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.
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 20, 2024
Less than a month after the last U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Town Hall about social license to operate, the organization held another Zoom session dominated by that subject and horse abuse on Monday night.
It gained an even greater sense of urgency following the provisional suspension in early February of dressage trainer Cesar Parra, who was seen in videos whipping horses and using training practices that drew an outcry across social media. Addressing such issues is a priority for USHJA, whose president, Mary Knowlton, had appointed a blue ribbon commission to look into equine welfare and social license. But the independent panel requested a change of name.
She explained, “In our world, `blue ribbon’ is sort of seen as part of the reason that we’re in the problem we’re in right now, with how we treat our horses and ourselves.”
Now called the Hunter/Jumper Commission on Equine Welfare, it meets every other week in search of solutions. DiAnn Langer is the chairman, and members include “independent thinkers:” trainers, horse show officials and a veterinarian. Anyone who wants to call something to the attention of the panel can do it via an email to USHJA Executive Director Kevin Price at kprice@ushja.org.
At the same time, a stewards’ group also is meeting, and the USHJA’s Horse and Rider Advocates committee is busy with horse welfare.
It’s a multi-pronged approach because the gravity of the situation requires an all-hands-on deck attack. As Mary noted, “This is a pretty big problem, and one that we are going to have to work on together.”
A big concern is that as animal rights groups get more involved, horse sports could face real threats, something with which racing already is contending. As one attendee stated, “If PETA had its way, we wouldn’t even put our leg over a horse.”
Mary explained the U.S. Equestrian Federation has a rule proposal that would enable it to intervene in horse abuse cases at locations beyond showgrounds. It would take effect Dec. 1 if passed at the USEF’s mid-year meeting.
The list of abuse violations is wide-ranging, from jabbing a horse in the mouth to showing or training an exhausted horse and excessive longeing. It calls for any person witnessing abuse to report it to a licensed official if it occurs at a USEF-licensed show, or to the USEF directly if it is happening elsewhere than the showgrounds.
But it’s up to a person who witnesses abuse to report it, and not leave that to someone else.
“We have to be brave enough to say something when we see it. It’s hard to think you might be mocked by your peers,” said Mary, but she added it’s important to remember, “You are the horse’s voice.”
“There’s a pretty serious culture of fear, especially for students who are hoping to move up or become professionals themselves,” an anonymous attendee wrote. But Mary pointed out that “if we start to try to do this, the bigger group becomes the voices who do report.”
There’s no question that action is needed, and needed as soon as possible. It’s not simple to implement, however.
“These are unprecedented times,” said Barbara Filipelli, an “R” judge and stable operator from New York state..
“We’re all going to have to stick together and do what’s best for the horse. There’s not a lot of easy answers. This is uncharted territory.”
Issues include finding a definition of what amounts to abuse in cases where it may not be obvious, facing repercussions for reporting abuse and a shortage of stewards to whom such circumstances can be reported.
“It’s not only about having more stewards,” commented veteran California steward Penny Carpenter.
“It’s about experience and common sense, as well as knowledge of the rules.”
Florida steward Nannet Read recalled that last summer at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, a horse was locked in a trailer with all windows and doors shut. She said she spent two weeks working on the case and sending information to USEF about the horse, who was sweaty and bloody during the incident.
The person who locked the horse in the trailer got a $2,000 fine and was set down for a month. That was the extent of the punishment.
“And this was after them (USEF) telling me it was one of the worst horse abuse cases they had seen,” Nannet said.
“If this is what they are going to do, we as licensed officials don’t want to spend our time. To have this happen was heartbreaking.”
She felt the matter should have gone to a hearing committee, instead of being handled by staff.
Comments during the Town Hall indicated that some horse show officials feel they are not sufficiently protected by the federation.
While the rules enable stewards to ban a horse from showing if it has bloody spur marks, for instance, they need the support of show management and USEF in order to do so, and it may not be forthcoming.
When an abuse issue needs to be sorted out on showgrounds during a competition, “Stewards are, in effect, going to be acting as police officer, judge and jury,” believes equine welfare commission member Susan Goolsbee, adding “that’s a big ask.”
One anonymous attendee said, “I have zero desire to ever become a steward because of the risk.”
