by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 9, 2019
HITS, Inc. and CEO Thomas Struzzieri announced today that the Thermal, Calif. series of horse shows and the winter circuit in Arizona have been sold so the organization can concentrate on its Ocala showgrounds in the winter.
The California series founded in 1992, fills more than 3,000 stalls in any week, and offers the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix as its feature.
“The timing of this sale is perfect for both HITS and myself. My team and I have successfully shepherded this product from just an idea to one of the largest horse show franchises in the world,” said Tom Struzzieri.
The show series were sold to a group headed by Steve Hankin, president and CEO of the Desert International Horse Park, where the Thermal series is held.
“Three ingredients made this the perfect recipe for a sale,” said Tom.
“One, it allows me to travel a bit less and spend more time with my fantastic family. Two, this allows HITS to concentrate fully in the winter on the very important HITS Ocala Circuit.” The Ocala Circuit is the oldest program in the HITS collection of shows and its facilities are also the largest, spanning 450 acres.
Tom said the sale will allow him to devote significant financial and staffing resources toward ensuring that the Ocala facility remains an essential winter hunter-jumper destination. He added his clients will now see even greater innovation at the Ocala facility.
“The Great American $1 Million Grand Prix remains the crown jewel of prize money on the East Coast and I am confident that it will only grow because of this sale,” said Tom.
The third reason for the sale, according to Tom, is his certainty that the shows in Thermal are in good hands.
“This partner group, led by Steve Hankin, is committed to continuing to offer quality events in the desert in California. They have plans to continue to improve both the property and the event to ensure a great experience for all the existing and new customers.”
Asa result of the sale, Tom will do the same in Ocala, dedicating enormous resources to his own facility.
Ocala, in central Florida, is getting to be an ever-more popular show destination. Chester Weber offers a Longines FEI World Cup qualifier at his March Live Oak show there, and the new World Equestrian Center will begin offering shows in 2021 when construction is finished at its site.
Steve Hankin noted, “The Thermal and Arizona winter circuits are centerpieces of the show schedule on the West Coast, and we look forward to building on the strong success Tom has created. Tom and his team have been incredibly supportive of efforts throughout this process. We have an enthusiastic group of California equestrians committed to supporting the sport going forward and will be announcing more about our plans soon.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 6, 2019
The New Jersey Farm Bureau is presenting an Equine Town Hall Event Aug. 15 at the Gloucester County Dream Park, 400 Route 130 in Swedesboro. This is the South Jersey version of last year’s meeting in Chester, Morris County.
Topics will include the Right to Farm for Equine/Agriculture, Legislative and Regulatory matters for the equine industry; pasture management, presented by Rutgers University’s Carey Williams and Dr. Ernest Beier on equine health.
The meeting is billed as “an evening of networking and informative presentations focused on maximizing the viability and mutual success of the equine and agricultural industries.” Arrival and networking run from 6:30-7 p.m., with presentations from 7-8:30 p.m. There is no admission charge and light refreshments will be offered.
RSVP to 609-393-7163 or Melissaw@njfb.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 5, 2019
The Monmouth County Hunt is offering a Hunt Clinic on Sunday, Sept, 15 at 8 a.m. This is an opportunity to get out riding cross-country and find out about a new sport. The hounds will be hunting, and this is a great time for horses not accustomed to hunting to be introduced gently. All jumps have go-arounds. The clinic price of $50 per rider include brunch.
RSVP to monmouthcountyhunt@gmail.com. For questions, call Jen Donaldson at (732) 915-0492.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 4, 2019
Boyd Martin spent a lot of time kicking himself for a cross-country refusal at a boat jump in the water during the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, where the U.S. team failed to qualify for a slot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
But he more than made up for it this weekend at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, with the same horse, Tsetserleg, nearly a year wiser and more in tune with his rider. There was another boat jump at another water this time around, but the two were totally unfazed at that reminder.
Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg at the boat obstacle on cross-country in Lima. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
Boyd led the U.S. to its third straight team eventing Pan Am gold and its 10th overall, qualifying the U.S. for a berth in Tokyo, and took individual gold for himself.
He was followed closely by Lynn Symansky on RF Cool Play, who earned individual silver. They were the only two in the competition who had no jumping or time faults on Jose Ortelli’s demanding cross-country course, and thus the only two to finish on their dressage scores.
