The Talent Search was quite a test for those who want to represent their country

by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 6, 2019

The judges for the weekend’s Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East were serious about the mandate of the competition: a step on the pathway for athletes to represent the country in international competition.

So they made it a real test, showing the mettle of those in the starting field of 57 who aspire to ride for the U.S. team one day. The competition is a hybrid of equitation and jumpers, with knockdowns and time penalties counting in riders’ final total.

The top four—winner Ellie Ferrigno, runner-up Ava Stearns, third-place Sophee Steckbeck and fourth-place Dominic Gibbs–all raised their hands when I asked if they had international ambitions.

Sophee Steckbeck, third in the Talent Search, with Ava Stearns, second; Dominic Gibbs, fourth and Ellie Ferrigno, the winner. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

“The cream of the crop rose to the top and the ones that weren’t quite ready for it had their faults,” said Sue Ashe, who officiated at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone with her daughter, grand prix rider Molly Ashe Cawley. Molly’s daughter, Taylor, spent Saturday winning the World Champion Hunter Rider Pony Challenge at the Capital Challenge show while mom was busy judging in New Jersey.

The Talent Search has four phases, and even the opening flat segment Saturday morning was no soft touch. It was done completely without stirrups, and posting to the trot proved a bit challenging for some. The idea, Molly said, “was to put the horses together and get the right connection.”

A bigger challenge came that afternoon with the gymnastics phase, which had riders counter-cantering a loop toward the seventh fence, an oxer, and doing a serpentine at the counter-canter to the eighth obstacle, a vertical. Both fences were set at the 1.15-meter maximum for the class, and not everyone was up to the task.

A look at the difficult gymnastics phase.

“The counter-lead wound up being more of a pickle than it was meant to be,” said Molly, adding “I wish the counter-lead hadn’t been such a deal breaker,” while noting the point of the gymnastics was demonstrating “finesse to lengthen and shorten.”

Sunday morning was devoted to jumping a course, designed by the judges with the help of Olympic medalist Conrad Homfeld, a master at such tasks. The route was deemed “fabulous” by trainer Missy Clark.

The concept yielded the top four, who came back this afternoon to jump a shorter course on their mounts, with the idea of doing the same on their rivals’ horses.

With four phases, anything can happen, and it usually does. The water jump in Sunday morning’s jumping segment, for instance, often causes a bit of trouble. This time, several riders had their horses refuse out there. Included in that group was Nora Andrews, the leader after the flat phase. Then during the Final Four, Dominic was riding Sophee’s Itteville, who knocked himself on the wall obstacle. A few strides later, the horse started limping and it seemed as if he were badly injured.

“My initial reaction was shock. I didn’t know what to do,” recalled Dominic. “Then I heard everyone in the stands screaming, `Get off, get off, the horse is hurt.’”

We all feared the worst, but the chestnut eventually walked away with his groom and the show veterinarian thought perhaps he had just banged himself. He made a quick recovery, because Sophee rode him back into the ring for the awards ceremony shortly thereafter.

Sophee Steckbeck on Itteville. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Everyone wondered how the situation would be resolved, since Itteville couldn’t continue in the rotation. But show manager David Distler explained that everyone’s round on their own horses would count, along with two other rounds, for a total of three scores rather than four, while only the first round (Sophee’s) on Itteville counted and the scores on him did not count for the others who rode him.

That eventually left just one point between Ellie, on Discovery-O (she had been fourth coming into the final four) and Ava (second coming into the final four), who rode Acer K, at 269 and 268 respectively. Sophee, the leader after the first three phases, wound up with 224 and Dominic—who had a knockdown and time penalty in his initial round—finished fourth on 203. He did get a championship ribbon, however, as his attractive black Belgian-bred former jumper, Cent 15, won the Grappa Trophy for best horse in the final.

