by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 9, 2019
By Nancy Jaffer
June 9, 2019
It’s an idea whose time has come—again.
The MARS Essex Horse Trials was a popular stop for eventers during the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s—attracting marquee names in the sport–until the 2-star event was discontinued after its 1998 edition. Its revival in 2017 was a success, with Preliminary as the highest-rated division, and Essex went on to solidify its standing in 2018.
Ryan Wood, the 2018 Preliminary winner with Ruby, will be back this year for the new Advanced section and other divisions. (Photo©2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
This year, the June 21-23 event presented by MARS Equestrian has upped the stakes. It’s offering an Advanced division for the first time (skipping Intermediate), and the big step forward is being well-rewarded with entries from some of the top riders. Phillip Dutton, the 2016 Olympic eventing individual bronze medalist, will be bringing his best horse, Z, and his close friend, Boyd Martin, also is coming.
“I’ve got a couple of horses who need a run around the Advanced level at this time of the year,” said Boyd, explaining why he decided to enter the competition at Moorland Farm in Far Hills.
“I’ve heard great things about Essex; it’s an event with a lot of history. I’m looking forward to spinning a few around for the first time. It’s always a challenge going to new places, but riding at the very top level, you get to know which are the good events that have the good courses.
The MARS Essex Horse Trials’ Advanced Division has attracted Boyd Martin, whose second-place finish at the Land Rover Kentucky event last month made him the top U.S. rider at that competition. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
“It’s a little bit nerve-wracking going to a brand new event. Sometimes it takes a year or two for the designer to figure out the track and the course, but Essex is a great venue and a good course designer, so it should be a good event,” noted Boyd, the highest-placed U.S. rider last month at the 5-star Land Rover Kentucky event, where he finished second.
The rebirth of Essex came about as the result of the 2015 “Gladstone Gathering,” held at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stables for area equestrians and those interested in the sport.
Jim Brady, whose family once owned Hamilton Farm, the foundation’s home in Gladstone, felt that the area wasn’t hosting as many top-class equestrian events as it once did. He revitalized the old Gladstone Equestrian Association, and came up with the idea for the party.
Essex previously was held at Hamilton Farm, but construction of a golf course meant there wasn’t enough property to continue the event at that site, leading to its cancellation.
Tewksbury resident Ralph Jones attended the Gathering and was inspired to think Essex could be revived.
“I was just thrilled with the idea of starting it over,” Ralph said at the time, and pitched right in. He’s co-chairman with course designer Morgan Rowsell at Moorland, home of October’s Far Hills Race Meeting.
“What says `Essex’ is being able to run on that track,” Morgan commented, noting part of the cross-country course will go over the turf used for the races on the 230-acre property, just down the road from Gladstone..
“It just doesn’t get any better than that footing.”
The addition of the Advanced section is an effort “to gradually bring this event back to its glorious past,” said Ralph, “and to do that, we need to attract more of the professional riders.”
Added Morgan, “it will be an international event at some point. Ralph and I and Julie (Berman, director of operations and hospitality) and the team are dedicated to doing it right.
“The community’s been very eager to be involved,” said Julie. “There’s a lot of buzz on being part of Essex. Everybody wants to be a part of history and bring it forward.”
The five-year plan also includes all-weather footing for the dressage and show jumping, Ralph mentioned.
At the same time, Morgan noted, “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We want to grow, get sponsorship, keep the sponsors happy, grow again. Everything’s got to balance. You’ve got to have the sponsors, you’ve got to have the money, you’ve got have the good grass.”
Word about Essex has gotten around, and well-known riders are coming in droves. The demand matches the prize money; there’s $10,000 more being offered this year than last year, for a total of $30,000.
