by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 3, 2025
A team gold medal and individual fourth place in eventing at the Pan American Games, along with the best U.S. finish in the discipline at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, all have made Doug Payne crave more international team experience.
But he’s going in a different direction as he turns 44 this month, having moved out of eventing to focus on grand prix show jumping.
“It’s been a process the last seven years,” he explained, talking about competing in two disciplines simultaneously. Last year at the Defender Kentucky 5-star, for instance, he rode his eventing horse in the afternoon and other mounts in the jumpers at night.
Doug Payne’s prowess cross-country was notable, but he’s moving on to top-level show jumpingl.
Quantum Leap, his entry for that 2024 5-star, was fifteenth after cross-country, but withdrawn in the second vet check. He has what Doug called a hock that could be tricky after cross-country. Third in the 2022 Kentucky 5-star, where Doug was the highest-placed U.S. rider, Quantum “doesn’t owe me a thing,” he said.
“With his welfare in mind, I figured it was probably best to step him back from 5 star eventing.”
He may lease the horse for a few years. But if his children, now ages five and seven, “want to ride at some point, he’d be the absolutely perfect one. But he’s got a home for life, he’s the most genuine creature there is.”
Doug and Quantum Leap when he was the highest-placed U.S. rider at the 2022 Kentucky 5-star.
And as that special horse steps down, Doug is stepping up in his other discipline.
“The jumping, I love it, jumping big fences is as much, if not more, fun than anything else I’ve done. It’s a brand new challenge, completely fresh. I would like to make a (show jumping) team in the future. Without a doubt, it’s a goal of mine.”
In order to pursue it, he has wrapped up his eventing career and put his focus on the painted rails, though he did compete in a dressage Grand Prix with his Pan Am Games mount, Starr Witness.
“I don’t know if there will be a whole lot more of that, but for sure, it’s great experience,” he said.
The eclectic horseman, who also pilots his own plane, pointed out that when he was growing up, the idea was to “make sure you can to go to any discipline and not be tagged as an outsider.”
He comes from an eventing family. His mother, Marilyn Payne, is a trainer and competitor who has been an Olympic judge. His sister, Holly Payne Caravella, also is an eventing trainer and rider.
Doug grew up eventing at his home in New Jersey, where he is seen here a few years back with his father, Richard; mother, Marilyn, and sister, Holly Payne Caravella.
Doug, who competed in his first show jumping grand prix in 2022, noted his “headliner right now is a horse called Quintessence. He did three 5-stars jumping last year.”
The 14-year-old Holsteiner, who finished sixth in a 1.5 meter classic at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington last month, evented up to Preliminary as a six-year-old before switching to jumping full time.
“He’s uber careful, he won the 6- and 7-year old finals and a $100,000 grand prix. It was more than I could have ever imagined he would do,” Doug recounted.
Doug pointed out that he and his wife, Jessica, have “never been in a position where we could go out and buy going horses, so we relied a lot on development of younger horses. Six or seven years ago, we started buying more for jumping than eventing, a long-term plan of this happening. It worked pretty well in eventing, and we’ll see if we can’t make it happen here as well.”
He has a six-year-old half-brother to Quintessence, and Europa PVF, a 5-year-old Westfalen by Eldorado, is “probably the best horse I’ve ever had. Then there’s “ a great weanling” coming along. At the same time, Starr Witness is pregnant with Europa’s foal.
“They’re both extreme talents,” Doug pointed out, so his show jumping future seems to offer plenty of potential for him to develop.
At the same time, he emphasizes, “I don’t regret a moment of eventing.”
There were several tragedies in eventing in 2024, including British rider Georgie Campbell’s death after a cross-country accident and Liz Halliday traumatic brain injury in a cross-country fall.
While he’s not leaving the sport because of the danger, Doug acknowledged, “It’s an inherent risk. It can happen anywhere, but certainly your odds are up when the jumps don’t fall down, or slowly fall down. Looking back on it, I was pretty impressed I never got an ambulance ride from an event. It’s something I was pretty proud of, actually.”
He noted, “I’ve been on the USEA (U.S. Eventing Association) Safety Committee for eight years and had a front row seat to every accident analysis in this country. It’s certainly a concern. I’ve always really worked extremely hard to make sure whatever I’m riding I completely trust,”
Still, he pointed out, “You can get hurt doing anything. I know all the organizations are doing as much as they can to reduce the risk.”
Going all-in on the jumping has given Doug a chance to use his time differently.
For Doug Payne, show jumping now is much more than what he used to do as the last phase of an event. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“With the kids, it has freed up our schedule. We’re on the road 40 plus weeks a year. The kids just turned 5 and 7 it will free up time and allow us to do a whole lot more.
“The eventing schedule is so rigid,” he pointed out. With jumping and the plethora of shows from which to choose, “there’s so many more options we never had a chance to explore before. Now we can.”
He likes what he’s found in the show jumping ranks.
Payne Equestrian Sport Service & Sales has “An army of very competent people willing to help,” and cited South Carolina trainer Andrea King (like Doug, a native of New Jersey) for giving pointers while he pursues his new objective.
“I grew up from Pony Club eventing; the perception was always `stuck up show people.’ Our experience has been the opposite. It’s been open, accepting,” Doug related.
He pointed out, “Eventing is very difficult because of few opportunities to prove yourself. If it goes wrong, that’s all somebody talks about for the next however long.”
