Kevin has moved on to rehab

by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 25, 2019

Show jumper Kevin Babington has left NYU Langone Health Care to continue his journey of recovery at a rehab center.

The move came 26 days after Kevin suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury in a traumatic fall at the Hampton Classic,

Earlier this month on Facebook, his wife Dianna noted, “We are still hopeful some improvement will come as spinal shock and swelling subside. Whatever happens, we will make sure he lives his best life. A life which still involves me, his children, his extended family, horses, students, and friends. We have the best of him still.”

She added thanks to Elizabeth Sponseller and Hayley Poinelli Carlson for all the night shifts they pulled at the hospital.

“Kevin has not been alone one minute since his accident. They, along with my daughters, stayed overnight on shifts so I could research, deal with decisions and doctors during the day and be here for procedures. I don’t know how I would have survived the trauma phase of this without all of their support. That is not to mitigate the other friends who have been here, flying in, taking me to dinner, helping the girls, working on finances, and keeping me sane or letting me not be when I couldn’t. I will post when we have departed for rehab and where you can visit once it is confirmed. Please keep us in you prayers.”

Kevin Babington was fourth at the 2004 Olympics on Carling King. (Photo©2004 by Nancy Jaffer)

Previously she has noted that what she has learned since the accident is that “I have to slow down. I need to be patient. For those who know me, it’s not my forte. I am controlling and everyone knows that but it has always worked for me. I want to fix this and move on. The doctors tell me it’s up to Kevin.

Kevin and his family during the presentation after he won the 2016 Grand Prix of Devon. (Photo©2016 by Nancy Jaffer)

“I get good news from one and bad from another on a daily basis. It’s maddening. Like being strapped to a roller coaster you want to exit. It depends on the severity of the injury when it all shakes out. It’s the worst kind of unknown. One that affects someone you love and one you can’t control. 

“It is an insurmountable task to pick the next phase when you are thrown into medicine without prior knowledge. I feel like I am walking through a dark tunnel. Nothing prepares you for this.”

But regardless of his condition, Kevin is still Kevin.

“He has impressed me my whole life,” Dianna posted.

“I am watching this remarkable person handle this with dignity, kindness to his nurses and all that are helping him, and despite difficulty speaking he is constantly trying to make sure visitors who don’t know each-other are introduced and have a place to sit.”

She advises that Facebook messages, cards and videos all help.

“It makes a difference and it is appreciated more than you will ever know. He is definitely trying to get the most out of every day, he is pushing himself, and with your continued support I know he will keep fighting.”

Of course he will.

A big issue is how to pay for the enormous expense involved in this situation, since insurance never covers everything.

A medical fundraising page on Facebook, posted by Sissy Wickes, raised nearly $550,000 to help the family with medical expenses and rehabilitation costs. The facebook link has been taken down, but those who wish to donate to the Kevin Babington Trust via GoFundMe can click on this link: https://www.gofundme.com/for-kevin-babington-and-family

Meanwhile, there will be a Jump for Kevin benefit 1-meter class every Saturday of the Princeton Fall Equestrian Festival in Skillman (princetonshowjumping.com), with all entry fees being donated The entry fee is a minimum $50, but riders can donate more if they want. Every competitor also can donate a portion or all of their prize money if they let the show secretary know. Each rider who participates will be given an Irish green arm sash to wear in the competition ring.

All weekend parking proceeds also will be donated to Kevin.  Volunteers are needed to help collect parking fees from spectators and donations from exhibitors who wish to do so. Contact princetonshowjumping@gmail.com to volunteer.

Plans are in the works for a benefit horse show Oct. 13 at Duncraven in Titusville, Mercer County.

Those who can are asked to buy their feed from Babington Mills (http://07d.7d2.myftpupload.com/) , which is Kevin’s company.

Ruespari has designed a limited edition belt bearing Kevin’s signature. All proceeds will go to help him and his family. https://www.ruespari.com/rideforkbabs

To learn more about Kevin, here is a link to the story I did about him in July: https://nancyjaffer.com/2019-07-09/

Making it happen against the odds, riding offers a new motivation

by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 18, 2019

Desire and dedication are key qualities in Alanna Flax-Clark’s pursuit of para-dressage excellence, but pure determination—along with a super horse–is equally important, as she demonstrated during the Adequan®/USEF Para Dressage CPEDI3* National Championship last weekend.

Alanna Flax-Clark and Taco. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

The former special education teacher had her career in education come to an abrupt end in 2008 when she suffered a life-threatening infection with a temperature spiking at 106 degrees. Afterward, she couldn’t sit up unsupported, experienced trouble breathing, was unable to talk and walk, and couldn’t use her hands.

