It was a difficult day at the Michael Barisone attempted murder trial in Morristown, N.J., as his former student, Lauren Kanarek, talked about her wounds, wiping away tears as she recounted the incident that led to her hospitalization for three weeks.
The anguish Barisone feels shows in his face, while he listens to the details of how his life unraveled during the proceedings before Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor.
Kanarek met Michael at a 2018 clinic and he invited her to come to his farm in Long Valley, N.J. to train so she could reach a higher level of the sport. But things turned toxic in 2019, Barisone was at his breaking point and a downward spiral ended in tragedy when Kanarek was shot two times at point-blank range.
To read my story about what happened in court today, click here.
Dressage trainer Michael Barisone was “in an almost catatonic state” in mid-summer of 2019 as he feared for the safety of those around him and his business, viewing threats posted on social media by a boarder/tenant and other harassment with such alarm that he wasn’t eating or sleeping, his former assistant trainer testified today.
Justin Hardin was on the witness stand at Barisone’s attempted murder trial in Morristown, N.J., where he was asked if Barisone was depressed in the days leading up to the Aug. 7 shooting of Lauren Kanarek.
“Extremely,” came Hardin’s reply, noting that for the first time in the 18 years he had worked with Barisone, the 2008 U.S. Olympic dressage team alternate was withdrawn and couldn’t run his Hawthorne Hill stable in Long Valley, N.J., as usual, not even bothering to ride.
When the trial opened yesterday before Judge Stephen Taylor, Barisone’s lawyer, Edward Bilinkas, recounted a saga of harassment by Kanarek and her boyfriend, Rob Goodwin, citing recording of private conversations, the threatening posts and disruption of his client’s home and business. The attorney is pursuing an insanity and self-defense strategy against the charges faced by Barisone, which also include two weapon possession counts.
Kanarek, who began riding with Barisone in 2018, was living in the trainer’s house with her boyfriend, Rob Goodwin, a carpenter doing work on that structure and elsewhere around the property. But their relationship with Barisone and his girlfriend, Mary Haskins Gray, turned sour. Barisone wanted them out, and was moving to evict them.
To get away from the couple in the meantime, Barisone and Gray moved out of the home into a clubhouse adjacent to the indoor ring, and eventually into space at the stable. Finally, a desperate Barisone found himself on a mattress outside the barn when he wasn’t walking the property at night because of his security concerns.
Morris County Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Schellhorn asked Hardin if Barisone had struggles with anxiety and depression before the situation with Kanarek and Goodwin arose.
Mary Haskins Gray on the witness stand.
While Hardin answered yes, he noted that those conditions were “extremely worse” leading up to the day of the shooting, when two bullets fired at point blank range ripped into Kanarek’s chest, leaving her in critical condition.
Also on the stand today was Gray, quite poised during the early part of her testimony, but looking less composed while the questioning went on about texts exchanged between her and Barisone as things spiraled downward at Hawthorne Hill.
Looking up at her from the defense table was Barisone, with whom she had a romantic relationship beginning in 2015 as the two also collaborated on teaching riders and training horses.
Michael Barisone in court.
Barisone, unshaven and wearing a rumpled gray shirt with a striped tie, watched her intently, occasionally wiping his eyes, as he also had done during other testimony yesterday.
Gray discussed a series of photos of the stable and clubroom with Schellhorn. The championship coolers, ribbons and photos of winning horses on the polished pine-paneled walls spoke of achievement, a sad contrast to the current state of the man who had crafted such success through hard work and horsemanship.
When Schellhorn asked if the atmosphere at the farm had become toxic, Gray replied, “That’s an understatement. We were terrified of what it was building to and what was coming next.”
Focusing on the money it takes to run a top-class stable, Schellhorn drew out Gray on financial issues faced by Barisone, who estimated it cost $40,000 a month to keep his business going. That included monthly payments of $6,000 for the Long Valley property and $3,000 to pay the mortgage on a farm in Loxahatchee, Fla., near Wellington, in addition to all the usual freight for feed, the farrier, veterinary care, maintenance and the other charges horse owners know so well.
Gray also said Barisone told her it was “hard to feel good” after he “got clipped $965,000” in connection with his divorce from Vera Kessels.
