After a pandemic hiatus of more than two months (because nothing was happening on the New Jersey equestrian scene) the page listing shows and other activities in the state has returned. Couldn’t run it when there was nothing to list. Check it out on this website.
There’s still a chance that there will be a 5-star three-day event somewhere this year. While Kentucky, Badminton, Burghley, Luhmuhlen and Adelaide have fallen by the pandemic wayside, Pau in France and the new Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill are continuing to look at running in October.
According to Jeff Newman, the president and CEO of the Maryland 5-star organizing committee, “On our end, we are still evaluating, monitoring and listening, but hope to finalize a course of action very soon.” The event, to run Oct. 15-18, also includes the Future Event Horse and Young Event Horse championships.
The team from Pau “is going to spare no effort and do everything possible” to run the Oct. 21-25 event (which also includes the world driving championship for singles), a statement from that fixture said.
Even though it’s only early June, there’s already concern about the fate of indoor shows around the world this autumn. The Helsinki, Finland, show, slated for Oct. 22-25, won’t be running because it “faces too many challenges.” It’s the second leg of the 2020-2021 Western European World Cup League to be cancelled, after the Madrid Horse Week scheduled for late November was put off until next year. The World Cup finals in Las Vegas was cancelled in April; this makes one wonder what will happen to the 2021 final in Sweden, if qualifiers don’t happen.
Noted Helsinki event director Tom Gordin, “Having all facts currently available, and estimations based on discussion with numerous experts on health issues, as well as sports people, we face a scenario which has too many extremely high risk consequences.”
The fear, common to all shows that are stepping aside this year, involved “late cancellation due to new restrictions, on traveling, border crossing and especially restrictions on visitor numbers allowed” indoors. Sponsors and exhibitors withdrawing or decreasing input play a big role in the event budget situation.
“Less ticket sales, due to social distance challenges or lack of vaccine are essential risk factors too,” said Gordin.
Organizers of the MARS Essex Horse Trials at Moorland Farm in Far Hills have made the “agonizing decision” to cancel the 2020 edition, due to the complications of running it under Covid-related restrictions from the state and the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Essex was greeted with great enthusiasm from competitors and spectators when it was revived during 2017 after an absence from the calendar of nearly two decades. Even though it moved from its original June dates to July 18-19 this year, a call on whether to hold it had to be made six weeks beforehand because of logistics.
“It’s a big production,” explained Ralph Jones, who co-chairs Essex with course designer Morgan Rowsell.
“It’s so uncertain, that’s the problem. Even though you know it’s loosening up a little bit…I can’t know in a month what the rules will be. Enforcing the rules is a big part of the challenge.”
Concern for the 300 riders, 182 volunteers and “the inability to invite spectators to such a big community event” also figured in postponing the event until 2021.
Will Coleman was the winner of the Advanced section at the MARS Essex Horse Trials last year. (Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Marilyn Payne, an international judge who has competed at Essex, said it is “very disappointing” that the event isn’t going, but understands why.
While other events, such as one planned for the Horse Park of New Jersey at the end of June, “can live without spectators,” Essex “is more of a community thing,” said Marilyn, who has a training stable in Tewksbury.
Marilyn Payne competing at Essex. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Citing the success of the Essex revival, she commented, “I’m sure it will come back just as strong next year, if everything’s normal.”
Marilyn mentioned that having events coming up in Maryland and Virginia will put more pressure on governors to reopen elsewhere.
“Everyone wants to just get out and do something,” she pointed out.
Marilyn’s daughter, Holly Payne Caravella, who runs an eventing training business in Chester, agreed that “it would be hard to do Essex without community involvement.” While Holly noted, “it’s sad,” she added, “it’s gotten such a good reputation and everyone wanted to come back. But it’s such a weird year and they wouldn’t be able to run it the way they’d want to run it, so it’s probably best to wait until next year.”
Since some of her students are working from home, they have more time to ride and are “super eager to do anything at this point; they’re very motivated.” She hopes they can compete at Plantation Field in Pennsylvania June 6 and 7. However, she added, those organizers won’t get word from that state until Tuesday as to whether their competition is a go.
Megan Kepferle, who had a blast riding Anakin in the Advanced section at Essex last year, was hoping the event could go; she was looking forward to running there again.