Buck Davidson, a regular visitor who starred in the reborn 2017 Essex edition, will be competing, having recovered from a fall at Land Rover Kentucky that left him with a broken collarbone. Others who will be seen there are Will Coleman, Lauren Kieffer, Sharon White, Colleen Rutledge, Hannah Sue Burnett, Jennie Brannigan, Canada’s Jessica Phoenix and Ireland’s U.S.-based Ryan Wood, back with Ruby, his 2018 Preliminary winner. She’s entered in the Preliminary Essex division, which is more challenging than the Open Prelim division. He’s also is bringing Woodstock Bennett for the Advanced section.
It’s a terrific opportunity for Jerseyans to see top competition close to home (Moorland is a five-minute walk from the Far Hills train station), and it offers a great introduction to eventing for those who enjoy horses but haven’t had a chance to see this discipline in person.
I went over to Moorland on Route 202 to get a look at preparations for this year’s Advanced course. Former U.S. eventing coach Mark Phillips, designer of the Jersey Fresh and Burghley, England, cross-country courses who is Morgan’s mentor, had visited as well. He gave advice and a thumb’s up.
Most interesting to me was work on a timber obstacle that Morgan described as, “big and impressive,” no over-statement there. It will stretch nine feet across, erected over a ditch five feet deep, with a center bar to fill in the gap for this first year of Advanced.
Essex Horse Trials co-chairs Ralph Jones and Morgan Rowsell show off the Advanced division’s Liberty Corner Leap, a work in progress during my visit to Moorland Farm. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Trees will be placed on the vertical posts to define the jump and enable the horses to judge the scope of the fence. It’s appropriately called the Liberty Corner Leap, named after the road that runs along one side of the property.
Ralph estimates that midday on the Saturday, June 22, will be “prime time” for spectators who want to see the Advanced riders in action on the most challenging route that Essex offers. The Advanced horses will not only go through the impressive water complex, but they also will be jumping in the main arena as the path for their division winds through the property.
This oxer won’t be in this location for the actual event, but it was placed there for a photograph to show some of the scenic surroundings at Essex. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
There are 74 tailgating spots at the water complex, where a good number of different jumps are visible in rapid succession (“In a minute, you’ll see a lot,” said Morgan). There is also tailgating on the hillside above the track and the announcer’s stand, for a different view of the course and some interesting table jumps.
Another fence I previewed was an impressive oxer, with both a MIM Clip on the front rail and a frangible pin on the back rail. Both reduce the possibility of rotational falls.
The MIM clip, left, and frangible pin, right, are safety devices that will be used during the Mars Essex Horse Trials (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
“We’re trying to dedicate ourselves to safety as much as possible,” said Morgan. He noted about one-third of the jumps at Training Level and higher have frangible elements, while another third involve brush.
He explained the MIM clip activates to release its rail on horizontal pressure, which is what would happen when the horse is on an upward trajectory, while the frangible pin activates on downward pressure, so if a horse doesn’t get across the entire distance of the obstacle, the pin breaks and the rail drops.
A frangible table jump, donated by Essex supporters Carl and Cassie Segal, also offers a safe alternative on the Advanced course if a horse hits it, folding down on impact. Such tables are very expensive, but Morgan would like to see one added every year.
The days at Essex will be busy. Advanced dressage takes place Friday, June 21, and that division’s show jumping will run during the early evening in conjunction with a VIP cocktail party. The Advanced cross-country is set for Saturday, June 22, along with all segments of the Preliminary competition, which features show jumping in the early evening that day, along with a competitors’ party at the Hoopstick Club. The lower levels will take place on the Sunday.
Being billed as the Mars Essex Horse Trials Country Weekend, the fixture has a lot more to offer than sport. A huge car show runs from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on the Saturday (the rain date is the Sunday) with more than 200 classic and exotic vehicles expected. The Hoopstick Club offers lunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on the Saturday and a mimosa brunch from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the Sunday.
The children’s activity tent, provided by the Willow School, will be open both Saturday and Sunday, as will the Edible Jersey Food Court and the Essex Market vendor village. With MARS Equestrian as the presenting sponsor, it’s no surprise to learn that there will be a MARS candy hunt for children Saturday and Sunday.
