by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 15, 2021
Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, an Olympic and European Championships show jumping gold medalist, talked from the heart at the European Equestrian Federation meeting during the FEI general assembly today, saying the FEI wasn’t listening to the riders about the problems with the three-member teams at the Tokyo Olympics.
The FEI seems set to have the same format for Paris in 2024, with committees from all three disciplines approving the concept, which is awaiting a formal vote. Approval would mean the organization is not putting the welfare of the horse first, Steve said.
Swiss star Steve Guerdat has a collection of medals from every major championship. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
Without the traditional drop score that can only used with a squad of four, “for a lot of teams, things were over after one or two riders, ” Steve pointed out.
He noted that the European Championships, which followed the Olympics, were more exciting because of their four-member teams. That format offers “much better sport,” he maintained, and there isn’t the pressure for a rider who is having problems to continue because the team can finish if he becomes the drop score. But without a drop score, even if their horse is struggling, riders may continue their rounds because they don’t want to let their country down.
The three-member teams enabled the FEI to include “more flags” in the Tokyo line-up, which is something the International Olympic Committee looks for–greater participation, with a wider range of countries appearing. There is always the threat that equestrian sports will be dropped from a Games that is featuring such trendy competitions as skate boarding and rock climing.
But it was obvious some nations at Tokyo simply weren’t up to the team test, so Steve said it would be better to have eight teams of four riders than 10 teams of three riders. Countries that are developing in terms of equestrian sport, he noted “don’t have three solid horse/rider combinations.”
He suggested, “Wouldn’t it be smarter to think and put all this time and resources into how do we help new and upcoming countries get better?” One way is to have more individual riders from countries that can’t really field a full team of athletes who are at the Olympic level.
An argument for teams of three has been that a drop score makes things difficult to understand among people unfamiliar with show jumping, but Steve disagrees. There’s nothing complicated about dropping the worst score from a team of four, and other sports do it, he pointed out.
He doesn’t believe the rules should be changed “for people who don’t follow equestrian sport.”
He had gone to the FEI to ask what could be done to make sport better and eliminate some of the ugly pictures from Tokyo. He was dismayed, however, to read a letter from the IOC to the FEI that praised the way things went in Tokyo.
Saying he was “really sad and disappointed,” Steve added “nobody is listening to the riders.” Other big names who have expressed concern include 2016 individual gold medalist Nick Skelton of Great Britain and the USA’s McLain Ward.
Steve said he felt like an idiot for his efforts in making a case that seems to have come to nothing. He wanted to give up, but other riders had begged him, “Try to save our sport.”
A group of countries, including France and the U.S., have requested a return to four-member teams. The number of riders is also a major issue in eventing, but the three-member team works well enough for dressage because of the nature of that discipline.
The general assembly continues through Wednesday in Antwerp and on line.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 15, 2021
It has been an incredible year for New Jersey dressage riders, who made quite a mark at major competitions, ending their spectacular season with last weekend’s U.S. Dressage Finals.
Heather Mason of Flying Change Farm in Lebanon has found the key to success with the 16-year-old Oldenburg/Holsteiner-cross RTF Lincoln. That paid off with a victory in the open Grand Prix, his first win in that category at the finals. He scored 70.399 percent to top 20 other entries, and was the only horse in the class to break 70 percent at the Kentucky Horse Park.
She prepared by showing him in the Intermediate II the day before, calling it a confidence-building warmup at the competition presented by Adequan.
“He’s tricky temperament-wise but I think I’ve got him figured out now,” the trainer explained.
Heather Mason and RTF Lincoln (Sue Stickle photo for U.S. Dressage Finals)
“His management is carefully orchestrated and he gets longed every day at a certain time. He always looks like the quietest horse in the barn but the minute you get on, he’s dynamite.”
Just looking at the results and seeing that Alice Tarjan of Oldwick had finished second in the Grand Prix Adult Amateur Championship with Donatella M on 72.935 percent raised a question: “Who the heck could have beaten her?”
