by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 19, 2019
The prediction from knowledgeable sources was that reining would be dropped from the FEI (international equestrian federation) ranks when members of the organization met this week at their General Assembly in Moscow.
So much for that…
After more than 20 years of cooperation, which produced some of the most exciting moments in World Equestrian Games’ history, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) announced a new agreement has been reached with the FEI. It was approved today by the General Assembly for the organization’s only western discipline.
“I am so proud of our NRHA Task Force that worked diligently with the officials at FEI to come to a workable Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). All of these individuals have focused on our mission to promote the reining horse. Although each organization has different needs, we were able to meet those needs and agree on a path forward,” said NRHA President Mike Hancock.
“This MOU provides more clarity, and the conversations have brought about better understanding. This agreement preserves the progress we have made over the last two decades, provides a means to develop more joint competitions, and protects the heritage of both organizations!”
In an attempt to ensure that reining is moving forward in a sustainable way, key Performance Indicators have been put in place for the next four years aimed at growing participation in the discipline.
Details of the agreement and its potential impact on the NRHA membership will be revealed in the near future as implementation plans are finalized.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 17, 2019
Dianna Babington, the wife of injured show jumper Kevin Babington, is reaching out for more help sorely needed by her husband. He has been in rehab for a critical spinal injury he suffered when his horse fell in competition during a show at the end of August, but he will be leaving the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation soon and even more responsibility will fall on Dianna and the couple’s teenage daughters, Marielle and Gwyneth.
Kevin, who finished fourth in the Olympics for Ireland in 2004, is a lovely fellow who is based in Allentown, N.J., during the spring, summer and fall, and Florida during the winter.
Think what you would do if you found yourself in the Babingtons’ position, with a situation estimated to cost $5 million, the need for constant care and a health care plan that only allows for 30 visits a year from a nurse!
It is the time of year when people are considering donating to charities that offer a tax deduction, and Kevin’s cause is a good one.
Here’s Dianna filling in the details of the situation:
“The Kevin Babington Foundation, a 501 c3, was organized by our very good and generous friends who are also riders and trainers. Tax-deductible donations via check may be sent to the Kevin Babington Foundation, 2402 Players Court,Wellington FL 33414. (To obtain bank instructions for wiring money, send an email to Debbie Welles at the kevinbabingtonfoundation@gmail.com. All information will be shared through the email address in order to keep the wire information secure.)
“There has been a lot of fundraising,” said Dianna.
“It has come mostly from the heart of our amazing horse community and every dime of that money has been and will continue to be allocated carefully. However, the result of Kevin’s accident has been categorized as a $5 million problem and I’m starting to understand what lies ahead.
Note: Sissy Wickes has started a separate fund to buy a van for Kevin. Find details at https://bit.ly/35emLX9
Dianna continues: “We are going to need major funds raised to modify our house in Florida. Unfortunately, as it is now, most of it is completely impassable by a wheelchair. I am in the middle of an emergency bathroom renovation because our time at Kessler is coming to a close.
“Without the use of his arms. Kevin is going to need a care giver through most of the day. Overnight is actually more critical. Many don’t know this but he needs to be physically moved every two hours during the night every night. A bed sore can literally be life threatening. He needs to be weight-shifted all day to deal with blood pressure issues. He can not be alone, period. We have all taken shifts since the accident and he has never been alone yet.
“The girls and I are prepared to help but we can’t do it all. I need to go back to work at some point. Our insurance covers 30 visits from a nurse a year. Isn’t that terrible and he had a “good policy”.
“So I am reaching out on his behalf. The upfront costs are huge. He will need some physical therapy equipment. I have seen what the electric stimulation bike has done for his body mass. They are approximately $22,000. We need to get one. He will need to continue out-patient physical therapy, which is also not covered by insurance for long.
“Once major changes are made, then the needs will transition to long term healthcare and nursing. I have been asked, `What about people who don’t have these things? How do they manage?’
