May 29, 2024 – Devon, PA – Teamwork makes the dream work. Hunter week at Devon saw leading riders from around the country clapping for one another in a true demonstration of sportsmanship, horsemanship, and friendship. Two of the best hunter riders in the world took home one coveted award a piece this year at Devon as Scott Stewart claimed the Grand Hunter Championship with Bikoff Equestrian, LLC’s Ever After and Nick Haness was crowned Leading Hunter Rider for the second year in a row.

Stewart and Ever After topped the Green 3’9” Hunter division with a total of 38 points on their way to putting their name on The Fourth Sally Deaver Murray Memorial Challenge Trophy and collecting the Grand Hunter Championship honors. On his way to the Leading Hunter Rider title, Haness captured Reserve Championship Honors in both the High Performance Conformation Reserve Championship Honors with Walkenbach Equestrian, LLC’s McQueen and the Green 3’6″ Hunters with Circa, a Glade Run Farm, LLC entry. Haness also received top ribbons with John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC’s Golden Road in the Green Conformations and Green 3’6″ Hunters; Sybil Rose’s Cardentos and West Coast Equine Partners, LLC’s Cavaletto Loma Z in the Green 3’9″ Hunters; Roaring Fork Farms, LLC’s Deja Blue and Estimated Prophet in the High Performance Conformation and High Performance Working Hunters, respectively; and John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC’s Jenkins in the High Performance Hunters.

Haness was joined by Stewart’s right hand woman, Nancy Ciesluk, for the press conference, the overarching theme was that this week was an epic demonstration of what the best in this sport has to offer – an abundance of happiness, in both the highs and the lows, a sense of family, genuine sportsmanship, horsemanship, and lifetime friendships. It quickly became clear there were many reasons Ciesluk is known as the “Mood Elevator” for her horse show family as she acknowledged competitors Stewart and Haness with equal revere.

Ciesluk, an excellent horsewoman and an essential part of the River’s Edge team, spoke highly of Stewart not only in his abilities as a rider, but also as a person saying, “As I always like to say, Scott is a great human being that also happens to ride well, and I don’t have to say that!” Sitting beside and turning to Haness, she goes on to say, “There’s so much more to this young man than just this, and this is a lot (as she motions to Haness’s Leading Hunter Rider awards).”

Haness also captured the Leading Mare In The Hunter Division Award with Glade Run Farm, LLC’s Circa, who took home Reserve Championship honors in the Green 3’6” Hunters on her way to the Leading Mare Award.

DEVON GRAND HUNTER CHAMPION

DEVON LEADING HUNTER RIDER

LEADING GROOM AWARD

HIGH PERFORMANCE WORKING HUNTER LEADING LADY RIDER AWARD

LEADING MARE IN THE HUNTER DIVISION AWARD

HIGH PERFORMANCE CONFORMATION HUNTER CHAMPION & RESERVE

Winning two over fences, the model, and the hack it was Sunset View Farm’s Worthy and Maria Rasmussen who took home championship honors in the High Performance Conformation Hunters with a total of 35 points. Reserve with 30.5 points, went to McQueen with Nick Haness in the irons for Walkenback Equestrian, LLC.

HIGH PERFORMANCE WORKING HUNTER CHAMPION & RESERVE