She was frustrated with unsuccessful efforts at rehabilitation.

“Nothing was really helping me,” she remembered. Then she turned to horses, even though she had no equestrian background.

“I knew about hippotherapy (equine-assisted therapy) from being a special ed teacher. It was always the best time of the week for my students,” she said.

“For me, not having my voice was really difficult. Trying to work in a clinical setting, I couldn’t communicate with the therapists. Getting on a horse, you don’t need to verbalize.”

Her riding experience “opened up a whole different world to me,” she said, and eventually found she was able to talk again.

At first, Alanna could only stay aboard the horse for five minutes, with people holding her on. But she progressed, noting the movement of the horse, which most closely matches the human gait, is therapeutic. “When you’re sitting on a horse, it sends those signals to your brain and your spinal cord,” she observed.

Wanting to do more, Alanna went on to para-dressage. Eventually, she was able to regain her independence, leaving her California home and her family as she struck out on her own. Alanna moved across the country so she could train with Sara Schmitt in Califon.

Sara Schmitt adjusts Taco’s bridle. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Now she’s seeking a berth on the U.S. team for next year’s Paralympics in Tokyo. Alanna is ranked 11^th in the world in para Grade II, a designation for those who walk and trot in competition.

So her first national championship at the Tryon, N.C., International Equestrian Center was a big deal for the 36-year-old Glen Gardner resident, who has been competing only since mid-2017. The show started out well. She finished third in her first test, earning 67.778 percent with her cute chestnut Dutch riding pony El Paso, affectionately known as Taco.

“He was nice and forward, the gaits were the best I’ve ever gotten out of him,” she recalled, adding U.S. para coach Michel Assouline and others watching noticed that she and Taco had come a long way.

But trouble struck the next day.

Alanna, whose condition means she can’t close her fingers to hold the reins in the usual fashion, puts her hands through loops on the reins to guide her horse. She was well into the test and doing the stretch walk when the left loop of her reins came off the buckle and she fell forward onto Taco’s neck.

“As I tried to regain my balance, I was like, `What do I do? I have no loop and can’t really put them on myself.’”

Tuned in to his rider, Taco didn’t falter.

“The entire time, I was trying to figure out what to do, he stood still in the middle of the ring. I don’t know what I did. It was hot and humid and my glasses were steamed up and I couldn’t see.” Yet Alanna didn’t think about leaving the arena.

Somehow, “I was able to figure out a way to kind of get it (the loop) on, but only on the tightest hole. Normally, it’s on the sixth hole away from his mouth, but I could only get it on first hole, which was super tight.”

How did she do it? “When you’re in high pressure situations, you figure out how to get things done,” she responded.

Meanwhile, however, her reins were uneven, because the loop on her right rein was on the fifth hole, and it was time for the trot portion of her test.

“I wanted to have the best trot I could without falling off,” she said.

Taco soldiered on, even though “his head was completely back to the left and at the end of the test, I had to turn right to go down centerline.”

While Taco may have been confused, “he worked with me really well and was able to maintain a nice balanced trot. I was dead set on finishing the test, which I did. I was super proud of my horse for staying still while I was able to figure out how to finish the test,” she said.

“I had absolutely no reins for about a minute and a half. He could have just taken off. For me to be able to trust him and stay calm under pressure and figure out what to do–being able to handle the situation was a good test of our relationship. How we handled the situation was much more meaningful to me than the score that we got. It’s a great feeling to be able to trust your horse completely.”

Another experience tested her ability and resolve on the final day in Tryon. She had been behind the music in her new freestyle when she practiced it at home, but at the show, she got ahead of the music, so she had to do some improvisation.

Under pressure, she was forced to quickly figure out, “Do I need to do a 10-meter circle or do I have enough time to add in a 20-meter circle? I had to throw in a lot of new movements to make it all work. It was hard work but for me, to be able to do that and maintain my nerve, was a good test. I’m still brand new to this sport.”

Her relationship with Sara has been instrumental in her progress.

“She knew how to push me and get the best out of me,” explained Alanna, who mounts Taco from her wheelchair with Sara’s assistance. She also gives credit to those at Sara’s barn, who rallied around her and helped. The rider has been pleased that dressage shows in the area added para classes for her, if they weren’t originally on the schedule.

“No one has said no. It’s been really welcoming.”

Alanna usually is smiling when she rides Taco. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Sara, who is both a driver and a dressage competitor, as well as a judge, has coached two world championships for para-driving and got to know Alanna through a para driver, Diane Kastama. She offered Alanna a horse to lease for the winter, and then found Taco for her, a perfect fit for the 5-foot, 2-inch rider.