By contrast, in show jumping, ““You could win another grand prix tomorrow. People are more willing to take a shot and make a mistake. There are so many opportunities to compete and to vie for a top result somewhere.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 31, 2025
With several high-profile issues in the last year or so, dressage has been targeted in discussions about horse welfare.
Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin’s suspension after a video of a whipping incident is the most publicized scandal, but concern over blue tongues and suspensions involving prominent trainer Andreas Helgstrand are others that hurt the discipline’s image.
A strategic action plan for dressage will be developed by a new FEI Working Group chaired by former U.S. Dressage Federation President George Williams. The panel is “aimed at establishing a clear vision, realigning objectives, and creating actionable plans to enhance Dressage at all levels.”
One of the group’s first tasks will be a comprehensive review of the current state of dressage. The working group will also evaluate feedback from stakeholders and categorize suggestions into well-defined focus areas for targeted action. A focus will be prioritizing equine ethics and wellbeing, with the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Action Plan serving as a guiding framework for key initiatives.
The group will work on creating a repository of relevant scientific research, consulting with veterinary experts to create an accessible information resource for stakeholders. Rule revisions will be proposed with immediate attention on partial updates for 2025 and the 2026 full rules revision for dressage.
The working group will report regularly to the Dressage Technical Committee, the FEI Board, and relevant stakeholder groups to ensure transparency and collaboration throughout the process. The first presentation will be made to the FEI Sports Forum on March 31.
“Dressage should be built on balanced, ethical training resulting in freedom of movement, ease in transitions, and harmony between horse and rider, with no place for tension or resistance,” FEI Dressage Director Ronan Murphy said.
“Our focus now is to embed these principles in the FEI Rule Book and ensure they are applied consistently in training and competition, always putting horse welfare first.
“The Working Group’s task is to turn these ideals into everyday practices, prioritizing the well-being of horses as we move forward with future proposals and format changes.
“The Working Group was carefully selected not only for their expertise, but also for their profound understanding of dressage. This diverse group represents a cross-section of the community, ensuring a broad range of perspectives. Their collective knowledge and vision will be instrumental in shaping a strategic plan that not only addresses the current challenges in the sport but also ensures the well-being of our horses, incorporates stakeholder feedback, and positions dressage for long-term success.”
In addition to Williams, who is the U.S. Equestrian Dressage Youth Coach and High Performance and Pathway Development Advisor, the working group will include Monica Theodorescu, Germany’s first female dressage coach and a medalist at the Olympics and world and European championships, as well as a two-time FEI Dressage World Cup™ champion.
Other members are Raphael Saleh of France, president of the dressage ground jury for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games; Britain’s Gareth Hughes, with more than 60 national and international titles; six-time Olympian and former FEI Dressage World Cup™ champion Kyra Kyrklund of Finland, vice-president of the International Dressage Riders Club.
Also named to the panel are Klaus Roeser, chairman of the German National Federation Dressage Committee, and veterinarian Lise Berg, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 31, 2025
Fleet of Angels, an organization that is supporting equestrians in the wake of the California wildfires, has received $60,000 from the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Equine Disaster Relief Fund and $25,000 from the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation for its efforts. Although the fires have been contained, many horses have not been able to return home because their stables have burned to the ground or suffered tremendous damage.
“Our goal is to keep horses safe and in good care so they can stay with their loving families and equine friends, giving their owners more time to regroup, repair and start to recover from devastating situations. By providing a combination of grants and services, Fleet of Angels provides qualified applicants’ horses with what they need to stay safe and healthy during temporary challenges,” said a statement from the group.
The USEF grant will assist providing feed, critical supplies and vet care funding assistance for between 800 and 1,000 displaced horses at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center and other locations that have been impacted. USEF funding also is still helping horses in areas affected by last year’s hurricanes in the East.
For its part, the team at the USET Foundation “believes in the importance of community support during times of crisis, and these wildfires have posed significant challenges for Southern California horses and their owners,” said foundation executive director Bonnie Jenkins.
USEF also awarded a $40,000 grant to the Foundation for Pierce College Wildfire Response. The funds will be used for feeding and watering horses currently stabled at their facility in Woodland Hills, Calif. At the peak of the wildfires, 245 horses were living on their grounds. As an evacuation site that is maintained and ready year-round to provide shelter for horses in times of need, the Pierce College Equestrian Center has been of service to the surrounding equestrian community for several decades.
“It is with generous donations, like the ones the members and community at U.S. Equestrian are providing, that we will be able to continue to provide top quality housing and care to horses in need,” said Marcie Sakadijan, the college’s farm manager.
With the grant, several large tanks will be purchased to provide water to animals housed in areas with limited water access, while water and feed tubs, mucking tools and equipment, and water hoses can be replaced.
Developed in 2005 during the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund helps ensure horses’ safety and well-being. Since its inception, the fund has now distributed more than $800,000 to help with disaster recovery and preparedness for horses including but not limited to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards, and fires.
“The devastation left behind by the wildfires in Los Angeles is unfathomable. But whenever there are tragedies like these, there are also countless people who are doing great work to help their communities. Fleet of Angels and the Pierce College Equine Center are doing incredible work in helping horses displaced by these fires,” stated USEF CEO Bill Moroney.
With the wildfires still ablaze in certain parts of Los Angeles, USEF will continue to evaluate opportunities to invest in organizations that are working directly to help horses and horse owners affected by the disaster.