Both Barisone and Gray, as well as Kanarek and Goodwin, in turn complained about the other couple to the U.S. Equestrian Federation and SafeSport.
At the end of July, Barisone texted Gray and told her he wanted information on what Kanarek had done to people in the past.
“I need every single person who has ever been screwed by Lauren, Rob and her dad. Farriers, vets, trainers. I ‘m going to get her a lifetime ban as a competitor,” he vowed.
On August 6, 2019, Gray shipped via UPS 756 pages of information along those lines to USEF counsel Sonja Keating. The shooting took place the next day.
Another discussion about the timeline centered around the SafeSport lifetime ban from the sport of hunter/jumper guru George Morris on the grounds of sexual misconduct involving a minor. The news about Morris, who had been a mentor of Barisone’s, came on August 5.
Two days later, a caseworker from the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency came to the farm to talk to Gray. It is believed that an allegation from Kanarek that Gray’s 11-year-old son had been abused by Barisone was the reason for the visit. There was discussion in court whether the prospect of being banned, after what happened to Morris, was the last straw. Shortly after the caseworker arrived, Barisone drove his pick-up truck to the house, talked briefly with Goodwin, and Kanarek was shot.
Another witness this afternoon was Ruth Cox, the owner of the pink and black Ruger handgun that was used in the shooting.
Ruth Cox and the Ruger.
Cox, who has a doctorate in marriage and family therapy, came to the farm Aug. 1, 2019 to see horses she co-owned with Gray that were in training.
Late one evening, Barisone asked to see the gun she kept with her for safety reasons when she was driving to New Jersey from her North Carolina home. He took it from her and she did not pick it up again until she lifted it today to show it to the jury.
After thousands of speculative, gossipy posts on social media and multiple court conferences, dressage trainer Michael Barisone’s attempted murder trial finally got under way today in Morristown, N.J., with dramatic opening statements from his defense and the prosecution detailing what led up to the crime.
Barisone, who has been in the Morris County Correctional Facility since August 2019, appeared in court wearing a white shirt and yellow tie, rather than the yellow prison jumpsuit in which he has appeared before Judge Stephen Taylor over the course of nearly three years.
The shaggy-haired defendant occasionally had his head bowed while tears came to his eyes as each attorney’s approach to everything that happened unreeled in painful detail.The 2008 U.S. Olympic dressage team alternate pleaded not guilty to shooting dressage rider Lauren Kanarek twice in the chest at his farm on Aug. 7, 2019, the culmination of a student/teacher relationship gone wrong.
Kanarek was being trained by Barisone, boarded her horses at the farm and also lived in the trainer’s house with her boyfriend, Rob Goodwin. Barisone had tried to evict her as she and Goodwin repeatedly clashed with him and his girlfriend, Mary Haskins Gray, also a dressage trainer.
Morris County Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Chris Schellhorn set the stage this morning by describing for the jury Barisone’s picturesque Hawthorne Hill Farm in the Long Valley section of Washington Township, N.J., where the shooting took place, methodically explaining both the facility’s layout and the nature of dressage, as he gave a roadmap of the way the state will present its case.
He cited how Barisone and Gray, as well as Kanarek and Goodwin, were complaining about their situation to the U.S. Equestrian Federation and SafeSport, while Barisone was calling the police on almost a daily basis in the week before the shooting.
“These groups of people had it in for one another,” said Schellhorn. But whatever else happened, he told members of the jury, they are in the courtroom for one reason.
“We’re here on this trial because of the defendant’s choice on Aug. 7, 2019 to take the pink and black 9 mm handgun, point that gun at Lauren and pull the trigger twice and then to turn it on Rob and pull the trigger.” That shot missed.
The handgun belonged to Ruth Cox, a North Carolina resident who owned horses with Barisone and was visiting his stable in August 2019. Barisone asked her for her gun, a Ruger she had brought along on her trip. Barisone put the gun and ammunition in a safe in his office.
Cox, who would be charged with unlawful transportation of a firearm, will testify later in the trial. She entered the Pretrial Intervention Program to avoid incarceration.
