by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 27, 2023
Could this be the year that a U.S. rider will win the Kentucky 5-star three-day event for the first time since 2008?
It’s something that’s wondered annually about the championship at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The prospects were looking up early this afternoon before a crowd of 7,158, when U.S. world championships team silver medalist Tamie Smith turned in the best dressage test of her career on the illustrious Mai Baum, marked at only 24.2 penalties (the equivalent of 75.83 percent in straight dressage).
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I couldn’t ask him to be better. I’m thrilled,” Tamie said of the 17-year-old German sport horse.
And then Tom McEwen of Great Britain came along with JL Dublin and glided through his test with such style that the horse seemed to be on autopilot. He moved into the lead at the Land Rover fixture, with an impressive 22.6 penalties (the equivalent of 77.44 percent, which would be impressive in any dressage rider’s book).
Tom obviously has a special relationship with the horse he took over late last season from Nicola Wilson, after she suffered a spinal cord injury in a horrific fall from the gelding at Badminton in 2022.
Twice Tom referred to “Dubs” as a person; the first time as “the kindest person you could ever meet,” the second time as a “lovely, lovely person.” I’m guessing if he could take the 12-year-old Hanoverian to a local pub for a beer and a chat, he would.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
When he was paired with Dubs, there were “a few things to get to know about each other. Hidden secrets we didn’t know about each other. Over the winter, we built a partnership.”
Though that partnership with Dubs is young, it looks firmly engaged with a horse who “loves just being on the stage.” Tom, obviously a perfectionist, talks about a little more “polishing of the diamond,” though his luster already is impressive.
Tom is pleasant and gracious, giving the credit for developing this star to Nicola, as he should, of course.
The game in Lexington is just beginning. The second group of competitors will ride their dressage tests on Friday. Then comes the biggest test, cross-country, over yet another thoughtful and cleverly composed course put together by Olympic designer Derek di Grazia. That’s not all of course. On Sunday, the final exam will be a show jumping route designed by Steve Stephens, who also has an Olympic designing credential.
So don’t give up hope for a U.S. victory.
Liz Halliday-Sharp already is in the hunt for the U.S. with third place today on the sensitive DeNiro Z, who had a spook down the centerline at the start of his test, getting a bit unsettled, then working out of it. Though DeNiro is not as flashy as Mai Baum, Liz is on a very respectable 29 penalties with the 15-year-old Dutchbred gelding.
Liz Halliday Sharp and DeNiro. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
It’s also worth noting she is leading the 4-star Short with another of her horses, Cooley Nutcracker (24.5). And guess who’s second in that competition? Tamie, with Solaguayre California (27.6). Looks like a friendly rivalry.
Tom, meanwhile, is loving Kentucky on his first visit.
Tom McEwen waves to the crowd as he leaves the stadium on JL Dublin. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“It’s one of the greatest talked-about events I’ve ever been to. It’s been a pleasure to come, everyone’s so super friendly,” he said. Speaking about the Rolex Stadium, he commented with a touch of awe, “TV didn’t quite do it justice.”
He was advised by his countrymen who had been here that Kentucky is about “racehorses, bourbon and tobacco. It’s great to be able to take in other cultures.”
Click on this link for today’s 5-star results.Click here for today’s 4-star results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 27, 2023
Even the top riders are feeling the pain as costs to enter shows continue to rise, while young riders, up-and-coming athletes and breeders are being priced out of the sport.
Read what the International Jumper Riders Club comments about this, and take a look at a story I did along similar lines earlier in the year. This is a link to that piece. Meanwhile, the FEI Sports Forum this week proposed a new system for 2024 that would have the FEI move away from the Swiss franc, and establish the Euro as the new base currency, with the U.S. dollar as the second currency, set at today’s exchange rate of 1.10.
And here’s what the IJRC has to say about the big picture: “Entry fees and associated costs have increased while the real value of prize money can vary widely due to currency fluctuations in different countries.