“I didn’t realize how little show experience she had,” said Sara, who has brought Alanna along to gain more mileage. She also taught Taco voice commands, which are legal under the rules for Alanna to use and give her another tool in working with her horse.

Alanna is working as special projects manager for Mane Stream (manestreamnj.org) in Oldwick, which serves individuals with physical, developmental, emotional and medical challenges through equine-assisted activities, therapy services and educational initiatives. Part of her job involves collaborating with schools, groups and adaptive sports organizations. In terms of community outreach, she’s also a great example of the therapeutic benefits of working with horses.

“She is fantastic to have on staff,” said Mane Stream’s executive director, Trish Hegeman.

“Her personality is great to be around. She’s very much a doer. You give her something and she’s tenacious. She tries to find opportunities to make connections in the community. Some of that is using the resources she has and groups she’s already connected with. Some of it is just looking for places where we can do a display at a community event.”

As Trish noted, “People are curious about her, especially if she’s wearing her Mane Stream gear. It’s like a conversation opener. When they find out she rides horses and is training for the Paralympics, she becomes a little bit of a rock star and people want to know more about what she’s doing. It’s a wonderful segue to have her talk about what we do here at Mane Stream and point them in our direction for a great community resource that’s right in their backyard.”

When working on her fitness off the horse, Alanna goes to Project Walk in Mt. Laurel (projectwalknj.com), where she works with Daniella Raovfogel, who has a master’s degree in occupational therapy.

“My body gets super tight and stiff,” said Alanna, “so the first part is all stretching and massage, which is what I need. None of it is covered by insurance, which is difficult.” The number of times she can go to Project Walk each month depends on her time and budget.

In terms of her condition, she mentions, “I don’t know if it will ever improve dramatically, but working on maintaining where I am and the riding and staying active is always good. But I have to learn to find a balance of when to back off and rest, because I like to do a lot of things.”

Daniella said Alanna has function of her arms, except for her hands, but has no function of her lower extremities. She focuses on core stability “because she needs that when she rides,” explained Daniella.

“With any activity you do, you need to have a really strong core because that sets the tone for everything else.”

Workouts mimic riding where Alanna sits on a barrel and does a lot of balance exercises. To heighten awareness of her body, she closes her eyes and functions without her vision, while spotters make sure she doesn’t fall.

“She works hard and has great determination,” said Daniella, who understands Alanna’s interest in going to Tokyo.

“I think it’s an amazing goal to have in the forefront. I definitely can see her at the Paralympics.”

Coming home to Gladstone

by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 27, 2019

“My life has been special because of what transpired here,” declared Michael Page, as he arrived at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stables in Gladstone for a celebration with family and friends.

A month before his 81^st birthday, the Olympic eventing multi-medalist arranged the Sunday gathering at a place he knew intimately.

The purpose was to salute Gladstone; Grasshopper and Foster, the horses who were his partners when he rode for the team during the 1950s and ‘60s, and his wife, Georgette, Foster’s groom, whose connections with the revered venue are as deep as his.  The lower floor of the USET stables is where the couple’s love story began, and it has continued for more than a half-century.

During their party at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stables, Michael and Georgette Page recreated their initial meeting. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

“Those of us who lived through this period of time owe a lot to what happened here at Gladstone,” said Michael.

Think “Chariots of Fire,” going back to a time when the strong bond among the athletes and with their sport was the focal point for those aspiring to international equestrian greatness.

The trip down memory lane was especially gratifying for Michael because the building and grounds have been refurbished.

“To see it the way it used to look 50 years ago is exciting. To be at this stage and have a bucket wish and see how it has come back to almost be like it was when you were young–how much better does it get?” he asked. Michael praised the USET Foundation’s management decision that led to extensive work on what can only be called a hallowed facility, which is more than 100 years old. It started as the home of horses and carriages belonging to Wall Street financier James Cox Brady, the master of Hamilton Farm, a vast estate that once spread over three New Jersey counties. In 1961, it became the home of the USET.

Speaking about the Foundation, Michael said, “They recognize the history, and we’re the history. I’m old enough now to appreciate what Gladstone has done for me over the years. This place supplied my horses; this place supplied my wife.”

Michael, who won the national hunt seat equitation championship at Madison Square Garden in 1956, only wanted to ride. He was encouraged and supported by his father, Homer, (someone he quoted often while speaking during the afternoon in Gladstone). Michael went abroad to train, first to England and then to the French cavalry school at Saumur, where the demands were rigorous, from sitting trot until he bled to trying to trying to stay on horses doing levades and caprioles between pillars.