Those who wish to donate may visit https://www.usef.org/donate and choose the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund in the drop-down menu. For more information about wildfire relief for the Southern California equestrian community, please visit: www.FleetOfAngels.org. For more information about the USET Foundation, visit www.uset.org .
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 27, 2025
An aggressive agenda to increase visibility of horse sports, along with stepping up horse welfare, is part of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s new strategic plan.
At its annual meeting last week, where the theme was “It’s All About the Horse,” USEF reported its competing membership grew 8 percent from 2023 to 83,000 in 2024, and the number of horses competing was up 2.7 percent, to 85,970. Altogether, the number of fans and members amounted to more than 500,000. There were 1.65 million followers on social media. USEF had more than 73 million video views across all platforms, up over 189 percent.
All that offers an opportunity to let people know more about horses; how they are used, what their lives are like, the way they are cared for. It’s a powerful tool in combating the negativity of those who don’t believe horses should be involved in competition, or in some cases, ridden or driven at all.
Because here are some scary statistics: An FEI Ethics and Well-Being survey showed 52 percent of the non-equestrian public believes the welfare of sport horses should be improved, and 78 percent of equestrian stakeholders believe horse welfare standards need improving.
“There is no question that horses, horse welfare and safety need to be our top priorities,” said USEF Bill Moroney.
An interesting hands-on example involved helping the U.S. Army, which had serious horse well-being issues with its caisson horses used in funerals. With the help of USEF board member and retired Navy Rear Admiral Jon Krietz, Chief of Sport David O’Connor and USEF board member and world driving championships medalist Chester Weber, the unit made a comeback. Its horses were seen this month in the services for the late President Jimmy Carter.
For the sport to be sustainable, Moroney said, USEF and its members have to do three things: “Celebrate the horse, educate our members and the public and regulate the treatment of horses and protect them.”
That last item should have priority with everyone involved with horses.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 24, 2025
Amendments to the federal Horse Protection Act have been postponed from Feb. 1 to April 2, as the American Horse Council and other groups had requested due to the equine community’s concern about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s definition of soring, “which seems to significantly expand the scope beyond the original intent” while adding more in the way of regulation involving showing by a variety of breeds and disciplines.
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Information Service “needs to refocus its efforts to scale the final rule to what Congress intended, and not adopt interpretations that exceed the agency’s authority,” according to the Council. The decision provides additional time for the agency to answer and clarify “several troubling provisions in the regulation as it applies to certain disciplines, inspector training, and reporting requirements,” stated the AHC.
The delay announced Friday was linked to a memorandum, Regulatory Freeze Pending Review, under which President Trump ordered all executive departments and agencies not to propose any rule or directive until a department head reviews and approves it. AHC had contacted the new administration’s transition team about its concerns in regard to the amendment and requested the postponement.
While rules that don’t raise major objections can proceed after a 60-day hold, the HPA amendments don’t seem to be in that category. The Committee on Oversight called for abolition of the revised rule, stating, “The rule’s arbitrary enforcement, lack of a clear appeal process, potential conflicts of interest among inspectors, and the absence of transparent funding mechanisms threaten the integrity of horse industry regulation enforcement and erode public trust.”
The HPA prohibits sored horses from participating in shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions. The Act, which also bans the transportation of sored horses to or from any of these events, was aimed primarily at Tennessee Walking horses and other racking breeds where soring is abuse and unfortunately part of the culture. But the amendments would have affected many other breeds and disciplines, with a few exceptions. The exempt include horse racing, eventing cross-country and rodeo, because they involve speed and soring gives no advantage there.
The amendments would provide, among other things, that the federal agency will screen, train, and authorize qualified persons for appointment by the management of any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction to detect and diagnose soring at such events for the purposes of enforcing the HPA. With the exception of a section that took effect on June 7, 2024, authorizing the training of horse protection inspectors, the remainder of the rule was scheduled to go into effect next month. APHIS will issue guidance to stakeholders for the upcoming horse show season in light of the postponement of the new rule.
“The AHC looks forward to working with the administration to support all reasonable regulations for the full and fair enforcement of the Horse Protection Act’s prohibition against the soring of horses,” the Horse Council stated.
In the age of Social License to Operate, some equestrians are nervous about how expansion of the HPA would affect competitions and horse sales. Others haven’t even heard about revised regulations, because there has been little publicity. But any time the government gets involved with sport, it raises questions.
As U.S. Equestrian Federation CEO Bill Moroney pointed out, even the original act covered soring in all types of horses, though equestrians involved with other breeds may not have realized it.
The amended act was so broad-ranging that it has “really raised everyone’s attention” about regulation of all “covered breeds” at “covered events.”
The USEF issued a press release in October that included information about the regulations, but Moroney thinks many people may not have read it. Like the American Horse Council, the federation has been proactive in dealing with the amendments. A national association representing the horse industry in Washington, D.C., AHC has a variety of member organizations including USEF. the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Paint Horse Association and many others.
Prior to announcement of the delay, AHC President Julie Broadway said her organization was reconsidering its support of the revised regulations, noting USDA was “not cooperating,” as the council tried to get things clarified “and make certain we are comfortable with what they are trying to do.”
There’s not as much overreach in the old regulations as the new regulations, Broadway observed. Earlier this month, she called the amended regulation “just an absolute mess.”
She said some show organizers were “really frustrated, really anxious. They’re calling us and asking us, `What do we do?’” She suggested the shows just go ahead and notify USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Information Service as required that organizers will be holding their events. Broadway noted APHIS hasn’t gotten more money or personnel to enforce the act, and that the concentration remains on Tennessee Walking Horses.