“We were all crossing our fingers and toes; we were getting a little excited,” said the trainer who runs a stable in Long Valley. Then came the letdown.
“Now that Essex is gone, she said, she doesn’t know what to prepare for.
“I think at this point, we’re all just rolling with the punches.”
The cancellation of Essex brings up the question of what will happen with the Far Hills Race Meeting, which is also held at Moorland. The October 17 steeplechase draws 30,000 people to a fixture that is as much social as it is sporting.
Guy Torsillieri, who co-chairs the race meeting with Ron Kennedy, said a decision will be made by Labor Day on whether the races can go this year.
He noted half of the reserved parking places already have been sold: “Everyone’s looking to have some sense of normalcy,” Guy pointed out.
If the races aren’t held, those who bought spots can get a tax deduction for letting the races keep the money (the event benefits six charities), the space can be held for next year, or a full refund is available.
Guy noted that “some sponsors have bailed, which is disappointing to me.” He said they were concerned about putting a lot of people closely together.
It will be decided by Labor Day if the Far Hills Races can go. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
He and Ron are looking at options to use Moorland more than twice a year, so they are considering both horse-related and non-related activities. Stay tuned on that one.
Meanwhile, Princeton Show Jumping in Skillman has had to cancel its June 7 and June 21 shows, because the state isn’t allowing outdoor non-contact organized sports until June 22. Demand is such that they got 750 entry requests for the June 7 date (the show can only handle 325 in one day).
So Princeton’s season now starts with June 24-28 and July 1-5 Level 4 jumper shows with outreach hunters and equitation. Pending USEF approval, AA Premier, C- Rated hunters, and National Equitation classes will be added to those shows.
The opening of hunter/jumper showing in New Jersey had been eagerly awaited. Colts Neck-based trainer Max Amaya was set to ship 29 horses to the June 7 Princeton show.
“It is unfortunate, because everybody is waiting to get going, and some states have loosened their restrictions and are allowed to do some showing. It is a little discouraging, but we want to keep positive and do more training at home.”
Max Amaya at Stonehenge Stables in Colts Neck. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
He feels badly for Princeton organizer Andrew Philbrick, citing the effort his crew has put into the show. Now Max will start the summer season for his riders at the Tryon, N.C., International Equestrian Center in June and come back to the Princeton shows in July.
“It’s a little bit of a setback, but the reality is there will be some obstacles on the way back to showing. It’s just the reality we’re living in. We just have to find solutions and do in a positive way what is the best in the situation we’re in,” Max said.
Princeton’s Summer Classic Charity Horse Shows begin with a welcome July 8-13, followed by shows July 15-19, July 22-26 and July 29-Aug. 2.
Andrew said he thought his June 7 show would be good to go because the governor’s stay at home order expired June 6. Once word about the June 22 date for organized sports came out, however, he said of the June one-day shows, “I couldn’t figure out how to make it comply,” even though competing on a 110-acre property, “is probably putting you at less risk than grocery shopping.”
He added the shutdown of showing has affected the entire industry.
For stable owners, he noted, “it’s incredibly hard to pay bills off (horse) board alone, and added some people aren’t even paying for their horses’ care.
Andrew pointed out that everyone from judges, water truck drivers, course designers, ingate people and many others have been out of work for more than three months in most instances.
So he’s looking forward to “getting the sport up and running in a safe and rational way.”
Three Vermont Summer Festival shows that could not be held in their namesake state due to Covid restrictions are moving to HITS-on-the-Hudson, where they will be combined in a six-week series with three HITS Saugerties (NY) Summer Series shows. The joint effort will create the Great American Summer Series, July 1 – August 9.
“We are pleased to be working with John Ammerman and the Vermont Summer Festival to create the Great American Summer Series at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York this year,” said Tom Struzzieri, president and CEO of HITS.
“When John [Ammerman] first found out he could not run shows in Vermont in 2020, we immediately began collaborating to bring our two circuits together to provide exhibitors with a world-class experience this summer.”
The Great American Summer Series will begin July 1, kicking-off with two VSF Shows, the Vermont Summer Special and Manchester Summer Festival, followed by the three-week HITS Saugerties Summer Series, and finishing with the Vermont Summer Celebration.
