by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 27, 2024
The Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association Championships and Open Schooling Show is a long way from the high-end competitions that dominate the calendar these days. It’s laid back, relaxed and friendly, a delightful unrecognized fixture that’s just plain fun and a high point of the season.
It may not be glitzy, but as Flemington, N.J., trainer Wendy Garfinkel said, “Don’t bash this: it’s someone’s Olympics.”
Former ESDCTA President Lisa Toaldo, who managed the show on the weekend, elaborated on what it means to the participants: “Most of the riders in the show won’t be going to Regionals and Nationals, that’s why it’s so exciting for them. This is their championship.”
Show manager Lisa Toaldo and Ann Dandurand with her champoinship ribbon. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
What adds to its appeal is location, location, location – the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters, steeped in history. The Gladstone, N.J., facility carries extra meaning as a venue for those privileged to ride there, whether they’re at training level or FEI.
When else, Wendy asked, do you get to ride at the USET?
“It’s affordable. We stable here too. You get to stay in Brentina’s stall. We work really hard to get here. They do a great job everyone is nice to you. If you fill out your entries incorrectly, they don’t yell at you.”
Something else which appeals to her is the fact that, “You see every type of horse. You don’t just see warmbloods; the odd breeds can do it too, I always promote that.”
A case in point is the Irish/Welsh cross ridden by her student, Lori Fortunato. Challenger’s Fourth Angel is a 14-hand pony that Lori adores.
Trainer Wendy Garfinkel and her student, Lori Fortunato, with Challenger’s Fourth Angel. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“She’s like a puppy,” declared Lori, who used to do hunters and eventing. But now, she says,, “I love dressage, the connection, the partnership that I feel.” She is a psychotherapist, so she knows about connections. The Watchung, N.J., resident remembers what the USET meant to her as a kid, citing the famous people like Frank Chapot who trained there.
Another different breed from Wendy’s Poniez on the Rockz is an ex-thoroughbred racehorse owned by her right-hand worker, Shelby Dunlap.
“When she’s away, I’m in charge,” said Shelby, discussing her job description.
A former groom at the racetrack, she fell in love with Riopelle, who won $100,000 racing at Penn National, Woodbine in Canada and elsewhere.
“I thought he was adorable,” she recalled.
Shelby Dunlap and Riopelle. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Shelby got to pony him onto the track the day he won a race, only to learn he was claimed for $7,500.
“I cried all the way home,” she said.
Rio, by Grade I Super Derby winner Arch out of Constant Touch (Belong to Me) raced some more, but then a trainer friend of Shelby’s was able to claim him for her. She jumped him a little before switching to dressage. He can be quirky, but he also knows when to behave. Her best score at the show was an impressive 68.8 percent in Training Level 3.
She’s having fun with the 16-year-old gelding but promised, “a couple more years and he can retire.”
Another different breed at the show was Luchadora ESF, an Andalusian who won the FEI championship with a total of 65.647 percent for Ann Dandurand.
She made a mistake in her Intermediate I test, doing the pirouette too early.
“I don’t own the I-1 test yet. She’s Grand Prix; I’m not,” said Ann, explaining her mare knew the early pirouette was the wrong move.
“I am so fortunate to have this horse.”
Ann Dandurand and Luchadora ESF. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
When Ann asked for the pirouette in the wrong place, “She was like, `No mom.’ She didn’t want to do it.” And Ann knew there was a problem because, “She never says no. She’s amazing, a saint.”
Ann, who works as a physician, is based in Cranbury, N.J., and trains with Nikki Serge in Stockton as well as Andrea Velas in Pennsylvania. She joined ESDCTA 40 years ago. Her memory of the USET dates back to the mid-1980s, when she rode in an Arabian festival there and stayed in the groom’s quarters.
More on breed diversity: Lauren Anderson rode a catchy-looking pinto named Lakota Moon at Training Level. The 17-year-old, who trains with Jill Kuc at Hidden Creek in Pennsylvania, said no one is sure about her horse’s breeding.
It was fun for her mother, Colette Anderson, to come to the show, because she grew up in Bedminster, N.J., and her husband is from neighboring Gladstone. Colette was well aware of the USET when she lived in the area, but she didn’t ride.
Lauren Anderson and Lakota Moon. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
So now, “My daughter is living my dream,” she said. Riding at the USET has a bit of an intimidation factor, but more important, it’s “a big deal.”
