If you’re trying to get you child interested in dressage, but it isn’t working out, Dressage at Devon has some answers.
The Dressage Explorers program will take place Sunday, September 30 at the end of the Pennsylvnia show’s six-day run. and will feature the Make and Take Stick Horse. The show supplies the “horse” and all the trimmings to deck-out your child’s “mount” for a ride in the famed Dixon Oval – with professional announcers and judges. (Note: This is a lot less expensive than buying your offspring an imported warmblood.)
Another fave at the show in a suburb of Philadelphia is the Selfie Scavenger Hunt, where kids are looking for five yellow signs posted throughout the showgrounds. It they take a selfie with each sign, they can head over to the souvenir shop to receive an exclusive DAD prize.
There also will be special exhibitions by regional first responders and other demonstrations of excellence in horsemanship. Meanwhile, the day’s performances feature the sport’s rising stars, young riders from 16-25. These include the FEI Pony Freestyle Test and the FEI Young Rider Freestyle, among others.
Had enough horse stuff? The show features a Fall Festival, with lots of dining opportunities and shopping that appeals to the whole family, even those who aren’t equestrians. Ladies Hat Day – a favorite Dressage at Devon tradition – will take place on Friday, Sept 28.
For more information, visit www.dressageatdevon.org.
When Heronwood Racing Partners set out to buy a thoroughbred who would run under the stable’s colors, members of the group already were thinking of a way to make sure the horse would have a new job after he finished at the track.
Mark Bellard, the partner of hunter/jumper trainer Rachel Rosenthal, is in the group with Julia Greifeld of Whitehouse Station, a director of Mane Stream therapeutic riding, and Anthony Sileno of Mendham, who revealed “I’ve wanted to buy racehorses since I was about five years old.”
Like Anthony, Julia said, “I’ve always loved the thought of a racehorse. I’ve been approached many times over the years, but I wanted to be with people who would be interested in an end-game plan for the horse. I could never sell any kind of horse down the road.”
The group invested in Street Fighting Man, a son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and a great-grandson of Native Dancer. Street Fighting Man, who raced at Woodbine in Canada as a two-year-old, is known around the barn as Jagger after Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, who sang the tune for which the horse was named.
When Heronwood took on Jagger after his time in Canada, he contracted pneumonia within the first week.
“It was a long road back,” Mark recalled, but the flashy-looking black with a come-from-behind technique finally was ready for the New York racing scene, breaking his maiden with odds of 19-1 at Aqueduct on Rachel’s birthday in 2016.
“I can’t wait until he’s my jumper,” Rachel exclaimed, to which Mark responded, “Hold your horses.”
Street Fighting Man kept running for another year. By the time he finished the 2017 season as a five-year-old, having won a little more than $80,000 in 22 races, it was decision time.
(To see Street Fighting Man in action at the track, click on the video below and watch the number 3 horse with the jockey in the red cap.)
“The risk at that level is that you have to put them in claiming races. The trainer spotted him in places he thought he wouldn’t get claimed,” said Mark. But the fact that Jagger was a turf horse made the next step easy. At the end of 2017, the partnership was faced with laying him off for six months until racing on grass began again, or retiring him.
Retirement won, and it was on to the next step for Jagger.
“We always knew we’d need a plan, and fortunately, with Rachel, we had one,” said Mark, discussing Jagger’s future. After chilling out in upstate New York for a few months, Jagger came back to Heronwood, Rachel’s barn in Bedminster, for training in his new vocation.
As Julia mentioned, “I liked the fact that he’s being trained by a professional for his next step in life.”
At the track, Jagger was under the guidance of trainer Nick Esler, who rides his own horses.
“He put some good miles on this horse,” Mark noted. “As soon as Rachel got on him, she knew it wasn’t like starting from scratch.”
Heronwood’s big goal is next month’s Thoroughbred Makeover, presented by the Retired Racehorse Project. Jagger will be among hundreds of off-the-track thoroughbreds who have 10 months or less of retraining. Competition involves 10 different disciplines, with entries seeking a share of the $100,000 in prize money. At the end, according to the organization, there will be one overall winner, “crowned America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred.”
It won’t be Jagger. The Heronwood group is under no illusions, considering that Jagger doesn’t have a lot of mileage in jumping and only seven months of retraining.
Rachel Rosenthal jumping Street Fighting Man. (Photo courtesy of Mark Bellard)
“It’s not about going there to win,” explained Rachel, who does feel Jagger will be prepared well enough to put on a decent performance.
“It’s about showing the community what you’ve got,” she continued, saying, “We’re going there to represent.”