The last straw for Barisone came when a caseworker from the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency came to the farm to investigate an allegation made by Kanarek that Barisone had molested Gray’s 11-year-old son.
Barisone twice interrupted Gray and the caseworker who were talking in his office, eventually telling them they would have to take their conversation elsewhere. He retrieved the gun and drove his pick-up truck to the house, where he saw Goodwin on the porch.
“How do we end this without a war?” Barisone asked Goodwin. But as Kanarek walked down the porch steps, two bullets hit her. Kanarek managed to call 911 and tell the operator she had been shot.
“I’m losing a lot of blood,” she said, as Goodwin subdued Barisone until the police arrived.
Schellhorn contended that Barisone knew what he was doing and “certainly knew what he was doing was wrong.” The trainer is charged with not only two counts of attempted murder, but also possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm for unlawful purposes.
For his part, Barisone’s attorney, Ed Bilinkas, has said he will mount an insanity defense and include an element of self-defense as well.
“Help! I’m in fear for my life. Someone, anyone, please help me,” were the first words in Bilinkas’ opening statement, as he described how Barisone was desperate to end the escalating harassment that included recording of his conversations, threatening posts on social media and disruption of his home and business.
“Those were the cries for help from Michael Barisone. Those cries fell on deaf ears.”
While the shooting of Kanarek was a tragedy, Bilinkas said, Michael Barisone also has a tragic story.
Barisone had an awful childhood. He was physically abused by his mother and sexually molested by a neighbor, Bilinkas detailed.
Barisone was “A man who worked his way up to the top of the ladder. but behind the scenes was struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts.” The lawyer revealed Barisone had been seeing a therapist on and off for 20 years.
“What this case is really about is about Lauren Kanarek, her father and her boyfriend devising a plan to destroy this man and drive him crazy.” She thought it was funny that he was deteriorating, Bilinkas contended.
He said Kanarek’s social media posts “tell the real story, the scary story.” Bilinkas maintained Kanarek became obsessed with Gray and blames her for all her shortcomings, posting on social media attacks on the business, Barisone and Gray.
“Every man and woman has a breaking point. My client is not guilty,” the lawyer stated.
“At the time of the shooting, my client feared for his life. He was suffering from a mental disease and did not know what he was doing was wrong.”
Cassie’s mother, Natasha Brash, gave an update on her daughter, who had throat surgery last week.
As you’ll recall, the 29-year-old professional show jumper fell with her horse in a jump-off at the end of January and suffered a traumatic brain injury and other complications.
Natasha said doctors noticed a blockage they feel might have been caused by the breathing tube administered to Cassie in the ER at the time of the accident. They were concerned that although she can breathe normally right now while making little physical effort, her airway could be compromised when she returns to her regular schedule. So they removed the scar tissue that was in her throat.
This means she will need to keep the trachea another three weeks minimally. However I know many of you are still keeping Cass in your prayers, with that and her medical treatments, she should make a great recovery from the surgery.
Her mothr said Cass has been and will always be heroic, kind, generous, caring, brave, fun and joyful in everything she does. I can only tell you it has been an honor to sit by her side and help her during one of the most challenging times of anyone’s life. Cass had high hopes this summer with many great horses lined up to show, including a new grand prix horse that she was very excited about. However that was not to be, and now she is working day by day to just walk, talk and dress herself.
Being on the sidelines all this time, has given me a new appreciation for the kind of human she is. She fills her entire day with being kind, appreciative, grateful and she is always making sure that I am okay.
Want to send a card? Here is the address:
Cassandra Kahle WFRC108
Shepherd Center
2020 Peachtree Road, NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
Rebranding is a strategy used to update messaging after a business reorientation, to make the brand more relevant to new markets and new audiences, or to showcase the brand under a new parent company.
That should give you the context to understand why as of this evening, the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center that we have known since 2006 is now Wellington International, in Wellington, Fla., the municipality that bills itself as “the winter equestrian capital of the world.”
To recap, PBIEC was bought last year by the Global Equestrian Group, whose CEO is Andreas Helgstrand, an Olympic dressage medalist, while Olympic show jumping medalist Ludger Beerbaum is a co-owner.