The benficiary of the horse trials is the Greater Newark LifeCamp, located on 90 acres of fields and woodlands in Hunterdon County. It provides an enriching summer day camp experience for 300 Newark-area youths per day for six weeks during July and August. Campers between the ages of 6 and 13 come from the greater Newark public school system, as well as from Newark Charter School Programs.
The mission is to empower youth to succeed by developing life skills, character and leadership through a program outside an urban environment
For more information on Essex or to buy tickets, go to www.essexhorsetrials.org.
Coverage of the MARS Essex Horse Trials:
June 23, 2019: MARS Essex Horse Trials ends with a win by a top combination
June 22, 2019: The MARS Essex Horse Trials: “It’s what riders all dream of”
June 21, 2019: After a rain delay, the MARS Essex Horse Trials is ready to run
June 18, 2019: The Essex Horse Trials is coming up this weekend with big-name riders
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 9, 2019
The U.S. Center for SafeSport will debut five free online youth training courses, beginning June 12.
They will include courses for children of pre-school age, grades K-2, grades 3-5, middle school and high school. They are designed as an introduction for athletes who are minors, and their parents or other caregivers, to understand the importance of positive, welcoming environments in sports, where misconduct such as bullying or abuse is less likely to happen.The course are also designed to help participants know where to report abuse.
Each course will be hosted on www.athletesafety.org and requires that a parent/legal guardian create an account to provide consent for their child to access the training. Once an account is created, parents can choose which course is best for their child, based on their actual or developmental age.
Every course will take less than 30 minutes to complete. While the youth training courses are not required, a PDF certificate is available at the conclusion of each training, and parents are encouraged to create one bearing their child’s name.
Competing members of the U.S. Equestrian Federation are required to take the SafeSport course for adults, as are licensed officials.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 9, 2019
The Horse Park of New Jersey is seeking those with a dedication to horse sports in the state to become trustees of the facility in Allentown, where competitions for a variety of breeds and disciplines are held.
Seats on the board are opening next month. If you’re interested, send an application and resume to the Horse Park at 626 Route 524, Allentown, NJ 08510. The phone is 609-259-0170 and email is horseparkofnj@aol.com. The website is www.horseparkofnewjersey.com
by Nancy Jaffer | May 23, 2019
If hunter paces are your thing, Sunday June 9 is your day; you’ll just have to make a choice about where to ride.
Both the Monmouth County Hunt and the Essex Foxhounds are having paces then in different parts of New Jersey. (Wouldn’t it be nice if one was on the Saturday and one on the Sunday?) But Jennifer Donaldson of Monmouth explained “all of the New Jersey hunts meet and try to coordinate dates, but sometimes it’s hard to avoid a conflict.”
Monmouth’s Spring Pace III is open to English and Western riders in teams of two or three in three different divisions. Participants will ride a marked course approximately six to eight miles in length teams of 2 or 3 in 3 different divisions. The pace will be set by members of Monmouth. A collared shirt, ASTM/SEI helmet and boots with a heel are required.
The first team goes out at 9 a.m. from the hunt kennels, 50 East Branch Road, Allentown, with the last team out at 12:30 p.m.
Monmouth paces feature Thoroughbred Incentive Program awards, including a year-end prize for the 2019 series.
For more information, go to monmouthcountyhunt@gmail.com or call (732) 915-0492
The Essex pace runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Cedar Lane Farm, 87 Homestead Road, Califon (just a few miles from the center of Oldwick in Hunterdon County). For information, call Jim at (908) 337-2546
is having a pace June 8 and the Essex Foxhounds’ spring pace is the next day.
