Brad Wolf had never been to the Devon Horse Show before this year.  But he made his first visit count in spades, as he rode his Rio Renoir to the grand amateur-owner and amateur-owner, 36 & over hunter tricolors, as well as the leading amateur rider title in the last two days of the horse show, June 1-2. 

“I’m just really excited,” said Wolf in an understatement.  “One of my main goals this year was just to qualify for Devon.  I was just excited to be here!”

Wolf, of Memphis, Tenn., is a heart surgeon, and only rides at the horse shows.  He flew in to Pennsylvania on Thursday night to start showing on Friday morning.  “On Monday mornings, when I get back to surgery, I’m feeling a bit sore, usually,” Wolf said.  You’d never have known he doesn’t get to practice from watching him, as he rode “Rio” to two second places over fences the first day.  Then, he followed that up with a fourth place in the under saddle, a fourth place in the first over-fences the second day, and a thrilling win in the stake class to wrap up the championship after a tight race with Teri Kessler and Pavarotti.

Wolf rode as a junior, and showed hunters with trainers John Roper and Don Stewart, but he never made it to Devon as a junior.  Then, he took about 20 years off from riding to attend medical school and start his surgical practice.  “I was in practice for 10 years, working myself to the bone, and I had no hobby at all,” he said.  He decided to get back into riding, and called long-time friend, trainer Tom Wright.

After knocking off the decades of rust by showing in the adult amateur ranks for a year, Wolf bought Rio at the beginning of the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.) last year.  “He’s very sweet, and he rises to the occasion,” said Wolf of Rio.  “It was hard to learn to ride him because he jumps so high over every jump.  It’s hard to hold on! But he’s got the best canter of any horse I’ve ever ridden.”

Julianna Johnson also took a break from showing, and returned with a vengeance.  Burnt out after a pressure-filled junior career, Johnson, 29, quit showing after her junior years.  But two years ago, she decided to resume her show career, and ended up riding Kingston to the amateur-owner hunter, 18-35 championship at Devon.

Kingston, 11, is a Swedish Warmblood and started his career as an eventer in Sweden.  But trainer Sandra Loebel found him for Johnson, and “We’re such a good match,” Johnson said.  “He’s a real showman.  He really give me confidence.  Even when I make a mistake, he makes it look good.”

Johnson, of Oldwick, N.J., never really quit riding—she used he seven-year hiatus from the show ring to ride for pleasure and foxhunt with the Essex Foxhounds (N.J.).  Horses are in the family—her brother is four-in-hand driver Tucker Johnson.