Devon, PA – One of the highlights of Memorial Day weekend is the Devon Pleasure Carriage Drive from St. David’s Church through the tree-lined neighborhoods along the 4-½ mile route to the Dixon Oval. The images of majestic animals pulling magnificently maintained coaches draw crowds of spectators and tailgaters alike, both at St. David’s and along the Pleasure Carriage Drive route to the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.
The event begins with competitors assembling in one of St. David’s fields surrounded by throngs of tailgaters for the initial judging by division (Horses, Ponies, Light Commercial and Farmers) before they are permitted to begin their journey to the Dixon Oval. The judges are looking to see if the vehicle has the proper appointments, if the turnout is correct, if the right horses are hooked up to the right vehicle, and if people are dressed reasonably, but not necessarily in period outfits.
Once the competitors begin their drive, they are judged on their performance by road judges placed strategically along the route. The road judges watch the competitors working on the road, and look for obvious mistakes like failing to stop at a stop sign, if horses gallop up the hill and have a problem, go too fast down a hill, or if they are crowding another carriage and don’t use their whip correctly.