by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 21, 2017
Former U.S. Equestrian Federation President David O’Connor today was elected chairman of the FEI (international equestrian federation) eventing committee. The decision came at the FEI’s annual meeting in Uruguay, where he got twice as many votes as the other contender, Alec Lochore of Great Britain, the 2012 Olympic eventing manager.
The 2000 Olympic eventing individual gold medalist and formerly the U.S. eventing technical director, David replaces Guiseppe Della Chiesa of Italy, whose term was up.
David is also head of the FEI eventing safety sub-committee. Although he was in line to be second vice president of the FEI, the FEI President Ingmar DeVos noted David has a full plate of responsibilities. For that reason, the other candidate, Mark Samuel of Canada, got the post. Mark, a former show jumper, is president of the FEI Group IV, which includes the U.S. as well as Canada and several other countries.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 20, 2017
Top trainer, handler and all-around horseman Roy Evans, 73, passed away Nov. 19.
He had a long struggle with cancer, but “he fought until the end of the day,” said close friend Sara Goetz.
Roy liked to start horses western, and was known for his love of western movies and cowboy boots. But he had a versatile approach to all disciplines. Roy was the New Jersey Bred Hunter Association’s handler of the year in 1998 and 2002, and also was best handler of Pennsylvania-bred horses at Devon in 2011, among the many honors he achieved during a long and successful career.
A resident of Gladstone who previously lived in Pottersville, Roy did not want a memorial service. But Sara and another of his friends, Kori Edwards, are hoping to have a plaque installed in his memory at the Devon showgrounds, where he won so many classes over the years.
Roy Evans was a master showman everywhere, including Devon. Here he was handling Autumn Moon. (Photo by Sara Goetz
Those who would like to make a donation in Roy’s memory may contact Steuart@retiredracehorseproject.org. The Retired Racehorse Project gives thoroughbreds a new profession through retraining, which is a perfect reflection of Roy’s way of working with horses.
“His gift was that he was so patient and didn’t rush the horse. He did it on the horse’s terms,” said Sara. “He always worked with the horses in a positive manner and kept going forward.”
Kori called it a privilege to take care of Roy with Sara.
“He was basically family I learned so much from him,” she said. “No matter what happened, he took it in stride.
Roy Evans
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 20, 2017
The major equitation championships are a highlight of the fall show season, but the less-known Mid-Atlantic Equitation Festival at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md., offered memorable competition in the division last weekend after the other finals were over.
Run over three days, it features scholarship awards and high-end prizes in classes ranging from short- and long-stirrup to the 2-foot, 9-inch open equitation and qualifiers for those major title classes.
MAEF was founded by Mary Beebee and Ellen Shevella, who met in the 1970s. Their combined ideas formed the Mid-Atlantic Equitation Festival six years ago.
“It is so rewarding to see the fruition of our idea to create a special event focused on young riders, scholarships, and camaraderie,” said Ellen. “Every year, we are rewarded by seeing the fun the kids and young adults are having and how much they learn by jumping these great courses at a wonderful facility.”
New Jersey riders, who made up more than half of the entries, excelled in their classes.
Devon Thomas of Millburn won the the ASPCA Maclay and the USEF Medal qualifiers in her first season riding in them.
“This is a good show to get points [at] before the upcoming year,” said Devon, who also earned the show’s Young Rider Championship.
Keeping it all in the Thomas family, Logan Thomas went on to capture the Undergraduate Flat Championship and Low Children’s Adult Equitation Championship. Both are trained by Michael Desiderio of Tranquillity Farm in Chester.
Robert Beck of Hunter’s Crossing in Long Valley trained Amy Porchetta of South Plainfield, the Novice Equitation champion and Grace D’anza of Bernardsville, Pony Equitation champion.
Ashley DeLise of Pittstown took the $2500 R.W. Much Scholarship Winner. She is trained by Susan Vanblarcom of Summerfield Farm in Pittstown. Richelle Leber of Ev-Ry Farm in Mt. Laurel topped the costume class.