“So the chances of them coming to a quarter horse show near you are really, really slim.”
USEF is handling notification of APHIS for all of its licensed competitions, which means their managers don’t have to deal with it. Concerns have been raised about other facets of the regulations, including the requirement that Horse Protection Inspectors have free access to show records, sale records, event information, barns, tack rooms, horse trailers, stables, stalls, arenas, and other areas on the showgrounds.
That sounds ominous, but Moroney’s conclusions are similar to those reached by Broadway. He maintained, “The immediate reaction has to be measured against the reality of the resources of the USDA/APHIS with regard to enforcement of the act. They have a limited budget and historically have gone to about 50 events a year.”
USEF has 2,100 licensed competitions (none of which are walking horse shows), and there are thousands more shows connected with other equestrian organizations across the country.
“There is no way for them to get everywhere,” said Moroney of the inspectors.
“They have historically gone to places where they feel this action is happening; the propensity to sore horses is the highest,” he said.
“We’re feeling as good as we can feel about it from a USEF perspective, because we have rules and regulations. We have a regulatory system that will penalize people for doing things outside the rules. We have a system of stewards, technical delegates, judges etc. where horses have a level of oversight over them.
“Do the right thing and you won’t have to call on regulation at the end of the day. The best way for something to not affect you is to do the right thing.”
Derek Braun, who runs the Split Rock Show Jumping Tour, wasn’t worried about the expanded regulations.
He said he needs to look into them further for the details, but noted the provision that horses should be examined before they go in the ring and after they leave sounds to him like FEI (international equestrian federation) requirements.
If they have their own people coming in and inspecting, he continued, “that would be a little more concerning,” but he thinks inspection similar to what is done for FEI horses would be okay, “as long as it’s used for a good reason.”
Braun added, “I think the intention is probably correct for extreme circumstances. I think it’s no problem holding these trainers and exhibitors accountable if there is an extreme circumstance. While that’s what the show stewards, “are there for,” as far as having an inspector also take a look, “I can’t see that as a bad thing if it’s warranted.”
Joe Norick, the HITS’ show series chief customer officer, said that self-policing means “if we see something that looks inappropriate, we’ll bring it up.”
He added, “I think you have to employ good staff at the show, people that are educated, from the horse show vet on down. Depending on who these individual (inspectors) are and how they are coming to look at this, education is a big factor. That’s why a strong steward, horse show vet or manager is going to have take the lead, to be proactive on this. I also do think we have to think of the care, the quality of the barns, that’s why we have enough emphasis that horse care is a good place to start. I think we’re going to be fine.”
Meanwhile, the Western Justice Legislative Fund took an aggressive stance against the revised HPA with a petition drive. It cites many concerns, contending animal rights extremists are “seeking to expand the definition of `soring’ to encompass as much of the horse industry as possible. The recent revisions to the law are the result. The lead USDA veterinarian, Dr. Aaron Rhyner, even went so far as to say that he could see how just riding a horse could be considered to be a type of soring.”
Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller is another voice against the revised HPA. He maintains, “This rule isn’t about protecting horses; it’s about federal bureaucrats grabbing more control over an industry they clearly don’t understand. The United States Department of Agriculture’s new rule is so absurd that it makes using fly spray on a horse a potential violation. That’s not a joke—they can’t be serious!”
The Federal Rule for the Act specifically states “soring” is defined as:
- An irritating or blistering agent applied, internally or externally, by a person to any limb of a horse;
- Any burn, cut, or laceration inflicted by a person on any limb of a horse;
- Any tack, nail, screw, or chemical agent injected by a person into or used by a person on any limb of a horse; or
- Any other substance or device used by a person on any limb of a horse, or a person has engaged in a practice involving a horse and as a result of such application, infliction, injection, use, or practice, such horse suffers, or can reasonably be expected to suffer, physical pain or distress, inflammation, or lameness when walking, trotting, or otherwise moving, except that such term does not include such an application, infliction, injection, use, or practice in connection with the therapeutic treatment of a horse by or under the supervision of a person licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State in which such treatment is given.
click here to read about the revised HPA from the Federal Register prior to the postponement.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 25, 2025
Heather Mason is no dressage queen.
That’s not to say she isn’t successful in her chosen discipline—an impressive collection of ribbons and trophies on display in her Lebanon, N.J., home speaks to expertise in training and riding. But for Heather, it’s not about the prizes or the frills. At Flying Change Farm, it’s all about the horses.
Heather and just a few of her many prizes. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“She loves them,” was the simple assessment offered by her friend, Christina Aharoni, who noted that these days, Heather keeps her horses forever.
Heather trains Christina and her daughter, eventer Arielle Aharoni, but offers assistance beyond dressage. Christina calls it “troubleshooting,” whether it’s advice on jumping or bitting.
“That’s an all-around great horseperson that uses a ton of common sense and great basic horsemanship. That’s always what prevails in the end,” Christina asserted.
Heather’s mere presence offers reassurance to her students, and the good results flow from that as well as expert coaching.
Amateur rider Christina Morin Graham was concerned about competing with the professionals in the FEI ranks at the 2024 edition of Dressage at Devon. She wasn’t sure she’d even be able to produce a Grand Prix ride that would qualify her for the show’s feature, the Saturday night freestyle under the lights. Maybe instead she should try the Grand Prix for Special? Morin Graham wondered…
However, Heather was there for support and guidance, which not only got her student qualified, but it gave the amateur a boost that enabled a third-place finish in the freestyle, with a personal best of 74.785 on DSP Dauphin.
