SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

Sidelines MagazineSidelines Magazine

  • LOGIN
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Flipbook
    • Subscribe Options
    • Order Individual & Back Issues
  • Podcast
  • Marketplace
    • Business Ads
    • Directories
      • Barns, Farms, Trainers & Clubs
      • Equestrian Services
      • Real Estate
      • Stallions
      • Tack & Feed Stores
    • Classifieds
    • Horse Trailers for Sale
  • Advertise
  • Blogs
    • Show World
    • What’s Happenin’
  • Partners
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Employment
0
Wednesday, March 01 2023 / Published in Sidelines Feature, Sidelines Spotlight, Weekly Feature

Devon Tresan: Cast Into a Busy Role

By Cheyenne Lord

Like many equestrians, eventer Devon Tresan is no stranger to balancing a busy schedule. From serving as president of the Pony Club South Region Youth Board to working on her online high school courses and modeling gigs, Devon has nearly every minute of her time planned out. And with her horses right in her backyard in Ball Ground, Georgia, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Devon’s fast-paced lifestyle stems from growing up around her parents’ animal casting business, Animal Casting Atlanta, where they train and provide animals for projects in the film industry. Devon’s parents, Carol and Greg, took her on her first film job at just two weeks old; both parents pushed Devon toward acting when she was younger. While Devon didn’t want to be an actor herself, she did follow in their footsteps with her love of animals, especially horses.

“My parents’ company has provided animals for ‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Suicide Squad,’ a majority of the Marvel TV shows, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and so many more,” Devon said.

While Devon’s life is all about horses, animals of all shapes and sizes live at their farm as part of her family’s business. “We have parrots, deer, alpacas, goats, rats, prairie dogs and so many more!” Devon said. “I really love our family’s cats, as well as, obviously, the horses! We have a farm that is home to all of them and we are always working to care for them and train them.

“My best experience with my parents and their company was living on the set of ‘Insurgent’ for two months straight,” Devon said. “I was homeschooled and got to have my first real experience of being treated like an adult working with the actors fairly closely. It was truly such a wonderful experience!”

Hooked on Eventing

Encouraged by Carol, who grew up eventing and continues to enjoy the sport today, Devon started her equestrian journey when she was 9 years old. Initially, the Tresans bought a flashy gray Welsh pony, I Am Superman, for Devon to take in the hunter ring. However, Superman lived up to his name and proved to be too speedy for the job.

“He was super cute and just a great little ride,” Devon said, “but he was still a pony! He made me work hard for everything we accomplished together. I was lucky enough to ride with a trainer who did both hunters and eventing, so we were able to switch disciplines pretty easily. Those eventing lessons together kickstarted my love for the sport.”

Devon and Superman competed in Pony Club and USEA events until Devon outgrew him. She was Area III Champion Junior Beginner Novice Rider on Superman in 2018, establishing a successful foundation for Devon’s next mount. Devon then took over the ride on the upper-level mare Killiney Hill, an Irish Sport Horse who graduated from both the USEA Future Event Horse and Young Event Horse programs. The pair competed up to the Preliminary division before an injury forced Devon to retire her in 2019.

Devon didn’t let that stop her. She messaged five-star eventer Zachary Brandt about a young Dutch Warmblood he had recently added to his herd. Just two days later, the Tresans drove to Florida to try the gelding, Zavallo, along with 10 other horses.

“Z was the first one I sat on and set the tone for the rest of the day,” Devon said. “He set the bar too high for the others to even compare. Everything happened so fast after that. We did a pre-purchase exam the next day and brought him home when he passed, and we competed in our first event together that weekend.”

Since then, everyone in Devon’s life has contributed to her and Zavallo’s training, including her parents and Advanced rider Lauren Eckardt of Bigtime Eventing. A highly sensitive and quirky horse, Zavallo has benefited from Lauren and Zach’s eventing experience as well as the Tresans’ knowledge of animal behavior and positive reinforcement. He even joined the family casting business, briefly starring in Netflix’s “Dynasty.” In both 2021 and 2022, Z carried Devon to the Area III Junior Training Rider Championship.

“Z is such a great horse, and it’s always so fun to work with the animals and figure things out,” Devon said. “My parents are especially great at that—knowing how the animals receive information, how you should ask for something as the handler, and how to reinforce those behaviors so they can be replicated.”

