by Nancy Jaffer | May 3, 2021
She was meant to be an eventing horse, or perhaps go out in the hunt field. But once Candescent’s potential was glimpsed by Alice Tarjan, it was obvious that neither of those destinies would be in the mare’s future.
The four-year-old Hanoverian Alice imported from Europe after viewing a videotape obviously was going to be a dressage horse, her new owner realized almost immediately.
Alice and Candescent. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
“As soon as she came off the plane and left quarantine, it was like, `Oh my gosh, the horse is a freak.’ She’s super scopey.”
Seven years later, Alice and Candescent have been put on the short list for the U.S. Olympic squad in their discipline.
A total of 12 riders were named with 15 horses. They include Adrienne Lyle with Salvino, number one in the standings (Adrienne was also named with Harmony’s Duval); multi-medalist Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper, number two; and Olivia Lagoy-Weltz with Lonoir, a prospect she trained up from Third Level. Others on the list are,Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo, who, like Candescent, is a horse the rider has brought along through the ranks and Nick Wagnman, who has two horses on the roster, Don John and Ferano.
Candescent was ranked number 13, and with Alice, is number 395 in the FEI (international equestrian federation) standings, having made a huge leap up the ladder from number 545 last month. See, Candescent can jump after all!
While Alice is under no illusions that she’ll be heading for Tokyo to ride with the flag on her saddle pad, there are plenty of big competitions on the horizon to point toward, including the world championships in Denmark next year and the Paris Olympics in 2024. Meanwhile, she’s looking forward to the mandatory outing for the short list riders in June at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Club in Wellington, Fla.
Alice and Candescent have established a close relationship during years of training. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
“It’s definitely fun to have made the list. What an honor to be listed with all those people. Almost everyone on that list is a team rider,” noted Alice, who has never been on a team.
Candescent’s selection is a tribute to her owner’s patience and skill, since she is “not so easy to bring along. She’s a special one, I’ll say that,” Alice noted.
“She’s a bull on the ground, she’s a bull under saddle. They call her `the monster horse’ for a reason. She has no respect for people or anything basically,” Alice recounted.
“She just does what she wants.”
When Alice first saw the mare on the video, she was intrigued. Candescent is by Christ 3, who has produced jumpers as well as dressage horses.
“I wanted a horse that was black with four white socks,” explained the Oldwick resident, “and it’s not easy to find a jumper that is black with four white socks. Her immediate thought was, “Maybe it could jump.”
The mare’s coloring is a throwback to Alice’s childhood pony, Licorice, black with four white socks, and so she has a fleet of black horses with white socks, as we’ve recounted her fixation here previously.
Candescent’s talent has been impressively on display for several years. In 2018, Candescent and Alice won both the amateur Intermediate A and B competitions during Dressage at Devon, then went on to take the A and B classes at Devon the next year.
In 2019, Candescent had three straight victories in the U.S. Dressage Federation Championships in the amateur grand prix category. She won the USEF Grand Prix National Championship in Illinois last year, and this year, highlights included a win in the Grand Prix Special in Wellington last month.
Candescent missed an April outing at the new World Equestrian Center in Ocala when she sustained a cut requiring stitches in a trailer mishap, but Alice had planned to rest her for a while anyway. She’s back home in New Jersey now, before heading for Florida again.
Alice is looking forward to the mandatory short list outing, and competing under the lights in a new venue. During the Florida season, the horses show at the Global grounds, about a half-mile from PBIEC. Happily, Candescent isn’t put off by a new location.
“She doesn’t get bothered by a lot,” said Alice, who works with trainer Marcus Orlob of Annandale.
“It will be fun to do, and interesting to see how it plays out.”
Candescent at the dressage championships. (Photo by Susan J. Stickle)
Alice was intrigued by the fact that she was a member of the Somerset Hills Pony Club when she was growing up, as was Devin Ryan, the only New Jerseyan on the Olympic show jumping shortlist, where he was named with Eddie Blue. Now Alice is waiting to see if Doug Payne, who also belonged to the club and used to help her with Licorice, will be named to the Olympic eventing short list. He was 12th at the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star last weekend with Vandiver, but the fifth-best American (foreign riders filled seven spots in the top 12.)
