by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 10, 2018
It’s only held every two years, so the Tewksbury barn tour is a must for your calendar. The opportunity to see both modern and historic barns is quite an eye-opener and a lot of fun. The six barns on thsi year’s tour include one that is a private home.
The tour, set for July 22 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. is presented by the Tewksbury Historical Association and theTewksbury Trail Association.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under if bought in advance through the website. Adult tickets go up to $25 if purchased on the day of the event. For information and tickets, go to www.tewksburyhistory.net or call (908) 832-6734
by Nancy Jaffer | May 27, 2018
The New Jersey Equine Artists’ Association’s eighth biennial national juried show and sale, “NJEAA Art of the Horse,” runs through June 15 at Prallsville Mills, 33 Risler Street, Stockton. The exhibit will be open Thursdays through Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment.
NJEAA has hosted the biennial national juried event since 2002. This is the exhibit’s second time at Prallsville Mills. The show features painting, sculpture and photography of horses at work, sport and play, in the wild and in dreams, by some of the finest equine artists working today.
NJEAA founder and director Sheila Barnes comments: “I’m proud to say this is the group’s 19th anniversary, starting with local artists in 1999, and we have been thrilled with the public’s response to our exhibits over the years.”
The Sawmill at Prallsville Mills is a historic site along the Delaware River and Raritan Canal.
NJEAA provides information, education and networking opportunities for its members whether beginners or professionals. To learn more contact Sheila at: xochitlb@comcast.net or call (908) 284-9751 and like NJEAA on Facebook. To know more about Prallsville Mills, facilities and opportunities visit www.prallsvillemill.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 20, 2018
By Nancy Jaffer
May 20, 2018
“They’re trying their hearts out,” commented Boyd Martin, discussing improvement efforts at the Horse Park of New Jersey, where he won three of four divisions at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event presented by B.W. Furlong & Associates.
During its 16-year history, the Mother’s Day weekend fixture has had plenty to overcome, much of which involved weather-related difficulties, but the park’s featured competition has always been a product of dedication and a time to show off what the facility in Monmouth County has to offer.
This year, there was anticipation that footing issues would at least be partially solved by a re-do of the grand prix ring. But alas, New Jersey’s peculiar winter weather put the project behind schedule.
The new footing in the grand prix ring was used for dressage and flatwork during Jersey Fresh. (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
The ring was not ready for April’s Four Seasons show, though it was used for the dressage phase of Jersey Fresh. The footing hadn’t settled in enough to handle the Jersey Fresh show jumping finale, however. It actually worked out well to use the ring in front of the pavilion instead, so spectators had cover when it rained hard during a portion of the show jumping, but that ring is a smaller space than the grand prix arena.
More is being done so the grand prix arena can be its best, according to Allyson Jeffrey, president of the park’s board of trustees.
Allyson Jeffery, president of the Horse Park board of trustees. (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
“We’re going to continue to bring it along and perfect it, but we’re happy with the way it has performed so far,” Allyson said, noting it is in shape to be used for the ESDCTA Memorial Day Weekend dressage show at the end of the month. Plans also call for improving footing in the West Ring, which was used as a warm-up during Jersey Fresh.
“Footing is a real headache to get perfect,” noted Boyd.
“They’ve obviously worked very, very hard at raising a lot of money to try and improve the event. We’re heading in the right direction at Jersey.”
Boyd Martin and Long Island T, his Jersey Fresh CCI 3-star winner. (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
Footing isn’t easy anywhere, as Boyd noted. At the Winter Equestrian Festival, for instance, the world’s largest and longest horse show is starting this month to plan footing improvements for its Wellington, Fla., international ring, which at one time was considered to have a state-of-the-art surface.
As WEF impresario Mark Bellissimo noted, “There are many different and varying opinions about what is perfect footing and how you achieve that in a major competition setting.”
There was a time when footing was what it was, and people simply rode on anything presented to them. U.S. Olympian Mary Mairs Chapot recalled what the U.S. Equestrian Team encountered in the days when she was on the show jumping squad.
While reminiscing about her team and individual gold medals at the 1963 Pan American Games in Brazil, she noted, the footing often “was horrible, and we jumped them (the horses) a lot. Now we kind of coddle them and complain if there’s a piece of fluff out of place somewhere in the footing.”
