Saluting the horses at the USEF convention

by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 16, 2022

The U.S. Equestrian Federation’s annual meeting wrapped up last night in Naples, Fla., with a salute to the country’s standout horses in six breeds and disciplines.

The Smart Pak/USEF Horse of the Year Awards featured not only high-score horses in categories from Arabian to American Saddlebred and western dressage, but also equine stars who were candidates for National and International Horse of the Year.

Jenny and Kost Karazissis with USEF President Tom O’Mara after accepting the award for National Horse of the Year Big Shot. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)

Those honors were voted on by the public, with the hunter Big Shot winning the National title for owner Dulcie Lou Morris and rider Jenny Karazissis. An 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Lordanos,

Big Shot’s biggest win last year was the $100,000 World Championship Hunter Rider West Coast Spectacular.

The International title belonged to Ann Thompson’s Balou de Reventon, a 16-year-old Oldenburg stallion by Cornet Obolensky ridden by Brian Moggre.

Brian, who had a top career as a junior, started riding Balou in 2020. They were the reserve combination for the Tokyo Olympics. Brian and Balou led the U.S. team to gold in the Aachen, Germany, Nations Cup, the first time an American contingent had won that title since 2005. Balou also was second in the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen.

Brian, who is 20, gave an emotional speech at the convention after accepting Balou’s award, noting that he wrote it by himself and didn’t show it to anyone before delivering it at the dinner.

Brian and Balou du Reventon. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)

After saluting the other International contenders, Dolton, the double-gold para-dressage mount of Roxie Trunnell and Steffen Peter’s Olympic dressage ride, Suppenkasper, Brian spoke about how he had never before gotten a horse of Balou’s character until he was selected by Ann for the ride in late 2020, and thanked Balou’s owner for the great opportunity he had received.

“The first time I laid eyes on Balou, I thought to myself, `Where is the rest of you?’ ”  Brian recalled. But he soon came to realize the little horse was quite the powerhouse.

“I continue to learn something from him each and every day,” Brian said.

The first European show in which he rode Balou was the 5-star in St. Tropez. Brian was a little unsure when he started there, but could depend on Balou and “he showed me the way, as he always does.”

Brian Moggre and Ann Thompson with Balou du Reventon’s impressive trophy. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)

As Brian noted, “I continue to learn something from him each and every day. What Balou has in his heart and soul you cannot instill into any horse.”

Ann said she selected Brian as Balou’s rider after looking at his videos.

“I just watched the things that he did that I thought would be really good and match up with Balou. They just seemed like they would be a perfect match for each other, and it worked out great.”

USEF honors a special group of deserving equestrians

by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 15, 2022

The most inspiring moments at the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s annual meeting come during the evening when the Pegasus Awards are presented.

The international and national stars, the volunteers, the notable people who have devoted their lives to horses and the federation are saluted. Their stories may prompt smiles, chuckles or tears, but they are never dull. That has held true over the years, and proved to be the case once again during this year’s meeting in Naples, Fla.

There was such a wide variety of people being saluted from so many disciplines during one evening. It’s fascinating to hear the stories of people who have the horse in common, but different ways of interacting with them.

Octavia Brown, a pioneer in the field of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies, was presented with the USEF Equus Foundation Humanitarian award. The 79-year-old Hackettstown, N.J.,  resident was simply thrilled with the honor.

Octavia Brown chatted at the Pegasus dinner with USEF Paralympic Technical Advisor Michel Assouline, whose riders brought home an impressive array of medals from the Paralympics. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)

“It’s an amazing thing,” she explained.

“I retired two years ago and it never occurred to me that i would get this award. It just means so much to be recognized for all those years.”

Just as important in her view, is that she believes “it shows  national recognition is now being paid to the whole field of therapeutic riding in a way that 50 years ago no one could even dream it would be.”

It’s worth noting that the equestrian portion of the Paralympics, which were not held in conjunction with the Olympics  until1996, have taken on great importance and the U.S. achievements in that competition are being celebrated at the annual meeting. Who would have thought that could happen 50 years ago either?

Mane Stream in Oldwick, N.J., had its roots in the therapeutic program started by Octavia when she was on the ground floor of a movement that took off as she continued to contribute to its growth.

Her last job was at Centenary University, where she founded its therapeutic program and retirement hasn’t kept her from checking in there.

