How the moving film, “Harry and Snowman,” was made

by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 29, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer

Sept. 29, 2016

Our equestrian history keeps moving on, but Ron Davis doesn’t want to let it get away.

His documentary, “Harry and Snowman,” recounts one of the great horse stories of our time in the words of Harry de Leyer, the man who lived it, along with the observations of his contemporaries and family.

A gray rescue horse who could really jump is the hero of Harry & Snowman.

The movie, which opens Sept. 30 in dozens of cities, focuses on Harry and the Amish plow horse he rescued from a one-way trip to the slaughterhouse. The gelding, purchased for a mere $80, turned out to be a remarkable jumper who developed into an unlikely superstar, becoming an international celebrity in the late 1950s, along with his owner. They were media darlings who made the headlines of major publications, appeared on such iconic TV shows as “To Tell the Truth,” and were interviewed on-air (well, Harry was interviewed) by Dick Cavett. Johnny Carson even climbed into Snowman’s saddle on his program.

“I knew who Harry was, but never heard the Snowman story,” said Ron, 48, a native of Kinnelon who grew up riding at the A-rated shows with Mike Henaghan and Gary Zook. He qualified for the USEF Medal and ASPCA Maclay finals, and won 18 USET Talent Search classes before he stopped riding in the early 1990s.

“I’ve kind of been there,” he said, explaining why he no longer rides, but adds, “I don’t think anyone gets through a riding career like I did and has not taken away a huge part of who your are from that.

Film maker Ron Davis.

He also noted that if he hadn’t ridden, he wouldn’t have been interested in the subject. Nor would he have had the access to people he needed, including George Morris and Rodney Jenkins, both of whom appear in the film. You’ll see other familiar names on the credits, including one of the executive producers, Karen Reid Offield, well-known in the dressage world, announcer Peter Doubleday and jumper rider Donald Cheska, one of the re-enactors.

Ron’s next film will be about a rescue of a different kind, the dog rescue run by well-known horsemen Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta.

“Almost all the important things in my life are connected in some way to my early life in the horse world,” he said, noting it was his horse friends who bought him to Wellington, Fla., where he lives.

Ron was in book publishing, dealing with sales, marketing and rights, when he went to school at night to learn about filmmaking. It was a hobby at first.

“Then I decided I wanted to turn it into a career,” he said. Six months after he decided to do it, he had a deal with HBO.

When Elizabeth Letts’ sensational book, “Snowman: The $80 Champion,”came out, a friend called it to Ron’s attention. The tale intrigued the film director.

“The book absolutely inspired my knowing what the story was,” he said.

Yet Ron also notes he hasn’t read the book, because “as a documentary filmmaker, for a story like this, I wouldn’t do research. If the people were all alive, I would go and hear it firsthand and not have a skewed idea of it.”

As he pondered the concept, Ron said, “I thought this story would be great to tell in a documentary, only if Harry was alive and well. He had to be able to tell the story.”

When he met Harry, still taking care of the horses and driving the truck to shows in his mid-80s, Ron thought, “This is perfect.
“I said, `How would you like to do this?’ No surprise, Harry said, `Absolutely.’ We hit it off. He started telling me the story.”

Harry and Snowman, the best of friends.

Ron didn’t want to have anyone else recount the Harry and Snowman relationship for him. He was interested in hearing the details for the first time when the camera was on because that’s the way it happens for the audience.

“That’s their experience,” he explained.

From the bit he did know about Harry and Snowman, the filmmaker said, “I didn’t believe in the Cinderella version. I thought it had been romanticized over 50 years. There was no way the horse really loved him.” But as he got into the project, Ron realized he’d been wrong.

“I was really surprised that my cynical heart and mind was changed very quickly. When you start to know the story and hear it from lots of different people and see it through the lens as I did with all the archival footage, I really then understood there was this bond between them, and more so initially, from Snowman to Harry. I had a different perspective as I learned the story.”

Although Harry had another top horse decades later in his homebred Dutch Crown, who tied for first place in the initial leg of the 1982 World Cup Finals, “Snowman is the one who put him on the map,” said Ron.

“He’s the one who’s a part of his family. It was the beginning.”

On the wall of Harry’s dining room, Snowman’s retirement cooler is framed, and his bridle hangs beside it.

The old films used in the documentary takes viewers back to another era when, as George Morris put it in an interview he did for the film, “Horse showing in the 1950s was a very high-profile sport,” covered on both the sports pages and the society pages.

“People who attended shows were old American aristocracy. It was very social.”

Ron summed it up this way: “Less business, more sport.”

George said the hunter division was front and center. He called the jumper division, “the stepchild to the high society hunter division.

“As a rule, people of less social status owned jumpers. The jumper people were scruffier than the hunter people. It definitely was the haves and the have-nots.”

Harry was a have-not. An immigrant from the Netherlands, he worked with the underground during World War II. He grew up on a farm, so he knew about horses. Harry eventually became the riding master of the Knox School on Long Island, and bought Snowman when he was looking for school horses.

Snowman was sold to a doctor down the road, but he kept jumping the fence and running back to Harry, his rescuer. Finally, the last time Snowman returned, Harry vowed never to sell the horse. When he found out the plow horse could jump, he started going to horse shows.

Although he may not have looked like much, Snowman could fly. At an elite show in the Northeast early in his show career, he finished ahead of Windsor Castle, at that time the most expensive jumper ever sold at the price of $50,000. Snowman went on to be a champion twice in Madison Square Garden when the National Horse Show was the start of the New York City social season, attended by movie stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor.

At the height of Snowman’s fame, Harry was offered a blank check for the horse, but turned it down. He couldn’t sell the family pet.

The sweet-natured animal was an all-arounder who would take several of Harry’s kids swimming on his back and pulled a sleigh. He would jump anything. Harry would put a horse in the middle of an oxer, then have Snowman leap over it. He also set a puissance record. It seemed there was nothing that special horse couldn’t do. Harry had a flamboyant style that developed over the years, as he would pivot on his knees over a fence and throw his hunt cap in the air after a successful round. The fans loved him. You will too.

The film has so many interesting details that I won’t reveal here, so go and see it if it’s near you.

The movie poster.

Ron noted that normally, “You wouldn’t say on a Friday night, `Let’s take the family to a documentary.’” But you can do it with this one.

As the director observed, “Everybody loves a good horse story, from Black Beauty to National Velvet.”

But the best thing about this one is that it’s true.

When breeding horses at home works out

by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 13, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
Sept. 13, 2016

“Breeding is a humbling profession,” said Ilona English, stating a truth that goes with the territory for anyone trying to produce their own sport horses.

But at this point, Ilona is experiencing the flip side of that with her homebred, Powell. He added a victory in the Adequan Advanced Gold Cup Finals at this month’s Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships to his increasingly impressive resume under the guidance of U.S.-based Australian Ryan Wood.

Ilona English and her homebred star, Powell. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

The AECs marked the debut of Mark Phillips’ cross-country course at the Tryon, N.C., International Equestrian Center, and that turned out to be quite a test. But Powell was up to it.

“Out on cross-country, he handled all of the questions very well. He read everything and was just spot-on there,” Ryan said.

Ilona did not attend the event, instead watching the live stream on her computer. The tension built in the final phase, the show jumping, and Ilona literally was on the edge of her seat.