Lynn Symansky and RF Cool Play. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
With Tokyo in its sights, a lot was expected of the U.S. team.
“We came here and we were under the gun a bit, but we all stepped up and tried our hardest,” said Boyd, who moved up from second place after dressage.
“We’ve got good horses, great riders, the best coach in the world, great farriers, brilliant vets….there was no stone left unturned. Now we have to keep up the momentum, using every day we’ve got until Tokyo to keep improving… and then we’ll find out on the day, because competition is competition.”
Like Boyd, Lynn, who rode Donner at the 2018 WEG, felt redeemed.
Understandably, “We’re much happier with our performances here this weekend,” is how she put it.
It was a strong team, with each rider contributing shining efforts.
The U.S. gold medal Pan Am event team: Tamie Smith, Doug Payne, Boyd Martin, Lynn Symansky, coach Erik Duvander. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
Doug Payne finished just off the podium in fourth place on Starr Witness in his first international championships. Tamie Smith, who led after dressage with Mai Baum, had an uncharacteristic refusal on cross-country and then crossed her line at a fence later in the course, an error that also carries 20 penalties. Like her teammates, she was fault-free today over a show jumping route designed by Guilherme Jorge, who also laid out the demanding grand prix show jumping course at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Having all four U.S. riders go clean in show jumping was a big plus, because that phase too often been the team’s downfall.
Lima was the last chance for Western Hemisphere teams to qualify for Tokyo, with only the top two making the cut. Finishing second to the U.S. total of 91.2 penalties was Brazil on 122.1, as Carlos Parro took the individual bronze aboard Quaikin Qurious. The Brazilians lost the 2015 individual bronze medalist, Ruy Fonseca, when he was involved in a rotational fall cross-country with Ballypatrick Srs. The horse was fine, but Ruy broke a leg and several ribs.
Canada missed the boat for Tokyo with a third-place finish on 183.7 penalties.
Those who attended the Jersey Fresh International event at the Horse Park of New Jersey in May saw both Doug and Lynn on their Pan Am horses in the 3-star Long, the equivalent of the Pan Am test. If you’re still thinking in terms of 2018 and before, that used to be the 2-star. Doug—who grew up in Tewksbury and rode with the Somerset Hills Pony Club–won that one, while Lynn was second.
Doug Payne and Starr Witness in Lima. (U.S. Equestrian photo)
A big part of the winning U.S. formula was team coach Erik Duvander, who competed for his native Sweden and oversaw the New Zealand squad before coming to the U.S. He was at a real disadvantage with the WEG last year, since he’d only been on the job about 10 months before those Games began.
That was hardly enough time to get things spinning the way he envisioned them. But as was the case with Boyd, another 10 or so months made a big difference, with everything and everyone pointing in the right direction.
When I congratulated him this afternoon, Erik stated, “I have a great team of riders and support staff that deserves all the credit.” No, not all the credit Erik; you deserve your share of the applause; I’ve seen how hard you work. And I will never forget how gracious and graceful he was at the WEG when things didn’t go the USA’s way.
In summing up the USA’s achievement, Boyd, too, expressed gratitude for all the support the team received from so many quarters, “It’s so much work–we get to wear the fancy medal, but really it’s a massive effort from a lot of people.”
The format for Lima involved the traditional number of four riders per team, with a drop score allowed. The Olympics, which will be run at a higher level, only allows three riders under a new formula for the Games that is supposed to make things easier for spectators to understand (ha!) and enable more countries to participate. But while the three/no drop score works for Grand Prix dressage and perhaps in many instances for Grand Prix show jumping, the difficulties of cross-country have made many question the wisdom of not having a drop score for eventing and instead allowing a complicated system of substitutions with attendant penalties.
The loss of Brazil’s most experienced rider, Ruy Fonseca this time around, worked out for that team only because they had three others who could continue. Besides the top three countries, only two other nations, Mexico and Argentina, finished the event as a team. That portends much the same end in Tokyo for less powerful nations in the sport.
