by Nancy Jaffer | May 15, 2026
The consistency of Ellesse Gundersen and her homebred Quintessential 4 was the good news at the U.S. Equestrian Federation Grand Prix Dressage National Championship, as they moved up from second place in Wednesday’s Grand Prix to first in Friday’s Grand Prix Special.
“I think now he’s showing that he’s very consistent and we know what we’re going to have when we go in the ring. And today, I had the same feeling as I did Wednesday, which was a great feeling,” said Ellesse, whose ride at the World Equestrian Center Ocala was marked at 70.042 percent.
And now for the bad news: the championship is being held to select eight or so riders who will go to Europe for competition in Germany prior to August’s world championships at Aachen. But while Ellesse may well be selected to make the trip abroad, it will only be for mileage. She didn’t apply to be a candidate for the world championships themselves, so she can’t be selected for the U.S. team, no matter how good her scores are when she competes abroad.
Explaining why she didn’t apply, Ellesse noted that she and the horse are both young (age 34 and 12 respectively) saying, “I know we have some very strong combinations that are a little bit more mature than both myself and the horse together. They have a lot of experience, and I think it would be unfair a little bit to throw myself and the horse into such a big event for our first tour in Europe. We have not toured Europe yet together. I think it’s right to let him have a year of touring, without such a big goal, and then continue on to have a very successful horse in the future. He’s only 12, and I’m still young. I hope that we will be a part of the team in the future and be a very strong part of the team.”
It should be noted, however, that she was the only competitor to break 70 percent in the Special, while she was one of three who hit that mark in the Grand Prix.
Here’s more bad news. Christian Simonson, the top-ranked American in the international standings, dropped from first in the Grand Prix to sixth in the special after several mishaps with Indian Rock.
Rocky appeared to be in a mood, bucking once before entering the arena. Then he kicked out in his first piaffe, earning four scores of 4 and one 2. Ouch.
And instead of going into the canter half-pass, Christian started tempi changes as someone in the audience yelled out to him and the bell rang, so he circled, went into the half-pass and was charged with a deduction for the error by the three foreign judges and two U.S. officials.
The mistakes were costly, putting Rocky on 68.532 percent.
Discussing the situation, Christian cited “miscommunication” between himself and his horse, though he noted of the mistake in the half-passes ,”that was just me.”
He added, “Throughout the whole test, I could have done more to get him in better balance.”
He had only done one Special with Rocky, and that was last year. Christian lacked the required Special in order to qualify for the championship, so he was added as a wild card.
He elaborated about the mistakes, “You can have off days. I think there were moments where I probably could have done better as a rider to like prep Rocky in certain positions. I think Rocky also just didn’t have the over-the-topline, pushing power and balance in certain spots that are pretty normal.
“That’s why we had the mistake in the ones today. Upon reflection, it’s a score and it’s lower than normal, but is it bad? I don’t know, because I’ve learned a lot already. That for me is like a huge win, and I’m actually very, very grateful for it. So that’s kind of my rumination and thoughts of today so far. And I think I’ll go back and watch more and understand how I can improve.”
He added, “Throughout the whole test, I could have done more to get him in better balance.” He had only done one Special with Rocky, and that was last year. He lacked the required Special in order to qualify for the championship, so he was added as a wild card.
Christian did finish second with his other mount, Fleau de Baian (like Rocky, a Dutch warmblood owned by Zen Elite Equestrian), nudging 70 percent with a mark of 69.808.
Christian Simonson and Felix.
Saying he was “super proud of him,” Christian noted about Felix, “Throughout the whole test today, he was unbelievably honest. Every step, I felt like he was with me today. The extensions were super fun. I saw his whole front leg during the extensions, and I was like, ‘Oh, cool!’ I’m really proud of him today. He was a super, super good horse.”
Third place went to Jodie Kelly-Baxley on another Dutch warmblood, Grayton Beach, who is by Negro. She was thrilled with her mark of 69.234 on the horse she has trained since he was three, putting in 11 years with him.