“As we all do sometimes, I talked to the screen. I was so close to the screen over the last two jumps and when I watched the one (rail) rock a little bit and then it stayed, I completely started crying. I yelled, ‘We did it,’ I was so happy for Ryan and Powell. He’s an American horse and a Jersey bred.”
Next up for Powell, who won the Jersey Fresh CCI 3-star in May, likely is the 2017 Rolex Kentucky 4-star.

It’s all part of a long-held dream come true.

Ilona, 65, worked as a project finance officer for people building skycrapers, but “as a kid I always wanted to have horses. We couldn’t afford them. Later in your life, you should be doing what you really want to do,” she said, explaining her current devotion to breeding event horses.

She has had 40 foals arrive at her farm in Ringoes, delivering 38 of them (including Powell) herself.

Why eventing?

“I believe horses really have to be cross-trained to be competitive and have to have turnout for their minds and bodies,” stated Ilona, whose operation is called Summit Sporthorses.

Looking back on her own riding career, she observed, “When I started in the hunters, it was totally different than it is now. We used to jump out of the ring, jump back in, nobody counted the strides. It’s totally mechanical now.

“These horses are like potted plants. Even in the dressage world, they keep these horses in (their stalls). Horses need to be horses, that’s what makes them the best horses. Their ability is better because their minds and bodies are happy.”

When she was riding dressage, she took a jumping clinic with Bertalan de Nemethy the legendary coach of the U.S. show jumping team.

He told her, “A horse shouldn’t be jumping a fence unless they can do a solid Second-Level dressage test. They have to be able to move forward, backward and sideways.”

That comment stayed with her. By the end of the clinic, Ilona was jumping a big course (noting she never would jump a course like that again.) She was inspired, reading about the old masters of horse sport and spending time in Germany.

She participates in how her horses are trained, noting, “My partnership with Ryan is outstanding. He is a true horseman. We work together on the type of training for each horse.”

Powell, an Oldenburg, is by Pablito out of Dinara, one of Ilona’s homebreds. She notes that her bloodlines include thoroughbreds, of which she is a fan.

Although the mare never competed, “She’s like the goose who laid the golden eggs,” said Ilona.

Another Dinara baby, Powell’s half-sister Ruby (by Royal Prince), was 10th out of 54 in the Intermediate division at the AECs.

Waiting in the wings is another half-brother to Powell, Ben Nevis (by Bugatti), as well as a group of other interesting youngsters.

Ilona is on the board of overseers for the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School, which has been taking a look at the demographics of the horse industry.

“The flats (thoroughbred racing) and the trotters are going down. There is going to be a void there that we (non-racing horse sports) could fill if we had the support of the states involved in this. This is an industry that is actually growing and has a lot of potential financially, especially here in New Jersey,” she declared.

She’s hoping to speak with the state secretary of agriculture, Douglas Fisher, about it.

Here is the message she wants to give him: “This is what we should be focusing on. We can fill the void We need to have a program and a plan for this.”

Kappler’s devoted to making his sport better

by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 4, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
September 4, 2016

Chris Kappler at the schooling area of the Hampton Classic. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

You’ll still see Chris Kappler by the ingate or the schooling area at major shows, like last weekend’s Hampton Classic, but he won’t be on a horse.

His name used to appear regularly in the equestrian publication headlines. Now, however, his focus is on training others at his business, Chris Kappler Inc., run out of the former Hunterdon Inc. facility in Pittstown.

After working there for years with George Morris, Chris carries on the philosophy and tradition of the country’s most famous trainer. The facility is not flashy; it’s handsomely utilitarian and beautifully maintained, with attention to important details rather than meaningless frills.

Chris probably is best known to the public for his rides at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He earned a team gold on Royal Kaliber, a stallion he co-owned with Kathy Kamine that he brought to the top level of the sport. But in a jump-off for individual honors, Royal sustained a leg injury near the end of the course, where he looked as if he could have been on track to win, and Chris pulled him up. Chris got the individual silver medal, but that was overshadowed by tragedy. Royal went on to colic in the course of his treatment and could not be saved.

Chris Kappler with the 2004 Olympic gold medal show jumping team of Peter Wylde, Coach Frank Chapot, Beezie Madden and McLain Ward. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

“Somehow, he was put into my life and we together achieved an incredible result, and he never had to prove anything again,” said Chris, who treasures many photos and a special painting of the horse.

“I think about him every day. He was the coolest horse to hang out with and enjoy. He did not have a hole in him. He was beautiful to ride. he had scope he was careful. Almost anything after that is a letdown.”

While Chris, with 100 grand prix victories to this credit, still rides several horses a day, his main job is helping clients achieve show ring success. The 49-year-old trainer also has served as a selector for the Olympic and Pan American Games teams over the last two years. Citing patriotism in his wish for America to do well internationally, he explained, “I want to be able to help in any way possible. If I don’t have a student who’s aiming for it (a championship team), then I’d love to be part of the selection process.”

After riding VDL Oranta to victory in the 2009 American Invitational, which turned out to be his last major competition, he was finding he no longer had the drive to participate in the arena himself.

To succeed in the sport, “like any athlete, you have to have an incredible passion,” he pointed out.

“You have to wake up so hungry to win every class.”

When that no longer was happening for him, he said, “I knew my time for competition was winding down.”

Chris on Royal Kaliber at the 2004 Olympics. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

The world’s number four-ranked show jumper and Chris’ 2004 teammate, McLain Ward, noted that he learned a lot from his friend as he was moving up in his career.

“He’s been a consummate perfectionist and horseman and really an example of how the sport and horsemanship should be done,” McLain commented.

Chris, who splits his time between a condo in Flemington and a home in Wellington, Fla., turned some of his energy in another direction, serving as a founder and president of the North American Riders Group. A ground-breaking organization, it aimed to improve shows, naming the top 25 on the continent every year, with a critique about what they did right, and what they could do better. The shows at the top of the list crowed over their selection. Those further down on the roster aimed to improve.

“We stepped in as an advocacy group to promote the change we wanted to see in the industry. We tried to create a sense of competition and give the shows feedback. I think a lot of shows really welcomed it,” he explained.

Chris was joined on the NARG board by some big names; McLain, Beezie Madden and Murray Kessler, the retired CEO of Lorillard who will take office in January as president of the U.S. Equestrian Federation. Beezie and Chris also are on the USEF board.

“NARG raised the bar, stimulating creation of more FEI and 5-star shows. When we started (in 2009), I think there were four FEI events in America; now we have more than 20,” Chris said proudly.

The barn where Chris has worked for decades has an understated elegance. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

With that achieved, NARG is continuing “in a very quiet mode for the moment,” Chris said, noting it is taking “a one-year pause” from rating shows.

As McLain commented, “NARG was a grassroots organization to change the direction of the high end of the sport in this country and North America. It was highly successful. I think what’s happened is the leadership of NARG has moved into the leadership of the USEF.”

Chris noted, “NARG stepped in as an advocacy group to promote the change we wanted to see in our sport as riders. Through that process, we were able to get Murray Kessler involved. What I like most about Murray is he came on board and said, `What do you guys want to do? I can help you execute, but I don’t want to tell you what to do. I want your agenda. You guys are the riders in the sport.’