Caption for feature photo at the top of the page: The Brazilian, U.S. and Canadian teams on the podium at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. (Photo credit: FEI/Daniel Apuy/Getty Images)
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 25, 2019
The terms “relaxed” and “horse show” would seem contradictory, but they meshed well in this week’s Summer Days dressage competition at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone. Presented by the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association, it had something for everyone, from Grand Prix down to Training Level.
After the weekend heatwave broke, the temperature cooperated, enabling riders (with jackets waived) to try qualifying for regionals, practice for the Festival of Champions in Illinois next month or just enjoy getting mileage at a special venue. It also offered a convenient opportunity for local riders, who didn’t have to ship far for the experience.
One of those in that group, Alice Tarjan, rode 9-year-old Candescent to victory yesterday in the FEI Freestyle class with an impressive 75.450 in the Grand Prix. Candescent means “glowing or dazzling,” and this mare lives up to her billing. It’s a better name than her first two monikers, Celina and Curly Sue (huh?), neither of which were official. She needed to have a name starting with “C” and Alice found the perfect one for a mare whose trot extensions are stunning.
Alice Tarjan and Candescent. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Alice, an amateur who lives in Oldwick, was using Summer Days as a qualifier for Regionals. Candescent already qualified for the Festival of Champions in the Developing Grand Prix; she was reserve champion last year in the USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix Dressage National Championship.
The mare came from the Hanoverian auction as a 4-year-old. Alice bought her because she was looking for something she could jump.
“It didn’t go so well. She was really sour in quarantine, I was scared to death,” Alice recalled.
“By the time I finally got her to the point where I could ride her, I was like, `This horse is actually pretty decent, I should probably keep her as a dressage horse,’ ” Alice recalled.
Candescent is black with white socks, reminiscent of Alice’s first pony, the similarly marked Licorice, who was a brat but obviously meant a lot to his owner–she has had several horses with that coloring over the years.
Her other mount, Hester, was in her first show at Summer Days, earning 66.125 percent in Third Level, Test 3, as Alice was in the process of qualifying her for Regionals.
Hester debuted at Third Level with Alice Tarjan. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Second in the FEI Freestyle, riding Intermediate I (it was a test of choice) Betsy Steiner earned 73.500 percent with Swiss W. The mare is very special to Steiner, a professional based at George Morris’ former Hunterdon Inc. in Pittstown.
“She’s so good,” said Betsy. “She’s good-hearted, good from the inside out, she’s kind, she’s super-intelligent, she’s teaching me all the time. She’s made me a more intelligent and thoughtful trainer for horses and riders. She’s a very special soul.”
Betsy hopes to go to the Festival and is schooling Grand Prix with Swiss. “When she’s confident in it, then I’ll take her grand prix,” she said.
The mare, who belongs to Whitney Bailey, selected Betsy as her person. Shopping in Europe during 2015, Betsy saw Swiss staring at her intently.
Betsy Steiner and Swiss W. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Don’t look at me like that,” Betsy advised the Baden-Wurttemberger mare, but she already was hooked.
“I just enjoy every second being with her,” Betsy said. “She stole my heart.”
Veterinarian Wendy Furlong of Pittstown was all smiles showing home-bred Amazzing, a 19-year-old spotted former event horse, in the I-1 freestyle to earn a score of 65.850 percent.
“We’re just doing it for fun. It’s just a privilege to come and show at the USET. The fact that we can show here if we’re not trying to go to the Olympics is pretty cool,” said Wendy.
Former event horse Amazzing now specializes in dressage for Wendy Furlong (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
In 2011, she won the U.S. Eventing Association’s Preliminary Master Amateur Rider award with Amazzing and his half-sister, Jazzmine, 16, who also competed at the Gladstone show. Both are out of Wendy’s mare, Jazztime.
Wendy has done an informal pilot study with acupuncture (she’s a practitioner) on both horses. Neither has ever had a hock injection. “They’ve both been very, very sound horses,” she said.
Barbie Asplundh of West Amwell finished second in the I-1 yesterday with the aptly named Gorgeous on 69.412 percent.
Being gorgeous is only part of what her black gelding is about.
“He’s sweet, he’s a wonderful mover, he’s a very forgiving ride. I’ve had him for a year and a half and he’s done wonders for my riding. He’s fantastic. I can’t say enough about this horse,” said Barbie, who got him from Andreas Helgstrand, a Danish rider and horse dealer when he set up shop in Wellington, Fla.