An Online Work-Study

Creating her own schedule has been an integral part of Devon’s life for several years, especially when she took a working student position under Zach. She worked from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. six days a week, then sat down in the evenings to complete her high school courses through the U.S. Performance Academy (USPA), a private online school designed for high-performance athletes.

“Online schooling has helped me tremendously given how busy I am every day, not just the weekends,” Devon said. “USPA runs its program through Canvas, which allows you to pace yourself, and I really enjoy it! It allows me to do things like train and compete with Lauren at home and Zach when I’m traveling, even though I’m not based with them in Florida anymore.”

Devon’s choice of online learning proved to be the best decision many times over, allowing her to schedule each day the way she needs it and easily work around the major events in her life. Driven by the family history in casting, she also joined a modeling agency about seven months ago, where she hopes to get her modeling career in full motion alongside her other passions.

“Taking classes online helped me attend
Pony Club Championships in Tryon in July and the Pony Club Convention and National Youth Congress this January,” Devon said. “Then I got to spend a few days at home before heading to Florida to work and compete with Zach the next weekend. It can be a lot sometimes, but I love learning, being competitive and just enjoying the ride on my horses.”

That much-needed flexibility also allows Devon to share her lessons, clinics and insight with Carol. The mother-daughter duo always looks to gain different perspectives on training, even if they might not have the same issues as other riders and horses. Some of Devon’s favorite clinics have been with U.S. Olympian Tamie Smith, her idol since Tamie helped secure a Nations Cup victory at the 2011 Bromont CCI3*-S.

“Tamie is built a lot like me, and her training methods and behavioral reinforcement are very similar to my parents’ techniques,” Devon said. “Long-term, I hope to ride like her and compete in five-stars like Kentucky and Maryland, maybe even something across the sea.”

First, though, she wants to take Zavallo to a one-star event this year, maintaining her carefully balanced schedule all the while. “Hopefully, I can keep working on everything together long-term,” she said. “I’ll never give up the horses, that’s for sure! I hope to start competing in FEI competitions soon, and I plan to attend Auburn University after graduation to get a business degree so I can take over our animal casting business. I’m super excited to look toward a future where I can have it all!”

Follow Devon on Instagram, @Tresaneventing or @Devontresan

Photo by Carol Lane Tresan

Share this page:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Tagged under: animal casting, Devon Tresan, modeling, pony club

What you can read next

Emily Dulin & Brooke USA: Helping Working Equines Around the World
Ricardo Villa Has Dedicated His Life to Training Champions
Emma Fass & RingSide Pro: Making a Better Way

Download Sidelines Digital now from your favorite app store!

Sidelines Magazine - Apple store   Sidelines Magazine - Google Play store   Sidelines Magazine - Amazon store
Update iOS app. Re-download Google Play and Amazon app.

Follow on Instagram!