Offerings will include three $100,000 grands prix and two $200,000 grands prix, as well as two $25,000 International Hunter Derbies.
While more equestrian competitions are being called off because of the pandemic, others are running, enabling the industry to begin healing from months of inactivity.
There will be no Global Champions Tour in 2020. The GCT, a rich international circuit with shows from China to Miami Beach, announced today it has cancelled all competitions until 2021.
“In these exceptional circumstances, it is not realistic to safely stage a global championship circuit this year. We must follow the laws of national governments and public health authorities, which change regularly and at short notice, having a major impact on international planning,” GCT said in its statement.
Restrictions on travel mean not all riders would be able to compete, the GCT announcement explained.. The threat of a second wave later in the year and the lack of a cure or a vaccine also contributed to the decision.
The state of New York’s failure to lift restrictions in time for HITS to have its first show at Saugerties in early June has meant the series there will start later in the month than planned.
Meanwhile, Equestrian Sport Productions just held successful schooling shows in Wellington, Fla., with all kinds of precautions, including masks, taking temperatures and lots of sanitizing. That was a dress rehearsal for recognized shows that begin next month, after the U.S. Equestrian Federation lifts its restrictions on earning points and qualifying criteria.
David Burton Jr., the show manager at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, said, “I feel that we demonstrated that we can run our sport safely in the middle of this pandemic. It is my sincere hope that we have all begun to navigate our way forward without having to shut down our industry again.”
Yesterday, the Ocala Jockey Club announced about its CCI4-star L national eventing championship, “Based on what we know at this time, we feel confident that the 2020 event can run as scheduled.” Important for Olympics qualifying purposes, it is set for Nov. 12-15 in Reddick, Fla., and will be held in conjunction with three other FEI levels of competition, the CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L and the CCI4*-S. Each of the levels also features special recognition and prizes for young horses and off-track Thoroughbreds, with the Thoroughbred Makeover Masterclass event showcased by the Retired Racehorse Project.
Plantation Field in Pennsylvania is hoping to hold horse trials June 6 and 7 (and possibly June 5) if the state’s stay-at-home order is lifted in time. No final decision will be made on whether to run until “the very last moment.” This organizer is also scheduled to hold an international horse trials Sept. 17-20. If things can’t run by then, we’re in big trouble…
Today the state of New Jersey has lifted pandemic-imposed restrictions on horseback riding, but that won’t mean the reopening of the lesson program at the Somerset County Park Commission’s Lord Stirling Stable in Basking Ridge.
A month ago, the park commission decided to cancel until the end of the year all programming which involves events, clinics, lessons and camps at a variety of commission facilities, including the stable. The reason is financial, with the commission citing the loss of revenue due to Covid-related closure of its golf courses during March and April, and limits on the number of players who could go out during part of May.
Of the approximately $9 million in revenue generated by the commission, approximately $6.5 million comes from golf. Part of those proceeds pay much of the costs at the stable, which does not sustain itself financially. An estimate of revenue losses from golf just through the end of June came in at $2.5 million. In order to cope, $2.1 million in the commission’s operating budget was earmarked for cancellation.
The stable had a deficit of more than $500,000 in 2019, although economies made in running the facility brought that figure down from more than $700,000 12 years ago, according to an article by stable manager Marge Margentino. She was writing in the spring newsletter put out by Friends of Lord Stirling Stable, a volunteer group that supports the stable and the park commission’s efforts, along with the school horse retirement program.
Geoffrey Soriano, secretary-director of the park commission, said that while everything run by the Park Commission does not have to break even or make a profit, “the losses incurred at some of our facilities have caused the Commission to reconsider its business model.”
At the end of 2019, even before the advent of Covid, a downsizing decision for the stable was made. Marge noted in the newsletter that lesson registration at the stable was down 19 percent, part of a nationwide trend. According to statistics from the American Horse Council and the American Horse Publications association, since 2005 the equine industry as a whole has had a downturn, with fewer riders participating in pleasure and trail riding. Meanwhile, the state’s Covid-related prohibition of gatherings, such as pony parties, would hurt revenue as well.
After the cancellation decision, some horses were sent to be sold by Pond Hill in Vermont, the business from which they were purchased, some went into the retirement program and others were turned out on Lord Stirling’s pastures.
Lord Stirling’s lesson horses were put out to pasture before being dispersed for financial reasons.