The gorgeous Gorgeous and Barbie Asplundh competing at I-1. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Formerly a dressage professional who has been pursuing her discipline since 1979, Barbie took her amateur status back and is trained by Catherine Haddad-Staller. “It’s not about changing the horse; it’s about changing the rider and the horse follows,” she said of Catherine’s teaching style. Barbie generally practices without stirrups and shows in Catherine’s Stubben saddle that has neither knee rolls or leg blocks.
Gorgeous is qualified for the Festival of Champions in the Developing Prix St. Georges. Barbie has taken her time with him, since he only turned eight in June. Summer Days was his first time in the I-1. She’s also hoping to compete at Dressage at Devon this fall.
Califon-based Sara Schmitt was quite sick yesterday, but she fought through it, finishing third in the Grand Prix Freestyle to Abba music with the 15.2-hand German Riding Pony HB Dschafar on 67.250 percent. “He was good; I was not so good,” she said. “I did not ride well today. I was happy to remember everything.”
He’s qualified for regionals but after that, the professional trainer is probably going to sell him. “It’s a shame, but it’s business,” she explained.
Sara was fading later in the day but pulled out a 64.375 with another German Riding Pony, the flaxen mane and tailed First Date in Third Level Test 3. ”I take her out once a year and show her so she remembers what showing is. It was her first time at Third Level,” said Sara.
Sara Schmitt and First Date on the mare’s annual show ring outing. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
The show nicely put in a para-dressage test for Alanna Flax-Clark, who rode El Paso to a score of 68.788 percent and is shooting for next year’s Paralympics in Tokyo. She’s been struggling with some kind of bronchial infection for a month and hadn’t been able to ride until last Monday, but did a great job with her test, even though there were moments when she had trouble breathing.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to trust your horse completely,” she said.
Alanna rides with Sara, who said, “She inspires everyone in the barn. It’s amazing, her poise, and how focused she is.”
Alanna was a special education teacher from Los Angeles who got a life-threatening infection with a temperature that spiked at 106 degrees. Afterward, she couldn’t sit up unsupported, experienced trouble breathing and had no use of her hands.
Alanna Flax-Clark in the USET Foundation stables. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Riding has made a huge difference in her life, and I’ll write more about her later this summer.
Alana was thrilled to be competing at the USET Foundation stables.
“I think it’s a beautiful building and just to be able to ride in such a historic place is an amazing feeling,” she said.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 23, 2019
Young riders will have a chance to experience the college equestrian competition format and win scholarships at New Jersey’s College Preparatory Invitational Sept. 21-22 at The Ridge at Riverview in Asbury.
Founded in 2010, CPI not only educates hunter seat student-athletes about competition, it also provides them with resources to make connections and weigh options that can enrich their college experience. In addition, participants in grades eight through 12 can participate in clinics and educational presentations led by top competitors and leaders in the equine industry.
Academic excellence and social integrity are part of the equestrian experience through the CPI Scholarship and Educational Fund. Student riders can earn scholarships via equitation competition at a CPI event, academic achievement and community service. CPI also produces CPI College Spotlight events for colleges and universities seeking to recruit equestrian students.
The CPI Horse Show requires that all participants have a trainer on site to coach them during a CPI competition. If a student’s trainer is not available to coach the participant, the CPI provides the option for an experienced coach such as Heather Clark, co-coach of the Centenary University equestrian team and assistant professor of equine science.
She will serve as clinician and CPI “Hire-a-Coach” at the New Jersey show.
“I feel CPI is a wonderful program,” Heather said. “It gives the students insight into what the colleges and universities have to offer in their equine programs. Being a coach for CPI, I will be able to share my approaches to and experience of catch riding.”
Since joining Centenary in 2007, Heather has helped coach its Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association team to three national championships, and a reserve title and helped produce three Cacchione Cup champions.
Earlier in her career, she was a show and sales barn rider/trainer for dealer Alan Waldman in the Netherlands. Heather served as the assistant rider, trainer, and road manager for Andre Dignelli of Heritage Farm, and also as the assistant rider/trainer for Nona Garson, who runs The Ridge at Riverview.