The Essex pace is at Cedar Lane Farm, 87 Homestead Road, Califon (just a few minutes from downtown Oldwick in Hunterdon County). For information, call Jim Gordon at (908) 337-2546 or go to www.essexfoxhounds.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 23, 2019
JJ the Pony has invited children up to age 12 to a Cowboy Cookout Sunday June 2 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Somerset County Park Commission’s Lord Stirling Stable, 256 South Maple Ave., Basking Ridge.
Cowpokes and their parents will take a hayride to the campsite, where they may take a pony ride, play some games, and cook a hot dog on a stick for lunch. Children can come dressed in cowboy/cowgirl attire. Long pants are recommended and closed-toe shoes are required.
Food is included in the fee of $20 per child/parent pair. Additional siblings 12 and under may attend for $12 each.
Space is limited. Reservations and payment is required in advance at www.somersetcountyparks.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 13, 2019
Looking for a horse? The Standardbred Retirement Foundation is having a Meet and Greet at its Cream Ridge farm from 3-5 p.m. Saturday May 18, complete with a new foal, as well as craft beer and wine sampling. There will be approximately 65 available adoptable horses on hand. There is no charge to attend the event at 42 Arneytown-Hornerstown Rd.
Those interested in adopting can find applications are available on the website at www.AdoptaHorse.org. Fill out an application before the event to be approved. Most horses are not on the website, but they will be on hand to meet. Visit the Facebook page the morning of the event to check for any weather-related date changes.
Many horses will be shown under saddle in both Western and English disciplines. Staff will be on hand to answer questions regarding adoption, fostering, the organization, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities and information regarding horse sponsorship. Volunteer riders are needed for the event as well.
For information, contact SRF us via email at SRFAdoption@gmail.com or call the office at (609) 738-3255. Visit the website to view some of the horses available for adoption.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 11, 2019
There were plenty of exciting moments on the Mark Phillips-designed cross-country course today at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event, but for sheer survival skills, no one could beat Fylicia Barr ‘s determination to stay out of the water at the Jersey Shore complex.
Hannah Sue Burnett, the rider who went before Fylicia in the CCI 4-star Long at the Horse Park of New Jersey, got a dunking when Lukeswell had trouble clearing the third element of a combination and she came unseated.
Fylicia also ran into trouble there with Galloway Sunrise, as you can see in this photo.
Fylicia Barr and Galloway Sunrise in trouble at the Kenny’s Big Splash jump. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
We all thought she was a goner.
Fylicia was determined not to come off. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
But Fylicia, a professional from Pennsylvania, hung on, righted herself to a chorus of cheers from tailgating spectators and galloped on for a double-clear that moved her up to first from a dressage score that put her fourth in the first phase of the competition yesterday.
Fylicia in the clear. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
What makes it even better is the fact that Fylicia found the mare through Craigslist. She had a $1,000 budget, but only had to pay an economical $500 for a feral backyard-bred thoroughbred/paint cross who kicked Fylicia upon being introduced to her new owner.
“We treated her like a mustang,” said Fylicia, explaining how the mare was tamed.
David O’Connor, the former U.S. eventing coach who has worked with Hannah Sue for years, said the problem several riders had at the trouble spot was that their horses didn’t see the C-element of the brush combo. He noted competitors eventually figured out how to handle the challenge after watching a few riders go.The key was swinging a bit wide so their horse could get a bead on the obstacle and a better approach, David told me.
In case you’re wondering, “What the heck is the 4-star Long?” here’s the deal. The FEI (international equestrian federation) this year renamed all the event categories. So the 4-star Land Rover Kentucky became a 5-star. The change aligns eventing with the other Olympic disciplines, show jumping and dressage, for which the 5-stars are the top of their games. So the 3-stars you know and loved are now 4-stars, the 2-stars are 3-stars. Everyone got a promotion.
And instead of CCI or CIC, the categories are dubbed CCI Long or Short. Okay?