“I’ve been blessed that I brought a couple of young horses all the way through the Grand Prix,” she said.
“I have a little more experience under my belt now. I get them as young horses because, well, I own him myself and it’s what I could afford. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I really love that. He and I are our best friends also.
Grayton Beach and Jodie Kelly-Baxley.
“I drag him around with me everywhere. If he’s on the trailer, I’m driving the truck, and that’s the only way it’s ever been. He goes for trail rides once a week and I always trailer him, and we go for the gallops in the fields. We do all the things together. I think that brings the trust down centerline.”
click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | May 14, 2026
Horse-related organizations in Great Britain are collaborating on a free digital resource to support equestrians navigating environmental sustainability issues. Perhaps it’s a concept that should spread elsewhere
Launching this autumn, thehoofprint.com is designed to provide not only equestrian organizations, but also venues and individuals, with the information, training and inspiration for transforming their businesses, stables and events into “resilient and sustainable hives of activity.”
Concepts include everything from rainwater harvesting to paddock care, renewable energy and manure management, among other activities in “every corner of the industry.” That’s also of particular interest in terms of the financial challenges faced by those in the industry.
Website creator Ruth Dancer of White Griffin said, “In order to have a healthy sport, we need everyone to be able to survive and thrive in the changes that lie ahead. This collaboration is a recognition that together, we can support one another in quickly adapting to both protect our industry and the natural world.”
The working group driving the website forward includes Agria, NAF, British Equestrian, British Showjumping, British Dressage, British Eventing, The Pony Club and World Horse Welfare, among others.
The CEO of British Equestrian, Jim Eyre commented; “It’s a core part of our federation-wide strategy to provide our members and the wider industry with the tools, knowledge and support needed to become resilient and sustainable.”
The idea involves showcasing what can be achieved, helping enable equestrians to take on a range of different measures that can save money, drive efficiencies and build resilience, while caring for our horses and protecting the environment.
The team is hoping to track the changes that are taking place in the industry, as well as finding out the information that equestrians want from the website as it is developed “to support the growth and future prosperity of the equestrian way of life.”
by Nancy Jaffer | May 13, 2026
Of course Christian Simonson and Indian Rock won big on the first day of the U.S. Equestrian Federation Grand Prix Dressage National Championship.
What else would you expect from the defending national champion and Rocky, who were second in the Zen Elite FEI World Cup Finals last month? And don’t forget that at age 23 — while still eligible for U25 competition — Christian is the top-ranked American on the global standings in seventh place.
On Wednesday, Christian and Rocky marched with authority into the Grand Arena at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, and just took over. With a score of 75.196 percent for the Grand Prix, Christian was nearly five marks ahead of runner-up Ellesse Gunderson on Quintessential 4, who earned 70.348.
The only other entry to be judged at more than 70 percent was third-place Meagan Davis on Toronto Lightfoot. She was delighted with her test, telling her horse loudly enough to be heard in the stands, “What a good boy!” as she walked out of the arena. Her total was 70.065 percent.
Meagan Davis, Christian Simonson, Ellesse Gunderson
Rocky, part of the Dutch Olympic team in 2024 with Emmelie Scholtens in the saddle, became Christian’s partner in 2025, after the stallion was purchased by Zen Elite.
Although the two made their international competitive debut as a combination at WEC last May, the Grand Prix was the first time they had ventured into the Grand Arena, with its imposing pillared backdrop of the Equestrian Hotel. Aside from the World Cup, they have won every outing.
“It’s quite surreal to see a massive hotel as you’re coming down a diagonal, and the stadium itself is so large,” Christian recounted as he discussed his test on the handsome Dutchbred.
“It feels very grandiose, and it’s really fun. I think the venue here as a whole also is just so well designed for the stabling and all the bits in between. To be here is also quite cool.”
