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 28, 2017
By Nancy Jaffer
Feb. 14, 2017
It wasn’t just an ordinary announcement. Word that former U.S. eventing coach and Olympic medalist Mark Phillips will be the new cross-country course designer for the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event looks like it could be a game-changer in several ways for the 15-year-old competition.
Mark Phillips and Boyd Martin at Jersey Fresh International. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
That’s how Dr. Brendan Furlong sees it. He believes in the event, and has been putting his money where his mouth is, so to speak. The veterinarian’s Oldwick-based practice, B.W. Furlong & Associates, is investing $30,000 in the May 11-14 competition at the Horse Park of New Jersey.
“I think it’s great to have Mark on board. He’s a world-renowned course designer. I can’t wait to see what Mark will do with it,” said Brendan.
He won’t have to wait long. The designer said he already has devised his plan for the property in Allentown. Mark laid out the route this month for the highly successful Land Rover Eventing Showcase in Wellington, Fla., and handles a number of other events, including Britain’s Burghley 4-star (considered by many the toughest three-day event in the world). He also has developed the cross-country facilities for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C.
Having Mark involved “will be a very positive step in helping Jersey Fresh stay on the map, and I think the riders will welcome it,” Brendan commented.
Several riders last year mentioned that the tracks for the featured CCIs (the longer routes) were too twisty, blaming the need to compress them on a lack of sufficient land. Additional property has been made available for the course this year, so Mark will have more acreage with which to work.
Dr. Brendan Furlong. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
While as Mark pointed out, there are turns in every course, his will be “completely different” from what has been done in the past.
“I promise you, it has mix and flow,” he said.
Holly Payne Caravella, a Jersey Fresh regular who has competed over Mark’s courses at Burghley and the Eventing Showcase, said riders wanted a change at Jersey Fresh, where John Williams has been the only designer for the last 14 years.
“I think people were definitely behind Mark designing it. His courses are not easy, but he makes them fair and definitely is good at using different terrain,” said the Gladstone resident. “I think everybody just wanted some new development there.”
She added, “The organizers are trying really hard to make it work. Over the years, they’ve done such a good job getting more sponsors behind it and drawing more people in. I think getting the land for the cross-country is a really big game-changer, too. That, combined with Mark, can bring a different feel to the event.”
The presence of such a high-profile designer also puts a bit of shine on the reputation of the event and the Horse Park, as Jersey Fresh organizer Jane Cory noted, while adding she hopes members of the park board who “are not so pro-Jersey Fresh, might help them see this is a really, really good thing.”
She added, “Anything Jersey Fresh does, if it turns out well, is a plus for the Horse Park. The member of the Horse Park board and chair of the Jersey Fresh committee, Dan Wunderlich, has been very helpful to us and is very onboard with the whole thing. Knowing he’s extremely positive about the progression, it has to help.”
Philliip Dutton competing at Jersey Fresh. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
John Williams had an extremely long run, but as Brendan pointed out, “It seems to be a trend that all the great events rotate course designers after several years. It brings a different flavor and perspective to it.”
An example is Rolex Kentucky, America’s only 4-star, where Roger Haller was succeeded by Great Britain’s Michael Etherington-Smith, who in turn moved on as Derek DiGrazia took over.
“To be able to get Mark is a great coup,” commented Brendan, formerly the veterinarian for the U.S. eventing team.
“Our hope is that potential sponsors see it’s a world class course designer coming on board with us, so I think it’s a very positive thing for the event and hopefully to increase awareness among potential sponsors,” Brendan observed.
“I think we’ve got an opportunity to up the ante,” added Brendan, whose son, Adam, serves on the Horse Park’s board. It may also help the park, which has not had much luck with fundraising, to buy new footing for the grand prix ring. More money needs to be invested in upkeep of the park in general as well.
“State land is the future of equestrian endeavors, particularly ones that require space, like driving and eventing,” Brendan commented.
Indeed, Mark is working with Richard Nicoll, who designed the driving marathon route at the park. The two, both natives of Great Britain, also are in touch through their work for the WEG, where Richard is laying out the marathon for the four-in-hand driving that is one of eight disciplines comprising that competition.
Richard told Mark he hated the Jersey Shore water complex on the marathon/cross-country route, because the island was too high.
Four-in-hand driving at the Horse Park of New Jersey. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“I said, `If you hate it and I hate it, why don’t we get together and do something about it?’’’ Mark asked him.
The resulting proposal calls for taking “the revetting off the island and lowering its height by about a foot,” so it in effect becomes a mound and the slope into the water is 30 degrees, not the much steeper 60 degrees that it has been.
“It will become a lot more user-friendly, both for the drivers and for us,” Mark maintained.
Fixing it involves a procedure “we think we can do relatively cheaply and the plan is to get the driving community to contribute in a small or major way,” noted Mark.