Palm Beach is one of the world’s most prestigious destinations, so the change in name raised some questions for me, especially since very often, when I look up Wellington on the Internet, I get results listing Wellington, New Zealand. So here’s the answer from the folks who made the decision:
“While the history and status of Palm Beach is recognized, appreciated, and contributed greatly to the previous venue name, Wellington International looks to move forward and continue to bring the Wellington name greater prominence in Florida, the U.S., and around the world. Wellington is now a destination for thousands of equestrians every year and is a reputable name in its own right.”
The rebranding is visible as of tonight in the letters on the bridge above the International arena. In effect, it serves notice that the facility, which has hosted the Winter Equestrian Festival since 1989, will be undergoing major changes.
The new name of the WEF facility was revealed when the white cover was dropped tonight.
Michael Stone, president of Wellington International, said, “We are committed to ‘Setting New Standards’ for our venue, as well as for equestrian sport, guest experiences, entertainment, and innovation.
“While equestrian sport is and will continue to be the main focus at Wellington International, future plans include the versatility to host an assortment of events to broaden horizons outside of the main horse show weeks.”
Alex Matz clearing the new Wellington International fence on Cashew. (Sportfot photo)
Andreas had promised great changes to the venue, originally known as the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. The winter shows started at Palm Beach Polo in a far more modest setting under the guidance of the late Gene Mische, who grew the WEF concept exponentially.
He had first seen the Palm Beach Polo property when it was nothing but a lot of palmetto, growing in a field about 40 minutes from Palm Beach. He recalled William Ylvisaker, the developer who started the facility, had painted a picture of a fabulous venue that would offer not only polo, but also magnificent horse shows.
Gene’s first reaction was to wonder whether the entrepreneur “was smoking something,” as the two stood talking among the scraggly plants. But the dream did become amazing reality in a setting that had people flocking to buy homes, show their horses and play polo (even Britain’s Prince Charles showed up there for a match.)
The facility was bought in 2006 by a group led by Mark Bellissimo, which made major changes and did a lot to move it forward. I was talking with Mark shortly after the purchase and mentioned the contributions of Gene in starting the enterprise. Mark noted that while an innovator must be given a lot of credit for starting something, it often requires someone else to take it to the next level. And that is where Andreas and company have come in.
They made some improvements already, with many more on the way. Recently, McLain Ward and I talked about what is happening.
“The changes made so far are things that are hard to see, like the changes of footing in a number of rings and some underground drainage and things that have been let go or not done properly in the past,” McLain told me.
“I hear of great things to come, which will be great for the sport. There’s no shortage of competitors and business and opportunity here. If there’s anywhere in the world that can support a huge investment, it’s Wellington.”
An aerial view of the showgrounds.
McLain, who has talked a bit with Andreas, said of the new owners, “I think they know what they’re doing. They have a good feeling of what the highest standard is. Like everything, it takes a bit of time. I think we’ll see major changes by next year and I think in the next few years it will be completely transitioned.”
An architect’s view of the planned VIP pavilion.
As he pointed out about Wellington International, “It needs to be a world class facility. It’s been let go, it’s been run down for the better part of six to eight years. It’s a tired old house. I’d like to see them develop some of the land in the back, less for real estate, more for the sport, because we’re on a postage stamp here. I know there’s a lot of talk about developing the parking and stabling to more permanent facilities.”
I wondered what pioneers of the sport would think of its current incarnation.
“You can’t imagine not only where Wellington has gone, but the horse business and the sport,” said McLain.
“They set the groundwork and the stage for us to go in that direction. This is a big sport and big industry. The business factor has changed, not just in the running of events. It’s the horse business in general; the level of the business and the numbers, not only in volume, but also in dollar amounts. In 20-30 years it’s exploded. It’s a healthy industry and it’s nice to be part of a healthy industry.”
Want to know more about Andreas? Click here to read a story I did about him and his stable for Horse Sport earlier this month.
A Maryland barn that has been hard hit by EHV-1 is looking for financial help involved with treating 40 horses, most of which are mild to moderate cases being cared for by staff on site.