“The cruel truth is that the lack of support can affect life expectancy. Lack of mobility is a blood clot’s best friend. Someone not noticing a a few key issues can lead to a spike in blood pressure and a stroke. It’s not just the paralysis; it’s the lovely issues it creates. That is the reality. It’s my problem and nobody else’s, I understand that, but if you are looking to put money into a 501 c 3, please consider a donation to the foundation. And if not us please consider Danny and Ron’s Rescue. They, too, are overwhelmed and work tirelessly and we also don’t want to shift any money from them despite our own needs.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 16, 2019
So much for the FEI World Equestrian Games. For the first time since the compilation of world championships debuted in 1990, the WEG will not be held in its next calendar rotation in 2022.
Italy and Saudi Arabia were the only bidders for the WEG, but instead of awarding it, the FEI at its annual meeting in Moscow today wisely decided to break up the concept which had become too expensive and unwieldy.
So Italy gets eventing and driving at Pratoni del Vivaro (where those world championships were held in conjunction with the 1998 Rome WEG), while Herning, Denmark, gets show jumping, dressage, para dressage and vaulting.
Individual show jumping medalists Martin Fuchs, Simone Blum and Steve Guerdat on the podium at the 2018 WEG, likely the last one ever held. Photo © 2018 by Nancy Jaffer
A decision on the reining and endurance world championships is pending, waiting for word about the future of those disciplines in the FEI.
The good news is that Omaha, which successfully hosted the FEI dressage and show jumping World Cup finals in 2017, will get them again in 2023. That choice is well-deserved. It will be nice to have the Cup finals back in the U.S. so soon after the 2020 edition in Las Vegas.
Leipzig, Germany, gets the 2022 Cups in dressage, jumping, driving and vaulting. WEG aspirant Saudi Arabia had to settle for the 2024 World Cup finals in jumping and dressage.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 6, 2019
Eagala, the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, will receive $637,700 to fund services shown to improve mental and emotional health of veterans and service members across the United States.
This funding, provided by the Veterans Administration Adaptive Sport Grant (ASG), will serve veterans and military service members through September 2020. It will cover equine-assisted psychotherapy – where horses are involved in focused, professional clinical interventions to address trauma and other mental health needs, including substance abuse, depression and improving family relationships.
This was one of the largest awards in recent history, with just under half of the $1.5 million specifically designated for equine-assisted mental health within the ASG’s full budget. The organization’s recent grant funding from the VA has nearly tripled, thanks in part to clinical outcomes showing extremely positive results.
The funding will serve veteran and military individuals or groups in partnership with Eagala’s national network of Military Designated Programs across the country. Eagala Military Designated programs have facilitation teams of licensed mental health professionals and certified equine professionals who work in partnership with horses to provide services.
The Eagala Military Designation was created as a way of setting and maintaining the standard of clinical training and cultural competence required to effectively work with military populations in a mental health setting. There are currently 19 programs in the U.S. that have earned the Eagala Military Designation, and CEO Lynn Thomas expects that number to grow rapidly.
“Eagala is proud to be the only equine-assisted mental health organization in the industry to put forth and maintain these critically important clinical and cultural competence standards,” Thomas said. “This grant will enable us to grow our programs providing this effective approach serving veterans.”
Halina Kowalski, Eagala military services director, will oversee its management and coordinate collective outcome-based projects in collaboration with Eagala Military Services programs. According to Kowalski, “Very early preliminary program evaluation outcomes from last year’s ASG-funded programming are showing that veterans are experiencing a clinically meaningful reduction of PTSD symptoms and their quality of life is significantly increasing as well. We are expecting to see this trend continue and we have plans for future research projects and publication.”
Data is showing that this population is more likely to start and complete treatment with this model than with traditional therapy in an office.
Veterans who want to receive services or find out about participating in Eagala Military Designated programs can contact 228522@email4pr.com. A detailed listing of Eagala Military Designated Programs can be accessed at http://eagala.org/military.
Since 1999, Eagala has set the global standard for equine-assisted psychotherapy and personal development. With over 500 regional programs, and more than 2,500 certified members in over 40 countries, it is the leading international nonprofit association for professionals incorporating horses to address mental health and personal development needs. For more information, visit eagala.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 28, 2019
“Riding for the Team,” the new book from the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, made its formal debut at the Washington International Horse Show over the weekend.
There was a real buzz as people lined up on the concourse of the Capital One Arena for a book-signing session featuring U.S. team show jumpers Kent Farrington, McLain Ward, Margie Engle and coach Robert Ridland. Laura Kraut, who was judging a class at the time, earlier in the day autographed books to which the other signatures were added. All of these folks are, of course, featured in the book.
