Devening Persists with Diablo Z for Memorable Win

Four riders advanced to the jump-off in the $10,000 NAL 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Finals, presented by Parlanti, but finding the fastest route for the win was Loretta-Jean Devening riding her own Diablo Z in 36.248 seconds. All four were clear in the second round, so it came down to split seconds of time, as all were within 1.2 seconds of each other. Alice Goodwin rode her own Cocaine de Riverland to second place in 36.630 seconds, while Ria Ohtsu and her horse Jimmy Jumper were third in 36.930 seconds. Claire Mullally and Sonic Boom, owned by Judgment Farms LLC, were fourth with a time of 37.428 seconds.

This year’s Capital Challenge marked the first time Devening competed in the jumpers at an indoor final, and a win in the $10,000 NAL 1.35m Junior/Amateur Jumper Finals, presented by Parlanti and sponsored by Frog Pond Stables, was icing on the cake of a year of incredible highs, drastic change, and overcoming injury for the 21-year-old from Dallas, TX.

When Devening began training with Matt Cyphert and Audrey Norrell at Woodhill Farm, she never expected to end up buying a horse that could take her from the 1.10m to the 1.35m Jumpers in two months. In March 2025, she had the opportunity to show Diablo Z as a catch ride in California.

“I remember texting Matt the second I picked up the trot on him, and I was like, ‘This is the coolest horse I've ever ridden. Are you sure this is going to be a catch ride for the weekend?’” she remarked. “They're just incredible at their job and incredible with matching people with horses, even if they weren't necessarily trying to do that for me. They worked their magic.”

Loretta-Jean Devening had incredible highs, drastic change, and overcame injury leading up to her win at Capital Challenge with Diablo Z. Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography

One ride turned into three weeks and three championships in California before Devening made the decision to purchase him.

“He's so fiery; he always has so much game,” she said of the 16-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Diarado. “He has the most heart of any horse I've ever ridden and is so willing and so wise. He comes out of the stall ready to perform every single day, and I think we get along really well because we're both kind of like Energizer bunnies. Whenever we go out there, what we always have to think about is kind of slowing things down, and we never really have to worry about being fast. I love how much he wants to win. It makes me fight even harder.”

At the time she found Diablo Z, Devening was a sophomore at Baylor University and a part of their Division-1 equestrian team. Keeping Diablo Z meant long travels and less time with him at Woodhill Farm, so she transferred over the summer to Southern Methodist University where she could be just 30 minutes away.

“I loved the team, but to be able to have a horse of my own meant so much to me, and I didn't want to be far away,” she explained. “It was definitely a hard decision, maybe a little bit of a rash, crazy decision, but it worked out really well for me. I'm so thankful to be able to pursue this sport at a higher level and really focus on it outside of the Division-1 aspect of riding.”

With a summer as a working student at Woodhill Farm, Devening cemented her partnership with Diablo Z and qualified for Capital Challenge Horse Show. It was her first time back since showing in the equitation as a junior rider. It was all going smoothly until a car crash in the last week of August derailed her plans.

“I broke a piece of my jaw, lost four teeth, and got a pretty gnarly concussion,” she conceded. “I'm doing a little better now, and I’m so thankful. Matt and Audrey were great through all of that. I didn't know if I was going to be able to come to Capital Challenge. I've only been back riding for about three weeks, but they did a great job keeping Diablo legged up for me.”

Spectators of the class would never know that Devening worked her way back from injury or that it was only her fourth show at 1.35m. While they had eight faults in Friday’s welcome class, Devening was determined to improve for the final; actually winning is an experience she won’t forget.

“It means a lot to win this,” she reflected, “especially coming back here as an amateur and not thinking I was ever going to be able to. I have a lot more appreciation for the show, and just the fact that I'm able to compete around such talented riders at such a prestigious venue means the world. Everybody's on their A game, and the competition is stiff, but I think that's what makes it even more memorable to win here. I'm so thankful for my horse, because I would not have been able to do it without him.”

As the winner of the class, Devening was presented with The Remy Martin Perpetual Trophy donated by Rolling Acres and Melanie Wright as well as The Congressional Cup. She was named the Best 1.30m/1.35m Amateur Jumper Rider, sponsored by SG Equestrian LLC. Alice Goodwin was named the Best 1.30m/1.35m Junior Jumper Rider.