by Nancy Jaffer | May 22, 2017
Last year’s inaugural Pony Up!® event at the U.S Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters on Pottersville Road in Gladstone was such a success that they’re doing it again Saturday June 17 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
It is geared to introducing children 17 and under to horses, with pony rides, demonstrations, crafts and of course, lots of opportunities to have fun with Breyer model horses. The $20 admission for kids includes a Breyer model (worth $20). Adults are admitted for $10. For more information, go to https://www.breyerhorses.com/pony-up-201…
Kids who love real ponies love Breyer horses too (and even Brookside Pink Magnum enjoys his model.)
by Nancy Jaffer | May 22, 2017
Hunter and trail pace season is under way in New Jersey, with lots of opportunities for riders of all levels to get out and ride now that the weather finally is cooperating.
The Essex Foxhounds are holding a pace June 4 at Cedar Lane Farm on Homestead Road. Call Jim Gordon at (908) 337-2546 for details.
Another hunt, Spring Valley, has a pace set for the same day (shouldn’t these dates be coordinated so people can do both?) at the Spring Valley showgrounds on Sand Spring Lane in New Vernon. For information, call Val DiCristina at (908) 362-9249.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 21, 2017
It was a two-fer Saturday at Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, home of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation. While ridden dressage was going on in the arena behind the historic stable during the Dutta Corp. U.S. national championships, driven dressage was the order of the day on another part of the property.
The Gladstone Equestrian Association was presenting its annual combined test and horse driving trials in picture-perfect surroundings. Driving has been an annual feature for decades at the facility, which hosted the World Pairs Championship in 1993.
Suzann Johnson of Whitehouse Station competing in the single training horse division at the Gladstone Horse Driving Trials. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy
by Nancy Jaffer | May 21, 2017
The revival of the Mars Essex Horse Trials in Far Hills June 24-25 is being done in style at Moorland Farm, home of the Far Hills Steeplechase Race Meeting each October.
A total of $25,000 in prize money will be split among the first three finishers in eight divisions, with the lion’s share of $5,000 going to the winner of the open preliminary section.
Essex, which was last held in 1998 after 30 years in the Somerset Hills, is attracting such competitors as Buck Davidson, the mother-daughter combo of Marilyn Payne and Holly Payne Caravella, and the likes of Ryan Wood and Jennie Brannigan, who are expected as well.
All the divisions except beginner novice will run over a two-day format, so the organizers are giving riders four tickets for guests and admission to a Saturday night cocktail party, since most will have to stay over.
Presenting sponsors are the Open Road Auto Group, Peapack-Gladstone Bank, RWJ Barnabas Health and Running S Equine Veterinary Services.
General admission is $10, good for both days. There also is an opportunity to buy other admission packages, including tailgating on the 230-acre property and a chance to enjoy the Hoopstick Club next to the show jumping arena, with a view of the water complex.
There will be a vendor village and food will be available from the Farmstand.
For more information and tickets, go to www.essexhorsetrials.org.
Holly Payne Caravella at last year’s preview of the Mars Essex Horse Trials. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
by Nancy Jaffer | May 20, 2017
Start out New Jersey’s Month of the Horse June 1 with a visit to the Concord Stud Farm, 20 Harvey Road in Cream Ridge. David Meirs III and his family have created a well-known Standardbred breeding and foaling facility at the 249-acre farm.
You won’t be alone. State Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher and New Jersey Equestrian of the Year Jamie Leuenberger will be on hand as well for a 10 a.m. tour.
Get an insight into the farm’s ecological practices, which include using fly wasps to combat the fly population and sheep and goats for weed control.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 20, 2017
The Devon Horse Show runs through Sunday, so don’t miss a chance to see one of the country’s great fixtures. There’s a reason it’s 121 years old–tradition and innovation go hand-in-hand for success at the country’s largest multi-breed show, which benefits Bryn Mawr Hospital.
Special features include the Budweiser Clydesdales, and there’s a grand prix Saturday night June 3. Sunday June 4 is devoted to breeding and young horse classes, as well as a sale of all the plants used to decorate the show rings.
For tickets, go to www.devonhorseshow.net or phone (610) 688-2554.