To learn more about the CPI, visit collegeprepinvitational.com.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 13, 2019
Phillip Dutton will be riding Z this week on the U.S. eventing Nations Cup team in Aachen, Germany, one of the world’s most prestigious competitions.
But last week, it was business as usual for the Olympic individual bronze medalist, who came to Tewksbury to share his knowledge with riders at varying stages of development, from Advanced down to the lower levels. He gave a clinic at the Heron’s Landing stable, run by Heather Gillette at Ruby’s Meadow, the old Hill & Dale Farm that is now owned by eventing competitor Jacques Foussard.
Meg Kepferle and Heather Gillette with clinician Phillip Dutton. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
But what, I wondered, do you do when you only have 45 minutes or so to work with two or three riders before moving on to the next group?
With an emphasis on correctness, Phillip said he tries “to do a little bit on the flat; simple stuff, where you get your horse to ride through a turn, keep him off your inside leg and adjust, being able to go forward and back.” Then it was time to do the same with the jumping.
“There’s a common thread between the dressage, the show jumping and the cross-country. You don’t do your dressage work and forget about it for the jumping,” said the two-time Olympic team gold medalist. “We do some cross-country exercises with fall-down jumps, and some basic show jumping.”
A serpentine exercise involved three jumps, coming from an oxer (think of it as a corner on a cross-country course) to a vertical in three or four strides, “holding a line on the horse so you’re coming into the jump (vertical) on an angle to make the line work,” as Phillip put it. After that, it was three strides to another oxer.
Jacques Foussard angles Miss Ruby Cooley over the vertical. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
“The difficulty is holding the line and the horse understanding he can come into a jump on an angle and stay on the line that the rider brings him in on,” Phillip told me. That involves “the horse trusting the rider (so) they’re doing what they’re asked to do.”
He believes, “Most horses want to do the right thing. It’s just a case of getting them to understand. Most of the time, it’s usually not enough understanding from leg to hand. Your horse can’t ignore you when you say, `Okay, move forward’ or when you say, `let’s shorten up,’ because if they do (ignore you) and the jump’s there, it’s a problem. You’ve got to get that communication and trust going. I find with horses, it’s all repetition. It’s also coordination with the horses as well, that they have to learn to do it athletically.”
I often heard Phillip calling out the word “travel” as he worked with the participants, so I asked him what that was about.
“It means you’ve got to keep coming forward,” he explained.
“A lot of riders’ natural tendency coming to a jump is to be tentative and hold back. Our job as a rider is to give the horse confidence. The analogy is if you’re in a car with someone who’s driving, you get a feeling whether you’re safe in that car or not. The horse has to get this feeling from you, that safety, security and confidence. Coming into a jump, traveling or going somewhere and being definite about your ride in is what you’re trying to get across to your horse. Coming in tentatively or holding back, that doesn’t send that good message to your horse.”
As Phillip noted, “If you gallop on, get the horse going forward, it’s much easier to see a distance because your horse is in front of you or thinking forward, rather than holding back. Especially at home, you’ve got to get away from just relying on your hand to get to the jump, but rather, riding up to the jump.”
The first to work with Phillip were Heather, on Vincent Chase, an off-the-track thoroughbred, and Meg Kepferle on Anakin, third last month in the Advanced Division at the MARS Essex Horse Trials. Meg and Anakin will be following up their debut in that section at the Millbrook, N.Y. event next month.
Phillip Dutton offers advice as Meg Kepferle takes Anakin over an oxer. (Photo©2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I need to be better than I am because my horse is better than I’m riding,” said Meg, explaining why she’s going to put an emphasis on lessons like the one she had with Phillip.
“My horse felt a lot more tired jumping 2-6, 3-foot rideability questions than he would jumping a big track. Jumping big is easy for him,” said Meg.
“You don’t have to jump big jumps to get better; you have to make an adjustable horse. You want these tools available for you, not just luck and an honest horse.”
Meg, who was the head groom and barn manager for international rider Sinead Halpin before opening her Mountainview operation in Long Valley, noted straightness has always been an issue for herself and her mount.
“He has a wicked right drift and I have a bit of a weak right leg,” she explained. The antidote? “All day long, square turns.”
“Phil’s the best of the best,” Meg said. “He knows how to read the horse and rider and the situation really well. It’s a privilege to be able to ride with someone like this. It’s kind of nice that he’s come to New Jersey. I hope he comes back.”
