by Nancy Jaffer | May 9, 2020
The New Jersey Equine Artists Association has cancelled its National Juried Exhibit and Sale originally scheduled for June 7-July 5 due to the Covid situation. The show was to be held at Prallsvillemills in Stockton, Information on new dates will be forthcoming. In the meantime, Joanne Farley of NJEAA encourages equine artists to keep working.
NJEAA was founded in 1999 to promote art involving equine subjects and the artists who create the pieces in New Jersey. By providing information, education, networking and additional opportunities for exhibition in the state, the NJEAA strives to serve the equine artist, from beginner to professional..
by Nancy Jaffer | May 7, 2020
Exhibitors, show organizers, officials and basically everyone else involved with horse shows have raised plenty of questions about how things will look when competitions resume. Many of the answers still are to be determined while the Covid situation evolves, but a lot of work is being done at the governance level in an effort to inform the membership as much as possible.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation had its say on the subject earlier this week (https://nancyjaffer.com/things-will-be-different-when-the-shows-come-back/). USEF has issued its action plan and tool kit for the return of showing, along with a mind-boggling, intricate decision tree of how to determine whether to go to a “mass gathering.” One would hope that people who take part in shows are equipped to figure that out for themselves, but USEF wasn’t about to leave any stone unturned.
Two days later, it was time to talk about what’s coming up with the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, the USEF affiliate that oversees hunters, hunt seat and jumping seat equitation, as well as jumpers to Level 4.
A number of items are still under discussion, but there was plenty worth mentioning as USHJA President Mary Babick presided over a webinar that drew approximately 260 people. Here are some of the key takeaways:
- Jogging hunters for soundness will be done only as the horse trots into and out of the ring, rather than being led in after the jumping.
- Paramedics will not be required at Premier shows because these medical workers are busy elsewhere during the pandemic. However, the shows will still have Emergency Medical Technicians.
- USHJA will be offering virtual hunter clinics, with judge Chris Wynne in May and trainer Jeff Cook in June.
- Shows can limit entries on a first-come/first-served basis in order to insure enough room to observe social distancing.
- The USHJA’s foundation has a feed aid program that can help stables having trouble feeding school horses because they have difficult financial circumstances, since many facilities aren’t able to give lessons during lockdowns.
- Green hunter reinstatement will be discussed with the board on Monday. Meanwhile, rider/trainer Robin Rost Brown will be getting opinions about it from riders.
- Someone wondered about the wisdom of renting a hotel room when attending a show. Mary said her barn is going to Saratoga, if Gov. Cuomo lets the show go on, and she is planning to rent a house for her group. That way, they can disinfect it themselves and be sure it is clean.
- There had been suggestions that the indoor shows might move to Florida, enabling distancing in the outdoors. Mary said she had heard rumors about it, but that was all at this point.
- Shows can ask those attending to wear masks, but not require it. No need to wear masks when riding, as you are more than socially distanced, but those who want to will be able to do so.
- The 24-hour rule that horses must be in show stabling before the International Hunter Derbies will not be waived.
- Those who want to compete in the Platinum Performance/USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championship and the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship do not have to earn qualifying points; they just have to be enrolled.
- Because shows will need more personnel for sanitizing and enforcing social distancing, Mary expects costs of showing will rise. But she also added, “Don’t make shows police you.”
- If your temperature is greater than 99.9, stay home. Ditto if that applies to a person in your household.
- Expect shows to handle density issues by assigning ride times, the way dressage shows do, so people don’t have to hang around the ingate and schooling area, as well as the rest of the showgrounds.
- To keep tack virus-free, spray it with alcohol after use. It doesn’t harm the tack, Mary said.
- There is nothing in the rulebook that says hunters have to be braided (except side-saddle horses). So shows can have a no-braiding rule for their venue if they feel it is necessary for safety. A USEF presidential modification is in the works so side-saddle horses won’t have to be braided. Meanwhile, there is concern about braiders not being able to earn a living.