Asked about the high points of his performance, he said, “I think the piaffe/passage tour is what I was really, really proud about today. Adrienne (Lyle), my coach who guides me each step of the way, we had a specific game plan for today, and Rocky really understood what exactly we were trying to do and just gave such an amazing feeling. To have Adrienne’s guidance through each step while we get ready for a championship feels so special.”
This is the first time in 12 years that the national Grand Prix championship has been a stand-alone. The USEF dressage championships are held in a group in Illinois each summer, but the idea of a separate competition for Grand Prix was designed to help select the competitors who will be sent to Europe to prepare for August’s world championships in Aachen, Germany.
Having the Grand Prix championship on its own “makes a lot of sense, particularly in a team selection year,” said Adrienne, an Olympian who rode in that 2014 Festival of Champions at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, N.J.
“The timing of our other national championships just makes it so you’re not going to have the top combinations going there. So it makes a lot of sense, especially from a team selection point of view. It definitely changes the strategy because it’s early in the season. So it’s not like you’re going to have all season to build toward a championship.
“But in a year when the world championships are in August, you need to be `built’ by now. It’s really important for people to go head-to-head; our country is so big it’s too hard to compare apples to oranges otherwise. Everyone’s under the same pressure here.”
The 16 riders participating had to earn their way to this championship by fulfilling qualification requirements. While Christian didn’t have a Grand Prix Special to his credit during the qualification period, he got acceptance as a wild card. How could you send a team to Germany without Christian?
He and Rocky have developed a deep relationship in a relatively short time. They’re more than just pals.
“I feel like I get to be so present with him and each moment it feels like a constant communication back and forth,” he mused.
“I’m like, ‘Hey, let’s do this,’ and he says, ‘Okay, I want to go here.’ We kind of talk back and forth to each other during the test. It does feel like when we compete, I don’t have to really worry about anything else. I could just have an honest conversation and dance with him.”
Rocky got an appreciative kiss from his rider after their performance.
Christian added, “For me, he feels like a horse that would go through fire for me. I wouldn’t ask him to, but that’s just really how he feels. He’s just unbelievable.”
Ellesse, world number 84 in the rankings, is a Filipina who grew up in Malaysia and now rides for the U.S. But what makes her situation really unusual is the fact that Quintessential, or Q as he is known, is a homebred, not a purchase from Europe. She was there when he was foaled. Her history with the son of Quaterback 6 in effect goes even further back. When she was competing in Young Riders, she rode his dam, Corlette, whose bloodlines go back to Cordoba.
Ellesse Gundersen and Quintessential 4
“To really see him come all the way to being one of the best here, I think it means a lot. It’s been amazing, the journey we’ve taken. And then to be up here, he’s just getting better and better. I think that’s a huge win in my heart,” she said of her Hanoverian.
When Q was in the early stages of training, her husband, Henrik Gundersen said “He’d make a really nice hunter.” She short-circuited that in a hurry.
Meagan noted her horse came into the ring “with a little extra exuberance, jumping three feet over the entry. I’m not sure what happened.”
Meagan Davis and Toronto Lightfoot.
She observed that after the momentary lapse from the Oldenburg by Totilas, “he just settled right in and did his job and answered all of my questions. He was a true partner today, and that’s what has really built our relationship, is the partnership we have together, and I can show off our trust we have in each other.”
Missing from the line-up is Alice Tarjan’s Jane, the horse who finished at the top of the qualification. The mare, ridden by Marcus Orlob in the 2024 Olympics, is recovering from an injury.
The competition continues Friday with the Grand Prix Special. Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | May 10, 2026
Great Britain’s great horse and rider combination, Lordships Graffalo and Ros Canter, held their lead from dressage through cross-country and Sunday’s show jumping at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, adding a mere two time penalties to their original score of 23.7. They became the sole combination to have won the event three times, also logging victories in 2023 and 2025.
“Amazing “is the only word to describe it in the long history of Badminton, which began in 1949.
The winner in the iconic Badminton setting.