When I asked Meg if there was anything else she wanted to share, she replied, “People should know they don’t have to be wanting to go to the Olympics to ride with an Olympian. It’s important that they think they are approachable, because they really are, and they have a lot of good things to say.”
Heather wanted to bring Phillip to the farm because she rode with him when she was working with other horses. It was time for Vinnie, who has competed once at Preliminary level, to crank up, “so call Phillip,” she said, noting she also wanted to share his expertise with her students.
Phillip encouraged Heather and Vinnie. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Since she is a judge and technical delegate, Heather is juggling a lot of things, which meant she was happy to have Phillip come to her instead of having her go to his place in Pennsylvania. Heather also is busy with lessons and barn renovations.
“We’re bringing the old farm back to life,” she said.
She told me that one of the things she learned from working with Phillip is that the serpentine line needs to be incorporated in Vinnie’s training. And “Instead of whoaing and turning,” she needs “to sort of keep coming through the turns and use a more open rein.
“I have a very nice young horse who wants to try hard but needs to be a little more rideable. I have to challenge him a little more, I need to be less of his protective mom and more, `If you’re going to be a big boy, step up and do it.’”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 10, 2019
Jumper riders missed the Devon Fall Classic last year when it went on hiatus. So they’re overjoyed to know it’s coming back this year Sept. 12-15 at the showgrounds in Devon, Pa., the home of the spring Devon show.
While the feature is a $25,000 grand prix, there’s something for everyone. That includes the Zone 2 (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York) championships–children’s and adult amateur jumpers, junior and amateur-owner jumpers, young jumpers and thoroughbred jumpers.
There also will be plenty of entertainment, carnival games, rides and all kinds of food and shopping.
The just action keeps going at the showgrounds on Route 30, where Dressage at Devon will run Sept. 24-29.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 9, 2019
After nearly a quarter-century in Pennsylvania, Kevin Babington has set up shop in New Jersey again.
The Irish show jumper is now based at Hayley and Toby Carlson’s Ketcham Farm at Cream Ridge in Monmouth County, where he received a hero’s welcome last night with a surprise party. It was a celebration for his sweep of top placings in Sunday’s $100,000 Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix presented by Aon, as the Lake Placid, N.Y., horse shows ended their two-week run.
Kevin won with Shorapur (the runner-up in the previous Sunday’s $100,000 grand prix), was second on Debra Wycoff’s Super Chilled and third with his own veteran campaigner, Mark Q. He was the only rider to go fault-free in the seven-horse jump-off on the turf, his favorite type of footing.
Kevin on his way to victory with Shorapur at Lake Placid. (Photo by The Book LLC)
“I love the grass, so I think the horses sort of feed off that a little bit. Everything was aligned and it worked out. I’m still in a bit of shock,” Kevin acknowledged, but adding about his trifecta, “I never would have called it.”
His record at the show earned him the Richard and Diana Feldman Perpetual Challenge Trophy for Excellence and $2,000 as the rider winning the most prize money in the two grands prix.
Not surprisingly, he’s a fan of competing at Lake Placid (For more on the show, see the first On the Rail item on this website)
“I love it. It’s such a good atmosphere. I find it different than any other show in the country. People who have been going there have been going there forever,” he noted. “They go to make a holiday out of it.”
The youngest of 11 children and the grandson of a horse trainer, Kevin started riding at the age of nine at his home in Tipperary, inspired by the show jumping he watched on television. His heroes were the famous Irish international riders Eddie Macken and Paul Darragh, but he also had an eventing and dressage background. Kevin trained with Iris Kellett, an Irish horsewoman known around the world before coming to America.
He worked briefly for Beezie and John Madden before getting a job at Frank and Mary Chapot’s Chado Farms in Neshanic Station in 1989. His job was to ride the young horses. Logging time at local show gave him the advantage of getting mileage in the ring that he lacked with a background in dressage and eventing.
Kevin learned from Frank (who had been the U.S. Equestrian Team’s show jumping squad captain) to “let the horses think for themselves. They can either jump or they can’t jump.”
While he was at the Chapots’ farm, he went to a local show where he met his wife, Dianna, who lived a mile down the road. Since Kevin only worked until noon every day at Chado, he was able to start a freelance business in the afternoons.