Meanwhile a “grey area” in the rider quota procedures means that some Organising Committees (OCs) can offer last-minute spaces to “pay cards” rather than to riders taken on merit.
Entry fees and prize money:
The FEI used to set prize money levels and entry fees using the historically strong Swiss franc (CHF) as the base. After a conference in London in 2011, the FEI enabled OCs to determine these monies using the consumer price index and inflation rate in their own countries. Since then the real value of prize money has eroded by an average of 8.3%. The variations are especially notable where they are paid in the two main currencies used at CSIs, the Euro and US$.
With shows’ own rising costs, last year the International Equestrian Organisers Alliance proposed a new scheme based on the consumer price index in Belgium; one of the highest in Europe, it has increased 18.32% in the past eight years. The IJRC lodged strong objections but while FEI did not adopt the organisers’ plan, it proposed a 10% increase in entry fees, of further detriment to riders and owners.
Currently the FEI-prescribed maximum entry fee is usually applied even where minimum prize money is offered. The entry fee includes stabling but excludes ancillary services such as electricity supply and manure removal, charges for which have increased riders’ outlay per show up to 70% in recent years. At some CSIs 3* and 4* on the European tours, riders can face additional fees of up to €20 euros a day for electricity, €100 a week for horse transporter parking and €300 for a tack box, and €30 per day to keep a horse in a stable in the short break between fixtures. (See here presentation “Lausanne, 27 March 2023 Meeting FEI, IJRC, IJOC and AJO: Conversion rates, Entry fees, Inflation”: for more detail and case studies.)
Meanwhile, a possible solution regarding prize-money for 2024 onwards was presented at the 2023 FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne on April 25. It would re-set the required prize monies in Euros rather than CHF, with a suggested initial conversion rate to US$ of 1.10. Variations would be averaged over 12 months and the system changed only if a 5% threshold was exceeded.
The IJRC appreciates the FEI’s work on the new prize-money proposal and understand the impacts of rising costs to organisers, but believes a further stakeholder consultation is necessary, especially if a formalised proposal needs to be available for FEI board discussion no later than August. The IJRC believes the entire industry has a moral obligation to keep costs as low as possible.
IJRC director Eleonora Ottaviani has also cautioned against a global harmonisation of prize money and entry fee systems, especially in Europe and North America where the markets and CSI business models are completely different.
She said: “One must also take into account that in addition to entry fees established by FEI Regulations, in Europe taxes are increasingly often added that do not comply with FEI rules, such as pay cards, tables, administrative tax etc.
“Such fees affect above all young riders, breeders and up-and-coming athletes who deserve and to be able to afford to compete in sport that respects meritocracy. The increase of the entry fee and of the costs, which are already expensive for central and southern Europe, will become unaffordable for the whole of eastern Europe, where the sport is currently undergoing promising development.”
François Mathy Jr, Vice-President of the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) commented: “Our objective is to keep our sport accessible for young and talented riders. A compromise must be reached in order to stop the race of the imaginative extra cost that some events put on the rider’s bill.”
Invitations:
In this same spirit of meritocracy, the IJRC is asking the FEI to reconsider two other rider invitation processes – the reallocation of unused places at CSIs, and the wild card, in the wake of anecdotal evidence that more last-minute entry opportunities are finding their way to “pay cards.”
The categories of rider than can enter any CSI can be seen here FEI Jumping Rules_Annex_V_Implementation_Guidelines_update_2023.pdf In order of priority, they are FEI Longines rankings; riders nominated by their national federation; riders personally invited by the OC; and the wild card.
The thorny issue is the OC invitation, which can be privately extended to riders further down the rankings lists, or even unranked riders who can afford to pay a substantial premium over the set entry fee; some may also buy a hospitality table for the week as an informal condition of entry. This unofficial but widespread practice is colloquially known as the pay card, an essential part of the business model for many shows.
Under current FEI rules, if a rider from the rankings category drops out after the entries deadline, this place can be filled by an OC invitation. The IJRC is asking the FEI to re-offer them to riders from the rankings.