Ros and the 14-year-old son of Grafenstolz finished 8.2 penalties ahead of New Zealand’s Tim Price and Falco, who had put in a fault-free show jumping round to move up from a fifth-place tie after cross-country. The scoring differential meant Ros could have had two knockdowns in the final phase. But of course, Walter, as her British Sport Horse is called affectionately, didn’t consider toppling a rail on the route set by Kelvin Bywater.
“He jumped his socks off in there today,” said Ros.
Ros and Waler had the crowd with them as they delivered a round free of jumping penalties.
“I knew my plan and can’t thank everybody enough for all they put in to help me . It takes an army to do this. People say, `You’ve trained him well,’ ” but she insisted, “he really does make my life easy. He loves it and looks and feels a million dollars.”
A knockdown and 0.8 time penalties dropped another British rider, world number one Harry Meade, from second to third with Annaghmor Valoner. He still is waiting to win his first 5-star.
Harry called Ros and Walter winning Badminton three times “staggering. It doesn’t happen in our sport.” Especially considering that it’s less than four months since Ros gave birth to her daughter, Seneh — and was pregnant when she won Burghley last September.
On Mother’s Day (in the U.S., but not the UK) Harry pointed out the fact that “she’s a recent mother and she’s done it with all the excitement and challenges and family life that go with it, it’s outstanding.”
As Harry mentioned, “it is so difficult to get a horse to the start line,” noting from those who were prospects last December, “30 to 50 percent don’t even reach there.
So then, “To go through the whole week and just deliver not only well enough to win, but do it in the style every single time, it doesn’t just happen.”
While “Ros is always wonderful at crediting Walter,” Harry continued, “her technical capability and coolness under pressure means their achievement will stand the test of time, not just for Walter, but for her as an extraordinary achievement.”
Ros Canter and baby seneh.
Tim, who is still recovering from a broken collarbone he suffered in a fall with a bicycle earlier this spring, called Falco “a fantastic little horse. It’s all about his head and his heart. If he’s enjoying himself he gives me everything he’s got to give.”
To start on Eric Winter’s cross-country course on a Badminton first-timer 17-year-old slight make-believe event horse was a little bit nerve-wracking. He just dealt with the course so well. It was such a joy.”
Ros still is processing the fact that she and Walter achieved a three-peat. Once she can get her mind around it, she said, “It will be incredible.”
But Ros had a word of encouragement for aspiring eventers who don’t think they can reach their own pinnacle. She recollected when she was starting out in the juniors, “I really wasn’t very good.”
At the national championships, she was second going into show jumping, but so nervous there, “I couldn’t cope with pressure. at all” and sank to the bottom of the standings after a wipe-out in the triple combination.
This horsewoman has come a long way, but the lesson she wanted to impart is that “you can learn to be good under pressure. It’s not just about learning to ride well, it’s all the other things that go with it.” So for those who are following a dream to compete and win, she advised, “it is possible.”
Cosby Green was the top American in the standings, finishing twenty-second with no jumping faults and just 0.4 time penalties on Jos UFO de Quidam.
The only other U.S. rider to complete the event from four American starters was Tiana Coudray on Cancaras Girl. She had two rails and 1.4 time penalties to wind up fortieth, last of those who finished. But there were plenty who didin’t complete, since the original field numbered 61.
Click here for results
Click here to read the cross-country article or click on the second feature on this site’s main page
by Nancy Jaffer | May 7, 2026
Wizard, the Oldenburg who was Adrienne Lyle’s mount for an Olympics and the World Equestrian Games, has passed away in retirement at age 27.
Adrienne Lyle and Wizard in the 2012 World Dressage Masters.
Adrienne, who went from Debbie McDonald’s working student to her assistant before going out on her own, paid tribute to the indomitable Wizard on social media, saying of the son of Weltmeyer, “Rest easy big boy. You were larger than life and I loved you, and your many opinions, fiercely.
