by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 4, 2021
It all started with Licorice, a black pony with four white socks who tactfully could best be described as “a brat.”
But he provided quite a legacy for Alice Tarjan, who figured out how to ride him well enough so he would do what she wanted, rather than grabbing the bit and running out of the ring during Pony Club lessons. It’s not only what the Oldwick resident learned from coping with him that started her on the path to success in the dressage world; apparently, he also imprinted her, since his coloring is closely replicated in eight of her current horses.
Alice as a child with the infamous Licorice, who set the color palette for many of her horses. (Photo courtesy of Alice Tarjan)
“My favorite is black with white socks, no question,” she conceded. “It’s pretty.
The 41-year-old amateur rider generally buys her future mounts off videos; she has the ability to see potential in youngsters, then is able to bring out their best with dedicated effort and training. Three of them were stars as the Adequan Global Dressage Festival closed its run in Wellington, Fla., today. In addition to happiness, the emotions Alice felt included “huge relief” at the end of a long weekend as she saw her work pay off.
Candescent, black with four white socks, gave Alice her first Big Tour FEI victory with a 72.702 percent mark in Friday’s 3-star Grand Prix Special. The 11-year-old Hanoverian mare was last year’s Developing Grand Prix Champion.
“It’s been fun bringing her along, but the horse is a bit of a monster,” Alice said after her victory.
“She’s super cool and a lot of fun, but she is funny, because she’s hot and cold all at once, so it’s been a bit of a challenge to get her trained to this level and then to get it to be a bit more harmonious.”
Today, Alice won the Lövsta Future Challenge Grand Prix with the 8-year-old Hanoverian mare Serenade (two white socks and an anklet) on an impressive 76.008 percent, with a bevy of 9s for passage. Serenade was the national 4-year-old champion early in her career. While most of Alice’s horses were foaled abroad, Serenade, purchased by Alice as a foal, was bred in North Carolina by Maryanna Haymon.
During Saturday’s warm-up, Serenade was second to stablemate Harvest (a 9-year-old Hanoverian stallion with similar markings) who got a 10 for his final halt that day and a score of 76.911. Harvest, who is on the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Developing list like four other of Alice’s horses, was second today and second last year in the national Developing Grand Prix championship. Alice trains with another New Jersey rider, Marcus Orlob of Annandale, who had his own victory today in the Future Challenge/Young Horse Prix St. Georges Final aboard Spirit of Joy, a 7-year-old Westphalen gelding he owns with Jeannette Pinard.
Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF. (Photo by Susan J. Stickle)
“It was certainly a good weekend, we’re happy,” Alice said after collecting her ribbons and accolades, but typical of her usual businesslike push toward perfection, she noted, “We have a lot of homework to do.”
A big plus this weekend involved riding before panels of international judges, after years competing in national shows in front of one national judge.
“You don’t know what the CDI judges are going to give you,” Alice observed, “so it’s very exciting to get those kinds of scores. Now the real push is to try to ride a better test. You learn where the holes are and you try to improve them and try to ride better.”
Noting that European shows have been shut down through April 11 because of an EHV-1 problem that spread among horses after starting in Spain during the winter, she said, “We’re very lucky to be able to be here and have a show every day.”
Like the other riders at Florida shows, she is just grateful to be able to compete, even with Covid pandemic restrictions of mask-wearing and having temperatures taken on entering the grounds, along with mandatory social distancing. Her last show in Florida will be at the new World Equestrian Center in Ocala later this month before heading home.
She’s trying to qualify seven horses for the USEF national championships in Illinois, but realistically thinks six would be her limit to show comfortably. It’s always good to have a spare, of course, since things can go wrong. At the moment, Serenade is qualified for the Developing Grand Prix, she hopes Harvest can do it as well and Candescent is being pointed for the regular Grand Prix there. After that, she’s thinking of Dressage at Devon and the November U.S. Dressage Federation championships in Kentucky
When I was in Florida last month, we got six of Alice’s black horses to pose for a picture I had long wanted to take to show Licorice’s legacy.. We just didn’t have enough hands at the farm in Loxahatchee where Alice spends the winters to get all eight in, but it’s still an impressive shot.
The color-coordinated lineup. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
From the left, that’s stable manager Desiree Attland holding Donatella and Serenade. Alice is holding Ierland’s Eden and Jane, while Allison Nemeth has Summersby II and Niki Serge, a trainer based in Stockton who was working for Alice during the winter, is with Sliepner.
