Jersey Fresh and the Horse Park are making it all work out

by Nancy Jaffer | May 20, 2018

By Nancy Jaffer
May 20, 2018

“They’re trying their hearts out,” commented Boyd Martin, discussing improvement efforts at the Horse Park of New Jersey, where he won three of four divisions at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event presented by B.W. Furlong & Associates.

During its 16-year history, the Mother’s Day weekend fixture has had plenty to overcome, much of which involved weather-related difficulties, but the park’s featured competition has always been a product of dedication and a time to show off what the facility in Monmouth County has to offer.

This year, there was anticipation that footing issues would at least be partially solved by a re-do of the grand prix ring. But alas, New Jersey’s peculiar winter weather put the project behind schedule.

The new footing in the grand prix ring was used for dressage and flatwork during Jersey Fresh. (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)

The ring was not ready for April’s Four Seasons show, though it was used for the dressage phase of Jersey Fresh. The footing hadn’t settled in enough to handle the Jersey Fresh show jumping finale, however. It actually worked out well to use the ring in front of the pavilion instead, so spectators had cover when it rained hard during a portion of the show jumping, but that ring is a smaller space than the grand prix arena.

More is being done so the grand prix arena can be its best, according to Allyson Jeffrey, president of the park’s board of trustees.

Allyson Jeffery, president of the Horse Park board of trustees. (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)

“We’re going to continue to bring it along and perfect it, but we’re happy with the way it has performed so far,” Allyson said, noting it is in shape to be used for the ESDCTA Memorial Day Weekend dressage show at the end of the month. Plans also call for improving footing in the West Ring, which was used as a warm-up during Jersey Fresh.

“Footing is a real headache to get perfect,” noted Boyd.

“They’ve obviously worked very, very hard at raising a lot of money to try and improve the event. We’re heading in the right direction at Jersey.”

Boyd Martin and Long Island T, his Jersey Fresh CCI 3-star winner. (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)

Footing isn’t easy anywhere, as Boyd noted. At the Winter Equestrian Festival, for instance, the world’s largest and longest horse show is starting this month to plan footing improvements for its Wellington, Fla., international ring, which at one time was considered to have a state-of-the-art surface.

As WEF impresario Mark Bellissimo noted, “There are many different and varying opinions about what is perfect footing and how you achieve that in a major competition setting.”

There was a time when footing was what it was, and people simply rode on anything presented to them. U.S. Olympian Mary Mairs Chapot recalled what the U.S. Equestrian Team encountered in the days when she was on the show jumping squad.

While reminiscing about her team and individual gold medals at the 1963 Pan American Games in Brazil, she noted, the footing often “was horrible, and we jumped them (the horses) a lot. Now we kind of coddle them and complain if there’s a piece of fluff out of place somewhere in the footing.”

For his part, Boyd remembered phoning home to Australia when he first competed at Jersey Fresh in 2006 after emigrating to this country.

“We’re riding on footing!” he enthused about the novelty during that call 12 years ago.

“Now we’re whinging (complaining) about that it’s not the synthetic bouncy stuff. We can’t slag them (the park) out too much because it’s better than last year. We’ve always got to be looking for better and better if we want this country to be the best in the world.”

But he added, “We’re getting spoiled now in America.”

Discussing cross-country, Boyd felt the CCI 3-star route was really a 2.9 star, while at the same time praising Mark Phillips, who came in as course designer last year.

Mark “has done a good job. I think he’s been a bit cautious of building anything monstrous,” said Boyd of the former U.S. coach, who is designing the course for the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C. this September.

“This is sort of a building 3-star. This one’s got its place.”

Like Boyd, former U.S. Equestrian Federation President David O’Connor, another former U.S. coach who is now training Canadian eventers, believed cross-country could move up a notch, but he cited the 2-star in that regard.

“I thought the 3-star was actually pretty good, but I thought the 2-star maybe was a bit soft and I think that needs to bump up because it’s a qualifier for a 3-star. But those are all easy adjustments to make,” David observed.

Mark, who will be returning as course designer next year, according to Jersey Fresh organizer Jane Cory, said his primary concern is being fair to the horse and helping the animals see and understand the problem at each obstacle. There were only two rider falls and no horse falls, which was optimum. Everyone who was at the event in 2016 remembers the death of Philippa Humphreys in a rotational fall, and so it is always especially good news when things go smoothly at Jersey Fresh.

As for his thoughts about the degree of difficulty, Mark said, “I thought this was a normal 3-star. The 2-star probably had a bit of minus in it and the CIC 3-star may have had a bit of minus in it; I don’t think the CCI 3-star had minus in it.” That division was a qualifier for the WEG.