Kent Farrington, McLain Ward, Robert Ridland and Margie Engle with Nancy Jaffer. (Photo by Emily Rider)
I edited “Riding for the Team” over the last two years (you may have wondered why I was so busy) and am thrilled to help tell the inside stories of medalists in eight disciplines: Show jumping, eventing, dressage, vaulting, driving, endurance, reining and para-dressage. What it took to get to the top is laid out in detail along the 292 pages of this volume published by Trafalgar Square. Although the course of the athletes’ careers was different, in each case they had the determination to overcome failure and discouragement, as well as a unique brand of persistence and aspiration in common.
This book is the third in a series. The first, “The USET Book of Riding” came out in 1976 under the guidance of the late Olympic gold medalist and USET chairman Bill Steinkraus. It marked the USET’s twenty-fifth anniversary and presented the history of the transition from Army teams to civilian equestrian squads in representing the country.
I edited the second book, “Riding for America,” published in 1990. At that time, the USET only dealt with four disciplines—show jumping, eventing, dressage and driving, so the great performers of the era between 1976 and 1990 were highlighted. For this book, 28 years later, we have expanded to include all the FEI (international) disciplines, and the people in it are those who made their mark after 1990.
I was fortunate in knowing many of those who appear in the book before I began talking with them about their stories, so that helped when deciding where to focus for their part in the volume. The themes for some were easy to decide. How could you write about Rich Fellers, for instance, and not zoom in on Flexible, the plucky little stallion who won the first FEI World Cup Show Jumping finals for the U.S. in 25 years, and then went to the London Olympics later in 2012.
Debbie McDonald talked about how the dressage scene has changed since she started out, after she had a bad fall while jumping and decided to switch disciplines. Four-in-hand driver Jimmy Fairclough spent 40 years working toward a team gold medal, and finally achieved his goal at last year’s FEI World Equestrian Games. Becky Hart started from scratch with a free horse and wound up as the only three-time endurance world champion. Gold medal vaulter Devon Maitozo explains why he stayed in his sport as an adult, when so many vaulters quit after their teens.
Robert and Margie give their signing hands a little break. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy
Eventer Derek di Grazia tells of his transition from rider to course designer, with an eye toward his gig laying out the cross-country route at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Vicki Garner-Sweigert relates what it was like to be a para-dressage pioneer and win gold at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics, the first to offer equestrian sport.
With the Olympics coming up next summer, it’s interesting to gain insight on those who have had past successes at the Games, while reading about the candidates pointing toward 2020. They include dressage rider Laura Graves, eventer Boyd Martin and all the show jumpers who fans met in the autograph session, as they point toward Tokyo. Para rider Becca Hart, the first U.S. rider in her discipline to medal at the world championships, is looking at making the team in Japan for her fifth Paralympics.
Of course, there are great photos to illustrate the stories, and many pieces have photos from the athletes’ early days that you won’t have seen previously. The USET Foundation’s Sara Ike worked diligently to obtain and organize the photos, which was quite a task on its own.
Nancy Jaffer with Sara Ike. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Here is the link if you want to order the book. You can also go to the USET Foundation’s website, www.uset.org. Proceeds from sales of the book benefit the USET Foundation in its efforts to support athletes giving their all for our country in the Olympics, world championships and other major competitions around the globe.
Meanwhile, if you want to find out more about what went on at the Washington International, the only U.S. show in the heart of a major American city, click here for my story on Practical Horseman’s website.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 22, 2019
Carl Bessette, who died Sunday in Wellington, Fla. at the age of 89, was always the picture of equestrian elegance; tall, slender and impeccably turned out.
A horseman who emphasized the classical approach with no shortcuts, he took his last ride on Father’s Day in June, wearing his usual polished boots and spurs, according to M. Douglas (Dougie) Mutch, who noted he was still able to demonstrate the skills that made him such a wonderful horseman and teacher.
Creigh Duncan, who took lessons from him when he was based at Tewksbury Farms in Pottersville during the 1970s, remembered, “He was tough on us, yet we all adored him. He was widely known for being a very good equitation trainer.”
His dressage background was part of the fabric of his teaching.