Turns out it was Alice herself, as she put in the winning ride on the U.S.-bred Serenade MF, earning 74.928 percent. The day before, the partnership won in the Intermediate II Adult Amateur division.
“Serenade has had a fantastic year and I have to give her so much credit,” said Alice.
“Every time we go in the ring, she is so reliable. She’s only eight years old and there’s still a lot of stuff that is a bit hard for her, but she still answers all the questions of the Grand Prix and does it consistently.
“You ask her to piaffe and she piaffes. You ask her to do a change or a pirouette and she does a change and a pirouette. She’s just easy that way.”
Known for being a winner with a variety of horses, Alice proved that point again on her six-year-old Oldenburg mare Summersby II, victorious in the Fourth Level Adult Amateur Championship with a unanimous win under all three judges for a total of 73.056 percent.
“I’m really excited about this horse for the future, even though she’s young and green and still makes some mistakes. But she’s honest about it,” Alice explained.
Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF (Sue Stickle photo for U.S. Dressage Finals)
“Fourth Level is a lot of test for her, but I think it’s a good thing to kind of push your boundaries a little bit and see what your horse’s answers are, and she is definitely coming up with the right answers.”
She appreciates the finals, whether she’s in the Alltech Arena or one of the other rings.
“It is a huge horse show and I think ring time here is so good to get the horses exposure. There aren’t many places in the country where you can get a horse show of this size and atmosphere, that is so well run and at a fantastic facility where the footing is this good. These kinds of experiences are invaluable for the horses, and for me as a rider, they give me a better idea about the horse I have underneath me.”
She also took the Third Level Adult Amateur Championship with Summersby, scored at 72.417 percent.
Lauren Chumley of Pittstown also was a winner, taking the title in the Second Level Test of Choice on Leeloo Dallas with 70.119 percent, the best score in three sections.
Feeling a thrill at the finals wasn’t always about victories. Bridget Hay of East Amwell was delighted to collect the reserve championship in the Grand Prix Open Freestyle on her home-bred Faolan.
The freestyle is a tribute to Faolan’s brother, Fitzhessen, who died seven years ago.
As Bridget noted, Faolan’s score of 73.867 percent was less than a half-point behind the winner, Kristen Wasemiller-Knutson on Vashti, marked at 74.275.
“I feel so incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing partner who truly is a once in a lifetime horse,” said Bridget, who trains long-distance with Olympic medalists Adrienne Lyle and Ali Brock. She also got help at the show from her friend Alice Tarjan and Lisa Basselini.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 14, 2021
The horse business isn’t easy in the nation’s most densely populated state, but the Rutgers Equine Science center offers a leg up for its proponents in many ways.
The center, marking its 20th anniversary this year, is concerned with everything from better equine health and well-being through research, which has top priority; to environmental stewardship, land use planning, youth involvement and many other related subjects under the guidance of founding director Dr. Karyn Malinowski.
As she puts it, the Center is “the docking station for everything equine.”
Its annual Evening of Science and Celebration on Zoom last week combined several honors with updates on scientific topics.
The Spirit of the Horse Award, always presented to someone who has made an impact on the horse industry and who in turn has been impacted by their involvement with horses, went to Assemblyman Ron Dancer.
The son of famed harness driver Stanley Dancer, he raced and trained horses himself from 1968 through 1998. But now he’s better known for his legislative accomplishments.
Spirit of the Horse winner Ronald Dancer.
In that arena, the assemblyman has been a fervent advocate for horses, which often involves educating other legislators.
He good-naturedly cited “a learning curve with my colleagues about the value of the equine industry in the state.”
The Equine Center and a landmark economic impact study it produced “helped build a lot of support for the industry,” he pointed out. It showed that horse have a $1.1 billion economic impact on the state, providing 13,000 jobs in connection with $4 billion in equine-related assets and 42,500 horses as counted in a 2007 survey.
There were 222,000 acres supported by horses in a largely urban/suburban state, a figure that includes not only land devoted to horses, but also involved with their support, such as farms that grow hay and feed.