- The USHJA’s Emerging Athletes Program schedule is being re-done, with early clinics pushed to later in the year.
- Some people felt there shouldn’t be zone points this year because states are reopening at different rates. An example given was Zone 6, which includes six states, including North and South Dakota, which have had little in the way of Covid cases, to Minnesota, that has more.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 6, 2020
The eventing portion of the North American Youth Championships in Montana was cancelled last month, and today the dressage and show jumping competitions in Traverse City, Mich., follwed suit to make a clean sweep of the international fixture that has been so important in the development of many young riders.
The decision was made by the U.S. Equestrian Federation, Equestrian Canada and the Mexican Equestrian Federation, with support of the FEI (international equestrian federation).
Although the dressage and jumping was not scheduled until August, it was a victim of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding international travel as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the significant reduction of qualifying opportunities for both dressage and jumping athletes in Canada, Mexico and the United States. It was obvious that horse and athlete combinations would not be able to properly prepare, qualify, or travel effectively for the event.
The Michigan facility will hold other shows this summer, including the American Gold Cup, which previously was offered at Old Salem Farm in New York.
USEF had considered whether to extend the careers of juniors by giving them an extra year because of this lost 2020 show season, so they could participate in age-related competitions such as NAYC if they missed their chance this year..
“USEF was not interested in changing,” said commented U.S. Hunter Jumper Association President Mary Babick, then added, “I would say, `Stay tuned’,” She noted it’s a confusing issue, asking “Where do you stop?” explaining the question comes up about including extensions for pony riders and the younger juniors as well.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 5, 2020
The September Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament–which offers the world’s richest show jumping grand prix–has been cancelled due to the Covid 19 virus. The summer’s other events at the facility in Calgary, Alberta Canada were cancelled previously. The Calgary Stampede, the province’s other big horse-oriented attraction, was scrapped last month.
What’s next to be called off? The North American Fall Indoor Circuit? In the season that is rapidly disappearing, anything is possible. But let’s hope not.
The flagship Spruce Meadows fixture would have celebrated its 45th anniversary, with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on hand among other featured entertainment.
“Spruce Meadows, by way of its insights into recent third-party economic impact studies, fully understands that by canceling its five Spruce Meadows show jumping tournaments, there is a widespread economic impact.
“This is particularly true as it relates to the 560 full time jobs, the $45 million in wages and the nearly $90 million in tourism- related economic activity that are attributed to the Spruce Meadows International Show Jumping season,” noted a statement from the organization.
“During these times of enormous health and economic challenges caused by the pandemic, we all strive to remain positive, engaged and be productive members of our community. Spruce Meadows has always been a place of inclusion, caring and safety.
“In these times of global uncertainty, the health and well-being of our sponsors and their employees (many of whom have been with us for our entire history), our competitors, officials, volunteers, fans, the media, Spruce Meadows’ staff and the community at large continues to be our top priority.”
by Nancy Jaffer | May 4, 2020
The U.S. Eventing Association Cross-Country Safety Subcommittee, formed three years ago, has come out with a series of recommendations aimed at cutting down the number of accidents in the discipline.
“It is not a realistic goal to say there will be zero accidents, a realistic goal is to minimize the risk of the sport. I think it is okay to compete in a high-risk sport and not to be okay with accidents or fatalities as long as you are doing everything you can to minimize risk,” said Jon Holling, who chairs USEA’s cross-country safety subcommittee.
“When an accident happens, you don’t have to completely overhaul everything, but you have to calmly look back at it and say ‘What are the problems and where do we have it right?’”
He added, “The reality is that the officials have been doing a pretty good job, and I think that a lot of what we have been doing has been making things safer. We just need to find where we can do even better.”
The subcommittee has four proposals.
“Not any one of these things is going to fix the problem. In reality, it is a high-risk sport and we are looking at minimizing the risk,” Jon said.