The Jersey Fresh 4-star Long (CCI4-L) ends Sunday with show jumping. Fylicia has a rail in hand (34.4 penalties) over Arden Wildasin and Il Vici (39.2).The 3-star Long (CCI3-L) also has show jumping Sunday. Today, Lynn Symansky kept her lead from dressage with a score of 27.2 penalties on RF Cool Play.
Lynn Symansky and RF Cool Play. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Right behind her is Doug Payne with Starr Witness ( 30.1). Doug’s name was seen most often today at the top of the standings. He also was fourth on Cascor in the 3-L and third with Quantum Leap (40.1) behind Arden in the 4-L.
The 3- and 4-star Short competitions wrapped up today. Will Coleman topped the 4-star with Off the Record (38.30) over Alexndra Knowles and Sound Prospect 42.20).
Will Coleman and Off the Record. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
The 3-star was exciting because Boyd Martin, who led through dressage and show jumping with Luke 140 picked up 5.2 time penalties. Since the horse is a new mount, he didn’t want to push him for speed.
So Boyd’s lead was threatened by Dana Cooke (FE Mississippi), who knew what she had to do to win, but said, “I wasn’t planning to go for time.” She noted, however, her mare goes better “if I ride her a little more forward.”
Dana Cooke and FE Mississippi. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
When she crossed the finish line, Dana looked down at her watch and found she was smack on the 6-minute, 6-second optimum time. Dana, a Canadian who lives in North Carolina, won by 0.7 penalties. It’s no accident that her mare’s nickname is Miss Perfect.
Jersey Fresh, which has too often been unlucky weather-wise on cross-country day, had sunshine, perfect footing and comfy temps in the 60s. It was a welcome reward for 17 years of hard work by never-daunted organizers and volunteers.
Come back tomorrow night to read about the final results in the CCI Long competitions.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 5, 2019
The Junior Essex Troop’s Garden State Horse Show got a makeover with its move this spring to the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, going to one ring from the eight it utilized in its former location at the Sussex County Fairgrounds.
The historic U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stable provides a backdrop for Carley McInerney’s victory gallop after the Garden State Horse Show’s EquiJet Grand Prix. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
It’s the same scenario as the Monmouth County Horse Show followed when it came to Gladstone from the Horse Park of New Jersey in 2016. The common denominator of Garden State and Monmouth is manager Tucker Ericson, a respected judge, a sharp organizer and one heck of a bartender.
He’ll pitch in anywhere, but he realizes the importance of hospitality, so when we talked yesterday, he was mixing up Margaritas in the VIP tent.
Tucker noted that about 50 percent of the exhibitors who came to the nine-day show, which ends today, are different from those riding at Monmouth at the Team, which only has a B rating on several days, because Garden State has a double-A rating for hunters and level 4 jumpers that are highlighted by a $25,000 grand prix.
Many of those who came for Garden State were so enthused by the location that Tucker noted the historic main barn already has been sold out for Monmouth at the Team in August. Garden State is “a nice complement” to the other show, and introduced people to the USET Foundation facility at the same time, Tucker observed.
“We have a lot of exhibitors who were waiting a year to see how successful this would be, if we could pull this off, and I think we’ll get a lot of those people back next year,” he commented..
“I think the trainers have been impressed that we can push through so many trips in a day in this ring, because we have no conflicts, we have posted orders and everyone cooperates.” While Garden State had 475 horses last year with the multiple rings, the show should be approaching that number in Gladstone as it wraps up this afternoon.
“There’s great energy with the entire show watching one ring that it keeps moving. It is challenging to keep everyone happy, but what was nice was a couple of exhibitors said their trainers give them more quality attention because they don’t have to run from ring to ring,” said Tucker.
“When any rider isn’t showing, they’re in hospitality cheering on their fellow teammates from their barn.The support from the sponsors has been tremendous, along with trainers rallying their barns to get hospitality,” Tucker pointed out.
“A one-ring horse show is very hard to break even, if not for the sponsors and the trainers supporting hospitality, then these shows can’t exist. It’s critical for that support to pull this off.”