“We’re optimistic that most of them will make a full recovery over the next four to six weeks,” said a statement from Meadowbrook Stable, which had a pony euthanized earlier this month after it contracted the infection.
The facility has been following strict testing, quarantine, treatment and biosecurity protocols, including putting up 24 temporary stalls in the indoor arena to quarantine horses with moderate symptoms and separating all horses in the main barn.
They are working closely with the treating veterinarian and scheduling two sets of staff to work around the clock to monitor and assess each horse’s symptoms, including taking temperatures and performing regular neurological exams; administering three types of medications twice daily per horse; disinfecting stalls, buckets and equipment and hand-walking horses.
The facility also has canceled lessons and closed to reduce stress on the horses and promote their recovery. Measures also include canceling horse shows and keeping all horses on site to ensure there is no transmission to other stables.
The expenses from Meadowbrook’s EHV quarantine and response will be more than $85,000. Estimated costs include $18,000 in antiviral and other medications; $35,000 in veterinary bills, $8,580 to set up temporary quarantine stalls in the indoor ring and $25,000 to cover the additional staffing needed to provide round-the-clock care for the horses.
Meadowbrook is seeking donations to help cover costs, including daily exams and medications associated with the EHV outbreak. Meadowbrook is a 501(c)(3) organization and all gifts are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. To donate, click on this link
EHV-1 cropped up in a big way on the West Coast last month, leading to equine euthanizations and cancellation of shows, including May’s Nations Cup in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The California Department of Food and Agriculture issued an Extension of Recommended Caution for California Equine Events through March 31.
That led to cancellation of Dressage at Southern California Equestrian and postponement until June of Rancho California AHA Spring. The Galway Downs International Horse Trials has revised its schedule and moved to a two-day format at the beginning of April.
As of yesterday, the Desert International Horse Park, which saw the first EHV-1 cases in the state, has no barns under quarantine. The state has officially ended their regulatory oversight of the horse park, according to a statement from the facility.
After decades running her Knightsbridge training stable in Monmouth County, N.J., Mary Knowlton has moved on to an administrative job at Princeton Show Jumping.
She acted on a long-term realization when an opportunity presented itself, making a career change just as many in the equestrian world will consider for their enterprises when they head into their 60s and the right time comes.
“Ultimately, long term I knew that I was going to have to transition out of my business,” said Mary (formerly Babick). She has huge demands on her time, as she serves a second term as president of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association until 2024.
As is often the case, however, things didn’t go exactly the way she had planned for the future of her business.
“My hope was that I was going to transition out, and (the assistant trainer) Julia (Hogan) was going to transition in,” she said.
But after she sent Julia to Florida for the winter circuit, where she worked with Princeton’s owner, Andrew Philbrick, and trainer Sara Wayda, the plan changed.
Andrew, who looked at Mary and Julia as a pair in terms of employment, had a place for both of them in his business. And for Mary, the time was right.
“The world is changing so fast. The more I talk to my friends who are my age or older,” they told her, “divesting yourself of your business frees you to do greater things, because you’re not weighed down by a payroll or paying workman’s comp.”
She said that the more Andrew pressed her to work with him, “the more interesting the job became to me. It was interesting because he was asking me to do something I had never done before, and I loved that.”
Knightsbridge is closing at the end of the month, barn sale items have been advertised on line and 25-year employee Sarah Paulson is taking a break.
“I have been within the same basic structure since 1987 when I moved up here,” said Mary, who came from the Washington DC area and lives in Freehold. She’s still doing some teaching and is learning Mandarin, inspired by the multi-cultural atmosphere in the Princeton area.
“As much as in some ways it’s been stressful, deconstructing my business into its pieces, I absolutely love my new job, said Mary, whose work involves compliance and risk management across Andrew’s businesses.
For example, the Skillman showgrounds in Montgomery Township, Somerset County, where most of Andrew’s shows are held, is preserved farmland. One of Mary’s jobs is “making sure we are always in compliance with the state Agricultural Development Committee. I go to work and there’s always something really fun and interesting.”
The “fighting spirit of an entire army in one person” powers professional show jumper Cassandra Kahle as she recovers from a traumatic brain injury suffered in a January fall, according to her mother, Natasha Brash.