Dominic Gibbs on Cent 15, Best Horse of the final. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Molly wishes there were more young riders involved at the higher levels of the sport, and would like to see young people follow the big names in the jumping world and learn from them. Ellie, a 17-year-old high school senior from Newtown, Conn., who won the Region 4 Maclay title, immediately responded, “I watch every grand prix I can, because there’s always something to learn from that.”

Champion Ellie Ferrigno with judges Sue Ashe and Molly Ashe Cawley, trainer Val Renihan, Emily Smith of Platinum Performance and Daisy Farish, last year’s Talent Search winner. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

“We refer to her as `The Encyclopedia,’ ” said her trainer, Val Renihan, because if there’s any competitor in the world the folks at her barn want to know about, Ellie can tell them.

Ellie Ferrigno, Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East winner, on Discovery-O. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Molly isn’t a fan of the 1.15-meter maximum height for Talent Search fences that is in place this year. Previously, it was 1.20 meters, but the number of riders in the final had declined because not everyone has a horse capable of jumping 1.20 meters. The difference between the two is slightly less than two inches.

“I feel like they’ve dropped it down. It’s supposed to be (for) the kids who want to take the next step to the next level,” Molly said.

“Nobody’s going to water it down from here when you make the step to the next level. You can go from 1.15 meters to 1.50 or from 1.20 to 1.50. You have to get some grit. It’s not preparing better for the future of the sport by making it smaller and easier.”

Trainer Andre Dignelli saw it differently, saying that going down to 1.15 is bringing more people to the Talent Search. At 1.20 meters, he said, “I think if they weren’t careful, this class could near extinction. There were a lot of people here, there was atmosphere, there was good riding, there was more participation.”

Even at 1.15, the Talent Search is still a challenge, and the top four were ecstatic to have finished as well as they did.

“It’s such an unbelievable opportunity that we’re able to do a class like this,” said Ellie.

“We’re being watched on the great stage to be able to go on to do bigger things. I feel so honored to be able to take the top spot.”

Ava, 18, an Auburn University pre-med freshman from Chilmark, Mass., who won the Region I Maclay title and trains with Missy  and John Brennan, said, “I appreciate this class because it shows off the fundamentals and has you work on flat work and the basics that make everything you build on top of better.”

Ava Stearns, the runner-up in the Talent Search, on Acer K. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

Sophee, 16, of Clarksburg, who trains with Brian Feigus and Andre, said, “It puts you on the map to go further in the sport.” A 16-year-old junior at Notre Dame High School, she was first in the Maclay at the Devon Horse Show this year.

Dominic, 16, lives in Colts Neck with his trainer, Stacia Madden. He won the 2018 Hamel Equitation Finals and was making his Talent Search debut.

He said of the Talent Search, “I think it’s a really wonderful class to have the opportunity to prepare you for the larger classes and be accurate and show your riding skills.”

A very interesting fresh face on the scene, he started riding in Colorado. His trainer there, Karen Catov-Goodell, saw such potential in him that she sent him to Katie Prudent. He did the jumpers with Katie, but she felt he needed an equitation specialist, which is how he wound up with Stacia. He won the gymnastics with an impressive 98.

Dominic had to present a case to his father, Gordon, a physician, about why he should be allowed to show in Florida. His mother, Erin, was behind him in his dream.

“Because I love horses, I get it,” she said, noting it was harder for her husband to let him move away from Colorado, but he agreed.

Dominic originally wanted to be either an astronaut or a physician, but it’s obvious to him now that he’s heading toward a career as a professional horseman.

A horse show on an island? It was very smooth sailing for fans and riders

by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 30, 2019

Great Britain’s Ben Maher may have won the Grand Prix at the Longines Global Champions Tour New York over the weekend, but the real star of the show turned out to be, well, the show itself.

Ben Maher on Explosion W, who jumps like his name. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

It was a jaw-dropper to see how the arena, grandstands, stabling, warm-up area and vendor village were laid out against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.