While Kentucky was a U.S. Olympic selection trial, there’s one more test in that category before the short list is named. It’s the Jersey Fresh International Horse Trials, which gets under way Thursday at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown. Read more on this website in the story below, or at this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 24, 2021
Was it just four years ago that Ballynoe Castle RM, better known as Reggie, was retired at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event?
As we gathered at the Kentucky Horse Park this year for the competition, we got the sad news that the U.S. Eventing Association’s all-time high point earner had died in his field in Ocala at the age of 21. He was beloved by so many, but most of all, by his rider, Buck Davidson, and his owners, Carl and Cassie Segal.
As Buck noted, “He was a huge part of all of our lives for so many years and truly a horse of a lifetime.”
Carl Segal wrote me to say, “Cassie and I were shocked to hear about Reggie’s death in Ocala, as he has been healthy throughout his retirement. We are so fortunate to have owned Reggie all these years and will always remember the extraordinary joy he gave us. Early on, Buck and Reggie formed a special partnership that became difficult to beat. Buck obviously deserves enormous credit for Reggie’s tremendous success. We will always miss Reggie but he will never be forgotten.”
Here is a link to a story about Reggie’s life in retirement. Take comfort in knowing that this extraordinary horse had an extraordinary retirement, happily dividing his time between the Segals’ farm in New Jersey and Ocala, where he was part of Buck’s contingent there..No horse could ask for more.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 23, 2021
As an advisory group considers the future for the Somerset County Park Commission’s Lord Stirling Stable, which stopped offering riding lessons when the pandemic began, a survey was sent out to aid in developing a strategic plan for reopening the facility in Basking Ridge.
The mailing list included those who have utilized Somerset County park services, so feedback is coming not only from Somerset County residents, but also from those outside the area. The general public also had a chance to participate..
The Park Commission is interested in increasing activities at the park on the edge of the Great Swamp, where the stable is set on 450 acres that includes 14 miles of trails. Among a variety of questions, the survey asked what type of activities respondents participated in at Lord Stirling, from riding lessons, hunter paces and trail rides to dog walks, pony rides and special community events.
It also sought answers to what non-equestrian activities interest respondents, including snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, nature walks and bird watching. It solicited suggestions for other activities, as well asking respondents to rate what Lord Stirling previously offered, in terms of quality of riding instruction and choice of horses, as well as the park’s atmosphere. The committee also wanted to know what the primary reason for coming to Lord Stirling in the future would be for potential visitors, including horse activities, non-riding activities or new services.
“Lord Stirling Stable has been a crown jewel of the Somerset County Park Commission for more than 50 years, and we are committed to maximizing its benefits to our visitors while protecting its environmental sensitivity and diversity,” said Somerset County Park Commission President Mark Caliguire. “This survey and the input from the public will help us determine how to improve our current programs and expand permissible uses of the property for the residents of Somerset County and their guests.”
Although there was discussion at one time of reopening the stable to the public for lessons this year, there are only limited activities during 2021, including boarding more than two dozen private horses and organized dog walks.
Geoff Soriano, the commission’s executive director, noted the road to reopening involves a lengthy process. The advisory committee meets every two weeks, while its sub-groups get together more frequently to explore different aspects of the panel’s mission in depth. Research includes visit to other county stables around the state.
Once a business plan is developed and reviewed by the park commission, it goes to the county commissioners for approval. Additional funding may be needed to buy horses (the lesson horses were sold last year), and a stable manager will have to be hired. The process, Geoff advised, “could take some time.”
He noted, “The goal has been to get the stable back up into a programmatic mode by January 2022. What is the right time to really launch this new and exciting stable, this re-do? Should it be in the doldrums of winter or should we wait until in the spring? This is not something anybody has decided, yet it’s an idea that’s out there. Within those parameters, that’s kind of the goal.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 23, 2021
Brentina, synonymous with what became a new excellence in American dressage, has been euthanized at the age of 31. The Hanoverian mare by Brentano boosted the popularity of her discipline as she and rider Debbie McDonald showed the world that the U.S. had something very special to offer in a European-dominated sport.
A daughter of Brentano, Brentina was bought at a Hanoverian auction in Germany by Peggy and Parry Thomas. Debbie’s husband, Bob McDonald, advised them at the time, “This will be the best horse you’ll ever own.” He was right.