After 2 and ½ years with the Chapots, he opened his own operations in Quakertown and Stockton. In 1996, he moved to Pennsylvania, where he worked with Saly Glassman who partnered with him on his most successful horse, Carling King.
It was aboard the Irishbred chestnut that he jumped a 4/0 in his first Nations Cup (at Aachen, no less!), won Great Britain’s King George V Gold Cup, finished fourth in the 2004 Olympics and wound up eighth in the 2002 World Equestrian Games.
Kevin on Carling King at the 2004 Olympics, where he finished fourth. (Photo©2004 by Nancy Jaffer)
In recent years, Kevin and Saly had been doing different circuits, so when the Carsons offered him a spot at their place, he was ready to move back to New Jersey.
“The time was right,” he explained.
In addition to finding the farm’s central location convenient to highways in horsey area near a lot of shows (expect to see him at Princeton Show Jumping competitions in the next few weeks) he has found the perfect setting for training.
“The facility (a former standardbred farm) is a horseman’s dream,” said Kevin. It has a half-mile grass track and an all-weather track (good for a warm-up to get horses “a little in their own balance”), as well as a seven-acre grand prix field, and big indoor and outdoor arenas.
The 2016 Devon grand prix went to Kevin on Mark Q. (Photo©2016 by Nancy Jaffer)
Kevin also operates a Florida farm, but he likes having a northern base. Dianna, who formerly practiced law, helps with the teaching. Their daughters Gwyneth, 16, and Marielle, 13, are also successful riders.
Kevin walks a course with his daughter Gwyneth, who also rides jumpers. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
In addition to his three grand prix horses, he has a group of up-and-coming mounts: Call Me Ruth; also Carrick, named after the town Kevin came from in Ireland, and a mare nicknamed Chip. They are owned by Diane Thomas and Vivian Day. Diane is also part of the group that owns Shorapur.
Kevin no longer travels to Europe to compete as often as he once did. “I’m not overly focused on that because I have a nice group of horses but I don’t have a championship horse,” he pointed out.
Staying abroad to compete, “you sacrifice a lot,” he noted, then quickly added, “I don’t regret a minute of it, it put me on the map, but it does put a lot of strain on your business and your family.
“There are so many good riders with good horses on the Irish team at the moment that I need to be a realist about it,” he observed. At the same time, Kevin pointed out, “Now that we have so many nice FEI shows in the U.S. I don’t feel the urge to go to Europe.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 8, 2019
Young riders will have a chance to experience the college equestrian competition format and win scholarships at New Jersey’s College Preparatory Invitational Sept. 21-22 at The Ridge at Riverview in Asbury.
Founded in 2010, CPI not only educates hunter seat student-athletes about competition, it also provides them with resources to make connections and weigh options that can enrich their college experience. In addition, participants in grades eight through 12 can participate in clinics and educational presentations led by top competitors and leaders in the equine industry.
Academic excellence and social integrity are part of the equestrian experience through the CPI Scholarship and Educational Fund. Student riders can earn scholarships via equitation competition at a CPI event, academic achievement and community service. CPI also produces CPI College Spotlight events for colleges and universities seeking to recruit equestrian students.
The CPI Horse Show requires that all participants have a trainer on site to coach them during a CPI competition. If a student’s trainer is not available to coach the participant, the CPI provides the option for an experienced coach such as Heather Clark, co-coach of the Centenary University equestrian team and assistant professor of equine science.
She will serve as clinician and CPI “Hire-a-Coach” at the New Jersey show.
“I feel CPI is a wonderful program,” Heather said. “It gives the students insight into what the colleges and universities have to offer in their equine programs. Being a coach for CPI, I will be able to share my approaches to and experience of catch riding.”
Since joining Centenary in 2007, Heather has helped coach its Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association team to three national championships, and a reserve title and helped produce three Cacchione Cup champions.
Earlier in her career, she was a show and sales barn rider/trainer for dealer Alan Waldman in the Netherlands. Heather served as the assistant rider, trainer, and road manager for Andre Dignelli of Heritage Farm, and also as the assistant rider/trainer for Nona Garson, who runs The Ridge at Riverview.
To learn more about the CPI, visit collegeprepinvitational.com.