The assemblyman worked tirelessly in a successful attempt to have the Legislature pass a bill written to eliminate the tax on boarding horses. Gov. Phil Murphy did not sign it last year, however, and the “pocket veto” meant it didn’t become law.
“If taxes are your issue, then New Jersey’s probably not your state,” the Governor famously advised in 2019, and we saw how it applied to this initiative.
The Gold Medal Horse Farm award went to Topline Farm, a well-run 10 acre establishment in Alexandria Township. The facility won for outstanding equine management.
Topline Farm in Alexandria Township.
The farm is run by Katie Wigness; her husband, Kris, and her father, Ron Hutchins. Katie noted in the equine industry, “its important to be a good neighbor and be aware of your impact on the neighborhood and community.”
During the science part of the evening, the keynote presentation was made by Dr. Sarah White-Springer of Texas A&M University.
Her talk was entitled, “The Mighty Mitochondria: The Importance of Muscle Health for Optimal Equine Performance.” (Without getting too technical about it, the mitochondrian is the powerhouse of the cell.)
Her research focuses on ways to improve performance and reduce injury in equine athletes, looking at mitochondrial adaptations to diet and exercise, in addition to skeletal muscle bioenergetics.
She pointed out that selenium increases mitochondrial biogenesis, which eventually creates energy, but that training a horse also increases mitochondrial density. The scientist cited the piaffe as a strength exercise that leads to muscle building, but of course, it takes a horse with a specialty to engage in that.
If dressage isn’t your horse’s thing, hill work increases endurance, while long-and-low work engages the horse’s topline, she said.
In another presentation, Dr. Jennifer Weinert-Nelson discussed Quick-N-Big crabgrass as a planting that can counteract the “summer slump” in pastures. And since it’s not the grass of choice for every horse, it’s good for a field where an obese horse is turned out to cut down on its consumption.
Doctoral candidate Ellen Rankins explained her work involving equine-assisted activities for veterans with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). The veterans work with horses on the ground, including grooming, leading and long-lining. Muscle activity, heart rates and blood samples are used as indicators of what effect such work has on both the veterans and the horses.
Skylar Cooper, a member of the New Jersey 4-H Horse Project, talked about flashy Zebroids, such as the Zorse, a cross between a zebra stallion and a domestic mare that rarely occurs in nature, and the Zonkey, produced by a zebra stallion and a jennet (female donkey).
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 14, 2021
While the the International Modern Pentathlon Union announced earlier this month that show jumping will no longer be part of the modern pentathlon lineup following the Paris Olympics in 2024, protests of the move have come from representatives of numerous nations. A group called Pentathlon United has been formed to lobby for keeping riding in the Olympic pentathlon at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.
The sport received an unwelcome spotlight in Tokyo after a horse refused with a German rider who had been leading the competition to that point. She whipped the horse and burst into tears, a moment memorialized in a photo that made headlines around the world. Her mount was punched by her coach, who was disciplined by being sent home.
In a letter to athletes, the pentathlon union–which feared that the sport would be dropped from the Games by the International Olympic Committee– explained the decision, stating, “We would be making a mistake if we were to take our place in the Olympic programme for granted past Paris 2024. It is not granted for us, it is not granted for anybody.
“We really need to make sure that in that new environment, with all of these new sports (such as skateboarding) that have demonstrated strength and a lot of traction with people and media, we have to make sure that our sport if (sic) flawless.”
The organization’s executive board held a secret meeting in which it was decided to remove horseback riding from the program. Riding’s replacement sport for the 2028 Games had yet to be decided.
But comments from pentathlon supporters from Poland to Denmark and the Czech Republic to Finland have protested the move.
After word of the decision came, more than 700 pentathletes wrote a letter expressing no confidence in the pentathlon organization’s president and board, asking for their resignations, while at the same time they pressed to keep riding in the pentathlon to save the integrity of the sport.