“I will never forget the day Debbie first let me ride you in the jumper ring at River Grove. You were young and fiery and powerful, and I was in love. Because the Thomas family (who sponsored both Debbie and Adrienne) and the McDonalds chose to take a chance on a young girl from a farm in Washington State, my life was changed forever.
“Together, you and I learned the Grand Prix, became the U25 National Champions and went on to represent the USA at the 2012 Olympics and 2014 World Equestrian Games.
“You always kept life exciting and kept me laughing, while teaching me every day how to tame a dragon with love and patience. I hope Heaven knows what they are in for when you come charging through the gates.”
by Nancy Jaffer | May 7, 2026
What happens to race horses when their career at the track ends? That’s a question which is getting more attention these days — as it should.
There are opportunities for a new start in the show ring, pleasure riding and therapeutic work, among others. Sadly, not all possibilities are good ones. But when a horse finds a special vocation, that draws attention to the possibilities.
And Kelly, part of the New York City mounted police unit, is now the poster horse for that. The stalwart harness racing retiree, adopted through the Cream Ridge, N.J.,-based Standardbred Retirement Foundation, made headlines recently when he and his teammate, officer Kyle McLaughlin, galloped down West 72nd Street to apprehend a purse-snatcher.
Kelly and his partner, Detective Kyle McLaughlin
Kelly, who raced as EP Great Drive, was renamed in memory of a narcotics officer who died in the line of duty. The horse spent six months being retrained by SRF before heading to the New York department. McLaughlin, who was promoted to the rank of detective after the incident, said of his mount, “He’s got my back and I have his.”
Although Kelly is the smallest horse in the unit, he has great heart.
“He is a mush with everyone, but at the end of the day, don’t challenge him, because he will step up to the plate,” the detective said.
This summer, police horses working at the World Cup at the Meadowlands will include SRF horses adopted by New Jersey’s state police Mounted Unit. Many of these horses were rescued by SRF from the slaughter pipeline and given a second chance at life and purpose.
In recent years, 22 SRF horses have been adopted into police units. These horses need to be calm, able to handle noise, crowds, and traffic; load easily into trailers; enjoy interacting with the public; demonstrate intelligence and have good manners. Standardbreds, known for their affable disposition, fill the bill.
SRF relies on adoption donations to support the nearly 500 horses under its care and expense and to continue rescuing trotters and pacers from the risk of slaughter. While placement in law enforcement homes represents an outstanding outcome, many police units lack the budget to contribute an adoption donation at the time of placement. To learn more about SRF, click on this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 6, 2026
A little more than a month after winning the $1 million Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix and the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final, the USA’s Kent Farrington was promoted to world number one in the Longines rankings, overtaking Britain’s Scott Brash, who held the top spot for three months.
Kent Farrington and Greya.
“Of course, I’m incredibly excited to be back at world number one. It’s a great honor for me and my entire team, who make this possible with an exceptional group of horses,” said Kent.
“I’m truly grateful to ride such amazing horses and to work alongside such a talented group of people. With such a strong field of competitors, I look forward to the continued battles in the sport.”
He previously held the top spot for a year from May 2017, and then reclaimed the Longines world number one armband in May last year from Sweden’s long-time leader Henrik von Eckermann. Kent held onto it for nine months until relegated by Scott in February and now, with 3,511 points and his string of incredible horses peaking at just the right moment, he is back in charge.
Scott, who has headed the Longines rankings three times in a storied career that includes two Olympic gold medals, has 3,492 points, 19 behind of Kent and 254 ahead of Germany’s 2025 European champion, Richie Vogel, still third on 3,238. Tokyo 2020 Olympics individual champion Ben Maher of Great Britain, who was on the Olympic gold medal teams in London 2012 and Paris 2024 with Scott, is fourth with 2,966.
The only U.S. rider besides Kent in the top 10 is McLain Ward. Laura Kraut is one place behind him in eleventh, while their Olympic teammate, Karl Cook, is sixteenth.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 4, 2026
Sheila Tweedie, trustee emeritus of Mane Stream in Oldwick, N.J., passed away May 2.
