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.”
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.
A legend several times over, show jumper Harry de Leyer died yesterday, according to his daughters, Christine.and Harriet.
Harry de Leyer walks out of the ring at Madison Square Garden during Snowman’s retirement ceremony at the National Horse Show. (George Axt Photo)
A ferocious competitor in the show ring, a longtime trainer at the Knox School and a resistance member in the Netherlands during World War II, he was best known for his partnership with Snowman, an $80 ex-plow horse he rescued from a trip to the slaughterhouse and turned into a national champion who captivated the country.
Harry was a showman as well as a horseman, known for throwing his hunt cap into the air after a clean round. Always a crowd-pleaser, he did so much for horse sport by connecting with the fans.
He relationship with the horse of a lifetime was turned into an award-winning documentary “Harry and Snowman,” directed by Ron Davis, which received wide acclaim. The rider and his one-of-a-kind mount also were the subject of a book, “The Eighty Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse who Inspired a Nation,” written by Elizabeth Letts.
Arrangements are in process for Harry, 92, who had been in a Virginia nursing home.
“Unfortunately Luke 140 looks like he has tweaked his leg on his last gallop,” said Boyd, explaining why the horse who was his humber one mount for the Games isn’t going to Japan.
“.My gut feeling is that if I push on with him towards the Tokyo Olympics that it could turn into a bad injury.,” noted Boyd, who will be riding the second of his two back-up horses, Tsetserleg, on whom he earned double gold at the 2019 Pan American Games.
“Luke is a young horse and has a huge future ahead of him and I believe its better to save him for another day,” Boyd explained.
“This is a heartbreaking decision, as Luke has been in fantastic form in his training in the build up towards Tokyo. I am very grateful that I have a tremendous replacement horse in Thomas (Tsetserleg) who is also in sizzling condition. I would like to thank and tell the group of owners behind Luke how sorry I am.”
Boyd at Thomas fell near the end of the course at the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star in April, which is why he wasn’t the selectors’ number one choice for the rider.
But they think Boyd is so important to the team that he was named with two direct reserve horses. On Cue, the mare on whom he finished fourth at Kentucky as the top-placing American, is still waiting in the wings if necessary.
There will be spectators at the Olympic Games, as five agencies, including the International Olympic Committee and the government of Japan, decided today to permit a limited number of fans in the stands up to a maximum of 10,000 people.
That means the faces the athletes see will not be photos on cardboard (as seen at the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star in April). That will add to the atmosphere as the competitions take place, and come across to add a sense of excitement for those watching on television. However, spectators will not be allowed to cheer–speaking in a loud voice or shouting is prohibited. Instead, the authorities will establish “new safe and secure ways of cheering and supporting the athletes”.
The long-awaited decision on fans has a number of caveats, however. The spectators will be Japanese–foreigners were banned months ago.
If a state of emergency or other priority measures aimed at preventing infection are implemented at any time after July 12, restrictions on spectator numbers at the Games will be based on the state of emergency or other relevant measures in force at that time. If there is a change in infection status and the capacity of the medical care system, the five agencies will meet to consider further measures. Masks should be worn in venues at all times. Congestion will be guided by announcements; and visitors will leave venues in a staggered manner. Spectators will be requested to travel directly to venues and return home directly.
The limit on the number of fans will be set at 50 per cent of venue capacity, up to that maximum of 10,000 people, although for some reason, students and supervisors in school programs will not be counted “as they are not spectators.” Huh?
The situation will be monitored in Japan and abroad, including the status of the different variants of the coronavirus, and all necessary action will be taken promptly. Depending on the Covid situation, the Japanese parties will look at either cancelling or reducing the scale of any live sites and public viewing events to minimize the movement of people and review any other Games-related events .A framework will be implemented to keep monitoring the status of infections and medical care, using expert advice. Vaccination of those involved with the Games will continue.
After seven years in Tewksbury, trainer Sara Schmitt next month is moving her operation to a larger venue at Riverfield Farm in Annandale, which was a top hunter-jumper operation when owner Karen Peterson Da Prato ran it as a show stable..
The versatile Sara, who specializes in both dressage and driving, needed more space after seven years at Centerline Farm, so the facility a bit further west next month will offer room for driving in particular on seven times the acreage she has at present, in addition to more than 30 stalls.
Sara called her Tewksbury operation Sara Schmitt Dressage, so guess what the name of her business will be in Annandale? That’s right, Sara Schmitt Dressage.
“My name is my brand,” she explained.
“I keep reinventing everything and doing something new because it’s fun.”
A believer in broadening the experience her students and others receive, She notes clinics will be a feature at the new venue. Olympian Tina Konyot is coming next month and the August clinic with another veteran U.S. dressage team member, Pam Goodrich,is full. Also featured in August, Tracey Morgan is offering a driving clinic on dates yet to be announced.
Sara’s stable remains involved with driving. Assistant trainer Maggie O’Leary won the training level single horse division at the Elk Creek Combined Driving Event earlier this month. She also.got her USDF dressage gold medal this year on a horse Sara trained to Grand Prix, a 19-year-old Friesian/Arab cross.
The multi-dimensional Sara, who earned a Pony Club HA as a teen, keeps busy with judging, and is working toward her 3-star FEI license.
“I’m judging a lot and I’m really learning something,” she observed.
“I think it brings something back to the table when I teach.”
Sara, always energetic, still finds time to be in the saddle, working most recently with Julia Greifeld’s six-year-old Westfalen, Sunflower at Third Level with an eye toward going higher. That horse also will be ridden by Sara’s para-dressage student, Alanna Flax-Clark. Sara meanwhile is still enjoying her two-time world championships pony, a Morgan named High Country Doc. She sold him in 2005, but he came back to her for his retirement.
Ask Sara about long-term ambitions, and she ponders what appears to be a novel question for her.
“Do I have big hopes of going to the Olympics?,” she asks.
“No. But I would like to try to do another team (in driving)” said the former national singles driving champ and veteran of four world championships in that discipline.
“Not this year, but maybe in two or three years. Why not?”