“You did a turn on the haunches when you were asked to reverse, we did shoulder-in and shoulder-out,” she recalled. Carl’s students had to show up for lessons in polished boots, breeches and a shirt or sweater—but never a jacket, because he wanted to see his riders’ form in the saddle. He insisted on practice making perfect, “you did it until you could do it,” said Creigh.
The riders were expected to listen to what he told them. “It wasn’t a dialogue,” she pointed out.
At the same time, when something unexpected happened in the ring, “he’d end up laughing at us and with us” to defuse a situation. As an example, she remembered the time her horse ran off with her after completing the outside course at the old Junior Essex Troop Farm in West Orange, heading downhill and galloping across the brook. “The only thing that stopped my horse was the fence around the jumper ring.”
She said Carl left Tewksbury to teach at Southern Seminary in Virginia. He also taught at the Champlain Riding School in Vermont and eventually wound up in Wellington, as so many trainers do.
Dougie advised that there will be a celebration of life for Carl there next year after the Winter Equestrian Festival gets under way, and suggested that people can remember him by making a contribution in his name to the charity of their choice. “He would love that,” she said.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 17, 2019
Bill Rube, the former funds development director for the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Foundation, is the new executive director of the Gleneayre Equestrian Program that utilized horses to help, teach and heal people in difficult situations, from at-risk youth to those taking advantage of equine-facilitated mental health care.
The Merchantville resident, who most recently was executive director of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, noted about GEP, “This is a very special non-profit because their mission means so much to me.”
“Simply said, if this were available to me as a teen, it could have helped change my path,” noted Bill, who successfully battled drug and alcohol addiction after suffering through it in the 1970s and ’80s.
Of GEP, he noted, “Their mission statement , ‘Bringing Children and Horses Together for the Betterment of Each Other’s Lives’ really resonates with me. I look forward to helping expand the awareness of this amazing program.”
Established in 1998, the GEP’s offerings include Equine Facilitated Learning, Equine Facilitated Mental Health and a unique Working Student Program that matches horses with youth seeking to learn about horses and caring for them. It’s “horses helping children helping horses.”
At-risk youth learn so many things from horses during the time they spend at Gleneayre. (Photo by Stephanie Enoch)
The mission statement for the GEP, which is located in Lumberton, reads in part: “We exist to provide a hands-on, experience-based learning environment for people in difficult situations, including children, families, and military personnel. We believe that the powerful connection between people and horses is transformational. Through horsemanship, we develop character, learn ethics and responsibility, grow physically and emotionally, and discover ourselves. Our own lives improve as we improve those of our horses.”
The GEP also provides a safe haven for their donated program horses to live with dignity, peace and veterinary care for the remainder of their lives. When the horses are unable to continue being ridden in the Gleneayre programs, they are transitioned to become equine ambassadors in the GEP’s non-riding activities.
“Bill is a wonderful partner to have, and we’re so excited to have him join us,” said GEP Founder Ellen Healey.
“We started some in-depth conversations about what horses mean and do and how they change people’s lives. I saw in Bill a very kindred spirit to the mission we have for this program. It’s a leap for us to jump from our local and regional community to be nationally known, but we’re ready for that and so confident in Bill’s guidance.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 17, 2019
For a half-century, the Somerset County Park Commission’s Lord Stirling Stable has meant a variety of things to many people. From lessons and trail rides to hunter paces, horse care workshops, educational offerings, pony parties, camp and therapeutic riding, the stable functions in ways that go well beyond an hour in the saddle. But perhaps the most important aspect of the facility in Basking Ridge is the sense of fellowship it provides.
Nancy Brown of the Friends of Lord Stirling Stable and stable manager Margie Margentino toast the facility’s 50th. Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer
As it marks its 50th anniversary this year, Lord Stirling celebrates the bonds that have grown not only between horses and riders, but also among the thousands who have enjoyed the stable for several generations.
“It’s my home away from home,” declared Libby Lux of Warren Township. “It’s a family atmosphere where you can volunteer and give back to the community and come out and have fun. There’s always something going on here. For the riders and the whole community, it’s just phenomenal.”
There are 76 horses at the stable, with 58 used for lessons, eight lead-line ponies and 10 boarders. Last year, 430 juniors and 570 adults rode in group lessons, while 1,140 private lessons were given.