“I think these four things can help minimize that risk – having different layers of safety or regulation helps improve the safety of the sport.”
The first idea is increasing Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) and rider categorization. After an analysis of recent accidents in the U.S., Jon believes riders should have more of a base of knowledge and ability than what the current MER standards demand.
“We looked at records of very successful upper level riders – Olympic caliber riders – and what we found that in most cases (virtually all of them) did two to three times more than what our minimum requirements are to be able to move a horse up,” said Jon.
“When we looked at that, we said, ‘Maybe we don’t have right what we are requiring for the base of the sport.’ We felt pretty strongly, and the data confirmed, that one way we can increase the skill of riders and the horsemanship and relationship between the horses and the riders is to raise the minimum eligibility requirements. In a nutshell, people will have to do more at a level before they can move up.”
While each national level has a different set of requirements, a good example is the Intermediate level – currently horses are only required to achieve MERs at four Preliminary level horse trials (and one can be with 20 cross-country jumping penalties).
“I had a horse this year entered to move up to Intermediate, and at first, I thought maybe I hadn’t done enough Preliminary horse trials with him, but when I looked, I had done nine and all of them were clear and good,” Jon mentioned.
“It just shows you – as an Advanced Level rider – I am debating moving this young horse up and I have already done over double what was the minimum requirement. Just because you have done the minimum doesn’t mean it is right, but it gives you a baseline idea of what should be done.”
The subcommittee is still working out the final wording of the proposal, which would then need to go forward to the appropriate committees of the USEA, including the Board of Governors before moving to the U.S. Equestrian Federation, but the proposal would also include rider categorization or licensing similar to the FEI (international equestrian federation).
The subcommittee also proposed a rule change to have show jumping rounds at Training Level and above during which five rails or more are knocked down be penalized with compulsory retirement when show jumping precedes cross-country. A similar rule already is in place in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The subcommittee worked with EquiRatings and the statistical analysis showed that there is a significant correlation for those who had four rails down in show jumping with horse falls on cross-country.
After the 2008 safety crisis, wording was added to the USEF Rules For Eventing under EV112 Dangerous Riding, which allows for the president of the ground jury to designate one or several deputies to spot dangerous riding on cross-country. These deputies can include eventing officials who aren’t at the event in an official capacity, USEA ICP Certified Instructors at Level III or IV, and riders who have represented the U.S. at the Olympics, World Championships or Pan American Games. The deputies are provided with radios and red flags and can stop riders after consulting with the ground jury.
Jon said this rule worked really well for a while, but hasn’t been utilized terribly well recently. The subcommittee voted to send a memo to all officials reminding them to use this tool, especially if there is a certain area they can’t see on cross-country or if they are spread thin with show jumping and dressage going on at the same time.
If officials see dangerous riding, they have the power to penalize riders 25 points, eliminate them or issue a warning card. The rider can also be added to the USEF Watch List.
The fourth initiative is the Frangible Technology Fundraiser launched on March 2 to provide funding directly to organizers to build nearly 500 frangible tables at all USEA recognized events across the country.
“The Frangible Technology Fund is just one piece,” continued Holling. “Having that table be frangible isn’t going to solve the problem by itself, but it will help minimize the risk.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 29, 2020
A man who proved he can find answers for some of the equestrian industry’s most difficult issues has been nominated for the presidency of the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Approval of Tom O’Mara is expected when the USEF board votes on his nomination June 22-23 at its mid-year meeting, which will be held virtually. Up to 1,000 viewers, including media representatives and federation members, will be invited to tune in.
Tom O’Mara has been nominated for USEF president. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Tom, a former resident of Rumson who now lives in Ocala, Fla., has a reputation as a problem-solver. It was obvious that USEF President Murray Kessler had great confidence in Tom when he appointed him as head of the federation’s Drugs and Medication/Lab Review Task Force after an embarrassing incident that called the operation of the organization’s testing laboratory into question.