Mark is as enthusiastic as the other partners about the Thoroughbred Makeover concept and Jagger’s appearance in Kentucky.
“It’s such a great exit plan for all the thousands of thoroughbreds that are looking for a second career. I think it’s gained a lot of traction with all the trainers and owners. It gives them more options what to do with their horse, sooner rather than later.”
Julia reminisced about how thoroughbreds once ruled the show ring, and then fell out of favor as the warmbloods took over. Thoroughbreds are making a comeback now through initiatives such as the Makeover and Thoroughbred Incentive Program at many shows.
“This re-purposing is a relatively new thing,” Julia pointed out. Anthony believes “the whole movement has reached almost everybody” and those at the track are more aware of the options for horses that have stopped racing.
Even though Jagger is pursuing a different profession now, racing is still in the partners’ blood.
“It gives us a lot of fun and takes us on some nice journeys,” said Mark. While Heronwood has no racehorses at the moment, it does have a mare in foal to 2008 Derby winner Big Brown. The partners also are looking for a filly who can race for them and then become a broodmare as her end game.
As for Jagger, “Right now, we’re interested in re-purposing him and giving him the best start,” said Rachel.
“We’re just trying to set him up for whatever his next stage might be. Had we not given him this training, he would have very few options,” Julia pointed out.
Anthony said a horse like Jagger probably would have wound up running in $10,000 claiming races at Mountaineer, a track in West Virginia.
“He would have been asked to run every couple of weeks until he broke down,” said Mark. But this horse has a different destiny, and Rachel is confident he has star quality, noting how much she likes his temperament.
“That’s the number one thing you look for in any horse,” she mentioned.
“He’s so sensible. I take him out in the woods and down the road. I think he’s really athletic; he’s been so easy to train. He gets it, and gets something new every day.”
A 12-year-old Camden County gelding who was euthanized Aug. 27 had the second reported case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in New Jersey this year. The horse had not been vaccinated against the mosquito-borne disease, which should be a lesson to horse owners to make sure their equines have their innocculations.
“With this being our second case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis reported in the last two weeks, we are reminding horse owners of the high importance of having their animals vaccinated against diseases spread by mosquitoes,” said state Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher.
“Vaccinated animals are much less likely to contract deadly diseases such as EEE and West Nile Virus.”
New Jersey’s first case of EEE this year was reported in a Monmouth County mare last week. EEE causes inflammation of the brain tissue and has a significantly higher risk of death in horses than West Nile Virus infection.
West Nile is a viral disease that affects horses’ neurological system. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. The virus cycles between birds and mosquitoes with horses and humans being incidental hosts. EEE infections in horses are not a significant risk factor for human infection because horses (like humans) are “dead-end” hosts for the virus.
Effective equine vaccines for EEE and WNV are available commercially. Horse owners should contact their veterinarians if their horses are not already up-to-date on their vaccinations against both EEE and WNV.
For more information about EEE in horses, visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture web site at:
EEE and West Nile virus, like other viral diseases affecting horses’ neurological system, must be reported to the state veterinarian at 609-671-6400 within 48 hours of diagnosis. The New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory is available to assist with EEE and WNV testing and can be reached at 609-406-6999 or via email – jerseyvetlab@ag.nj.gov.
At their board meeting this month, directors of the U.S. Equestrian Federation voted to require all adults with a competing membership to complete the organization’s Safe Sport Training program in order to participate in USEF activities or enter shows.
Members can access the free training program directly through their member dashboard or go to the USEF website to learn more.
USEF President Murray Kessler stated, “I am very proud of the work done in drafting this proposal and the board of directors, which approved this critical rule designed to keep our children safe while they enjoy, excel, and advance in our sport.”
There had been controversy over a proposal to require everyone who signed an entry blank as a trainer to take the course, but Murray earlier this year said he wanted to have the Safe Sport training requirement go beyond licensed officials, directors and others originally required to go through it, saying he felt it was important that all members be required to take it.
A 30-day grace period to complete the awareness training will be provided to all members who renew or join on or after December 1, 2018. Members joining prior to December 1, 2018 will have until January 1, 2019 to complete the training. Those who do not complete the training within the grace period will be ineligible to participate in USEF activities, including competitions.
The Safe Sport Policy and the rules that govern it have been created to protect all athletes from misconduct within the sport, according to USEF. This new rule is consistent with efforts to ensure the safety and welfare of equestrian participants, especially minors. Education and training everyone is crucial to protecting athletes and eradicating abuse.
At a show, members will not have to present documentation about having taken the training unless the 30-day grace period has expired and they completed the Safe Sport training in the previous 48 hours.
