by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 15, 2020
Although the 2020 Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event was postponed from its original date next month, the event’s Organizing Committee found after looking at alternative dates that rescheduling the event is not possible for this year.
“When the crisis caused by the coronavirus made it impossible to hold our event as scheduled, we looked into possible dates where we could hold it later in the year,” said Morgan Rowsell, co-organizer of Jersey Fresh.
“However, no suitable date was possible and it simply is not going to work out. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold the event this year. Without the Olympics (Jersey was an observation trial for the U.S. Olympic team), without a reason to do the 4-star, you’re not going to necessarily get a lot of riders. You can’t bring the sponsors in without a lot of hoopla; you can’t have hoopla without a lot of riders. It’s unfortunate, so we’ll just circle our wagons and make a big deal out of next year,” said Morgan..
Top rider Will Coleman was a regular at the Jersey Fresh International event. (Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
The Saumur event in France found itself in the same position as Jersey Fresh. After deciding it couldn’t run May 21-24, it is hoping to postpone, but is still looking for the right date in the “second semester” of 2020, as it also prepares its 2021 edition as a qualifying event for the Olympics..
Jersey Fresh had been scheduled to take place at the Horse Park of New Jersey, May 6-10. Featured would have been CCI Four-Star and Three-Star divisions featuring top eventing horses and riders in addition to a new Preliminary Division for future stars in the sport.
“With the Olympics also moved to next year, we anticipate our event holding its usual place of significance on the eventing calendar,” added Morgan.
“We thank all our sponsors – especially major sponsors B.W. Furlong & Associates, Zoetis, AIG and Boehringer Ingelheim – for their support and we look forward to returning with a great event in 2021!”
An event is also planned for the end of June at the Horse Park of New Jersey, which is shuttered for the time being. The Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event/Horse Park of New Jersey is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit, Charitable and Educational organization. Further information about JFI is available at www.jfi3d.com. Further information about the Horse Park is available at www.horseparkofnewjersey.com.
Meanwhile, the Mars Equestrian Essex Horse Trials at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, is still on for July, a new date for the fixture which previously was held in June. Rowsell, who is also co-chair of Essex, said any changes would be up to the board, which doesn’t meet until May.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he anticipates the statewide lockdown going on into June, but didn’t say anything yet about July.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 15, 2020
Years of rotational deworming have led to an increased resistance to wormers. The American Association of Equine Practitioners updated its deworming guidelines and are stressing the importance of fecal egg counts and the appropriate use of commercially available dewormers.
B.W. Furlong and Zoetis have teamed up for an educational WebEx on “Parasite Control: Deworming Your Horse” to take place on April 16 at 10 a.m.
Click here or call (877) 309-3457.Then enter access code 742 543 653.For questions, contact Caitlin at cfurlong@bwfurlong.com.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 14, 2020
Although the 2020 Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event originally was postponed from its original date next month, the event’s Organizing Committee found after looking at alternative dates that rescheduling the event was not possible for this year.
“When the crisis caused by the coronavirus made it impossible to hold our event as scheduled, we looked into possible dates where we could hold it later in the year,” said Morgan Rowsell, co-organizer of Jersey Fresh International.
“However, no suitable date was possible and it simply is not going to work out. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold the event this year.”
Top rider Will Coleman was a regular at the Jersey Fresh International event. (Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
The event, which was to serve as a qualifying selection trial for the United States’ Eventing team for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, had been scheduled to take place at the Horse Park of New Jersey, May 6-10. Featured would have been CCI Four-Star and Three-Star events featuring top eventing horses and riders in addition to a new Preliminary Division for future stars in the sport.
“With the Olympics also moved to next year, we anticipate our event holding its usual place of significance on the Eventing calendar,” added Rowsell. “We thank all our sponsors – especially major sponsors B.W. Furlong & Associates, Zoetis, AIG and Boehringer Ingelheim – for their support and we look forward to returning with a great event in 2021!”
The Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event/Horse Park of New Jersey is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit, Charitable and Educational organization. Further information about JFI is available at www.jfi3d.com. Further information about the Horse Park is available at www.horseparkofnewjersey.com.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 1, 2020
Among the most recent cancellations of New Jersey equestrian competitions are the Flora Lea spring horse trials in Medford, the Princeton May 6-10 hunter/jumper/equitation show in Skillman and the Garden State show in Asbury.
Organizer Debbie Adams stated, “After careful consideration, Flora Lea has decided to cancel their spring horse trials, originally scheduled for May 23-24. It seems the responsible thing to do with the pandemic looming over all of our existences. Flora Lea has been running a USEA event since 1975 and has only cancelled one time, due to a ‘100 year flood’ that hit NJ. We hope that all is well by September and that we can be up and running our Fall horse trials. We will also cancel our June 21 Youg Event Horse competition but will hope to run the August competition.”
While the May Princeton show won’t run, plans are still on for one-day shows June 7 and 21 and the three July Princeton Summer Classic shows.
Meanwhile, April and May were going to be an exciting time for the crew at the Ridge, as the Garden State Show and its pre-show were set to be staged for the first time at its showgrounds in Asbury, Warren County.
Garden State’s dates were April 28-May 3. The U.S. Equestrian Federation, however, is asking for competitions to be suspended through May 3–and there’s a chance that will go on longer. While USEF can’t ban show organizers from putting on their competitions, exhibitors will not be able to get qualifying points or points for award programs.,
Garden State previously was run by the Junior Essex Troop, a military-style organization for boys that had its own farm in West Orange. At one time, the organization presented the largest junior show in America. It became an open show in 1972, known for its challenging outside course, which involved crossing a stream and going up and down a hill. After the property was sold, the show went to Chubb Park in Chester, then the Sussex County Fairgrounds and finally last year to the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone.
But the troop alumni who ran it were getting older and decided to sell the license to Nona Garson and her partner, George D’Ambrosio.
“We were happy to do it,” said Nona, who isn’t giving up on the show despite the problem of the pandemic.
“Hopefully, it’s postponed,” she noted. “We’re trying to figure out what would be best,””
But when will the show season resume?
“Nobody can really say when it will start to pass into a state of normalcy,” she observed.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 30, 2020
The pandemic has taken a toll on two more major shows in a season that has vanished.
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair has decided to cancel its 2020 edition seven weeks out from its planned May 21-31 dates.
“This decision was made only after significant evaluation of the far-reaching operational and financial implications,” according to a statement from the show, one of the most important in the U.S.
“The organizers evaluated many options including postponement.”
Devon officials say the decision made “In fairness to the competitors, vendors, volunteers and all others involved…is the best for everyone under the circumstances.”
The only other time this iconic show has been cancelled was for three years during World War II.
Old Salem Farm on Tuesday canceled its Westchester County, N.Y., shows scheduled for May 5-10 and May 12-17.
A statement from the show said, “This decision was prompted to do our part to flatten the curve of the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Our No. 1 concern is for the safety and well-being of exhibitors, sponsors, spectators, vendors, staff and the community. We will continue to follow updated recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), New York State and local authorities as it relates to public events.”
Scott Hakim, Old Salem Farm president, commented “Being back at Old Salem Farm after being away for the past seven years, my team and I had been working hard to make this year’s show extra special. It was deeply disappointing for all of us to make the decision to cancel the first Old Salem Farm Spring Horse shows in over 40 years. However, I am confident that we made the right decision. The health of our community is our priority. We are already looking at additional dates to add to our schedule and will be back as soon as the time is right.”
The Kentucky spring horse shows in May also have cancelled, but as of now, their summer shows in July and August, which include the U.S. Pony Finals, are on.
Meanwhile, north of the border, Equestrian Canada has said it will suspend sanctioned competitions through June 1. Points earned in any events held during that time will not count, and the same applies to qualifications and rankings.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 25, 2020
Aachen, the world’s most prominent horse show, will not be held in early June as scheduled. The organizers of the German show, which includes jumping, dressage, eventing and driving, say they will be looking at a date later in the year to run the competition.Aachen draws competitors from all over the world, who won’t be able to be there under the current circumstances, which may well last into the summer.
The Tryon Equestrian Center also has stopped all competition until mid-May, as per the orders of the North Carolina governor.