To learn more about the Mid-Atlantic Equitation Festival, go to www.midatlanticeq.com
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 19, 2017
An exotic East Asian tick, known as the longhorned or bush tick, was found on a farm in Hunterdon County this month, according to state Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher today.
The tick is deemed a serious pest to livestock, including horses, as well as pets and people. The tick has the potential to spread bacterial and viral diseases to humans and other animals.
The Monmouth County Tick-borne Diseases Lab at Rutgers University and the Hunterdon County Division of Health made the initial identification of the tick, which was not known to be present in the U.S. There are, however, records of at least a dozen previous collections of this species on animals and materials presented for entry at U.S. ports.
The tick is dark brown and grows to the size of a pea when fully engorged. Both larval and nymphal stages are very small and difficult to observe with the naked eye. Adult ticks are seen mainly during early summer, larvae from late summer to early winter and nymphs mainly in the spring. The animals and the property where the tick was found have been treated to eliminate the tick.
To determine if the tick has spread to nearby wildlife, surveillance is being conducted by the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with Wildlife Services from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the University of Georgia.
The potential impact of this tick on tickborne illness in New Jersey residents is not yet known. In other parts of the world, the bush tick has been associated with several tickborne diseases, some of which are found in New Jersey, such as spotted fever rickettsioses. The Department of Agriculture is investigating whether the ticks found locally are carrying any potential pathogens that may impact human or animal health.
Some tick species may become less active in the winter; however, it is important to take steps to prevent tick bites whenever you are in areas where ticks may be found.
It is suggested that a repellent be used on skin. The department advises using EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone, and treat clothing, boots and camping gear with permethrin.
State and federal animal health and wildlife officials are working to address these findings. Response efforts will include surveillance of the property and wildlife within the region. If necessary, tick treatments will be conducted to reduce the risks of spread. The primary goal is to eradicate the tick before it spreads to new areas.
Questions about livestock can be directed to your local veterinarian or the State Veterinarian at (609) 671-6400. This tick is a known pest in deer and has a wide host range, thus can infect a range of wildlife species. If the tick is detected in wildlife, then it should be immediately reported to the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Wildlife Management at (609) 984-6295 or the Office of Fish and Wildlife Health and Forensics at 908-637-4173 ext. 120.
For questions about tickborne illness in humans, contact your local health department or the state Department of Health at 609-826-5964
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 16, 2017
By Nancy Jaffer
November 23, 2017
It’s a traditionn that began when Jacqueline Kennedy, then the charismatic First Lady of the U.S., would ride out with New Jersey’s Essex Foxhounds on Thanksgiving. The interest in her and her family was intense. As one Essex veteran told me, “photographers were hanging from the trees” when she appeared on the scene.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis at the Essex Foxhounds’ Thanksgiving hunt. To the left in black is her son, John F. Kennedy Jr. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Word got around. Eager to catch a glimpse of Jackie, people started coming to the Thanksgiving hunt to gawk. While Jackie stopped riding with Essex decades ago and died in 1994, the custom continues.
Today, as always, hundreds converged on the elegant Ellistan estate in Peapack, N.J., to watch the hunt gather before it headed out across the green fields of Somerset County.
The scene at Ellistan on Thanksgiving 2017. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Those who come to the property take photos and videos, tailgate, toss a football and generally enjoy an hour or two out in the country before heading off to their dinner.
Tailgating on Thanksgiving at Ellistan. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Some have never been close to a horse, and are fascinated by watching sleek mounts and their well-turned out riders.
Eager kids reach out to touch a horse. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
For horse-savvy locals, it’s a time to see old friends, chat with pillars of the equestrian community and discuss who’s riding which horse.
Drs. Brendan Furlong and Wendy Leitch. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
It’s also a time to appreciate open space in the most densely populated state in the union. Essex is part of the community, an example of countryside sport, and how closely riding and horses are involved with land preservation.