Competition management and secretaries will have access to a combined suspension and ineligibility list in the same manner as the current suspension list to identify those who are ineligible to compete.
Safe Sport training records from the U.S. Center for SafeSport automatically update the USEF systems every 24 to 48 hours. If a person appears on the Safe Sport Training Ineligible list, but has completed their training before the system updates, they can print and take a copy of the completion certificate to the show office to prove they are eligible to compete.
Tears came to the eyes of Lucian Rodriguez as he got ready to return the trophy he had won last year in the Beginner Independent Division at the finals of the Long Island Riders with Disabilities competition during the Hampton Classic this week.
Lucian Rodriguez celebrates. (Photo by Patty Kovacic)
Despite the name of the event, it’s open to riders from beyond Long Island, and it’s the biggest moment of the year for Lucian. The resident of Boonton suffered a near-fatal mugging in New York City 16 years ago. Doctors believed he would never walk or talk again. He proved them wrong and has worked hard to cope with aphasia, which can be caused by trauma or a stroke and involves problems with understanding and expression.
Riding has been at the center of his life for the last 12 years, and his therapy on horseback has improved his existence, opening doors as he proved his determination and resilience. It took him a year to learn to post, but he kept at it and was able to navigate a horse on his own, instead of being led.
Competition is a way for him to prove himself. The ribbons and trophies he has earned are more than symbolic for him. They are a way for him to measure success as he tries to rise above his challenges.
“I love winning awards,” he once told me.
The 2017 trophy was symbolic of all he had accomplished. But when he came to this year’s competition, he had to bring the trophy he treasured back with him, because it was designated to go to the person who won the class this year. Happily, that was Lucian.
Aboard Sebastian, a horse he has ridden only a few times, Lucian, 42, excelled in the figure eight portion of his test, which may have clinched the honors for him and enabled him to take the trophy home once more
“He is thrilled to have it back,” said Patricia Kovacic, his partner and caregiver.
Never one to stand on his laurels, Lucian already is planning for next year’s competition, where he hopes to move up to the advanced competition. The man who has beaten the odds before is a good bet to take a new trophy in 2019.
While a number of shows in its region have been scratching for participants this summer, Monmouth at the Team is so well-attended that part of the mandate for next year is figuring out a way to limit entries for certain competitions.
The show, with an eight-day run through Monday Aug. 20 at the historic U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation facility in Gladstone, has an appeal that is more than just location, location, location. It’s also a well-run show, owned by insurance executive Tucker Ericson and his cousin, professional horseman Michael Dowling, who has a stable nearby and is a coach of the Centenary University equestrian team.
“Our objective is to develop this and not grow it into something that’s about numbers,” said Michael. He and Tucker bought New Jersey’s oldest horse show three years ago and moved it from Monmouth County to Somerset County, giving it a new and more exciting identity.
“It’s interesting, because I know some of the (other) shows’ entries have been down,” Michael observed. Meanwhile, he said, “we are struggling with getting everybody in the ring and out, and not letting it get too big. We’re always looking at how can we do this a little bit better each year?”
There are no ring lights at the facility, which means some days, there’s a race to conclude everything before sunset. The $10,000 Bobcat Derby, which drew 59 entries in its 2-foot, 2-6 section and 35 in the separately pinned 3-foot section, for instance, wrapped up just as twilight was falling.
“The biggest thing we have to take into consideration the limitations we have of the ring,” noted Michael. This is basically a one-ring show, though occasionally something is held in the indoor arena.
The atmosphere is reminiscent of an A-rated competition because of the venue and the hospitality, but the show’s highest-rated days are B, and some days are unrecognized by the U.S. Equestrian Federation. It presents an opportunity for those at the lower levels of the sport to be able to participate in a prestige fixture.
The last time Sima Morgello rode at the foundation grounds was in her equitation days at the Platinum Performance/U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East. This was the 22-year-old New York University graduate’s first visit to Monmouth at the Team and she loved it—an emotion heightened by her victory on Orientales in the $10,000 Mini-Prix sponsored by Horseflight.
“It was fantastic. It’s a very special horse show. It’s very inspiring for people to see the history of the sport. They’re at a top, top facility which is always a pleasure,” she said.
“The divisions are very welcoming to riders at all the levels. The horse show really did think about making sure everybody had an opportunity to show themselves to the best of their abilities.”
“Most of the people who come back are people who are relatively local,” pointed out Michael. “We are thrilled because it’s an awesome atmosphere.
Noting, “the judges are impressed by the quality of horses coming through the ring,” he commented, “it’s really fulfilling our objectives and what we want this to develop into. We have to fine-tune some things and make sure we’re giving back to the people who sponsor, and involving more of the local community, not just the horse people, but the local merchants and restaurants and trying to increase the entertainment aspect and atmosphere.”
