After a year off due to the pandemic, the Lake Placid, N.Y., Horse Shows have “come back very strong,” said chairman Philip Richter, as the two-week competition looks toward the future.
Those involved with the shows are working on two-, four-, six- and 10-year plans, which is difficult, Philip pointed out, because his worry is “more what does the sport look like in 10 years and how do we stay relevant?”
He believes the answer is, “you have to have great facilities and keep reinvesting in your facilities; you have to keep upping the prize money. You have to have people have a great experience and thank them for coming.”
Part of the planning for Lake Placid involves considering whether to have FEI classes, but that hinges in part with getting more land from the town so “FEI could be a reality.”
This year, the shows were full with nearly 1,000 horses and couldn’t “take another horse,” noted Philip, pointing out that a lot of new people have come into the sport recently. There was not shortage of grassroots riders on hand, and even without FEI, there also were plenty of big names such as McLain Ward, Devin Ryan and Joe Fargis.
Alex Matz and Cashew CR, winner of the Richard Feldman Grand Prix, where the presentation included Dianna Feldman (right) Richard’s widow, with Philip Richter (far right), who succeeded Richard as Lake Placid show chairman. (Kind Media photo)
Not only would an FEI initiative require more space, it also would involve getting a sponsor to guarantee a five-year commitment “because you can’t just dabble in FEI and not swing the club all the way through,” said Philip. The show is trying to get a grant from the state of New York to make some improvements, since it is “the single-best revenue-generator in the town of Lake Placid, period.”
While the Ironman Triathlon might bring in 30,000 people, “they sleep in their Subarus and eat granola,” Philip pointed out.
Those who come for the horse show, on the other hand, spend a lot of money on restaurants and hotels in the community that hosted both the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. Many consider a trip to the scenic site in the Adirondacks a vacation as well as a competitive opportunity.
The shows, sponsored by Bainbridge Farms LLC and presented by Sea Shore Stables LLC, wrapped up over the weekend. As usual, they were a tradition that keeps exhibitors and their families returning for several generations.
A case in point involved Alex Matz, the son of longtime Lake Placid competitors Michael Matz (a three-time winner of the grand prix) and Alex’s mother, D.D. Matz. Alex won the first grand prix of his career, the $100,000 Richard Feldman class on Cashew CR, during the initial week at the showgrounds. Unstoppable, he returned Saturday during the I Love New York show to take his second grand prix, the $100,000 Great American Insurance Group feature, riding Davidson.
Alex Matz and Davidson. (Kind Media photo)
Laura Chapot, whose parents, Mary and Frank Chapot, made the trip to Lake Placid for years, also was a big winner in a variety of jumper classes.
The grass grand prix field benefitted from a year off, giving the roots a chance to grow deeper. Meanwhile, a $1.3 million investment in footing was made for the schooling rings and the hunter arenas.
Courses were laid out by Irish designer Alan Wade, who also did the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games and the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup Finals. Other familiar names in key positions were manager Michael Morrissey, as well as announcer Peter Doubleday and David Distler, a top-of-the-line judge and steward. As Philip describes them all, “people who know what they’re doing.”
That would include the show’s administration. Younger folks have been added to the board and there is “an executive committee full of smart people who understand finance and business,” Philip pointed out.
He learned from his namesake and grandfather, the late Philip Hofmann, chairman of Johnson & Johnson. Philip paid attention when his grandfather advised, “you’ve got to surround yourself with really smart people. You don’t want to make a lot of unnecessary mistakes.”
As Philip noted, “I don’t make any decisions in a vacuum. Everything gets run by the committee and then goes to the board for approval.”
Lake Placid is a big responsibility for Philip, who works full-time as president of Hollow Brook Wealth Management.
So with all his other responsibility, what keeps him going at the helm of Lake Placid?
The reason is simple, he explained: “I’ve been showing here since I was a kid. I love it.”
A well-known figure in the world of horse racing, fox hunting and show jumping, Bert Firestone, died today in West Palm Beach at the age of 89.
The industrial real estate developer and his wife, Diana, collected seven of racing’s Eclipse Awards. And while they also had great success racing in Europe, they were best known for their ownership of Genuine Risk, only the second filly to win the Kentucky Derby.
They owned both the Calder racecourse and Gulfstream Park from 1989-1991. The farms they operated included Catoctin Stud in Waterford, Va., before buying Newstead Farm in Upperville, Va.
