by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 14, 2024
Britain’s splendid Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is a hard act to follow in the pantheon of the Aachen horse show’s “partner country” collaborators. But the USA is ready to handle the position in Germany this summer, armed with such all-American traditions as cheerleaders, Quarter Horses, cowboys and football players.
Britain’s Household Cavalry mounted regiment lined up as competitors rode into the Aachen arena to say farewell at the 2023 show.
Aachen began the partner country initiative in 2001, when Spain was interested in promoting the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez. Since then, nations including France, Denmark and Sweden have participated as partners in the entertainment that transformed the opening ceremony at the historic competition.
On July 2, it will be the U.S. that takes center stage for what is also a 90-minute TV show at a venue featuring the best in grand prix jumping, vaulting, eventing, dressage and driving competition. The ceremony production is an 800-person extravaganza, with 200 horses. And even after the ceremony, the partner country remains an important presence throughout the entire competition.
So it’s quite a big deal to be the partner country of Aachen. It’s particularly special this year because the Mercedes-Benz show jumping Nations Cup will be July 4, and a celebration highlighting that American holiday is going to be part of the proceedings.
“We want to portray the U.S. in Aachen, not just the equestrian side,” said Will Connell, the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s former director of sport.
The U.S. military will have a presence as an honor guard, and it seems the vaulters will find an amusing way to interact with the cheerleaders. Although there are cheerleaders in Germany, their standard is less sophisticated than in America, where cheerleading is really professional.
Interestingly, a large western riding community exists in Germany. That means horses don’t have to be shipped in from the U.S., which would be cost-prohibitive. But professional specialist cowboys will be coming from the US. You can also expect western scenery, Beach Boys music (and maybe surfing!) to have a presence. But cattle won’t be a part of it, because their sharp hooves would cut up the arena turf, a special surface Aachen guards with great care.
Cheerleaders, cowboys and the American flag will star as the U.S. becomes Aachen’s partner country this summer.
“Having been a Chef de Mission for many years at the Aachen CHIO and at the 2006 World Equestrian Games (held there) it is an event that touches not just the athletes, but all involved with the teams and supporting the horses and athletes,” said Will, whose role is to assist Aachen in organizing the partner contribution. In that regard, he helps facilitate communication with the USEF and its involvement.
“Aachen chases perfection day-in and day-out and that, combined with the feeling that you are at the very heart of equestrian tradition and elite equestrian sport, creates a sensation of nervous excitement and tension that drives all to perform to their very best.”
Birgit Rosenberg, head of sport at CHIO Aachen, also is responsible for the show program, which covers a lot of ground, from culture to music and decorations in addition to the performances.
“We have to become creative,” she said.
She noted that 2024 is the opportune time to team up with the U.S., because it marks more than 340 years of cooperation between North Rhine-Westphalia and the U.S, since immigration began from that German state.
Birgit reported that the office of the state’s prime minister contacted Aachen and said, “Listen, wouldn’t this be a super opportunity to have the USA as partner country?” The Aachen people knew Will from his work there over the years, so it was natural to have him involved.
Outside support for the partner country effort is important, since USEF resources for the project are limited due to the amount of money needed for sending teams to the Olympics in Paris this summer. Individuals or companies that want to get involved with supporting the partner country enterprise can contact Layson Griffin, the USEF’s managing director sponsorship and advertising, at lgriffin@usef.org. or Will Connell at will@hillnbrook.com.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 6, 2024
How important is the first Longines League of Nations competition in the U.S.?
The home team that was just named Wednesday for the competition at the World Equestrian Center in
Ocala includes the top three U.S. riders on the world ranking list—perennial squad members Kent Farrington, McLain Ward and Laura Kraut, Olympic team medalists all. They will be facing contingents from nine other countries, all looking to win a place in the league final in Barcelona this fall.
But the fourth U.S. rider will be a refreshing surprise to some. It’s 54-year-old Aaron Vale, who rode with a different squad at the first League competition in Abu Dhabi last month, when he was sixth individually with Debbie Smith’s Carissimo 25. He’s one of the best riders who doesn’t get the recognition he deserves, but U.S. show jumping coach Robert Ridland has long been aware of Aaron’s talent.