For more than half a century, she had been involved with Mane Stream and its predecessor, Somerset Hills Handicapped Riders Club in Bedminster, N.J.
Trish Hegeman, Mane Stream’s executive director, said those involved with the organization are “saddened by the loss of Sheila Tweedie. A vital volunteer since our founding in 1972, Sheila served as a member of the board of directors from 1998-2014.
“We are grateful for everything she contributed to Mane Stream over the years, helping to ensure that hundreds of children and adults with special needs were able to access Mane Stream’s important programs.”
Mrs. Tweedie once recalled how she began her relationship with Mane Stream, which has a mission “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.”
Sheila Tweedie
She was waiting in her car for her son, Craig while he was volunteering at SHHRC, when its founder, Octavia Brown, knocked on her window.
“Craig had told Octavia that I was a pediatric nurse and an equestrian, and she needed help, so I was drafted to be a substitute sidewalker. The next week, Octavia sent my son out to ask for help again.”
Mrs. Tweedie continued, “When winter came and lessons ended until spring, Octavia told us (volunteers Sandy Dota, Judy Marpet and Natalie Gallagher) that we needed to become official instructors before riding lessons started back up in the spring.”
The four women spent the next eight weeks at Octavia’s kitchen table, learning all the material provided by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (now PATH International).
One of Mrs. Tweedie’s favorite early memories of Mane Stream was the one-week summer program that SHHRC offered at the Hunterdon Developmental Center near Clinton, N.J.
“Each summer, we would trailer over two horses and we would give 20-minute rides for three hours, right along Route 78. There was a groundhog den underneath the mounting area, which also made things interesting,” she recalled.
“The whole setup was rustic but extremely rewarding. We were told by the caregivers and nurses that the residents were more aware and brighter in spirit after these short rides. And these benefits lasted for more than just the day. After providing this summer service for five years, the school was finally able to arrange transportation for their residents to attend weekly lessons at the SHHRC facility.”
A long-time instructor, Mrs. Tweedie joined the Mane Stream board and over the years, she held every officer position, including president. She remained an active board member until 2014. In addition to giving her time, Mrs. Tweedie and her husband, John, also supported Mane Stream through their donations over the years, helping to build the organization into what it is today. Shea co-chaired many fundraising events over the years, helping to raise much-needed funds and spread the word about Mane Stream’s programs.
In 1994, having outgrown its space, Mane Stream purchased its current home, a 12-acre farm. Mrs. Tweedie was part of the capital campaign to fund the new facility, as well as a key part of the crew who helped to bring it to life. She, along with many other staff and board members, picked up paintbrushes and hammers to help create the facility. As she says, it was a labor of love knowing that at the new farm, the organization would be able to serve more participants.
In addition to her volunteer work for Mane Stream, she was a long-time member of the Far Hills Borough Council, and also served on both the planning board and board of health.
In addition, she was a president of HRH of NJ (Health and Recreation through Horses of New Jersey). She also was the secretary and one of the founders of the National Fjord Horse Rescue Network. Mrs.Tweedie fell in love with Fjords through her work at Mane Stream and bred Fjords at her farm in Far Hills.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 1, 2026
Horse show manager, competitor and author Marnye Langer views the equestrian world from a multi-dimensional vantagepoint. She is involved on a personal basis with running the Hansen Dam Horse Park in Los Angeles and staging eight U.S. Equestrian Federation Channel II Gold Coast shows there every year.
Her knowledge of what are often termed “local” shows — whether affiliated with USEF, breed organizations, state and county associations or run independently — is both personal and broad-based. She warns that these shows are in danger of disappearing; indeed, too many already have gone that route, while others are hanging on by a thread. That isn’t just in California; it’s true across the country.
Since many people get their start with equestrian competition at these fixtures, losing them further imperils a future already threatened by high costs, horse farms lost to development and the draw of other activities and sports.