The Horse Park of New Jersey has closed until April 13, according to Adam Furlong, president of the park’s board of trustees.
“We do not take this decision lightly; but we recognize our social responsibility to be part of `flattening the curve,’ he stated.
“As a result of the guidelines provided by the USEF, FEI, and local and state officials, we have seen almost all equestrian events cancelled for the foreseeable future. As such, we must temporarily cease operations in order to be fiscally responsible and to ensure the safety of all those who use the park. It is our sincere hope that everyone will do their part in reducing the spread of COVID-19, and that will be able to return to operations in one month.
“The Board will work diligently with all impacted events to find suitable alternative dates when it is safe to operate those events.”
In other virus-related changes and closings:
Tack sales scheduled for the weekend of March 28 at Riding for Heart in Pittstown and April 4 at Mane Stream Therapeutic Riding in Oldwick are being postponed. Riding with Heart doesn’t have a date yet, but Mane Stream will be combining the spring sale with its autumn sale.
Meanwhile, the New Jersey Region Pony Club has reshuffled its schedule of events.
The Quiz Rally originally scheduled for March 14 in Goshen, N.Y., was cancelled and will be rescheduled before June 22, the closing date for entries for the U.S. Pony Club Championships and Festival in July at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The April 5 dressage schooling show originally scheduled to be held at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, is being moved to the Horse Park of New Jersey. The new date is May 30. The May 17 Dressage Rally (open just to Pony Club members) has been rescheduled and moved from the USET to the Horse Park of New Jersey. The new date is April 25, sharing the weekend with the show jumping rally already scheduled for April 26 at the HPNJ.
Manhattan Saddlery is not open for in-person shopping, but will accept orders by phone and internet. Dover Saddlery remains open, but check hours. It is offering curbside pickup.
Further from home, the New Zealand Equestrian Federation has shut down the Olympics disciplines, para and endurance for three months. They’ll take another look at the end of April, however.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 24, 2020
As the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last night added its voice to the chorus of national Olympic committees calling for postponement of this summer’s Tokyo Games, the International Olympic Committee bowed to pressure and moved the Games to next year. The joint announcement by IOC President Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came, a day after saying it would take four weeks to come up with a plan that might have included going ahead with competition on its July 24-Aug.9 dates this year.
Bach and Abe “expressed their shared concern about the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, and what it is doing to people’s lives and the significant impact it is having on global athletes’ preparations for the Games.”
Calling the Olympics a “beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times,” they stated that the Olympic flame “could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.”
There are many questions to be answered in the wake of the postponement, from what to do about the Olympic village–whose apartments were being sold to private owners after the Games, to dealing with hotel reservations, travel arrangements, sponsorship and more. At this point, with the threat of the virus still strong and while we don’t even know when sports will go back into action,making plans for the future has to be on hold.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 18, 2020
The Horse Park of New Jersey has closed until April 13. I think you know why, but here’s the explanation:
“We do not take this decision lightly; but we recognize our social responsibility to be part of `flattening the curve,’ stated Adam Furlong, president of the park’s board of trustees.
“As a result of the guidelines provided by the USEF, FEI, and local and state officials, we have seen almost all equestrian events cancelled for the foreseeable future. As such, we must temporarily cease operations in order to be fiscally responsible and to ensure the safety of all those who use the park. It is our sincere hope that everyone will do their part in reducing the spread of COVID-19, and that will be able to return to operations in one month.
“The Board will work diligently with all impacted events to find suitable alternative dates when it is safe to operate those events.”
In other virus-related changes and closings:
Tack sales scheduled for the weekend of March 28 at Riding for Heart in Pittstown and April 4 at Mane Stream Therapeutic Riding in Oldwick are being postponed. Riding with Heart doesn’t have a date yet, but Mane Stream will be combining the spring sale with its autumn sale.
Meanwhile, the New Jersey Region Pony Club has reshuffled its schedule of events.