Setting out on a trail ride with the stable horses. Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer
The number of places in the country where aspiring riders can be introduced to horses and riding has diminished under the pressures of development and the ever-increasing costs of horsekeeping. That makes a stable like Lord Stirling important in terms of an inexpensive opportunity to get involved with horses, while also growing equestrian sport.
If people aren’t able to locate a barn where they can start riding affordably, they will give up and find something else to do. Weakness in the base of the spot means there will be little chance to expand the equine business or develop potential equestrian stars among any but the very wealthy, affecting the vitality of the horse industry.
Abby Luther of Basking Ridge takes her third pony ride of the day at the Lord Stirling 50th anniversary celebration, with volunteer Tim Ryan leading Max. Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer
“Riding horses is an experience like no other, and not everyone has the wherewithal to have that experience,” observed Somerset County Freeholder Brian Gallagher.
“So what the park commission, in concert with Somerset County does, is provide for everybody to have that experience. Having the equestrian component adds an element to our park commission that not a lot of counties can provide.”
Those who have found their way to Lord Stirling treasure the time they spend there.
Rutgers student Dana Carron of Green Brook shares a special moment with Lord Stirling school horse Toby. Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer
“It’s my life,” said Bonnie Deo of Warren Township, who started riding with Lord Stirling’s original manager, Harry Case, in 1981. Bonnie, her husband and their daughter all rode there. She’s gone out on the trails practically every day for nearly four decades, noting “it relaxes you.”
“I’ve been coming here for so many years, I don’t think my car would know anywhere else to go,” laughed Bonnie, noting how much more is being offered now than when she first came to Lord Stirling. “Things change, but everybody’s attitude is always the same.”
The stable is located on a former cattle farm started in the 1890s by Dr. Charles Frederick Baker, a Newark physician. The property was purchased in the 1940s by John Jacob Astor VI, a survivor of the Titanic disaster (his mother was pregnant with him when she escaped the sinking ship.) The land east of Maple Avenue included a barn complex where he raised prize cattle; stables, paddocks, riding trails and extensive wetlands along the Passaic River.
After the Great Swamp was named New Jersey’s first National Natural Landmark, Helen Fenske, who led the fight to save it from becoming an airport, approached Somerset County Park Commission Secretary-Director Jack Moody in 1967 with $75,000 (worth about $573,000 today) from Sarah Mellon Scaife to help the county preserve the Astor farm. Moody obtained a matching grant from the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.
With the popularity of horses in Somerset County, Moody suggested to the park commission that it convert the Astor barns and stables to a county riding facility. He recalled, “We wanted to promote a broad appreciation of horses and the sport of riding among the general public.” The commission approved, opening the stable in 1969 with 30 horses and riding programs for adults and children.
The old dairy barn harks back to the days before Somerset County purchased the Lord Stirling propery and cows were housed in the building. Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer
Nancy Williams, who succeeded Harry Case as stable manager, has been associated with Lord Stirling for 46 years. She got involved when she worked at a hardware store in Bernardsville, where the stable’s maintenance men would come to buy supplies.
“One day they said, `Wow, they hired a girl to work in the barn.’ I’m like, ` Great, let me know when the next opening is.’ Two weeks later they came and told me, so I applied and got the job,” said Nancy. From stable worker, she became a senior stable worker, then assistant manager and finally manager in 1991. Now retired from her position, she still is a familiar face at the barn. People who come to Lord Stirling never seem to leave.
One of the most important developments in the last 20 years was the formation of the Friends of Lord Stirling Stable, a support network for the facility.
Terry Heide, the Friends’ president, notes how heartwarming it is to see “the impact horses have on people of any age; the gifts the horses give to the rider, especially lesson horses, they are incredible.” The Gilette resident noted the Friends group is able to fund things that the stable can’t afford as part of a budget-conscious public entity.
Margie Margentino, the stable’s manager since 2007, calls the Friends a key asset.
“They provide volunteers for various events, are instrumental in organizing and implementing events for the stable, such as the hunter paces, the holiday festival, fall festival, and Family Fun Day. The proceeds from the events come back to the stable in the form of capital improvements (i.e. lighting and footing for the arenas, run-in sheds, etc.) and other purchases such as specialized medical supplies, equipment, saddles, and horse purchases.