Brentina and Debbie McDonald were the best of friends. Photo © 2005 by Nancy Jaffer
“We had 14 wonderful years competing together through the levels, nine years of which were at Grand Prix.,” said Debbie, who brought the lovely chestnut along from first level. She started working with Steffen Peters, who would eventually be her teammate in the Olympics, and then trained for three months in Germany with Klaus Balkenhol, the German who served as U.S. coach.
The combination of Debbie and Brentina served notice to the world about the new power of American dressage just before the turn of the century, when they won double gold at the 1999 Pan American Games. The duo went on to lead the silver medal team at the2002 FEI World Equestrian Games, just missing out on an individual medal, then played the same role for the U.S. squad at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, where the team took bronze. Debbie and Brentina became the first U.S. pair to win the FEI World Cup Finals, and were part of the bronze medal team at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games.
More than all those awards, their demeanor and harmony inspired many to try dressage, or to become a fan of the discipline that previously had fewer enthusiasts than show jumping and eventing in this country.
Brentina made her last competitive bow at the 2008 Olympics and had an emotional formal retirement ceremony the next year at the FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas. She spent the rest of her life at a California farm, where she enjoyed a peaceful existence after having two foals through surrogates.
Debbie, now technical advisor for the U.S. dressage team, had deep love and gratitude for Brenina, the mare she called Mama. Together, Debbie and Brentina were celebrities who did so much for their sport.
“I had an amazing career with my horse of a lifetime,” Debbie recalled. “She was the one who put me on the map.”
Debbie also thanked many of those who played a role in Brentina’s life and success, from the Thomas family to groom Ruben Palomera, but she gave a special mention to Christi Sulzbach; her daughter, Kate, “and everyone at In the Irons Farm. They are the reason Mama lived such a long and happy life.
“They knew her inside and out and we all were under the agreement that she would tell us it is time. They had to make that awful call you never want to hear and they are the ones that stayed with her to the end. I can never repay what you gave her and also gave me. There was never a day I worried about her. That is rare for those of you that know mel I worry all the time! But never about her. A piece of my heart is gone but the memories will last a lifetime!”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 22, 2021
As an advisory group considers the future for the Somerset County Park Commission’s Lord Stirling Stable, which stopped offering riding lessons when the pandemic began, a survey has been sent out to aid in developing a strategic plan for reopening the facility in Basking Ridge.
The mailing list includes those who have utilized Somerset County park services, so feedback is coming not only from Somerset County residents, but also from those outside the area. The general public has a chance to participate as well through tomorrow, via social media and this link.
The Park Commission is interested in increasing activities at the park on the edge of the Great Swamp, where the stable is set on 450 acres that includes 14 miles of trails. Among a variety of questions, the survey asks what type of activities respondents participated in at Lord Stirling, from riding lessons, hunter paces and trail rides to dog walks, pony rides and special community events.
It also seeks answers to what non-equestrian activities interest respondents, including snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, nature walks and bird watching. It solicits suggestions for other activities, as well asking respondents to rate what Lord Stirling previously offered, in terms of quality of riding instruction and choice of horses, as well as the park’s atmosphere. The committee also wants to know what the primary reason for coming to Lord Stirling in the future would be for potential visitors, including horse activities, non-riding activities or new services.
“Lord Stirling Stable has been a crown jewel of the Somerset County Park Commission for more than 50 years, and we are committed to maximizing its benefits to our visitors while protecting its environmental sensitivity and diversity,” said Somerset County Park Commission President Mark Caliguire. “This survey and the input from the public will help us determine how to improve our current programs and expand permissible uses of the property for the residents of Somerset County and their guests.”
Although there was discussion at one time of reopening the stable to the public for lessons this year, there are only limited activities during 2021, including boarding more than two dozen private horses and organized dog walks.
Geoff Soriano, the commission’s executive director, noted the road to reopening involves a lengthy process. The advisory committee meets every two weeks, while its sub-groups get together more frequently to explore different aspects of the panel’s mission in depth. Research includes visit to other county stables around the state.
Once the business plan is developed and reviewed by the park commission, it goes to the county commissioners for approval. Additional funding may be needed to buy horses (the lesson horses were sold last year), and a stable manager will have to be hired. The process, Geoff advised, “could take some time.”
He noted, “The goal has been to get the stable back up into a programmatic mode by January 2022. What is the right time to really launch this new and exciting stable, this re-do? Should it be in the doldrums of winter or should we wait until in the spring? This is not something anybody has decided, yet it’s an idea that’s out there. Within those parameters, that’s kind of the goal.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 16, 2021
The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by MARS Equestrian™ is presenting its “Behind the Barn” series
of Interviews with top eventers starting April 18.
