum Laude is producing outstanding offspring,” said Meghan deGaray, breeding manager at Iron Spring Farm. “They are very friendly and have expressive movement. They show a lot of promise for successful careers in sport, like their dad.”
The weanling Uriel ISF had a stellar show of her own, winning the Fillies of the Current Year and the KWPN classes. She was also named Reserve Champion Foal and the ProElite/USDF Breeders Championships East Coast Final Reserve Champion Foal. Her scores in the Fillies of the Current Year class included a 9.0 for general impression, an 8.8 for her trot and 8.5s for her overall frame and topline, and back, loin and croup.
“Uriel is a natural show horse,”said Quinnten Alston, sales manager at Iron Spring Farm.“It’s like she has been doing this for years. She won all three classes she was entered in the first day [KWPN, Get of Sire, Breeders Group] and then continued with the same energy the next day.”
Another Cum Laude offspring was also a big winner at DAD. Ulrich ISF was Champion Foal and the winner of the Colts of the Current Year class with an 83.275. He received a 9.0 on his trot, 8.6 for his head/neck/shoulder, 8.5 for general impression and an 8.2 for overall frame and topline. “He always came into the ring like he owned the place,” said Alston, who expertly handled the ISF horses along with Robbie de Bruin.
“Both Ulrich ISF and Twilight ISF are by Cum Laude and out of our homebred Friesian mare Awesome ISF, Star,” explained deGaray. “Friesian crosses are growing in popularity every year. They have warmblood movement and the Friesian temperament everyone loves. It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch them develop.” Awesome ISF, Star was second in the Broodmares class against all breeds.
Love Dance is Reserve Grand Champion and Receives Perfect 10s
For the second year in a row Love Dance, Elite/Sport wowed the judges with her trot– receiving a perfect 10, not once, not twice, but three times! She won the Oldenburg (GOV) class with an 88.10 and the Four-Year-Old and Older Yeld Mares class with an 85.00. She went on to claim the Mare Championship, the Mature Horse Championship, the ProElite/USDF Breeders Championships East Coast Final Mare Championship and the Reserve Grand Championship.
“One of the judges called her magic,” said Alston. “I think every time she trotted we would get applause from the crowd.”
He continued, “Without a doubt, Love Dance is my favorite horse that I have ever shown in hand at Dressage at Devon. I really feel like we are partners in the ring and she always gives 110%.”
“Catherine Malone found Love Dance,” noted breeding manager Meghan deGaray. “We all love her bloodlines and temperament. She’s beautiful and athletic and produces very nice offspring.” Love Dance has been successful in sport– winning in the Young Horse division up through Third Level. She’s the dam of Rhythm ISF, a previous multiple champion at DAD, who was second in the Three-Year-Old Fillies class this year with an 81.625%.
Another filly collecting multiple championships was the Vivaldi daughter Sensation ISF. She claimed the Filly Championship, the Young Horse Championship and was the ProElite/USDF Breeders Championships Reserve Champion Filly with an 81.612%.
“Sensation is more reserved in her demeanor, but would always turn it up a couple notches when it was her turn to trot. [She has] a hind leg that always came nicely under, with a ton of power, and her walk was always with good clarity and rhythm,” said Alston.
“Eugene Reesink found Sensation for us as a foal,” said deGaray. “She is one of the last direct daughters of Vivaldi, so we are thrilled to have her in our breeding program.”
ISF rounded out the show with a win in the Breeders’s Group with an 87.50%. Uriel ISF and Rhythm ISF represented the farm.
Select Results
Awesome ISF, Star
Ulbert 390, Sport x Winsome ISF, Star, by Winand 405
2nd place, 75.05%, Four-Year-Old and Older Broodmares
Cum Laude
1st place, 81%, Get of Sire
Love Dance, Elite/Sport
Vitalis x VPr.St. Love Princess PJF, by Fürst Romancier
Breeder Juergen Fetzer
1st place, 88.025%, Oldenburg GOV
1st place, 85%, Four-Year-Old and Older Yeld Mares
Mare Champion
Mature Horse Champion
Reserve Grand Champion
ProElite/USDF Breeders Championships East Coast Finals Champion Mare 88.175%
Rhythm ISF, Star
Top Gear, OLD x Love Dance, Elite/Sport, by Vitalis
Breeder Iron Spring Farm
2nd place, 81.625%, Three-Year-Old Fillies
Sensation ISF
Vivaldi x Beau Monde, by Bordeaux
Breeder Noortje Radstake
1st place, 81.425% Two-Year-Old Fillies
Filly Champion
Young Horse Champion
ProElite/USDF Breeders Championships East Coast Finals Champion Filly 81.612%
Symfonie MAB
Lowlands x Boheme, Sport/Elite, by Johnson, Preferent
Breeder M.A. Buitenhuis
3rd place, 79.475%, KWPN class
Timothy ISF
Tjalbert 460 x Yfke fan Fjildsicht, Model, by Harmen 424, Sport
Breeder Iron Spring Farm
1st place, 76.62%, Friesian class
Tjalbert 460
2nd place, 77%, Get of Sire
Ultimate ISF
Kaiman x Fienna, Star, by Sir Sinclair, Keur
Breeder Iron Spring Farm
2nd place, 82.30%, Colts of Current Year
Ulrich ISF
Cum Laude x Awesome ISF, Star, by Ulbert 390, Sport
Breeder Iron Spring Farm
2nd place, 79.925%, KWPN
1st place, 83.275%, Colts of Current Year
Champion Foal
Uriel ISF
Cum Laude x Fienna, Star, by Sir Sinclair, Keur
Breeder Iron Spring Farm
1st place, 82.150%, KWPN
1st place, 82.650%, Fillies of the Current Year
Reserve Champion Foal
ProElite/USDF Breeders Championships East Coast Finals Reserve Champion Foal, 81.925%
For complete results, click here.
Love Dance, Elite/Sport
Uriel ISF, by Cum Laude
Sensation ISF, by Vivaldi
Timothy ISF, by Tjalbert 460
Photos by Purple Horse Designs & Photography