The water complex is a popular area for tailgating, which has increased at the event over the years. For the CCIs, the competitors will have three fences there, but “it’s very un-intense,” said Mark, because it comes relatively early in the course. The CCI 3-star is the only division that will meet the water both coming and going. There also will be another combination in the area, which tailgaters will be able to see.
Riders won’t have to wonder what Mark has up his sleeve for a twist in the course, the way he did a jump in the VIP tent at the Eventing Showcase.
“I have tried to be totally unclever,” Mark commented.
“I see my role this year as producing an enjoyable, educational fun course for horses and riders, to start to get the thing back on track. Depending on what budget we have in the future, that will determine what else we can do,” he said.
“This was a late decision obviously, so therefore the time and scope and budget for this year was limited. The mission was to make it user-friendly as possible for the horses and riders. It’s still got some 3-star questions—don’t get me wrong. Don’t go to the Jersey Fresh CCI 3-star and think it’s going to be a 2-star plan. It’s not. That wouldn’t be Mark Phillips if I did that.”
What is a Mark Phillips trademark? Every course designer has them. In Mark’s case, one is making sure fences are “up to height,” with an optic that means the fences appear big because of the way they are placed in the terrain.
“I think I have a reputation for making the distances and the questions work for the horses,” he added. Mark will be working with course builder Morgan Rowsell of Long Valley, who is also a course designer certified at the 2-star level. As Mark noted, this can be a learning experience for Morgan, and who knows? Eventually, he might wind up doing the Jersey Fresh courses himself someday. Morgan also is involved with the revival of the Mars Inc.Essex Horse Trials in Far Hills this June.
Already, Mark is getting feedback on his appointment to Jersey Fresh, reporting that riders have come to him and said, “ I wasn’t going to go this year and now I’m going to go.”
He remarked that, “the more that message goes out there, the more people are going to go, the more entries there are going to be; the more entries, the more sponsorship there will be. And if just as a start, (with) the driving and eventing working together, like on the island, we’re all standing together in a good and positive direction.” If between us, we can bring the eventing and driving back to life, God willing, that’s going to have a knock-on effect on the Horse Park.”
Another draw could be riders’ interest in competing over a course designed by Mark with an eye on Tryon 2018.
For someone who is “thinking of going to the WEG, it’s not going to do you any harm to jump a Mark Phillips course somewhere in your preparation,” Mark observed. Although the FEI hasn’t published its list of what needs to be done for riders to qualify for the WEG with a certificate of capability, for previous championships it has been either a CCI4* or a CCI3* and a CIC3*, according to the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s managing director of eventing, Joanie Morris. Jersey Fresh has both the CCI and CIC 3-stars.
“I’m hoping that having some new things happen this year will help to bring in some more bigger sponsors,” said Jane. One change will be to have all the show jumping phases, for both the CCIs and CICs, running on the final day of the competition. Previously, when show jumping was the second phase of the CIC, “it didn’t suit our property,” she noted.
Another attraction will be a 5K run and a 1K pleasure walk for people with or without their dogs on the Sunday, under the auspices of FlyPups. The organization transports dogs from desperate situations to foster homes, no-kill shelters, and forever homes. It also delivers trained dogs to veterans for service and companionship. Additionally, it brings aid to areas of natural disaster.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 24, 2017
Is it time to get rid of some of those old items of tack and riding clothes you no longer use? Or maybe you need to buy some of each?
You can do both at the Somerset County 4-H consignment sale, which is set for March17 from 6-10 p.m. and March 18 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Ted Blum 4-H Center, 310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater.
Those wishing to drop off items may do so from 6-9 p.m. March 15 and 16. There is a 20 percent consignment fee, and used helmets may not be sold. Items must be clean and in safe condition.
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
Single-session tickets are now available for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping and FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals in Omaha. The indoor championships in both disciplines will be held at the CenturyLink Center March 29 – April 2.
Previously, only series seats were available but now fans can pick and choose the sessions they want to see, whether it’s the Saturday afternoon dressage freestyle or the final jumping round Sunday afternoon.
This will be the last World Cup finals in the U.S. until 2020, when they return to Las Vegas. Direct flights are available from Newark.
According to Lisa Roskens, chairman of the Omaha Equestrian Foundation which is producing the event, “Ticket packages have been selling fast and we know that some people who can’t make it for the whole event have been waiting for single-session tickets to go on sale. The best available seats are going to fly out the door, so if you are planning on coming to Omaha for the year’s premier equestrian competition that will also be the ‘party of the year,’ we urge you to buy your tickets today so you don’t miss out.”
In addition to competition, there will be vendors, live entertainment and educational exhibits all under one roof at the state-of-the-art venue.
