by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 8, 2017
The Helping Horseshoe Therapeutic Riding Club, in partnership with the Equine Tranquility Wellness Center, is hosting an open house. March 19 from 1-4 p.m. at 134 Airport Road, Andover.
It’s a chance to meet the horses and see the farm, while speaking with the trainers, volunteers and staff. Guests also are invited to take a walk on the sensory trail. For more information, call Colleen at 201-970- 3400.
Learn about the facility’s offering, open to all ages and abilities, that include riding lessons, diversion programs, summer day programs, work-study programs and community service hours. Spring recreational therapeutic riding lessons for individuals with special needs begin March 18.
Also available is a volunteer training session for anyone interested in volunteering with equine assisted activities.Volunteers are needed to lead and side-walk, help with the stable, grounds, fundraising, and office work. Private training can be scheduled for those who are unable to attend but want to volunteer. For more information, go to http://www.helpinghorseshoe.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 8, 2017
By Nancy Jaffer
February 28, 2017
He’s got a list of international contacts that ranges from royalty to captains of industry and star athletes. Jim Wolf, a go-getter who has experience in both administration of equestrian sport and finding sponsorship for it, is going to be turning his fundraising talent to the needs of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation.
Jim Wolf, new deputy executive director of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
The organization announced this week that the Lebanon Township resident has been named its deputy executive director. In one sense, it’s a homecoming for Jim, who began working for the USET more than two decades ago, when it was in charge of training, fielding and funding competitors in the international equestrian disciplines.
On the other hand, he never really left the USET’s Gladstone headquarters. After the fledgling U.S. Equestrian Federation took over the team training and fielding responsibilities early in this century, Jim was made its director of sport programs, while the USET became a foundation focused on the fundraising needed to get American athletes on the medal podiums. He has continued to work in an office at the century-old stable that serves as the foundation’s base, where a number of USEF employees also are located.
In 2013, the former eventer started Wolf Sports Group LLC, a sports and entertainment agency dealing with business development and event management, while continuing to be involved in consulting work with the USEF. He also served as a consultant for Equestrian Sport Productions and the Tryon International Equestrian Center, home of the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, as well as the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the National Steeplechase Association.
Wolf Sports Group’s sponsorship links have included Rolex, Land Rover, Coca-Cola and many other firms, along with a variety of equestrian-oriented companies.
Noting the importance of the USET foundation’s work in assuring success for America’s international equestrian efforts, Jim explained, “We’re one of the only countries in the world that doesn’t receive sport funding from the government. For years, I led the teams and saw first-hand the need to be able to extend our efforts to be competitive on the international stage.”
It takes a lot of funding to enable U.S. riders to have a gold medal performance, like this one at the 2015 Pan American Games. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Although he has spent the last several years involved with organizing events, Jim noted, “This opportunity was one I thought would enable me to continue to make contributions to the sport in a different way. It’s a donor base I’m very familiar with. I have very good connections and I obviously know the sports extremely well and know where the real need is for the funding. I think I’m uniquely positioned to do well in this role.”
Wolf Sports Group will be honoring its contract and working with the USEF until the end of the year, but as Jim noted, “it won’t be taking on any new clients in the at this time, as I need to put all my energy and attention behind the fundraising effort for the USET Foundation.”
Jim knows what it takes to succeed in the arena from the inside-out, as he served as U.S. chef de mission at five Olympic Games, five world championships and four Pan American Games. Before getting the sports program position, Jim was the USEF’s assistant executive director/director of games preparation and athlete programs and prior to that, director of eventing activities.
He is married to Dr. Molly Bliss, a former U.S. eventing team member who competed in the first WEG in 1990. They have a daughter, Josselyn.
“We are very excited to have a person of Jim’s caliber joining the USET Foundation as deputy executive director,” said Bonnie Jenkins, the foundation’s executive director.
The U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“His expertise and depth of knowledge of high performance equestrian sport, his broad range of relationships throughout the country and among the equestrian disciplines, as well as his experience in event management, will directly impact our fundraising efforts and help the foundation continue to grow and expand throughout the country. Jim’s professional experience, combined with his love of our United States equestrian teams, makes him the ideal person to fill this new position.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 24, 2017
There’s still time to register for the Rutgers Equine Science Center Horses 2017 program. It’s an opportunity to hear from the “Best of the Best” during an extravaganza of equine information March 18-19 in Piscataway.
Tickets at the door are are $80 per day or $125 for both days for adults, and $45 a day or $80 for the weekend for students. Go to http://esc.rutgers.edu/horses-2017 to take a look at the line-up of speakers and topics, as well as to get information about registration.
Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. In this e-mail a link to the “Session Preference Form” will take you to a form where you can select the sessions that you wish to attend.
Set for a new location in the Livingston Student Center, this can’t-miss seminar will cover everything from equine dentistry and manure and pasture management to saddle fitting and that most interesting question “Do you want to own a horse?” Find out what it will cost you.