Tom oversaw the process that led to resolution of the issue, which involved forging a partnership with the University of Kentucky, helping restore confidence in the drug testing that is an integral part of the federation’s mission.
He also served as co-chair of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association’s national advisory board, of which he was the co-chair and now remains an active member, leading the way in saving the NCAA equestrian college program when it was threatened. In addition, Tom was on the important Competitions Task Force.
After the election, Murray will remain as president until his term ends in January, while Tom will continue in his current post as USEF secretary/treasurer for the same period.
Tom, who worked as an investment banker, has been involved in equestrian sport with his family for decades. His wife, Liz, and their four children, Casey, Abby, Meg, and T.J., have all been riders of some prominence. The Dover Saddlery/USEF Medal Finals were won by Meg (2012) and T.J. (2016), who also took first place in the Platinum Performance/ USEF Talent Search.
Judy Sloan, the 2020 USEF Nominating Committee chairperson, said, “Given Tom’s diverse and deep background in finance, governance, community leadership, and equestrian sport, we feel he is the ideal candidate to guide the Federation’s Board and Management team into the future.”
Murray, who decided not to run for a second term after becoming CEO of a pharmaceutical company, stated “Tom is passionate about equestrian sport, is deeply experienced on USEF committees and the board, has unique experience with intercollegiate equestrian sports, and understands the importance of each of our 29 breeds and disciplines. He also brings real-world business experience to the position, which I found incredibly important over the past four years.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 27, 2020
“The Games of yesterday will not be the Games of tomorrow,” stated Guy Drut, a member of the International Olympic Committee, calling for them to be reinvented in the wake of the Covid pandemic that postponed the 2020 Games to next year.
Drut, a former French minister of sports who was an Olympic champion at Montreal 1976 in the men’s 110-meter hurdles says the coronavirus crisis is an opportunity for the Olympic movement to look at itself. He has also called on the Paris Olympics 2024 to be reviewed, describing the project as “obsolete, outdated and disconnected from reality.”
He asked, as reported by France Televisions, “Can the response to this crisis translate into the mere postponement of dates, without the model, both economic and organizational, of the Games being also deeply rethought?”
Drut described the cost of the postponement of Tokyo 2020 as “very expensive” with some reports estimating it could be as much as $3 billion, though he insisted those Games must take place.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are a celebration, the meeting of a lifetime for athletes of all backgrounds and all nationalities,” said Drut.
“They are sport; a unique moment of universal peace, meetings and respect for others. The Games are useful–even more in times of crisis.”
That is why they must be adapted, “to keep them suitable for the changing world.”
He would like to see the IOC bring together organizing committee for the next Olympic Games through 2028 “to explore new avenues, to think useful, sober, and responsible.”
Drut also suggested that certain sports could take place at the same location wherever an Olympic Games is hosted.
“It is very expensive to build new equipment for an event that lasts only three or four days,” he explained.
“Take the case of surfing. The Olympic site could always be the same and be, for example, in Tahiti or Hawaii.You have to keep the unit of time with the Olympic Games which take place from such date to such date, but the unit of place and action can vary.” Remember how the equestrian portion of the 2008 Olympics was in Hong Kong, while the rest of the Games were in Beijing.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 26, 2020
Virtual eventing? It’s even got its own T-shirt. These days in the horse world, it seems as if it’s virtual everything.
The USEF’s announcement that recognized competitions won’t run before the end of May is another push for equestrian sport to expand in the virtual universe. It’s not USEF’s fault that shows are on hold during the pandemic, of course; it’s a question in America of state restrictions that come first, but it’s also a worldwide problem. Equestrian organizations around the globe are following suit as even the venerable Aachen, Germany, fixture was called off.
For competition organizers who had hoped to start up in May, however, it’s a blow at the time when the outdoor show season across the country usually is in full swing. But this May, no one will ride under the famous “Where Champions Meet” arch at Devon.