They hunted in Virginia with the Piedmont and Middleburg Hunts and were joint masters of the Kildare Foxhounds in Ireland. They also competed in show jumping.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Firestone, an honorary life trustee of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, is survived by his daughter, Alison, a show jumper who rode for the U.S., and a son, Matt., an eventer who did the same. Other survivors are sons Greg and Ted and three stepchildren, Lorna, Chris and Cricket.
A new partnership has been formed between Global Equestrian Group, headed by Andreas Helgstrand and Wellington Equestrian Partners, whose CEO is Mark Bellissimo, with plans for an 11-acre expansion of WEP’s Palm Beach International Equestrian Center showgrounds.
The parties also are evaluating further investment opportunities in Wellington, including “a new state of the art” Global Dressage Festival showgrounds. WEP plans originally called for Global Dressage Festival’s shows to move from its current facilities to the nearby International Polo Club, but that never came to fruition.
The concept of the arrangement is to further develop international equestrian sport. GEG is acquiring PBIEC, home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, and investing in “equestrian lifestyle initiatives.”
Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Fla.
Meanwhile, WEP will invest in Global Equestrian Group and its key partners, Bellissimo, Roger Smith, Lisa Lourie of Spy Coast Farm, Marsha Dammerman and WEP President Michael Stone will continue in their roles. Bellissimo and Stone will remain as management along with CEO Dave Burton.
GEG is part of Waterland Private Equity, a private equity firm that manages a global investment portfolio in excess of $11 billion. The GEG initiative will launch major investments in all areas of PBIEC, aimed at ensuring it will “continue to be the pre-eminent sport horse venue in the world with increased exposure in Europe, Asia, and South America.”
To ensure continuity, WEP required a 50-year deed restriction on the venue that guarantees USEF- and FEI-sanctioned shows on the property.
USEF CEO Bill Moroney stated in that regard, “As always, we are pleased to see a continued investment in U.S. equestrian sport. This significant commitment to world class facilities, horse and rider welfare, and USEF and FEI competitions further validates the market’s demand, at all levels, for organized sport.”
Andreas Helgstrand, a Dane who was a top dressage rider and now is co-owner and CEO of GEG declared, “The Winter Equestrian Festival and PBIEC are fantastic brands within international equestrian sport.
“Together, we will strengthen the offering and create a global market leader spreading our passion for equestrian sport and lifestyle to new markets.”
GEG’s other investments include Helgstrand Dressage, which often has presented its horses during exhibitions at the Global Dressage Festival; Ludger Beerbaum Stables, carrying the name of the famed German show jumper–who allied with Helgstrand in January; Helgstrand Jewelry and the apparel and accessories company, Kingsland Equestrian. The total revenue of all of these is $180 million.
PBIEC hosts shows for 40 weeks a year. The 13-week WEF, offering $12 million in prize money, is the world’s largest and longest-running equestrian sports event, bringing together 4,000 families, 8,000 horses, and 250,000 spectators from 43 different countries. An economic study put WEF’s annual economic impact on Palm Beach County at $279 million in total expenditures and 150,000 bed nights.
GEG will now have event venues in the US, Germany and Denmark. The partnership enables the Group to leverage PBIEC’s experience and create a European equestrian sports event company.
“Our goal is to enhance equestrian sport by providing superior venues and top sport so riders across the world can live out their passions and dreams,” said Beerbaum, four-time Olympic gold medalist in jumping and co-owner of Global Equestrian Group.
“With the acquisition of PBIEC, we now have the perfect setting to do this in the US and with our current expansion of Riesenbeck International in Germany we will have two top professional and attractive show grounds.”
Bellissimo added, “We are pleased to be collaborating with both Andreas and Ludger, whose passion and commitment to equestrian sport is extraordinary. Opportunities abound to take the sport to a new level.”
Bellissimo will be announcing a comprehensive strategy and a series of investments to elevate Wellington as” the world’s premiere equestrian lifestyle destination, thus strengthening its international appeal.”
Although he started as the traveling reserve for the Olympic eventing team, I always had a feeling Doug Payne would make the squad. And today he did, with his longtime partner, Vandiver, owned by Doug; his wife, Jessica, and Debi and Kevin Crowley.