In a letter to the Polish pentathlon association, athletes and coaches said they understood there needed to be changes and standardization of the rules of holding a riding competition as part of the sport, adapting rules not only to competitors’ skills, but also to the horses’ abilities.
At the same time, “There are many solutions, the introduction of which will make horse riding in a modern pentathlon safer for both parties,” those protesting contended in their letter.
A riding working group had been set up by the international governing body to explore whether the equestrian element should be continued in the format that also includes shooting, running, swimming and fencing, which debuted at the 1912 Olympics. There have been innovations since, including running all the sports in a 90-minute broadcast-friendly format, rather than over a period of days.
Modern pentathlon participants are assigned a horse and have just 20 minutes before competing in the jumping. It’s a big ask for athletes who are not accomplished riders. The five-discipline event began as a military competition, with women taking part for the first time in 2000. It has not been among the more popular events to watch for viewers of the Games, which endangers its continuing inclusion
.Meanwhile, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for all equestrian disciplines to be dropped from the Olympics, not just the riding phase of modern pentathlon. The FEI (International Equestrian Federation), which is the governing body for the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and grand prix-level show jumping, does not regulate pentathlon.
“Just as the Olympics evolved to include sports that are of current interest, like skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing, in a world that increasingly refuses to accept abuse in any form, it’s time to remove sports that are no longer supported by the public,” PETA’s senior vice-president of the equine matters department, Kathy Guillermo, wrote to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
There is no comparison between riding in the pentathlon and the Olympic equestrian sports, which are run at the highest standard of athleticism and care for the horse, most of which have been with their riders for many years.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 14, 2021
Kevin Babington has written a letter detailing his progress from the 2019 show jumping fall which resulted in a massive spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed. Through his refusal to give up and the efforts of his wife, Dianna and daughters Gwyneth and Marielle, along with hundreds of supporters, Kevin has made progress. The gains come in small increments, but he’s light years away from where he was 26 months ago, and perspective is vital in understanding how far Kevin has come. He has just released an update about how he’s doing:
“I’ve been continuing with my regular physical therapy and recently added a very good acupuncturist to my program, and I also have some exciting new rehab opportunities coming up very soon. My right arm continues to get stronger and I feel quite comfortable driving my wheelchair by myself now, using a hand control.
“In addition to having some movement in my toes, I’m starting to get a lot of new sensations in my legs and hips. It’s sometimes hard to explain what the feeling is, but it is along the line of tingling, or “firing,” and I have been getting a lot of warmth in both legs, especially my left one. I’m very fortunate that I’ve had a lot of very good therapists reach out to me, and I’m really looking forward to these new opportunities.
Kevin, who teaches from his wheelchair, with his tireless wife, Dianna. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
“When I’m not doing my therapies, my days are kept busy teaching lessons. I’m looking forward to some more of my students coming down for season and to the beginning of circuit. I still love to follow the show jumping from around the world and spend many hours on ClipMyHorse, making sure my friends and former competitors are not making too many mistakes ;).
“It obviously has not been any easy journey, but all the support I’ve had along the way has made it the best of a bad situation. I remain positive and stay focused on my goal to beat this. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has supported me, because without you, my extensive therapies and care would not be possible. I am very grateful.”
To visit Kevin’s website, click here. To make a donation, click on this link. The Babington Family Trust is another way to help Kevin.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 13, 2021
Find out from veterinarian Lindsay Goodale, a lecturer in animal science at Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In a free Zoom presentation Nov. 16, she will offer an understanding of equine cognition and biology, in order to gain insight on improving equine welfare beyond a horse’s basic needs.
The 6-7 p.m. session is free, but registration is required. Register by clicking here
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 9, 2021
Mark Laskin has resigned as Equestrian Canada’s Technical Advisor-Jumping, which includes acting as chef d’équipe for the Canadian show jumping team at major games and Nations’ Cup team competitions.
He has been in the role for nine years after succeeding Terrance “Torchy” Millar. Mark has been working without a current contract, despite continuing to fulfill his duties at numerous events including the Tokyo Olympic Games and the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final in Barcelona.