So here’s who they are: Donatella (she’s out of uniform, missing the white socks) won the Developing Grand Prix at the USEF championships last year and also took the 2020 Lövsta Future Challenge Grand Prix. The 10-year-old Oldenburg mare was bred in Maryland by Marnie Martin-Tucker; Alice bought her as a 4-year-old and she is now on the USEF’s Developing Horse list. Serenade was explained earlier in this story.
Eden is a 4-year-old Danish bred who showed in March at Loxahatchee’s White Fences, where she got an 87 in Materiale. Alice actually saw her “in person” when she bought her as a 2-year-old because she was visiting a breeder friend in Denmark. (She also bought a chestnut at that time; there are a few horses in her barn that don’t follow the Licorice model.) Jane was third in hand in the Dutch championships as a 3-year-old.
Summersby, bought from Germany as a foal, is now six. She was 3-year-old Materiale Horse of the Year and second in the national championships as both a 4- and 5-year old.
Sliepner is a 5-year-old purchased from Holland as a 3-year-old and doesn’t have anything on her resume yet. Candescent and Glory Day, who is ridden by Marcus, didn’t make the photo shoot.
Alice, who only buys mares and stallions, says her goal “has been to be able to have a barn full of solid Grand Prix horses. I like training them and giving them an education. I like to figure out how to ride a Grand Prix test a little better. The majority of these horses will be sold at some point and they can share their knowledge with somebody else. It will be nice to watch somebody else compete them and do well with them. I don’t have to be the one doing it.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 29, 2021
Top-level show jumping in the Sunshine State has overcome the pandemic and EHV-1. The impressive evidence is the turnout for the biggest grands prix in Wellington and Ocala last weekend. With a total of $1,700,000 offered at three venues in the state, 148 horses started in three major classes.
HITS Ocala hosted the richest of the competitions, the Great American $1 million Grand Prix. It was won by Germany’s Andre Thieme–who has topped HITS $1 million classes on three previous occasions–proving it’s a habit by taking the $350,000 first prize on Chakaria. The $1 million was the largest of the three grands prix, as befitting the amount of the purse, with 61 on the order of go.
As Andre noted about his affinity for the Hits Million, It’s my goal every year and while I’m not giving away other classes, I definitely don’t put as much effort toward some of the other classes, I try to really produce my horses for this class every single time. I try to be sure that everything on the day of this class goes perfect, because this is the class that I really want to win each year.”
Bernardo Cabral said of the course he designed for the class, “I didn’t make it overly big but it was technical and I thought asked a lot of questions to the riders, but also left an easy way out for the horses if there was a mistake by the pilot.”
At the nearby World Equestrian Center, the $200,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix went to the only U.S. winner of the weekend’s major classes, Aaron Vale, with Candro van de Zuuthoeve. There were 47 on that entry list.
In Wellington, the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix held on the grass field at the Equestrian Village, was dominated by another German, Daniel Deusser, with 1918 Scuderia Tobago Z. Daniel has been a consistent victor throughout the Winter Equestrian Festival series this season.
The highest-placed U.S. rider among 40 in that class was McLain Ward, fourth with Catoki, who had a rail in the jump-off. McLAin also was the highest-placed U.S. rider in the HITS Million, fourth with HH Azur and a rail.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 24, 2021
The National Professional Horsemen’s Association Medal Finals will be a highlight of this summer’s Monmouth at the Team show, which is being moved from the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone to the Centenary University Equestrian Center in Long Valley.
With the new multi-ring location, the show that runs Aug. 16-23 will have a number of different offerings, including A-rated hunters, than it did at the one-ring Gladstone venue. The PHA Medal finals will be held Aug. 18. Scott Fitton, a U.S. Equestrian Federation “R” hunter and hunter seat equitation judge, will officiate. Skip Bailey will design the courses for Monmouth at the Team and for the National PHA Medal Finals, which will be a good prep for the fall indoor finals. The class for riders 21 and under will run over fences that are 3’3” and 3’6”, judged as one competition, with prizes presented to the top 10 riders.
“We are excited to be hosting the National PHA Medal Finals,” said Tucker Ericson, co-owner of Monmouth at the Team with his cousin, Michael Dowling.
“Adding this finals class to our show means so much, not only for our exhibitors, but also to the community of horsemen we serve.”