The Quiz Rally originally scheduled for March 14 in Goshen, N.Y., was cancelled and will be rescheduled before June 22, the closing date for entries for the U.S. Pony Club Championships and Festival in July at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The April 5 dressage schooling show originally scheduled to be held at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, is being moved to the Horse Park of New Jersey. The new date is May 30. The May 17 Dressage Rally (open just to Pony Club members) has been rescheduled and moved from the USET to the Horse Park of New Jersey. The new date is April 25, sharing the weekend with the show jumping rally already scheduled for April 26 at the HPNJ.
Manhattan Saddlery is not open for in-person shopping, but will accept orders by phone and internet. Dover Saddlery remains open, but check hours. It is offering curbside pickup.
Further from home, the New Zealand Equestrian Federation has shut down the Olympics disciplines, para and endurance for three months. They’ll take another look at the end of April, however.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 17, 2020
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair issued an announcement today saying that while organizers are keeping an eye on the latest concerning the virus pandemic, the show is still on from May 21-31.
The situation is “fluid,” they noted, adding, “Our committee continues to review the communications on this illness issued from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, USEF, FEI and other regulatory organizations.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 14, 2020
The tsunami of pandemic-sparked cancellations involving equestrian competitions large and small will be felt by a diverse group that runs from top athletes looking toward the Olympics down to kids hoping to qualify for their championships; officials, those who manage the shows, horse transporters, jump crew, show secretaries and catering staff, among many others involved with horse sport.
“It’s staggering what the ripple effect is going to be,” said U.S. show jumping coach Robert Ridland after it was announced that the FEI World Cup Finals in dressage and jumping April 15-19 were called off. The Las Vegas competition joined a sad list that includes March Madness and a host of other athletic events, as well as the closing of Disneyland, Broadway shows and the Metropolitan Opera. The London Marathon has been postponed to October from April 26, but the Grand National steeplechase in England set for April 4 was cancelled..
The void left by the eagerly anticipated World Cup Finals is “extremely disappointing, no question,” said Robert, who was manager of the Cup when it made its first Vegas appearance in 2000 and for four editions after that until he became coach.
U.S. Coach Robert Ridland walking with his team before the Longines FEI Nations Cup at the Palm Beach Masters. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
Twenty years ago, “it was the turning point of how the sport in many ways was presented,” giving a boost to “shows around the world that needed a kickstart.
“It was presented the way real sports are meant to be presented, fueled by tickets and fans,” he said.
The last time it was held in Vegas, in 2015, Steve Guerdat of Switzerland started a winning streak on the show jumping side (he was supposed to come back for a shot at a record fourth victory), while the fabulous Valegro won the dressage honors. (That’s the feature photo above.) Valegro’s rider, Charlotte Dujardin, was scheduled to compete on her current ride, Mount St. John Freestyle, in a battle with world number one Isabell Werth on Weiheigold, also going for an unprecedented fourth Cup win. Another loss is not being able to see the USA’s beloved dressage star Verdades enjoy a formal retirement in front of his fans.
Laura Graves and Verdades in Vegas at the 2015 FEI Dressage World Cup Final. (Photo © 2015 by Nancy Jaffer)
Cup organizers decided to cancel after the travel ban was announced on Wednesday, which would have made it impossible for European riders to get to Vegas.
“You can’t have the sport if you can’t have the competitors there,” said Devin Ryan of Long Valley, who qualified for the show jumping final on Caspar’s Lasino. After months of planning, the situation is discouraging.
Devin Ryan and Caspar’s Lasino. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
“You develop a whole season, you pick certain shows, you try to get certain points and qualify, and when your stars all line up, something like this happens,” he said.
“To take a shot at doing the World Cup Final again for the third time in a row, I was psyched.”
He also observed, however, “There are people out there who have it way worse than we do. We’re very fortunate that we get to ride these horses and do what we do for a living. There will be other shows.”
But wave after wave of bad news connected to the virus outbreak rolled in on Friday the 13th (which lived up to its evil reputation) and continued into the weekend and this week. In the wake of the U.S. Equestrian Federation calling for all its shows to suspend for a month (they can go on, but competitors will not receive points or qualifications) and the FEI (international equestrian federation) also was requesting a 30-day halt in the action, the U.S. Eventing Association voted to curtail recognition of any competitions under its direct jurisdiction for “at least” two weeks.