“Heather is a master and it’s a privilege to work with her – she has advanced my riding and enabled me to achieve results that I didn’t think were possible,” said Morin Graham.
She characterized Heather as “hard working, dedicated, professional, and resourceful — customizing the approach for each horse and rider to bring out their best. Her depth of dressage experience, training and competing through the levels is extraordinary. She has worked with hundreds of horses, many of which were not necessarily naturally talented, athletic — or sane, for that matter.”
Morin Graham pointed out that at Region 8’s championships, “I think she was the trainer of roughly half the riders in the Open Division Grand prix championship class.”
Over Heather’s career, she’s had nearly 2,200 rides in licensed competition as recorded by the U.S. Dressage Federation. She owns more than half of the 30 horses at her farm, where the herd includes young horses in training, competition mounts and her retired senior citizens. She doesn’t sell her horses any longer because “I hear too many stories about them ending up in bad places and I don’t want to take that chance. I bought some of these as resale horses, but they’ll never be sold.”
As she cheerfully admitted, “I get a little too attached to my horses.”
Heather and RTF Lincoln as she does her trademark one-handed double pirouette at the beginning of her freestyle at the 2023 USDF Championships. (Photo © 2024 by SusanJStickle.com)
At her barn, there are a few longtime boarders and people who ship in for lessons. Others take “virtual” lessons, and Heather gives clinics in the tri-state area. On Mondays and Fridays, the trainer spends a few afternoon hours at Red Tail Farm in nearby Bedminster.
Heather was drawn early to teaching. She started giving lessons at age 13 when she belonged to the Spring Valley Hounds Pony Club in New Vernon, where she was an H-A.
“Pony Club was huge, it taught me so much about horse management and care,” said the trainer, who stays in touch with her instructors from those years, Sharon Weidmann, Marilyn Payne and Peggy Hipple.
She graduated from New York’s Skidmore College after majoring in biology and playing polo, but had only one career in mind.
“I always knew I would be doing this as a business,” Heather said matter-of-factly.
Her first acquaintance with horses came when her father was transferred to England by American Express and the family looked at a little farm there which had a pony.
“I fell off him when I tried him, and I still wanted him. The saddle and I slid down his neck—the tack didn’t fit,” she chuckled.
Her parents bought the farm and seven-year-old Heather wound up with Jason, that little Welsh cross who came with the property. The family lived in England for five years, a time when Heather was part of the British culture so strong in riding and hunting,
“I grew up as a little farm kid,” she commented.
Competing in the hunters in England while she “dabbled in everything” over there, Heather discovered when her family moved back to the U.S. that the hunter pony ring was a different place on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. In England, she recalled, she had ridden her pony in a double bridle, and at some shows, the judge rode the pony.
She enjoyed eventing when she was in Pony Club. Then she bought her first warmblood, Limerick, a Polish Trakehner, as a two-year-old. The mare wasn’t much for jumping but turned into Heather’s first total dressage horse. She got lessons from Irma Hotz as well as her other trainers and did a lot of clinics. In 1984, her pony True Story, a British import, was national champion at First Level, and from that point on, Heather focused on dressage, taking True story to Fourth Level.
She competed at the North American Young Riders Championships with Limerick, who was her first Grand Prix horse, training the horse all the way up to Grand Prix in 1990. Asked how things went with that effort, Heather laughed and reported, “that was back in the days when it was me and Marilyn Payne and I think, Jim Kofford, doing Grand Prix, and we were just trying to break 60 (percent). That was a whole different world of Grand Prix; there were very few Grand Prix horses in the area. We were all struggling. But you learn how to train that way.”
What appealed to her about dressage was the fact that “there was no dead end” to her efforts in the discipline.
“I always knew I was never going to jump grand prix jumps, and I was never going to event advanced, but the dressage I could do all the way.”
Heather became accustomed to making a victory pass at the USDF Championships with RTF Lincoln. (Photo © 2024 by SusanJStickle.com)
Over the years, she has made her mark, named to the short list for the 2011 Pan American Games with Warsteiner and earning the prestigious $25,000 Carol Lavell Prize to continue her training. She used the money to go to Florida and up her game there, but aside from that, she doesn’t head south because she has “too many horses, too many clients to leave them all winter. Plus, I like to have the winter to train and play with the babies.
“I’ve always gone where the horse will take me, but (making) the (U.S.) team was never like a goal, it’s more about my horses,” she said.
“I never set my life on it because anything can happen. I was told a few times coming up that I’d have to sell these horses and get one good young horse to make the team. I was never interested to give up the horses I had.”
Her inspiration and aspiration involved the training and making the horses the best they could be while building a relationship with each one.
In her view, “it’s more about the horses than the competing. And I like the teaching and I like watching the students move up to the grand prix,” said Heather who has had students earn the U.S. Dressage Federation gold medal, just as she did.
Heather has showed some memorable animals over the years, including Respekt and Zar, but she is most closely associated today with RTF Lincoln, who retired from the top ranks of the sport after winning the Open Grand Prix honors at the USDF’s national championships in Kentucky for the third straight year in 2023. Now 20, in 2024, he dropped down to Small Tour with Heather’s friend and student, amateur rider Alexandra Krossen, after Heather retired him from the Grand Prix ranks. Alex and Lincoln were in the ribbons in their adult amateur classes at the national championships last fall.