Aaron Vale, who thinks like a horse. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“Abu Dhabi cemented his position. He was great down there,” said the coach.
“It’s a wonderful horse and he’s one heck of a horseman,” Robert told me.
“His teammates have so much respect for him, too. He’s a great rider. He’s been a big fish in a little pond for his whole career. It’s just great to see him in the big pond, because he deserves to be there.”
Last September, Aaron took over Carissimo, an 11-year-old Holsteiner previously ridden by Mavis Spencer, who appeared on the chestnut in the 2023 Nations Cup in Wellington. Aaron began working with Olympic medalist Chris Kappler at that time. Aaron said he “was feeling like Carissimo was the horse of a lifetime,” Chris reported, “and he wanted some help developing the horse.”
In December, Aaron won a 4-star grand prix in Wellington with Carissimo. The pairing went on to take a grand prix qualifier March 8.
Aaron and Chris began working with an eye toward the 2026 world championships at Aachen. Chris went to Abu Dhabi with Aaron during the League of Nations. He recalled he had been there on “a busman’s holiday” for the Global Champions Tour 11 years ago.
“I never realized I’d be back there, and there I was,” Chris chuckled.
“It’s been fun working with Aaron. He’s a great rider, it’s not like he needs help with the riding. We’ve just been developing a plan together and taking our days step by step. We sort of went into this thinking, `How can we use this year and next year to be ready for WEG (the world championships at Aachen in 2026)?’ That was our original mindset.”
But the Paris Olympics are this year.
“There are a lot of good horse/rider combinations and we’re just sort of new with this horse stepping in. It’s a big order going to the Olympic Games with a new horse/rider combination,” Chris observed.
“I always like to think of long-term plans and work your way through these steps of developing yourselves, your team and trying to get the results and show your consistency and that you really are wanting to be an international team rider. That’s what we’ve been trying to do,” Chris pointed out.
Abu Dhabi “was a big development week for us. That helped us a lot. Right now, we’re trying to focus on our performance and continuing to develop the partnership between Aaron and the horse and the surrounding support team.”
Chris added, “I have a ton of respect for Aaron and I thought it would be a fun team to join in with.”
A native of Texas, Aaron. operates his aptly named Thinkslikeahorse business out of Williston, Fla.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 12, 2024
Wondering when—and if—you should worm your horse?
Dr. Elisha Frye of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, has the answers. The assistant professor of practice in the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences will be on Zoom to discuss equine gastrointestinal parasites, including an overview of available dewormers and deworming strategies on March 19 from 6-7 p.m.
The talk is free, but registration is required at https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/5317092269879/WN_b0aaP75VSgCSMsdz3mdLYg
In her talk the professor will review the lifecycle of common equine gastrointestinal parasites, discuss utilizing fecal flotation as a diagnostic tool for managing parasites in horses and provide an overview of available dewormers. In addition, she will describe dewormer resistance and the fecal egg reduction test and discuss deworming strategies for different horse populations.
The professor graduated from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010 and then practiced mixed animal medicine and surgery in the Finger Lakes region for eight years. She joined Veterinary Support Services at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. She passed the board examination for the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine 2021. Her main areas of interest include infectious diseases affecting horses and farm animals, zoonotic diseases and public health.
The Cornell Equine Seminar Series is presented by the Cornell Equine Hospital and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Held monthly, equine experts present on important equine health and management topics.
For additional information about the college, see the College of Veterinary Medicine news website.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 6, 2024
It’s been a long slog to get to a new showgrounds for Wellington, Florida; nine-plus months and approximately 70 hours of hearings (I admit I’ve lost the exact count.)
But on Tuesday night, the Village Council signed off on the project with a unanimous vote (one council member was absent for personal reasons) on the compatibility determination that was the final step in approval of the showgrounds. Compatibility means how a project it will fit in with the surrounding properties, considering such aspects as design, intensity of use and structures.
The new showgrounds will be a venue for dressage (as well as hunters and jumpers) south of Wellington International, home of the Winter Equestrian Festival. The situation has been a contentious one, because its often-mentioned “quid pro quo” involved taking 96-plus acres that is the current site of dressage competition at Equestrian Village, out of the Equestrian Preserve so a high-end golf community can be built there. Developer Wellington Lifestyle Partners would not offer up the land for the showgrounds on Wellington South without approval of that Wellington North development a short distance away.