Another unusual combo was embodied in Linda Butz’ Dannys Secret, a Friesian/Arab cross, who competed at Grand Prix. Linda, a Pennsylvanian who trains with Sarah Schmitt in Annandale, N.J., is hoping that next year she can do her Century Ride at the USET. For that U.S. Dressage Federation opportunity, the combined age of horse and rider must be 100.
Linda has had her 22-year-old horse for 17 years.
Linda Butz and Dannys Secret. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I bought her to trail ride and pop over some little jumps. She told us very quickly that wasn’t for her. She ended up with a dressage trainer. I’m really fortunate that I have this horse. I learn something every time.”
Linda has her USDF bronze and silver medals, and is working towards her gold. She rode at the USET once in before in the Summer Days show, and was happy to be back.
“This beautiful, iconic facility is a big draw,” said Holly Cornell, who has been ESDCTA’s president for six years.
ESDCTA President Holly Cornell. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
The organization “helps foster a lot of young riders coming up, encourages them to get involved in dressage and eventing, though most of the eventers go to recognized shows and don’t participate in the schooling combined test as much,” said Holly.
“It’s really great to see a lot of people coming up from the lower levels and getting better horses and improving.”
And as far as the Championship show goes, she pointed out, it’s obvious that “this beautiful, iconic facility is a big draw.”
Click here for results of the show
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 27, 2024
The USA’s Boyd Martin recovered from a rough time last weekend at the Fair Hill, Maryland, event to finish a very respectable fifth place Sunday at the Pau, France, 5-star with Federman B. Boyd took hard cross-country falls in both the 3-star and 5-star at Maryland, but while originally unsure he would compete at Pau, in the end he was undeterred from crossing the Atlantic to try again.
Bruno, as the horse is known, was Boyd’s Olympic mount in Paris. Living up to his reputation for being a star over the sticks, the 14-year-old KWPN gelding neatly handled the fences to add nothing to his 47.1-penalty score that had put him sixth following cross-country.
Boyd Martin and Federman B in the show jumping at Pau. (Peter Nixon Photo)
“Bruno has proved that he is one of the greatest horses in the world,” said Boyd.
“To finish tenth at the Olympics and then fifth at Pau. An unbelievable achievement.”
The top three in the standings didn’t change as all registered clear rounds on the route set by Yann Reyant, with Britain’s Caroline Harris winning on D.Day (40.3). Following her in the order of finish were two more Brits, Ros Canter oh-so-close in second on Izilot DH (40.6) and world number one Tom McEwen, third on Brookfield Quality (43). China’s Alex Hua Tin (Chicko) was fourth on 45.7.
Boyd moved up from sixth after cross country (he had been sixteenth in dressage) when Britain’s Piggy March on Halo, who was fourth, dropped a rail to end in seventh.
The other U.S. rider at Pau, Will Coleman on Off the Record, was twenty-fourth (63.6) with four faults in the final phase. He had been thirty-ninth in the dressage segment.
Boyd withdrew his other horse, Miss Lulu Herself, fearing she would injure herself in the “knee-deep mud” that prevailed in the rain under “horrific conditions” on cross-country day, since she would be going near the end of the order. Luckily, the show jumping was held in a ring with all-weather footing.
Click here to see the final results from Pau
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 21, 2024
Popeye K, a popular and prolific KWPN stallion who was an eyecatcher with his big blaze and four white legs, has passed away in his sleep at the age of 27.
Popeye K.
Owned by Spencer Ranch, he spent the last three years in retirement at the farm of Tommy Serio. But during his career, he accumulated many awards, including the 2008 and 2009 USEF Hunter Breeding Sire of the Year, the Winter Equestrian Festival’s 2005, 2006 and 2007 circuit championship for the regular conformation hunter division, and the Show Hunter Hall of Fame Show Hunter of the Year in 2005.
In a tribute to her horse, Rachel Spencer said, “Popeye was more than just a champion—he was a cornerstone of my equestrian career and an anchor for so many years. His presence in my life shaped my journey in ways I could never have imagined.
“I had the honor of riding him in his final year of competition, a memory that will always stay with me. Popeye retired from the show ring with the same grace and dignity that defined his entire career, and his legacy as a KWPN-approved stallion will live on through his exceptional offspring in the U.S. and Canada.