The keynote speaker on the Saturday will be Wendy Williams, author of “The Horse: The Epic History of our Noble Companion,” who will be discussing, “Can horses read?”
The next day, the keynote speaker is Jeff Thomason (known for his ability to bring equine anatomy to life) of the University of Guelph in Canada. An expert on the form and function of the equine hoof, he’ll be talking about the effect of footing on horses.
And there’s more, including dealing with ulcers, learning about nutrition, the basics of farriery, pain management. Like to shop? A trade show will be on hand, as will representatives of equine-oriented non-profits.
An “Ask The Experts” panel will wrap up the proceedings each day. It will include some of the speakers from previous sessions, as well as Rutgers professors, to answer questions.
There also will be special programs for young people, many of whom will be interested in a panel of veterinary students talking about what life is like in vet school.
For more details, go to https://goo.gl/W9l9aA
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 16, 2017
Riding with HEART is looking for donations of tack and riding gear for its spring tack sale April 1-2. All donations are tax deductible. Items needed include saddles, bridles, halters, blankets, turnouts, riding jackets, breeches, tack trunks, barn equipment, even horse trailers – – basically anything for the horse, rider, or barn. Horse-related home goods are also appreciate.
Bring donations to the RWH farm, 639 County Road 513 just west of Pittstown, Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. or Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Call 908-735-5912 before you come or to set up an alternative drop-off time.
The sale runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. April 1 and noon to 3 p.m. the nextday, when there will also will be a half-price sale on selected items.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 14, 2017
Dr. John Steele was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 2009. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
The word “legend” is often overused, but in the case of Dr. John Steele, it’s a completely accurate description of a veterinarian whose remarkable reputation was no exaggeration.
Dr. Steele, who died last week at the age of 91, continued his practice until the end with never a thought of retiring.
“Rest and you rust; motion is lotion,” he said to me a few years ago, and while he was discussing a prescription for his equine patients at the time, it applied to him as well. He was never one to sit on the sidelines; involvement was his tonic.
While his skill at diagnosis and treatment brought him a roster of famous patients, he was someone to whom all horses mattered.
As he once told Jennifer Calder in the Chronicle of the Horse, “To me, the most important thing about my life is the horse. They are good for me and I will be good to them. That is my goal until the day I day.”
The animals Doc treated included such boldface names as Gem Twist, Authentic, Eros, Glasgow and Indigo, but he grew up on a farm where his first equine contact was with draft horses. He also became involved with standardbreds because his father loved harness racers.
Graduating in 1946 from Cornell University’s veterinary college, he went back there as the school’s youngest assistant professor.But it was in private practice where he made his name. Dr. John Steele & Associates is located in Vernon, N.Y., and he also spent winters in Wellington, Fla., to serve his clients.
Dr. Steele is survived by his wife, Suzanne; five children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A celebration of his life is planned for 6-8 p.m. Monday, March 13 at the Patio at Polo in the Polo Club, 11198 Polo Club Road, Wellington, Fla. Everyone is welcome to attend and share memories and photos. RSVP to johnsteelememorial@gmail.com.
Those who wish to make a contribution in Doc’s memory should consider the John R. Steele ’46 Graduate Scholarship Fund established in his honor at Cornell University eight years ago. It benefits veterinary students with a farm background and an interest in equine medicine. The fund is geared to opening doors for those who might not have considered a Cornell education to be within their reach.
To donate by mail, send a check to John R. Steele, DVM ’46 Graduate Scholarship, C/O Office of Alumni Affairs & Development, Box 39, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401.
To donate on line, go to this link .
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 13, 2017
The Alexandria Equestrian Association wraps up its Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association-recognized winter dressage schooling show series April 1 at the Alexandria Park indoor arena, 242 Little York -Mt. Pleasant Road, Milford.
For more information, go to www.aeanj.com/dressage.html. You can also Follow AEA on Facebook.
Western Dressage and eventing dressage tests are also being offered.
Those who would like to volunteer to help with the shows should contact Sandy Howland at sandy.howls@gmail.com. No experience is required.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 7, 2017
By Nancy Jaffer
February 7, 2017
Wellington, Fla.’s designation as “The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World” is no exaggeration.
On Sunday, two $216,000 show jumping grands prix were held at different locations about a mile apart. That’s $432,000 in prize money being given for competitions that each featured multi-national starters and Olympic medal winners.
Todd Minikus was one of the Wellington weekend winners on Babalou. (PHoto by Nancy Jaffer)
Remember the days when $25,000 was a big grand prix purse, and grands prix were special occasions because there were so few of them? It wasn’t that long ago. Who back then could have imagined how the sport would ramp up.
The CP Palm Beach Masters is a new show, only in its second year, but it drew 97 horses for the qualifier for the featured Longines FEI World Cup Jumping competition, which was limited to 40 starters. The Masters is held on the Jacobs’ family Deeridge Farms, a lush 300-acre enclave. It’s a boutique show with only two arenas and a vast VIP tent between them.