The event is running without spectators, but it is available on line, and the interviews are a good supplement to the live action April 22-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
“This will be a chance to hear some of the biggest names in equestrian sport reveal what inspires them and what they hope to accomplish as they prepare for this year’s event,” said Lee Carter, executive director of Equestrian Events Inc., which presents the event, featuring 5-star Long and 4-star Short divisions.
“In many ways, this will give fans of our event an up-close look at our sport’s leading competitors beyond anything they could experience in person. We think everyone will be touched by some of the previously private stories they’ll hear.”
The event, the country’s premier three-day event, is a U.S. selection trial for this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games eventing team. A new partnership between EEI and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, combined with the support of US Equestrian (USEF), longstanding sponsors Land Rover, MARS Equestrian™ and Rolex and many other valued event sponsors, plus the collective efforts of the many individuals who donated, ensured that the nation’s premier equestrian event will be held with its traditional CCI5*-L in the afternoons and a new CCI4*-S in the mornings. Although the event is being held without spectators, it can be seen live online, free of charge, on the USEF Network.
The “Behind The Barn” interviews are hosted by veteran TV personality and three-day event rider Frankie Thieriot Stutes. The interviews will premiere on the event’s website and social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) as follows:
1. Sunday, April 18 – Liz Halliday-Sharp
2. Sunday, April 18 – Emilee Libby
3. Monday, April 19 – Derek DiGrazia
4. Monday, April 19 – Daniela Moguel
5. Monday, April 19 – Lauren Kieffer Nicholson and Jo Kieffer
6. Tuesday, April 20 – Tim and Jonelle Price
7. Tuesday, April 20 – Erik Duvander
8. Tuesday, April 20 – Buck Davidson
9. Wednesday, April 21 – Will Faudree
10. Wednesday, April 21 – Allison Springer
11. Wednesday, April 21 – Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton
12. Wednesday, April 21 – William Fox-Pitt
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 16, 2021
The Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event May 5-9, the Garden State Horse Show on the same dates and the Essex Horse Trials July 17-18 will be welcoming the public after the U.S. Equestrian Federation announced this week it will allow a limited number of fans to attend competitions starting May 3.
With restrictions on public attendance eased, the Essex Horse Trials again will host tailgaters. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
USEF has barred fans since last June 1 in an effort to keep things safe during the Covid pandemic. Under the new protocols, 40 percent of the ticketed spectator capacity will be allowed at USEF-licensed outdoor venues that operate with a ticketed gate. The alternative is a maximum of 400 spectators for competitions that do not ticket spectators, whichever is greater.
Sponsors, participants, competition staff, support personnel, volunteers, and service providers are not included in the spectator capacity numbers. Meanwhile, the USEF’s definition of sponsors has been expanded to include individual persons or business entities that have an agreement in place with the competition to provide goods, services, or financial support integral to the sustainability of a competition. Everyone who comes to a showgrounds must continue to wear a mask, unless they are on a horse, and will have to social distance.
Having a lot of space makes it easy to do that. Garden State, one of the state’s oldest shows, is being held for the first time at The Ridge at Riverview, 3 Wolverton Road, Asbury (Warren County) where there’s plenty of land to spread out.
The same goes for Jersey Fresh at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Monmouth County. Presented by B.W. Furlong & Associates, Jersey Fresh is the final selection trial for the U.S. Olympic eventing team. Already entered are three favorites to make the squad, Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton and Liz Halliday-Sharp, the country’s leading eventing rider of 2020, as well as New Jersey native Doug Payne, who now lives in North Carolina. More entries are expected after next weekend’s Land Rover Kentucky 5-star Long and 4-star Short, as horses often reroute from Kentucky to Jersey Fresh if things don’t go as hoped in Lexington.
Tickets for Jersey Fresh can be bought on line or at the gate. Go to this link for information about tickets., Morgan Rowsell, co-organizer of Jersey Fresh with Jane Cory, said arrangements are being finalized on how to handle admission. Guidance will be posted here as soon as it is available. In addition to B.W. Furlong & Associates, the event’s sponsors include Zoetis, AIG and Boehringer Ingelheim.
Morgan is also the co-organizer of Essex in Far Hills with Ralph Jones and he designs the cross-country courses for both New Jersey events.