For his part, Boyd remembered phoning home to Australia when he first competed at Jersey Fresh in 2006 after emigrating to this country.
“We’re riding on footing!” he enthused about the novelty during that call 12 years ago.
“Now we’re whinging (complaining) about that it’s not the synthetic bouncy stuff. We can’t slag them (the park) out too much because it’s better than last year. We’ve always got to be looking for better and better if we want this country to be the best in the world.”
But he added, “We’re getting spoiled now in America.”
Discussing cross-country, Boyd felt the CCI 3-star route was really a 2.9 star, while at the same time praising Mark Phillips, who came in as course designer last year.
Mark “has done a good job. I think he’s been a bit cautious of building anything monstrous,” said Boyd of the former U.S. coach, who is designing the course for the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C. this September.
“This is sort of a building 3-star. This one’s got its place.”
Like Boyd, former U.S. Equestrian Federation President David O’Connor, another former U.S. coach who is now training Canadian eventers, believed cross-country could move up a notch, but he cited the 2-star in that regard.
“I thought the 3-star was actually pretty good, but I thought the 2-star maybe was a bit soft and I think that needs to bump up because it’s a qualifier for a 3-star. But those are all easy adjustments to make,” David observed.
Mark, who will be returning as course designer next year, according to Jersey Fresh organizer Jane Cory, said his primary concern is being fair to the horse and helping the animals see and understand the problem at each obstacle. There were only two rider falls and no horse falls, which was optimum. Everyone who was at the event in 2016 remembers the death of Philippa Humphreys in a rotational fall, and so it is always especially good news when things go smoothly at Jersey Fresh.
As for his thoughts about the degree of difficulty, Mark said, “I thought this was a normal 3-star. The 2-star probably had a bit of minus in it and the CIC 3-star may have had a bit of minus in it; I don’t think the CCI 3-star had minus in it.” That division was a qualifier for the WEG.
David, pleased at the crowd that turned up on cross-country day, said, “I thought the community supported it pretty well. It’s getting to be a better and better event for the riders.” At the same time, while noting, “It’s hard to make these things financially go” he praised the investment in the grand prix ring.
“I think they’re really trying to do something.”
NEWS AND NOTES
Boehringer Ingelheim stepped up in a big way for the event with an exhibitors’ hospitality tent arrangement that provided meals, as well as pizza and beer after cross-country. Zoetis sponsored the CIC divisions, while Furlong backed the CCIs in addition to being the presenting sponsor. The park itself is always looking for backers. It receives no money from the state (contrary to what some may think because of its name) and relies on the aid of sponsors, volunteers and members.
“It’s just going to get better if we have sponsors join us,” said Jeffery, who has a wish list of things to accomplish. In addition to making the rings better, she said, “We’d like to swap out panels in stabling that are in need of improvement and get fresh panels in there”…
The highest-placed New Jersey entry was the handsome gray Holsteiner Charm King, ridden by Holly Payne-Caravella of Old Fox Farm in Chester to second place in the CIC 2-star. Going into show jumping, she was just 0.3 penalties behind Anna Loschiavo on Prince Renan. Neither she nor Anna had a rail, so both finished on their dressage scores.
Holly Payne-Caravella and Charm King (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
Of Charm King, Holly said, “My horse is a phenomenal jumper. As he’s gotten fitter, he’s gotten a bit wild. I was really pleased with him, because he was feeling frisky but listened and stayed with me and jumped just amazing, jumped me out of the tack a couple of times. That’s okay. I will take it if he jumps clean.”
Alexa Lapp, third with Cambalda, 0.1 back of Holly, is pointing toward the Area II team that Holly will be coaching in Montana this summer at the Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North…
The Phillippa Humphreys Sportsmanship Award went to Alexandra Sacksen , the rider of Sparrow’s Nio.
Lisa Mackintosh of Jersey Fresh with Philippa Humphreys Memorial Sportsmanship Award winner Allie Sacksen on Sparrow’s Nio. (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
A college fund has been set up for Phillippa’s daughter, Millie. Those interested in finding out more about that can go to milliecollegefund .
For full results of Jersey Fresh, go to evententries.com
by Nancy Jaffer | May 15, 2018
The May 20 marathon phase of the Gladstone Equestrian Association’s spring horse driving trials was cancelled because of soggy footing.