So everyone is going to the internet (as if we don’t spend enough time on line already) to try scratching the horse show itch. USEF presented a virtual event “live”? of the 2012 Rolex Kentucky cross-country Saturday (when it should have been cross-country day for 2020 Land Rover Kentucky). The FEI is making its TV free “while live sport is on hold.” The Global Champions Tour is having a “Stay at Home Special” of replays from last year’s competitions and Tryon International Equestrian Center offered a bracketed social media jump-off tournament powered by votes on Facebook and Instagram.
In Britain, the Royal Windsor Horse Show has gone virtual, while Virtual Eventing is holding, well, a virtual event May 6-10, pre-recorded and live scored. Each rider will be raising money for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom or a charity that will benefit Covid 19 frontline medical staff in their own country.
The riders are videoed at home doing a dressage test, then jump cross-country and stadium without their horses. Those participating include Boyd Martin, William Fox-Pitt and Meg Kepferle.To watch, starting with the trot-up (expect some unusual outfits) go to www.virtualeventing.com.
Let’s hope this is not the wave of the future, but is simply something to fill in the blank until shows start up again, whenever that might be.
Nona Garson and her partner, George D’Ambrosio, are trying to do something virtual that’s more personal for their Garden State Horse Show, which can’t happen as planned at the Ridge at Riverview showgrounds in Asbury, Warren County. It would have been the first time they were to host what was once the largest horse show in New Jersey. But making the best of it, they came up with the Garden State Stay at Home Classic.
George D’Ambrosio and Nona Garson.
The prizelist has separate categories for video and still photo submissions, with classes ranging from Mother’s Day leadline, bareback, and horseless jumping (including poles on the ground). Grand prix classes will be judged on style, speed, agility and efficiency; hunters on performance, soundness and manners; equitation on execution and position. There will also be dog competitions.
How did the couple come up with the concept?
“We were sitting there every day watching what’s happening in the world,” Nona explained.
“It’s so disheartening. We thought it was a way we could interact and have people enjoy the thought of horse showing while they stay safe at home. It’s to give you the feeling that you’re showing without leaving the comfort of your living room.” She added with a chuckle, “There will be no drug testing.”
Nona, an international show jumper who has ridden for the U.S. team and judged intercollegiate shows, will be doing the judging, but has enlisted friends to help judge if the entries are more than she can handle.
“We’re learning as we go here,” said Nona. “I’m not sure what kind of response we’re going to get.”
The idea worked so well with Royal Windsor that it has thousands of virtual entries, so it will be interesting to see if it is as popular on this side of the Atlantic.
For the rules and how to enter, go to http://www.ridgeshowjumping.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Virtual-Show.pdf. The entry deadline is May 2.
All winning entries will be featured on the Ridge’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Ribbons will be mailed for first through fourth-place winners; fifth through eighth will get virtual ribbons. Other prizes include products from sponsors, including leather goods and feed, that will be awarded in some divisions, while champions will receive a coupon for 10 percent off their entries at one future show at the Ridge at Riverview during the 2020 show season. The leading trainer will have a free tack stall at one show at the Ridge at Riverview while the Hunter Derby winner gets 50 percent off one stall and 20 percent off their entries at one show.
Ribbons can’t be presented in person by Nona Garson at the Garden State virtual horse show, but they will get to prize winners by mail.
Garden State was supposed to run April 28-May3, but the Ridge was also scheduled to hold three other shows in May that can’t happen now. The first two June shows are unrecognized, which could offer some leeway if the Governor eases restrictions on what’s happening in New Jersey
Nona believes that there will be no problem holding shows on the Ridge’s 50-acre property while maintaining social distancing, as they did in their final Turf Tour show in Wellington, Fla., during March.