It was good news for NARG that one of the new USEF strategic plan’s priorities is going to put teeth into show standards with its new compliance initiative that will have trained officers judging whether the shows are meeting the standards. There will be help for those that want to improve and penalties available if they don’t come up to snuff.

Don’t assume NARG has been disbanded, however.

“We can fire this thing up at any time if we feel it’s necessary,” said Chris, who noted the board wanted to create something the federation and the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association could pick up and run with.

Elections are planned for NARG, which will have its annual meeting in February as usual.

“We completed our agenda, but new blood may come in (at NARG) and pick up a different agenda,” he observed, adding that meanwhile, the leadership of USEF and USHJA has “become very dedicated, very focused and has a great vision for the future.”

There are still things that should be done. He believes it’s necessary to figure out how to keep shows under the umbrella of the USEF and the USHJA, and get those riding in unrecognized shows more connected to the sport.

“They need to know the value the federations (USEF and USHJA) bring. The rules are in their best interest, the welfare of the horse, the welfare of the people.”

Breeding and bringing along young horses is one of Chris’s interests. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

That future also includes “some really interesting up-and-coming riders” who are “going to Europe, getting on the tour.” He likes the fact that he recently saw several aspiring U.S. young riders at a 3-star show in Belgium, “trying to get European experience, developing their strings (of horses) and honing their skills.”

Chris also is involved in the USHA’s Emerging Athlete Program. When he went to Atlanta to give an EAP clinic earlier this year, he noted the kids were enthusiastic about having access to instruction from top trainers.

“They were so thirsty for the knowledge and the information and the riding opportunity. I could see the hunger in their eyes and the desire,” he said.

He hopes the young people who watched the Olympics and saw Nick Skelton and others getting their medals after years of work realize that competing isn’t enough to succeed; “you have to be a horseman.”

Much of his time, naturally, is devoted to the 28 horses at Hunterdon, most owned by clients, with a few sale horses and other prospects in the mix. Chris is assisted by Sarah Segal, who became a full-time rider after graduating from Princeton, and Kevin Mealiff, who is from Ireland.

Among the horses showing from Hunterdon are Cantara, who is jumping 1.50-1.60 meter courses; Performance, a 7-year-old and Zelda, bred by Allison Robitaille and owned by Robbie Greenberg Kabnick, a Hunterdon client for 24 years.

The stallion Maserati is in residence at Hunterdon, and Chris is involved in breeding “on a very limited basis,” noting, “it’s “so incredibly expensive to do.” He would like to see American breeding succeed in a big way.

“There are a lot of breeders in America, but they’re not connecting with the riders,” said Chris.

“The whole world flocks to Belgium, Germany, Holland and France to buy their horses. We’ve got to unlock that.”

He noted that Lisa Lourie of Spycoast Farm, whose main breeding facility is in Kentucky, “is starting to see the fruits of her labor in a good program. She’s a great model to follow. I do it on a very limited basis. We need to encourage America to breed.”

He’s a fan of the horse ID and microchip, knowing it’s so important to be able to see a horse’s lineage to know what’s working and what isn’t.

Overall, he said, “We’re trying to make showing better, more accessible and less expensive to develop horses and riders to keep people in the sport.”

He emphasizes its pluses, mentioning, “It’s a sport where there’s something for everybody on every level. It’s a sport where men and women compete equally. It’s a sport that’s always evolving, because the horses change, and it’s something families can do together.”

In the years that he’s been in the sport, one of the developments he appreciates is the growth of competition possibilities. In the old days, there were only a few divisions. Now, with a great variety of classes for every ability, people are “not having to wait to get to some minimum level to compete.”

Chris is “really hopefuf that the sport continues to grow, that we get more people participating and watching.”

Like other leaders of the horse world, he wants equestrian competition to stay in the Olympics, knowing there’s always the threat that it will be dropped.

“The acquired skils it takes to ride a horse around a course is why I believe it still belongs in the Olympics. It’s not just another sport. There’s no other sport that’s doing what we’re doing with another living creature. At all costs, we ned to protect our position with the Olympic games.

“It’s the ultimate sporting event. It’s the most immediate recognizable level of achievement at the highest level. You tell someone you won the American Invitational, and they say great. You tell someone you won a gold medal, and they say, `Wow, I’m standing next to an Olympic medalist.’

I felt like I achieved everything I was trying to work for. I’d love to help more people achieve that.”

Monmouth at the Team is a major hit

by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 27, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
Aug. 21, 2016

It sounded like a good, if rather unusual, idea–moving the Monmouth County Horse Show–which needed a boost–to Somerset County’s U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone.

But until the show actually was held at the iconic location, no one would know for sure whether the concept worked.

It turned out to be wildly popular. Monmouth at the Team, which ended a six-day run this afternoon with the $10,000 Horseflight Mini-Prix, was a hot ticket that drew raves from exhibitors and trainers.

The U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stables provided a handsome backdrop for the $10,000 Hunter Derby during Monmouth at the Team, won by Margot Peroni on Orlon. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

Organizers ran through 500 back numbers for riders and had to borrow more from area show managers, said Tucker Ericson, who bought Monmouth with his cousin, Michael Dowling, from longtime owners Mike Maxwell and George Richdale.

The show’s success stemmed from more than just its venue and the cachet of being able to ride in the renowned arena behind stables that once housed America’s most famous international jumpers. It also was a social event, with daily themed parties in the hospitality pavilion, where food, drink and music added to the atmosphere, attracting plenty of non-competitors as well as those who were actually riding.

New Jersey’s oldest show has had several homes in Monmouth over its 121 years, most recently at the Horse Park of New Jersey, but something more was required to make it extra special, just as it was before leaving Monmouth Park’s Wolf Hill Farm in the early 1970s.

Tucker and Michael thought a venue whose name is synonymous around the world with equestrian excellence would be the right spot for their show, especially in the heart of a community that is oriented toward horse sports.

The show drew raves from exhibitors.

“I’m super-pleased with the facility, the footing is amazing. Everything here has been very well done. The stabling is nothing but topnotch. Management is super-friendly,” said trainer James Fairclough II, whose mother, Robin Fairclough, is chairman of the Sussex County Horse Show that runs the week before Monmouth about an hour’s drive from Gladstone.

“It’s nice to come here in this atmosphere and jump in this facility,” continued Jimmy, who is based in Connecticut and Florida.

“It’s great for my students to get a little exposure to this history here at the USET without being under the pressure of the (USEF Talent Search) finals.”

Jumpers got an opening shot at nice money in the $5,000 1.25-meter Manhattan Saddlery Welcome Stake, won by Sarah Scheiring of the Chester Riding Club on Santa Ana Lux Z. She also won the Horseflight 1.3-meter class on Newtown Jumping Jack, who topped a field of 38, an excellent turnout.

Monmouth’s U.S. Equestrian Federation-rated hunters were C, not A, and the organizers were happy with that. On the weekend when many of the top hunters and hunter trainers in the country were in Kentucky at the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s International Hunter Derby and Pre-Green Incentive Championship, there still were plenty of horses showing at the lower levels to compete at Monmouth.

Classes for the base of the sport were taken out of dusty back rings and moved to center stage, offering an incentive for those who were just starting to show, as well as more seasoned riders with fancier horses and years of experience who might be more comfortable with fences at lower heights during this stage of their riding.