All the property had been accumulated by Mark Bellissimo through Wellington Equestrian Partners. Bellisimo, seen as a controversial figure by some in Wellington, is a partner in WLP but not the managing partner, as WLP CEO Doug McMahon emphasized on several occasions before the Council.
The “Horses Not Houses” and “Keep Wellington Green” movements protested removing land from the Preserve, and many people cited environmental and traffic concerns, but to no avail. The Preserve is not a reserve; the land involved is privately owned. So it could have been developed to some extent even while remaining in the Preserve, although not to the density planned for the golf community.
Wellington Mayor Ann Gerwig looked both relieved and resigned after the vote, as she acknowledged the outcome of the long and complicated process.
The work and negotiations involved have “refined the end product to the point that, people can disagree and only time will tell, looking at this plan and seeing the showgrounds expanded, at least on paper I think it does set Wellington for the future. It was difficult, it was painful, but I also want to make it clear that it would not have been the path I would have taken, but it’s the path that we had.”
Pam Wildman, a longtime Wellington resident who spoke at the meeting, told the Council earlier in the evening that she has photographic “proof of endangered species being harassed.”
She added, “You’ve been snookered. (Twenty five years from now) people are not going to think, Mayor Gerwig, that you made a good deal.”
Wildman, who said she wanted to live a peaceful life in her hometown, contended “You’re ruining it.”
She added, “I’ve been threatened with bodily harm and lawsuits. Everyone wants to shut me up.”
Officials had been told that new, fancier showgrounds in Ocala and near Sarasota threatened Wellington’s status as “The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World,” because the Wellington International facility had become tired, lacking the space it needed. A number of prominent equestrians and horse owners spoke during the hearings that began in June about the need for an expanded showgrounds if Wellington were to keep its status in the world of horse sports.
{For your convenience in reading this story, here is an acronym glossary: WEP (Wellington Equestrian Partners); GEG (Global Equestrian Group); WEF (Winter Equestrian Festival); WLP (Wellington Lifestyle Partners}
What the rings at the new showgrounds will look like.
The original plan was for WLP to sell land for the showgrounds at Wellington South to Global Equestrian Group, owner of Wellington International. But GEG had financial issues and its owner, investment firm Waterland Private Equity, put the showgrounds on the market. So WLP is building the showgrounds, and dressage will remain at Equestrian Village until it is finished—which could be in two years or five, both dates have been mentioned.
The ground clearing process was evident last year on Pod F, the home of Wellington South.
Meanwhile, entities are bidding for Wellington International. The question is, will the winner also buy the new showgrounds adjacent to that facility? Since WLP has said it doesn’t want to operate the showgrounds once it is finished, someone will have to buy it. Why have two separate showgrounds side by side?
Most of the matters mentioned during the compatibility determination, such as whether stall mats will be provided free of charge (only for the 220 permanent stalls) or the distance between rings (at least 25 feet) already had been discussed. But those still seeking resolution included security concerns by Equestrian Club Estates, which will border the new showgrounds.
Victoria McCullough, who owns Mida Farms, feels egress from her property on Gracida Street will be an issue because of showgrounds traffic. She pointed out she uses a massive 53-foot trailer for transporting her Clydesdale horses, and has 19 employees based on her acreage leaving the property as well. McCullough noted there will be a problem turning left on Gracida, as she always does, due to the volume of cars once the showgrounds is operating. She suggested to the Council, “You could be forcing me to move.”
One condition of approval requires continued monitoring the traffic on Gracida and “queueing time.” A traffic consultant for Wellington said a standard can be evaluated to determine if McCullough’s delay coming out of her facility is excessive, and it could be addressed by having sheriff’s officers help her leave the farm during show times.
John Fumero, the environmental attorney for WLP, answered questions about wetlands work on the showgrounds site. There had been concern by residents over disruption of the wildlife habitat, as Wildman mentioned.
Fumero cited a report from a consulting firm hired by WLP that concluded there were no threatened or endangered species on the property. Acreage choked by invasive plant species did not offer a place for wading birds to nest or eat because their wingspan precludes their entrance into such a tangled area, he said, explaining, “They can’t get in there and land.”