Essex Hunt Committee Chairman Sally Ike and treasurer Jim Gordon. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Taking a fence on Thanksgiving. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 16, 2017
By Nancy Jaffer
November 16, 2017
“I’m still smiling,” said Maia Barnes, days after winning the Fourth Level Adult Amateur Championship at the U.S. Dressage Finals presented by Adequan.
Maia, who rode Benvica to a score of 69.889 percent at the Kentucky Horse Park, had little in the way of major mileage before finishing as Fourth Level reserve champion in a combined open/amateur competition at Dressage at Devon, six weeks prior to the Nov. 9-12 Finals .
Maia Barnes and Benvica during the championship awards ceremony at the U.S. Dressage Finals. (Photo by Susan J. Stickle Photography)
With 351 entries from all over the country, the Finals can be intimidating for first-timers, especially someone who had only been doing dressage for two years.
“Show experience wasn’t really there for me,” said Maia, who is based at Back Brook Farm in Ringoes.
Before she even started competing, she said, “I was actually nervous, because I didn’t know if I was going to be able to handle the pressure.”
But the Finals victory with her 11-year-old Dutchbred gelding (Sandreo x Renieta by Jazz) gave 24-year-old Maia a boost, and may have started her on a new course in life.
Maia Barnes and Benvica. (Photo by Amy Riley)
At Temple University, she switched her major several times before graduating with a psychology degree, but now it looks as if she has found her focus.
“This will definitely help with the confidence aspect I’ll probably change my status soon to open and hopefully people will feel comfortable paying me to ride their horses or helping them,” said Maia, who trains with Stephan Cheret and hopes to become a professional.
In exchange for lessons, she is cleaning stalls and turning out horses at Back Brook, but has dreams of being an assistant trainer and moving up the levels some more.
“Next year, I would like to keep my horse and do I-1. I was watching the freestyles at nationals and I want to do that. Full pirouettes might be hard, but if we work over the winter, I think we can do it.
“I’m thinking to take him as far as I can and let him give me this awesome show experience, which obviously is going really well.”
Maia and Benvica on their resrve champion victory lap at Dressage at Devon. (Photo by Hoofprint Images)
Her trainer, the 1994 French national champion, notes how fast she has progressed, from a novice in 2015 to training at Prix St. Georges this year.
“She’s extremely serious, very hard on herself. She’s also very competitive. She has the right attitude to be a very great show rider,” he believes.
“She is a talented rider for competition because she really focuses and does her thing and does it well.” Of the horse, Stephan said, he was green in the changes and the lateral work when he was imported.
“He was a little bit of a handful to begin with,” the trainer continued.
“He’s a lot better now because of the showing and the experience he’s getting. She really loves him. They really have a good connection and work together well.”
Maia has a kiss for the equine love of her life. (Photo courtesy of Maia Barnes)
Maia noted that going to “huge competitions is so exciting and so much fun. Just being there, you learn so much and get to meet so many great people. I would love to take my riding as far as I can and one day be in a Grand Prix ring.”
Starting out as a jumping and eventing rider on borrowed mounts, Maia participated in one eventing competition, but chuckles now as she recalled that the horse would only walk around the cross-country course.
“It was a disaster. I couldn’t get him to move,” she explained.
Even so, she had thought at one point she’d get back to jumping, “that was fun for me. Then I started doing dressage. I got on a horse and piaffed for the first time and did an amazing pirouette for the first time. To me, it felt so much more exciting, even though it’s on the ground. You sit on a horse that can do these amazing movements and for me, that totally trumped jumping any day.”
Her father, David Barnes, is helping his daughter achieve her ambition and saw the purchase of Benvica as “an investment in my future and went for it,” she said, noting Dad has developed an eye for dressage.
When she bought Benvica off a video, “It was like the ultimate blind date,” Maia observed. “It was a huge gamble.”
