The Essex Horse Trials is adding to its special history

by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 15, 2024

As dusk fell on the evening before the first Essex Horse Trials in 1968, Sally Ike was helping organizer Roger Haller complete work on the final cross-country fence at his family’s Hoopstick Farm in Bedminster, N.J.

At the time, Sally was a candidate for the Olympic eventing team. It was an era when horse trials were scarce and eventing was just beginning to gather its strength in the U.S. Essex filled a need, and everyone pitched in to help make it happen.

While the event started as a one-day, homemade fixture, it wasn’t long before it became a staple of the country’s eventing calendar. Essex attracted the country’s best eventers, from Bruce Davidson to Mike Plumb, and many other famous names. Sally went on to win it aboard the ex-racehorse, Roxboro.

In 1979, Essex moved a few miles away to the U.S. Equestrian Team in Gladstone. There it stayed as a popular fixture through 1998, until part of the property was sold and there wasn’t enough room to stage the cross-country segment.

But in 2017, Essex made a big comeback at Moorland Farm, the home of the Far Hills Race Meeting, a short canter from the USET.

The 2023 Essex Horse Trials Intermediate winner, Hannah Sue Hollberg, with Hachi. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)

The lack of an all-weather arena at Moorland became a sticking point, however. It was solved in 2022 by holding the dressage and show jumping phases at the USET Foundation, then switching over to Moorland the next day for competition over its scenic cross-country course. Cross-country day at Moorland is highlighted by an extremely successful car show, which draws a big crowd.

That’s the format being followed again this year, when Essex runs June 1-2. Sally, who pitched in with the first Essex, is now the event’s president.

When Sally was asked why she took the position after Ralph Jones, the previous co-chairman retired along with his wife Lynn, who also was active with Essex, she replied, “How could you not?

“This is such an important community event and it must continue.”

Sally Ike has a thorough knowledge of eventing, and even has designed stadium jumping courses for the sport. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)

Sally found a place for it with her other activities, which include consulting for the U.S. Equestrian Federation, serving on the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Emerging Athlete Program Committee and chairing the hunt committee for the Essex Fox Hounds.

Holding an event at two venues is not usual, except for the Olympic Games on occasion, “but this is not the Olympic Games,” she pointed out. So people have to get used to it.

While the USET Foundation venue is special—”it doesn’t get any better than that,” said Sally, having a two-day format is an exception for U.S. Eventing’s Area II, where most divisions are completed in one day. But there are fewer eventing opportunities than there used to be in Area II, which means Essex is important. And while some may find it less convenient than completing all three phases in the same venue, there is a definite allure to being at the USET Foundation.

The event offers divisions from Beginner Novice up through Intermediate. In the combined test (dressage and show jumping) at Essex in 2023, Caroline Pamucku won with HSH Blake, then went on to take double silver on the same horse at the Pan American Games in the autumn.

The 2023 Essex Combined Test winner Carolyn Pamucku on HSH Blake went on to medal at the Pan Am Games. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)

After her Essex victory, she said, “There aren’t a lot of places in this country to get this kind of atmosphere at a venue that’s so historic. You ride around here, and you almost pinch yourself, because you know all the greats of eventing culture have been here before you. It’s so cool.”

Joining Sally in putting Essex together are cross-country course designer Morgan Rowsell, former co-chairman; Gwen Packard, who is involved with sponsorship and veterinarian Greg Staller, taking on more responsibility after being a sponsor of the event.

“It’s been remarkable,” said Sally, who has administrative experience from her days at both the USEF and USET, as well as a history with not only Essex, but also the sport of eventing.

“We all bring something very different to the table. That’s what it takes to have a team.”

Greg got involved beyond being a sponsor because “I like eventing, I like the history of eventing. I think the horsemanship at this level is amazing and the horses are great to work on.

“I feel strongly I want to give back to the community. That’s what we do as horse vets. Without competition horses,  there’s nothing really for us to do. We owe that to our clients,” he explained.

“I like the feel of Essex. It functions as a very nice community outing,” which extends to not only the competitors, but also the volunteers, spectators and vendors.

He sees it as having the potential to be a more prominent event regionally, “an Intermediate and Advanced destination where some of the more prominent trainers on the Eastern Seaboard and beyond might want to bring a top horse, or some of their young horses,” added Greg, who has also stayed on as a sponsor. One of the biggest contributions of his practice, Running S Equine Veterinary Services, involves providing the rider/groom/owner tent, a place to lounge complete with refreshments.

Gwen freely admits she isn’t a horse person (although she did ride a bit while growing up), but Essex appealed to her from the moment she learned about it. She worked for the AIG Private Client Group when they were an Essex sponsor and joined the organizing committee. After she left AIG, she stayed on at Essex. She has a subcommittee that has worked with Essex in the past, reaching out to former sponsors and new prospects.

“Because it is such a community event, we want to see all different kinds of companies and business in our community involved in this,” she said.

Essex benefits the Life Camp in Pottersville, which provides an enriching summer day camp experience for 300 youths daily for six weeks during July and August. Campers between the ages of 6 and 13 come from the greater Newark public school system, as well as from Newark Charter School Programs. A group of the children attend the horse trials and have a ball with a picnic by the water jump.

An Essex sponsorship has value, according to Gwen.

“For a lot of companies, the equine community, the local community, the volunteers—it’s a phenomenal demographic for a business to get involved in and get their name out there. People want to do business with companies they perceive as being involved in philanthropic and community events.”

Meanwhile, Gwen has become a fan of eventing. She notes at this point, she can even explain eventing to someone who doesn’t know what it is. Her 17-year-old son, Sebastian Eid, has volunteered for several years, with a skill set that runs from helping put together cross-country jumps to parking cars.

Asked what he sees in the future for Essex, Morgan cited, “Building more on what we’ve done. It’s getting better and refining what we’re already doing.”

Morgan Rowsell never stops working on the Essex cross-country course. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer

He noted that those who volunteer can sign up on the website, www.essexhorsetrials.org, and choose what job they want to do for the event.

At some point, Morgan would like to have a Modified (section) come into play, “because it’s a popular division and gives another reason for other riders to come.”

He added the event’s late spring dates should be optimum in terms of weather, and the footing issues were solved with the move to the USET Foundation.

“We’ve got to keep getting the word out,” he said, “and keep doing what we’re doing, and do it better every year.”

U.S. and Aachen set for a new partnership

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.

New Wellington showgrounds gets final nod from Council

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.”