This month, however, all the remaining lesson horses have been dispersed. One group went to Pond Hill, while others became part of the retirement program. The dispersal meant enough money was saved so employees on the staff of 12 did not have to be laid off. In addition to caring for horses, however, tight finances mean staff has to pitch in elsewhere by rotating out to different park commission facilities, where they do everything from planting flowers and weeding to other forms of maintenance.
In a letter explaining the situation that was sent this week to those who ride at the stable, Geoff stated that the decision to disperse the herd was made after much deliberation.
“Financially, there is no other option. The cost to maintain the remaining horses over the next seven months excluding labor, facility costs and utilities is more than $115,000,” the letter stated.
Including those items and equipment maintenance brings the total to just under $409,000, and it would have been even more expensive with additional costs if programming were to resume. An extra financial burden in the wake of Covid would have stemmed from the need to adhere to Centers for Disease Control guidelines and other government restrictions.
Five ponies remain at Lord Stirling–they are relatively low-cost to keep, and good ones are hard to replace. Boarders are staying and more will be taken in to fill the stable’s box stalls. Some of the retired school horses in the Friends program also are still at the stable.
Lord Stirling Stable has been honored by Rutgers as a Gold Medal Horse Farm for its dedication to environmental sustainability.
Although money has been set aside to purchase or lease horses in January, when lessons can start up again beginning with advanced riders to get the animals acclimated, questions remain about the stable’s future. (to learn more about Lord Stirling, click here)
“The Park Commission is responsibly and diligently looking at all options,” Geoff observed, noting a committee is examining alternatives for the stable, which could include having a private operator lease it.
There are eight county-owned stables in New Jersey in addition to Lord Stirling. They are located in Mercer, Gloucester, Essex, Bergen, Union, Passaic, Monmouth and Morris counties. Only Union, Somerset and Mercer have county-run lesson programs. Monmouth is limited to therapeutic riding and Gloucester is primarily an events-oriented facility with a private lesson purveyor, while the others are leased to private operators.
Asked whether the stable might close, Geoff responded, “Lord Stirling Stable has been in existence for over five decades. As such, any permanent closure would only occur after all other prudent options have been completely exhausted.”
Anything run by government has increased expense because bidding for goods and services is required, and costs for employees are higher due to benefits and pensions. A privately run stable doesn’t have to go out to bid for items, and can buy and disperse horses any way it chooses. But according to state law, Lord Stirling’s horses may be purchased only through an auction or licensed dealer, both of which must have a New Jersey registration certificate.
Horses must be dispersed through those avenues or the retirement program, which has eligibility requirements for the horses it takes. Current riders in this instance, however, may be able to purchase horses from the dealer, but must wait to be advised of how to do that, according to the letter.
Sadly, there are ever-fewer places in the country today where people can learn to ride, or be involved with equestrian sports if they don’t have a horse. Lord Stirling has developed a community of devoted riders, many of whom have been part of its program for years.
Trail rides have been part of the fun at Lord Stirling.
“What we’re doing for members is to try and keep them encouraged,” said Nancy Brown, president of the Friends, which has 150 members and access to mailing lists that can bring in volunteers as needed.
“We’re trying to keep our organization intact. We’re trying to look at increasing our online fundraising,” she said, noting an online gift auction will replace the facility’s holiday festival at the stable. It is the group’s largest fundraiser, benefiting the school horse retirement program.
As Marge noted, the riders aren’t the only ones feeling a loss.
“It’s been a very tough emotional time for the staff,” she explained.
“They spend eight hours a day, seven days week with these horses.”
The pandemic has claimed the September 5-star Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, which is cancelled for the first time since it was founded in 1961.
A statement from the event explained, “our absolute priority is the health and safety of our community, including everyone directly involved with the event; our visitors, sponsors, competitors, owners, helpers, trade exhibitors and contractors.”
Burghley is the fifth of the world’s seven five-stars to be cancelled. It was preceded by Kentucky, Badminton (England), Luhmühlen (Germany) and Adelaide (Australia).The new American 5-star in Fair Hill, Md., Oct. 15-18 is still on at the moment, as is the year’s only other pending 5-star, Pau (France) Oct. 22-25.