The Delaware Valley Horsemen’s Association show scheduled for the same day was also cancelled. Wet weather has been doing some damage to the New Jersey competition schedule
by Nancy Jaffer | May 9, 2018
By Nancy Jaffer
May 9, 2018
A horse show manager’s tenure usually is measured in terms of several years—if the person in question lasts even that long.
So it’s very unusual when someone manages a show for three decades, as Tim Cleary has with the Garden State Horse Show. But then, Garden State—which wrapped up its 68th edition last weekend—is a very unusual show.
Tim, an associate professor of equine studies at Centenary University and a lawyer to boot, is stepping down from his Garden State post.
Tim Cleary is known for his commitment to the Garden State Horse Show. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“It’s the right time for somebody newer or younger to come in; it’s a good time to go. I’ll stay on the committee and certainly do everything I can for the show,” said the Hackettstown resident, 61.
Tim is a veteran of the Junior Essex Troop, which stages Garden State at the Sussex County Fairgrounds. Originally based at its own farm in West Orange, the troop was open to boys between the ages of 10 and 18 who trained in the cavalry tradition, cared for the organization’s 25 horses and maintained the stables. At its peak, troops A and C in West Orange had 120 members. Some boys, notably the late Roger Haller, who became the 1996 Olympic cross-country designer, also rode at Union County’s Watchung Stables in Troop B.
Troop was founded in 1931 by officers of the 102d Cavalry Regiment, New Jersey National Guard and incorporated in 1943 “to encourage patriotism, to foster the love of horses among boys and to train boys in horsemanship, cavalry drill, marksmanship, military training and discipline.”
The bonds that Troop’s regimen created are beyond durable; they’re unbreakable. Men who started a half-century or so ago with the organization are still incredibly close. Think “Band of Brothers” and you’ve got it.
Troop’s annual horse show—which originally gained recognition decades ago as the country’s largest competition for junior riders—has always been a spring highlight in New Jersey. In the days when it was held at the West Orange farm, indelible recollections include trying to cross the stream to get to the outside course (not every horse was eager to do that) and the drill that ended with riders in plumed helmets jumping their horses through a flaming arch.
A tragic turning point came in 1981, when the show’s manager, Jamie Griesenbeck, died in a fire a few months before the competition. Faced with “a steep learning curve” in addition to sorrow and adversity, the troopers and their advisers as usual rose to the occasion and made sure the show went on.
“We had to scramble around like crazy to figure out how to run a horse show, because we didn’t know how the mechanics worked,” said committee member Ed Jeklinksi of Cedar Knolls, noting experts in the horse show world were gracious about offering advice.
When the troop farm was sold after the 1983 show, the competition (which had become a show open to all years before) moved to Chubb Park in Chester under the direction of Rodney Seelig, the show’s chairman. It outgrew the Chester location and moved to its current home in Sussex County in 1987.
“Rodney really kept it together for such a long time,” said Brian Colquhoun, a Morris County-based veterinarian who ended his 36-year stint as one of the show’s announcers this month.
Garden State grew to be New Jersey’s largest hunter/jumper show, but bad luck with the weather and changing times have cut back on entries.
Still, the fixture has carried on with the devotion of the former troopers. The troop itself did not last beyond the late 1980s, even when it went coed. Originally, the goal of those involved with the show was to re-form the troop for a new generation with proceeds from the competition, but the era for an organization of that nature has passed into memory.
“It became clear to all of us that maybe we did hold out a little bit of a pipe dream and this generation may not be into that kind of thing,” observed Brian.
“I think that vision has started to fade in everybody’s mind a little bit. I think we see we’re never going to get troop back, but we’re bound to each other. We had so many shared experiences.”
Troopers’ families are part of the scene as well. Ed’s daughter, Lauren, met her husband, Ryan Black, when she was working at the show and he was on the jump crew. Lauren is pregnant now, and Ed notes she will be having “a troop baby.”
“It’s in your DNA,” Ed maintained.
Committee member Bill Bonstein of Chester met his wife, the former Kim Hewitt, at the show in West Orange 40 years ago when he overheard that one of her students was trying to deal with a broken martingale.