Kevin Babington and Mark Q, winners of the 2016 Sapphire Grand Prix at Devon. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)
by Nancy Jaffer | May 20, 2017
It’s perfect weather for tailgating at a polo match. The opportunity comes up June 10, when the Hunterdon Foundation presents the Hunterdon Polo Classic to benefit local charities, including the Hunterdon Art Museum and Riding with HEART.
Gates open at noon at Fieldview Farm in Pittstown. Tickets are $35 (children under 12 are free) and can be bought on line or until June 9 at the following businesses: Bishop’s Supermarket, Whitehouse Station; Bourbon Street Liquors, Califon, Clinton, Lebanon and Flemington; Gary’s Wine & Marketplace, Bernardsville and Coach Stop Saddlery, Bedminster.
Rain date is June 11. For more information, go to www.hunterdonpolo.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 20, 2017
Eager to ride to the hounds, but worried about how to do it with some expertise? Here’s the solution. Field hunter clinics are being held by local hunt volunteers June 9 and 14 at Chammings Showgrounds in Stillwater.
What will you learn? How to handle obstacles and varied terrain, along with hunt basics and etiquette. Meet other equestrians and enjoy dinner, the proceeds of which will benefit the pony club.
The fee is $35/clinic, $5 for spectators. Call 908-343-9631 or email rldhunters@gmail.com.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 15, 2017
David O’Connor (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
David O’Connor, who won an individual Olympic eventing gold medal and served as the first president of the United States Equestrian Federation, has resigned his position as U.S. Eventing Technical Advisor to focus on duties with the FEI (international equestrian federation).
David chairs the FEI Eventing Risk Management Steering Group and may do even more with the FEI in the future. He also will continue to offer his services as a trainer.
“It was a very difficult decision for me to step away from this group of riders, owners, support personnel and sponsors,” he said.
“But the structural changes made with the newly created technical advisor position don’t allow me to do what I felt has always been my mainstay. That is, helping to drive the necessary changes for eventing that are in the best interests of the athlete, horse, and owner,” David noted.
“I have lived by these constructs through my time as a competitor, through to my current role as Technical Advisor and they will continue to guide me going forward.”
Under the new arrangement, he was to work with USEF eventing managing director Joanie Morris “in the development and implementation of eventing plans, pathway, program and systems that will help grow programs for developing and elite athlete.”
His role was “adjusted to focus more on management of the programs and the athletes’ personal programs and goals, rather than hands-on coaching.”
As David explained the parameters of his new contract to me last December, “The personal coaches (of individual riders) are a very strong side of the program that’s going to be pushed, and the assessment of markers of what you expect within three months, six months, a year, for progression of horses and riders.
“These will be agreed upon with the rider and myself and documented, so there is a very clear path that we, and they, can judge whether the system that they have is actually working,” he added.
David, who coached the Canadian team to a silver medal in the 2010 World Equestrian Games, became technical advisor and chef d’equipe for the U.S. team after the 2012 Olympics. The U.S. eventing team was seventh at the 2012 Games, so hopes were high and a great deal was expected when David took over.
But there was disappointment when the 2014 World Equestrian Games squad also did not finish under difficult conditions in France. Things seemed back on track after the U.S. won double gold at the 2-star-rated 2015 Pan American Games to qualify for the 2016 Olympics. At the Rio Olympics, however, the team was eliminated again, though Phillip Dutton did win an individual bronze medal in Brazil.
While a new contract for a coach or technical advisor usually runs for four years, David’s second contract signed in 2016 was for two years. Show jumping coach Robert Ridland had a four-year renewal after his teams earned bronze at the 2014 WEG and silver at the Rio Olympics. Dressage technical advisor Robert Dover, whose team won bronze in Rio, got a two-year contract, but he had stated he was unsure about continuing in the role for another four years, as he had personal interests he wanted to pursue.
Although Americans have been going over to Europe regularly to train and compete, it has been nine years since a U.S. competitor won Rolex Kentucky, the country’s only 4-star event, where foreign riders filled the first three slots this year.
I asked David what’s going wrong with American eventing. He feels both the older and younger riders are riding better, and have the skill sets to be competitive, but they need to be bolder and more aggressive.