Leslie Burr Howard and David Distler, who were just voted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, have been two of the most successful members of the equestrian community for half a century. They were set to be installed at the Devon Horse Show this month, but when it was cancelled the ceremony was postponed and will be held at a future date.
David Distler is truly the indispensable man of show jumping, both nationally and internationally.
He rose from in-gate starter in the early 1970s to show manager, Olympic judge and FEI Steward General, as well as being a valued member of key committees.
He has been involved with five Olympics games: Two as a judge (2008 and 2016), one as an FEI Steward (2012), one as event coordinator (1996) and one as starter (1984). He also has been part of three World Equestrian Games, two as a judge (2014 and 2018) and one as co-manager (2010). Had it not been cancelled, the Las Vegas World Cup Final would have been his 13th world indoor championship, six as a judge (including four as Ground Jury president), four as Steward, one as manager, and two as starter.
In addition, David has served as manager of several of the country’s biggest competitions, including the USET Show Jumping Olympic Trials; the Devon, Washington International and National Horse Shows, as well as the Winter Equestrian Festival and USEF Show Jumping Talent Search. He also held many positions, including technical coordinator, at the Lake Placid Horse Shows, where he was honored in 2019 for his nearly 50 years of service.
Highly respected for his encyclopedic knowledge of the rules, as well as his honesty and integrity, David is regarded as one of the leading show jumping judges in the world. David also serves the sport through his leadership roles with its major organizations including working many years as the FEI’s Steward General for show jumping and as chairman of the USEF Show Jumping Committee. He is also vice president of the USHJA and treasurer of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
David, a resident of Palm Beach County, Florida, and his wife, Sharon, have a son, Liam.
Leslie Burr Howard has been one of the most competitive and admired show jumpers in the world. “Leapin Leslie”.was an integral part of U. S. squads that won the team gold ,edal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the team silver at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She also won team Gold and Silver medals in the Pan American Games and was the 1986 FEI World Cup™ Champion.
By the time she was four, Leslie already knew two things–that she liked horses and she liked speed. Leslie grew up riding ponies at Highfield Farm in Long Valley. She entered her first show at age six and in 1972, she won the ASPCA Maclay Finals at just 15 years old, the second youngest ever to take that title.
In 1983, Leslie was part of the gold medal U.S. team with Boing at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela. She was also named the American Grandprix Association (AGA) Rider of the Year and her eventual Olympic mount, Albany, was Horse of the Year, a feat he repeated in 1984.
In 1986, she won the FEI World Cup™ Final in Gothenburg, Sweden aboard McLain, and was honored as the AHSA Equestrian of the Year. Over the course of her career, Leslie has competed in 18 FEI World Cup™ Finals and is one of only five female champions in the event’s 41-year history.
One of Leslie’s career highlights was being named as Gem Twist’s rider after an injury suffered by Greg Best, who rode him to double silver in the 1988 Olympics. She successfully completed the 1992 season, helping Gem earn AGA Horse of the Year honors for a record third time. In 1994, Leslie rode Gem Twist and Charisma to first-place tie in the USET Show Jumping Championship at Gladstone and represented the U.S. at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in The Hague. Riding Jane Clark’s Extreme, Leslie was part of the U.S. team that clinched the silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
In 1997, the USET honored Leslie with the Whitney Stone Cup for long and meritorious service. Later that year, she won the world’s richest show jumping event at the Spruce Meadows Masters aboard Sblieft. In 1999, with Clover Leaf, she helped the USET win the team silver medal at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada. She topped the USA East Coast FEI World Cup™ League in 2000, and that summer won the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows. She also earned the Leading Rider Award at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. In 2002, she was part of the U.S. Team at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Jerez, Spain.
Leslie has taught and influenced many top jumper riders, including Molly Ashe-Cawley, Debbie Dolan-Sweeney, Kent Farrington, Judy Garofalo Torres, Lisa Jacquin, Christine Tribble McCrea and Fernando Martinez. She was inducted into the Show Hunter Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Hall of Fame in 2018.
She and her husband, Peter Howard, split their time between Florida and Connecticut.
The “uncertainty of the time” led to today’s announcement that Dressage at Devon is cancelled. The September show, a highlight of the year, was called off “to ensure the safety of our competitors, vendors, sponsors, spectators and our wonderful volunteers,” according to the show’s president, Lori Kaminski.