Luckily, the gamble paid off. Maia started at Training Level when the horse arrived from the Netherlands in July 2015.
“I had never ridden him. He was very wildly crazy,” said Maia, who wondered at the time, “What did I get myself into?”
She started lessons with Stephan’s wife, Caroline, then moved on to Stephan because her schedule didn’t mesh with Caroline’s.
Having Stephan ride the horse in training sessions improved his collection and made his flying changes more expressive. He even had “an inkling of a pirouette,” she commented.
Being able to do well at shows is a huge bonus.
“The excitement of it all makes me ride better than I do at home,” she said.
“The more I get out there and the more I see myself doing well, the more I feel like, `Okay, I can do this and I could have a lot of fun with this.’”
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 15, 2017
U.S. team veteran and 2017 ASPCA Maclay finals judge Bernie Traurig is presenting three days and evenings of immersion and education for hunter, jumper and equitation riders at Ketucham Farm in Allentown, N.J., Dec. 1-3.
Bernie, the founder of Equestrian Coach, is offering instruction to groups of four riders at a variety of fence heights. Part of the package includes a “personal coach” feature, through which Bernie will monitor your progress via video analysis for a year.
Auditors will watch on bleachers in the heated lounge and take part in discussions with Bernie and riders. The packages for the East Coast Workshop have many other benefits. For more information and to sign up, go to www.Equestriancoach.com and click on the East Coast Riding Workshop link on the home page.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 14, 2017
At last week’s Rutgers Equine Science Center Evening of Science & Celebration in New Brunswick, Special Strides Founder and Executive Director Laurie Landy was honored with the Spirit of the Horse award.
Laurie’s years of practice and study in the area of sensory integration and hippotherapy treatment strategies has helped people reach their full potential in partnership with treatment and horses.
Based at Congress Hill Farm in Monroe, Special Strides is devoted to improving those who have special needs through multi-disciplinary therapy and adaptive riding. Recreational, educational and therapeutic goals are achieved in an atmosphere that is all about fun. It is the goal of Special Strides to provide all individuals an opportunity to “improve their lives… one stride at a time” regardless of financial status.
For more information, go to specialstrides.com.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 2, 2017
Land Rover North America has taken over title sponsorship of the country’s only 4-star-rated three-day event in a four-year agreement.
The.competition at the Kentucky Horse Park will now be known as the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. It formerly was the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, a name that was used for more than three decades.
Following eight years as official vehicle and five years as presenting sponsor, Land Rover has increased its support for the Lexington, Ky., competition that draws more than 80,000 spectators annually. Circle April 26-29 on your calendar for the 2018 renewal of the event.
“Land Rover has a long-established connection with equestrian sport and we have partnered with the Kentucky Three-Day Event for eight years now,” said Kim McCullough, vice president of marketing for Jaguar Land Rover North America LLC.
“Expanding our partnership with this title sponsorship will further strengthen our relationship with the equestrian community, an important audience for the Land Rover brand”.
Lee Carter, executive director of Equestrian Events Inc. that presents the event, said, ” Land Rover is the perfect brand to step into the title sponsor role of the Kentucky Three-Day Event. The committed support of a sponsor like Land Rover and the loyalty of our fans and the broader eventing community are what make this event the best weekend all year.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 1, 2017
The Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event, held in May at the Horse Park of New Jersey, will be a selection trial for the eventing squad that represents the U.S. at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C., during September.
The event, presented by B.W. Furlong Associates, also will have an upgraded cross-country course. Mark Phillips, a former U.S. eventing coach who designs the route for Britain’s prestigious Burghley event, took over as Jersey Fresh cross-country designer last year. Morgan Rowsell, who designs the course for June’s Essex Horse Trials in Far Hills, builds the fences for Jersey Fresh.
Dr. Brendan Furlong said his practice is donating funds to put in a group of new obstacles for the layout that winds around the park giving a new aspect to the test.
