NEW DATE: Visit Mylestone Equine Rescue for a look at how horses in need have been helped

by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 9, 2017

By Nancy Jaffer
September 28, 2017

NOTE CHANGE OF DATE DUE TO WEATHER

Autumn is the busiest season for equestrians. There’s an abundance of trail and hunter paces, the indoor shows are getting under way along with regional championships, and some outdoor shows are continuing as well.

But in the midst of all the competitions, there also are opportunities to take a look at other aspects of the horse world. In New Jersey, one of the highlights of this season is the annual open house at Mylestone Equine Rescue in Warren County Oct. 15 (date has been changed from Oct. 8 because of weather).

Visitors to the annual Mylestone Equine Rescue Open House enjoy a chance to get close to the horses who live there. (Photo by Jen Dewey)

This 23-acre farm is dedicated to taking the horses no one else wants; those with medical issues, the elderly, the long-neglected, the unloved. Few get adopted; most spend the rest of their lives at Mylestone, where Susankelly Thompson, her family, part-time staff and dedicated volunteers do their utmost to make life as good as it can be for these animals in need.

Residents include Tyler, formerly used for giving pony rides, but at age 23 his arthritic knees made that a thing of the past. He’s now part of the grooming program, in which special needs kids learn to take care of horses. Dillon, a red roan Appaloosa, is starting to trust humans again after being mishandled and beaten. Shadow, whose former owner didn’t think it was worth it to have his infected eye treated, is now totally blind but happy to be at Mylestone.

“A lot of the horses that can’t be adopted out, we have for a long time,” said Susankelly. For instance Cleo, an ex-racehorse who broke down on the track, has been at Mylestone for 22 years. She was being used for contagious equine metritis testing and due to go to an auction when she was cycled out of the program, so Mylestone stepped in and took her. The only people who wanted to adopt her thought they would breed her, but Susankelly didn’t think that was a good idea.

“There are enough unwanted horses,” she pointed out.

The horses at Mylestone love the attention they get from visitors to the open house. (Photo by Mary Holmes)

The organization’s Equine Relief Fund also will be promoted at the open house. It is geared to helping rescues in Texas and Florida that were affected by the hurricanes. The money goes toward veterinary bills, transportation and replacing supplies that have been lost. The fund also helps other equine rescues in New Jersey that need assistance.

“I don’t think people realize horses don’t have anywhere else to go, especially in the state of New Jersey. The SPCA doesn’t have a place to take horses. If the rescues or private foster homes don’t step up…You can take your dog or cat to the shelter but you can’t drop your horse off at the shelter,” Susankelly noted.

The day will feature a number of vendors who will be selling everything from toys to tack and jewelry. Those attending are asked to bring at least one can of soup that will go to a local food pantry, since Mylestone’s concerns extend beyond the horses to people who are in need.

The open house, which usually draws 400-600 people, will be held from noon-4 p.m., with a rain date of Oct. 15. If you can’t make it, it is possible to get an appointment for a private tour, but you can’t just drop in because the work involved in taking care of these horses is so intense that there’s time for a chat unless plans are made in advance.

Mini Pearl and Poppy, the goat, are lifelong friends who lived in a tiny bedroom in a house, where Mini couldn’t develop properly because she wasn’t able to run around. She and her pal have adjusted perfectly to life outdoors at Mylestone. (Photo by Mary Holmes)

Attending the open house could be a good life lesson for privileged kids who compete on horses that are well-fed and groomed to a T every day. They would no doubt have their eyes opened by what they see at Mylestone.

Mylestone is located at 227 Still Valley Road, Pohatcong, but the GPS usually comes up Phillipsburg. Those who want to send checks may mail them to 227 Still Valley Road, Phillipsburg, N.J. 08865. For more information, go to www.mylestone.org.

Stars and rising stars highlight USEF Talent Search Finals East

by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 8, 2017

By Nancy Jaffer
October 8, 2017

Two of the biggest names in equitation headlined the weekend’s Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East, with Taylor St. Jacques (a star at Devon this year) leading the standings after three phases, only to drop to second in the final rankings after 2015 ASPCA Maclay winner McKayla Langmeier showed her prowess once again.

McKayla Langmeier won the Platinum Performance/ USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East on Skyfall. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

The two days of competition at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, N.J., ended with the special format of the Final Four, in which the top candidates after three phases (flat, gymnastics and a 12-obstacle course) rode their own horses over an eight-fence route, then took each of the other three participants’ mounts around it as well.

The Final Four is a real equalizer. For instance, while McKayla has had her mount, Skyfall, for five years, Taylor Griffiths, who finished third, had only met her ride, Caracas, last Tuesday. On the other hand, that big gray carried Halie Robinson to the West Coast Talent Search title last month, so he definitely had the right stuff.

No one was perfect in the Final Four. McKayla had a rail with Caracas and also a cross-canter mishap on a turn, but Taylor knocked down the second element of a wall-to-oxer double. That counted strongly against her because it happened on her own mount, the fabulous Charisma, who won the Grappa award as Best Horse in the final. Meanwhile, in the plus column for McKayla was the way she rode the first line in a neat nine strides, rather than a scrambling eight.