“I’m still involved with my local program as a mentor and advisor. I do still ride at Centenary, I mentor people from all over the country who want to become instructors and I also am a board member for the Horses and Humans Research Foundation, she said,  citing “their work in finding viable research to back up the work we all know is so great.”

Paralympic double gold medalist Roxie Trunnell got double recognition, receiving the Pegasus Medal of Honor and the Becky Grand Hart Trophy. Roxie, who also was on the U.S. bronze medal team, came to the stage in her wheelchair with Karin Flint, the owner of her Paralympic mount Dolton. Karin read Roxie’s speech, in which she recalled that she thought her equestrian career was over when she suffered a stroke. Instead, it just took a different direction.

Roxie Trunnell, Karin Flint and Tom O’Mara. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)

The new Kip Rosenthal Memorial High Score Equitation Award, named in memory of a beloved teacher and author, went to Zayna Rizvi. She earned the most points in equitation championships during 2021. Zayna was accompanied to the stage by Kip’s sister, Jo Michaels, and Ann Grenci, who taught so many young riders.

Zayna Rizvi with USEF President Tom O’Mara, Ann Grenci and Jo Michaels. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)

Friends who have left us were not forgotten. Among those who got the Richard E. McDevitt Award of Merit were former National Horse Show President Mason Phelps and ringmaster John Franzreb, both of whom died in May.

Susan Morey of Hallmark Farm, who passed away a little more than a month ago, received the Barbara Worth Oakford Trophy and the Pegasus Medal of Honor.

It was an emotional moment when her husband, Stan, accepted the awards for the Arabian breeder and competitor, who also was a Morgan trainer. He noted how much his wife would have appreciated the honor, while characterizing his family as “contributors.”  His son, Colter, who came on stage with him, is a police officer and his daughter, Julie is a nurse. Susan was known as a mentor to young equestrians.

Show jumping Olympic multi-medalist Laura Kraut earned the International Equestrian of the Year title, while hunter rider Hunt Tosh was named National Equestrian of the Year.

The highlight of the evening, as always, was presentation of the Lifetime Achievement  Awards.

One of the winners was U.S. Equestrian Team veteran Kathy Kusner, whose story was told by her close friend Olympic double gold medalist Joe Fargis. The first woman to hold a jockey’s license, something that was decided in court when the establishment did not want to accept female jockeys, She also was a pilot and known for starting Horses in the Hood, giving inner-city children an opportunity to experience being involved with horses. Kathy was unable to make the trip from California to accept her award in person.

Howard Simpson speaking at the awards dinner. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)

The other person receiving the prestigious salute was Howard Simpson, whose dedication insured the survival of what is now known as the North American Youth Championships.

During his acceptance speech, Howard in his typically generous style cited the contributions of so many others toward starting and keeping alive what originally was the North American Young Riders Championship. He mentioned Gen. Jonathan Burton, Col. D.W. Thackeray and Capt. Jack Fritz, all gone now; the O’Connor and Broussard families and the volunteers who worked so hard over the years.

“What was really important to me, and what remains important, are the conversations…of passion and knowledge from so many people in and outside of the discipline that you may be working on. (That) is what makes the Federation…so important,” Howard told his audience.

“The dedication of so many people…is outstanding,” he concluded, saying “how that dedication and passion would go on year after year, not for a title, not for a position (but) to bring a point across to represent your fellow equestrians.”

A welcome purchase keeps Duncraven in the stable game

by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 7, 2022

One of the state’s best-known stables has been sold, with plans in the works for refurbishment that will bring Duncraven back to its glory days.

The facility in Titusville, Mercer County, had been on the market for several years. Though it is in farmland preservation, which means the property can’t become a housing development, there was no guarantee that it would remain a horse farm, since other agricultural uses could have been permitted there.

Shawn Stout, who lives in Ewing Township, drove past Duncraven one day and noticed the parcel was available. He brought it up with his father, Harry Stout III, who is retired from the family business, Stout’s Transportation, but always alert for investments.

Shawn Stout will be managing the Duncraven Equestrian Center.

“Check this out,” Shawn told his dad, explaining that in his family “there’s an interest in horses and (I) thought it would be something to look into.” They went by the place, almost “on a whim” and liked what they saw.

The family, which also includes Shawn’s brothers Tim and Harry (H.J.) IV, formed YKnot Acres to buy Duncraven in a purchase that closed Dec. 30. From one perspective, the move seems like destiny.

While growing up in Pennington, Shawn did some team penning with quarter horses and recalled Duncraven as “a cool place.” He noted his father had kept horses near the Duncraven acreage years ago.