“Specific funds are designated for the School Horse Retirement Program. When a school horse retires, the Friends take care of the horse physically and financially until they can find the horse a suitable ‘forever’ home.”
Through the Friends, “over 50 horses have found new homes,” Terry reported.
School horses head back to their stalls after time in the pasture. Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer
With so much going on at the stable, Margie has her hands full, but it would seem she has been training for the task since the days when she participated in the Somerset County 4-H Horse Program in the 1960s and 70s. There were 500 kids enrolled at that time, and her father led the local 4-H horse club. An avid driver, she has competed on the local, national, and international level, predominantly with Morgans and Quarter Horses, and has been a driving judge, technical delegate and course designer.
A former board member of the Horse Park of New Jersey, she also served on the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board and the board of U,S. Driving for the Disabled, among other organizations.
The stable has been recognized as the Best of Somerset County Parks by the PATCH, and was named the Rutgers Equine Science Center’s Gold Medal Horse Farm for Environmental Stewardship.
But the best endorsements for Lord Stirling comes from those who ride there.
Friends’ Vice President Nancy Brown, who did not start riding until she was in her early 50s, was involved in organizing the September celebration of the stable’s 50th (complete with band and barbeque) that drew 300 people. She now is leasing a horse and is busy volunteering for the therapeutic riding program. The Hillsborough resident called the stable her focal point. “It means life to me,” she explained.
“It represents everything beautiful in my world.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 14, 2019
The Kevin Babington benefit show at Duncraven Sunday raised approximately $50,000 to help the show jumper, who suffered a critical spinal injury in a fall at the end of August.
Just as significant as the money itself was the fact that it came as a result of equestrians acting as a community for a special person who has become a special cause.
The competition in Titusville, Mercer County, brought horse people together in a way that is seldom seen in this era. Katie Benson, one of the show’s organizers, noted “everyone was there to lend a hand. It was a selfless day,” saying it reminded her of “the old days.” Everything was donated–the only things that had to be paid for were the portable toilets.
Jen Cassidy had the concept and put the volunteer staff together. Tim Fedor contributed his facility. Nancy Wallis did the course designing and building. Patty Miller offered her show date so the competition could be recognized, Karen Glover-Raach did the auction, Julie Koveloski handled the sponsorship and the raffle, and many more helped in other ways to make the show a rousing success. Decorations and flowers came from the Shannondale show and the Talent Search at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation the previous weekend.
“We had a thousand ways to contribute, and everyone did so,” said Katie. Her Briarwood team designed and built an Irish flag jump–appropriate since Kevin is a native of Ireland and has ridden on that country’s team. It went for $1,000 while a jump put together by Paul Jewell sold for $2,000.
The Irish flag jump was one of many creative ways money was raised to help Kevin Babington and his family at the Duncraven benefit show.
What made the show work was that “everybody knew Kevin, loved him and respected him. If it happened to the best of us, it can happen to the rest of us,” Katie pointed out.
“There’s a lot of sympathy there. Kevin is such a fine character through and through and everyone wants to support him in any way they can. As a rider, Kevin would share how to ride a course; it wasn’t about him, it was about your horse going well. He would do anything to make your day go right.
“We hope that financially they (Kevin’s family) can afford to keep him on the best care possible,” said Katie. Kevin is at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange and will have the need for more help once he goes home to Allentown. The healing process is lengthy.
“One thing we know from horses is that you can’t rush an injury to get back to the ring. We’d love to have Kevin right back in the game, but it’s going to take some stall rest,” said Katie.
Two days later, there was good news on that front. Dianna, Kevin’s wife and his rock, reported he was off the ventilator completely overnight, a total of 24 hours of unassisted breathing.
“This means freedom to travel when rehab is behind him.This means his diaphragm has gotten stronger. This means teaching will be well within his wheelhouse once he gets stronger! He slept well, maintained his oxygen status perfectly and is bright this morning.”
On Monday, Dianna posted on Facebook, “I don’t actually know how to express how much this means to us and how grateful we are. The expressions of love and support, offers of anything and everything to help, just the simple texts of “hang in there” has made a horrific situation livable. When we are our most distressed we think about the army of support we are so fortunate to have and know that we are not alone.”
