Jersey Fresh and the Horse Park are making it all work out

By Nancy Jaffer
May 20, 2018

“They’re trying their hearts out,” commented Boyd Martin, discussing improvement efforts at the Horse Park of New Jersey, where he won three of four divisions at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event presented by B.W. Furlong & Associates.

During its 16-year history, the Mother’s Day weekend fixture has had plenty to overcome, much of which involved weather-related difficulties, but the park’s featured competition has always been a product of dedication and a time to show off what the facility in Monmouth County has to offer.

This year, there was anticipation that footing issues would at least be partially solved by a re-do of the grand prix ring. But alas, New Jersey’s peculiar winter weather put the project behind schedule.

The ring was not ready for April’s Four Seasons show, though it was used for the dressage phase of Jersey Fresh. The footing hadn’t settled in enough to handle the Jersey Fresh show jumping finale, however. It actually worked out well to use the ring in front of the pavilion instead, so spectators had cover when it rained hard during a portion of the show jumping, but that ring is a smaller space than the grand prix arena.

More is being done so the grand prix arena can be its best, according to Allyson Jeffrey, president of the park’s board of trustees.

“We’re going to continue to bring it along and perfect it, but we’re happy with the way it has performed so far,” Allyson said, noting it is in shape to be used for the ESDCTA Memorial Day Weekend dressage show at the end of the month. Plans also call for improving footing in the West Ring, which was used as a warm-up during Jersey Fresh.

“Footing is a real headache to get perfect,” noted Boyd.

“They’ve obviously worked very, very hard at raising a lot of money to try and improve the event. We’re heading in the right direction at Jersey.”

Footing isn’t easy anywhere, as Boyd noted. At the Winter Equestrian Festival, for instance, the world’s largest and longest horse show is starting this month to plan footing improvements for its Wellington, Fla., international ring, which at one time was considered to have a state-of-the-art surface.

As WEF impresario Mark Bellissimo noted, “There are many different and varying opinions about what is perfect footing and how you achieve that in a major competition setting.”

There was a time when footing was what it was, and people simply rode on anything presented to them. U.S. Olympian Mary Mairs Chapot recalled what the U.S. Equestrian Team encountered in the days when she was on the show jumping squad.

While reminiscing about her team and individual gold medals at the 1963 Pan American Games in Brazil, she noted, the footing often “was horrible, and we jumped them (the horses) a lot. Now we kind of coddle them and complain if there’s a piece of fluff out of place somewhere in the footing.”

For his part, Boyd remembered phoning home to Australia when he first competed at Jersey Fresh in 2006 after emigrating to this country.

“We’re riding on footing!” he enthused about the novelty during that call 12 years ago.

“Now we’re whinging (complaining) about that it’s not the synthetic bouncy stuff. We can’t slag them (the park) out too much because it’s better than last year. We’ve always got to be looking for better and better if we want this country to be the best in the world.”

But he added, “We’re getting spoiled now in America.”

Discussing cross-country, Boyd felt the CCI 3-star route was really a 2.9 star, while at the same time praising Mark Phillips, who came in as course designer last year.

Mark “has done a good job. I think he’s been a bit cautious of building anything monstrous,” said Boyd of the former U.S. coach, who is designing the course for the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C. this September.

“This is sort of a building 3-star. This one’s got its place.”

Like Boyd, former U.S. Equestrian Federation President David O’Connor, another former U.S. coach who is now training Canadian eventers, believed cross-country could move up a notch, but he cited the 2-star in that regard.

“I thought the 3-star was actually pretty good, but I thought the 2-star maybe was a bit soft and I think that needs to bump up because it’s a qualifier for a 3-star. But those are all easy adjustments to make,” David observed.

Mark, who will be returning as course designer next year, according to Jersey Fresh organizer Jane Cory, said his primary concern is being fair to the horse and helping the animals see and understand the problem at each obstacle. There were only two rider falls and no horse falls, which was optimum. Everyone who was at the event in 2016 remembers the death of Philippa Humphreys in a rotational fall, and so it is always especially good news when things go smoothly at Jersey Fresh.

As for his thoughts about the degree of difficulty, Mark said, “I thought this was a normal 3-star. The 2-star probably had a bit of minus in it and the CIC 3-star may have had a bit of minus in it; I don’t think the CCI 3-star had minus in it.” That division was a qualifier for the WEG.

David, pleased at the crowd that turned up on cross-country day, said, “I thought the community supported it pretty well. It’s getting to be a better and better event for the riders.” At the same time, while noting, “It’s hard to make these things financially go” he praised the investment in the grand prix ring.

“I think they’re really trying to do something.”

NEWS AND NOTES

Boehringer Ingelheim stepped up in a big way for the event with an exhibitors’ hospitality tent arrangement that provided meals, as well as pizza and beer after cross-country. Zoetis sponsored the CIC divisions, while Furlong backed the CCIs in addition to being the presenting sponsor. The park itself is always looking for backers. It receives no money from the state (contrary to what some may think because of its name) and relies on the aid of sponsors, volunteers and members.

“It’s just going to get better if we have sponsors join us,” said Jeffery, who has a wish list of things to accomplish. In addition to making the rings better, she said, “We’d like to swap out panels in stabling that are in need of improvement and get fresh panels in there”…

The highest-placed New Jersey entry was the handsome gray Holsteiner Charm King, ridden by Holly Payne-Caravella of Old Fox Farm in Chester to second place in the CIC 2-star. Going into show jumping, she was just 0.3 penalties behind Anna Loschiavo on Prince Renan. Neither she nor Anna had a rail, so both finished on their dressage scores.

Of Charm King, Holly said, “My horse is a phenomenal jumper. As he’s gotten fitter, he’s gotten a bit wild. I was really pleased with him, because he was feeling frisky but listened and stayed with me and jumped just amazing, jumped me out of the tack a couple of times. That’s okay. I will take it if he jumps clean.”

Alexa Lapp, third with Cambalda, 0.1 back of Holly, is pointing toward the Area II team that Holly will be coaching in Montana this summer at the Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North…

The Phillippa Humphreys Sportsmanship Award went to Alexandra Sacksen , the rider of Sparrow’s Nio.