by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 3, 2016
Marilyn Payne, president of the eventing ground jury at the Olympics, will be reporting on her experience at the Games at Beval Saddlery in Gladstone Aug. 20.
The occasion is a fundraiser for her daughter, Holly Payne Caravella, who is heading to the Burghley, England 4-star in September with Never Outfoxed. Tickets are $50 in advance and $75 at the door. Other attractions are wine and beer, a buffet and hors d’oeuvres, as well as 20 percent off on shopping and a silent auction.
Holly got a grant that will help get her and Fox to Burghley, but she needs another $25,000 to make the trip.
Holly Payne and Never Outoxed completed cross-country in the rain at the Rolex Kentucky 4-star this year.
Tickets for the event, which runs from 5-8 p.m., may be bought in advance at Beval’s, the Gladstone Tavern, Somerset Grain in Benardsville, Applewood Farm in Tewksbury, the Oldwick General Store and Old Fox Farm in Chester. They also are available through facebook.com/foxsyndicate or https://www.gofundme.com/2fq3ey2s.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 1, 2016
The chatter at this weekend’s International Bromont show in Canada was that the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games might find a home in Eastern Europe. Word was, though totally unconfirmed, of course, that the Samorin Equestrian Center in Slovakia could be under consideration.
And today, Mark Bellissimo, managing partner of Tryon Equestrian Partners, announced the Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina is in play for the WEG in an effort to have it stay in North America after Bromont bowed out for financial reasons.
Bromont couldn’t get support from the Canadian government for its effort, but Tryon already has the governors of North and South Carolina on its side. Tryon also is working with United States Equestrian Federation to keep the WEG on this side of the Atlantic. It’s a lot less expensive for USEF to send horses and riders to North Carolina than to Eastern Europe.
Are there other contenders for the 2018 WEG? The FEI will only say at this point, “We are looking at all options and will make an announcement shortly.”
Samorin will be hosting the endurance world championships in September. Meg Sleeper of Frenchtown has been named to the U.S. team with Shyrocco Rimbaud, a 10-year-old Anglo-Arab gelding.
There’s more going on at Samorin than endurance, however. It just wrapped up a 3-star show where the U.S. developing jumper riders were competing. It is located near the country’s capital of Bratislava.
The center, which is two years old, has 640 stalls and six arenas, three grass and three sand. There are two indoor arenas, and the complex is surrounded by a racetrack.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 24, 2016
Karyn Malinowski, director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center, gave an address last week to the state Equine Advisory Board calling for a unified voice in the New Jersey horse industry, and a why the different facets of the industry must support each other.
She made some important points. Here is her entire address:
In New Jersey, where the horse is the state animal, the equine industry is invaluable as a major factor for improving the quality of life for New Jersey residents by preserving open space, providing outdoor sport and recreation, building a solid foundation for youth development, and providing mental and physical therapy to adjudicated youth and handicapped persons.
The New Jersey equine industry, valued at $4 billion, produces an economic impact of $1.1 billion comprised of the $278.2 million spent annually for racing-related operations, not including racetracks; $262.4 million spent annually by non-racing operations, $117.8 million spent annually by equine owners without operations, $502 million spent annually by New Jersey racetracks. The industry employs approximately 13,000 persons and generates $160 million in tax revenue, annually. Horses are found on 7,200 facilities on 176,000 acres in every county statewide. (The New Jersey Equine Industry: 2007 Economic Impact, Rutgers Equine Science Center).
Horse racing and the horse industry are essential to the well-being of New Jersey in many ways. There exists a delicate the balance between the future of horse racing, the preservation of the New Jersey equine industry and the importance of the equine industry to traditional agricultural, open space and quality of life for the residents of the state.
Why should non-racing equine interests care
about racing’s future?
Racing is not the only equine discipline that will lose if New Jersey racing does not receive the “shot in the arm” it so desperately needs, by expanding casino gaming outside of Atlantic City.
The future of young people who would like to make a living in the horse industry in New Jersey is in jeopardy. Why stay?
The New Jersey Equine Advisory Board’s (EAB) annual budget to support the Horse Park of New Jersey and the sport and recreation segments of the horse industry, predominantly, including 4-H Youth Development programs is correlated to a percentage of the pari-mutuel handle from racing. The EAB annual budget which was $498,000 in 1990 declined to a new low of $162,500 in 2015. This budget will disappear if racing is not saved in New Jersey.
The “top shelf” level of services New Jersey horse enthusiasts have come to expect such as equine veterinary clinics and feed and supply stores are at risk, because, while they are frequented and supported by sport horse competition and
recreational users, a predominant economic flow to these entities is from the racing industry.
The entire infrastructure supporting ALL segments of the horse industry is in jeopardy.
The racing industry was there to support the development of the Horse Park of New Jersey, which exists primarily for non-racing interests. It is time for the entire industry to rally around once and for all to let the public and the legislature know that the future of horse racing in New Jersey will impact horse owners of every breed and discipline; as it will open space, traditional agricultural production and quality of life. Use the tool kit (Economic Impact Report and the accompanying DVD; available at esc.rutgers.edu) provided by the Rutgers Equine Science Center to tell the story of the importance of the New Jersey Equine Industry to legislators and policy decision makers. YOU can make a difference.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 22, 2016
The FEI (international equestrian federation) pulled the plug today on the Bromont equestrian facility’s ill-fated effort to stage the 2018 World Equestrian Games. The finances just weren’t there to enable the Quebec venue to host the compilation of eight disciplines.