Single-Session tickets for either the jumping or dressage competitions range from $45 – $85, depending on the session and location. All-Session ticket packages include seats for five events in either jumping or dressage. The best seats in the house are the VIP Tickets in the first 5 rows which include access to the VIP Hospitality Lounge throughout the event! The VIP Hospitality Lounge will feature full meals, open bar, live music, concierge service and other amenities, all included with each VIP ticket.
VIP seats, tables and suites can be purchased by calling 402-930-3079 or by email at contactOEF@omahaequestrian.com.
For more information about the FEI World Cup™ Finals Omaha 2017, hotel information and to purchase tickets, go to www.OmahaWorldCup2017.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office.
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 8, 2017
By Nancy Jaffer
January 28, 2017
It comes across as the type of meet-cute, made-for-TV movie that you’d see on the Lifetime channel.
Jolene Alala, a “Jersey girl” working at her family’s small Passaic County stable, traveled to Ireland to help a client buy a horse. There the 18-year-old, who had never been across the Atlantic, met Brian Cash, a seventh generation horse dealer.
“I love that last name,” she told him when he introduced himself. Brian quickly responded, “Well, if you play your cards right…” As Jolene put it, “I guess I played my cards right, ‘cause I got him.”
“We got on great and never looked back,” Brian stated
Brian and Jolene Cash with student Sarah Levi. (Noah Dachis Photography)
This is no fantasy rom-com for daytime viewing.
“It’s the truth and it’s our story,” said Jolene Cash, now the mother of four children between the ages of eight and two, all of whom ride. She just won the N.J. Horse Shows Association’s Trainer of the Year trophy, based on the total of high score points earned by her students at Hidden Acres Farm in West Milford. But she emphasized the honor belongs to her husband as well, her partner in the stable that specialize in teaching young people up through college age.
“It was not just solely me,” she said. “We really are a team and it’s a family affair.”
Brian put it this way, “it’s amazing what a team we’ve built.”
NJHSA’s Junior Equestrian of the Year award went to the couple’s student, 14-year-old Amanda Leone of West Milford, an eighth-grader at St. Catherine of Bologna School in Ringwood (and in case you’re wondering, no relation to the show jumping Leone brothers of Franklin Lakes). Amanda also was NJHSA high score champion in the pre-children’s hunter division with Master of Moments. (Read about another of the Cashs’ students, Mackenzie Suffy, in the On the Rail column at the left of this page.)
“Amanda never gives up. She’s a hard worker. She’s always last to leave the barn and she’s always there for her friends,” said Brian.
Hidden Acres’ success extends beyond the efforts of Jolene and Brian. Jolene’s , mother, Helen, and brother, George, also play key roles .
The 10-acre farm originally belonged Jolene’s late father, George, and her mother, both of whom were involved in rodeoing. Helen was a barrel racer, the 1982 rookie of the year for the American Rodeo Association. She finished in the top 10 for the following six years for the barrel racing finals in Harrisburg, Pa.
The Alalas team-roped together, with George as the heeler and his wife as the header. He was the New Jersey Roping Association champion in 1977, and the Aleppo Shrine Rodeo Calf Roping Champion two years later.
Not surprisingly, Jolene rode western and enjoyed gymkhanas as a child, but when trainer Tiffany Headley came to the farm and started teaching English-style riding, things changed. Jolene was fascinated by the jumps that appeared in the ring.
“The thrill was more in the hunter/jumpers for me,” Jolene said.
She made the switch with her western pony, She’s My Blue Angel, and was high score in the chicken little jumpers at Snowbird before moving on to her pre-children’s horse, Mini-Me.
But she needed a mount who could do more, so eventually, her father sold his prized 1961 Corvette to buy her a Holsteiner, Just George (named after her dad), enabling her to compete in the Ariat and Charles Owen classes. She was coached by Robert Beck, himself a former NJHSA trainer of the year.
Jolene was going to college with an eye toward teaching kindergarten or first grade when her father became ill and she had to drop out to run the farm. Another trainer took over when she wound up staying in Ireland for five years, until she and her husband came back to New Jersey and injected life into the business, as she put it.
Buying horses wherever he can is really a genetic inheritance for Brian, who comes from what he called, “the oldest horse family in Ireland.”
“I don’t mind traveling for a good horse; I’ll try a horse anywhere,” he said, explaining he emphasizes “honest and safe” when making an equine purchase.
Brian has an eclectic riding background that includes fox hunting, showing and eventing. As he explained, “In Ireland, everybody does a little of everything.”
He’s serious about horse sport, but has his own approach. When Brian first came to New Jersey, he said, “What I noticed was there was so much pressure put on the kids that the fun was kind of gone out of it. Our style of teaching is for the kids to relax and have fun. We teach all the kids to be soft and gentle with the horse, because you’re not going to win a battle.”
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.