How strong was my feeling? I ran into Doug’s mother, Marilyn Payne, on the Friday of dressage at Land Rover Kentucky in April and told her I dreamed the previous night that Doug was on the Olympic team. A no-nonsense trainer, rider, judge and Olympic official, she was polite, but perhaps a bit skeptical about my psychic powers.. So I was thrilled to be able to write her today and say, “I told you so.”
Doug, a native of Tewksbury Township, was named to replace Liz Halliday-Sharp when her Deniro Z was withdrawn from the team due to “veterinary concerns” following pre-travel horse evaluations before the horses left for Europe, where they will spend pre-export quarantine until heading to Tokyo.Tamie Smith and Mai Baum will now take Doug’s place as the traveling reserve combination.
According to the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s statement about Deniro, “it was determined it is in the best interest of the horse to be withdrawn from the team after confirming he has sustained an injury. He is expected to make a full recovery.”
Being on the Olympic team is another in a series of achievements for Doug, the father of two who has a mechanical engineering degree, is a pilot, author, a Pan American Games team gold medalist, and competes successfully in show jumping and dressage, even when those disciplines are not part of an eventing competition.
He noted that the Olympics is “the dream of every little kid, but it always seemed such a distant target. It’s a surreal experience; for sure, it’s something you always dreamed to do.”
At the same time, he emphasized, “you don’t want to go to just say you went, you want to go to compete. There’s definitely pressure to make sure we can do the best we can and if that’s good enough, that would be great.”
He added about the chances of being selected for the team, “If you’re able to have a string of horses you can develop to that level, odds are you’re going to make it and the chance is something you should savor for sure and we’ll try to make the most of it.”
Vandiver, known as Quinn, was bred by Debi Crowley in Alabama. The American-bred is paired with the only rider on the team who was born in America. The other two team members, Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton, were born in Australia. Quinn. is by Windfall, as is Boyd’s mount, Tsetserleg.
At age 17, Quinn “is stronger, better now than he’s ever been.He’s a horse with about the biggest heart that I’ve ever worked with. It’s exciting,” said Doug, who has worked with the horse for more than six years.
The heat in Tokyo is expected to be a factor in the competition, but it plays to Quinn’s strength.
“He really handles the heat well. He’s a lighter, leaner type. He’s particularly well-suited for the environment,” Doug believes..
Now based in North Carolina, Doug is still proud of his roots in New Jersey, where his mother and father, Richard Payne, own Applewood Farm in Tewksbury. Doug pointed out he is an alumnus of the Somerset Hills Pony Club, while noting, so is Devin Ryan of Long Valley, who made the short list for the U.S. Olympic show jumping team. Ditto Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, who finished sixth among candidates for the U.S. Olympic dressage team.
In fact, when Alice was a kid, she owned a naughty pony named Licorice that she would ride in Pony Club lessons. When Licorice felt he had done enough, he would take off, scattering those watching at ringside in his wake.
The day the pony clubbers first switched horses was an eye-opener. Alice recalled Doug Payne getting on her pony while she got on his.
“Oh my God,” she realized after riding Doug’s pony, “he doesn’t run out of the ring!” Meanwhile, Doug was able to get Alice’s pony around the arena without disturbing spectators—or their chairs.
In a statement following the announcement that Deniro was off the team, Liz said,”Niro has always been such a fighter, and has continued to feel excellent in his training, but I know him so well and after the mandatory outing we were concerned that he was not completely right.
“With support from the excellent U.S. Eventing Team vets and farriers, we ultimately determined that he has some bone bruising, and it will not be in his best interest to be put under the pressure of the Olympic Games.
“While I am completely devastated to not get the chance to represent my country in Tokyo this year, Deniro is my friend and my partner above all else and it would not be fair to put him in an environment as intense as the Olympics if he is not 100 percent
“We feel confident that Deniro will be back in fighting form after a period of rest and rehab and we are already looking ahead to the World Championships in 2022 and beyond with this very special horse.”
It’s been a difficult year for the Far Hills Race Meeting, following cancellation of its 2020 edition due to the pandemic.
But the races are returning to center stage in a big way this autumn at Moorland Farm on Route 202, as the steeplechase fixture marks the postponed celebration of its 100th anniversary.
“People are really excited we’re coming back; they’re very tired of Covid and the last 16 months,” said Guy Torsilieri, who chairs the races with Ron Kennedy.
Even before official word that the high-profile sporting and social event was a go, the race meeting got “a ton of phone calls” from people eager to resume a tradition that many families have enjoyed for generations.