While a great deal of attention is paid to the top levels of equestrian competition, including this spring’s World Cup Final and August’s world championships, the ranks of those competing at such highlights eventually will need to be replenished by athletes who got their start somewhere. The Olympics is not anyone’s first show.
But expectations these days often are unrealistically elevated at every level — do riders jumping cross-rails at their first or second show need to do it on expensive state-of-the-art footing? And will they decline to attend shows that don’t offer it, or other luxe amenities?
Marnye, CEO of the Langer Equestrian Group, has thought a great deal about what can be done to improve the situation. She outlines her ideas in an essay that should have as wide an audience as it can get, and although she mentions the hunter/jumper world, the thoughts expressed apply to all breeds and disciplines. Pay particular attention to the message of personal responsibility — the more people who can find a role to play in broadening the base of the sport, the better. Here are her thoughts:
“They say variety is the spice of life.” In the hunter/jumper world, we repeat that idea often. We want options, flexibility and a full calendar of competitions to choose from. But if we’re honest, our actions don’t always match that sentiment.
Because when it comes time to enter a show, too many of us make the same decision: we go where it’s biggest, most convenient or most prestigious. And in doing so, we quietly undermine the very ecosystem that makes those choices possible in the first place.
If we want a future with options, we have to start acting like it.
SUPPORTING LOCAL SHOWS ISN’T CHARITY — IT’S SURVIVAL
Local shows are not just “starter” venues, stepping stones or landing pads for those tired of the financial and time demands of larger shows. They are the foundation of the sport.
Marnye Langer greets a happy young competitor. (Equine Clicks Photography)
They create true access for new riders. They give young horses the mileage they need. They allow amateurs, juniors and professionals to compete without the constant financial and logistical strain of travel. Most importantly, they build the pipeline of horses, riders, trainers and owners that sustains the sport at every level. And let’s be honest — not everyone is chasing the Big Eq or a national final. Some riders simply want a place to put their weekly work to the test.
When local shows struggle, the pipeline narrows. And when it narrows enough, it eventually breaks.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s already happening.
THE DISAPPEARING HORSE SHOW FACILITY
At the same time participation patterns are shifting, the physical places where we can even hold horse shows are disappearing. Rapidly.
Urban sprawl, rising land values and competing development pressures are pushing equestrian venues out of existence. What remains is a shrinking, fragile network of facilities—many of which are operating on thin margins, complex ownership structures or borrowed time.
Look at California. One of the largest equestrian markets in the country, yet viable horse show venues are increasingly scarce.
Many of the remaining facilities exist only because of:
- Land owned by municipalities, the state or universities
- Nonprofit operators barely holding things together
- Private ownership with uncertain long-term plans
- Major investment groups backing mega-facilities
Historically, fairgrounds supported a broad base of competition. But as the sport specialized, those venues fell out of favor and faded away through the 1990s and early 2000s. What replaced them? A handful of purpose-built facilities.
However, the only significant new facility that has emerged in the last decade (in California) is the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal. The rest of the facilities exist with infrastructure and design from several (or longer) decades ago. Some have been able to adapt to changing needs, the rest do their best.
Thinking about the California horse shows themselves, Del Mar National, Santa Barbara Horse & Flower Show and Grand National (aka Cow Palace), all once were central to the sport. Now they’re shells of their former grandeur or outright memories.
And their disappearance didn’t spark widespread alarm. No collective pause. No meaningful intervention.
That should concern all of us.
A FRAGILE ECONOMIC SYSTEM
Here’s the part that’s easy to overlook: most local show managers are not operating with large margins. Their businesses are highly sensitive to participation. A loss of even 15–20 entries can be the difference between breaking even and losing money.
Now layer that reality onto a broader ecosystem:
- Many facilities rely on show rentals to survive
- Show managers rely on entries to operate
- Trainers and riders rely on shows to justify keeping horses in work
- Third parties—vets, feed stores, farriers, tack stores, grooms – all rely on shows as an important part of their income
Remove one piece, and the rest begin to wobble.