“His presence was larger than life, and I know he touched many of you, just as he did me.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 28, 2024
Carey Williams of Rutgers Universtiy will speak about what supplements and nutraceuticals can benefit your horse. Register for the free 8 p.m. webinar on Thursday at this link. Then follow the instructions.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 28, 2024
The 2024 edition of the elegant equestrian yearbook, L’Annee Hippique, is available for a 10-Euro discount through Oct. 31, bringing the price to 65 Euros. Relive the year’s competition highlights, including the Paris Olympics, with in-depth stories and photos. Order the 370-page volume at this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 22, 2024
The seemingly endless speculation is over: the Winter Equestrian Festival showgrounds have been sold, with an ambitious nine-figure plan for upgrades on an expanded venue in Wellington, Fla.
The buyers are former owners, a group including entrepreneur Mark Bellissimo, with his longtime partners Lisa Lourie, Roger Smith and Marsha Dammerman. Bellissimo led the purchase of what was then Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, a deteriorating venue, from Stadium Jumping Inc. in 2007 and turned it into a facility that now attracts big name jumper riders from Europe, as well as from the U.S. and the rest of North America. It will be combined with a contiguous 96 acres that originally was billed as a new home for dressage.
Former U.S. Equestrian Federation President Murray Kessler is taking over as CEO, but Michael Stone will continue as president and lead the Equestrian Sport Productions team that has been putting on 40 weeks of shows at Wellington International in the “Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.”
Wellington International has been the scene of many thrilling competitions .(Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Enhancements will include not just the facilities, Kessler promised, saying, “We want to improve the production, the sport, attract the best riders in the world. It’s always sport first; we want this to be the best sport in the world.”
Much-needed major work on the current showgrounds will begin in April and continue until next show season there, while the action moves 1.5 miles from Wellington International to Equestrian Village, which hosts dressage from January through March, as well as a number of jumper and hunter competitions.
Bellissimo said that while there is a 2028 deadline for finishing the expanded showgrounds, “in a best case scenario, it would be the 2026 season, but what we’re not going to do is go into an incomplete facility.” Equestrian Village will operate as usual in 2025.
Global Equestrian Group and Waterland Private Equity, which bought the WEF showgrounds in 2022, wound up extending the right of first refusal to the buyers, who earlier this year had filed suit seeking that option, and the deal went through last week.
“The sale is a testament to the fact that Wellington International is now ready for its next chapter,” said Andreas Helgstrand, CEO of GEG.
When the project is finished, all the disciplines will be on the same property, which has a 193.6 acre footprint. Then construction will begin on a high-end golf community at Equestrian Village, formerly part of the Village’s Equestrian Preserve. There was an uproar in the community about removing the land from the Preserve, and contentious hearings were held from the summer of 2023 until the Village Council approved the project in February. The permission was contingent on providing a new destination to replace Equestrian Village so the Global Dressage Festival could continue.
Bellissimo, a controversial figure in some quarters, is involved with Wellington Lifestyle Partners that is constructing the golf community, but it is his daughter, Paige Bellissimo Nunez, who has an active role there. He is keeping a low profile on the showgrounds project, with its group for the moment called WI FL Acquisition. His daughter is on the board of that entity, but he is not.
“We have a remarkable once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really take a look at this and build the world class facility that Mark and Michael and others involved with this for a long time, the vision they’ve always had. This is building on all of that legacy,” said Kessler, a retired drug company CEO who has lived in Wellington for 48 years.
He noted “it’s just not right that over the last year or two, there has been a level of uncertainty, especially through the sales process. We want all that behind us. Everybody bring the community together, focus on making this the world’s greatest show.”
Assessing the news of the sale, show jumping Olympic multi-medalist McLain Ward, said, “A positive thing is Murray Kessler’s involvement. I’ve had great experiences working with him in the past and we hope for the best in this situation.”
Grand Prix show jumping always draws a crowd at Wellington International. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Dressage rider Arlene “Tuny” Page, who owns a farm in Wellington, started a last-ditch effort in February to raise money for the purchase of the Equestrian Village property where the dressage was being held. That didn’t work.
So she was interested to learn there will be a place for dressage in the showgrounds expansion.