Essex Horse Trials co-organizers Ralph Jones and Morgan Rowsell, who also designs the cross-country courses. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
Ralph commented that the easing of restrictions on the number of spectators who can come to the event in Somerset County “will allow us to better promote the Essex Horse Trials in July at Moorland Farm, as we have many vendors and tailgate patrons waiting to hear about our summer plans.”
With Essex nearly three months away, restrictions likely will be eased even further to permit more people to attend what has become a popular community event since its revival in 2017 after a 19-year absence from the scene. Its new date in July was arranged to avoid the wet ground that the event dealt with last year after intense June rain.
As Far Hills Mayor Paul Vallone noted, “We all have been through much and it is so great to see the beginning of normalcy and families coming together once again. It is my hope that the traditions that have defined our communities can once again come front and center. The Essex Horse Trials and the steeplechase (the October Far Hills Race Meeting at Moorland) are signature events that define equestrianism but equally important, are events that our residents have supported for 100 years.”
The borough will celebrate its centennial May 15.
Essex has dropped its advanced division for this year, hoping to reinstate it in 2022, but is offering sections up through Preliminary. Still on board are its sponsors, MARS, Peapack Gladstone Bank, AIG and Running S Veterinary Services.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 15, 2021
Devin Ryan of Long Valley was chosen for the short list of 10 show jumpers who are vying for spots on the U.S. Olympic team that will compete in Tokyo this summer. The group heads for Sopot, Poland and Rotterdam, Holland for Nations Cups and observation competitions before the final team of three and an alternate is named before July 5.
Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue jumping on the gold medal team at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games. (Photo © 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
Devin and Eddie Blue, a 12-year-old Dutch warmblood he has been riding since the grey gelding was a 4-year-old, won the National Horse Show grand prix last year. They put themselves on the international map in a big way with a second place in the 2018 FEI Longines World Cup finals and were on the gold medal team at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games..
Another rider with New Jersey roots, Jessica Springsteen, was selected with Don Juan van de Donkhoeve, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion owned by her family’s Stone Hill Farm in Colts Neck, and RMF Zecilie, a 14-year-old Holsteiner mare.
As expected, those making the list include Kent Farrington of Wellington, Fla., with Austria 2, a 13-year-old Holsteiner mare and his longtime partner Gazelle, a 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare. Others who come as no surprise are New Yorker McLain Ward with his 2017 FEI World Cup Finals winning mount, HH Azur, Contagious and Kasper van het Hellehof; and Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, N.Y., with three mounts owned by Abigail Wexner– Breitling LS, Chic Hin D Hyrencourt and Garant. Laura Kraut, another Florida resident who rode on the 2008 Olympic gold medal team with Beezie and McLain, is listed with Confu, Goldwin and Baloutinue.
The list also includes Texan Brian Moggre, who won the Dover Saddlery/USEF Medal Finals as a junior. He was named with Balou du Reventon, and MTM Vivre Le Reve, the mount on which he became the youngest rider ever to win the National Horse Show Grand Prix. Others are Lucy Deslauriers of New York and Hester, Bliss Heers (Las Vegas) and Antidote de Mars, Adrienne Sternlicht of Connecticut with Bennys Legacy; Cristalline, her ride on the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games gold medal team and Just a Gamble.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 14, 2021
News that a limited number of spectators from the general public will be allowed under new Covid protocols at U.S. Equestrian Federation-licensed shows starting May 3 did not come in time to save the 2021 Devon Horse Show and Country Fair.
In addition, an April 16 statement from the show noted the venue’s 17-acre footprint doesn’t allow for proper social distancing during the pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have long lasting negative effects despite social distancing guidelines and recent vaccination efforts. With many factors beyond capacity limits, the social distancing protocols for such an intimate venue would have continued to prevent the success of the show regardless of the increase in allowed participation,” read the statement.
“The decision to cancel was overwhelmingly embraced by our local community as the right choice in these uncertain times. The DHSCF believes in protecting the health and safety of their entire community and does not believe this is possible with the venue’s structural limitations.
“The DHSCF is unlike any other horse show in the country. Although many other horse shows are able to operate under restricted conditions, the Board of Directors realizes that it cannot sacrifice the less recognizable parts of its event to run something that will be largely unrecognizable and that only a few can participate in. The complicated mechanics of putting on an event of Devon’s size was put on hold based on months of conversations with USEF. There is not enough time to resume preparations based on the adjusted timeline of USEF. As previously stated, the cancellation decision was made only after significant evaluation of the far-reaching operational and financial implications.