Mark Laskin. (Starting Gate Communications photo)
“I was told during the first week of April that a contract would be forthcoming,” he said.
“Seven months later, the contract promised to me still hasn’t been delivered.”
Equestrian Canada is conducting a review of the Technical Advisor Jumping position led by James Hood, Equestrian Canada’s director of high performance and FEI Relations.
“When I was hired, the Jump Canada Board ran the discipline and EC handled the administration,” said Mark, 64.
“At that time, “Torchy” Millar was the chef d’équipe and I understudied with him for two years as assistant chef d’équipe. We worked so well together that Torchy stayed on for an additional two years before I moved into his role full-time. That was a successful succession plan, developed and managed by Jump Canada.
“I now find myself in a position where James Hood has told me that EC is doing a review of the role and will be compiling a job description and putting it out to tender. Almost as an afterthought, he added that I would be welcome to apply,” continued Mark.
Equestrian Canada stated that after two Olympic cycles, internal stakeholders and funders of the high-performance equestrian system in 2020 recommended during planning for the Tokyo Olympics a review of technical advisor roles.
“Mark Laskin’s contract was in extension, and he agreed to remain in the role during the process and his input and expertise were sought,” according to Equestrian Canada.
“Mr. Laskin resigned from his position prior to the publication of the leadership review postTokyo, the completion of the job description, and the move into the hiring process.”
The job description and skills competency are in final review with a hiring target by Jan. 1.
Mark cited interference from Equestrian Canada’s leadership group as another reason for his resignation, including recently being pressured as to which athletes are selected for Nations’ Cup team competitions.
“The leaders at our national federation need to have understanding and experience with our sport,” Mark stated.
“Unfortunately, Equestrian Canada has had many people in leadership positions that have no background in the equestrian field. That depth of understanding is integral to any future success of the organization. Equestrian Canada’s leadership group are making decisions that aren’t congruent with my philosophy. It is my opinion that the high performance program has been adversely affected and will continue to be in the future with the current leadership group at the helm. Consequently, I felt that I had no choice but to step down.
“I feel very sad to be resigning,” he continued. “The management of an international team is a complex task that requires the full support and understanding of the National Sport Organization, and that has not always been the case recently.”
Mark’s decision was fully supported by the EC High Performance Committee–Jumping, which includes former world champion Gail Greenough, Mike Lawrence, Beth Underhill, and Marni von Schalburg.
“We share Mark’s frustration at the lack of communication and consultation with our committee,” said Mike Lawrence.
“As the people who are ultimately responsible for guiding show jumping at the highest levels, we need to have a say in the high performance program and the process that is followed.”
Mark produced double clear rounds riding Damuraz to lead Canada to the team gold medal at the 1980 Alternate Olympics in Rotterdam. He is a member of the Jump Canada Hall of Fame.
“I am Canadian through and through and have taken great pride in Canada’s success on the world stage,” said Mark.
“I want to thank everyone who has shown their support over the years, especially the riders with whom I’ve developed strong friendships and shared so many incredible memories and successes. I’ll miss them the most.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 8, 2021
One Northeastern eventing competition got what it wanted as a committee redid the sport’s calendar and cut back on the number of events in certain categories. (See this link for an explanation.)
The Horse Park of New Jersey’s Jersey Fresh International, for instance, lost its CCI 4-star Long, 4-star Short and 3-star long at the Horse Park of New Jersey, which got just an Advanced horse trials in June. But for Plantation Field Eventing, being awarded the featured CCI 4-star Short at its September international fixture from 2023-2027 had been only half the battle.
Plantation Field Eventing, which also presents 3-star and 2-star Shorts and an Advanced Horse Trials in September, last year faced the threat of losing its venue. But it is good to go forward following a decision from the owner of the property.