Coming to the rescue, “Bill ran to the JET barn and came back with one, saving the day. And that was our beginning together,” said Kim.
Tim, who had served as the director of horsemanship at the West Orange farm, was a natural choice to be Garden State’s manager.
“It was like he was born to run the show,” mused Bill.
“He knows everybody and doesn’t walk 10 feet without someone grabbing his sleeve.”
Ed, who joined Troop at age 10 and is now 63, noted, “it’s just amazing how much time Tim puts into it before the show even starts. I’d get there by 7 a.m., and Tim was always there before me.” Their day didn’t end until 7 or 8 p.m. through the run of the five-day show, as well as the two-day preview show the previous weekend.
Part of the key to Tim’s success, apart from knowing everyone’s name and being very fair, “is his patience and understanding. He listens,” said Ed.
Brian, who knew Tim from their days as troopers, pointed out, “Our best and oldest friends are all troop guys. Maybe it was the shared experiences during a very formative time in our lives. It was a unique organization, and one for which we were in the right time and place.”
Tim Cleary (left) and others involved with the Garden State Show share a salute reminiscent of the Junior Essex Troop Days. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Tim joined Troop in 1957 and rose through the ranks, leaving as major in 1975. That honor even landed him on the old quiz show, “To Tell the Truth.”
As he thought back on what made Troop such a lasting experience for so many, Tim explained, “The horses were the bond. We all loved horses and we were learning great old cavalry skills on how to take care of horses.
“The military framework taught you leadership. As you acquired a new rank, you became another level of a leader and became in charge of people. It taught lot of responsibility, not only for the horses, but also, you became responsible for each other, too.”
When he was director of horsemanship, Tim said, former troopers started coming back to run the show “in the spirit of what we had learned. It’s not about the money, it’s trying to be service-oriented and give people a good show.”
The show donates to charity, with Centenary a beneficiary in terms of scholarships.
Brian noted how much things have changed in the show world, and Garden State has “felt the pressure, with all the extra time in Wellington, when Tryon opened up, people going to Kentucky.”
There was a day, Bill pointed out, when the upper level of the New Jersey show scene was basically just Garden State, Middlesex (now at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Monmouth County), the Sussex Farm and Horse Show and Monmouth (now in Somerset County at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation.) Other big shows have developed since in the state, including the Princeton series in Somerset County and The Ridge in Warren County, while HITS in nearby Saugerties, N.Y., has also become a stop on the circuit.
The Garden State committee will come up with a new manager, whether it’s someone from within or an outsider, said Tim, and together, members will chart what’s ahead for the show.
There has been some discussion of packing it in and turning it over to another non-profit, but Tim believes, “I think that’s pretty far off in the future. There’s still a pretty active committee that enjoys it.”
And for many of the riders who come back every year, it’s a treasured tradition.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 7, 2018
Did you miss the Land Rover Kentucky 4-star? Didn’t take the trip to Badminton? Make up for lost time this weekend by getting your eventing fix closer to home at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event.
The competition is held at the Horse Park of New Jersey, 626 Route 524, Allentown, N.J., where new footing has been installed in the grand prix ring.
Dressage for the CCI 2- and 3-star events begins May 10 and continues through May 11, when the CIC 2- and 3-star dressage also will be held.
Cross-country for all divisions starts at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 12. On Sunday, May 13, the final horse inspection is at 8 a.m., with CIC show jumping at 10 a.m. and the CCI jumping beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Tailgating by the water complex is popular at Jersey Fresh. (Photo©by Nancy Jaffer)
Jersey Fresh, presented by B.W. Furlong Associates, is the final U.S. qualifier for the FEI World Equestrian Games. The 150 entries for the event is a record, and will include such crowd-pleasing riders as Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin, Buck Davidson and Jessica Phoenix.
For more information, go to jfi3d.com.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 22, 2018
The ranks of NCAA equestrian competition continue to increase. The newest addition is UC Davis, with a great vet school and a noted agriculture school as well.
The once-threatened nationwide NCAA equestrian program is now going from strength to strength as an entity, with more schools joining. Equestrian (along with beach volleyball!) will be added to the women’s interscholastic competition roster at UC Davis.