Similarly, there is evidence that up-and-coming riders are missing wild card opportunities because the window to take advantage of them is small. Currently, wild cards must be reallocated by the second Monday before the show starts; if not, they too revert to the OC. The IJRC feels that Tuesday or Wednesday of the preceding week is a more realistic timeframe, especially if a space is notified over the weekend when national federation offices are closed.
The IJRC recognises that an extra pay card is an attractive prospect for the OC, but it is patently unmeritocratic! Reducing the number of ranked riders at a show can potentially weaken the quality of competition for spectators and broadcast, at a time of growing awareness of “social licence” to operate and the efforts taken elsewhere by the FEI to improve riding standards and enhance public perception of our sport.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 26, 2023
The first horse inspection at the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star Three-Day Event is always an occasion. There’s tension, of course, with riders wondering “Will my horse pass? Today, all 38 of them did. And it happened as usual in fine style, with competitors, human and equine, turned out meticulously.
There was fashion statement after fashion statement, and I was eager to find out who would win the Dubarry of Ireland award for the best-dressed male and female eventers. Alas, during last night’s welcome party at Fasig-Tipton, we were informed that the company would give only one award this year. As Dubarry’s Danny Hulse explained, since women and men are equals in equestrian competition, it felt more current not to make it an award for each sex.
So I decided to make my own selections. I liked Alina Dibowski’s demure belted tan capelet top with the fuzzy collar. The German matched it with white pants and tall black boots, a different take on what she wears when riding.
Alina Dibowski of Germany and Barbados 26, my choice for best-dressed female competitor. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The men usually aren’t too creative; they operate within more limits than the women, of course. (Though there was Boyd Martin’s red, white and blue Uncle Sam outfit at the final horse inspection here last year…) The Dubarry winner was Will Faudree, who wore a blue jacket with piping and a red tie.
But my pick was British rider David Doel. He was eye-catching in a claret colored bowtie with a matching arrow insignia on his shirt collar and the pocket of his short, two-button tan jacket. David has a sideline selling ice cream from his family’s Lacock Dairy, so this would be a good look for that job.
David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed, my pick for the best-dressed male rider. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The horses who sported quarter marks also looked sharp. I always enjoy seeing the different patterns.
Zara Tindall of Great Britain admired a beautifully marked Class Affair. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
An artful checkerboard decorated Classic VI, the mount of Britian’s Kirsty Chabert. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Oh, here’s something interesting. No passport, no problem. The horses’ identities were being checked with a scanner that picked up the numbers on their microchips.
World Eventing Champion Yasmin Ingham holds Banzai du Loir for his scan. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Will Coleman trotted up Chin Tonic, seen here, and Off the Record, his world championships team silver medal mount. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Doug Payne, last to trot up with Quantum Leap (who is starting in his fifth 5-star), had a little time to talk and a lot to talk about. He has a horse in the 4-star event that runs with the 5-star, and a ride in the 3-star show jumping competition as well. But it’s practically a vacation when you consider he had two horses in each eventing division here last year, and a jumper too.
Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The top-placed American eventer at the Tokyo Olympics, he is looking toward the Paris Games next year.
“I would love it. We should have five qualified. I would love nothing more than to be able to represent the U.S. again,” he said.
I wondered if it is confusing to ride so many different horses at the same competition.
“The moment you’re in the saddle and focused on them, your only focus is that particular horse you might be on. You can start to make correlations between how one particular horse jumps something and how the other one might. That’s a bit of an advantage for sure.”
At the welcome party, former Kentucky first lady Jane Beshear a horsewoman who also is the mother of the current governor, paid tribute to Jim Wofford, the eventer, author and trainer .
“He was one of the most special people you will ever know. He certainly made an impression on every one of us. He taught us more than anything there is a partnership between horse and rider,” she said. Jim emphasized that if you are not doing everything you can to be a partner with a horse, then you are not doing your job.