The fixture is the third at the historic suburban Philadelphia showgrounds to be called off in the last few months. The first was the May hunter/jumper show, which should have been getting under way tomorrow. The summer Brandywine hunter/jumper show was next to go.
As the dressage show’s statement explained, “Operating an international competition at a venue such as Devon is a large undertaking. Our team has worked diligently to review the equestrian governing bodies’ requirements to hold a competition, as well as federal, state and local regulations. It became clear that holding the competition this September, while ensuring everyone’s safety, is not realistic.”
As the statement noted, the situation has made it difficult for suppliers, vendors, competitors, volunteers and sponsors to plan and commit resources and support, all crucial to the success of the show.
At the same time, a group of new board members was announced. They are Christina Morin Graham, Maureen “Mo” Swanson, Jessica “JJ” Tate and Karen Ramsing- Bixler.
The good word for New Jersey stables that have been stalled in pandemic lockdown is that as of Friday, May 22, Gov. Phil Murphy is lifting coronavirus restrictions on horseback riding, along with a number of other recreational activities such as tennis, which easily lend themselves to social distancing.
And this is the first day that all 50 U.S. states have reopened, though many are in different stages of the process at the moment. The timing is good, with U.S. Equestrian Federation-recognized shows set to start June 1 after a nationwide shutdown of such competitions that began March 23.
It’s time to get going with competition again. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Not every show on the calendar will be held, however. You have to remember, that to paraphrase Winston Churchill in another context, this is not the end of pandemic-related problems, and probably not even the beginning of the end. But it is the end of the beginning. Thank goodness.
The Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association’s Memorial Day Dressage Show, which would have been a highlight of this weekend, has been postponed. Holly Cornell, ESDCTA’s president, is hoping that time for it may be added to the organization’s Summer Days show, now slated for July 16 and 17.
Summer Days has been scheduled for the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone and is another competition that remains up in the air–as so much is at this point–until we see where the Covid restrictions are going.
The importance of shows like Summer Days has been increased with word today that September’s Dressage at Devon has been cancelled. Look in the On the Rail section of this website for details.
The June 5-7 Windy Hollow Hunt dressage show, slated for Sussex County, is another Covid cancellation, with organizers hoping things will be more settled in July so they can hold their next show.
Katie Benson at Briarwood Derby Day. (Photo © 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
July’s Briarwood Derby Day, always a fun competition for a good cause, has been cancelled. It was founded a decade ago by Katie Benson in memory of her husband, Jack, who died of cancer. The competition has raised more than $275,000 for Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center, and Katie assures us it will be back next year.
On the bright side, hunter paces are starting up. Windy Hollow has one scheduled for May 31 at 10 Dekay Road in Vernon, the Monmouth County Hunt has moved its June 14 pace to June 28, while the Amwell Valley Hounds plan to hold theirs on June 6 at Horseshoe Bend Park in Kingwood Township. Here’s a note, about something you probably will see often. There won’t be a portable toilet at this pace, by order of Kingwood Emergency Management, because under Covid standards it would have to be cleaned every time it was used. But don’t you have a manure bucket in your horse trailer?
The Horse Park of New Jersey is staging a soft opening, with barrel racing tentatively set for the holiday this Monday, but no outside spectators will be allowed and only 10 people can gather at a time for the competition.
Adam Furlong, president of the park’s trustees, said unmounted individuals can come to the park for walks on foot starting this Friday, but with social distancing and no groups.
Private groups of less than 10 people for lessons and training with anyone who holds a Horse Park professional membership can be scheduled, along with some cross-country schooling days, although trustees are still working on details about what measures are needed in terms of holding competitions as they consult with government officials. Adam is hopeful that eventually the 10-person cap can be raised “to bring a greater sense of normalcy.” Meanwhile, the park trustees are continuing to update and refine the facility’s Covid policy as they try to make the dollars work.
“The Horse Park runs on a slim margin in a good year,” said Adam, noting, “We’ve been aggressive in trying to reduce expenses and overhead while we’ve been closed.” But he added it will take time to firm up finances in the wake of early cancellations, including April’s Four Seasons show and May’s signature Jersey Fresh International eventing fixture.