“My daughter loved it,” said Catherine Roure-Singh of Harding Township about her child, Olivia,, who rides with Dapple Hill Farm in neighboring Bedminster.

“She came to see the (USET Foundation) grounds when she was about five years old. And she said, `Mama, one day, I want to compete here.’ She’s 11 and she did it. She competed in pre-children’s hunter and finished fourth. She was so happy. She’s living her dream.”

While Tucker and Michael will add at least two C-rated days next year to the one they had this year, they’re not going for an A rating.

“I’m not so sure that’s in the best interests of the community,” said Tucker.

“At that height level (3-6), that will limit the number of exhibitors and those who can compete. We have to keep ourselves close to the beat on what the exhibitors want and what the community needs. We’re open-minded, but at this point, it seems like the home run is at this level.”

He and his cousin, a trainer and assistant professor of equine studies at Centenary University, have found their niche, one that was under-served.

“We’re really proud of the support from exhibitors and trainers. Everyone is asking for reserved stalls for next year,” said Tucker, a horse show judge himself who also manages shows in Kentucky.

Tucker and Michael worked unceasingly to make the show a success in the run-up to its debut, and they didn’t stop there. At 5 a.m. on hunter derby day, Tucker was cleaning bathrooms, and later in the afternoon, he was behind the bar serving drinks. His cousin, meanwhile, was busy ringside training competitors.

Show co-organizer Tucker Ericson stepped in to bartend in the hospitality tent when needed. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

A number of community leaders were on hand to watch the action from the hospitality tent set along one side of the arena.

“This facility is sort of like the Fenway Park of equestrian,” said Jim Brady, who revived the Gladstone Equestrian Association with the goal of bringing more equestrian competition to the facility and the area. He also mentioned the input of Leslie Sullivan, who handled public relations for the show.

Guy Torsilieri, who runs the Far Hills Race Meeting down the road at Moorland Farms, was involved in a sponsor-sharing initiative with Monmouth, an example of how equestrian groups in the area are starting to work together. Moorland will host a revival of the Essex Horse Trials next June, another source of excitement for horse-oriented fans in the Somerset Hills.

“I think it’s fabulous. I’m tickled pink,” Guy said of Monmouth, but his vision goes beyond one or two competitions.

“I’m glad it’s being reused again,” he said of the foundation’s facility, which had a paucity of major competitions in recent years, “and I think it’s just the beginning of many great things to come.”

He is on board with the decision that Monmouth doesn’t have to be A-rated, just as Essex doesn’t need to have a multi-star competition at this point, the way it did prior to its post-1998 demise.

“There’s multiple needs at multiple levels,” mused Guy, whose steeplechase draws crowds of 30,000 or so every October.

“You can have a fabulous event at a beginner level. It’s a pyramid. If you don’t have a broad base at the bottom, it doesn’t go to the pinnacle at the top.”

Monmouth at the Team has many links to its roots. Creigh Duncan, who managed the show at the Horse Park, had the same post in Gladstone. Wiss Costanza, a Monmouth starter for 32 years, enjoyed seeing the new version of the show with which she had been associated for so long.

“They’ve done a great job,” said Wiss, who was on hand as a vendor with Adequan.

“I absolutely love it at the Team, as does obviously everyone else. It’s top of the line. The Monmouth tradition continues.”

Those in the hospitality tent had a great view of the action, in addition to food and drink. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

Victoria Maxwell, daughter of Monmouth’s former owner, Mike Maxwell, started her association with Monmouth in 1966, when it was at Wolf Hill and she rode her pony, Beverly, in the leadline. She was judged by the late Carol Hofmann Thompson, for whom she later went to work.

One of her fondest memories was seeing Rodney Jenkins ride so many horses there that, “they would just pull one horse up next to the other and he would just hop from horse to horse and his feet would never touch the ground.

“I’ve been to all the Monmouths at all the different locations. I’ve seen a lot of people with their hearts and souls into keeping this show going. The show has always adapted and found a way to survive and thrive. This is just terrific.”

Her father sat in with judge Mike Rosser to officiate at the $10,000 Hunter Derby, held at jump heights of 2 feet, 2-6 and 3 feet.

While he enjoyed being a part of Monmouth even though he no longer owns it, Mike conceded, “It’s kind of bittersweet. I’m so happy it’s a success, it’s a beautiful venue, they’ve done a wonderful job, but on the other hand, it’s kind of hard to let go, but I think it was time for that. I’m glad it worked out for both parties.”

There were 72 entries in the classic round of the derby, with 15 coming back for the handy round. Margot Peroni of Redfield Farm in Califon won with Orlon, a 7-year-old German import she has trained since he was two, along with her husband, Bastian Schroeder.

“Every win with this horse is special,” said Margaret, who last year topped the HITS $250,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix.

Although the prize money was less in Gladstone, the victory was important to her.

“To do it here at the team is amazing,” she said.

“What a cool place to get to show. I’m really excited. It was a really, really fun class.”

The bright lights of the Sussex show bring everyone back

by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 14, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
Aug. 14, 2016

If there is an iconic image of New Jersey show jumping, it’s a horse clearing a jump at the Sussex County show with the colorful lights of a ferris wheel in the background. Generations of riders and spectators relish that scene and return year after year to see the grand prix that is the highlight of the show, which stretches over 10 days (or 11, if you include the quarter horse show that precedes the U.S. Equestrian Federation-recognized fixture.)

Amanda Flint won the $35,000 Sussex County Grand Prix on VDL Wittinger. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

Sussex is celebrating its 80th birthday this year, and hasn’t looked this good since the days when it was held in the tree-shaded ring in Branchville, a few miles away, a scene that is immortalized on its logo.

But the show, in the midst of the New Jersey State Fair, bears little resemblance to its early days or even the time just before its move to Augusta in 1976. The fair has expanded exponentially around it, and there are all sorts of features that those who were involved in it during another era wouldn’t recognize, even though some still call it Branchville. (Old habits die hard in the horse world)

But what remains the same is the involvement of the devoted people who work to make the show happen and insure it continues.

Robin Rost Fairclough, a jumper rider and trainer who is the show chairman, has the right bloodlines for her job as the daughter of Dr. Robert Rost, the show’s manager and guiding spirit, and her mother, Joan.

I asked her before the grand prix yesterday how her late father would react if could have seen what was going on at the fairgrounds, where stands and boxes around the arena were pretty well packed with thousands of spectators, despite high temperatures and threatening weather.

“He’d be looking down and smiling,” Robin believes.

“This is his baby. And I’m so proud to be here and represent him. It’s a thrill, everyone loves to show here in front of a crowd,” she added.

Sussex Horse Show Assistant Chairman Lisa Pellow-Stoner, Chairman Robin Rost Fairclough, committee member Susan Gregorio and treasure LeeAnn Swenson. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)

Rich Hammler, who is chairman of the exhibitions committee and pitches in wherever else he is needed, has been coming to the show since he was three years old. He is now 71 and hasn’t missed a year. I wondered what keeps him coming back and volunteering so many hours.

“When I see the people smiling and having a good time, it’s great a reward for me. I’ve loved horses since I was little boy, and I feel like I’m giving back to something that made me happy growing up. I enjoy working with these people,” he said, referring to the show committee.