“Obviously, every horseman and horsewoman and everyone whose livelihood depends on this being successful is going to be pretty darn happy if that really comes to pass. We’ve seen a lot of things fall through our fingers; you think it’s done and then nope, it’s not. I hope and pray that whole crew is really satisfied and will execute on it. That would be great,” she said.
Page takes comfort from Kessler’s involvement.
“Murray is absolutely top drawer. He’s ridiculously smart and really well-connected. So that’s a great way to start. Things have been very, very shaky here.”
When dressage riders didn’t know if shows would be held at Equestrian Village for 2025, that did “have everybody on edge,” Page noted.
“If we have a path to glory, I’m all for it.”
The Adequan Global Dressage Festival grounds at Equestrian Village. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
In recent years, the new World Equestrian Center in Ocala north of Wellington and TerraNova near Sarasota on Florida’s West Coast have built glittering facilities and attracted a wide range of equestrian competitors.
But Bellissimo said, “This is not intended to be a relative standard vis a vis WEC or anyplace else. Wellington is unique; WEC is unique. They both have great products and great customers. Our focus is to really define something that is very unique and different. I believe we’ve got a leadership team that is unsurpassed anywhere in the world.
“What they need is the right vision, the right direction and the right capital. We’re going to defer to them in terms of expanding the vision and execution of this. It’s up to us to provide the capital, which we’re comfortable doing. There’s been a lot of interest (from) others that want to participate in this.”
He would like the process to be more collegial, to “create a little sanctuary to enjoy equestrian sport, enjoy their families and enjoy the uniqueness of Wellington and Palm Beach County. I don’t think that can repeated anywhere,” he continued, remarking that there are nearly 1,000 farms between Wellington and neighboring Loxahatchee.
“We’re going to try to fulfill what we started 18 years ago.”
What will the final design of the showgrounds be?
“There’s all kinds of creative things that can be done and a master plan will be put in place,” said Kessler, who doesn’t have details at the moment.
“You’re going to have to stay tuned for that part of it,” he noted. But he did add, “Dressage was in jeopardy in Wellington and now it has certainty.
“The idea is for Michael and his team to go out in the community and figure out what is the best configuration here. We need to figure out what exactly do the market and the customers want in building what we believe is a very unique and responsive venue for the different disciplines we serve.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 11, 2024
Hurricanes Helene and Milton have both made an impact on equine operations from North Carolina to Florida. The need is great in so many places, from hay and grain to fencing, equipment, stables and transportation for horses.
The Equestrian Aid Foundation is taking contributions for grants to help those affected meet their essential and most immediate personal and household needs as they begin the process of regaining stability. The Foundation can be reached at this link.
For horse owners who are also in need of such equine essentials a feed, forage and fencing, the foundation’s partner organization Fleet of Angels is handling requests for assistance.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 21, 2024
If Tamie Smith had won the MARS Maryland 5-star event with Mai Baum over the weekend, she knew exactly what she would do after stepping down from the podium.
“I can canter on his back standing up. I was hoping I was going to get to do that for the victory gallop,” she confided with a grin.
But it was not to be.
After she moved into the lead during dressage with the striking black 18-year-old German sport horse gelding, all eyes were on her the next day as she traversed the hilly cross-country course, a real test of endurance with an 11-minute, 15-second optimum time. For a horse without a lot of thoroughbred blood, that’s a challenge—and not always achievable.
“We went for it and tried to give it all we’ve got,” she recounted about her trip around the challenging route.
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum at the ninth fence on cross-country. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
She explained that Mai Baum, “always gives me a time on the course where he’s a little bit tired and I say, `Come on, buddy,’ and he didn’t respond. So that was my cue to say `okay.’
“He just ran out of steam; I had nothing. I got to the top of the hill at the Sawmill (obstacle 17) and he just basically broke to the trot.
“I said, `Let’s go,’ and he said, `Yeah, no. We’re not doing this.’”
So she wisely raised her hand and retired.
“He walked back all proud of himself,” she said with a smile.
“I think he thought it was the finish line. He was great, those eight minutes (on course) but what can you do? You’ve got to listen to your horse. That’s what I try to pride myself on, listening to them.”
A big problem with the cross-country involved a lack of rain for weeks in the area, making the ground hard despite the organizers dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water on it in an attempt to make it softer.
“Everybody did all they could do,” she said.