“He taught us to be riders, he taught us to be horsemen, he taught us to be humanitarians, he taught us to have fun but he also told us to do our job,” she said.
Jane Beshear and EEI Executive Director Mike Cooper show off the new award in memory of Jim Wofford. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
In memory of Jim and all he stood for, the James C. Wofford On the Rise Award will be given to the highest-placed first-time 5-star rider and will be presented by Jim’s family on Sunday as the event comes to an end.
Jane asked everyone to raise their glasses in a toast: “We wouldn’t be where we are at this 4-star/5-star event were it not for Jimmy Wofford. We’ll miss you, Jimmy.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 26, 2023
The at-capacity Wellington International showgrounds used by the Winter Equestrian Festival would add 84 acres to offer breathing room for hunters, jumpers and dressage on one contiguous layout under a multi-faceted proposal.
While the showgrounds expansion would be good news for those competing at WEF, where space is at a premium, it’s part of a much larger plan involving 600 acres in “The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.”
The overall concept, called The Wellington, is being spearheaded by Mark Bellissimo in collaboration with the NEXUS Luxury Collection. It must be considered by the village of Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee, which has scheduled a hearing June 7 and 8; then the Planning, Zoning and Adjustment Board and eventually, the Village Council, before any portions of it can be implemented.
A look at the plans for “The Wellington.”
The concept features “resort living,” including a club community involving the Cypress Golf Course, which would have a new clubhouse, a variety of sports facilities, housing that ranges from quarter-acre sites to 5-acre farms, and a town center with a hotel and other amenities.
Some in Wellington expressed apprehension about a previous development plan presented by Bellissimo to Preserve and Zoning panel members. As well as worrying about the environmental impact, those opposing the concept were concerned it would change the equestrian ambience of Wellington and threaten portions of the land meant to be kept for activities involving horses.
This new strategy was devised “in response to feedback by various constituencies” involving the first plan, according to Bellissimo.
He has faced down opposition before. In 2007, as head of Wellington Equestrian Partners, he was finally able to get consensus on transforming the old Stadium Jumping Inc. showgrounds into the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. That became Wellington International in 2022 after the property’s purchase by the Global Equestrian Group (GEG).
Wellington International is the site of many major competitions, including the show jumping Nations Cup. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Show jumpers and the hunters now compete at the main showgrounds, while the Adequan Global Dressage Festival is based at the Equestrian Village, a short canter away down Pierson Road. That property also has a derby field used by hunters and jumpers. That acreage and some adjacent land would go for housing and other development under the proposal. It would involve removing approximately 96 acres from the Equestrian Preserve Area and the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District. There also would be development on a polo field at South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth.
While plans are in place for the dressage to continue at its current site in 2024, if approval is given for the new application, dressage eventually would share the current Wellington International facility with the hunters. Jumpers would move to the bordering land where clearing already was under way last winter. That area would have 12 arenas, with a stadium planned for the site as well, though that might not come to fruition until 2026. Land close to the showgrounds is valued at possibly $1 million/acre.
A view into the area that is being cleared for an annex to the Wellington International showgrounds.
Before any purchase to add to the showgrounds, zoning on the 84 acres, most of which is owned by Bellissimo, would have to be changed from residential to commercial equestrian before GEG would buy it. That change likely wouldn’t be a high hurdle, considering Village support for the shows. It would also ease the headache of traffic congestion at Pierson and South Shore, since the facility could be accessible by new entrances and exits that would enable showgoers to avoid Pierson, according to Wellington International President Michael Stone.
NEXUS was founded by billionaire Joe Lewis, a British citizen who has a residence in Orlando, Fla., and his Tavistock group. Tavistock presents a celebrity image, with golfers Tiger Woods and Ernie Els in its mix, along with singer/songwriter/actor Justin Timberlake.
As expected, right after the proposal was announced, opposition began revving up.
Suzanne Porter, president of the Mallet Hill Homeowners Association, contends Bellissimo, “is creating a bedroom community for West Palm Beach. This is no longer about horses.”