The Longines class was the next-to-the-last in the East for riders to get points to qualify for the Cup finals in Omaha next month, so it took on extra importance. The winner turned out to be the league leader in the West, Nayel Nassar, a California-based Egyptian.
Nayel Nassar and Lordan against the backdrop of the VIP tent at the CP Palm Beach Masters. (PHoto by Nancy Jaffer)
As I left the Masters to head to the other grand prix, I passed a polo match in full swing. Only two or three minutes away, I turned onto the grounds of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, where the Winter Equestrian Festival’s Ariat Grand Prix was held.
It was staged on the emerald turf of the derby field, where three riders made the jump-off. Todd Minikus, who didn’t make the tiebreaker at the Masters with Valinski S, hustled to the Ariat to take his chances with Babalou and hit paydirt to win the class.
The day before, the $100,000 Land Rover Eventing Showcase at that venue drew such big names as Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and New Zealand’s two-time Olympic gold medalist Mark Todd. They couldn’t get ahead of Boyd Martin, who won the competition for the third year in a row. Since its inception he has taken the title on three different horses.
Boyd Martin and Welcome Shadow (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
He was aboard Welcome Shadow for his hat trick, prepping for April’s Rolex Kentucky 4-star as he collected a $33,000 paycheck. And to be fair, I should mention that William and Mark were riding borrowed horses.
You’ll see things at competitions in Wellington you won’t see elsewhere. This time, it was a jump in the middle of the VIP tent, the climax of the cross-country course designed by former U.S. eventing coach Mark Phillips.
The action keeps going here. Tomorrow, 3-star dressage gets under way, a day before 5-star dressage takes the stage at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival location where the eventing was held. At AGDF, which is within brisk walking distance of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, this week you could see the members of the USA’s Olympic bronze medal dressage team, dressage development coach Debbie McDonald, Lars Petersen—who is retiring his longtime mount, Marriett on Friday; and plenty of others you’d recognize.
Polo under the palms at the International Polo Club in Wellington. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
PBIEC, which offers 12 weeks of high-level shows in the winter and early spring, attracts many of the biggest names in the sport. Walk by the International Arena, and you’re likely to pass Olympic individual gold medalist Nick Skelton of Great Britain and his partner, U.S. team gold medal Olympian Laura Kraut (second in the Longines qualifier, by the way); Jessica Springsteen, Sergio Alvarez Moya of Spain, McLain Ward, Kent Farrington and a host of other boldface jumper names.
One of the many beautifully landscaped private arenas in Wellington. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
If you haven’t been to Wellington, it’s worth a trip, even if just to see the legions of fabulous farms, one more beautiful than the next. They have spread far beyond Palm Beach Polo, the gated community that was the original magnet for equestrians and those who enjoy being part of the horse scene.
Last week, taking advantage of the fact that no dressage show was scheduled, a benefit dressage “fun” exhibition with riders in costume was held at the heart of Palm Beach Polo.
Jim Koford as Aladdin at Dressage Under the Stars. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
There’s something going on every day of the week in Wellington, with the general exception of Mondays and Tuesdays, when everyone catches their breath before starting another intense week of showing,
On a trip to the supermarket, you’re sure to see plenty of shoppers in boots and breeches; I’ve spotted Georgina Bloomberg and Chris Kappler there, among others. They have to eat too. This is where many top riders have barns, and although they may go elsewhere the rest of the year, a good number of them call Wellington home from November through April.
You have to come at least once. No matter which week you select between January and the end of March, you’ll find plenty to fascinate and entertain you. And there’s nothing like the sunshine when it’s snowing at home.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 2, 2017
Logan’s Brook Equine Center is presenting a jumping clinic with Jeff Cook March 11-12 at the U.S.Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters in Gladstone.
Formerly an associate of George Morris, Jeff is among the country’s leading clinicians. Sections will be offered at 2-6, 3 feet and 3-6 and higher. The cost is $400/day for participants, or $20/day for auditors.
To sign up, contact Nancy Jones, 908-581-8158 or jonesie@logansbrook.com or Vicky Sroka 908-304-5762 or srokas1@verizon.net
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 1, 2017
Want to practice your trail class skills? 7 Springs Farm, 14 Perryville Road, Pittstown, will have a course set up from 10 a.m.-noon on Sunday Feb. 19, and a second session from noon-2 p.m., if more than 15 riders register for the first session. Try opening a gate, crossing an obstacle and opening a mailbox, in addition to barrels, poles, etc. The fee is $15. Call Susan Witte at 908-238-9587 to reserve a spot.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 29, 2017
B.W. Furlong & Associates is holding its 16th annual Horse Health Seminar Feb. 19 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Beaver Brook Country Club, 25 Country Club Dr., Annandale.
The agenda is wide-ranging, with topics including leptospirosis, colic, embryo transfer, navicular and an “ask the vets” session. Registration is required. The cost is $35 before Feb. 10 and $45 thereafter.
For more information, contact the clinic at 908-439-2821.