Faith McKay-Alicea of Maryland said, “As a steward, I have an attorney on retainer all the time because of the amount of times people say, `My client has a lot of money and they will fight this and you won’t have a job’.”
Audrey Petschek, a realtor and horse show judge, suggested adding a line to entry forms, so competitors sign away the right to sue officials and USEF in connection with animal abuse and rule violations.
California trainer Kristin Hardin thinks that if officials thought they were protected by USEF “and didn’t feel like they could be personally litigated against, maybe they’d be more willing to stand up and want the job.”
There was a suggestion that having USHJA require that all trainers be licensed to insure they are properly educated could go a long way to solving the abuse problem.
Mary said there are legal reasons why USHJA can’t do that, however.
She hopes that USEF will eventually make a coaching program that she took mandatory.
“Educating people is huge,” said Mary, “but that means in the case of the riders, the parents have to bring them in and stick around and pay attention.” And it was pointed out that many trainers don’t even know the rules.
Other thoughts that surfaced at the town hall included the need for a night watch steward at multi-day shows, starting the night before the show begins. The person making the comment said “the majority of horse abuse occurs after dark and before sunrise and no one is there to police the overnight lodging.”
In cases of serious abuse, if immediate attention is needed, one attendee suggested calling the sheriff’s department.
Mary pointed out that if any horse is going to be taken away from an abusive situation, it’s not going to be done by the USEF; it would be handled by law enforcement.
The Town Halls offer an opportunity to air things that need to be discussed—and eventually acted on. But only 105 of USHJA’s 44,000 members showed up for this one. The discussions will continue into the fall, with the next one March 25 at 7 p.m.. Perhaps more concerned people will tune in.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 28, 2024
Knowing that its members are concerned about allegations of horse abuse against dressage trainer Cesar Parra, the U.S. Equestrian Federation Wednesday wrote to members to “reassure” them that the federation “continues to work alongside the FEI in gathering reports and information.”
Parra, a native of Colombia who represented that nation in the Olympics, became an American citizen and rode on the U.S. team in the Pan American Games. Following the release online earlier this year of videos showing him whipping horses and engaging in other questionable practices, the Florida-based trainer was provisionally suspended from national and FEI competitions.
“We understand the desire for frequent updates and a swift resolution; however, we cannot provide further details to protect the integrity of the due diligence process,” the USEF statement read.
USEF reminded its members and others that “We must hold ourselves accountable when we see actions that violate the integrity of our sport and endanger the welfare and safety of our equine partners. If you have witnessed horse-related abuse, please contact USEF by texting 2USEF (28733) or by emailing generalcounseloffice@usef.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 22, 2024
Noting that the eventing format for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games soon will be announced by the FEI, Olympic multi-medalist Philip Dutton stated on social media that he believes “there is a general consensus worldwide in the eventing community that it is important to modify the format if the International Olympic Committee recommends changes, so that our sport can stay a part of the Olympics.”
The biggest change under consideration is ending the team event with cross-country, similar to the way the Aachen, Germany show does with its three-day event.
Philip Dutton at the Kentucky 5-star event. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Although Philip thinks the 2028 Olympic eventing competition “will most likely be a watered-down event, it will still keep the sport part of the general sports viewers’ eyes and will help attract sponsorship and excitement and therefore create a more sustainable sport.”
When Philip made his Olympic debut, the sport was using the long format, with roads and track and steeplechase. There has been an evolution, but the Olympic format today is at a lower level than the 5-star competitions such as Kentucky and Badminton.
Philip contends that as in other sports, such as tennis, “the gold medal winner at the Olympics is probably not remembered as well as the Wimbledon champion.”
In his view, “For eventing, the 5-star three-day events are the ultimate test of training, endurance, talent and horsemanship. It is imperative that the FEI recognizes this and puts out a statement committing to support the 5-star events and that changing the Olympic format does not mean that the (entire) sport will go the way of the Olympic format.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 28, 2024
In the quietest – and shortest– meeting since consideration of the controversial Wellington North and South projects began last year, the Florida village’s Planning, Zoning and Adjustment Board unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday night approving the compatibility of a new showgrounds with other uses in the Planned Unit Development where it will be located.
Several adjustments were suggested (PZAB is only an advisory board) to the compatibility determination passed earlier this month by the Equestrian Preserve Committee, also an advisory group. Several of the items requested by the EPC were determined to be more along the lines of an operational nature than a compatibility determination.