A view of the country fair at Devon.
Wayne Grafton, chairman of the show, said last Saturday that even if he had gotten word then on allowing spectators to attend, it would be too late, given all the work necessary to enable the show and fair to run at their iconic venue on Philadelphia’s Main Line. He explained the show couldn’t be held without the revenue-producing fair aend vice-versa.
Read that story here
Devon Horse Show Chairman Wayne Grafton.
USEF and Devon had been in talks for months over when fans would be welcome, and how many could be on the grounds. USEF originally said it was “optimistic” about lifting restrictions as of mid-May on spectators from the general public, who were banned under Covid protocols starting June 1,2020.
But for Devon, set to start its 11-day run on May 27, mid-May was far too late to plan. Wayne said Devon will celebrate its 125th anniversary a year late in 2022. This summer’s Brandywine show, which does not depend on spectators, is going ahead, as is the Devon Fall Classic in September and another special event in the fall.
Never an organization to miss a bet, the World Equestrian Center folks are offering a Devon alternative at their Ohio facility.
“With the cancellation of the iconic Devon Horse Show, World Equestrian Center is making plans to offer a special opportunity for Devon 2021 exhibitors. Pending sanctioning body approval, WEC will host an invitational horse show featuring classes, prize money and special events tailored just for you, exclusively at our Ohio venue from May 27-June 6, 2021.
“In the event that Devon is able to move forward with their show, we would suspend these plans,” said a statement from WEC. Those interested in learning more can contact TJ Campbell at tj.campbell@wec.net or (352) 857-4572.
Dr. Mark Hart, the USEF’s chief medical officer, said spectator protocols for federation-licensed shows are being finalized and new measures “along with any other pertinent updates in the USEF COVID-19 Action Plan” will be revealed April 20.
That is the day before the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star Three-Day Event is set to start. The competition was cancelled because organizers said they couldn’t run it without 50 percent of their usual spectators. But a grassroots fund raising effort from competitors and other supporters cancelled the cancellation, though riders galloping along the cross-country course will have to run without being cheered by their fans.
In terms of numbers starting May 3, 40 percent of the ticketed spectator capacity will be allowed at USEF-licensed outdoor venues that operate with a ticketed gate. The alternative is a maximum of 400 spectators for competitions that do not ticket spectators, whichever is greater. Indoors, a maximum of 30 percent of the ticketed spectator capacity will be allowed, or a maximum of 300 spectators for competitions that do not ticket spectators, whichever is greater. The percentages and numbers apply on a daily basis.
Spectators will still have to wear face masks and social distance. Sponsors, participants, competition staff, support personnel, volunteers, and service providers are not included in the spectator capacity numbers. Meanwhile, the USEF’s definition of sponsors has been expanded to include individual persons or business entities that have an agreement in place with the competition to provide goods, services, or financial support integral to the sustainability of a competition.
“We will continue to carefully monitor conditions and regularly consult with health authorities with the goal of being able to provide additional updates in the coming weeks and months that will further ease restrictions without endangering the health and safety of competitors,” Dr. Hart said.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 10, 2021
The stunning announcement came today that the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair is cancelled for the second year in a row, as the organizers and board cited “far-reaching operational and financial implications due to on-going (Covid-related) restrictions imposed by U.S. Equestrian (USEF) regarding spectators and other important issues at their sanctioned events.”
Representatives of Devon had been in talks with the USEF about how many people could be allowed on the grounds of the suburban Philadelphia show, which has attracted as many as 126,000 people over its 11-day run, where the fair and carnival are also a draw.
USEF has barred general public attendance at its licensed competitions under Covid protocols, but advised last week it was “optimistic” that by mid-May, it would be able to permit a limited number of fans at USEF-licensed competitions. The federation planned to offer details in the next weeks “so that organizers and spectators have time to prepare in advance.”
According to the show’s chairman, Wayne Grafton, that timeline doesn’t work for Devon, which was scheduled to run May 27-June 6.
“We’ve been asking for the last 75 days,” he said.
As of April 1, the state of Pennsylvania began permitting 50 percent occupancy for outdoor events under its Covid rules.