Heather and Lincoln at home. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Offering an insight into Heather, Alex said, “I think her love of the animals really helps her get to know them and bring out the best in them. Then she can kind of transfer that to help the riders have success. I did some dressage prior to working with Heather but she’s really just good foundation and understanding the horse and that every horse is not the same. Sometimes you have to think outside the box, which definitely helps my approach to riding in general with multiple horses.”
Alex, who works in the business side of the pharmaceutical industry, has ridden with Heather since 2010.
“Being supportive and having shown a lot herself, Heather understands the pressures so you can ride better,” said Alex who had never been to a recognized dressage show prior to working with Heather.
Heather has enjoyed success with American-bred horses. Lincoln came from a Cornell University program. Heather would break some of the babies from the program and either sell them young or raise them and sell them. It was an affordable way to pick up a warmblood. She got Lincoln as a foal and then Meredith Whaley bought him as a just-broke three-year-old. Both Meredith and Heather showed him up to Fourth Level.
Then things started going wrong. Lincoln got hurt and was two years out of the show circuit. Meredith underwent double hip surgery, and finally, “She decided rehabbing him she didn’t want to ride and compete him anymore,” said Heather, who bought him in 2016 for a dollar. When he got over his suspensory problems, she started him at Prix St. Georges/Intermediate I.
“He’s a tricky horse; he had a wicked spook spin,” Heather pointed out.
“He’d get really hot and started cranking his legs up and down. That actually was useful for the passage work, once he learned to slow it down.”
So there were some issues, but as Heather pointed out, “He does love to show. At home, he likes to be rubbed and scratched and he’s very pushy about it. He goes out every night, unless it’s absolutely awful weather.’
Where does the next horse of Lincoln’s capability come from for Heather?
Heather is amused to see Manuskript feeling his oats on a chilly day. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Heather, who won the 2024 Adequan/USDF professional Vintage Cup titles (for riders 50 and older) at both Prix St. Georges and Fourth Level, pursues many avenues with the goal of replenishing her string.
Heather and Rock It P. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
She has bred her own horses, bought babies and even purchased foals in utero. Starting them from the ground up, she often has someone with her for that; Arielle Aharoni helped last year. But Rock It P, the 2024 Adequan/USDF Materiale Horse of the Year (colt/gelding), was one she handled alone “because he’s my huge, big boy. I did him from the ground up with nobody helping me,” she explained proudly.
Manuskript SCF was 2024 Adequan/USDF Horse of the Year at both Fourth Level and Prix St. Georges, while also winning the Fourth Level Freestyle and Freestyle Challenge honors.
For 2025, Heather has horses between levels, so the USDF championships where she has excelled so often “won’t be a serious goal this year. We have a lot of four-year-olds going to go out to show this year, so I’ll be babysitting.”
Heather’s team includes her mother, Phyllis, who has always been involved with her business. She doesn’t do the braiding anymore, but she keeps her daughter and company well-fed. Alex Krossen lends a hand when needed, while Wendi Freedman manages the business as Lydia Varga and Moises Vega “keep the place running when I’m out showing,” as Heather puts it.
Asked if there’s anything else in her life that she makes time for, Heather smiled and replied, not unexpectedly, “It’s pretty much horses.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 13, 2025
Do you know how to handle an emergency involving your horse?
You can get some helpful tips at “Emergencies, Pasture and Pain…Oh My!” the Horse Management Seminar hosted by the Rutgers Equine Science Center and Rutgers Cooperative Extension. The seminar is scheduled from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb, 1. It also will be available on line. A virtual series is set for Feb. 11, 18 and 25.
“This year, I have looked back at a few years of previous seminar evaluations and selected a few of the common requested themes,” said Dr. Carey Williams, extension equine specialist and associate director of extension for the Rutgers Equine Science Center.
“We have so many experts in these fields surrounding us, I am very excited to be able to have them share their expertise with you. Our goal for this face-to-face seminar is to bring in the leading experts in each of these topic areas. This includes emergency preparedness, small farm pasture management, evaluating pain, saddle fit and caring for the senior horse,” she explained.
Presenters who are recognized as the leading experts in their field will offer perspectives and personal insight. The morning will start with “Emergency Preparedness: Many Teams…One Mission” by Eric Martin, Middlesex County Office of Emergency Management’s operations and training office. Also in the morning, Laura Kenny, a Penn State cooperative extension educator, will present “Small Farm Pasture Management”.
The last talk before lunch will be on “Evaluating Pain in Horses” from Dr. Kris Hiney, the equine extension specialist from Oklahoma State University.
“Dr. Hiney has some great information from some research she has done on behavior in horses,” stated Carey.
The afternoon will start off with Dr. Hiney’s second talk, “Evaluating Pain in Horses while Riding”, followed by certified saddle fitter Beth Rera, who owns Journeyman Saddle Solutions. Her talk is titled “Basic Saddle Fitting to Reduce Pain in Horses”.
Closing out the day will be a presentation on “Health & Management of U.S. Senior Horses” from Dr. Alisa Herbst of Rutgers University, with her latest research information on the older horse population.
In addition to these presentations, the seminar will feature informational displays, networking opportunities with industry companies and area organizations, ample time for one-on-one discussions with the day’s presenters and door prizes.