Now that property is being cleared, they can fly in and eat insects and worms turned over by earth moving, he commented.
WLP is required to have a 3.5 acre onsite preserve on Pod F, site of the showgrounds. On Tuesday, the South Florida Water Management District gave permission for WLP to move forward with restoration and enhancement work. When it is finished, “it will once again serve this habitat purpose,” said Fumero.
The situation became complicated because of a court ruling, which as of Feb. 15 reverted the state of Florida’s permission to issue dredge and fill permits under the federal Clean Water Act back to the Environmental Protection Agency, under the auspices of the Army Corps of Engineers. WLP was close to getting a permit from Florida on three acres of wetlands on the north and eastern edges of Peacock Pond.
“So now, we will start from scratch. It’s (the court decision) turned Florida’s development industry on its ear,” commented Fumero. Then he added, “The preserve on the eastern part of Pod F will be a preserve in perpetuity. Nothing, no court case, no change in regulations, will change that.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 7, 2024
You may not have heard of trainer Debbie Haimowitz. She didn’t run a big stable, have high-profile horses or compete on the Florida circuit.
But the Goshen, N.Y., resident, who succumbed to cancer last month at age 67, was a kind and dedicated horsewoman who made a difference in many lives, equine and human.
“It always seemed like a relationship that was great both ways when you dealt with her,” said Olympic show jumping medalist Chris Kappler, who flew up from Florida to say goodbye to Debbie on Feb. 27, the day she died.
“She was a regional trainer and helped anyone and everyone,” said Chris. He met her at Hunterdon Inc. in Pittstown, N.J., where she started taking lessons in the late 1980s with George Morris and Jeff Cook, another trainer there.
“She took our teachings and we knew where it was going. She was always spreading the word down all of her paths, the spirit behind Hunterdon and the care of the horses. She would drive two hours each way with her horse for lessons once or twice a week,” said Chris.
Debbie Haimowitz competed in addition to teaching. (Photo by Jonna Gaston)
“It truly mattered to her that it was done right, especially for the horse,” commented Jeff.
“She was always looking to learn and do the best thing she could for the sport. She was so friendly and nice.”
Jonna Gaston, the owner of Green Valley Tack in Pine Island, N.Y., and Debbie’s friend of 35 years, called her “an extraordinary person whose determination to teach us surpassed even our own expectations, a human who wouldn’t let the student quit until they felt or understood even a mere second, a moment, of a concept. Deb’s perseverance both on and off a horse was exceptional in a patient, kind and feeling manner, she continued to coax you to another level you didn’t know was possible.”
For 17 years, Debbie rented stalls at trainer Eamonn Hughes’ Drumnacross stable in New York State. He called her, “the nicest person you would ever, ever talk to.”
Eamonn noted, “She had an unbelievable eye for a horse. She had an amazing patience with all the timid students. An hour lesson would go on for two hours.”
His son, Michael, was a top competitor even as a teenager (he now rides for Stephex Stables in Belgium). But when Michael had a bad day at a horse show, his father would advise, “ `Go back to Debbie and have a little flat lesson and jump some small jumps.’ She had that calming effect she was fabulous at just bringing everything back down and relaxing everybody,” Eamonn said.
Debbie graduated in 1979 from the State University of New York at Buffalo with a degree in psychology, and it served her well not only with humans, but also equines and canines.
Debbie always took time with her students. (Photo by Leslie Young)
Trainer Nancy (Jonesie) Jones would have Debbie come to New Jersey and school a horse belonging to Vicky Sroka, one of her boarders.
“Debbie was a knowledgeable trainer and would explain while she was riding your horse what she was feeling and corrections that she was making in the hopes that you would feel and implement the corrections,” Vicky remembered.
For eight years, Debbie worked for Purina Animal Health and had just won its top salesperson award. Christine Siracusa, who had gotten her the job at the company, believed Debbie didn’t realize how many people she had touched in her life.
“There was never a kinder, more positive person in the show ring who was always willing to help. The magnitude of who she is and what she meant to so many people is overwhelming.”“
Debbie’s expertise as a trainer was only one characteristic that made her valuable to her students.
As Jonna noted, “What truly will be missed is her connection with every soul she came in contact with — the way she always looked you in the eye, let you know you were heard and seen at any time. You felt she had all the time in the world for you whenever it was needed.