Yesterday afternoon’s feature was the $25,000 EquiJet Grand Prix, which drew 19 starters over the course laid out by Ohio designer Joseph Carnicom, with five coming back for the jump-off. Although there were several professionals in the class, the winner was a junior rider, 17-year-old Randolph High School senior Carley McInerney. Aboard Cortina 200 in her second grand prix, she was clocked in 42.006 by taking advantage of a tight rollback, just ahead of amateur rider Sima Morgello on Azur Van Overis Z (42.480).
Carley McInerney and Cortina 200. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Carley, who showed at Garden State when it was in Sussex, said about the show’s new identity, “I love this ring and the property is awesome.”
Of her 13-year-old Holsteiner, Carley noted, “She’s incredibly talented. I couldn’t ask for a better mare. She just tries her heart out every time and I’m so lucky to have her.”
It was the first grand prix for Sima’s mount.
“I typically keep him in the medium amateurs to keep him confident and tonight was the first time I have ever asked for him to compete a course that size,” she said.
“It just felt right; he has produced fantastic results the last two weeks because he was also second, third, and fourth at the Longines Masters last week.”
Sima Morgello and Azur Van Overis Z. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I thought the course was fantastic and riding at this facility is always such a pleasure,” she added. “I’ve started grooming for myself, so it was a busy day, but luckily for me it is close to home and it’s always a show I enjoy.”
Bastian Schroeder of EquiJet said he likes the new location for Garden State, which his company had also sponsored when it was in Sussex.
“I think this is a good move, because the setting is great, the footing is perfect. The venue deserves a good horse show,” he commented.
The Junior Essex Troop was a military-style organization for boys that had its own farm in West Orange. The boys took care of the horses and developed a camaraderie that has lasted for decades. Though the organization itself has long since disbanded, the bonds that troopers shared are unbreakable.
The show was a feature of the troop year. After the farm was sold in 1983, the show moved to Chubb Park in Chester and then to the Sussex fairgrounds in 1987, where it became New Jersey’s largest show.
It provides a reunion opportunity for the former troopers, who worked tirelessly for decades to stage it. But handling everything was getting harder as the men got older, and things are different with Tucker and his crew overseeing things.
Members of the Junior Essex Troop. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
The former troopers are “sitting outside the ring now, relaxing, realizing they can actually enjoy their show and take a deep breath and watch people having fun and seeing how the facility creates the event for them,” said Tucker.
“I think it’s the best thing we’ve ever done,” said John Walker, a former trooper and show committee member.
“I’m thrilled we have a bunch of amazing people working with us. It’s been nothing but smooth. I think we needed to make this move for the prestige of the show,” said John.
“I think people like the panache of a boutique show where you’re not just a number.”
Allan Spina of Long Valley, who was a trooper from 1970 to 1979, said “I love the show here. The ambience is amazing and it’s setting the bar much higher than we used to in the past. I think it’s a much better experience for everyone.”
“It’s a different pace, a higher quality and it’s just wonderful. The footing here is just tremendous. It was time to make a change,” said Rodney Seelig, the show’s chairman.
Former manager Tim Cleary agreed.
“I think it was the right move at the right time. Tucker and the Team with all the troopers have done a great job.
Exhibitor Katy Merchant, 17, of Branchburg, has a special feeling for Garden State.
“I grew up competing at Garden State in Sussex, from a very young age. It was my favorite horse show because we’d stay in campers,” she reminisced.
While Katy said the show at the USET Foundation “It’s true to the feeling” she had in Sussex, “it’s much different and I think it’s really going to be successful. I loved it. To have the horses stay in this barn is such an honor. The elevated vibe of it is a good thing.”
by Nancy Jaffer | May 1, 2019
The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association is opening a 3-foot section of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program during the Regional Training Session at Centenary University at its equestrian center in Long Valley June 24-28. The clinicians will be Karen Healey and Nanci Snyder.