David, pleased at the crowd that turned up on cross-country day, said, “I thought the community supported it pretty well. It’s getting to be a better and better event for the riders.” At the same time, while noting, “It’s hard to make these things financially go” he praised the investment in the grand prix ring.

“I think they’re really trying to do something.”

NEWS AND NOTES

Boehringer Ingelheim stepped up in a big way for the event with an exhibitors’ hospitality tent arrangement that provided meals, as well as pizza and beer after cross-country. Zoetis sponsored the CIC divisions, while Furlong backed the CCIs in addition to being the presenting sponsor. The park itself is always looking for backers. It receives no money from the state (contrary to what some may think because of its name) and relies on the aid of sponsors, volunteers and members.

“It’s just going to get better if we have sponsors join us,” said Jeffery, who has a wish list of things to accomplish. In addition to making the rings better, she said, “We’d like to swap out panels in stabling that are in need of improvement and get fresh panels in there”…

The highest-placed New Jersey entry was the handsome gray Holsteiner Charm King, ridden by Holly Payne-Caravella of Old Fox Farm in Chester to second place in the CIC 2-star. Going into show jumping, she was just 0.3 penalties behind Anna Loschiavo on Prince Renan. Neither she nor Anna had a rail, so both finished on their dressage scores.

Holly Payne-Caravella and Charm King (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)

Of Charm King, Holly said, “My horse is a phenomenal jumper. As he’s gotten fitter, he’s gotten a bit wild. I was really pleased with him, because he was feeling frisky but listened and stayed with me and jumped just amazing, jumped me out of the tack a couple of times. That’s okay. I will take it if he jumps clean.”

Alexa Lapp, third with Cambalda, 0.1 back of Holly, is pointing toward the Area II team that Holly will be coaching in Montana this summer at the Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North…

The Phillippa Humphreys Sportsmanship Award went to Alexandra Sacksen , the rider of Sparrow’s Nio.

Lisa Mackintosh of Jersey Fresh with Philippa Humphreys Memorial Sportsmanship Award winner Allie Sacksen on Sparrow’s Nio. (Photo© 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)

A college fund has been set up for Phillippa’s daughter, Millie. Those interested in finding out more about that can go to milliecollegefund .

For full results of Jersey Fresh, go to evententries.com

Cleary steps down after decades helming Garden State Horse Show

by Nancy Jaffer | May 9, 2018

By Nancy Jaffer
May 9, 2018

A horse show manager’s tenure usually is measured in terms of several years—if the person in question lasts even that long.

So it’s very unusual when someone manages a show for three decades, as Tim Cleary has with the Garden State Horse Show. But then, Garden State—which wrapped up its 68^th edition last weekend—is a very unusual show.

Tim, an associate professor of equine studies at Centenary University and a lawyer to boot, is stepping down from his Garden State post.

Tim Cleary is known for his commitment to the Garden State Horse Show. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

“It’s the right time for somebody newer or younger to come in; it’s a good time to go. I’ll stay on the committee and certainly do everything I can for the show,” said the Hackettstown resident, 61.

Tim is a veteran of the Junior Essex Troop, which stages Garden State at the Sussex County Fairgrounds. Originally based at its own farm in West Orange, the troop was open to boys between the ages of 10 and 18 who trained in the cavalry tradition, cared for the organization’s 25 horses and maintained the stables. At its peak, troops A and C in West Orange had 120 members. Some boys, notably the late Roger Haller, who became the 1996 Olympic cross-country designer, also rode at Union County’s Watchung Stables in Troop B.

Troop was founded in 1931 by officers of the 102d Cavalry Regiment, New Jersey National Guard and incorporated in 1943 “to encourage patriotism, to foster the love of horses among boys and to train boys in horsemanship, cavalry drill, marksmanship, military training and discipline.”

The bonds that Troop’s regimen created are beyond durable; they’re unbreakable. Men who started a half-century or so ago with the organization are still incredibly close. Think “Band of Brothers” and you’ve got it.

Troop’s annual horse show—which originally gained recognition decades ago as the country’s largest competition for junior riders—has always been a spring highlight in New Jersey. In the days when it was held at the West Orange farm, indelible recollections include trying to cross the stream to get to the outside course (not every horse was eager to do that) and the drill that ended with riders in plumed helmets jumping their horses through a flaming arch.

A tragic turning point came in 1981, when the show’s manager, Jamie Griesenbeck, died in a fire a few months before the competition. Faced with “a steep learning curve” in addition to sorrow and adversity, the troopers and their advisers as usual rose to the occasion and made sure the show went on.