Porter, who met with Bellissimo to discuss the project, said West Palm Beach is growing as an office and commercial hub that lacks sufficient housing.
“Where it becomes a horse discussion, or where it intersects, it is using previously dedicated horse space to do this for these people.”
She believes there is no chance all the new housing would be bought by horse people.
“That demand doesn’t exist,” she commented.
“If he’s sucessful and if he sells them (the residences), it will be for people who are getting in their cars and driving down Southern Boulevard to go to work. The Village has to make a real decision about whether that’s what they want their village to become, and do they want that to happen so close to the equestrian venues.”
She added, it’s also about whether they want to give acreage from their equestrian venues to let that happen.
Porter did note that the expansion for the showgrounds is “the right thing for the horse show to do”.
Those on social media in opposition to more development are airing many of the same concerns expressed about the initial development proposal.
As trainer/rider Jimmy Torano put it on his Facebook page, “We need to keep this a horse community, not more housing and condos. There’s a place for that. Just not right here.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 23, 2023
They were a legendary pair, Greg Best and Gem Twist. In 1988, when Greg was only 24 years old, he and the sensational grey thoroughbred earned the individual show jumping silver at the Seoul Olympics and were part of the silver medal team there. Two years later at the world championships, Gem was named Best Horse.
Congenial and Ivy League-educated, Greg had star quality; so did Gem, a brilliant grey thoroughbred owned by Michael Golden and trained by six-time Olympian Frank Chapot.
But a bad shoulder injury Greg sustained in a 1992 fall from Gem ended the famous partnership. Gem went on to other riders and Greg eventually moved to New Zealand, becoming a citizen 25 years ago. He rode there, then coached (doing that job for the country’s 2004 Olympic team) and also returned to America to teach.
Mostly, however, he became a farmer on 1,000 acres with his wife, Kim. At one stage, they were doing some breeding and had 49 horses. At this point, though, they own only five horses and have downsized to 80 acres that’s home to cattle and alfalfa, where Greg is the farmer and “the Mr. Fixit guy.”
And now, at age 58, Greg is moving away from his involvement with the world of horses.
Why would someone who has such a connection with the industry do that?
“My kids don’t ride,” he explained about his son, 10, and daughter, 7. He is focused on parenting, noting, “You don’t get a second chance at it, to do the job the way that it should be done; this is the time where they need you more than ever.
“I think my wife is not far away from not wanting to ride as well. So it’s time to turn an eye to the kids and be a cricket and gymnastics supporter and just be the best dad I can be and the best husband I can be and move on to the next phase of life,” he told me when we visited during the Longines FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha this month.
The question is, what does that next phase involve?
“I’m not sure,” he said, as the most famous riders in what had been his sport worked their mounts a few feet from us in the warm-up arena at the CHI Health Center facility.
“The good thing is, you move on from the horses, and then there’s this whole other world out there that’s much bigger than this little microcosm that we intend to focus too much on,” he observed.
When I asked if he misses his deep involvement with horses and showing, he was quick to answer, “No. Even being here doesn’t make me think,`Oh gosh, I wish I could have another go at it.'”
Greg Best and Gem Twist at the 1990 World Equestrian Games. (Photo © 1990 by Nancy Jaffer)
He paused for a moment and then mused, “It’s interesting. You get to a certain point in your thinking where you realize your interest in it and your relevance in it has gone. And the interest goes first. Once the interest goes, you’re around it less and less, and then you start to realize your relevance is limited as well. That’s where I am right now. The enthusiasm is probably more about my son’s cricket game on Saturday afternoon, and I won’t be there.”
Greg came to the World Cup Finals to help fellow Kiwi Phillip Steiner, who went to the Netherlands earlier this year to train with his 11-year-old mare, Cassina Dior (DioradoXCassina I), bred in New Zealand by Pip McCarroll. Steiner’s aim is to be part of the New Zealand team at the Paris Olympics next year and the World Cup was the first major step on that journey.