“Over many years, David has been a leader for US Equestrian as a whole and for eventing in particular,” remarked Murray Kessler, president of USEF.
“We reluctantly accept David’s resignation and support his desire to focus on chairing the Fédération Equestre International (FEI) Risk Management committee to help design programs that mitigate risk for the sport and promote horse welfare. It is reassuring to know that David will remain a leader in our sport, continue to provide input to our programs and that our mutual interests will remain intertwined. We thank him for everything he has done.”
Now USEF has to hustle to find a replacement for David, with the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C., little more than a year away.
The question is, what will that person’s role be?
“I think they’ll have to take a look at that, whether it’s a general manager like baseball or football, or someone who helps deal with the horse sport side,” David said. “Everyone’s going to have to decide what direction they want to go down and have it go from there.
“I was fully committed and put all my energy and my thought process into it but it was the time to go on to the next for the program,” he said.
As for himself, he said, “I’m looking forward, I’m not looking backwards. I’m optimistic about what the future’s going to bring.
“I’ve been involved in high performance since I was 18 years old, and now I’m 55. I enjoy teaching emerging athletes and I have always done that and I’ll look into continuing that side of the equation, but not the official one, because that’s Leslie’s (Law) job.”
David added he and his wife, Karen, might even open a barn again, but noted the two of them haven’t had a chance to talk about it.
“It’s not like I’m leaving the sport,” he pointed out.
“We’ll see what opportunities are available.”
by Nancy Jaffer | May 15, 2017
By Nancy Jaffer
May 5, 2017
The 50th anniversary of the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association is being celebrated this weekend at its national championship show in Kentucky. IHSA, begun by Robert Cacchione at New Jersey’s Fairleigh Dickinson University, has grown to involve 10,000 riders at 400 colleges and inspired start-ups of similar, smaller groups outside the hunt seat and western disciplines, such as dressage and saddle-seat.
But one that has followed the IHSA template and taken off big time is the Interscholastic Equestrian Association, which Cacchione sees as a feeder organization for IHSA. Myron Leff, a founder of IEA with Roxane Durant, Wayne Ackerer, Timothy Boone and Ollie Griffith, considers Cacchione the “grandfather” of IEA, which is 15 years old and, he advises, the largest youth equestrian association in the country.
Of Cacchione, Leff commented, “He gave us permission to mimic IHSA.” IEA has an amazing 13,500 participants in hunt seat and western. It obviously was an idea whose time had come.
Camaraderie is a big part of the IEA experience.
For kids who don’t have their own horses, or can’t afford the expense or time of doing the big horse shows, IEA offers a route for riding.
There are middle school and high school teams across the U.S. involved with the IEA format, open to riders in grades six through high school. Riders pick school horses by lot at various competition venues, so no one has an advantage and catch-riding skills are a must.
Teams can be formed by schools or barns. There are 55 IEA teams in New Jersey, and the response has been so impressive that the Zone 2 team, which was New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, is having a spin-off. The new Zone 11 will involve New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, with approximately 1,411 riders.
IEA does more than offer participants a team experience. It also gives many students who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to compete the opportunity to ride, learn and show. That rang a bell with Kathryn Colao of Summit, whose sons had outlets in Little League and Pop Warner football.
Similarly, IEA gave her daughter, Liz, a way to be involved with a sport she loves, without having to own a horse.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Kathryn.
“It’s very equitable. People draw from the same pool of horses, so no one is showing up with their $250,000 horse and special trainer.” She pointed out that it’s not a one-off show here and there; rather, it’s a process that goes on through the season as a team builds its strength and riders seek to qualify through zone and regional competitions for the nationals, held last month at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va.
When her friends asked what IEA was, Kathryn replied, “It’s not Springsteen’s daughter or Bloomberg’s daughter in Florida with their horses. It’s a lot more accessible than that. It’s a really good opportunity.”
The most successful effort at nationals by Jerseyans involved Liz and her friend Olivia Hennessy of Basking Ridge, both members of the True Heart Stables team organized by trainer Torri Siegel Dragos, who is moving her operation that includes 12 school horses from Hunterdon County to Bedminster this month.