They want to continue the horse shows that are there, and perhaps bring in more.

“I’m excited they are horse people,” said Nancy Wallis, who was the head trainer at Duncraven for decades. She began there the day it opened, in 1993, leaving when it closed in 2020.

“It was my entire life for that many years,” she sighed

“It could have gone many different ways with that farm. The fact that they would still be interested in having horse shows is excellent, because that’s the facility. The location is superior in this state. It’s easy to get to from either direction. That’s what made it such a draw for the horse shows too,” Nancy observed.

The 61-acre tract initially was purchased as an investment for potential development by Tim Fedor, envisioned “as an equestrian estates type of development,” he recalled when Duncraven went on the market in 2019 for $2.5 million.

“Then my family kind of took a 360 and was more into preserving things. We also owned 75 acres across the street, which we sold to the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space Program nine or ten years ago,” he said at the time he decided to market Duncraven.

Shawn sees the future for what will be called Duncraven Equestrian Center as “pretty much the same operation…a little more enhanced.”

The rings at Duncraven have hosted scores of horse shows over the years. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)

The goal involves elevating it to the standard of its glory days in the 1990s and early 2000s.

“We want to bring it back to the pristine barn that it was. It was a good fun, family atmosphere. It was well taken care of. The concept will be the same,” continued Shawn, who plans to “bring in a few trainers.” At the moment, only one trainer, Alexis Pornovets, is operating on the premises.

She has 12 horses in training and does all the work herself. Knowing that Duncraven is being saved and improved is understandably important to her.

“We all love the rings and the atmosphere of it. They have big plans…wanting it to look like it used to look. I’m excited for that,” she commented.

The trainers  who move to Duncraven will handle the horse end of things; “I’ll be more the barn and general manager-type person,” said Shawn.

“Whatever we can do in there, we’re going to do,” he promised, adding, “We’re cleaning the whole thing up, replacing all the fencing, renovating the barn, redoing all the offices. We’re giving it a complete makeover.”

He’s hoping that work, which includes new footing for the outdoor rings, will be finished by the spring, estimating there will be 40 stalls for boarding, and plans on reserving a couple of stalls for his own horses when he buys them.

Shawn and his brothers went on a cattle drive in Wyoming during August. It was the first time he had ridden in 20 years, but it was a good reminder that horses interest him.

“It’s a pleasure for people,” he said, “and I like seeing people have pleasure. It’s something to enjoy with them.”

Duncraven diversifies the family’s holdings, but Shawn is bringing with him lessons he learned in their transportation business, which operates everything from a variety of shuttles to luxury vehicles.

“The little things matter,” he emphasized.

Big name trainers have been based at Duncraven over the years, starting with Gary Kunsman and continuing through eventer Buck Davidson and grand prix show jumper Kevin Babington.

“Duncraven will always have a part of my heart. So many memories there,” said Dianna Babington, Kevin’s wife. “Literally most of my young adult life was connected to that place, along with so many relationships with the best of people.”

For the past two years, Duncraven has hosted a benefit show for Kevin, who was paralyzed in a 2019 fall during a grand prix.

“I am hopeful that the new owner will allow us to keep the benefit show for Kevin there,” said Dianna.

Dianna Babington during a benefit show for her husband, Kevin, at Duncraven. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)

“I am really happy it will remain a horse facility,” she continued, noting that too many stables have disappeared from the state recently.

“It’s great news to hear,” agreed Karyn Malinowski, founding director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center.

That’s especially true, she noted, in view of the recent action regarding Gaitway Farm in Manalapan, which houses up to 600 standardbreds and has been a premier training center at the hub of harness racing in New Jersey.

The township committee voted last month to rezone the property along Route 33 for warehouses and sports complexes. Karyn is hoping “enough land will be preserved so the training center can stay and then do what they want with the rest of the property.”

On the other side of the coin,  she pointed out, “Duncraven has a long history on the New Jersey horse show circuit. I think it’s wonderful  that it has been purchased and will remain in its current use. That’s what we need in the Garden State.

“There’s a disproportionate amount of horse farms being sold compared to other agricultural commodities,” she explained.

“A lot of those large farms were racing farms and when the purse enhancement award went away in 2010, people said, `We’re getting out.'”

Now it’s starting to bounce back because the state has reinvested $20 million a year for the next five years for purse structure. It’s split half and half between thoroughbreds and standardbreds, said Karyn, noting there is another $2 million incentive for the Sire Stakes program for Jerseybred standardbreds.