Although the park applied for federal payroll protection funds, the money has not been received and employees had to be furloughed. That means the park is looking for volunteers to help board members do maintenance, everything from mowing the grass to various tasks involved in sprucing up.
“The trick from here,” said Adam, “is going to be allowing events to return so we can bring our employees back as quickly as possible and operate with new guidelines and protocols, which are obviously going to have their own financial ramifications as well.”
Morgan Rowsell, co-organizer of the New Jersey Horse Trials at the Horse Park, is hopeful they can take place June 27 and 28. Adam said June 5 will be the day when a final decision is made about that.
Pent-up enthusiasm is such that the event already has 100 entries, and attracted 15 Advanced division competitors on the day entries opened, which is highly unusual, according to Morgan. Riders are itching to get out after months of down time. But the number of riders allowed has to be such that events without spectators can still afford to run.
The event would be held under USEF protocols aimed at Covid safety, which includes all kinds of sanitizing and social distancing, as well as a requirement to bring your own food (it won’t be available on the grounds), online entries and no spectators. Morgan noted it won’t be difficult to have social distancing on the park’s nearly 200 acres in Monmouth County.
He is also co-organizer of the July 18-19 MARS Equestrian Essex Horse Trials in Far Hills, and is hoping that can be held. Parameters for such events should become clearer as the days pass. He said a decision on holding the 2020 edition of Essex likely is two weeks away.
Flora Lea in Medford was supposed to have its Spring Horse Trials this weekend but it cancelled. Its June Young Eventing Horse and Mini Horse trials also was cancelled. Flora Lea, which has been running a USEA event since 1975, hopes to stage its Fall Horse Trials in September.
USEF has offered webinars with various affiliates about how competition should resume. (See the story below this one on the main page of this website.) There is quite a list of requirements, but it is nothing compared to what was produced by Major League Baseball, which has a 67-page document outlining medical protocols to be followed once that sport begins again.
During the USEF/U.S. Eventing Association webinar this month, one of the panelists, USEA Vice President of Competitions Jonathan Elliott, warned he didn’t foresee awards ceremonies under the current conditions, envisioning that riders would pick up their ribbons from a table and shouldn’t count on a photo op.
Eventers just need to get out there, and qualifications for future events are important to achieve. USEA President Max Corcoran suggested it might be helpful for eventers to consider starting out a level below where they finished last season.
Riders in all disciplines have to think about whether they are prepared to compete. As U.S Dressage Federation President Lisa Gorretta put it, “If you are ready and comfortable to resume competition, you should. If you are not ready or not comfortable, that is okay too.”
It’s been a difficult spring for many riders, including some who have their own horses but were barred from coming to their barns for weeks due to state restrictions.
Stephanie Desiderio, who runs Tranquillity Farm in Chester Township with her husband, Ricci, and their son, Michael, as well as their daughter, Alexandria, said their 72-horse facility was on lockdown for four weeks, so they took the time to make improvements in the facility. The Desiderios and staff exercised the horses during that period, and the couple was able to keep their 10 employees on the payroll, even though they were denied a small business loan.
Michael and Stephanie Desiderio. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The Desiderios began allowing boarders to ride in lessons a month ago, but the riders were required to simply get on their mounts then leave immediately after the lesson ended. As of Friday, boarders can ride without taking a lesson. A program for those who don’t own their own horses will resume Friday.
As with the eventing, Stephanie noted there already is huge demand in the hunter/jumper ranks for when shows start again. Her riders could only get on the waiting list for the Tryon, N.C., show series because that was booked so quickly. They had better luck with Traverse City, Mich. But with limited entries due to the need for social distancing, many shows will not have their usual capacity to take exhibitors.
Another professional, Max Amaya said his Stonehenge Stables in Colts Neck had to cancel a European tour for 16 horses arranged in conjunction with Stacia Madden at Beacon Hill. European shows have been cancelled at the same rate as U.S. shows, and it’s not the time for equine air travel. Max was hoping the Lake Placid, N.Y., show would be held next month, but iit was cancelled. So his Plan A for the summer had to be scrapped “100 percent,” and he went to Plan B.
That includes two weeks at Tryon, two weeks in Kentucky and in between, visits to the Princeton Show Jumping competitions in Skillman. Being able to accept change is the order of the day.
“It’s a new era we’re living in,” observed Max.