Cass, who was in a jumpoff when her horse fell with her, has made huge strides in healing and can now walk on her own, her mother, said, though she keeps a hand through a belt on her daughter’s waist to insure she doesn’t stumble.
Natasha, an equestrian professional from British Columbia, is sharing a room with Cass at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Cass is undergoing rehab there, where she’s a staff favorite. It’s easy to see why for anyone who knows her.
“She finds the best in every situation,” explained her mother, noting that characteristically, “she’s the bright light in the room. We laugh all day long.”
Cass, who is 29, rides with Emil Spadone’s Redfield Farm in Califon, N.J., and Ocala, Fla. She expects to come back to New Jersey with the rest of the crew from that stable next month, though their departure north may be delayed a bit from their usual schedule, Natasha said.
Want to send a card? Here is the address: Cassandra Kahle WFRC108
Shepherd Center
2020 Peachtree Road, NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
Shepherd staffers do memory games with Cass to strengthen her recall ability. But she doesn’t remember the week before her accident, the incident itself and the period of unconsciousness that followed. Her memory is good dating from three weeks ago, according to her mother.
When will she ride again? Perhaps a year after the accident, he mother said, though she thought she might do some therapeutic riding before that.
There has been a huge outpouring of support for 29-year-old Cass, not only from the U.S. but also in Canada, where she rode until she was 21. To show they are thinking of her, riders supporting her wear a Disney character pin on their saddle pads or jackets. Cass is well-known to be a huge fan of Disney and a regular visitor to Disneyworld.
As you clean out your tack room and closets at this time of year, put aside equipment, clothing, blankets and other horse-related items for tack sales being held at several organizations this month and this fall.
Riding with Heart, 639 Route 513, Pittstown, is holding its sale March 26 and 27 to benefit its therapeutic riding program. Drop items from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and Saturdays from noon-3 p.m. Call 908-735-5912 to let the organization know before you come.
Riding with Heart will pick up big donations within a one-hour drive. Email tacksale@ridingwithheart.org. Contributions are tax deductible.
Mane Stream (adaptive riding and therapy services) is seeking donations of new and gently used tack or horse related items for its fall tack sale in Oldwick Nov. 6 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The spring sale originally scheduled for next month has bee cancelled.
Collections are still ongoing, however. There is a contactless drop-off for unwanted bridles, saddles, blankets, tack boxes as well as outgrown boots, breeches, jackets and horse-related jewelry, models or knick-knacks. Proceeds go toward Mane Stream’s mission to improve the quality of life for children and adults with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine assisted activities, therapy services, and educational initiatives.
All donations can be dropped off at the stable at 83 Old Turnpike Rd. Oldwick during office hours. Those who want to make a donation of have questions should contact Jen Dermody at jen@manestreamnj.org, (908) 439-9636 or visit the website at www.ManeStreamNJ.org
Mane Stream is a 501(c)(3) non-profit registered charitable organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine-assisted activities, therapy services and educational initiatives.
Laura Kraut had been concerned about whether her 2018 World Equestrian Games team gold medal mount, Confu, would recover from a virus. She wasn’t even thinking whether he could compete in a grand prix again, with his last appearance at that level having been in November.
So when he beat his illness and returned to the arena, his victory last night under the lights in the 4-star $216,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix in Wellington, Fla., was especially welcome.
Laura Kraut and Confu. (Sportfot photo)
“The win tonight means everything,” Laura said.
“A few months ago, we were crying because we weren’t sure he was going to make it. It means the world to have him win, and to win on Horseware week, I don’t think we could have scripted it any better,” said Laura about her longtime sponsor. I’m so thankful to have had their support for many years, and it feels like winning this class was meant to be.”
She topped a 10-horse jump-off with a clean round in 36 .44 seconds on St. Bride’s Farm 15-year-old Holsteiner by Contact Me.
The Irish dominated the rest of the podium, with Conor Swail second in 37.10 seconds on Vital Chance de la Roque and Mark McAuley third in 37.55 seconds with Jasco vd Bisschop clocked in over Michel Vaillancourt’s course at the soon-to-be-rebranded Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