Like them, “I’m very dedicated to the horse show,” he said.

A grand prix regular, McLain Ward, was missing last night, but he had a good excuse. He’s competing at the Olympics. (Check out the On the Rail section of this website to see what’s happening in Rio with the U.S. team.)

Also missing was Todd Minikus, who had four horses entered in thte class. Todd, who was on the short list for the Olympics but didn’t make the team, was injured Friday when he was helping a friend working on an antique truck and boiling water came blasting out of the radiator, Robin said. Todd suffered burns on his chest and one arm that precluded his participation, she noted.

So a field of 18 started over the Mike Nielsen-designed course in the shadow of the ferris wheel and the lights of the midway. It takes a well-schooled and cooperative horse to deal with the glitter and the crowd. Some expressed their feelings with refusals, understandable, as it is quite a different stage for most of the animals competing there.

Four entries made it through to the tiebreaker, with Michael Desiderio of Chester leading the way in the jump-off on Temptation as lightning crackled in the distance. He had a knockdown in a brisk 43.70 seconds, but the next rider Amanda Flint, was clear on VDL Wittinger in 44.61. Cassandra Kahle challenged that with Calvados, leaving the rails in place but slower than Amanda in 46.38 to finish second.

Cassandra Kahle and Calvados, second in the Sussex County Grand Prix. (Photo copyright by Lawrence J. Nagy)

The last rider, Ailishe Cunniffe, had a stop with Casper and wound up with 9 penalties, including time faults.

Michael’s participation brought back memories for his mother, Stephanie Desiderio, who has been riding at Sussex since she was 14, and she’s now 52.

“The show’s changed for the better, they do a great job, the footing is better, the rings are nicer, the lighting is better,” she said.

It was the first grand prix victory at Sussex for Amanda, of Long Valley.

“I love it. It’s great for the horses, I brought 25 here this week. It’s a great experience for them and the fair is fun for the people,” she said.

Amanda last year started riding Wittinger, previously shown by Callan Solem, and noted he had been a Dutch approved stallion until he was gelded.

“We thought he was going to be a sale horse or a lease horse, so we started showing him and he’s paying his way, so we kept showing him,” she said.

Amanda won’t be competing at the Monmouth at the Team show that begins Tuesday at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, but she is bringing customers and enjoys having a New Jersey mini-circuit.

“It’s close to home and I can sleep in my own bed,” she explained with a smile.

Horse show woes? There’s a fix for that

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 24, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
July 24, 2016

Footing at shows will be a key issue for the USEF’s new compliance department.

What bothers you most at a horse show? Bad footing, overcrowded grounds, poor stabling?

Generations of exhibitors have voiced complaints about those issues and others, too often without getting satisfaction. Sometimes, their only options have been to sigh and continue competing at a place that is substandard, or just stay home if they can’t find an alternative.

Finally, the U.S. Equestrian Federation is starting a program that has the muscle to work with shows on improving conditions or, failing that, taking measures against fixtures that don’t solve their problems.

The new compliance program was announced last week, utilizing compliance officers trained to evaluate shows. Slated to start this fall, the program is a key part of a strategic plan–most of which has yet to be revealed–that is charting the future of the federation and will be an engine for change.

“The goal is to have better competitions that do meet the standards, happier exhibitors; in the end happier organizers, healthier sport, happier horses, said Bill Moroney, the USEF’s CEO.

When it comes to dissatisfaction with shows, “Footing is the number one issue,” according to Bill, who noted each breed and discipline has its own standards for the surfaces on which its horses compete.

The first order of business?

“Is the level of footing appropriate for the level of competition that is going to take place in the ring,” he said.

Since the condition of footing can be a judgment call, the compliance officer needs to know the standards in the rulebook, but also must check with exhibitors as part of the evaluation process to see what they think. In the case of the jumpers, for instance, if it’s acceptable for the highest level of class being offered during the week, “you’re pretty assured it’s okay for children’s jumpers,” noted Bill, the former president of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association.

The USHJA was working on its own compliance program last year and devised a learning module for evaluators, while drafting and field-testing an evaluation form.

“That was very helpful in getting this launched,” said Bill, noting the USHJA is no longer running its own program because USEF stepped in.

The type of person who can be a compliance officer was discussed at both the USHJA and USEF conventions. The officers will be USEF employees, communicators who can work with both exhibitors and management to set the stage for improvement, and have no conflicts of interest.

“What we’re focusing on this first year is doing the evaluation and working with organizers so they understand what the non-compliance issues might be. Then there will be a period of curing that issue, of going in and fixing the problem,” Bill said.

USEF CEO Bill Moroney. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

A defined plan with a timeline will enable a show that only runs once a year to have remedied the problem by the following season.

Shows that can’t improve their footing to the degree required for the top level of competition they offer might “have to readjust their offerings,” Bill said.

If there’s a problem in the middle of a circuit running six or eight weeks, however, “they need to make an adjustment at that point, whether they move certain classes to different rings or adjust their schedule,” he pointed out.

“Part of being responsible is understanding that people should be granted the opportunity to cure the deficiency. If we get into a situation of multiple week events and we’ve got a serious issue, we’ve got to work with that organizer in how to remedy that situation…on a case-by-case basis,” Bill commented.

Should the situation be one that jeopardizes safety and the welfare of the horse, however, “we could say to you right then, `This is something that is completely unsuitable.’ I don’t think we’re going to find that very often; I think we’re going to be able to solve most of the issues as we go along.”

The 160-page strategic plan is the pet project of Murray Kessler, who will take over as USEF president next January.

The compliance program “addresses member concerns related to organizer non-adherence to competition standards in a mileage protection environment,” Murray commented.

“I expect a step forward in the fairness, safety and enjoyment of the competition experience in the United States, while at the same time preserving the mileage rule for its original good purposes.”

The number of shows that will be examined depends on the number of compliance officers hired.

“Certainly we can’t hit 2,500 horse shows a year, but I think the program will grow each year. In the first year, we’ll get somewhere between 30 and 50 horse shows,” Bill said. In five years, it could be as many as 500 shows across all levels, breeds and disciplines.

“I think our members want this, and I think good organizers will welcome an evaluation and inspection, because if they get a good mark and a passing grade, they’ll be able to say, `Look, we’ve been inspected.’ It will be a little bit of a Good Housekeeping seal.”

Enforcement for non-compliance will not begin until January 2018, unless the issues jeopardize welfare and safety. Remedying problems can be effective quickly because most shows now are licensed for one year, rather than three years as they were previously, allowing for movement in the marketplace.

If the footing isn’t repaired, for instance, the show may find it is not licensed above a certain level. Showgrounds that aren’t up to standards may find some shows that lease their property threatening to go elsewhere, to a facility that is in compliance.

“Sometimes, that’s just the kick in the hind end that some of these facilities need to be able to retain the people who are renting the facility,” Bill contended.

Shows that are overcrowded–with too many horses on too small a showgrounds with too little area to school, exercise and longe–could learn that opens the door to allowing a competitor in their vicinity to take up the slack through granting of a mileage exemption to hold their own show nearby. Shows with a large turnout also may need to implement measures such as monitors to supervise the schooling areas during high-traffic periods.

Safe paths to and from the competition and riding areas also are a concern. More and more horse shows are separating horse paths from motor vehicle paths, but where they cross during busy times, Bill said a crossing guard is needed to control the flow.