Debbie with her horse Wendel van Het. (Photo by Jonna Gaston)
“She sacrificed her time for everyone else first and then would tackle her own long list of chores later. She was a horsewoman we all strive to be and demonstrated the definition of friendship and love to all of us. Deb would want us to continue her legacy by being better humans, riding like you mean it and showing everyone you come in contact with respect, kindness and love.”
There were dozens of tributes to Debbie on Facebook, but one that struck me came from Martyna Maczuga: “I still think about the time I was about to show and was really nervous. You gave me a pink cloth to wipe my boots with beforehand. It made me happy because you said you knew it was my favorite color, and you told me it was the small things that help us. That still has stuck with me, almost seven years later.”
A celebration of Debbie’s life will be held May 13 from 1-8 p.m. at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, N.J. There will be speakers at 4 p.m. Those who wish to attend should RSVP Jonna at jonnagaston@gmail.com.
Debbie is survived by her sister, Gail Schlenger, and her brother, Steven Haines, nieces Alison White, Lauren Schlenger and Alexandra Haines, as well as her stepmother, Susan Haimowitz, and stepbrothers Ron and Ken Gerber and their families. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the USET Foundation
.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 10, 2024
So who won the biggest money show jumping grands prix this weekend?
“Who?” is the operative question.
Odds are the average show jumping fan never heard of Brazil’s Luciana Lossio, number 510 on the Longines ranking list. But she defeated a host of much better-known riders Saturday night in the $385,000 FEI 5-star Bainbridge Companies grand prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.
Ditto William Greve of the Netherlands, number 30 in the rankings but tops in the current leg of the Rolex Grand Slam across the Atlantic on Sunday.
Luciana, who works as an attorney when she’s not riding, enjoys a better niche when paired with her horse, Lady Louise Jmen, number 114 on the rankings.
The amateur riding in her first 5-star topped a five-horse jump-off over an Alan Wade-designed course in 39.15 seconds, ahead of Nayel Nasser, who rides for Egypt on Igor van deWhittemore (39.57.) The top-placed U.S. rider was Karl Cook, third on Kalinka Van’t Zorgvliet (39.9).
Luciana Losio and Lady Louise Jmen on their way to victory in Wellington. (Photo by Sportfot)
Luciana, who is qualified for the Paris Olympics, exclaimed, “This is unbelievable for me; I’ve been with this mare for six years and in the beginning I just wanted to jump 1.20m, but we became so much more.”
“We went higher and higher, and today I’m here in my first 5-star and winning alongside these riders that I just enjoy watching.”
Of her horse, a 14-year-old mare foaled in Brazil, Luciana said, “She’s so confident; she doesn’t change from day to night or from the grass to the sand; she’s perfect.”
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, William and Highway TN NOP he finished an amazing 0.04 seconds — just a heartbeat — ahead of world number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden and the fabulous King Edward in the seven-horse jump-off at the Dutch Masters leg of the Rolex Grand Slam.
“I have to pinch myself – it is unbelievable,” said William, who earned the top prize of 330,00 Euros in the 980,000 Euro competition.
“Words cannot describe how I am feeling. I am so thankful for my horse for his courage and his mentality. It means so much to me to win in front of my home crowd – the history here is incredible, and it is an honor to add my name to the list of winners. I have been coming to The Dutch Masters since a was a small child, and so to win here is a dream come true.”
A big bonus comes to a rider who can win two of the Grand Slam’s four legs in a row. That would have been Richard Vogel of Germany, the winner in Geneva last winter. But he did not bring his top horse, United Touch S and instead rode Cepano Baboulet, thinking the smaller ring size ring in S’Hertogenbosch would suit him better. He did not fare well, however, over the course designed by Louis Konickxx and wound up last of the 28 competitors who completed the route. He wound up with 20 penalties.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 5, 2024
The century-old Pebble Beach Equestrian Center in California will close June 30. It was opened by Pebble Beach Resorts developer Samuel F.B. Morse, a cousin of the man who invented the telegraph and Morse code.
“While the Equestrian Center has a storied history, it is no longer economically viable,” Pebble Beach Company spokesman David Stivers said in a press release.