Tucker said having a single ring enables the community to join together and bond, instead of being scattered among arenas. “I think that adds a lot of strength for the community.”
Sima, who rides out of River Run Farm in Long Valley with her partner, Devin Ryan, led off the tie-breaker of 12 riders from the field of 28 competing over Skip Bailey’s course in the mini-prix. After overhearing one of the riders talk about making a difficult, time-saving turn following the first fence, she decided to try the maneuver, with Devin advising “go for it…make everyone chase you.”
She pulled it off with her “phenomenal” Selle Francais mare and became the only person in the tie-breaker to finish fault-free.
Discussing her success, Sima cited the support of her mother, Susan Morgello, and groom Eliane Feltz. A native of France, Eliane can reassure Orientales (also known as Chantilly) by speaking French to her, since that is the mare’s “first language,” the one she heard before being imported to this country.
Those who finished behind Sima in the class included Devin, fourth on the eye-catching chestnut, Florida. Devin, who was named this month to the U.S. show jumping team for the FEI World Equestrian Games, enjoys Monmouth at the Team not only as a good place to put mileage on jumpers (he’s always looking to develop his next big horse) but also as a chance to compete a convenient 20 minutes or so from home after spending time in Europe, most recently in Aachen and Dublin.
B.J. Ehrhardt, who took hunter and jumper style awards, won the 3-foot portion of the Bobcat Derby on Leigh Creamer’s Dutchbred, Micah 7:7. She grew up in northern New Jersey’s Bergen County and showed all over the state. Now based in Goshen, N.Y., she still has a lot of friends in the Garden State, including Leah, who is from Saddle River and names her horses after Biblical verses.
“I love this horse show. I love the barn,” said B.J. Part of the charm involves housing horses staying overnight in stalls named after famous U.S. Equestrian Team mounts. Micah occupied the stall named for Udon, Steffen Peters’ 1996 Olympic dressage team bronze medal ride.
The show is more than business for B.J.
“I love the whole ambience of it. They’re so pleasant here. It’s a great experience for my students and myself,” she said, noting that with the one ring, everyone can come and watch the classes because they don’t have to be running around to other rings.
“It’s all win-win to be here and be able to win,” she commented.
The 2-foot/2-6 section went to Heartbreaker and Libby Shea Dayton from Red Oak Farm in Stirling.
The Selle Francais belongs to the Storms family, but he hadn’t shown awhile since his owner went to school.
“This is his first attempt back. I think he did a pretty good job,” said Libby, who is trained by her mother, Bethie Dayton.
This was the first year the derby was broken into two sections, since management felt that the 3-foot competitors had dominated previously and wanted to give those jumping lower heights a chance for victory.
The derby is sponsored by the Nature Conservancy. It’s a fundraiser for Bobcat Alley, a 32,000-acre area on the border of Sussex and Warren counties where the organization wants to buy more land (the wish list is for 3,500 additional acres) so the endangered cats can move safely between the New Jersey Highlands, the Kittatinny Ridge and part of the Appalachian mountains.
Although some bobcats were imported from Maine to grow the bobcat population, there are only an estimated 300 to 400 in New Jersey.
“They’re still struggling,” said Barbara Brummer, the Nature Conservancy’s New Jersey state director.
Bobcat ear headbands with little tufts on top were much in evidence at the show, and those who taped them to their helmets got an extra point in the derby.
The USET Foundation will have another big hunter/jumper show in May, with the Junior Essex Troop’s Garden State fixture moving from Sussex County to Gladstone. Tucker will be managing it, and already is planning for the nine-day competition that likely will have a familiar feeling for those who have been to Monmouth at the Team.
“I think the shows will complement each other well, because now people know what kind of hospitality they can expect, they understand the footing can hold up to any kind of weather conditions,” said Tucker.
The iffy August weather might have wreaked havoc at another showgrounds, but not with the super drainage of the foundation’s ring.
“We had two days of steady rain,” observed Michael.
“The kids rode through it; the footing held up beautifully. It was a tribute to the facility and the reason we want to see it utilized and see our neighborhood enjoy it.”
Tucker noted that, “Sponsors already are lining up for Garden State. The shows will be a little bit different and distinct. The May show will be AA-rated, while in August, we have more grassroots focus.” He noted, however, that the first weekend of Garden State will be unrated with a $10,000 hunter derby before seven days of the double-A competition.
