Anzhe Zhang
The annual Devon Horse Show and Country Fair will return to Devon, Pennsylvania after a two-year pause from the pandemic, bringing together families and horse aficionados alike for eleven days of galloping excitement. With a 125-year history, the U.S. Equestrian Heritage-designated competition takes place this year from May 26 to June 5 and will feature an array of special events.
The Sapphire Grand Prix will offer a $250,000 cash prize as the main event, while other equestrian highlights include the Main Line Challenge, the International Speed Stake, the Jet Run Devon Welcome Stake, and the Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake.
The Devon Horse Show this year will also feature three main exhibitions, the first of which is USPC Mounted Games, taking place on May 27, followed by the Radnor Hunt Fox Hounds on May 28, and ending with the WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase from May 29-30.
Outside of the competition, kids and parents can look forward to family days, taking place from May 26-31, where back barn tours and group visits to meet the horses and equestrians will be happening. Families can also look forward to The Midway, which features a Ferris wheel, a carousel, and other carnival games and rides.
For the grown-ups and night owls, Devon After Dark, taking place from May 30 to June 4, will feature nightly musician performances starting at 9:30 until midnight, with a special performance by the Orpheus Club of Philadelphia on June 2.
Other special events include a dog show, a tribute to local veterans, a “Ladies Day” hat contest, and more.
Tickets for a single-day visit costs $16 (with children and senior discounts), while a seatless ticket for Grand Prix Day will cost $20. The proceeds will go towards the Devon Horse Show and County Fair Foundation, which supports and raises millions for the Bryn Mawr Hospital.
The Bryn Mawr Hospital has been a beneficiary of the horse show since 1919, with the competition serving as its primary fundraising event since the partnership began in the early 20th century.
The Devon Horse Show first took place in 1896 as a one-day event, when families living alongside “The Main Line” of Pennsylvania Railroad’s Harrison Branch gathered to hold a horse show with the aim of encouraging better breeding and care for horses.