It’s worth watching, even for those who are not participating.
The 3-foot sections give riders of all ages who meet the eligibility requirements the opportunity to experience the benefits of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program at a 3-foot fence height.
During the intensive five-day Regional Training Sessions, riders 25 and under have the opportunity to work with top riding clinicians and some of the country’s leading stable managers, where instruction focuses on flatwork, gymnastics, related distances and course work, as well as an intensive stable-management curriculum that incorporates proper care and grooming, horsemanship skills, and barn management.
“The EAP is an incredible learning experience for young athletes who are passionate and dedicated to the sport and want to advance their riding and horsemanship skills,” said Sally Ike, USHJA Emerging Athletes Program Committee chair.
“We are also incredibly thankful to our returning title sponsor, the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, and to our Regional Training Session hosts for their continued support of the program. Because of their support and commitment to education, our athletes will be able to learn in world-class facilities from leading professionals in our industry.”
For information, go to www.ushja.org/EAP.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 1, 2019
At age 72, iconic Canadian show jumper Ian Millar is retiring from international competition. After nearly a half-century riding at major events around the world, he will concentrate on coaching and developing young horses.
He has been a part of the Canadian team since 1971, representing his country in more than 200 Nations’ Cups. His 10 Olympic appearances are a world record for any athlete in any sport.
Ian Millar on In Style at the 2008 Olympics, where he was part of the Canadian silver medal team. (Photo©2008 by Nancy Jaffer)
In addition to his Olympic experience, he has participated in 10 Pan American Games and seven World Championships. He won his first Olympic medal, a team silver, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and has 10 Pan American Games medals, including two individual and two team gold.
“Representing Canada many times over my career has been my greatest honor,” he said.
“Each time I wore the red team jacket was very special to me, and the fact that I was able to share this experience with so many great riders is a testament to the quality of horsemen and horsewomen here in our country.”
In addition to his efforts representing Canada internationally, Ian has won over 150 grand prix competitions over the course of his career, including the prestigious international grand prix three times at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ tournament in Calgary, Alberta.
He is a 12-time Canadian Show Jumping Champion and was the first rider to win back-to-back World Cup Finals, earning the title in 1988 and 1989. His most successful horse, Big Ben, was a household name throughout Canada and the U.S. in the late 1980s and 1990s and was a favorite to win everywhere he competed.
Ian built his home stable, Millar Brooke Farm, located in Perth, Ontario, into a powerhouse training ground for international show jumping. In addition to his development of over 100 grand prix horses, Ian has coached a number of other top international riders including Canadian Olympic teammates Mario Deslauriers and Jill Henselwood, as well as Richard Spooner of the U.S. He has also been instrumental in the successful careers of his son, Jonathon and daughter-in-law Kelly, as well as his daughter, Amy, a fellow Olympian.
While Ian is stepping back from international competition, he plans to be busier than ever working with up-and-coming athletes and horses.
“The bond formed between horse and rider is an amazing thing to experience, but the partnership has to be built the right way, with compassion, understanding, and care,” he said. “Over the past few years, I have found myself more and more drawn toward working with young horses and riders, and I am excited to expand my coaching to share my knowledge and passion with the next generation.”
At the conclusion of his international career, Ian paid tribute to those closest to him over the years.
“It has been the journey of a lifetime with so many dreams realized, so much due to the fantastic horses I was blessed to ride, to whom I am eternally grateful,” said Ian.
“I would like to personally thank my owners and sponsors for all their help and support during my show jumping career. While there are too many to name, my partnerships with owner Ann Matthews and sponsor BMO Financial Group had especially long and sustained successes. I would also like to thank all the members of my support team who have supported me faithfully over the years: my family, staff, veterinarians, equine therapists, chef d’equipes, and all my fellow riders.
“Finally, the biggest contributor to my success was my late wife, Lynn, with whom I shared my most cherished bond. Through our partnership, we achieved incredible success.”