sidelines_magazine

Sidelines Magazine
Are YOU ready for it? The wait is over! The Capita Are YOU ready for it? The wait is over! The Capital Challenge Horse Show has officially begun! Not able to attend the 2023 Capital Challenge Horse Show? 🏆 No problem! Watch all 11 days of competition for free with the live stream, sponsored by C. Jarvis Insurance Agency Inc., on capitalchallenge.org or usefnetwork.com. 🎥
Balancing riding and academics can be tough, so Bl Balancing riding and academics can be tough, so Blue Ribbon Scholars is here to help! Whether you need help with a single subject, SAT prep, or transitioning to online school, Blue Ribbon will tailor a unique program to the needs of every student athlete, grades K-12. The exclusive education services provider at HITS Ocala since 2019, Blue Ribbon offers in-person tutoring services throughout the duration of the winter circuit, in addition to our virtual services via Zoom year round, anywhere, anytime! Are you showing at WEC this winter, but looking for affordable, fun, and individualized in-person support? Have no fear! In-person tutoring is available anywhere in the Ocala area, and everyone is welcome to attend our programs at HITS. Our tutors are kind, qualified, and understand the needs of competitive student-athlete equestrians. The founder of Blue Ribbon Scholars is an amateur jumper rider who holds a BA from Yale University and Master’s in Education from Vanderbilt. You will be in good hands! Message, email, or call us today to learn more about how we help you accomplish your goals. blueribbonscholars, hitshorseshows #sidelinesmagazine #sidelines2023 #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople #dressage #hunterjumper #eventing #magazine #horses #wellington #wef #florida #college #school #blueribbonscholars #hitshorseshows #hunterjumper #showjumping #hunterjumpersofinstagram #tutoringforathletes #tutoringservices #backtoschool #equestrian #equestrianlife #equestrianlifestyle #horseshowlife #studyhardplayhard #homeschooling #ocala
📣Exciting News!! 📣 Sidelines Magazine is gr 📣Exciting News!! 📣 Sidelines Magazine is growing! Thanks to our success we are expanding our sales force and are looking for talented sales people‼️ Come join the team!! 👉For more information email editor@sidelinesmagazine.com
“There is no quick fix when it comes to horses,” said Samantha Wolfram, a 22-year-old equestrian professional. “You can’t flip a switch and the horse comes out broke and is easy to ride.” For most equestrians, this statement is a testament to the grit and reality of the horse business—there are no easy roads to establishing your career. But for Samantha, using her risk-taking, talent and ambition while riding and living abroad is helping set her up for success. Growing up an only child in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Samantha received her first pony at the age of 2 thanks to her mother, who was a horse trainer. “My mom got me a pony like what you see at the fair. However, he was a bad pony—or what I like to call ‘character building,’” she said. Her early start riding was a gift unto itself and by 5, Samantha was jumping crossrails. She was committed to riding until the age of 8, when another sport became her focus. “I was at an age where I wanted to fit in, and being a crazy horse girl did not help with being popular,” Samantha shared. Get to know Samantha in her recent feature "Finding Success in America and Overseas." And never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine. Link below!👇 https://sidelinesmagazine.com Follow Samantha on Instagram samanthawolfram 📸Photos by Kirsten Hannah, kirstenhannahphotography.com #sidelinesmagazine #sidelines2023 #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople #dressage #hunterjumper #eventing #magazine #horses
Load More... Follow on Instagram

From Our Classifieds Ads

  • Dandy Products
    Padding and Flooring Specialists Over 30 Years of Experience Keeping your Equine Athletes Safer www.dandyproducts.net 513-625-3000 • dandypro@aol.com

    [Read more]

  • Blueberry Hill
    EVERYTHING HERE IS AVAILABLE AT BLUEBERRY HILL ♦ Samshield; Premium Miss Shield ♦ Ego7 Elegance Bordeaux Jacket ♦ Eqo7 Morentine Show Shirt ♦ GHoDho Fiona Style Breeches ♦ Tucci Boots: Gatileo ♦ Black Knight Windsor Grooming Tote ♦ Black Knight Rider Wristlet ♦ BH Ogilvy Baby pad ♦ BH grooming towel ♦ SSG Bling Gloves With our traveling trailers we would love to bring our boutique to you.

    [Read more]

Sidelines Articles by Email

Subscribe to Sidelines Magazine Articles by Email

RSS Sidelines Blogs: What’s Happenin’

  • Woodside Recognizes the Best in the West
  • Get More for Your Money with an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage
  • Longines Global Champions Tour of New York Returns to Governors Island

RSS Sidelines Blogs: Show World

  • Conor Swail Was the Best Bet in $15,000 CSI2* Markel Insurance Welcome at San Juan Capistrano International
  • Lillie Keenan Leads in CHF68,000 South Coast Plaza Welcome Speed at San Juan Capistrano International CSIO5*
  • McLain Ward Wins CSIO5* Longines Grand Prix at San Juan Capistrano International

Category

Recent Posts

  • October 2023 – Table of Contents

    Subscribe for just $9.95 or Order Individual Is...
  • Zayna Rizvi: Horses from Family to Finals

    By Laura Scaletti Portraits by Melissa Fuller &...
  • Samantha Wolfram: Finding Success in America and Overseas

    By Juliana Chapman Portraits by Kirsten Hannah ...
  • Cedar Potts-Warner: At Liberty and Beyond

    Story and Portraits by Jennifer DeMaro   P...
  • Jordan Melfi: Turning a Secret Horse Life Into a Career

    By Veronica Green-Gott Portraits by Shelly Cart...

Copyright © 1987 - 2021 Sidelines Magazine
Privacy Policy · Returns & Refunds Policy · Hosting by Lucian Web Service
· Login

TOP
Get the Sidelines Scoop — your weekly look behind the scenes.Sign me up!