Many people may remember the discontinued “fed rep” program that made a stab at improving conditions at shows, but it “had no teeth in it,” as Bill explained, which rendered it ineffective. Using show stewards for the evaluations doesn’t work because they’re too busy with other things, and since they’re paid by the shows, they may be reluctant to criticize.

“Where I believe this initiative is somewhat different than previous attempts…is in its more holistic approach,” stated Matt Fine, the USEF’s senior director of competition operations, who was named as chief compliance officer.

“Rather than taking just (a) look at enforcement, the focus of the compliance department spans competition evaluations and standards compliance, investigating incidents at licensed competitions, and overseeing compliance with USEF internal policies and procedures,” he said.

“As we look outward to competitions and officials for compliance with our competition standards, we are also looking inward toward our (USEF’s) own policies and procedures,” noted Matt, an eventer who was involved with Pony Club. He has worked as a criminal defense attorney and is an officer in the Army Reserve’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

USEF President Chrystine Tauber called the creation of Matt’s position and the compliance department, “a significant change and a major step forward in the USEF’s governance process.”

When incidents occur at licensed competitions, Matt pointed out, “the compliance department will have the opportunity in the future to work collaboratively with other USEF departments, competition management, licensed officials and members to help develop our institutional knowledge and ‘lessons learned.’”

Although it will take a while to see how this works out, it has real promise to give members more for their USEF membership dues.

A spotlight’s on ponies at their dressage show

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 17, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
July 17, 2016

Pittstown trainer Lauren Chumley was a winner with Nikolas at one of her favorite shows, the National Pony Dressage Cup. (Photo by Jennifer Keeler)

It all started with a discussion on the issue of dressage ponies that Jenny Carol had with a friend over dinner in 2007.
“I never felt kids were getting the respect they deserved for riding the ponies,” she said, explaining that in dressage shows they were competing with long-striding warmbloods.

She had the answer: a dressage show just for ponies, “so ponies could be with other ponies. It would be a level playing field.”

So in 2008, the National Pony Dressage Cup was born. It was one of those, “if you build it, they will come” type of things, and come they did to Jenny’s home state, Ohio, from as far away as Kansas and Florida.

Eventually, the show ended up at the Kentucky Horse Park, which is where Jenny thought it should be all along.

The 32 ponies who took part the first year increased to 118 this year, representing 18 breeds in 23 divisions before the show wrapped up last weekend. And more adults than kids are riding. Jenny figures two-thirds of the competitors are grown-ups.

“The middle-aged woman is our target customer for ponies. They feel comfortable size-wise. It’s not as intimidating as a giant horse,” she said.

It’s one thing if a woman is very tall, she pointed out, but a pony “matches size-wise a lot of people a lot better. They can influence the movement of that animal much more effectively than on a really large warmblood.”

Jenny, who is 5 feet tall, noted that if she gets on a 16-hand horse, “my legs hardly come down to where they belong.”

The Cup is an annual highlight for many riders, including Pittstown trainer Lauren Chumley, whose clients are as enthusiastic as she is about the event.

“There was a really long time where there that wasn’t much for dressage ponies, but they’ve really worked to make this show a big deal and they’re doing a good job,” explained Lauren, who has competed in most of the Pony Cups over the years.

“She has been a devoted follower of the Pony Cup,” said Jenny.

“She’s an incredibly hard worker. She has so many ponies and does so much with them, they have such a well-rounded balanced career,” continued Jenny, noting many of them jump and event as well as doing dressage.

The 5-foot, 5-inch Lauren has been riding ponies for years, but the Cup is always a highlight of her season, and she praised the way it is run.

“They brought in some great judges,” said Lauren, observing, “Not all judges are pony-friendly,”

She cited Lilo Fore and Lee Tubman for doing a wonderful job, “They had great comments and great feedback.”

Jenny noted, “We try to encourage people at all ability levels to come and really enjoy the sport. We want to reward people no matter what their level of competition is.”

She mentioned that even introductory classes have money prizes.

Lauren competes ponies at all levels. Avatar’s Jazzman, a petite Morgan, has just started Grand Prix.

“It’s not a good Grand Prix yet, but I think it will be because he’s actually pretty gifted in piaffe and passage, which is unusual, but I’ll take it. We just have to get the whole thing cleaned up,” said Lauren.

She was reserve champion in the FEI open division with the Morgan, owned by Melissa Dowling.

Lauren has been getting help from veteran Grand Prix rider Jim Koford, who also competed at the show.

“He’s really helpful with the Grand Prix and very supportive. He’s told me when you start the Grand Prix, you’ve got a good year of messing it up before you get it right,” commented Lauren, noting she hasn’t had much experience at that level.

Unfortunately, adults can’t take a pony in CDIs (international equestrian federation dressage shows); the little guys are only eligible in pony classes restricted to juniors.

“There’s no way I can even fake being a junior,” chuckled Lauren, 32, who is based at Stonebridge Farm.

At the other end of the scale, she won the First Level championship with an overall average of 70.62 percent on Nikolaus, a 5-year-old imported from Germany 2 and 1/2 years ago.

“He’s just five years old, but he is super athletic and very naturally balanced. He has the best brain in the world. I event him too,” she said, noting he had his first beginner novice division outing the week before the Pony Cup.

The eye-catching dun, also owned by Melissa, is a branded Westfalen Riding Pony. He has a distinction in Lauren’s life.

“He’s the only horse in my entire career who has bucked me off when I was breaking him in Flroida,” she said.

“Not only did he buck me off, he bucked me off twice in five minutes. I remember lying under the palm trees saying, `Wow, I’m on the ground again.’”

Nikolas is nearly 14.2 hands, the limit for ponies, and she noted he might grow over that height (warmbloods often have a late growth spurt).

“But I’m fine with that. Then I could do a CDI,” she said.

In his first time showing at Second Level, Nikolas also claimed the open title there with an average of 67.456 percent. He edged Lauren’s second mount, Welsh cob mare Sham’s Chinaberry (67.444 percent), who took the Open Welsh breed award. Chinaberry was reserve champion at Third Level Open as well.

Lauren catch-rides Chinaberry for owner Liam Rowe and his mother, Pam Carter, of Ringoes every year at the Pony Cup; it’s the only show the mare does all year. Chinaberry is trained by Lauren’s friend Bridget Hay, but at 5-11 tall, Bridget “looks completely ridiculous on her,” Lauren said, so that’s how she got the ride.

Lauren is eclectic in her appreciation of breeds. She also enjoys Norwegian Fjord Horses, and her 5-year-old mare, FMF Liesl, finished with the reserve Training Level Open ribbon under the guidance of her assistant trainer, Jessie Hayes of Pittstown.

Their score of 67.509 percent brought them the Neil Sorum Memorial Award for the highest single score earned by a Norwegian Fjord. This sturdy breed has a dun coat and distinctive jaunty black mane edged with grey, cut so the hair stands up straight to emphasize the curve of the neck.

Lauren also trains the successful mother/daughter team of Alayna Borden, 17, a senior at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, and her mother, Karen, 48. Both ride Hakuna Matata, owned by Marsha Montgomery of Whitehouse, a friend of Lauren’s. Marsha, who bred the mare, trained her up to Prix St. Georges, but isn’t riding at the moment, so the timing worked out for Lauren to connect the owner and the Bordens.