Liz, a 15-year-old sophomore at Summit High, took the title in the Junior Varsity Beginner on the Flat category, while Olivia, a 15-year-old freshman at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung was runner-up.
“It was a very big proud moment for sure,” said Torri.
Champion Liz Colao and reserve champ Olivia Hennessy with trainer Torri Dragos.
“It makes me feel a lot more accomplished and that I was better than I ever thought I was,” said Liz, who was nine when she began riding at Union County’s Watchung Stables. And being there with Olivia, “made it a lot more fun and meaningful,” she commented.
Assessing the overall impact of the program, Liz said, “IEA really connected me with the people at my barn.”
“It got me to respect everything we do. It’s hard to ride new horses every single show. It taught me how to ride all different types of horses.”
Like many of the IEA participants, she plans to ride with IHSA when she goes to college.
Liz Colao
Olivia’s mother, Tracy Hennessy, said, “I love the team concept, the camaraderie among the girls. We’ve been very impressed.” Discussing the way her daughter finished at nationals, she observed, “I was floored. It was totally unexpected, but we were beyond thrilled. She just wanted to make the first cut so when she ended up getting reserve champion, we were really amazed and proud.”
Olivia, who began riding at Shannon Hill Stables in Basking Ridge, said it was “such a good feeling” when only she and Liz were left in the lineup to be pinned.
“I would have been so happy getting a ribbon at nationals; I never would have thought of getting reserve champion. Knowing I can get on a random horse that I’ve never ridden before, show and then place well and get to regionals, zones and nationals has done wonders for my confidence,” Olivia reflected.
Like Liz, she would like to ride with IHSA when she goes to college; that might even be a deciding factor.
“I just love to ride,” she said.
Olivia Hennessy
Torri grew up at her family’s Snowbird Farm in Long Valley, where “it was always a bunch of girls and we had so much going on all the time. When I started my own operation, things got so small. I was used to being really busy. But I had kids, and I had to be home by 3 p.m. to meet the bus, so there was no chance of me having any juniors (riders) because they all want to ride after school.”
As a result, her business primarily involved teaching adults. Then three years ago, with more freedom as her own children got more independent, she heard about IEA. She needed three kids to start a team and recruited them.
“It was fun. We had a good time, but I didn’t have any idea what I was doing,” said Torri, who now has 21 girls on her team.
By the second year, however, “We got a little serious. We made it to nationals. Some of the girls were better than others, but it really comes down to the luck of the draw. You draw a good horse, there’s a much better chance.”
Her middle school team made it through last year; this year, it was individuals, rather than a team, that got to nationals under Torri’s direction.
“It’s a chance to get into a stadium. It’s a chance to go back to my Snowbird roots; most of those kids rode school horses. It’s very familiar, and for me, it’s a good niche,” said Torri.
Asked about Liz and Olivia’s performances, Torri said, “We prepared, we did so many extra practices. They just nailed it.”
But it was tense waiting for the results.
“Until they pin the class, you never know,” she commented, saying the awards were announced one by one, from the lowest to the highest.
“When they called third place, and it wasn’t either one of my girls, we have a video of them hugging when they knew it was the two of them at the end. I was crying. It was a beautiful thing. If you have one good rider, you feel like you get lucky. But when you have two and make it all the way after working so hard…for me, it was very rewarding. And it was on live feed so everybody at home could see it. We started getting texts right away.”
Torri described IEA as a grassroots program, “because it’s teaching kids how to ride, how to get on any horse and be a competitor. I love being a part of it and being able to share the show world with kids who in other circumstances might not be able to get in the show ring.”
No New Jersey teams qualified for nationals, but three other individual riders from New Jersey also took part in the show.
Katherine Titus was fifth in Varsity Open over 2-6 fences Individual. She also was seventh in the Varsity Open Championship Class. She rides with Atlantic Cape Equestrians in Woodbine.
From The Ridge in Lebanon, Amanda Tom placed eighth in varsity intermediate over 2-foot fences and Taylor Pruitt of the Southern New Jersey team participated as well.
For more information on IEA, go to www.rideiea.org