Taylor St. Jacques and Charisma. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

McLain Ward, who judged the class with fellow grand prix show jumper Jimmy Torano, called the Final Four concept “phenomenal,” citing the way it worked out at this championship. (Interestingly, the Final Four horse-switching for the World Show Jumping Championships, after which the Talent Search segment was modeled, has been dropped. It seems show jumpers are just too expensive these days to be swapped off.)

But it still works at the Talent Search.

“For me, it was exciting right to the very end. I think that’s the beauty of it; it changes, there’s ebbs and flows, it’s not one mistake and you’re out,” McLain said.

“Riders have a chance to rebound and fight back. Taylor fought back and made it very close. There was not a lot of room for McKayla to make a mistake, she had a beautiful last round and got the job done.”

McKayla was surprised to find out she had won. While she and Taylor St. Jacques were waiting for the announcement, neither was sure what the outcome would be.

Talent Search judges McLain Ward and Jimmy Torano work on laying out the final course for the class. (Photo copyright 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)

The Talent Search process is an educational weekend that serves riders on the rise who apply themselves. Taylor Griffiths is only 14; Abigail Brayman, who was fourth, is still polishing her resume. Nina Columbia used it to get a foothold on improving her position on the Big Eq scene. Nina, 16, of Kinnelon, was the top-placing New Jersey competitor in the field of 52, finishing eighth.

McLain said of Nina, “The girl was close all week, we thought the world of her. She had a nice way with the horse, a nice attitude, nice feeling.”

Nina got introduced to horses by the time she was three at the Smoke Rise Riding Club, where her grandmother, Barbara Columbia, also rode. Barbara was on hand to watch her granddaughter, along with Nina’s father, John Columbia, who drives her to lessons three times a week at Beacon Hill in Monmouth County, a long way from the family’s home in northern Morris County.

After riding with Robert Beck in Long Valley, Nina started taking lessons with Stacia Madden at Beacon Hill a year ago.

“She’s provided me with the most amazing opportunities,” said Nina, noting she also found her finals horse, Checkland.

Nina Columbia and Checkland. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

“He’s the most amazing partner, he saves me and he’s awesome,” said Nina, a junior at Kinnelon High School.

She made her Talent Search debut in 2016, but this time it was a different story.

“I’m taking the lessons I learned last year and applying them to this year,” said Nina. While it can be challenging to take part among a legion of top riders, she noted, “I’ve been really working hard. I’ve been thinking a lot. Stacia taught me to think, to plan, to take a breath. That’s what I’ve been doing, and it’s paid off.”

“Any time you’re competing against top riders, it brings your level of riding up to the next level,” Stacia said about Nina’s performance.

She takes pride in her student’s improvement.

“Everything is just starting to come together at the end of the year,” commented Stacia.

Nina is hoping to ride NCAA at college, and is interested in pursuing the horse business professionally, but first, she’s focusing on the the Medal and Maclay finals this autumn.

More items of interest:

• The top 10: 1) McKayla Langmeier; 2) Taylor St. Jacques; 3) Taylor Griffiths; 4) Abigail Brayman; (Check out who trained them in the main story above); 5) Addison Piper (trained by Emily Smith); Alexandra Pielet (Val Renihan); 7) Carly Hoft (Don Stewart); 8) Nina Columbia (Stacia Madden); 9) Daisy Farish (Andre Dignelli); 10) Michael Williamson (Don Stewart).
• The other Jerseyan in the finals, Emma Callanan of Tewksbury Township, also had a credible performance to move from 21^st following the gymnastics phase to wind up 11th after earning a 90 that was the third-highest score in the Sunday morning jumping. She is trained by Dana Hart Callanan.
• During the gymnastics phase, riders had to go from a one-stride double of verticals to a one-stride double of oxers in five strides. Later in the course, they had to ride the same line in reverse, but with six strides between the combinations. It was interesting to see how many riders ran out of room the second time and chipped at the first element of the final combination.
• In the Sunday morning course, the water jump banked with mums was a bogey for some, but only a few in the top 15 had difficulty there, and all of them did clear it,  just not necessarily in great style.
• McLain had words of encouragement for those who struggled: “Whether you were successful or not in the jumping course, I hope you learned something and you understood your own riding strengths and weaknesses and that of your horse better. Not everybody’s going to master it, but they should leave not feeling defeated. They should leave thinking, `This is what i need to do to get better.'”
• The tests need to be reflective of the times and the standard of the sport. “We’re not preparing kids to go hunting anymore,” said McLain.”We’re preparing kids to jump the Nations’ Cup Final, and I think that needs to be reflected in all the equitation finals, in my opinion. Otherwise, it’s not relevant.”
• McKayla is coached by her parents, Linda (also a Maclay finals winner) and Kenny, as well as Missy Clark. Missy also trained Abigail Brayman. Taylor St. Jacques is trained by Andre Dignelli, who judged the West Coast finals, and Taylor Griffiths gets her coaching from her stepfather, Frank Madden, and her mother, Jen Madden.