The Village Council, which makes the final decision, is scheduled to review everything at its next meeting March 5.
The showgrounds is being built by developer NEXUS and Wellington Lifestyle Partners, owner of the property south of the Wellington International showgrounds that is for sale by owner Global Equestrian Group.
Michael Stone, president of Wellington International, said there was no need at this time for an additional 220 permanent stalls at the new site. The EPC had voted to have the original allocation of 220 permanent stalls doubled. The remainder of the planned 1,108 stalls will be in tents.
Stone explained that 60 percent of the dressage competitors are there for national classes, and 80 to 90 percent of them haul their horses in to compete and take them home hours later, so they would not use stalls. They are charged a $45 haul-in fee.
Diagram of haul-in area at new showgrounds.
He mentioned that if there is a need for more permanent stalls, they can always be added. It was also noted that stalls at the current dressage show site, Equestrian Village, are 10 by 12, while all the stalls at the new showgrounds will be 12 by 12.
Stone doesn’t feel the showgrounds should be required to provide stall mats as EPC requested, explaining that is not a customary practice at shows around the world. He suggested that if people want stall mats, they can either bring them, rent them or buy them.
Although EPC wanted hospitality facilities to be built along the lines of the Media Center at Wellington International, WLP Vice President Paige Bellissimo Nunez said it should be done without the glass that is in the media center, because it could cause viewing issues.
Paige Bellissimo Nunez and Michael Stone.
Nunez also asked for some “wiggle room” on the original EPC request for having rings separated by 30 feet, instead citing a 25-foot minimum.
The most interesting items that came up at the meeting, which lasted less than 90 minutes, were answers to two questions posed by Dr. Kristy Lund, a member of the Equestrian Preserve Committee.
She wondered why Mark Bellissimo was listed as a manager of Wellington Lifestyle Partners II when Doug McMahon, the WLP CEO, had insisted in a statement at a Feb. 7 Council meeting that Bellisimo would have no role in management.
A number of speakers at the various meetings about the showgrounds and development on the Equestrian Preserve had expressed animosity toward Bellissimo, citing promises that had not been kept on various projects.
McMahon replied that attorneys had “erroneously” included Bellissimo’s name on WLP II, which was formed for a “future transaction.” He did not specify what that might be.
Lund also was concerned about fill being moved on a five-acre “equestrian amenity” site adjacent to the acreage designated for the new showgrounds, which will be the home not only of dressage, but also include jumpers as well, and have a grass field.
She cited environmental issues about a pond being “drained and filled in a potential wetland area,” noting there is a federally endangered species of bird there.”
WLP attorney John Fumero said all the activity on the site had been seen by the South Florida Water Management District and the Army Corps of Engineers as recently as last month, and there is no unpermitted activity.
“We’re being looked at very carefully by every agency you can think of to make sure. It’s very stringent,” he commented.
The lawyer added that although there will be some permit modifications after final approval of the project by the Village Council, the “wetland preserve area will stay in its natural state in perpetuity.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 28, 2024
“Gladstone.” It’s a name synonymous with excellence in the horse world, the former U.S. Equestrian Team training center at Hamilton Farm in New Jersey, now the home of the USET Foundation.
For decades, Gladstone was known around the world as the base for the U.S. show jumpers who represent the country in international competition. Eventing team members were there for a number of years as well, and it became the venue for training sessions in a variety of disciplines.
As a competition site, many of its glory days in the ‘80s and ‘90s centered around the annual Gladstone Combined Driving Event, fueled by the enthusiasm of USET President Finn Caspersen. His horses were regulars in the four-in-hand competition that usually included drivers from overseas, imported by Finn.
Combined driving involves dressage, a marathon where horses are timed as they weave in and out of obstacles (driving’s version of eventing’s cross-country phase) and concludes with the cones test. In that segment, the carriages travel around a winding layout involving pairs of road cones, trying to avoid knocking off the balls resting atop them.
The excitement of driving at the picturesque Gladstone venue culminated in the October 1993 World Pairs Championship, which drew competitors from a record 23 countries. It was the largest such competition ever held outside Europe, with 15,000 spectators watching the marathon segment.