“We had to scramble around like crazy to figure out how to run a horse show, because we didn’t know how the mechanics worked,” said committee member Ed Jeklinksi of Cedar Knolls, noting experts in the horse show world were gracious about offering advice.

When the troop farm was sold after the 1983 show, the competition (which had become a show open to all years before) moved to Chubb Park in Chester under the direction of Rodney Seelig, the show’s chairman. It outgrew the Chester location and moved to its current home in Sussex County in 1987.

“Rodney really kept it together for such a long time,” said Brian Colquhoun, a Morris County-based veterinarian who ended his 36-year stint as one of the show’s announcers this month.

Garden State grew to be New Jersey’s largest hunter/jumper show, but bad luck with the weather and changing times have cut back on entries.

Still, the fixture has carried on with the devotion of the former troopers. The troop itself did not last beyond the late 1980s, even when it went coed. Originally, the goal of those involved with the show was to re-form the troop for a new generation with proceeds from the competition, but the era for an organization of that nature has passed into memory.

“It became clear to all of us that maybe we did hold out a little bit of a pipe dream and this generation may not be into that kind of thing,” observed Brian.

“I think that vision has started to fade in everybody’s mind a little bit. I think we see we’re never going to get troop back, but we’re bound to each other. We had so many shared experiences.”

Troopers’ families are part of the scene as well. Ed’s daughter, Lauren, met her husband, Ryan Black, when she was working at the show and he was on the jump crew. Lauren is pregnant now, and Ed notes she will be having “a troop baby.”

“It’s in your DNA,” Ed maintained.

Committee member Bill Bonstein of Chester met his wife, the former Kim Hewitt, at the show in West Orange 40 years ago when he overheard that one of her students was trying to deal with a broken martingale.

Coming to the rescue, “Bill ran to the JET barn and came back with one, saving the day. And that was our beginning together,” said Kim.

Tim, who had served as the director of horsemanship at the West Orange farm, was a natural choice to be Garden State’s manager.

“It was like he was born to run the show,” mused Bill.

“He knows everybody and doesn’t walk 10 feet without someone grabbing his sleeve.”

Ed, who joined Troop at age 10 and is now 63, noted, “it’s just amazing how much time Tim puts into it before the show even starts. I’d get there by 7 a.m., and Tim was always there before me.” Their day didn’t end until 7 or 8 p.m. through the run of the five-day show, as well as the two-day preview show the previous weekend.

Part of the key to Tim’s success, apart from knowing everyone’s name and being very fair, “is his patience and understanding. He listens,” said Ed.

Brian, who knew Tim from their days as troopers, pointed out, “Our best and oldest friends are all troop guys. Maybe it was the shared experiences during a very formative time in our lives. It was a unique organization, and one for which we were in the right time and place.”

Tim Cleary (left) and others involved with the Garden State Show share a salute reminiscent of the Junior Essex Troop Days. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

Tim joined Troop in 1957 and rose through the ranks, leaving as major in 1975. That honor even landed him on the old quiz show, “To Tell the Truth.”

As he thought back on what made Troop such a lasting experience for so many, Tim explained, “The horses were the bond. We all loved horses and we were learning great old cavalry skills on how to take care of horses.

“The military framework taught you leadership. As you acquired a new rank, you became another level of a leader and became in charge of people. It taught lot of responsibility, not only for the horses, but also, you became responsible for each other, too.”

When he was director of horsemanship, Tim said, former troopers started coming back to run the show “in the spirit of what we had learned. It’s not about the money, it’s trying to be service-oriented and give people a good show.”

The show donates to charity, with Centenary a beneficiary in terms of scholarships.

Brian noted how much things have changed in the show world, and Garden State has “felt the pressure, with all the extra time in Wellington, when Tryon opened up, people going to Kentucky.”

There was a day, Bill pointed out, when the upper level of the New Jersey show scene was basically just Garden State, Middlesex (now at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Monmouth County), the Sussex Farm and Horse Show and Monmouth (now in Somerset County at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation.)  Other big shows have developed since in the state, including the Princeton series in Somerset County and The Ridge in Warren County, while HITS in nearby Saugerties, N.Y., has also become a stop on the circuit.

The Garden State committee will come up with a new manager, whether it’s someone from within or an outsider, said Tim, and together, members will chart what’s ahead for the show.

There has been some discussion of packing it in and turning it over to another non-profit, but Tim believes, “I think that’s pretty far off in the future. There’s still a pretty active committee that enjoys it.”

And for many of the riders who come back every year, it’s a treasured tradition.