McKayla Langmeier with John Brennan; her parents, Ken and Linda Langmeier, Missy Clark and Emily Smith of Platinum Performance. (Photo copyright 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)

• Discussing McKayla, Missy mentioned her “work ethic: A-plus; talent: A-plus; Dedication: A-plus; Interest level: A-plus. All of it. She has worked so hard for so many years and always is so respectful and polite and appreciative. She’s a good one.”
• Everyone was thrilled to have judges of Jimmy and McLain’s caliber. “Not only are these two guys so knowledgeable, their level of passion is through the roof,” Frank Madden pointed out.
• McLain got a laugh when he revealed the reminder to be kind that he wrote at the top of his scorecard, “Remember, your daughter might be here in a few years.”

Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and there’s enterprising Isabelle Heckler

by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 15, 2017

By Nancy Jaffer
Sept. 15, 2017

She’s never owned a horse. But Isabelle Heckler of Colts Neck has managed to get some pretty extensive experience in riding and equine care because, simply put, she’s a worker.

The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Emerging Athlete Program was designed for someone like Isabelle, the only New Jerseyan named to compete in November’s 2017 finals at Ohio’s Lake Erie College. There are 24 finalists, culled from a group of 180 who took part in regional training sessions around the country this year. The sessions include both riding and horse management, and always feature expert instructors in both.

EAP’s mission is to discover riders under 21 with ability, but lacking the opportunities of others in their age group who have been riding regularly in the elite shows. The concept provides education for young riders in their quest to become knowledgeable horsemen and women. It can boost participants in their aspirations to be professionals–or at least have serious involvement in horse sport.

One of EAP’s best-known alumni is Jacob Pope, who won the 2011 national finals after competing primarily in local and regional shows. He went on the next year to take the USEF Talent Search Finals East and the ASPCA Maclay title at the National Horse Show.

Isabelle brought a green horse to her training session this summer at Centenary University in Long Valley, noting, “It’s nice to be surrounded by peers who are coming in with horses they’ve ridden once before and wanting to show off their riding ability by showing how much they can improve in three days.”

Isabelle Heckler competing in schooling jumpers on Federico de Michelis’ Tlaloca Z (Photo by Sportfot)

As a veteran of a 2014 EAP training session in New York with Candice King, Isabelle went to this summer’s session “with the intention of helping everybody out and trying to re-create the experience I had in 2014, because everybody was so helpful and made my experience so easy. I could never have imagined making it to nationals.”

Anne Kursinski, the developing rider coach for the U.S. show jumping team, presided at the Centenary session, which also included extra-curricular activities, such as a tour of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone led Sally Ike, EAP committee chairperson. Sally, an eventer who rode with the team, is based in Gladstone as the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s managing director of licensed officials.

“It was incredible,” Isabelle said of her visit to the historic stables. “I hadn’t taken all the time to appreciate all the history that is so important to it.”

Her ambition for the national finals is typical Isabelle: “To just be the best teammate and rider that I can be.”

She’ll be getting real team experience this fall after trying out and being accepted as a new member of the varsity NCAA squad at the University of Georgia, where she is a sophomore and previously participated in Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association competition.

Isabelle Heckler in adult amateur hunter competition on Catrine Golia’s Royal Expectation. (Photo by Sportfot)

Isabelle started riding as a child when she and her mother, Margot, a veteran of the U.S. Pony Club, cared for a variety of animals at a farm in Middletown.  “My mom put me on a horse one day, and I never got off,” Isabelle chuckled.

After she got really invovled in horses and started taking lessons, Isabelle recalled, “My parents sat me down and told me that if I wanted to keep riding, I’d have to figure out a way to do it myself.”

So she did.

“At the time, it seemed very life-shattering,” said Isabelle of her parents’ decision, but she realized in retrospect, “it was so instrumental in forming a work ethic and forming character.”

The 19-year-old spent a lot of time as a working student, for Bill Ellis and David Connors, as well as Max Amaya, among others, including Laura Bowery, with whom she rode in Wellington, Fla., last winter. One of her big moments was riding in the 1.20-meter jumpers at The Ridge show there.

Max called Isabelle “a very dedicated worker, passionate about the horses.” He added, “I think she’s going to be able to succeed in the industry because she’s doing all the right steps. She worked very well with others, she’s always ready to help, and she’s not shy about asking for help when she needs to. She’s a good team player.”

Still considering her future, business major Isabelle isn’t sure if she will be a professional horseperson, though that seems likely considering her lifetime involvement with horses, which also involved being a hotwalker for a racing stable.

Looking forward to the finals and learning from Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde in the riding segment and Anne Thornbury for stable management, she enthused, “It’s going to be such an amazing opportunity.”

What Isabelle has gotten from EAP, she observed, is “the emphasis on being a well-rounded horseperson. None of us are ever too successful to not have to clean a stall or groom our horses or wrap them at the end of the day.”