Here’s an interesting question. How much longer do you think Devon will exist?
Do you think the grounds will be an office complex within 10 years?
I really truly hope not, but it is an interesting question. I think the showgrounds and the horse show itself are an important social aspect of the area, however, I do wonder economically how viable the showgrounds are (I think the Devon horseshow itself is probably doing okay financially). It is so cool how many people from the community come to the show (it really is a country fair, too!) to shop and ride the rides even if they aren’t horse people and the horse show is the one time every year they actually see a horse. The Grand Prix is a big social event. So, in that way, I feel the show caters to many more people than just those that attend the show. However, I don’t believe many other shows use the venue, so does it sit empty most of the year? I know other horse show venues such as the Virginia Horse Center try to be in use almost every weekend (hunter shows, dressage shows, western shows, saddleseat, etc) in order to stay financially viable. I wonder if it’s an issue that many purpose built show facilities could face, including places like Keswick and Deep Run.
There is a Christmas Village slated for this year at the Devon show grounds, will be interesting to see how that does! the tickets are pricey, and I do think there’s a package type pass if you plan to go more than once during the season.
The Fall Classic is also there as well as dressage at devon.
I’m not far from Devon and grew up going just about every night, my parents have a box in the main grandstand that I will clutch to and pass on to my son …
I showed there once while in pony club in the pony hunt teams, rode with my dad in our carriage for the sunday carriage marathon, rode as a groom with a dear friend in the pony two wheel division, on their coach and in the carriage racing exhibition, our son did leadline with my dad just so I have those treasured pictures and memories, so yeah, Devon means a lot to me.
I hope it lives on
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There are a number of schooling shows on the Devon grounds throughout the year too but it’s my understanding that it’s incredibly expensive to rent and consequently entry numbers are typically huge in order to make the show even worth doing there. Last year it also hosted a local year end show that you qualify for called Colonial Classic, but the numbers were again completely nutty in order to make it affordable enough. It’s iconic of course but the price is not exactly cost effective relative to other local venues - it could be in use more if it was a bit more reasonable. It’s a huge bummer that the Brandywine shows no longer happen too. I’m no longer in the area but was living quite close to Devon and the cost of doing Brandywine vs. other “local” A shows was more affordable due to hauling, etc. but they apparently had low entries in 2022 and are now totally shuttered.
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Colonial Classic moved to PG Equestrian Center this year too.
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I think Devon will, sadly, end. Just a gut feeling.
Yuletide is only renting the grounds. None of the proceeds are going to Devon or any charities. I’m not sure how well they doing. It’s very expensive to get in and they were charging $50 to park. They reduced it to $30 but that’s still ridiculous.
You have to pay $30 for adults to get in and $23 for kids. Many of the stores that are local so I don’t know why anyone would pay for the pleasure to shop at them. Reviews are mixed but you wouldn’t know since according to the folks on Nextdoor the negative comments are all promptly deleted from Facebook.
All the rings are covered with tarps and have stages, rides, trees, and I even think I saw those tall portable heaters on them. I just wonder what kind of effect that’s going to have on the footing. This thing goes on until New Years and they are hoping for big crowds. Not sure they will get them but it is still a lot of traffic on footing that was new last year.
I freely admit to being a Grinch. 
It’s a shame the entire grounds are engulfed in suburbia. If there were more space to spare, they could have a lot more flexibility to expand into multi-use revenue generators. But with no green space, no parking, nothing that isn’t arena/barns/grandstand/asphalt, it’s hard to get creative with the (very expensive) space.