Hakuna Matata did double-duty at the National Pony Dressage Cup with the mother-daughter team of Karen and Alayna Borden. (Photo by Jennifer Keeler)

Alayna, who stands 5-5, took the Third Level Junior/Young Rider title with a two-day average of 63.398 percent. Not to be outdone, her mother, who’s 5-8, rode the Oldenburg mare to the Third Level Adult Amateur Division Championship with 64.872 percent. Hakuna Matata also received the Oldenburg breed award.

“She’s such a blast to ride,” said Karen, who asked her daughter for permission, willingly given, to participate in the show too.

“It’s such a nice change of pace from your typical dressage show,” she said.

“For me, it underlines the whole idea of how dressage is for every single horse or pony. When you see those little Welsh cobs giving their all in the extended trot across the arena, it’s such a breath of fresh air from what we’re typically showing against.”

Karen, who works as a pharmacist, noted what fun it is to ride as a partner with her daughter.

“We’re not competitive against each other. We support each other. We ride a little bit differently, and when we’re trying to figure things out, we bounce ideas off each other.”

She added, “I’m very lucky, because she was born with the horse gene. I say to her, `I don’t know what I would have done if you were born with the cheerleader gene.’”

Readying a historic stable for its next century

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 17, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
July 10, 2016

Stalls in the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stables are bright and shiny after a major refurbishment. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

Hundreds of horses over 100 years had taken a toll on the unique U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stable in Gladstone. While the 12-foot box stalls still were serviceably sound, they looked worn.

Shortcomings generally were evident just on close inspection, but even the most dedicated efforts to care for the stalls could only do so much.

Scrutiny revealed wood that was no longer shiny, some of which had rotted; stall floors showing their age, iconic pale green paint chipped off the metal bars and feed bins, walls that were marked and scratched.

“Any time you have a facility that is coming up on 100 years, there are clearly some capital improvements and maintenance that need to be done,” observed Bonnie Jenkins the foundation’s executive director.

The moment had arrived to restore the grandeur of the most famous horse housing in the country. The cost is being borne by the foundation’s Gladstone Fund, an element of the Campaign for Excellence started in 2010, which is geared to preserving the facility at Hamilton Farm. Supporters of the foundation have contributed to insure the facility can be preserved in the style it deserves.

“It’s a great gift from great people who care,” said Cliff Cotter, the foundation’s director of facilities and the hands-on supervisor of the stall renovation project, which involves two levels of the building.

Former foundation chairman Jane Clark, for instance, has donated for projects such as footing for the arena where team training sessions and selection trials have been held, while a $1.5 million gift from the Hamill family last year meant work could get started on the stalls and ultimately other necessary jobs, such as replacing the original boiler and the slate roof with copper flashing.

The stable was built in 1916-17 by James Cox Brady, a New York financier who became master of an estate that spread across three counties. The structure of stucco over brick, reinforced with steel, was the largest and most lavish building of its kind in the country when it was constructed. It cost the then-princely sum of $250,000, about $5 million in today’s money after adjusting for inflation.

Its distinctive features include a second-floor trophy room with a glass ceiling, enabling those who gather there to see horses passing through the rotunda below; herringbone-pattern terrazzo brick floors and walls and ceilings of orange glazed tile.

After Brady’s death in 1927, the building was shut down. It eventually had several non-equestrian uses, including serving as a hospital for Merchant Marine seaman during World War II.

But in 1961, it started on the road to its current legendary status when Hamilton Farm was leased for use by the U.S. Equestrian Team, which funded, fielded and trained riders for international competition. It was a mission that had belonged to the Army until the cavalry was disbanded after World War II.

The USET elevated America’s profile on the international equestrian scene. Coaches such as Bertalan de Nemethy and Jack LeGoff worked with horses and riders who brought home the medals. Those who trained at Hamilton Farm included William Steinkraus, Frank Chapot, George Morris, Michael Page, Jimmy Wofford and dozens more who would go from Gladstone to glory at the Olympics, Pan American Games, world championships and the most important shows on the globe. Famous horses from several disciplines who have stayed in the stables, either long-term or as “guests,” include Snowbound, San Lucas, Grasshopper, Brentina, and so many others whose names are part of history.

Prior to the re-do, lower level stalls had scratched walls, worn floors and chipped paint on feedbins and railings. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

The stall project started with the building’s lower level in December. Approximately 24 people were involved, plying a variety of trades at the site, from masonry and demolition to sandblasting steel so it could be primed and repainted.

Brass finials and other pieces, such as the rings used for tying horses in the stalls, had to be removed and shipped out for polishing, while missing items including brass plates from the stall locks were remade. Over the years, some of the valuable brass had been taken and likely sold, although the individually produced finials atop the posts flanking the stalls were spared because they are difficult to take off.

In fact, care had to be taken when the finials were re-positioned after being polished, since as Cliff noted, “each one sits on a post totally differently, because all the holes in the posts were hand-done when the building was constructed.

“Every time the guy moved from one post to the next, he could have been off a half-inch or quarter-inch, drilling the three holes that hold the finial on. So when you take a finial off, you have to make sure it goes back to the same place. Otherwise it’s a big puzzle to put them all back.”

Stall floors, originally tile with cork mixed in and laid above structural concrete, were chopped out with a jackhammer. Then metal mesh was laid down, with concrete poured on top of that. The original trough drains remain in each stall, but new pads were installed, coated with layers of a urethane finish. A final black painted layer includes an aggregate material to assure a good grip for horses walking on the surface.

The refurbishment involved some research.

“Probably the hardest part of the job was finding the wood to rebuild the stalls exactly the way they were when they were built,” Cliff recalled.

“I wasn’t satisfied with the options people were coming up with. I didn’t feel it would be the right fit for the building and also the longevity of the wood we needed.”

The southern yellow pine that duplicated the original wood was finally located in Alabama. At one point, a different type of wood, or perhaps even plastic wood, was considered.

“But we felt with the sealers we have today, able to seal the wood on all six sides, that will protect it longer than the original wood,” he explained.

Each board was individually milled, cut, planed, sanded and stained, then given two coats of polyurethane before it went into place on the 600-pound doors, from which the original wood had been removed. It took two hours per door to do the job, but everything was prepped and ready so it could be done in the optimum amount of time.

As Cliff looked into how to deal with what was needed for the brass fittings, John Bradshaw of Bradshaw Awards in Flemington, which engraves trophies for the foundation, pointed him toward the J.M. Caldwell Co. foundry in Westchester, Pa.

It took nearly four months from seeing the prototypes of missing items they made up until they produced samples that got the green light.

Construction supervisor Cliff Cotter shows off one of the brass rings used for tying horses. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

“You can’t really tell the difference between what was made 100 years ago and what (was) reproduced,” said Cliff, who has been with the foundation since 2006. He previously worked on large construction projects, such as dormitories at Yale University, and the golf course that shares Hamilton Farm with the foundation.

All the work on the stalls was thoughtful and painstaking.

“It’s the only way to do it here,” said Bonnie.

“To do it any other way would be not honoring the legacy we have and the wonderful facility we’ve been given.”