There already is a club equesrian team at Davis, but NCAA will begin on a limited competition schedule this autumn. Coaches and staff will be hired over the summer.
Associate Athletic Director Anissa Nachman said, “horses are typically donated or loaned to programs. So getting both the riders as well as the horses at the same time will obviously be a lot of work.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 22, 2018
Israel is building a formidable team that could make the squad a factor in Nations’ Cup show jumping competition. We know the usual powers–Germany, the U.S., the Netherlands, France, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and a few others, but Israel may soon have to be considered as a possible medal contender.
None of the riders were born in Israel. Daniel Bluman, who rode in the Olympics for Colombia, changed his nationality, along with Alberto Michan (Mexico), Danielle Goldstein (U.S.) and now, Californian Ashlee Bond. This is a group with potential.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 17, 2018
You know equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) are good for people. But what about the horses involved?
A study by the Rutgers University Equine Science Center’s Gwendolin E. Stableford Endowed Equine Research Fund came up with potentially groundbreaking research for those interested in the therapies as a way to help veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This was one of the first trials that focused on not only the effects on the human side of this type of therapy, but also on the horse.
The study was conducted at the Monmouth County Park System’s Sunnyside Equestrian Center in Lincroft for five days in April 2016. The center works with the community to provide therapeutic riding and activities to people of all abilities. Volunteers from SPUR (Special People United to Ride), guided seven veterans from Lakewood Veterans Affairs during the trial.
Blood samples were used to look at specific markers in the blood, such as the hormone oxytocin, which is frequently described as the love or happiness hormone. “To our knowledge, this is the first report of the measurement of oxytocin in horses used in EAAT programs” stated ESC Director Karyn Malinowski.
“If the concentration of this hormone increased during the trial, we would be able to suggest a positive effect on the horses,” she said.
The other hormone analyzed was cortisol, the “stress hormone.” An increase in this hormone would indicate that the horses were stressed by their interactions with the veterans.
Rutgers students from the Department of Animal Sciences were shown the proper method of attaching and securing ECG monitors to the horses so measurements could be taken throughout the session. The readings from these devices allowed the team to look at heart rate variability, or the natural variation in time between consecutive heart beats.
The study demonstrated that “EAAT resulted in a reduction in heart rate in horses on both session days, suggesting that EAAT were not perceived as being stressful to the horses,” stated Karyn.
“Coupled with the fact that there were no changes in plasma cortisol, these findings imply that in horses experienced with EAAT, the interaction with PTSD veterans did not result in a stress response.”
“Participants also reported a significant decrease in symptoms of anxiety and depression, along with other symptoms of psychological distress.”
Because this was a pilot study, more research with a larger number of horses is recommended over a potentially longer time frame to study the long-term impact of EAAT on horses. Karyn would also like to add heart rate variability measurements and blood sampling to the human side of any additional research as a way to better evaluate the interactions between horses and humans.
The study has been published as an open access paper, accessible for free here:
http://www.j-evs.com/article/S0737-0806(17)30776-1/fulltext.
Or listen here to a webinar that was given at Rutgers.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 6, 2018
The Friends of Lord Stirling Stable will host the annual Spring Nature Ride April 15 the trails of Somerset County Park Commission’s Lord Stirling Stable at 256 South Maple Avenue in Basking Ridge. The hour-long ride, open to those with no experience as well as those who know how to ride, will begin at 8:30 a.m., with check-in at 8 a.m.
Junior riders 12 and older who are not currently enrolled at Lord Stirling may participate if accompanied by an adult for the walking ride on 18 miles of trails.
Guides will accompany riders to point out and attempt to identify plants, birds, and animals.The fee is $35 for members of the Friends of Lord Stirling Stable and Lord Stirling Stable students; $40 for non-members who are Somerset County residents and $50 for non-residents. Participants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Late registration accepted if room permits.
Certified ASTM/SEI equestrian helmets and boots or shoes with hard, smooth soles and a definite heel are required and may be borrowed from the stable office at no additional cost. Riders must be at least 12 years of age, weigh less than 200 pounds, and must be enrolled with registration forms available in the stable office or online at www.flss.org. For directions to the stable, call the office at 908-722-1200 ext. 5010.
Information on other Somerset County Park Commission activities may be found on the Internet at www.somersetcountyparks.org