Founded in 1936, the PHA is a benevolent organization of volunteer horsemen helping horsemen. The PHA gives aid and sustenance to needy horsemen, provides financial assistance for continuing education to children of professional members. PHA promotes interest in the horse industry and fosters the care and protection of horses through education. This year, the PHA will support Danny and Ron’s Rescue in their efforts to rehome dogs. Each time a rider participates in a PHA medal class throughout the year, a portion of their entry will go to support Danny and Ron’s Rescue.
“The National PHA Medal and Monmouth at the Team horse show both have long, rich histories,” said Lynn Peters, PHA recording secretary. “They honor the past while inviting today’s horsemen to help write the next chapter of their distinguished story. We are thrilled to be a part of this extraordinary show and look forward to a successful future together.”
Longtime sponsor and friend of Monmouth at the Team, Mountain Pointe Equine Veterinary Services, will host a safe, socially distanced cocktail reception during the finals.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 23, 2021
Furlong’s Healthy Horse virtual seminar, presented by B.W. Furlong Associates will host a presentation by Dr Aja Harvey Wednesday March 24 at 6:30 p.m. The topic is information about theEHV-1 virus and biosecurity recommendations to keep your horses safe. Don’t forget this virus has shut down shows in Europe through April 11. Click on this link to join the session. Or go to B.W. Furlong Associates Facebook page for the livestream.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 15, 2021
Equestrian Sport Productions announced today that a horse who spiked a temperature at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival grounds has tested negative for Equine Herpes Virus-1. The horse and its barn mate were isolated.
Anyone shipping horses into the Palm Beach International Equestrian Festival and Global’s Equestrian Village facilities will be required to sign a declaration stating that the horses entering the facility have not competed at Florida venues outside Wellington or been in close contact with horses that competed in other Florida venues outside Wellington within 10 days prior to their arrival.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the EHV-1 front, a three-year-old filly who tested positive was euthanized at a training facility near Versailles, Ky., where 24 horses in the same barn as the affected mare were tested. Five of the nine horses in the isolation barn were positive, with the last fever reported on March 12. Enhanced biosecurity measures have been implemented at other sanctioned training facilities in Kentucky and at Turfway Park.
A 14-day quarantine was initiated at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Teaching Hospital for the main equine barn facility and for horses in the isolation unit. One horse has been confirmed with EH Respiratory. In a Shelby County, Tenn., boarding facility, 100 horses were exposed, but only one horse was confirmed as EHV-4 and it is alive.EHV-4 can occasionally cause abortions in unvaccinated mares.
In Utah, a horse with EHV-1 was euthanized after becoming sick after being at the Weber County Complex, where events have been cancelled for the next two weeks. While two more horses previously at the Weber County Complex have fevers, are being tested for EHV-1 and quarantined, it is estimated that 100 horses were exposed.
Two EHM (myeloencephalopathy) and 2 EHV-1 cases were quarantined and isolated at a stable in Brewster, N.Y., after one of the EHM horses competed in equitation on March 5 at Old Salem Farm in nearby North Salem. It started showing symptoms on March 7.The stable has already implemented strict biosecurity measures, temperature monitoring and has been very cooperative during this investigation and situation. The origin of the disease is unknown and still under investigation. Old Salem Farm has no known cases of EHV-1 or EHM at this time. Show management is cleaning and disinfecting the facility and following appropriate EHV-1 biosecurity protocols.
Earlier this month, EHV-1 struck in California. A 12-year-old warmblood gelding in Los Angeles County displaying neurological signs was confirmed positive last Tuesday. Following an assessment of the facility where the gelding lives, 45 potentially exposed horses have been quarantined with enhanced biosecurity measures and twice-daily temperature monitoring. The owners of all exposed horses have been notified and no additional cases have been identified..
There also are seven horses under special quarantine at a boarding facility for show horses in Chester, Pa. The quarantine was triggered by detection of EHV-1 in multiple febrile horses on the premises. Investigation is ongoing, but due to a possible connection to an EHM case NOT located at this premises, the Department is issuing an official quarantine and is working with the very proactive barn management and private practitioners to monitor the health of the horses on the premises.
Also in the Keystone State, a horse showing neurological signs of EHV-1 was euthanized at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center.. The limited number of potentially exposed horses have been identified and are being contacted by New Bolton Center and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.This case has no known association with international travel, transport, or shows.