“I spread the schedule out and had people come in small groups all day long and it worked perfectly. There were never more than eight exhibitors and everybody kept their distance. They did their entries electronically so no one had to go in the office.” Classes ran for hours, so people cold schedule when they would come. Riders and trainers were able to walk the course in the middle of the class if they had just arrived on the grounds.
There are plenty of wide open spaces around the Ridge at Riverview.
Asked if she would consider doing the same sort of thing in New Jersey, she said, “100 percent.” She believes at such shows, people barely have to interact in person.
“I think we need to revisit how we do things, but making people stop entirely is not the answer either.”
Tom Struzzieri, the impresario of the HITS show series, already has a plan worked out on how to achieve appropriate social distancing when his competitions start.
Tom Struzzieri of HITS.
HITS has bought the Lamplight property in Illinois, where the USEF’s Dressage Festival of Champions is held. He noted that his previous Chicago-area property, Balmoral, wasn’t popular with exhibitors, who made a plea for him to go to Lamplight.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to reinvent ourselves again in the Midwest,” he said. “We’re going to expand, as we grow into the property, the money we spend” on jumper and hunter prizes.
He’s hoping to start his shows at Lamplight and Saugerties, N.Y., the first week of June if local authorities say he can go.
Meanwhile, Tom and his family are doing what they can to help during this crisis, having given away 5,000 meals last week to people who have been adversely affected by the pandemic situation.
He’s tailoring his shows to the current situation.
“We’re going to do a terrific amount of work for social distancing for everyone at the horse show,” he commented.
That includes modifying the computer program for entries so exhibitors don’t have to spend time in the office. The food service will be set up as a grab-and-go and stabling will be arranged in quadrants so exhibitors are in charge of their own areas. The schedule is still being written, but the idea is to have it organized as show-and-go, with days added to minimize density if the USEF permits. Everything is refundable because the situation is evolving.
It looks like this is going to be the new normal, and who knows for how long. It’s a challenge, but how encouraging to see the equestrian industry is stepping up to find solutions so we can move from the virtual to the real thing.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 21, 2020
One of the world’s greatest horse shows, held at the Royal Dublin Society showgrounds, will not be staged in Ireland during mid-July as scheduled. The Dublin Horse Show is always a landmark of the season and plays to a packed house, with the Nations Cup for the Aga Khan trophy as the highlight.
Michael Duffy, CEO of the RDS, explained, “We believe it is the most responsible decision we can make in the best interests of public health and safety.”
At the same time, the Luhmuhlen, Germany, 5-star three-day event, set for June 18-21, is reviewing its options.Plans call for reopening of some businesses in Germany in the next few weeks, but major events on the order of concerts will be banned until the end of August.
Meanwhile, Kentaro Iwata, a professor of infectious diseases at Kobe University, said he is “very pessimistic” about the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place next year. Japan Times reported he does not believe the coronavirus pandemic will be under control by next year.
“Holding the Olympics needs two conditions: one, controlling COVID-19 in Japan and (two) controlling COVID-19 everywhere – because you have to invite the athletes and the audience from all over the world,” he said.
“Japan might be able to control this disease by next summer, I wish we could, but I don’t think that would happen everywhere on Earth, so in this regard I’m very pessimistic about holding the Olympics Games next summer,” he said.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 20, 2020
On Thursday April 23 at 6 p.m., Extension Horses will present a webinar on”Fine-Tuning Equine Boarding Contracts”.
It involves a discussion on the importance of having well developed equine boarding contracts. Julie Fershtman, an Equine Law practitioner and author, will cover the key components Time for questions will also be included. Julie Fershtman’s practice crosses all equine breeds and disciplines and serves stables, insurers, professionals, associations, businesses, show management, trainers, and clinicians across the U.S. Registration is free, but required. To register, visit https://pub.cce.cornell.edu/event_registration/main/events_landing.cfm?event=EquineBoardingContracts_225. Once registered, individuals will receive a link to join the webinar.