The National Basketball Association, along with major league baseball and hockey, has called a halt to games. There are those, however, who feel that equestrian’s regulatory bodies, in their concern about safety, may have overstepped their bounds, in effect forcing shows to cancel because running fixtures where participants can’t earn points doesn’t work in most cases.
The loss of the World Cup and so many other top competitions is regrettable, but they are far from the only casualties of the challenging situation, which reaches down to the state and local levels.
Mason Garrity has worked hard to rejuvenate the 47-year-old Four Seasons show, an April A-rated fixture he manages at the Horse Park of New Jersey. It falls within the 30-day window, and running it as an unrecognized show is not an option.
“It’s disheartening,” said Mason, who is supporting a young family.
“The amount of expense we put into the horse show, we can’t risk that to run unrated, hoping people show up. I want our exhibitors to be safe, so it doesn’t seem like a good plan to go against it and run. We ran unrated winter shows this year and ended up losing money. I just bought out Paul Jewell’s jump company,” said Mason, who was hoping to rent jumps to other shows, which now won’t be held. It’s a difficult situation all the way around.
“I don’t know what the answer is. It’s a shocker,” observed Mason, who is canceling his show and has emailed USEF to ask if the fees paid for this year can be rolled over to 2021.
The officials hired for the show that isn’t happening aren’t going to be getting their paychecks, ditto jump crew, ingate folks and show secretaries, along with others who are vital to putting on such a competition.
One of the judges who won’t be officiating at Four Seasons is Tucker Ericson.
“It’s times like these where I thank my parents for giving me the strength to stick with corporate America and do horses as a second career,” said Tucker, who runs the Monmouth at the Team show but works full-time in the insurance field.
“You feel bad for so many trainers who are (living) hand to mouth…and everyone who works a horse show. They probably will survive a week or two, but when you go much longer than that and they’re not getting their income, it’s tough.”
He noted everyone in the industry generally will agree to forego a paycheck if management has to cut out a ring or a day to make ends meet. In this instance though, “it’s a little bit concerning that this is just thrown upon them and there’s very little they can do to make up the difference.” There are many, he pointed out, who “don’t have a month of reserves.”
But maybe, “in a state like New Jersey that has so many lower-level schooling shows,” trainers will use this as an opportunity to take some of their lower-level riders to those unrecognized competitions. Perhaps they can make up the difference by focusing on that part of their business, he commented.
With the winter circuits winding down, perhaps “having a month as a good transitional time” will work, “as long as the 30 days doesn’t get extended further.”
He suggested that people, “think about those in the industry who are less fortunate than you and what you can do to help them get through this period. If each person just does something small for someone they know must be in a little bit of need, that’s awesome.”
Tucker Ericson
Tucker mentioned that trainers who have extra projects on their farms could hire jump crew members or others they met at shows who are out of work to handle their projects.
Mason Garrity’s difficult situation is mirrored around the country, but everyone is handling the current state of affairs differently.
Nona Garson and George D’Ambrosio are continuing their Turf Tour show jumping series in Wellington, Florida, even though the Adequan Global Dressge Festival and the Winter Equestrian Festival called a halt two weeks early. The early end to the WEF scuttled Devin’s plans to show his number one horse, Eddie Blue, at the final WEF competition and perhaps get noticed as an Olympic contender with a good performance there.
Bob Bell of the Gulfport, Miss.,Gulf Coast Winter Classics show circuit said on Facebook, “USEF may have ended our circuit by two weeks (early) but with so many unable to ship home we are having an unrated show next week with a $25,000 Grand Prix.”
However, after talking with USEF CEO Bill Moroney, he said he realized even a little show like the one he envisioned could jeopardize people’s health and called it off. Meanwhile, rides home were offered to horses stranded in Mississippi, so it all worked out.
Meanwhile, those involved with the USA’s Olympic effort are going to be meeting for discussions of how to handle necessary changes in training and selection looking toward the Olympics–and hoping they won’t be cancelled. There is not yet a clear path forward, and much is uncertain.
As U.S. dressage technical advisor Debbie McDonald put it, “We’re kind of in limbo.”