As a comparison, the Christmas International Horse Show in London has moved from a very cramped location in the Olympia Exhibition Halls (built 130 years ago of glass and cast iron) to a new, purpose-built exhibition centre in the Docklands which has plenty of space and excellent transport links but is just a series of vast concrete boxes. The organisers have worked really hard to recreate the joyous spirit and unique party atmosphere of the previous location. Probably the main thing is placing the audience right on top of action in the main ring. This used to be a necessity because of the lack of space but now it is a choice. It has a large impact on the performers and competitors: they are always aware of the spectators. The audience can almost reach out and touch the horses, making for loads of audience excitement and participation. The traditional and often colorful classes have been retained and the shopping opportunities, always good, have been improved. The competitors can now drive in and park up at the show rather than having to drop off their animals and then park at a site half an hour away. Grooms can now stay close to their charges. There is now plenty of room to warm up and more space for people to stand and watch, if they are interested. It is far easier for spectators to get to the venue as the traffic over in west London is horrendous. The consensus is that the transfer has worked very well but, as I said, the organisers have been really thoughtful and considered in how they have retained the spirit of the show. So Devon could move but it would be necessary to think hard about just what makes the show so iconic.
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Part of the problem is the grounds are so incredibly outdated with tiny tiny stalls. A 17h horse is likely to get cast. There’s nowhere to hand graze your horse (well there’s one tiny strip but seriously no) so it’s a crap venue for the horse. I live locally, and I LOVE to go, but that land is worth an absolutely fortune, zero clue how long they’ll be able to keep it around.
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I suspect it will move over somewhere rather than just die altogether. Probably WEC Ohio or Harrisburg if there’s time and space, unless someone builds another state of the art arena in the PA/NJ region, or finds a beautiful outdoor venue. Sadly, the weather is still unpredictable over that timeline, so I think the potential of moving it indoors might be a factor. Hoping it doesn’t move to PG, since I think we’re all spending enough time in that tiny oval ring and it’s already overkill.
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New Jersey Horse Park… all that space… especially now that they killed Jersey Fresh…
Or it would be really cool to build an improved “Devon” at one of the historic gilded age properties in the area… although I don’t know where the money would come from unless someone left their estate in a trust or something.
I grew up in Chester County and both love and absolutely hate showing at Devon. It’s so special, but also so miserable.
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I was shocked to get to TIEC, which is brand new and is built on a huge plot of land where they could have left sufficient green space-- and it’s got no place to hand graze. It’s gorgeous and very exhibitor friendly but in a lot of ways shockingly unhorse friendly. No grass. If you want to take a stroll you have to use that track around the perimeter where you’re always exposed on one side to the ongoing show. Once you’re in the indoor it’s like being in a casino-- no outside air/light. No place anywhere on the property for someone with a horse to “get away” and just chill.
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The DHS foundation owns and maintains the grounds. Unless things have radically changed over the last few years since I stopped being a chairman, DHS makes enough money off itself (including the country fair) to more than break even, make a sizeable donation to Bryn Mawr, and upkeep the property. Renting it to other organizations for other uses during non DHS times periods is just “rainy day fund” money. So there’s no real outside pressure creating a situation were the foundation would HAVE to sell the property because it can’t afford to maintain it. If things continue as they have been for decades, the show itself, alone, is sufficiently profitable.
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There’s grass in the back by Barn 5 and down that road, but it’s nothing to write home about and not lush fields unless you go alllll the way back behind where they do the big derby.
TIEC is so baffling to me. So much space around it and you spend the whole time driving 15 miles to the nearest hotel or lucking out to get a $900/night space on-site.
TIEC was not at all what I was expecting. It’s like the person who built it consulted with horse people about what the rings should be like, and then proceeded to fill every space around it with shopping as though only humans would be on the premises. There’s a lot to like about it, I just find it very puzzling when compared to other venues of similar age in other areas that had lots of land where they SPREAD THINGS OUT so you can breathe and enjoy your horse. I don’t really understand why TIEC didn’t do that given that it wasn’t cramped for space.
Unless you can get way away from the facility I don’t let my horses touch the grass at shows. Watching everyone graze the same island or back patch at most shows gives me the heebie jeebies. You’re not going to know someone’s spreading something until it’s too late.
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