Barbara Brummer mentioned another initiative of the Nature Conservancy involves restoring habitat in the Paulinskill watershed for American shad, so I can see fish fins and tails taped to helmets if the organization decides to sponsor that derby at Garden State.
Asked how he analyzes the success of Monmouth at the Team, Tucker said, “Whether it’s food, décor, the courses or the awards, we don’t cut corners. If you don’t cut corners, you end up with a better return, because people know they can count on you.”
It’s been a good month for riders from Long Valley. First, Devin Ryan was named to the U.S. World Equestrian Games show jumping team. Then last weekend, Cole Horn made a real impression at the Bromont, Quebec, CIC 1-star for riders 25 and under.
Cole finished cross-country 10 seconds under the optimum time with Cooley Sligo, a horse he has brought along with the help of Ryan Wood, for whom he is a working student.
Cole has been working for two years with his six-year-old Irish sporthorse, who was making his debut FEI level debut at the Canadian competition. Third after dressage with a score of 29.50, he moved up to second following stadium jumping with one rail down, but his impressive cross-country trip over Derek diGrazia’s course enabled him to win on 33.50 penalties. Second went to Olivia Hayes on Astrana de la Galerna on 36 penalties.
It’s nice to envision global championships, such as the Olympics or next month’s FEI World Equestrian Games, as an opportunity for the all the best horses and riders on earth to compete head to head. In reality, it seldom works out that way; think of everything that can derail a contender before the big competition.
It has happened to the dressage champion of last month’s Aachen horse show, as a pasture injury to Cassidy has forced rider Cathrine Dufour to withdraw him from the Danish team. With Cassidy goes the chance for the Danes to be medal contenders in Tryon, N.C. Cathrine, who won individual and team bronze at the 2017 European Championships, also had a chance to be on the podium as an individual at WEG.
There’s still plenty of great competition in the dressage ranks, with Germany and the U.S. as team medal favorites. The Dutch, Swedes and Brits aren’t on the same level, but they could well threaten for bronze. Individually, Germany’s Isabell Werth is a favorite, though it has yet to be decided which of her three equine possibilities will get the nod.
The USA’s Laura Graves with Verdades and Kasey Perry-Glass (Dublet) both distinguished themselves at Aachen and should be contenders in Tryon, along with Olympic and WEG multi-gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin on her new, but inexperienced horse, Mount St. John Freestyle. The mare has competed outside of Britain only once, however. Mileage counts during the rigors of a championship. Several other Germans could be contenders too, and perhaps someone unexpected will pop up on the podium.
After the final observation event for selection of the U.S. FEI World Equestrian Games show jumping team wrapped up Sunday afternoon Aug. 12 in Dublin, I made an educated guess about the country’s only WEG contingent in the Olympic disciplines that hadn’t been named. And I was right, pretty much. (see the post below in On the Rail)
Long Valley’s Devin Ryan, who was ninth on Eddie Blue in the Longines Dublin grand prix with one time penalty in the first round, will be joining McLain Ward (Clinta and HH Azur), Laura Kraut after a redeeming double-clear in the Dublin Nations’ Cup on Zeremonie and Adrienne Sternlicht, fourth in the Dublin G.P. with a rail and the fastest time on Cristalline.
Coach Robert Ridland always likes to pick an up-and-coming less-experienced rider to his squads (a la Lucy Davis in the 2014 WEG and 2016 Olympics) so they can gain mileage. That’s Adrienne this time around. But that makes World Cup winner Beezie Madden the alternate on Darry Lou; I had Beezie on the squad and Adrienne as traveling alternate.
You know how it is with horses–if something can go wrong, it just might, so no one should think they’re a sure thing until the final deadline for team substitutions an hour before the first competition.
Monmouth at the Team–New Jersey’s oldest horse show–starts its third year in Somerset County on Monday, Aug. 13 at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, where it runs through Aug. 20.
There is no admission charge, so it’s a good opportunity to view the historic facility while watching competitors–many of whom are local–take part in hunters, jumpers and equitation.
Highlights include hunter breeding and young hunters under saddle close to noon on Aug. 13, the Eastern Hay and Grain $5,000 National Hunter Derby Aug. 14, young hunters Aug. 15 and the $10,000 Nature Conservancy Bobcat Derby on Aug. 16. The jumpers get under way on Aug. 17, with more of them on Aug. 18 and the $10,000 Horseflight Mini-Prix on Aug. 19. The show ends with a variety of children’s classes and young hunters Aug. 20.
Four of the days are B-rated, but the unrated days also are special to those competing. This is an example of what can be done with a show that doesn’t offer AA ratings and big money, but is popular because it is well-run and in a very special location. Interesting vendors and great hospitality are important factors in its success as well.