As Greg explained, he has been friends with the Steiner family for a long time.
Phillip Steiner and Greg Best at the World Cup Finals.( Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’ve helped him with this horse quite a bit. When he decided he wanted to come here, he said, `There’s one guy I want at my side,’ and I said I’d be honored to come and give him a hand. His wife, Sally, had her crack at the top level 15 years ago. This is his horse of a lifetime.”
Although Phillip has been away from the top level of the sport for quite a while, he has worked with some big names over his lifetime. He spent two summers in the U.S. during the early 1990s with Joe Fargis and Conrad Homfeld, while leasing a horse from Debbie Dolan. Later in the decade, he worked with Swiss horse dealer Max Hauri and then Swiss Olympic team silver medalist Lesley McNaught. While in Switzerland, he got to know Pius Schwizer and Steve Guerdat, world-class riders when they were at the beginning of their careers.
Greg appreciates what Phillip is doing and understands why he left New Zealand on his quest.
“He has a trucking firm back there and a farm. He’s putting all of that on hold. He’s at the very beginning of this whole process. The World Cup finals is a huge ask for him to come and do first up.”
For Phillip, 51, the second course at the World Cup “was probably the biggest track I’ve jumped in my career.” He noted his mare, known as Dolly, is inexperienced, but brave.
“She’s got so much potential, she goes out and jumps weird jumps like the wall (an airy obstacle with pillars beneath a solid top) that a lot of horses would look at. I’ve really got to trust her ability. I’m really proud of her.”
Phillip Steiner and Cassina Dior. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Phillip finished 24th in that competition and qualified for the third leg of the Cup. He finished the finals in 30th place among 40 participants.
In the daunting triple combination on the third day, the mare had a knockdown at the first element, an oxer, then stopped at the second, a vertical. After Greg signaled from the Kiss and Cry stand (where coaches and families watch competitors) that Phillip should continue, the rider and his mare tackled the triple again and went on to finish the course.
Will Greg continue to help his friend?
“We’ll see how it all goes,” he said.
“I would imagine once he gets back to Europe, he’ll find his new friends and new helpers over there.”
And as Greg pointed out, there’s a chance that under the Olympic qualifying process, New Zealand might not make it to the Games. But he noted that Phillip, “didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to do something like this.” And then he added, “I get it.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 20, 2023
A Thursday update from Millar Brooke South about Jonathan Millar, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident involving a motorized vehicle. The son of Ian Millar (Captain Canada) is at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta for therapy.
“With a rigorous and intensive schedule, Jonathon has found his rhythm. With daily therapeutic activities, Jonathon is thriving here at the Shepherd Center. Practicing his walking skills, motor skills, and endurance, Jonathon has put in a ton of minutes, hours and miles to achieve his goals! With his determination, grit, fierce tenacity, and fighting spirit, Jonathon continues to show us all here`how to get it done!’
“In typical Jonathon style, his dry sense of humor entertains the nurses and staff, and his quick wit not only keeps everyone on their toes…but also keeps us all laughing. Thank you to Jonathon’s incredible team of doctors and therapists. We are grateful for the care that he is receiving. It truly is world class and we are so thankful for it.
As always, we thank each and every one of you for your love, support and generosity.
It takes a village, and we are so incredibly grateful for ours.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 20, 2023
A celebration of life is set for 2 p.m. May 15 for respected horsewoman and author Judy Richter. The gathering will be held at her Coker Farm, 69 Stone Hill Road, Bedford, N.Y.
Judy, who died on Nov. 30, 2022 at the age of 83, was recognized by the horse industry many times. She was named American Horse Shows Association Horseperson of the Year in 1974. In 2020, she received the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Pegasus Medal of Honor from the AHSA’s successor organization. A strong-willed cancer survivor, she continued riding until the end of her life.
