Springsteen garners top child rider honors

The Boss was in Europe, so he missed his daughter's turn in the spotlight at the Devon Horse Show.

Jessica Springsteen, 16, of Colts Neck, N.J., was named Best Child Rider on a Horse after dominating both younger junior hunter sections, riding the Grand Junior Jumper Champion and, two days earlier, winning an equitation class.

"I had so much fun," she said. "I look forward to coming to Devon."

Her father Bruce is on tour and so missed her exciting wins, but her mother Patti was thrilled with the victories.

Springsteen was Small Junior Hunter Champion, 15 and under, on Sublime, with 20 points, and Large Junior Hunter Champion, 15 and under, on Tiziano, with 22 points. Tiziano was also the Devon Grand Junior Hunter Champion.

"Both horses are pretty much alike," Springsteen said. "They both have big strides."

"I call Jessie 'the computer,' " said one of her trainers, Stacia Madden of Beacon Hill. "You just program her and hit enter."

"Of all my students, I've never had to reprimand her for all the things you have to reprimand all the others for, for being late, or for being rude, for a couple of examples," Madden said.

"Sublime is the true meaning of a show horse," Madden said. "He wants to be turned out, trail ridden, then poofed up and taken to a show. He knows when to turn it on."

"Tiziano was supposed to be Mom's fun horse, but I think she's pretty happy watching him win," Madden said.

Kaitlin Campbell of Pipersville, Pa., riding Rocky W, won the $15,000 Junior Jumper Classic with the fastest time in a five-horse jump-off from a starting field of 28, and that win gave the 16-year-old's mount the Devon Junior Jumper Championship.

Campbell said that she had ridden the Pony Jumper Champion at Devon in the past but that this was her first time in Junior Jumpers.

"It's crazy," Campbell said of her championship. "I couldn't even imagine it."

Kimberly McCormack of Lexington, Ky., who rode two horses in the division, including the Reserve Champion Heloile Platiere, was Leading Junior Jumper Rider.