Many of those who helped organize that competition came from the Northeast’s driving community. However, as drivers retired, died, or moved south, their ranks in the region grew thin. In recent years, driving competition continued to some extent at Gladstone, but it was low-key.
That is about to change. An invigorated Gladstone Equestrian Association Driving Committee will be putting on several competitions this year in the Pine Meadow section of Hamilton Farm. That includes a Combined Driving Trial June 29-30, as well as a Combined Test that weekend for those who don’t want to do the marathon and will stick with just dressage and cones.
Driving events have been a fixture at Gladstone for decades. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
“The place is like hallowed ground,” said John Layton, president of GEA Driving.
“The place is unbelievable, the history. It’s small compared to what it used to be, but we have the opportunity to make it great again.”
Jimmy Fairclough, who started driving at Gladstone in the 1970s, is glad the GEA group is ramping things up.
“If there is anything I can do, I’m all in for it,” Jimmy emphasized.
Jimmy Fairclough, right, with teammates Chester Weber and Misdee Wrigley Miller on the podium after winning the gold medal at the 2018 world championships. (Photo © 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
A member of the U.S. 2018 world championships gold medal four-in-hand team, he was also part of the pairs team that won gold in the 1991 world championships. The victory gave the U.S. the right to host the 1993 championships at Gladstone.
That was during a time when Gladstone “was the heart of the sport in North America,” as Jimmy put it, with training sessions, a spring event and the Gladstone Driving Event.
Now it’s a different story.
Jimmy, who lives in Sussex County 45 minutes from Gladstone, drove his young horses there last year. He notes that competing on the winter circuit is so costly that by the time it’s finished, so are the bankrolls of many people who might otherwise enter more competitions in the north.
As a result, he pointed out, in the Northeast, “We’re struggling for shows in the summer.”
At the same time, however, the sport has changed and is more flexible than it used to be. No longer is it necessary to have a roads and tracks segment, for instance, a change which enables saving on space and labor.
“There are so many possibilities,” Jimmy suggested.
John Layton has taken advantage of that situation.
“People need an entry-level to come into combined driving without spending thousands of dollars to see if they like it or not,” he pointed out.
The resident of Juliustown in Springfield Township, part of New Jersey’s Burlington County, came up with the concept of driving derbies, one of which is set for April 7 at the Horse Park, an hour south of Gladstone, while another will be held at Gladstone Sept. 14 as part of a six-event series throughout the region.
“It’s a whole new format, an introduction to combined driving,” said John, a Horse Park board member. He noted many people intrigued by combined driving are intimidated about diving right in because a full marathon can be quite a challenge, and it’s expensive to get all the equipment needed.
In the derby, competitors try their hand at two marathon obstacles, while negotiating a series of cones before tackling the obstacles, in between them and at the end of the run.
“It really took off. It gives everybody a taste of combined driving in a one-day format,” said John, who works as a union carpenter.
That’s one answer to the big question of how to attract new drivers to the sport, enabling it to grow. Another might be a Standardbred division that debuted as an exhibition division at the Horse Park in 2022.
“In our area, harness racing is huge,” explained John, a competitive driver himself whose Eris K. was the number one-ranked Cleveland Bay driving horse in the U.S. last year.
“We have a bunch of people between 25 and 40, a lot of young women who want to do something with these horses that came off the track.”
He got permission from the U.S. Equestrian Federation for them to compete using a jog cart and quick hitch harness. Some of the obstacles were wider than regulation to allow for the size of the carts. Of the eight drivers who competed in the division, five moved up to regular combined driving classes after getting a taste of the sport.
Another way of adding to the driver ranks is by bringing in young people.
In 2023, the Garden State Driving Event at the Horse Park had a youth division for the first time, contested by eight exhibitors.
“Out of that came the USEF providing a driver development clinic at Gladstone for the youth that were at Garden State,” said John, who also is president of the DelMarva Driving Club and put on 12 driving events in 2023. The number he’s staging this year is 15.
The June Gladstone event will have a youth division, which John feels is a “huge” development as part of the event for the first time. But for permission to hold the division, the committee needed to be creative, because American Driving Society rules say young people need a navigator on the marathon. That was a problem for those who have VSEs (Very Small Equines), otherwise known as mini horses pulling their carriages, since they can’t haul too much weight. So permission was given to follow the VSEs with a navigator in a golf cart.