The original stable was constructed for $12,000 as a place to keep property owners’ horses, and grew to national importance. Under the management of horseman Dick Collins from 1946-79, the U.S. eventing team Olympic trials were held at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center.
“The center needs more than $15 million in renovations, and has been operating at a substantial loss for many years. Given the overall downward trends in the equestrian industry and the continuing decrease in business at our center, this is the right decision for the company,” the spokesman stated.
Trails will remain open on the property after the stable closes.
The economy also was blamed for the discontinuance of the British Festival of Eventing at Gatcombe Park.
Rising costs made the event “unviable,” in “the current economic climate.” A huge increase in insurance costs post-pandemic has contributed to the problem as well as for the event that began in 1983 and had been scheduled to return in August.
Started by Princess Anne and her first husband, Mark Phillips, the event hosted many British championships.
Mark, the event chairman, said: “The horse trials at Gatcombe and more recently, the Festival of British Eventing, have been a major part of my life for over 40 years when The Princess Royal and I first had the dream.
“The dream became reality, and with it, many special memories of the many riders, horses, volunteers, sponsors and spectators all of whom massively contributed to the history of the horse trials at Gatcombe Park.
“It’s truly a great sadness that the original model, and indeed the sport, has changed so much.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 4, 2024
Francisco “Pancho” Lopez and the Holsteiner gelding Cedric, a regular on the U.S. Nations Cup teams, were inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fam March 3 in Wellington, Fla.
Cedric, the once-in-a-lifetime partner of rider Laura Kraut, made his FEI debut in 2006 and, despite being quirky and only 15.2-hands, the gray gelding bred in Belgium quickly became a powerhouse on the international show jumping circuit. His partnership with Laura spanned 11 years, producing 81 clear and 45 double-clear rounds in competitions offering $100,000 or more. The pair helped the U.S. win a team gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.
It was 1998 when Cedric became a pillar of the U.S. team. He was originally owned in the U.S. by Peter Wetherill and Happy Hill Farm. After Peter passed away in 2010, his brother, Cortie, assumed ownership with Laura before Margaret Duprey of Cherry Knoll Farm became Cedric’s final owner in 2012, keeping him in Laura’s barn.
Laura Kraut and Cedric in Hong Kong at the Beijing Olympics, 2008. (Photo © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer)
Cedric’s successful career also included being on the U.S. team at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games and numerous Nations Cup appearances, including Aachen, Barcelona, Dublin, La Baule, Rome, Rotterdam, St. Gallen and Wellington. He and Laura also won the Grand Prix at four Longines Global Champions Tour (GCT) events, and they were the first horse-and-rider combination to win back-to-back events, claiming top honors in 2010 at Chantilly and then Valkenswaard just two weeks later. Cedric and Laura also won GCT events in Lausanne (2012) and Wiesbaden (2013).
A naturally careful and competitive horse, Cedric was one of the nation’s leading money winners, amassing well over $2 million in prize money. He was formally retired at age 19 during a moving ceremony in Wellington in 2017.
“Cedric became something we never expected he could be,” Laura said in an interview, explaining why he was so special.
“He was so small and so difficult. He had always the most tremendous amount of jump; but he was afraid, and it never really entered my mind that he would become what he did. He was this unbelievable horse that when it was important, he had to know, because he never let me down.
“The few times I failed was never when it was a life-or-death moment,” she pointed out.
“I always used to figure that he thought I was getting too cocky; then he would throw me off. He was quite something. He was such a personable horse. He could have lived in the house.”
Laura and her partner, Nick Skelton, are based on a farm in Pielbergen, Netherlands from mid-April to December, and Cedric is nearby with his buddy, Quick Study (Lauren Hough’s former rider), on another farm.
“If I put him in Pennsylvania at Margaret’s farm, I’d never see him again,” said Laura, who wants to be near him. “He’s like family, Now I’m going to see him a lot because he’s five minutes down the road.”
The other Hall inductee, Pancho, was born in Mexico and joined his father in Los Angeles as a teenager. On one of his first days in the U.S., he walked several racehorses at the Del Mar racetrack where his family worked, and immediately fell in love with horses. He took his first grooming job at age 15 at Blakiston Ranch, not far from Los Angeles. He moved on five years later to work for Grand Prix rider Jimmy Kohn, and then joined George Morris at Hunterdon Inc. in New Jersey, where he worked for six years.