Those who have hillside spots need to renew their location by Aug. 1, and if they are dropping out, there’s “a huge waiting list” of those who would like to have a tailgating space, said Guy, who expects a sell-out of that site.
Meanwhile, there has been great interest from corporate sponsors.
“So far, I’m batting a thousand. Every tent holder I talked to was thrilled to be back in full force,” said Guy.
“I think it’s going to be busier than 2019. There’s so much excitement to get out and do stuff with family and friends,” said Guy. He mentioned 25,000-30,000 people came to the last running, but he’d like to see 40,000 attend this year.
“We will comply with all CDC guidelines,” said Guy, noting that if people prefer to wear a mask, they are free to do so, but there are no requirements in that regard.
The 2021 edition wasn’t a sure thing until approximately two months ago, when state-imposed limits on crowd numbers at gatherings were lifted. The 500-person cap for the fall of 2020 made it impossible to hold the races last year.
For 2021, “We were on totally on hold until we knew we could go,” said Guy.
That has meant playing a bit of catchup. No decision has been made yet, for instance, on whether to continue the pari-mutuel betting option that debuted in 2018, and specific plans to mark the centennial are still being developed, aside from renaming the Chairman’s Tent at the finish line the Centennial Tent..
The cancellation left the organization cutting back while missing a year’s income, Guy said. Moorland’s staff of “three and a half” employees dropped by two. The maintenance issue got solved by “a labor of love,” volunteer mowing efforts from Guy, Ron, Essex Horse Trials Co-Chairman Ralph Jones and “super-star volunteer” Zac Rubin (the son of Essex Horse Trials volunteer organizer Sally Rubin).
Even though “the farm looks a little shaggy,” Guy chuckled, they got the necessary work done to have Moorland shaped up for the Essex Horse Trials July 17-18 and the races Oct. 16.
Another difficult aspect of the cancellation meant the event could not contribute to its charities.
“This partnership is of the utmost importance after the year we’ve had, and we’re elated to welcome our Far Hills family back to the property,” Ron said.
The race meeting has given more than $18 million to its beneficiaries and this year will contribute to a variety of local healthcare-oriented charities. They include Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Barnabas Health, Crossroads4Hope, the Arc of Somerset County, Community in Crisis, LifeCamp and Bonnie Brae.
Covid brought change to so many things, and in its wake, the race meeting has been streamlining its operations while looking at outsourcing some functions in order to be more efficient.
“Just because you’re 100 years old, doesn’t mean you’re doing everything right,” said Guy, noting this is an opportunity to make needed operational changes.
This year, tickets will not be available at area retail outlets and banks. Instead, all ticket purchases must be made on line at www.farhillsrace.org.
Who didn’t see this one coming? The same American squad that competed in Rome last month has been named as the show jumping team for the Tokyo Olympics.
Kent Farrington (Gazelle) and his 2016 Olympic silver medal teammate,, McLain Ward (Contagious)–who is also a veteran of the 2004,2008 and 2012 Olympics– were selected, along with 2000 and 2008 Olympian Laura Kraut (Baloutinue) and Olympic newcomer Jessica Springsteen (Don Juan van de Donkhoeve.)
Unlike the U,S. dressage and eventing teams, which named three riders and a traveling reserve, no such distinction was made for show jumping. There can only be three riders on a team, but substitutions are allowed. So three riders could compete in the individual test, which comes first, and then for the team competition, one could be dropped while another is added.
Coach Robert Ridland always pays special attention to bringing along younger riders, so Lucy Deslauriers–the only U.S. rider double-clear in the Nations Cup in Rotterdam this month with her reliable Hester–and Brian Moggre (Balou de Reventon) will be reserves and quarantine in Germany with the team. Brian and Lucy were 1-2 in the grand prix in Sopot, Poland, last month.
(For more details about selection, see the article below this one in On the Rail section about Beezie Madden)
We all know about horse farms that regrettably have been sold for development in the face of ever- increasing suburbanization.
The 350-acre Wildwood Farm, 20 miles from Memphis in Germantown, Tenn., would have seemed a likely candidate for that fate, but owner Lee Taylor was determined it wouldn’t happen to the property where his family had started an American Saddlebred show stable in 1934.
Lee Taylor and one of the foals bred and raised at Wildwood.
The farm evolved over the years and in 2017, Wildwood was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lee, an avid polo player, made use of the property for his sport, with special attention to caring for the deep-rooted Bermuda grass turf. Wildwood even hosted the U.S. Polo Open Championships in 1968.