An overview of the LGCT operation on Governors Island. (Photo©2019 by Lawrence J.. Nagy)

The setting was Governor’s Island, an 800-yard ferry ride from lower Manhattan. The island had been an outpost for the British military before the Revolutionary War and for the U.S. military after that. It eventually became a Coast Guard installation until 1996. It finally opened to the public in 2005 and is a popular respite from city life for those who come over. The only way to get there is by ferry, which complicated it as a site for a show, but the LGCT crew was up to the challenge.

Everything, including heavy equipment, tons of footing and the horses, arrived by ferry (or barges). The horses were, of course, in vans. We wouldn’t have wanted to see them walking around on deck…

LGCT is run by Jan Tops, a Dutch entrepreneur who has presented shows all over the world, from Shanghai to Paris. LGCT New York is his second show in the U.S., and its layout is reminiscent of his spring Miami Beach operation, which is located on the sand next to the ocean.

“It is important for us to be in New York,” said Jan.

“America is an important horse nation and we have a strong footprint in the States. We found a good place for the horses and riders,” he said of Governors Island, indicating the competition is likely to return to the site next year.

In addition to Ben, the big names and their horses were flown over from Europe, including Germany’s Marcus Ehning, second to Ben in the featured grand prix,, where he rode Cornado NRW.

Marcus Ehning of Germany and Cornado NRW were second in the featured grand prix, where no Americans made the seven-horse jump-off. (Photo©2019 by Lawrence J. Nagy)

European Show Jumping Champion Martin Fuchs of Switzerland was Ben’s teammate on the London Knights. They won the final for the LGCT League. Ben rates his mount, Explosion W, and Marcus’ horse, Clooney as the two best jumpers in the world.

London Knights teammates Martin Fuchs and Ben Maher with LGCT President Jan Tops. (Photo©2019 by Lawrence J. Nagy)

The Leagues involve a hodgepodge of mixed nationalities that seemed to have little to do with their names. The Cannes Stars, for instance, were represented in the team final by Margie Goldstein Engle of the U.S. and Abdel Said of Egypt. Team members wore collarless riding jackets in their team colors with appropriate logos. The Berlin Eagles, for instance, had—what else?—an eagle as their insignia.

Georgina Bloomberg has been very involved with LGCT. Her team in the LGCT League is the New York Empire and since her father, Michael Bloomberg, is the former mayor of New York City, there was speculation that she had an instrumental role in bringing the show to Gotham.

Georgina Bloomberg and Quibelle. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)

When I asked her about that, she replied, “I wish I could take credit, but unfortunately, no. Obviously, we were excited when they decided they wanted to have a horse show in New York. I think people were a little bit concerned with the ferry ride and how that would work, but it’s definitely worth the trip. You can’t beat the location, you can’t beat the view.“

As she observed, “The ferry has been running very smoothly and it really hasn’t been any different than jumping in a taxi or having to drive. We have horse shows where you have to travel further distances to get to the horse show from the hotel and you don’t have views that compare to this when you get there.”

Even though her father is no longer mayor, I thought perhaps she might have been able to exert influence as necessary. Apparently not.

“There’s very little, obviously, we can do in the city, we don’t have the pull that we used to,” she offered with a smile.

“Jan is so talented at forming those connections with the different cities, he hasn’t really needed my help. Little touches I can add, but as far as the logistics and the actual organizing, that was all the Global Champions team.”

The Statue of Liberty had a good view of the action and all the riders, including Kent Farrington on Creedance, winner of the show’s final 150,000 Euro competition. (Photo©2019 by Lawrence J. Nagy)

For the team final and the 300,000 Euro Grand Prix on Saturday, the stands were filled with fascinated spectators, many of whom had just been visiting Governors Island when they learned about the competition. Others had made the show their destination, and the fact that there was no admission charge undoubtedly helped boost attendance.

Reagan Nunnally, a resident of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, said she had heard about the show from friends who had been going to LGCT shows elsewhere in the world.

“They let us know it was going to be in New York, so we came on out,” said Reagan, who has been a fan of Governors Island.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked. “Such a special enclave that few people know about.”

After the success of LGCT New York, that may no longer be the case.

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.”