It was at Hunterdon that Pancho met Katie Monahan Prudent, the international champion with whom he is most identified. He became her barn manager and coordinated everything to keep the horses and the business in top shape.
He cared for such horses as The Jones Boy (second-place finisher in the inaugural FEI World Cup™ Final in 1979), Noren (1982 American Grandprix Association Horse of the Year), The Governor (1986 AGA Horse of the Year), Amadia (team Gold medalist in the 1986 FEI World Championships) and Special Envoy (1986 AGA Horse of the Year). Pancho was unable to attend the Hall ceremony at the Wanderer’s Club, so Katie accepted for him.
Starting in 1996, Pancho worked at Willowcreek Ranch in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. He spent many years with Elise Haas, whose family established in his honor the “Francisco ‘Pancho’ Lopez Scholarship” at the University of California’s Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. It was fitting, as he had had started veterinary school when he was young but was not able to complete his education due to family obligations
Pancho had a remarkable “feel” for each horse and somehow knew when something wasn’t right. He was always ready to share his experience with others and passed on his knowledge to a host of grooms and barn managers. He has also shared his more than 50 years’ worth of knowledge with riders and horses as a clinician, joining Katie and other top professionals in educational settings.
Another trophy at the gala went to Rodrigo Pessoa, the Brazilian who is an Olympic and world championships gold medalist, as well as a three-time winner of the FEI World Cup Finals.. He received the Hall’s international award, presented for the second time. The honor was inaugurated last year when it went to Ian Millar, Captain Canada.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 3, 2024
It was a big weekend for dressage achievements on both sides of the Atlantic.
Charlotte Dujardin was a winner in Lier, Belgium with Alive and Kicking (better known as Audrey). The 3-star Grand Prix was only the second such competition for the Westfalian mare by All at Once that Charlotte has worked with since 2018, but she won that with 75.03 percent on Friday. The next day, she earned 75.192 percent in the Special. (Click here for Grand Prix results and on this link for Special results.)
“Our partnership is so special, as I have had her from a young horse and we have been quietly training through the levels together,” the British star stated.
Charlotte Dujardin with Alive & Kicking in Lier. (Digi Photo)
“My aim was to give her confidence in a bigger competition environment, and she really shone in how she handled the occasion. Audrey gives me such joy to ride, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future will bring as there is just so much more to come.”
Charlotte’s countrywoman, Lottie Fry, was second in the Grand Prix with Nespresso by Negro (74.283 percent), but went on to win the freestyle Saturday night with 76.605 percent. (Click here for freestyle results)
In Wellington, Fla., a victory in the Friday night freestyle at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival made Kevin Kohmann the third and final North American to earn a slot at next month’s FEI World Cup Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He will join Ben Ebeling and Anna Marek for the trip to the Middle East.
A native of Germany who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, Kevin and Dünensee earned 75.07 percent. A deluge drenched the last group of riders in the class, but Susan Dutta of the U.S. on Don Design DC (72.8 percent) and Britain’s Ellen McCarthy on Brave Heart (71.855 percent) managed to cope.
“I got a little ahead of the music, but my horse was 100 percent with me,” said Kevin.
“He really helped me out, so thank you Düne.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 2, 2024
Ireland once again showed its strength at the Winter Equestrian Festival, going for gold and never giving ground to take the $150,000 Nations Cup over nine other teams.
It was the fifth win for the Irish in the series that began 23 years ago in Wellington, Fla. They finished two rounds with a total of 10 penalties—their final rider, Cian O’Connor, didn’t even have to go in the second round with Fancy de Kergane because the victory had been clinched by the first three riders, with Shane Sweetnam locking in the victory.
Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam and RR Combella. (Sportfot photo)
Chef d’equipe Michael Blake revealed that in the 100 and something Nations Cups over which he has presided, “I’ve never done this before; I’ve never used four horses that have never jumped a Nations Cup before. Obviously, we have three very experienced riders (Darragh Kenny, Shane and Cian O’Connor).
“David O’Brien, it’s his first Cup ever. He’s 12 years here in Wellington I need to reward him for all the work he’s done here. I thought about it for a bit and said, `I’m going to give him his chance, and hopefully he’ll grab it.’”