Other touches included replacing fluorescent lights with instant-on LED fixtures, re-opening windows that had been painted shut or warped, redoing brass ventilation grilles and putting a new surface on the ramps leading from the top floor to the lower level.

The stalls on the upper floor will be ready for their makeover in December. The cost will be approximately the same as the $275,000 spent on the lower level. Cliff thinks the upper level will go a little faster than the lower level, “because now we know the quirks and little things we have to do to make it work.”

He believes that if James Cox Brady came back today, he’d be pleased to see that from his viewpoint, the stables haven’t changed at all.

“This is a building that was built very, very well and we’re trying to take care of it to last another 100 years,” said Cliff. “It’s a labor of love to know that you’re working on something that’s going to last.”

The USET Foundation stables, which have stood the test of time. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

The public is invited to visit the stables during the week, or when events are being held there. They include everything from Pony Club camp to dressage shows and the U.S. Equestrian Federation Talent Search.

More information is available at www. USET.org. Those who wish to contribute to the Gladstone Fund may do so through the website or by calling (908) 234-1251.

The foundation’s mission is stated as supporting, “the competition, trainining, coaching, travel and education needs of America’s elite and developing international High Performance horsea and athletes in partnershp with the U.S. Equestrian Federation.”

A triumphant preview of the Mars Inc. Essex Horse Trials

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 3, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
June 23, 2016

Essex Horse Trials veteran Buck Davidson returned for the Invitational Derby Cross at Moorland Farm with Victor BZ.

Even before yesterday evening’s Invitational Derby Cross competition at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, I knew there wasn’t going to be just one winner.

I’m talking big picture here, not who was taking home the blue ribbon for what basically was an exhibition. The Derby Cross and accompanying cocktail party heralded the return of the iconic Mars Essex Horse Trials in 2017 at a new location.

Essex, last held in 1998 at Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, home of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, was a major fixture on the circuit and its many supporters keenly felt the loss when it was discontinued.

So it’s a win for the sport that Essex is going to be back with a bevy of sponsors as Mars Inc. leads the way, and it’s a win for the Somerset Hills area, where a long-range strategic plan calls for having more top-class equestrian sport in the area.

Essex isn’t picking up exactly where it left off. It was a 2-star, but is coming back on the weekend of June 24, 2017 as a beginner/novice through preliminary fixture, though ambitions are to have it move up to a higher level at some point.

Essex began a few miles from Moorland at Hoopstick Farm in Bedminster, where Roger Haller, his family and friends put on the first Essex in 1968. Roger, a member of the eventing Hall of Fame, died in March, but his widow, Ann, was on hand to be part of the event that heralded the revival of Essex. And the event’s signature cocktail, the Hoopstick, was perfect for a toast to the return of the event.

The Derby Cross, with 12 riders taking part, was run in front of about 400 enthusiastic partygoers on the incredibly scenic former estate where the popular Far Hills Race Meeting is staged each October.

The Derby Cross “bears no relation to any jumping or eventing competition you’ve ever seen,” said Sally Ike of Tewksbury, who acted as the judge for the event. Course designer Morgan Rowsell of Long Valley came up with a hybrid that artfully combined show jumping fences with the type of natural fences, such as brush obstacles and carved logs, that one would find on an eventing cross-country floorplan.

The route was cleverly laid out, using the up-and-down of the grassy terrain to raise the level of difficulty without raising the fences too high.

Those who went clean in the first round (some got assistance from jumping a 4-foot, 3-inch joker fence that erased one knockdown for those who cleared it) came back over a shorter course against the clock. Clearing the joker fence in that round took five seconds off the entry’s time.

Derby Cross winner Jennie Brannigan and Kilkenny.

It was fun and easy to understand with commentary by experienced eventer Doug Payne. He could have a career in announcing when he decides to stop riding.

The occasion was like old home week; every time I turned around I saw people I knew, many of whom were regulars at Essex. The word of the day was “exciting.” Everyone was jazzed at the thought of Essex returning to the area.

Buck Davidson went to Essex every year, as I remember, and he believes he took part in the last one in 1998. He was eager to compete at Moorland Farm yesterday.

He recalled Essex as “always one of my favorite events. I’m really excited to have this event coming back. I’m very excited for the real thing come next year.”

Another Essex veteran, Holly Payne Caravella, Doug’s sister, rode at Essex for the first time in 1998.

“I was so upset years ago when they stopped it and I was happy I got to do it at least one year,” said the Gladstone resident.

“It’s so exciting that it’s coming back and now everyone’s going to be able to appreciate it.”

She believes 230-acre Moorland Farm, with its sweeping vistas, is a perfect location.

“It’s beautiful, it’s awesome, it’s right outside of town, which is really cool, so I think it will draw a lot of local people. They’ve got tons of land and all the equipment they need to maintain the footing, so I think it’s going to be really good.”

Jennie Brannigan, who won the Derby Cross on Kilkenny, relished her time on the property because she enjoys steeplechase racing, though she has never been able to attend the Far Hills meeting because it conflicts with the important Fair Hill, Md., International three-day event in Maryland. She loved having the opportunity to ride on such special turf, and like the others, is hoping to return in 2017.

The move to give Essex a new lease on life began last year during the Gladstone Gathering at the historic USET Foundation stables. Jim Brady, whose family once owned Hamilton Farm, felt that the area wasn’t hosting as many top-class equestrian events as it once did. He revitalized the old Gladstone Equestrian Association, and came up with the idea for the party.

Tewksbury resident Ralph Jones was among those attending, and the gathering inspired him. The eventing enthusiast began working with Morgan to find a venue where Essex could live again.

“It was so well regarded back in the day,” said Ralph.

“I was just thrilled with the idea of starting it over.”

Sinead Halpin and Topgun, second in the Derby Cross.

Local favorite Holly Payne Caravella of Gladstone and Never Outfoxed.

Essex Horse Trials Board Vice President Guy Torsilieri, former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman and Paul Vallone, mayor of Far Hills.

They looked at several locations, but Moorland had everything, including great footing maintained for the races. Guy Torsilieri, chairman of the board of the Far Hills Race Meeting and a former Essex chairman, liked the idea and soon Essex was off and running.

“We worked very closely with Guy to bring it back,” said Ralph, noting that Guy had kept Essex’s 501-C3 status.

“We basically took the dust covers off and started over.”

Addressing the crowd at the Derby Cross, Guy said, “There is a group of individuals, and all of you, who have decided that it is time to revitalize equestrian activity in this area. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Essex, the Monmouth at the Team show at Gladstone in August and the races are all being benfited by Rod Ryan and Open Road Auto Group; the Peapack Gladstone Bank and RWJ Barnabas Health.

“I’m thrilled it’s all coming together,” said Guy.

Also in attendance were former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman and Far Hills Mayor Paul Vallone, both of whom spoke about the importance of supporting the horse industry in the state.

“New Jersey’s one of those places that once you come here, you realize how horses are really in the tradition and from growing up, even not in the area, I knew New Jersey as a horse place,” said Sinead Halpin of Branchburg, second in the Derby Cross on Topgun.

“The terrain and the land is just stunning, so I’m surprised there weren’t more events here.”

As I was leaving, I chatted with Cheryl Bock of Califon, and asked her what she thought about the revival of Essex.

“I’m glad it’s back,” she said.

My feelings exactly.