In later years, he and his wife, Melanie Smith Taylor, dedicated themselves to learning about improving the horse/human connection, bringing in specialists such as Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman for clinics. An organized foundational program, Wildwood Horsemanship, was developed to gear all activities on the farm as a continuous study of the nature of the horse and the nature of the land.
Lee had wanted the farm to be preserved and go to charity after he and Melanie passed on, but ran out of time to make a decision on its future when he died of cancer in 2005. He was just 64, leaving Melanie the responsibility to carry out his wishes for the farm’s future.
Finding the right fit for Lee’s vision wasn’t easy. Melanie persisted in insuring that the property not only would stay intact, but also be used for causes dear to Lee’s heart.
Lee “wanted to be sure the farm continued to be enjoyed by me and the Wildwood family for the duration of my lifetime,” said Melanie.
“But he also hoped it would be a gift that keeps on giving and growing through scholarship, guardianship and friendship.”
A member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic gold medal show jumping team and now an analyst for NBC during the Olympics, Melanie gives numerous clinics that are geared to helping riders upgrade their skills in the saddle, while teaching them how to truly connect with their horses, especially emphasizing the importance of groundwork.
Melanie, who grew up in Germantown, remembers the equestrian-oriented area from her childhood as “the kind of place where a summer morning meant you jumped on your horse or pony after breakfast and took off for a friend’s house or the penny candy store a couple of miles away. You might not return home until dark.”
Through the years, despite development in the region, Wildwood remained a constant that harks back to those days and embodied the things that meant the most to Lee.
During Melanie’s mission to find a suitable future for Wildwood, in she began talks in 2015 with the University of Tennessee about a partnership. It came to fruition last month, as a letter of intent was signed that enables the university’s Martin branch to make Wildwood “a living classroom” for equestrian and agricultural pursuits.
Kerry Witcher, UT vice president for development and alumni affairss; Randy Boyd, UT president; Melanie Smith Taylor and Keith Carver, chancellor of UT Martin.
Although an appraisal of the property has not been completed, University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd said it is clear that the donation of Wildwood will be the largest gift received in the 225-year history of the university, calling the property “an oasis” amidst the region’s increasing urbanization. Randy and Melanie clicked immediately after he discovered they shared a mutual love of dachshunds.
Acknowledging the Land Trust for Tennessee plan for conservation, Melanie said the arrangement for Wildwood, “reflects a seamless transition from past to present to future” that will protect the property and benefit future generations through education.
It’s an idea that could be replicated in different forms around the country, insuring that some farms targeted for development could stay green in a partnership with a university or other institution dedicated to agriculture and horses.
During the signing ceremony, UT Martin Chancellor Keith Carver cited the Taylor family’s “multi-generational devotion to the preservation of Wildwood” and its landmark brick 20,000-square-foot, 32-stall barn, where Melanie and Lee were married in 1989.
Melanie and Lee Taylor.
Melanie will continue to pursue her interests, while enjoying “a front-row seat” to the benefits of Wildwood for students studying agriculture and those on UT Martin’s NCAA equestrian team, Keith said. He mentioned expansion of the horsemanship program and increasing internship opportunities, providing clinics and expanding soil and natural science research programs.
Summerfield (Skey) Johnston, a close friend of Lee’s who met his wife at Wildwood, has pledged $1 million seed money through his Tucker Foundation to go toward the capital campaign of $8 million for the facility’s endowment.
The transition will start with construction of a classroom and a laboratory for UT Martin’s vet tech program and agricultural research program. Melanie will be a part of this and would like to add a horsemanship component and eventually get that into some of the vet schools.
“Many kids now don’t grow up on farms like we did,” Melanie noted.
“They aren’t comfortable around horses. The whole idea of the groundwork is to connect with the horses, so they are relaxed and comfortable. When vets are working on them in stressful situations, you want the horse to be calm.”
She noted about the arrangement with UT Martin, “The exciting thing is that during my lifetime, I’ll be able to enjoy being a part of it.”
And she knows this is just what Lee would have wanted.
“He loved this farm so much, he felt like it was paradise on earth,” she said.
“And to be able to keep it intact for perpetuity is just beyond my greatest dream.”
Expect medals in the Paralympics from the U.S. para dressage squad that was named today. Michel Assouline has done a great job coaching the team and putting America on the map in this discipline. Laureen Johnson will serve as team leader.