Three barns at Maryland’s Laurel Park were quarantined because of the Equine Herpes virus. All horses in residence must stay on the grounds until further guidance is offered. One horse tested positive at Laurel. Also in Maryland, there was an unrelated infection of a horse in Cecil County, That animal was euthanized.
At the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, a horse who spiked a fever which led to a quarantine of Barn D turned out to be EHV-1 negative. Based on that, the State of Florida, WEC veterinarians and management lifted the quarantine on the 16 horses housed in Barn D and horse showing will continue as scheduled.
As of today, no horses have tested positive for EHV-1 on WEC property. Moving forward, horses that have traveled to another Florida competition venue and horses who have been exposed to horses that have been at other Florida competition venues in the last 10 days will not be allowed on WEC grounds.
All equines entering the property must present a health certificate or statement of health from a licensed veterinarian within 7 days to the horse show office.
Until further notice, ship-ins (those working from trailers) will be restricted from the property. A dressage show scheduled for this month at WEC already was cancelled, but next month’s dressage show–with several top Olympic contenders scheduled to compete–will be held.
Shows in Florida have issued restrictions and new measures to insure the safety of horses on their grounds after a horse in Ocala came up positive for EHV-1 earlier this month. The horse was not at a show venue when its symptoms appeared, and it was not shipped in from Europe.
It was doing well after being treated at the University of Florida large animal hospital, according to the Chestnut Hill Farm Facebook page. A second horse whose stall was adjacent to the index horse while at the farm has also been confirmed positive.. The second horse is not exhibiting neurologic symptoms, although it has been febrile and is being treated at the separate isolation facility.
The farm’s horses that were at WEC were evacuated as soon as the positive test was revealed. Owners are working with state veterinarians and and inspectors as well as the University of Florida to achieve a tight quarantine.
On March 1, international equestrian competitions in 10 European countries were cancelled by the FEI (international equestrian federation) until March 28 due to the rapid evolution of a very aggressive strain of the neurological form of EHV-1, which originated in Valencia, Spain and already has led to related outbreaks in at least three other countries in Europe.
The FEI cancelled events in all disciplines in France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Poland, Netherlands, Germany and Slovakia until March 28.The advent of the disease also led to cancellation of the FEI World Cup Finals in jumping and dressage that were set to start March 30 in Sweden. (See the story in the main section of this website.)
“This was not an easy decision to block events in mainland Europe, particularly after the major disruption to the FEI Calendar caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said, “but this EHV-1 outbreak is probably the most serious we have had in Europe for many decades and our decision is based on clearly identified epidemiological risk factors.
“This strain of EHV-1 is particularly aggressive and has already caused equine fatalities and a very large number of severe clinical cases. We need to keep our horses safe. We are also aware that a large number of horses left the venue in Valencia without an official health certificate, meaning they had an unknown health status. Some horses were already sick, and the risk of transmission from these horses is a major concern.
“Cancelling these competitions in mainland Europe…limits the number of horses traveling internationally and therefore reduces the likelihood of this very serious virus being transmitted on an increasingly wider scale. We also strongly recommend that the affected member federations should also cancel their national events.
“We are very conscious of the fact that this is a very stressful and distressing time, and that this is potentially hugely disruptive for those athletes aiming for their Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) or confirmation results for Tokyo, but we are looking at ways to alleviate that in order to assist athlete/horse combinations in getting their MERs or confirmation results once the events in mainland Europe are allowed to resume.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 9, 2021
In the wake of Spruce Meadows cancelling its summer shows, Tom Struzzieri, president and CEO of HITS, said an upgrade to FEI 4-star for HITS on the Hudson’s July and August shows is designed to “fill the void for grand prix riders in the U.S. and Canada, who depend on the upper-level FEI events in the summer for FEI ranking points and top prize money both.
“I’ve had the opportunity to talk to lots of grand prix riders showing with us in Ocala, and some in Wellington, and the response to the upgrade has been super. We look forward to a great season of competition.”
There will be $2 million in prize money offered this spring and summer at the shows in Saugerties, N.Y. Each show is also FEI, while the final competition of the season is a 5-star as always, but there are big changes at the facility, including in the footing.
“Stay tuned as we release more information on one of the biggest makeovers to date,” stated the advice from HITS.
The September five-star will offer the $500,000 AIG Grand Prix, as well as Diamond Mills $250,000 Hunter Prix Final, the Platinum Performance $100,000 Hunter Prix Final, the $15,000 Green Hunter Prix and the $25,000 Jr/A-O/Am Jumper Prix.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 6, 2021
You know their names.