The training served him well when he was given the ride on the notoriously difficult Grasshopper. At that time, riders were assigned to horses owned by the USET or that had been loaned to the organization. Grasshopper was a challenge, but Michael made the most of it and convinced the horse to see the wisdom of cooperating. Together, they took individual gold medals and team silvers at the 1959 and 1963 Pan American Games and team silver at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, the city where next year’s Olympics will be held.

With Foster, who at one time had a penchant for stopping on course, Michael claimed team gold and individual bronze at the 1967 Pan American Games, and individual bronze under extremely difficult conditions at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

There is now a plaque next to a stall at the Foundation stables commemorating both horses, and also the day that Michael met Georgette, Foster’s groom. “Best day of my life. Georgette Page. 12/15/66” reads the bottom line of the plaque.

The stall sign that says it all. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

After his time with Grasshopper, Michael had gone to work with his father in the family’s business, making hat and jewelry box liners. But the team called him back to ride Foster, and Michael eagerly accepted. When he arrived in Gladstone, coach Stefan von Visy told him to “go see George.” That turned out to be Georgette, Foster’s caretaker and Michael’s future wife, who was sitting on a tack trunk. The couple recreated the scene for their guests.

Georgette had answered a want ad for a groom from George Merck of the Essex Foxhounds, but when she applied, the position had been filled. He suggested she work at the USET, and that turned out to be the opportunity of a lifetime. It was also an enormous amount of work. Michael was still involved with his family’s company in New York, which meant he had to ride at 4:30 a.m. every day.

“I was here at 3 o’clock every morning, because he had to get on the train,” recalled Georgette.

“My day was always early. Then he got a second horse, so he had something else to ride, so he would ride that horse after he got back from the city. At 6 o’clock at night, we’d be going around and around again. You lived and breathed it. It was everything about getting Foster to Mexico.”

The Pages’ son, Matthew, expressed his respect and admiration for his father’s “pretty remarkable life” as well as “what my mom and dad have both done. To see them here on the trunk where they met…it’s a good experience they can share and hold onto. It’s really nice.”

Michael Page and his son, Matthew. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Matthew dominated leadline and walk/trot/canter classes as a child before moving on to baseball and dirtbikes. Now 40, the NASDAQ employee never saw his father compete internationally, but he did accompany him to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. At that time, Michael was the team’s chef d’equipe, which meant Matthew got a glimpse of what it took to compete in the most important event in the world.

In his time with the team, Michael was legendary.

“He was winning when none of the rest of the Americans could win,” Michael’s teammate, Jimmy Wofford, once noted. Jimmy couldn’t make the party, but he sent a note, propped against the USET eventing national championship challenge trophy, which stated, “No horses deserve this honor more than Grasshopper and Foster.”

The USET eventing national championship challenge trophy.(Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Michael had many other roles in horse sport as well as being a medal winner and chef d’equipe. At one point, he was head of the selection committee, and chairman of the federation’s equitation committee. With Georgette, he ran Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y., and was a respected hunter/jumper/hunter seat equitation judge until retiring last year.

He continues as resident trainer at the Kent School in Connecticut, and still rides—often without stirrups.

Those who know him well always cite their admiration for his many special qualities; among them, integrity and generosity of spirit.

Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association founder Robert Cacchione recalled he was working as a ringmaster at a show when he met Michael.

“He gave me one of his red coats that he wore in the Olympics,” Robert said, and once he looked the part, that turned out to be the key in getting him more ringmaster jobs. Robert, the executive director of IHSA, appreciates the way Michael interacts with those he teaches and has judged.

“He listens to people and when he talks, he talks about them and for them, and what can help them going forward,” Robert said.

Michael is the only person to have judged the IHSA national championship show five times.

Bonnie Jenkins and Peter Cashman. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Peter Cashman, who with his wife, Sherry, coaches the West Point Equestrian Team, noted, “Michael to me is one of the very finest of his era. I like everything that he stands for. He recognizes it’s not all him, he always makes a point of that, the other people who contributed to make his abilities match up with reality.”

Bonnie Jenkins was judged many times by Michael when she was competing. Now she’s the executive director of the USET Foundation, and proud that Michael returned for his special day.

“He’s somebody who appreciates the sport and what it’s done for him. To see him come back to Gladstone and know how much it means to him, it’s pretty special. Everybody on the staff works together to make sure we can be good stewards of this building and this facility. We’re happy we can continue to do that for Michael and other riders who trained here, and for the next generation who will use it as well.”