“That’s a percentage of the sports book betting at the Meadowlands.  We are in a renaissance as far as racing is right now.”

What’s the future for dressage in Wellington?

by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 4, 2022

When you want an answer, you have to ask for one. So my question to Andreas Helgstrand (CEO of the Global Equestrian Group that owns the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center) was whether he is planning to move Wellington, Florida’s, Adequan Global Dressage Festival from the Equestrian Village to his nearby farm, since rumors to that effect were percolating.

The short response was no, but keep reading.

His company does not own the facility where the AGDF is staged, a short canter from PBIEC, though he indicated at a Zoom press conference today that it likely will be the owner, and I’d bet on sooner, rather than later.

Andreas Helgstrand during his competition days, when he was a sensation at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games on Matine. (Photo © 2006 by Nancy Jaffer)

“At the moment, we only own the jumping part, so of course, we put all our efforts into the jumping,” he said, referring to the massive improvements made to PBIEC after GEG, which also includes German show jumping legend Ludger Beerbaum, took over there last summer.

Those efforts include upgrading rings, replacing railings that had rotted, working on drainage and adding land for stabling and parking; the latter is always an issue. Shuttles will be provided to move spectators from outlying parking areas. The concentration was on the horses and the rider experience, rather than anything too cosmetic, after a survey was taken to determine the concerns of riders and fans.

Andreas noted, “We are working hard to take over the dressage as well,” but added, “before that, we cannot do so much. We will do everything we can to do as much as possible for the dressage riders, but as long as we don’t own it, we cannot do more than what we do right now. Hopefully, very soon we can also take over the dressage there and then we will also go full power on that side as well.”

The gossip was that the jumper shows would expand from PBIEC to the Global tract, where there already has been a good amount of hunter and jumper competition during the Winter Equestrian Festival, so the dressage would then pick up and go to Andreas’ own farm.

“I don’t think we have space enough for this there,” pointed out the Danish entrepreneur, who made his reputation first as a dressage competitor, then as a trainer and horse dealer.

“We are not there to make another showgrounds We are there to have our sales horses and training with the customers and so on,” he explained during the virtual press conference, set up to preview WEF, which gets under way Jan. 5, and AGDF, which starts next week.

Big prize money, glitz, glamour and high-profile riders such as Georgina Bloomberg are major attractions at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)

This isn’t the first time that there has been talk that dressage might be leavingf the Global grounds. In 2016, when Mark Bellisimo was calling the shots at PBIEC and AGDF, he and his partners paid $72 million for the International Polo Club. The word was that he would move dressage to that site, but it never happened.

Michael Stone, president of Equestrian Sport Productions (an umbrella entity for the Winter Equestrian Festival, AGDF and the Tryon shows), did say that PBIEC would be hosting some dressage, however. The riders appreciated it when the final Olympic dressage observation event last year was held in the International Arena at PBIEC.

Before Covid, crowds packed the AGDF stands to watch such world-class riders and horses and Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)

“Our objective is to grow the jumpers, grow the dressage and put both in the best conditions and the best venue possible and then have some movement,” he explained.

“So just as the jumpers enjoy going over to Global and jumping on the grass, the Global riders like to come over here and show in our facility,” Michael mentioned, referring to PBIEC.

He cautioned that the trick is to “just make sure we can fit everything in so that we don’t have dressage going until 11 o’clock at night. It’s quite complicated, but we’re working on it.”

GEG intends to pull out all the stops.

As Andreas noted about his company’s takeover of the facility, it offered an opportunity “to create something even more unique than what it is already. We want to invest money there; we want to take care that Wellington will stay as the best place on earth for horse people.”

“Fast away the old year passes…”

by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 30, 2021

My headline, which I have always used for New Year’s stories over the decades, comes from a seldom-sung verse of a favorite carol, Deck the Halls. Last year at this time, the headline signaled the hope that 2021 would be better, so good riddance to 2020. We all agreed 2020 couldn’t pass away fast enough. But few could have guessed what new tribulations 2021 would bring, although the Olympics gave us a bright spot for a few weeks.

After Covid became a national emergency in March 2020 and the U.S. Equestrian Federation suspended all showing until June 1, I asked federation CEO Bill Moroney when he thought things would get back to normal.

“December,” he said, but he was talking December 2021, not 2020.