And grab it he did; two rounds with no jumping faults and just two time penalties on El Balou Old.
“The horse has a long history and I got him because he was a difficult child and needed a program,” said David.
“It’s a process to keep him focused,” he continued.
“But results-wise, I’m very happy with him. He’s probably the reason I was able to go out on my own and have a business.”
Canada was second on 20 penalties with its A-team of Tiffany Foster, Erynn Ballard, Beth Underhill and Amy Millar under the guidance of Ian Millar, better known as Captain Canada. The U.S. NetJets team finished just four penalties behind to claim bronze with coach Robert Ridland in charge. Great Britain was fourth with 25 penalties in the competition presented by Florida Coast Equipment.
On the podium: Ireland, gold; Canada, silver, USA, bronze.
Robert put together a team that included two Cup veterans on mounts without Cup mileage and two riders still learning the ropes.
He understandably is always seeking to give riders less-experienced in representing the county an opportunity to learn when the challenge is real.
“You can’t duplicate the pressure of Nations Cups without doing it. There’s going to be some rocky starts to it,” he said.
In 2023, Robert noted, there was some rumbling because there were no veterans on the U.S. team that finished fifth in the Wellington Cup. So this year, he decided to split the difference.
It was a remarkably successful effort, considering anchorman McLain Ward was aboard a horse he had been showing for only three weeks. He and Ilex were fault-free in the first round and had a rail at the C element of the triple combination in the second.
“That’s a brand new combination. That’s a horse that’s clearly going in the right direction. I’m super happy with that,” said Robert.
McLain Ward and Ilex.
The other Olympic team gold medalist on the squad, Laura Kraut, was the pathfinder on Bisquetta in that mare’s first Nations Cup. She had one rail in each round.
“That’s a nice horse for the future,” said Robert.
Eighteen-year-old Zayna Rizvi was the youngest rider in the competition, collecting 8 penalties in each round with Exquise du Pachis.
“It was a great experience for her. She’s going to learn from that,” Robert commented.
Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque had a big splash in the water and two other rails in the first round. They were much improved in the second, except for another error at the water.
“Karl likewise is learning from that. We know he can do it. It’s all part of the journey. Those are the riders who will end up being the future,” observed the coach.
The U.S. bronze medal NetJets Nations Cup team of Zayna Rizvi, Laura Kraut, McLain Ward, Karl Cook and Roert Ridland. (Photo by Deven Trethewey/U.S. Equestrian)
Added Robert, “It accomplished the mission. We still were on the podium, that’s always what we aim for. We got beat by two teams with more experience, as simple as that. This was the intention of what we put this team together for. Yes, we accomplished what we intended.”
Israel’s three-member team, riding without benefit of a drop score, was second after the first round on four penalties. That score was logged by Alberto Michan, who is still getting to know his horse. Ashlee Bond and Daniel Bluman each were clear. But in the second round, Alberto ran into trouble and finished with 17 faults. His teammates withdrew, since it appeared the odds were against them and they decided to save their horses.
As always in the Nations Cup, the course designed at Wellington International by Steve Stephens and Nick Granat was the same for both rounds. Its most troublesome fence was a delicate gold plank going away from the ingate, three obstacles from the end of the route. That fell about 20 percent of the time in the first round, and also proved a spoiler in the second, where it toppled at least eight times. Rails in unusual colors, such as baby blue, avocado and tangerine gave the course a very different look.
The first round was held during the afternoon; the second was at night under the lights, which made a big difference, as the jumps take on a unique character under artificial illumination.Often, in other venues, both rounds of Nations Cups are run on the same afternoon. But this is a different concept.
“I love that, because there you take an absolute identical course that looks completely different in the evening round,” said Robert.
He also noted the change in atmosphere from quiet afternoon to buzzy evening makes things electric.
“Add in the night and the excitement and the energy and all of a sudden, you’ve got the fans and standing-room only It’s a completely different test.”
Next up for the U.S. is the new Longines League of Nations Cup format in Ocala later this month. It’s a 5-star, so you can bet you’ll see the top American riders there for that one, which will include more European squads such as the Germans, who were missing in Wellington.
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