The driving committee is bringing life back to Pine Meadow, which has long been mostly idle.
“We want to have Pine Meadow used,” said Maureen Pethick, the USET Foundation’s communications and facilities coordinator. She assists with matters relating to the property, but doesn’t have a vote on the committee, which which also includes Christine Siracusa, a former member of the Garden State Driving Committee; competitive driver Amie Bauman, John and Diane Unger and longtime supporter Gayle Altenburg-Stinson. EllenMarie Ettenger is the competition organizer; her husband, Bruce Ettenger, is the course designer.
How cool are the pinneys with the name of the event displayed over the competitor number. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Upkeep of the large Pine Meadow tract, which has many trees, is an issue. While the Foundation keeps Pine Meadow mowed it has other priorities as well, so more work needs to be done by volunteers.
The GEA members have been busy cleaning up marathon obstacles as stumps are pulled, while ruts are being smoothed out on footing and trails to make the optimum surface for carriages.
Maureen noted that horses coming to the driving event will be able to use the Foundation’s historic stables. That means the tents previously rented for stabling are no longer necessary, which saves everyone money.
“I think it’s going to be a huge help,” said Maureen.
Christine agreed, commenting, with that benefit, “Whatever we can bring in with sponsorship, donations and entries, we can continue to put back into the grounds.” In two or three years, she said, that could lead to staging a full combined driving event over three days.
“I’m hoping that with some of the things we’re doing this year, people are going to come and love what we’re doing and going to want to come back,” said Christine, a Clinton Township resident whose 14-year-old daughter, Kate, competes in driving with a Welsh cob.
“I’m excited that some new young blood is coming into the sport,” said Christine, who works for a pharmaceutical company.
Support from others in the community is key for the event. She noted, for instance, that veterinarian Christina Wilson and former driving competitor Sharon Chesson (a member of the 1991 gold medal pairs team) will be housing officials, Purina Equine Nutrition is sponsoring the competition’s briefing dinner and Bruce Apgar, who has competed in driving, is helping with refurbishing Pine Meadow using his excavating equipment.
This year, in addition to the competitions, drivers can also take advantage of training days at Gladstone May18, Aug. 24 and Oct. 19, which gives them an opportunity to experience the facility.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 25, 2024
The world’s number one show jumper, Henrik von Eckerman of Sweden on the spectacular King Edward had to bow to an unsung Dutch rider, Lars Kersten, in the FEI World Cup qualifier at the Gothenburg, Sweden horse show Sunday.
Lars, whose previous best finish in a Cup qualifier was a fourth place in Oslo, Norway, two years ago, was incredulous that he and Hallilea, bred at his family’s farm, topped the class that also included Swedish gold medalist Peder Fredricson on Catch Me Not.
Lars Kersten and Hallilea. (Photo by Roland Thunholm)
“It’s a completely surreal feeling to be sitting here today, I still can’t believe that I’m standing here, in front of two legends, said the delighted winner after the class.”
Lars has had a total of nine starts in the World Cup and made it to the jump-off in just three of them.
“My whole family and our team were here, which doesn’t happen very often, so it was a fantastic feeling, said Lars.
“Maybe we didn’t think she would go this far,” he said of his 12-year-old mare.
“Even if she had the jumping ability, there is so much more that comes into play. They have to have the right attitude too – but she clearly has.”
His time in the seven-horse jump-off was 35.44 seconds a fraction ahead of Henrik, clocked in 35.72. Peder’s mark was 35.99.
Henrik said he has “a bit of mixed feelings, I thought I got a good feeling and he jumped well, maybe too well. It takes some time when you are too high above the obstacles.”
Unusually, he fell off in the warm-up.
“This was a bit atypical; it has never happened before. We were going to jump the last fence and he twists a little and I ended up on the side. I was at the chiropractor this morning and will probably visit her again, but it went well, said Henrik, who is directly qualified for the World Cup final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, because he won the final in Omaha last year.
Peder’s mount was his ridein the European Championships,, where he took individual silver in 2021. Peder, who previously was ranked best in the world for many months, has never won a World Cup qualifier.
“It was a bit frustrating today, I didn’t quite get the turn, it was sad not to win, he stated.