Five top professional female equestrian show jumpers will talk on Zoom about equality in the sport to commemorate International Women’s Day. The session begins at 6 p.m. Monday March 8
The program features Hannah Selleck, award-winning show jumper and founder of Descanso Farms; Georgina Bloomberg, Pan American Games medalist and founder of The Rider’s Closet; Laura Kraut, 2008 Olympic team gold medal winner who also rode on the gold medal team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games; Mavis Spencer, ambassador for U.S. Equestrian and Karen Polle, award-winning show jumper who is a member of the Japanese National Show Jumping Team. The panel moderator will be Sarah Appel, editor of Horse & Style.Register here
The panel will raise money and awareness for the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF), which exists to enable girls and women to reach their potential in sport and life. Donate directly by texting WSFHORSE to 91999.
Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, WSF strengthens and expands participation and leadership opportunities through research, advocacy, community programming and a wide variety of collaborative partnerships. The foundation has positively shaped the lives of millions of youth, high school and collegiate student-athletes, elite athletes and coaches. The Women’s Sports Foundation is working towards a future where every girl and woman can #KeepPlaying and unlock the lifelong benefits of sport participation. All girls. All women. All sports.® To learn more about Women’s Sports Foundation, visit www.WomensSportsFoundation.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 4, 2021
Kenneth Wheeler Sr., a famed trainer who was also a top hunter rider, has died at age 93.
The Virginian knew how to spot equine talent and was involved with many of the most famous hunters and young horses over the decades, including the legendary Isgilde, Spindletop Showdown, the eye-catching Stocking Stuffer and Super Flash, among dozens of others that came out of his Cismont Manor Farm in Keswick.
After he stopped riding in shows, he became a legend showing horses in hand. Kenny was a perennial winner in the Best Young Horse category at the Devon Horse Show, where the Gold Ring was renamed in honor of him and his late wife, Sallie Busch Wheeler.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 24, 2021
That was a refrain I was hearing in 1986 when I was in Australia for the World Eventing Championships (the World Equestrian Games had not yet been invented.) But despite the catchy chant, Brisbane lost out on the 1992 Olympics, which went to Barcelona, although Australia eventually did get the Games eight years later, in Sydney.
Now, however, all those years of angling to be an Olympic host may pay off with the 2032 Games going to Brisbane.
Its ability to be “ready” is now considered a big plus, and the International Olympic Committee’s executive board today decided its Future Host Commission should start a “targeted dialogue” about the topic, although the conversation is characterized as non-committal and exploratory. Other National Olympic Committees, including Germany, that expressed interest in being a 2032 host were not ready to enter the targeted dialogue at this point.
Although decisions on Olympic hosts in recent times were usually taken seven years in advance, the move to advance the process is due to “the uncertainty the world is facing right now,” which is expected to continue even after the Covid crisis ends.
The IOC’s Future Host Commission will now start the targeted dialogue with the Brisbane 2032 Committee and the Australian Olympic Committee.Should all the requirements are met, the IOC executive board can propose election of the host of the 2032 Games to the IOC Session. If the discussions are not successfully concluded, Brisbane 2032 will rejoin the continuous dialogue.
The Future Host Commission also will continue dialogue with the other interested parties, in order to further develop their projects, be it for the Olympic Games 2032 if the dialogue with Brisbane is not successful, or for the Olympic Games 2036 and other future Olympic events.
Among the main reasons why Brisbane 2032 was proposed for the targeted dialogue are the very advanced Games concept using 80 to 90 per cent existing or temporary venues, the venue masterplan, and the excellent climate conditions for athletes in July and August.
Citing the success of the Sydney Games, IOC President Thomas Bach said, “We decided to seize an opportunity to take to the next stage our discussions about returning 32 years later.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 22, 2021
What do you do with yourself if you want a career involving horses, but it has become obvious that you’re not going to be a grand prix rider, either in show jumping or dressage; a top-class reiner or an inspirational trainer?
Katie Clinebell explores other options in the horse industry while hosting the “Beyond the Saddle” podcast, which has featured among her interviews a trick rider, a breeding farm manager, an artist specializing in equine subjects, and me, a photojournalist. Click on the link below to hear what I had to say about my career, which has taken me around the world and enabled me to meet many of the biggest names–human and equine–in horse sports.