Plantation Field is a remarkable piece of land with eye-catching jumps and terrain. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Cuyler Walker Jr. had cancelled the show’s lease on his Pennsylvania acreage in 2020 after a website made an issue of its “troubling associations inherent” in its name, claiming Plantation Field conjured up images of slavery and asking for a name change. Although “plantation” in this case meant a place where trees were planted (by Boy Scouts in the 1930s), the issue upset the property owner, who felt he was being accused of racism.
When the U.S. Eventing Association announced before the 2020 event started that it would not use the Plantation name in its press releases (and did not wind up covering the event that year), the issue got even hotter.
As a result, the owner was to allow the competition only to run for two more years through the end of its contract.
But the impasse changed when U.S. Eventing noted having the competition shut down wasn’t right for the sport, adding the property had no connection to slavery. At the same time, the U.S. Equestrian Federation decided decisions regarding regarding venue and competition names “are ultimately at the discretion and the responsibility of individual organizers.”
The lease is renewed and this year, at a very successful running of the international event, Cuyler helped give out the awards. Rider after rider came up and thanked him for letting the sport continue on his property, said Denis Glaccum, president of Plantation Field Equestrian Events, which run from spring through the fall with a variety of competition levels. Cuyler even provided the wording for Plantation Field’s successful bid for the international event during the 2023-27 period. It also will continue in 2022, as originally planned.
Plantation Field attracts the big names, such at Olympians Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin, who live nearby in Pennsylvania, as well as the 2021 third Olympic team member, Doug Payne, and Olympic alternate Liz Halliday-Sharp.
There are no other star-rated international events in the New York/Philadelphia metropolitan area. The Maryland 5-star and 3-star in October is nearby, but Maryland would be considered more Mid-Atlantic than Northeast; ironically, an area that was once the hub of the sport in this country. Migration patterns change, and equestrians keep moving south, or at least spending much of the year there..
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 7, 2021
Making the most of an advantageous position in the jump-off, Kent Farrington won the $213,300 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Lexington last night with his longtime partner, the fleet mare Gazelle.
Eighth to go in the nine-horse tiebreaker, with no one achieving a clean round to that point, Kent proceeded carefully to log what would be the only fault-free trip over Bernardo Costa Cabral’s course for the tiebreaker in the FEI World Cup qualifier at the 4-star National Horse Show in Kentucky.
Daniel Bluman was fast with Ladriano Z, just back after recovery from an injury, but his time of 32.62 seconds would only be good enough for third due to a dropped rail in a combination that proved to be troublesome.
McLain Ward rode his Tokyo Olympic team silver mount Contagious, looking for his sixth win in the National’s featured jumper competition. His lightning time of 32.60 seconds would have been good enough to win, but he had to settle for second as 4 faults at that double kept the door open for Kent.
Calling Bernardo “a phenomenal course designer,” McLain said when he sees that name on a prizelist, he is excited because, “I always have confidence that it is going to be a good and fair test with a lot of horsemanship, and we as riders really appreciate that.. There were a fair bit of horses clear and it made for a nice jump off. “
Kent Farrington and Gazelle. (Photo by Phelps/Georgie Hammond)
Explaining his strategy, Kent said, “I only had one rider after me and I felt as though a neat clear round was a smart play.” Smart is practically Kent’s middle name, and his experience underlined what would be a winning fault-free round in 35. 96 seconds on Gazelle to take the title. Margie Engle, the final rider, had a rail on Dicas to leave the victory for Kent.
“I have a very experienced horse, and she has been an amazing horse for me and my career,” Kent said after claiming the trophy.
He noted that Gazelle’s owner, Robin Parsky, “has been very supportive of my management of this horse and that is part of what has made her last so long, being able to move her up and drop her back.
“The first round, she was hyper-careful, so there was a little bit of jockeying around. I thought that the jump off was a good opportunity to let her settle down and go for a cruise and that worked out for me for the win.”
In the show’s Sunday finale, the ASPCA Maclay ran for 11 hours before Zayna Rizvi on Finnick was judged the best in a field of 175. Catalina Peralta finished second with a catch ride, the Holsteiner Clover, followed by Audrey Schulze aboard Mac One III, owned by Taylor Madden, daughter of her coach, Frank Madden.