Riders heading to Tokyo include Beatrice de Lavalette and Clarc; Rebecca Hart and El Corona Texel, with Fortune 500 as a direct reserve; Kate Shoemaker and Solitaer 40 and Roxanne Trunnell with Dolton.
The three combinations who will represent the U.S. in team competition will be determined after the completion of the Individual tests Aug. 27.
Two combinations have been named as team alternates and are listed in selected order:
Sydney Collier and All In One and Charlotte Merle-Smith with Guata.
After Garant’s “extraordinary effort” for the U.S. team in the first round of today’s Nations Cup in Rotterdam, rider Beezie Madden; her husband,John, and owner Abigail Wexner have decided to withdraw him from consideration for the US Olympic Team.
“We all believe strongly in Garant’s future as a championship horse, but know it’s not the right time for him yet. We hated to let our country and teammates down today, but the only thing more important than the team is the horse,” said a statement from John Madden Sales..
“I love Garant and wouldn’t trade him for any other horse in the world. He is healthy and sound, but just is not quite ready for what the Olympics would ask of him. We have to put his best interests first,” said Beezie, who has ridden on every U.S. Olympic team since 2004..
She had a rail and a time fault for a total of 5 in the first round, and did not return from the second round. Teammates Adrienne Sternlicht (Benny’s Legacy) and McLain Ward (Contagious) both were clean in the first round but had eight penalties in the second. Rookie Lucy Deslauriers came through with a double-clear on Hester as the U.S. finished seventh with the Dutch team claiming the win.
Rotterdam is the last trial for the U.S. squad, which is slated to be named in a few days. At the moment, Kent Farrington and Laura Kraut look like a lock for the team. It would be hard not to include someone as experienced as McLain, even if his horse has had a few bobbles. The big question is whether Jessie Springsteen will get the nod or now, given her Rotterdam performance, Lucy is put on board. The team is three members with a traveling alternate who can be substituted during certain times in the competition. Show jumping begins in August, while the Games get under way July 23 with dressage and eventing on the agenda first.
The 500th member of the Century Club is Helene Dellechiaie of Oak Ridge became the 500th member of the U.S. Dressage Federation’s Century Club, for riders and horses whose ages total 100 or more and complete a dressage test.
Helene is 71 and her Connemara pony, Finnian’s Chase (Finn), is 29. They received a score of 73.125 percent for Intro Level Test A on June 26 at the Greendell Dressage Schooling Show in Newton.
Helene and Finn.
For the 26 years she has owned Finn, Helene has received several Awards of Excellence from the American Connemara Pony Society, the Master Challenge Award from the United States Dressage Federation, and three Horse of the Year Awards from the United States Equestrian Federation. Helene is a member of the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association, the same USDF Group Member Organization as the first Century Club rider, the late Lazelle Knocke of Readington. Lazelle and her horse, Don Perignon, joined the Century Club in 1996.
Helene said, “I would like to thank my husband Phil for his unrelenting support of my passion and my trainers, Kara Stark McGrew and Suzanne Marshall, for their patience teaching Finn and me how to dance. We would especially like to thank The Dressage Foundation and congratulate them on their 25th year of inspiring seniors toward achieving one more goal and honored to be the 500th team.”
In 2020, The Dressage Foundation welcomed 48 new members. So far in 2021, 24 riders have joined. With the support of Platinum Performance and donations from dressage clubs and individuals, TDF awards ribbons and plaques to each new Century Club member, as well as providing an annual Century Club Newsletter to all members.
“The Century Club members are some of the most inspirational equestrians I’ve ever known,” said Jenny Johnson, TDF’s Executive Director. “They come from all walks of life and all equestrian backgrounds. Some have ridden their entire lives, some just recently picked up the reins. We receive many calls and emails from riders who tell us that joining the Century Club is on their ‘bucket lists,’ even if it’s years away. Many thanks to all of the donors who help us recognize and honor the seniors of our sport, and congratulations to all the members!”
To learn more about the Century Club, visit dressagefoundation.org or contact Sara Weiss, director of grants and programs at sara@dressagefoundation.org or (402) 434-8585.
To support the Century Club, contact Jenny Johnson at jenny@dressagefoundation.org or (402) 434-8585. Donations to support the Century Club may also be made online at dressagefoundaltion.org/support.