The complete program, registration information, and seminar brochure are posted on the Rutgers Equine Science Center website at esc.rutgers.edu, as well as the registration site at: https://go.rutgers.edu/2025HMSLiveReg
For any questions, contact Carey Williams at 848-932-5529, or carey.williams@rutgers.edu.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 24, 2025
Eventer Liz Halliday was honored with the International Equestrian of the Year title by the U.S. Equestrian Federation in Kentucky on Thursday night, while hunter ring star Nick Haness earned national honors.The winners were selected by a vote of the membership.
Liz Halliday.
Liz is in a rehabilitation center for the traumatic brain injury she suffered in August when her horse fell with her on cross-country at the American Eventing Championships. She had been the reserve rider for the U.S. eventing team at the Paris Olympics, but stepped up to compete on the squad when Will Coleman had to drop out. She finished nineteenth overall.
Nick Haness may be based in California, but he is a nationwide phenomenon who was saluted with USEF’s Naitonal Equestrian of the Year trophy.
Nick Haness
The leading hunter rider at Devon two years in a row, Nick kept his winning form throughout 2024 to be a standout in major competitions. They included winning winning the $100,000 USHJA WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular, and the $100,000 WCHR West Coast Hunter Spectacular, as well as earning the leading hunter rider title at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
Haness was one of the riders of McQueen, who was named National Horse of the Year.
Owned by Walkenbach Equestrian, he also was shown successfully in the amateur ranks by Lanie Walkenbach.
The International Horse of the Year title went to Signe Ostby’s Caracole de la Roque, ridden by Ostby’s son, Karl Cook, to the Olympic team silver medal. That duo also won the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix of Rome.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Lendon Gray, an Olympic team member in dressage who these days is better known for her contributions to sport beyond her riding.
An A-rated Pony Clubber while she was growing up in Maine, she was recognized for taking non-traditional mounts to the top of the sport. One of her most famous partners was Seldom Seen, a Connemara/Thoroughbred cross who stood just 14.2 hands but bested his larger competition up through Grand Prix level.
Seeking to foster the development of good all-around horsemanship in the younger generations of equestrians, Gray created the Youth Dressage Festival in 1999. In addition to a traditional dressage test, competitors at the Festival are also tasked with completing a written test on riding theory and stable management and a group equitation test. In line with Gray’s mission, all three sections carry equal weight for the overall results.
The Festival marked the beginning of Dressage4Kids (D4K) which provides dressage athletes, coaches, and officials with opportunities and support as they advance in the sport. D4K has grown over the years to encompass educational programs and professional development for instructors and other adults in the industry in addition to the youth-focused training and mentoring opportunities. Through its scholarship program, D4K provides financial assistance for youth and amateur riders, as well as new professionals to access training, competition, and educational resources.
D4K’s Horse Donation Program matches competitive dressage horse and ponies with dedicated young athletes who have committed to the lifelong care of their horse. Horses and riders are carefully matched, ensuring positive outcomes for both. Horses leased through the program compete across the country at all levels, including at championship events.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 22, 2025
Rebecca Hart and Kat Fuqua were recognized for their sporting achievements by the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation at its Gold Medal Club reception in Florida this month. Kat received the Lionel Gerrand-Hermes Trophy, while Becca was awarded the Whitney Stone Trophy.
Becca rode Floratina, a 17-year-old Hanoverian mare to a clean sweep of gold medals in Paris, marking the rider’s fifth consecutive Paralympic Games. She rode to a personal best score of 83.53 percent in the freestyle test to end the Games with three gold medals.
“I am incredibly honored to be selected for this trophy,” said Becca.
“It is an incredible testament to just how far para dressage has come as a discipline. I have loved helping to bring adaptive sport forward and hope to be able to continue to do so. It’s an honor and a privilege to represent the USET Foundation, USEF (the U.S. Equestrian Federation), and my owners and sponsors on the field of play.
“I’d like to acknowledge my personal support team and the amazing horse owner and sponsor, Rowan O’Riley,” stated Becca.
“We wouldn’t have enjoyed these results without her dedication not only to me, but the entire discipline of para dressage. Team success comes when we plan and work together, and Rowan was an integral part of that.”
Becca Hart with USET Foundation President Kristi Mitchem and Chairman Jim McNerney. (Photo Jump Media)
“When I first started in para, we didn’t have access to the support and programs that we do now,” she explained.
“I love that we have been able to develop this program so much with the help of the USET Foundation. I have watched this discipline grow from a struggling fledgling sport into having the number one-ranked team in the world. The financial and structural support from the USET Foundation and USEF — on top of the huge amount of effort from sponsors, owners, and my fellow teammates — are what made these results possible.
“I want to see more para riders coming into high performance sport,” she said. “Disability is often considered a weakness, but it’s actually a strength. When we embrace our differences and change our perspectives, the entire community becomes stronger.
“My advice to any aspiring Paralympian is to figure out how to make your body work for you and find a solid support team; one that can think outside of the box. You can teach your horse a language that is unique to you and your abilities. Be organized and persistent in working towards your goals.”
The Whitney Stone Cup is given in memory of the late Whitney Stone, who served as president and chairman of the board of the USET, and was instrumental in creation of a civilian team when the Army no longer fielded teams in competitive horse sports after 1948.
Other winners of the award have included show jumper Michael Matz in 1980, dressage rider Debbie McDonald in 2004 and eventer Boyd Martin in 2020.
Previous winners of the Hermes Trophy include Olympic medalists Greg Best and McLain Ward, which prompted Kat to say, “I’m really excited because the riders that have received the award previously have gone on to achieve unbelievable accomplishments as professionals. The fact that I’m on that list alongside those athletes is really special.”