Judge Richter when she was honored by the U.S. Equestrian Federation in 2020. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
A multi-faceted trainer, a USEF judge and someone who always thought of the horse first, she trained numerous successful riders and horses. They included Johnny’s Pocket and Glasgow. There were many in the horse world on whom she was a huge influence, including Olympic medalist Norman Dello Joio, trainers Andre Dignelli, Peter Lutz, Kara Hanley, Alex Dunaif and Ellen Raidt.
Her late sister, Carol Hofmann Thompson, rode for the U.S. Equestrian Team, and Judy also was a supporter of the Team. Her husband, Max, died in 2007. She is survived by her sons, Philip and Hans (Jennifer), granddaughters, Maxine and Margot, as well as Richard Ten Dyke, her loving partner of the last few years.
Contributions in Judy’s memory may be made to the U.S. Equestrian Team and the American Cancer Society
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 19, 2023
The U.S. Equestrian Federation is requiring riders from foreign countries to become competing members of the organization if they want to enter its shows.
The deadline is September 1, giving these prospective members time to take mandatory SafeSport training if they are 18 or older. As a statement from USEF explained, “In our effort to strive for an environment that is safe for our participants and that is free from abuse, USEF aims to ensure all participants are properly trained in abuse prevention. Awareness of abuse prevention, how to recognize abuse, and how to report abuse is critical to our goal to safeguard our participants.”
The new mandate does not apply to foreign riders who are participating only in FEI competitions in the U.S.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 18, 2023
The American Horse Council is seeking people involved with horses and the horse industry to participate in its 2023 national economic impact survey.
The purpose of the census is to demonstrate the value of the equine industry in the national and state economies by analyzing the direct, indirect and induced economic impact of horse ownership, recreation and equine-related services.
AHC notes that the last three years have been a time of great change throughout the country for homes, businesses and industries.
“Rising costs of living, shrinking of assistance and changes in demographics have affected so much of our world, and that includes the equine industry.”
Not all of the changes are easy to identify, which is why AHC has begun what could be one of the biggest studies in its more than 50 years. Major economic changes have occurred during the past five years. Not only have business closures and resulting federal stimulus programs related to the pandemic made a major impact, but the horse industry has adapted to historic changes made to the tax code since 2017.
Click on this link to take part in the survey as an individual. Click here to take part in the survey if you are a horse industry supplier and do not own a horse. The survey remains open through Sept. .29.
An economic impact study examines the effect an event or industry has on the economy and usually measures changes in business revenue, business profits, personal wages, and/or jobs. As a large, economically diverse entity, the U.S. horse industry contributes significantly to the American economy.
In the past half-century, the AHC has conducted numerous national economic impact studie for the U.S. horse industry, which has included such pivotal years as 1987, 1997, 2007 and 2017.
“The challenges of the last few years with the pandemic and its economic impacts on all aspects of our industry make the 2023 study all that more important and necessary,” states Dr. Rick Mitchell, chairman of the AHC Board.
Data collected in the survey which runs through Sept. 30 will inform public and private investments in a number of areas, including equine-related businesses, equine health care, education, land use decisions, tax policy, tourism and employment incentives.
New this year are sponsored incentives for individuals and groups who participate in the survey, including a John Deere Z545R ZTrak Mower valued at $7,500, one year of Nutrena feed for one horse (a $2,000 value); one year of Purina feed for one horse (a $500 value/horse); gift certificates from Trafalgar Square Books (total value $180); enrollment in Texas A&M’s AgriLife Equine Reproductive Management Online Course valued at $300/enrollment; plus more.
“The Economic Impact Study is the most effective tool in our advocacy quiver,” said AHC President Julie Broadway.
“When the industry needs to take aim at an issue, this data is invaluable in helping us paint the picture of the contributions the industry makes and the breath and depth of its composition.”
The AHC and the AHC Foundation are not government-subsidized, nor do AHC or AHCF receive any funding through check-off programs like some livestock groups. AHC relies on contributions, sponsorships and advertising to fund the study. Details about these opportunities can be found at https://horsecouncil.org/economic-impact-study-fundraising/
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 17, 2023
The idea of establishing 3-foot/3-inch and 3-6 hunter divisions for adult amateurs who don’t own their own horses generally got a thumbs-down reaction during a U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Town Hall on Zoom Monday night.