Wayne noted that since USEF has its own health guidance and “we’re under license for them, we agreed to be in that boat when we agreed to their sanction. I tried to say to them…just leave the health issue to the state. We could have gone forward a month ago with state guidance.
“April 10 is too late for us to respond,” he explained.
“Devon is unique. Aside from the show, you’re hurting the institution. You’re damaging us financially. There’s more to it than just the loss of the show, as painful as that is. We will not have money to get through the year–pay the taxes, insurance, utilities. It’s a quagmire. The organization was prepared to go forward and lose money on this show. We could have gotten reasonably close with (using the) state guidance.”
The USEF was taken aback by the Devon decision.
“We were extremely disappointed and surprised to read the press release posted by the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair (DHSCF) this morning announcing the cancellation of the 2021 competition by the Board of Directors. Over the past several weeks, Bill Moroney, CEO USEF, has met with multiple representatives of the DHSCF to discuss updates to the USEF COVID-19 Action Plan that would allow a restricted number of spectators and accommodate sponsors,” said a USEF statement.
“These conversations were positive and productive. Amendments to the COVID-19 Action Plan are slated to be announced this week. DHSCF is an important and historic competition on the USEF calendar. While it is ultimately the business decision of the DHSCF Board of Director to go forward or cancel the show, the USEF has taken steps and will continue to take steps to work with all organizers to provide opportunities for competitions to go forward viably and safely. We are reaching out directly to the DHSCF Board of Directors to determine if they have any interest in revisiting their decision.”
When I questioned Wayne about whether the board might reconsider and stage the show, he replied, “We couldn’t make it happen.”
Entries for the jumpers, hunters, equitation and coaching closed last Monday, with all other entries wrapping up May 3 for the country’s largest multi-breed show, which also includes saddlebreds.
Cancellation is a blow for riders, so many of whom treasure Devon–designated a USEF Heritage Show–as an annual stop on their schedule.
“It’s disappointing. It’s disheartening. We love Devon, it’s a phenomenal event and venue. I think it’s a huge loss for our sport,” said McLain Ward, who in 2019 for the 11th time won the show’s grand prix named after his longtime mount, Sapphire.
“I don’t know who’s directly responsible. I don’t think the federation is the problem here. USEF has been able to work with every organizer in our country to run show after show successfully and find a way to do it safely,” he continued, citing competitions in Florida and California, among others.
“It seems like this announcement came out all of a sudden today, when I think there were still some people making great efforts to make it happen. There was still room and time to find some more support to make up some of that ground to make it go forward. So many sporting events are making great effort to continue through this difficult time. I offered whatever resources I have as far as relationships to try to help.”
The Olympic gold medalist noted grand prix riders can find somewhere else to compete, but he expressed sympathy for the junior riders, who will have missed two Devons and may never have a chance to ride there..
“It’s an entire generation’s career. That’s pretty devastating for those kids who worked.very, very hard to be the best of their level and age group. I think that’s very sad,” he said.
He pointed out that Devon would be “allowed to have the box holders as sponsors; they’re allowed to have a certain amount of occupancy, which I believe is 30 percent, and yes, the carnival and country fair at the very least will have to be significantly reduced.”
“It’s an entire generation’s career. That’s pretty devastating for those kids who worked.very, very hard to be the best of their level and age group. I think that’s very sad.”.
In that regard, Wayne said, “What most people don’t realize is that the horse show depends on the country fair and the country fair depends upon the horse show.”
McLain, meanwhile, noted, “But they are sold out for horse show entries. Devon is about sport, not about the fair. The fair is part of it. I think it’s very disappointing to lose sport over having to make some modifications to the activities, which are wonderful, but they are around what the core event is.”
Looking ahead to running the show in 2022, Wayne said Devon will donate the $45,000 of personal protective equipment it bought for its fixture to the Brandywine show that runs in June at the venue. In terms of fundraising, he is hoping to boost the Fall Classic in September and attract people to a program on the legends of Devon at Ardrossan, a nearby estate that was owned by former show chairman Hope Montgomery Scott, said to be the inspiration for the main character in “The Philadelphia Story.”
“I am as sick as I can be over this,” said Wayne about the cancellation.
“Staff is really, really dejected. Now the issue is trying to pick everyone up and walk it forward. We’ve got to get some funding in place to keep us going here. I call on everybody to support the events we have this fall to make sure we do have a grand 2022.”