As Tamie and anyone else who has tackled Fair Hill under any type of conditions know, “it’s a long grade and hats off to the organizers and the team that tried to do all they could with the ground. The weather wasn’t on our side. It (the ground) was quite hard and I think you saw a lot of horses feel it.”
The hilly challenge is “one thing when the ground is absolutely stunning. It’s a different sport when it has rained a ton and it’s really deep; or it’s hard,” pointed out Tamie, the first American to win the Kentucky 5-star in 15 years when she did it in 2023 with Mai Baum.
She’s an admirer of thoroughbreds for the cross-country task: “it’s actually exciting to see those thoroughbreds gallop across that country. It’s beautiful, that’s what eventing is. As much as I love Mai Baum and he’s given me and taken me so many places, if he had a lot of thoroughbred in him, nobody could catch him — but this time they could.”
So what’s next for Mai Baum, better known as Lexus around the barn.
Tamie was happy to report that when she took him out the day after cross country to see how he felt, “he trotted up like a million bucks.”
“He’s not ready to retire,” she emphasized.
“He’ll do some showcases and I’ll do some 4-star shorts.”
Earlier in the week, she also had mentioned the possibility of trying hunter derbies and perhaps, straight dressage.
And she’s not going anywhere.
As the 50-year-old Californian put it, “I’ve got a lot more to do.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 26, 2024
Two hard falls last weekend at Fair Hill, Maryland, didn’t take the edge off the irrepressible Boyd Martin. He and his Olympic mount, Federman B, are standing sixth at the Pau, France 5-star following a cool and careful cross-country trip over Pierre Michelet’s twisting course on mucky footing.
Conditions exacerbated by more rain prompted the removal of 10 fences altogether on a very soggy Saturday. It wasn’t a day to think about making the time; it was a day to think about staying upright in the slop. So no surprise, none of the 56 from a starting field of 71 who finished the route made the optimum time of nine minutes, nine seconds.
Boyd had 17.6 time penalties for a total of 47.1 penalties, moving up from sixteenth place after dressage with the benefit of going early (fourth in the lineup) to avoid the churning that later starters faced.
“Bruno was brilliant today and gave me his heart and soul around a very challenging course,” Boyd stated.
“I was thrilled with him every step of the way.”
Boyd Martin and Federman B going cross-country at Pau. (Peter Nixon photo)
The conditions scrambled the results order from dressage, with the new number one, Britain’s Caroline Harris, on the Anglo European studbook stallion D-Day, moving up from twenty-second place in dressage with a trip that accumulated a mere 10 time penalties for an overall total of 40.3. The top four are all British.
The leader from dressage, Roz Canter with Izilot DHI is barely behind Caroline on a score of 40.6 World number one Tom McEwen is also less than a show jumping rail from the leader with Brookfield Quality (43). Piggy March and Halo are fourth with a score of 45, just ahead of China’s Alex Hua Tin (45.7) on Chicko.
The other American, Will Coleman, moved up from thirty-ninth after dressage to twenty ninth on 59.6 penalties. Boyd withdrew his second horse, Miss Lulu Herself, before cross-country. She was twenty-first after dressage.
“After lots of thought and talking with my circle of family, coaches and owners, we have decided to save Lulu for another day,” Boyd revealed.
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 25, 2024
Just four days after the MARS Maryland 5-star wrapped up, the final 5-star of the year got under way at France’s Pau venue, known for its twisty/turney cross-country course.
World number two Ros Canter of Great Britain leads after dressage on a sparkling 19 penalties with Izilot DHI, who retired on cross-country at both Badminton and Burghley. Second place is a tie between Maryland winner Oliver Townend (who rode Ballaghmor Class to that title) and his 2024 Kentucky 5-star winner Cooley Rosalent and Emily King with Valmy Biats. Both were marked at 24.6.
World number one Tom McEwen continued the British wave in fourth place with Brookfield Quality (25.8).
The best American is Boyd Martin, sixteenth with Federman B, who seems to have conquered his flying change problems from the Olympics. He was marked between 6 and 7.5 for those movements during his test, where the score was 29.5. Boyd’s other horse, Miss Lulu Herself (great name for a chestnut mare) stands twenty-first on 30.1 penalties. The only other U.S. rider in the event is Will Coleman with Off the Record, thirty-ninth on 33.2.
For Pau dressage results, click here.