“Really?” I replied in disbelief, anticipating it would have been much sooner. Turns out we were both wrong–our guesses were too optimistic. Omicron, a word you likely didn’t know unless you spoke Greek or belonged to a fraternity, is now part of our everyday language. Things are still being cancelled; the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, for instance, just called off its Jan. 21 party to raise funds for the 2022 world championships. (The Westminster Kennel Club even postponed its January show.)

Five major winter indoor competitions in Europe already have fallen by the wayside, and there may be more to come. Will the FEI World Cup Finals in dressage, jumping, driving and vaulting be held in Leipzig, Germany this April after a two-year hiatus for the competition? Or will we have to wait for Omaha in 2023 for the first Cup finals since 2019?

So I’m saying, “happy new year?” rather than “Happy New Year!”

The Covid situation has meant some major modifications to the equestrian scene.

The Washington International show was able to hold its 2020 and 2021 editions, but they were in Tryon, N.C., far from DC and the unique character of this fixture. In the meantime, its lease at the Capital One Center expired. So the show isn’t going back to the city whose name it bears, heading instead to the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Maryland.

That’s a big change on the North American Fall Indoor Circuit, which didn’t see its finale, Toronto’s Royal Winter Fair, in either 2020 or 2021. Devon’s multi-discipline show was cancelled for the second year in a row (though Dressage at Devon did run at the venue in the fall). The anticipated Olympic/Paralympic quarantine restrictions at the USET Foundation in Gladstone, N.J., meant the popular and innovative Monmouth at the Team show became Not Monmouth, Not at the Team, when it moved to Centenary University’s equestrian center in Morris County.

ShowPlus Dressage at Devon came back in 2021 after a year’s absence. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)

On the other hand, the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., is flinging open its doors and inviting spectators in for 2022, though fans are advised to have a mask handy. It was big news when a new partnership was formed for ownership of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, with famed riders Ludger Beerbaum (show jumping) and Andreas Helgstrand (dressage) involved. Major improvements already have been made to the home of WEF.

The good thing about how Covid tested the world of equestrian competition is the way so many people and organizations rose to the challenge. Equestrian Sport Productions continued without a hitch at WEF and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (unless you didn’t pass the temperature test).

Spectators will be back at the Winter Equestrian Festival in 2022. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)

A group of determined riders, owners and supporters, led by Sara Kozumplik Murphy; her husband, Brian, and other stalwarts wouldn’t take no for an answer when it was announced the Kentucky 5-star wasn’t going to run. They pushed to get it done, and it happened, albeit with cardboard photos of spectators in the stands, rather than real fans.

Let’s hope we don’t have to resort to cardboard photo spectators again, as we saw at Land Rover Kentucky during April. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)

The biggest story of the year was the Tokyo Olympics, which the International Olympic Committee insisted on calling the 2020 Olympics, even though they were held in 2021. It was hard to believe the Olympics could be staged in the midst of Tokyo’s Covid restrictions and that equestrian sports there could run as well as they did, but it happened. The ban on spectators meant atmosphere was lacking, but the competition itself was great and I was able to give my readers a window on the action in 20 stories on this website.

McLain Ward and Contagious, team silver medalists in Tokyo. (Photo courtesy FEI)

I have never gotten as many thank-you notes as I did for my Olympic coverage, because Nancy Jaffer Equestrian Sports became a go-to for those who didn’t want to rise at 4 a.m. or 6 a.m. Eastern time (and even earlier in other parts of the country) to watch the livestream. Cross-country was the only segment shown in its entirety during what was a comfortable evening time frame on this side of the globe. The Olympics, despite all their problems, are still popular with those who love horse sports.

Tokyo highlights for the U.S. included team silver medals for both the dressage and show jumping squads, as well as the country’s first team para dressage medal and two individual para  golds for world number one Roxie Trunnell on Dolton.

Zoom was a still a go-to for many meetings this year. The U.S. Dressage Federation and U.S. Hunter Jumper Association cancelled plans for in-person annual meetings, but the U.S. Eventing Association went ahead with its convention; after all, eventers are risk-takers.

Covid was far from the only thing making waves in the horse show world, of course.

Yet to be resolved are differences between the USEF and the World Equestrian Center in Florida, which held enthusiastically received shows at a dynamic new facility. The issue involved a disagreement over show licenses. As an alternative, WEC chose to have its shows governed by the National Snaffle Bit Association, a group best known prior to this for its involvement with western competitions. The Sonoma, Calif., show series also is going with NSBA, and other shows are considering doing that as well.

