Vale and Carissimo Deliver Dazzling Showdown Under the Lights at Devon

Devon’s legendary Dixon Oval was electric on Grand Prix night, and Aaron Vale turned that current into pure gold.

Facing a top-tier field in the $226,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon—featuring Olympic medalists and international juggernauts—Vale and the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding Carissimo 25 rose to the moment in unforgettable fashion. As the final contenders to enter the jump-off, the pressure was sky-high. But Vale didn’t blink.

Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam had just set a blistering pace of 34.29 seconds aboard Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z, and it looked like the night might belong to the Irish. But then came Vale and Carissimo, slicing turns and charging home in a jaw-dropping time that edged out Sweetnam by fractions of a second. The Dixon Oval erupted.

Owned by The Carissimo Group, the gelding has only been in Vale’s string since the summer of 2023, but their chemistry already reads like that of seasoned veterans. With this win, they not only captured the lion’s share of the prize—but their names were etched onto the coveted Celeste McNeal Harper Perpetual Trophy.

Not to be overlooked, Alex Matz and the stallion Ikigai claimed third, keeping the podium hot with U.S. firepower and giving the international crowd a thrilling trio of talent.

In one of the most stacked editions of the Grand Prix in its 129-year history, it was fitting that the finish came down to the wire. And as the crowd roared and the ribbons were pinned, Vale and Carissimo stood tall—proof that when the lights shine brightest at Devon, the boldest rise to meet them.