Kat claimed triple Young Rider dressage gold at the FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC) riding Dreamgirl. She is eighth on the FEI Dressage World Youth rankings with Dreamgirl and was named the 2024 U.S. Dressage Federation Young Rider of the Year.
The 17-year-old athlete rode on the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s European Young Rider Dressage Tour. Also a jumper rider, she competed internationally in both her disciplines at the same show, Hagen in Germany.
Kat Fuqua and Dreamgirl at Aachen. (Roya Brinkman Photo)
She trains primarily with her mother, Shereen Fuqua, and U.S. Equestrian Dressage Youth Coach George Williams.
“I started in hunters and came up through the ponies and junior hunters, and the championships in the hunter ring taught me a lot about how to deal with larger competitions. The European Young Rider Dressage Tour, which I went on in 2023 and 2024, was one of the most transformational programs for my career. Competing on a team at NAYC taught me about working well with other riders, even if I didn’t know them,” she said.
“It highlighted the importance of teamwork and prepared me for the pressure of competing on a team. NAYC couldn’t have been a better experience because my goal is to be selected to Nations Cup senior teams. This is the perfect stepping stone.
“I’d like to thank the USET Foundation and USEF for supporting me and my career along the pathway,” added Fuqua. “Also, thank you to my parents and my groom Pepe, who has been with us since I was nine and is Dreamgirl’s best friend.”
“If you’re ever invited to anything, like a pathway program, even if it feels like a lot of work, just do it,” she advised. “It might be an open window to something you don’t see now. You could meet someone who could completely change your career, or you could learn something that will help you transform your riding.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 16, 2025
Just before the Wellington, Fla., Planning, Zoning and Adjustment board was going to vote on the Isla Carroll housing project late Wednesday night, the developer asked for a 30-day postponement to address issues raised at the hearing—and by the Equestrian Preserve Committee as well last week.
The EPC unanimously voted down the project, and it looked like the PZAB was headed in that direction when the request for a delay was made.
“I don’t believe in the concept,” said Michael Drahos, a board member and former councilman, who mentioned “the only comparison I have is Equestrian Club Estates, which failed.”
The 79.171-acre Isla Carroll property, adjacent to the National Polo Center included polo fields. After being purchased by Frank McCourt, a plan to build 40 homes there with Discovery Land Co. needed an equestrian element, a requirement because developers were seeking a Planned Unit Development in the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District. It called for 35 houses on one-third of an acre, rather than two acres, and five properties of 1.5 acres where horses could be kept, with room for a paddock, stalls and a sand ring.
The master plan for Isla Carroll.
The equestrian portion of the club community involves 14 acres for paddocks, an indoor arena, an outdoor ring and a 24-stall stable that would be renovated inside, while keeping the character of the exterior. The presentation to the board stated stalls would be occupied by rescue horses in transition to permanent homes, and retired horses. The activities envisioned at the site included a mish-mash of everything from vaulting to hunter/jumper, dressage, trail riding and Pony Club.
School trips would be hosted at the stable so children could learn about horse care, and for club members, lessons would be available with the idea that beginners could get some instruction before heading for a private stable if they wished to continue in the sport.
Skepticism about whether that concept is realistic was expressed at both hearings. (Click here to read about the first hearing).
Homeowners’ horses could only get a stall on site if there were vacancies among what amounts to school horses. There would be a club for 300 families, with approximately 260 coming from outside the community, raising concern about traffic. Other amenities planned include two swimming pools, a pickleball court, a fitness center and several restaurants.
Several members of the advisory panels and residents who spoke during both meetings were skeptical about the plan, and it was suggested more than once that the equestrian aspect existed only to justify the zoning change in the Equestrian Preserve. When the Village Council last year approved building a golf community in the Equestrian Preserve at the site now being used for dressage shows, a number of people warned that this would pave the way for more development in the preserve. There were those on the council who contended the circumstances of the first project were so unusual that no one would try for more development in the preserve. And then came the Isla Carroll proposal.
“The precedent that this Village is attempting to establish is that these are compelling decisions. We have to be convinced this is an equestrian amenity and that this isn’t just a housing community with an equestrian label on it,” said Drahos.
“It sounds good today, but how are we going to guarantee that this is forever? And I think forever is the standard we should be living by, because you’re asking us to remove EOZD protections forever, and once that’s done, you can’t return it. If it’s left to the homeowners or another company, there are no guarantees. There should be remarkable evidence to insure that what we’re doing is worth the sacrifice.”
Commenting on social media about building in the EOZD, area resident Jill Renick Townsend stated, “It just keeps getting easier with each property removed. If this goes through, all land between Pierson and Lake Worth Road east of Southshore will eventually become developments.”
Over and over, Wellington residents have expressed concern that continuing development will erode the equestrian character of the village, billed as the Winter Equestrian Capital of the world and home of the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Wellington International showgrounds.
When PZAB member Jeffrey Robbert said, “I don’t think the equestrian club plan can succeed,” that was the final straw for the developers, who said they needed more time to work on the concept.
“It’s something we ought to take under advisement and perhaps come back to you with a clear understanding of how this is going to be operated in perpetuity, put those guaranties in place.”
The PZAB is scheduled to hear the matter again on Feb. 19. The Equestrian Preserve Committee and PZAB play only an advisory role in land use decisions. The Village Council is the body that decides whether to approve such projects.