The eventing scene was shaken by several things, including the USEF decision not to renew the contract of Erik Duvander, the performance director who gave the job everything he had. Ironically, this happened just after Boyd Martin became the first American in 13 years to win a 5-star–the wonderful new Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill–the team earned a silver medal in Europe and Will Coleman won at Aachen. A task force is supposed to look at eventing and plot a course for running it at the upper levels in this country.

Boyd Martin with On Cue during his victory gallop at the Fair Hill 5-star. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)

Another facet of the new look at eventing was a re-do of the upper-level calendar. It sadly left by the wayside the Jersey Fresh International event, a fixture on which so many had worked so hard for nearly two decades at the Horse Park of New Jersey. Under the reshuffle, Jersey Fresh lost its coveted 4-star-Long designation, which had made it a selection trial for Olympics and World Championships, and also was divested of its 4-star Short and 3-star designations. Although the new calendar isn’t going into effect until 2023, sponsors did not want to back a last hurrah for Jersey Fresh in 2022, since the event would not be continuing. It’s such a shame, and a loss for the region.

Among the unresolved situations from 2021 is that of Somerset County’s Lord Stirling stable in Basking Ridge, N.J. The facility, one of the few in the area where people could learn to ride for a reasonable fee, had that program shut down in the midst of the pandemic and the horses were sold in 2020. A committee has been studying the future of the property, but a year on, there’s been no word about its conclusions, and the stable is now the province of boarders who have their own horses.

As always, we lost key people in the horse world during the 12 months gone by. It seemed to me that there were many more than usual whom I knew this year, though none of that group died of Covid. This is just how things go in the scheme of things, but it is still hard to take.

So let us remember those to whom we said goodbye.

Among them was the irrepressible Mason Phelps, who kept the National Horse Show alive as its president and moving force. A member of the USET in his youth, he translated his equestrian involvement into energy for so many causes. More tears were shed when two more pillars of the equestrian community died within the week after Mason’s passing in May. The dean of ringmasters, John Franzreb, left us with memories of his warmth that had lifted the spirits of so many competitors.

John Franzreb and Mason Phelps at the National Horse Show. (Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

The deaths of both Mason and John were shocking because they were unexpected, but the passing of respected trainer Ray Francis, a horseman’s horseman, hurt just as much, even though he had been ill for a while.

Prince Phillip of Great Britain, a former president of the FEI (International Equestrian Federation) and the man who codified the rules for four-in-hand combined driving, said farewell in April at age 99.

Others we will miss include Harry de Leyer, who rode $80 former plow horse Snowman to show jumping stardom, then earned more fame late in the game with a book and movie based on his life and that of his marvelous horse; Kenneth Wheeler, a hunter trainer known among other things for his enormous success showing horses in-hand; the co-chair of the Far Hills Race Meeting, John von Stade and Bert Firestone, another man known not only  in racing circles, but also among show jumpers and fox hunters.

Also Carol Harris, a native of West Orange active in the American Quarter Horse Association and famous for her relationship with the fabulous stallion, Rugged Lark;  eventing cross-country course designer and builder Tremaine Cooper; Tom Mannos, well-known in New Jersey and beyond as a horse show announcer, and Frank Gibbs, master of the Spring Valley Hounds. The most recent death of note came this month, when trainer and horse dealer Jessamy Rousson passed.

We lost some great horses, too. Among those who went to greener pastures were Brentina, the special mare who elevated the status of U.S. dressage with rider Debbie McDonald. They earned medals in the Olympics, world championships and Pan American Games, as well as logging the first American World Cup finals win.

Brentina and Debbie McDonald. (Photo © 2006 by Nancy Jaffer)

Others who are gone include Flexible, Rich Fellers’ 2012 show jumping World Cup winner and member of the U.S. Olympic team that year; the stallion Sandro Hit, who is in the bloodlines of all three U.S. 2020 Olympic team silver medal mounts; Poggio II, the plucky former mountain pack horse who carried Amy Tryon to Olympic and world championship medals, two-time American Invitational winner Kroon Gravin, ridden by Molly Ashe Cawley; eventing star Ballynoe Castle RM, the ride of Buck Davidson, and Judgement, guided to grand prix distinction by show jumpers Michal Matz and Beezie Madden.

When you uncork the champagne on New Year’s Eve, think of them and offer a toast in the memory of all they achieved as we ride forward in the unknown of 2022.