Now the FEI is exploring alternatives for the eighth edition of the often-troubled concept. It is handicapped by the fact that locations such as the Wellington, Fla., or Tryon, N.C. showgrounds, which could handle the WEG on short notice, have sponsorship from Rolex, a former FEI sponsor. The federation’s current sponsor is a rival high-end watch company, Longines.
Bromont, which is in the middle of its two-week jumper show, also hosts major eventing and driving competitions.
Why not scrap the total WEG package and host groupings of sports? The European championships, for instance, have held show jumping, dressage and para-dressage at the same venue. WEG, which has grown from six disciplines to eight since it began in 1990 with a successful run in Stockholm.
Prior to that, world championships in each discipline were held separately. In 1986, for instance, show jumping was at Aachen, Germany; eventing in Australia, dressage in Canada and driving in England.
The last straw in a history of financial turmoil for the Bromont effort was the federal government’s decision this month not to put any money toward the project.
While expressing sadness over the situation, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said, “We have been working very closely with the COJEM (organizing committee) board and all levels of the organization since the Games were allocated to Canada in mid-2014 and have known for some time that the Bromont team was facing major financial difficulties.”
In fact, after Bromont’s problems became evident early-on, the FEI reopened the bidding process but in the end, Bromont seemed to be the only alternative, so it was allowed to continue.
“This has been a very difficult decision to come to terms with,” said Rosaire Houde, chairman of the COJEM board. The recent departure of key board members signaled the beginning of the end for Bromont.
“Since the new board took over, we have left no stone unturned in our quest to find solid funding to support the Games, but sadly this has not been forthcoming.”
The two organization mutually decided to end the contract.
“It is something I personally bitterly regret but it was the only responsible course of action,” the COJEM chairman stated.
The FEI pointed out that when Ireland dropped out as WEG host in 1998, Rome stepped in with less than two years to go and held a successful WEG. However, it did not include endurance, which went elsewhere, or reining and para-dressage, which were not part of the WEG at that point.
The FEI is hoping to make an announcement “shortly” about an alternative. With the Olympics getting under way next month, riders around the world are already thinking about their next major international championship, so the WEG has a spot on the calendar that the FEI must hasten to fill.
At the same time, it will have to make sure the host, if there is only one (see my comment above about doing the world championships in groups instead of in one event) is viable both economically and in terms of its facilities.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 29, 2016
Uthopia, the 15-year-old stallion who was purchased by a mystery buyer last month at a Northern Ireland auction, will be staying with his trainer, Carl Hester.
For a month, the fate of Uthopia was unknown. Carl, the man behind the gold medal success of British dressage at the 2012 Olympics, had tried to raise money to buy the horse that was embroiled in an ownership dispute, but to no avail.
Since then, according to British Dressage, “negotiations have taken place and the horse has now been purchased on Carl’s behalf by a supporter who wishes to remain anonymous.”
Carl Hester on Uthopia at the 2012 Olympics. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Carl commented; “I couldn’t have asked for a better early birthday present – this is the best news and the team are all very happy now we know ‘Uti’ is staying at home. It’s been a stressful time but I must thank the parties concerned in getting to this outcome, all have been professional and made it exceptionally easy.
“Those involved wish to remain anonymous and I hope that everyone can respect that but they have my extreme gratitude. I must also thank all the supporters of British dressage for their good wishes and encouragement, it’s meant a lot to me and my team. This a happy ending and will make my birthday celebrations this year extra special!”
The ending isn’t as happy for British show jumping. Scott Brash, who has been ranked previously as the number one rider in the world, won’t be going to the Rio Olympics. Scott, a member of the 2012 gold medal team, explained that his two top horses, Hello Sanctos (his 2012 mount) and Hello M’Lady have not recovered sufficiently from minor injuries incurred earlier this season and aren’t fit to compete at the Games.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 23, 2016
A celebration of Frank Chapot’s life will be held Sept. 19 at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, N.J. Details of the event, such as the time it will take place, are still being worked out.
Frank, a resident of Neshanic Station who died earlier this week, was a six-time show jumping Olympian and a coach of the U.S. team in that discipline.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 22, 2016
Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports in Lyman, Maine, has been named New England’s hub for disabled equestrian sport and young rider programs through training camps and clinics.
Carlisle built on the success of its therapeutic riding center and expanded from its hallmark hippotherapy and adaptive programs to para-equestrian sport, Pony Club, traditional equestrian education and field training courses.
Carlisle’s new designation as a National Para-Equestrian Dressage Center of Excellence was made by the U.S. Equestrian Federation and the U.S. Para-Equestrian Association.
As a Center of Excellence, Carlisle aims to attract new riders to para-equestrian dressage by working in partnership with the USEF high performance programs.
The goal of the Centers of Excellence program across the country is to develop athletes to a level where they can represent the U.S. in international competition, at the Paralympic Games and ultimately win medals. This is done through education programs, clinic opportunities, and grass root development.