The session, led by USHJA President Mary Knowlton, drew more than 200 participants, dozens of whom either spoke or wrote comments on line.
The biggest fear seemed to be that if such adult amateur divisions at those heights were created, they would be a “slippery slope” (in the words of professional Louise Serio) that eventually could lead to elimination of the amateur-owner hunter division.
It was pointed out that the suggestion was for adult hunters to be run at those heights “in addition to” the A/Os. And Mary noted that at this point, it is a “vague idea,” but she wanted to float it in a town hall.
Even so, the suggestion brought to mind the way the amateur-owner jumper division is now relegated to a Horse of the Year trophy, as amateurs who don’t own their own horses have taken a leading role in the section.
Mary characterized that as a different situation, however, explaining the problem in the A/O jumpers involved “struggling” with determining if the amateurs really owned the horses they were riding. It was easier to prove whether the rider was an amateur, she explained.
Many expressed trepidation about what could happen in the hunters with a big adult amateur change.
The A/O hunters, Louise pointed out, “have been the backbone of the sport for a very long time.” She worried that the new divisions could change not only the sport, but also the industry.
Noting how invested amateur/owner riders are in what they do, trainer Susie Schoellkopf pointed out, “they are not invested in someone showing against them on a horse they don’t own.”
“There’s no reason to change,” declared trainer Travis Lubow, which was also the sentiment of trainer Archie Cox: “Keep it as it is,” and a number of others who weighed in.
Niki Holtzman-Hays is a doctor who just wants to show her one horse over 3-3 on the weekends. She pointed out she can’t show during the week because of her work, “and never will be able to compete with college students who aren’t pros, but will be one day, or other `shamateurs.’ This change would totally defeat the purpose of being a true amateur.”
Alexandra Beaumont, a veteran of the adult hunters, took another tack. Saying that during her 40 years in the sport, she has seen “people jumping smaller and smaller jumps,” she believes that in part, the reason is that they can’t afford a horse or horses that would be competitive at a greater height.
“We are supposed to be a sport, and the sport part is dying. We need to find a way to encourage non-owner amateurs to jump higher. Our sport needs to be more accessible to more people. The A/O hunters have simply become too expensive for most in the sport now.”
A suggestion to offer both pro and non-pro classes in the Performance Hunters as an option got some support.
Shanette Barth Cohen, manager of the Hampton Classic horse show, said “it’s possible others could be brought into the sport at a higher level if they didn’t have to own a horse.”
At the same time, the concept raised concern because most show schedules already are so jam-packed that there generally isn’t enough time to squeeze in new divisions. One person mentioned that competition at the World Equestrian Center in Ohio hadn’t ended until 8 p.m. recently.
Among other subjects that came up during the town hall, there was word that an amateur hunter championship proposal is “under consideration.” If it happened, it wouldn’t be until 2025.
The cost of showing also was the subject of comment.
“I think we all agree it is quite expensive right now,” said Mary, but someone else pointed out it is only a fraction of the cost of buying horses and keeping them.
Joy Dunn cited the need for help to save the one-day horse shows, stepping stones that play so many roles in developing young horses and riders, are affordable and help support the farms where they are held. She pointed out those who have started competing in one-day shows often eventually move on to increase the bases of larger shows.
There was discussion about whether riders should be able to earn points for zone awards in contiguous states. It was pointed out that in some states, it’s closer for competitors to ride in adjacent states if there are shows nearby, rather than traveling a long distance in their own state. And it’s an issue in Wisconsin, where the closest shows are in Illinois, in another zone.
On the subject of zone awards, ideas to be discussed include whether they should only be champion and reserve, and having points count at just 15 or 20 shows.
The Town Hall was the first in a series of four. The next one will be at 7 p.m. on May 22. Others will be June 12 and July 24.