In many cases, a single show series supports a significant portion of a facility’s annual operating income. If that series disappears, the facility may not be far behind. When a facility goes, it doesn’t come back. And it’s even worse for those who also have horses boarded there.
Land doesn’t revert to horse use. It gets developed. Permanently.
THE RISK OF CONSOLIDATION
As smaller operators struggle, larger, better-capitalized entities inevitably step in. On the surface, this can look like progress. There’s more investment, more polish and more visibility.
But there’s a trade-off.
When competition among show organizers disappears, so does balance. Pricing power shifts. Opportunities consolidate. And the sport becomes less accessible, not more.
We have to ask ourselves a hard question: Do we want a system defined by broad participation and opportunity or one dictated by a small number of dominant players? Because if current trends continue, that choice may be made for us.
YOU CAN’T COMPLAIN ABOUT LOSING CHOICES IF YOU DIDN’T SUPPORT THEM
This is where the “paradox of choice” becomes real in our world. We say we want options. We say we value local shows. We say we worry about the future of the sport. But if we consistently choose not to support those shows by bypassing them for perceived convenience or prestige, then we are actively contributing to their disappearance.
And once they’re gone, they’re gone.
There is no quick rebuild. No easy replacement. No developer waiting to turn a housing project, golf course or soccer field back into a horse park. It’s just not going to happen.
A CALL TO ACTION
Supporting local shows isn’t about nostalgia. It’s not about resisting progress. It’s about recognizing that the health of the sport depends on a functional, layered ecosystem that includes entry-level opportunities, mid-tier competition, top-level events and the facilities that make all of it possible.
If we want more people to enter the sport—and more importantly, stay in it—we need places for them to go. A variety of places and shows that meet riders where they are in terms of their ability, time and finances. If we want to preserve opportunity, we need to support it where it lives.
That means:
- Entering local shows, even when it’s not the most glamorous option
- Valuing proximity and sustainability alongside prestige
- Understanding that every entry is a vote for what survives
Because in the end, the future of horse showing won’t be decided by what we say we want. It will be decided by where we show up.”
Those who wish to contact Marnye may reach her at this email: marnye@langershows.com.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 28, 2026
Canada’s longtime show jumping Olympic medalist and chef d’equipe, Tom Gayford, died over the weekend at age 97.
He rode on Canadian teams for nearly 30 years, beginning in the 1940s until the 1970s. At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, he was on the show jumping squad that won Canada’s first gold medal in the sport’s most important competition.
Ten years later, he became the Canadian team’s chef d’equipe, continuing in that role until 1996. He was inducted into both Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, as well as the Jump Canada Hall of Fame, as both a coach and rider.
Michel Vaillancourt, a former Canadian team member and 1976 Olympic individual silver medalist now best known as a course designer, offered this tribute:
“Coach Tom, as we called him, was the chef d’equipe when I came on the scene in the mid-’70s. I will always remember the way he embraced me as a newcomer. He was always willing to share his knowledge with anyone who cared to listen. We certainty had great successes together, including the Pan Ams in 1975 and 1979, many indoors, Olympic and the alternate games in 1980, where as a team, we won the gold.
“All of us riders had tremendous respect for the man. To me, he was a legend, someone I looked up to. Tommy and his dear friend, Jimmy Elder, who was my captain for most of my team appearances, had a unique way of creating a bond between us. Tommy understood the importance of team spirit. All for one and one for all was the motto.
“Tommy was my coach for most of my biggest riding accomplishments, and I am proud and honored to say he was a close friend of mine. RIP my dear friend, I’ll see you on the other side.”
Visitation will be Friday May 1 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the Humphrey Funeral Home, 1403 Bayview Ave., Toronto. Everyone is invited to attend and bring their photos and stories.
A private family funeral will be held at a later date.