Competitors came out in a big way, and as she noted, “many jumpers were wearing green, white and orange (the Irish colors.) Horses were braided with colored yarn or sprayed with shamrocks of green paint. It was unreal. There were jumps donated for auction that were stunning. Vendors were selling specially made items in honor of Kevin and people and horses alike were jumping jumps for Kevin Babington in the back field.
“What I noticed the most was the absolute kindness being demonstrated. There was a good will and sense of community that was palpable. It was the horse community at its best. I am so proud to be part of this special breed of people. I was hugged at least 50 times and everyone had a message for Kevin, which he will surely receive.
I want to specifically thank Tim Fedor for hosting this at Duncraven which remains a special place in our hearts. (Kevin had been based there at one point.)
“Today I came `home”’ and my head was flooded with memories everywhere I looked. I saw Kevin and I in our youth around every corner. We literally grew up at Duncraven and when I pulled up and saw no room for any more trailers, it took me a minute to get out of the car, I was so overcome with emotion. I could not have picked a more special place for this event.”
When she visited Kevin with their daughter, Marielle, and showed him all the photos and videos she took at Princeton Showjumping (which also ran benefits) and Duncraven, Dianna noted, “He was extremely moved and said, `When I get out of here, I have a lot of giving back to do.’”
She responded, “You earned this, Kevin, you are getting back right now for so much you already have given to so many.” He said “I still have lots to do.” But what he already has done is bring everyone together for something important, beyond ribbons and trophies.
Those who wish to donate to the Kevin Babington Trust via GoFundMe can click on this link: https://www.gofundme.com/for-kevin-babington-and-family
Other fundraising opportunities continue. The 1984 Olympic show jumping double gold medalist, Joe Fargis, will be offering a clinic Saturday, November 2 at Kevin’s home base, Ketcham Farm, 52 Hill Rd Allentown, NJ. The cost per session is $200 and all proceeds will go to support the Babington Family Trust. If there is enough interest, the clinic may be extended through Sunday, November 3. Please email Elizabeth at Elizabeth@KevinBabington.com
Those who can are asked to buy their feed from Babington Mills (http://07d.7d2.myftpupload.com/) , which is Kevin’s company.
Ruespari has designed a limited edition belt bearing Kevin’s signature. All proceeds will go to help him and his family. https://www.ruespari.com/rideforkbabs
To learn more about Kevin, here is a link to the story I did about him in July: https://nancyjaffer.com/2019-07-09/
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 9, 2019
The 99th Far Hills Race Meeting, the annual day of steeplechasing at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, is set for Oct. 19–complete with pari-mutuel betting and the usual lavish tailgating scene overlooking the racetrack.
Although the race meeting is, annoyingly, called “the hunt,” by some who don’t know better, it has nothing to do with hunting anymore. Originally, the races were a thank you from the Essex Fox Hounds to farmers and landowners who let the hunt ride over their property.
Over the decades, the hunt races evolved into big-time sanctioned races drawing horses from across the country and around the world, with the largest purse structure of any steeplechase meeting. It offers $850,000, $450,000 of which is awarded for the Grand National, and all the action is live-streamed.
The race meeting, which annually draws 30,000 people, benefits Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville. According to National Steeplechase Association President Guy Torsilieri, who chairs the event with Ron Kennedy, it has donated nearly $20 million to the hospital. The facility’s Steeplechase Cancer Center was named to honor the race meeting.
The event also partners with RWJBarnabas to support five other charitable organizations, including Cancer Support Community Central New Jersey, Bonnie Brae, ARC of Somerset County, Life Camp in Pottersville, and Liberty Corner-based Community in Crisis.
Open Road Auto Group and Peapack Gladstone Bank are the races’ major sponsors, but there is plenty of other corporate backing.
Tickets can be purchased online, printed out at home and scanned at 10 different locations at Moorland. Through Oct. 18, general admission tickets can be purchased in advance for $100 and parking tickets for $30 through area vendors and online. On event day, general admission and parking tickets can only be purchased at the gate. General admission costs $200 and parking remains at $30.
Gates open at 8 a.m. and the first of seven races begins at 1 p.m. For information, call (908) 234-9115 or go to www.farhillsrace.org.