Zayna Rizvi and Finnick on their way to victory (Phelps photo/Georgie Hammond)
The top four, which included Tessa P. Brown in fourth place, had to ride a final test without stirrups. After all, it’s “No-Stirrups November.”
Archie Cox, the California horseman who judged the class with a former Maclay winner, Keri Kampsen, called it “a true championship” citing a tough course put together by. Bobby Murphy, with input from the judges.The route included several eye-catching fences, among them a double of ivy-covered walls that had to be taken in both directions, and a stand-alone pink wall with a hole in it that was worth a double-take.
Archie termed the route, “well-balanced–if you went to the right, if you went to the left, you had to go forward and had to go back.” It required horses to be “electric to the aids” to handle the challenges and the bending lines.
Zayna, a 16-year-old from Wellington, Fla., who is an experienced jumper rider, called Finnick, a Westphalian owned by Jordyn Rose Freedman, her “soulmate.” She said of her win, “I’ve been working toward this all year, so this is a really great way to end my season. It means so much to me. I’m very thankful.”
She is trained by John Brennan and his wife, Missy Clark, who assessed Zayna as “such a remarkable talent…she makes it easy.”
Catalina, trained by Stacia Klein Madden of Beacon Hill Show Stables of Colts Neck,N.J., was tearful as she talked about a tough year, having lost two horses and family members..
“Although I didn’t end up with a win, I am extremely grateful to be able to be reserve champion and just compete in this class with a fantastic horse like Clover,” said Catalina, an 18-year-old from Geneva, Fla. Clover is a Holsteiner owned by Sail Horse Investments.
“Stacia is incredible, she has helped me so much in overcoming such difficulties. I’m so grateful for the team at Beacon Hill, they are my family.”
Stacia responded, “You have to go to what you know works, and you have to go to your fall=back. When you put together a team that you trust and you have your faith in, and you have horses that you know like the back of your hand and you’ve got great owners that allow you the opportunity to have access to those horses when you need them, it really just falls into place.”
Audrey, 18, a resident of Ridgewood, N.J., was first to go in the class at 7 a.m., but she wasn’t intimidated.
“I was prepared coming into this week,” she said, explaining the jumping order came out days ago.
“I had had all week to think about it. I knew I was ready and going to execute it exactly as I walked it,” she said.
Frank Madden said :”We came here trying to stick to our game plan. I said to Audrey, `It doesn’t matter if you go first or 100th.'”
Archie said Audrey “gave a riding lesson” with her performance, citing the way she, clucked inside the double. He called it “horsemanship.”
Being on the dais was a bit surreal for Frank Madden, since he had coached both Keri and Stacia (now his ex-wife) in their wins decades ago.
“I feel so old sitting up here with two former students,” he confessed good-naturedly.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 5, 2021
Are you familiar with the hunter/jumper rule changes that will go into effect Dec. 1 for the 2022 show year?
There is a long list of them, but here are some of the most important to know:
Find out before your hunter class how you will jog after you jump. A show can hold a jog in the traditional way, when you run in with your horse after your number is called, or it can use the 2020 Covid-inspired Presidential Modification of trotting a circle on a loose rein at the end of each over-fences performance.
- The changes for hunters also include an expansion of offerings, with low adult amateur hunter and low children’s hunter horse added to the rated sections.
- In the jumpers, management will be allowed to change the table under which a class offering less than $25,00 is run for a variety of reasons, including bad weather or encroaching darkness.
- There is no longer an amateur-owner jumper section, only an amateur jumper division, though an amateur-owner high-score award will be offered in the Horse of the Year ranks. Oh, and if you have a mule, it is now allowed to compete in U.S. Equestrian Federation jumper classes.
One more thing–after much discussion over the years, it has been decided that earbuds and earphones cannot be worn in schooling or exercise areas.
