by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 3, 2024
John Nicholson, the former executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park, next month will succeed Michael Blowen as president and CEO of Old Friends, the thoroughbred racehorse retirement operation.
John ran the Horse Park in Lexington from 1997 to 2014. It hosted the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, the first WEG to be held outside of Europe. He went on to become CEO of the Virginia Horse Center from 2015-2021.
Old Friends, with its main campus in Georgetown, Ky., near Lexington, began with Michael and his wife, Diane White taking a golf cart around to feed the horses in a low-key operation. On its 20th anniversary, it is now a multi-million dollar corporation on 240 acres with 300 horses.
It also has two satellite campuses; Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division, which opened in 2009 in Greenfield Center, N.Y., and Old Friends at Ashton Grove, a senior retirement community in Georgetown, where senior citizen humans can interact with senior citizen horses.
Michael Blowen and John Nicholson with Old Friends’ resident Red Knight.
“I started looking a couple of years ago for someone to take over as president,” said Michael.
“The most important thing I was looking for was someone that really, really, put the horses first. It’s not like they’d just be saying it, but that they really have to think about the horses first.
“Then maybe about six months ago,” Michael continued, “I ran into John and we started talking, and I said to him, ‘You know, I’m really looking for somebody to take over Old Friends because I’ve really taken it as far as I can take it. It needs a really good CEO that has managed a much bigger facility than we have, and the only way that we can improve is to get more space for more horses, which means more money, more donations, and an executive CEO that knows how to handle big business.’ ”
After 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand was sent to slaughter in Japan, where he had stood at stud, Old Friends, along with help from some others, became the first organization to repatriate Thoroughbreds from Japan to the United States. The first two horses to arrive home were Sunshine Forever and Creator.
Since then, six more Thoroughbreds – Fraise, Ogygian, Wallenda, Silver Charm, War Emblem, and Charismatic – were repatriated to the United States from Japan thanks to the efforts of Michael and Old Friends.
Old Friends has also repatriated a horse from Italy, Geri, and in 2022, he opened the door to returning horses from South Korea with the arrival of Any Given Saturday.
John noted, “I have always had a deeply felt respect and appreciation for Michael’s vision and tenacity. What he has accomplished is beyond remarkable. I have treasured our friendship over the years, especially having had a great collaborative relationship between Old Friends and the Kentucky Horse Park. He and I have always shared a spirit that the horse has given far more to us than we could ever give in return.
“Old Friends is making an important and vital contribution, not only to the racing industry, but most importantly to the lives of the horses who have given so much to us. I have been fortunate in my career to be a part of some meaningful endeavors, but Old Friends offers all of us who love the horse a unique opportunity to serve the animal who has served us so well.
“It is also very gratifying and reassuring that Michael will remain a part of the daily world of Old Friends as the founder. We are blessed that he is in good health and his passion for the mission of Old Friends is undiminished. I plan to sit at his knee in the weeks and months ahead to listen and learn. I know for certain that working with him and the Old Friends team will be exhilarating and rewarding.
“And, at this stage of my life and career, having had much experience in the equine, tourism, and non-profit worlds, I believe I am in a position to help assure that Old Friends will remain a strong and viable force for all the good things it does for decades and generations to come.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 14, 2024
A U.S. Equestrian Federation clinic for 11 up-and-coming young riders set off a storm of heated comment on social media Saturday, after some who viewed the session criticized comments by clinician Katie Monahan Prudent, while others supported her approach.
A member of the gold medal 1986 World Championships show jumping team, the always-outspoken Prudent was an equitation champion as a junior and won many hunter and jumper championships over the decades. She last competed internationally in 2015.
USEF issued a statement on Sunday saying, “We are aware of concerns regarding the recent clinic and are conducting a review of the matter.”
The federation added, “The safety and well-being of both horse and rider are of the utmost priority to U.S. Equestrian. Effective communication between trainer, horse and athlete is critical to safety and success in equestrian sport. At times, direct words are needed to get this across when coaching; however, under no circumstances does U.S. Equestrian condone training techniques that do not put horse and rider well-being first.”
Katie Monahan Prudent competing on V in 2013. (Photo © 2013 by Nancy Jaffer)
The video of the segment with the controversial remarks was not available on the USEF network in the wake of the furor. The listing bore the message: “The recording unfortunately is not working. We will fix the problem shortly.” An edited version appeared subsequently.
There were those on social media objecting to the way the 69-year-old Prudent addressed some of the students, who were between the ages of 16 and 21, calling it “bullying.” Others were incensed when she mentioned flipping a horse over backwards, suggesting one rider should “crash him into a fence rather than letting him turn” and saying that horses “need a good licking sometimes.” Prudent also criticized “animal rights activists who know nothing about training horses.”
She was critical of the fact that riders didn’t even know how to safely shorten their stirrups when mounted, and suggested to U.S. Show Jumping Developing Chef D’Equipe Anne Kursinski that doing it properly should be the subject of another lesson.
“As a group, you guys lack discipline,” Prudent informed the riders. She told them, “either you don’t listen or you’re just birdbrained.”
The clinic took place in Wellington, Florida, while the USEF’s annual meeting was being held in Kentucky, ironically with an emphasis on “social license to operate” for the sport, so it has public acceptance.
Kaylee Monserrate, who called Prudent’s coaching “incredible for me,” said “her fast corrections for any mistakes I made kept me safe during the 1.45m schooling we were typically doing.”
She did, however, suggest some of Prudent’s comments, “could have been done so a little more tactfully, such as insinuating flipping a horse, etc., which is not okay.”
Kaylee noted, “The most learning here needs to be the industry as a whole, including the trainers in it. How students in a horsemanship clinic such as this one have never saddled a horse or properly changed their stirrup length is incredible and mind-blowing.”
She suggested many of Prudent’s remarks “came from what seems as an area of frustration,” and contended the industry itself is broken.
U.S. eventing world championships individual silver medalist Dorothy Trapp Crowell reacted this way, “I understand I am old school, but I actually agree with everything she’s saying. God forbid any of my lessons or clinics from the past were put out on Facebook now. Pull up your big girl britches and do what she says. She is actually trying to keep these kids safe by giving them the tools they need to ride safely. Which in the end keeps the horses safe.”
Hope Glynn, whose daughter, Avery, was in the clinic, called it “great,” citing the instruction of not only Katie, but also Anne Kursinski and Beezie Madden.
“Katie set a tough gymnastics and if you answered the test, she praised you and if you didn’t, she taught you what to do…I am far more offended by trainers who say, `Yes, good job’ to everything. I encourage you to watch the whole clinic, the positives, the negatives, and spend your time learning instead of attacking someone online.”
Dutch Olympic show jumping individual silver medalist Albert Voorn, on the other hand, was outraged, stating it was unbelievable “that the USA equestrian federation allows this on their showgrounds. The world is totally lost.” (It isn’t U.S. Equestrian’s showgrounds, actually, but licensed shows are held there.)
Eventer Halley Anne commented, “What I learned from this is that if someone tells me to flip my horse over, I will leave the lesson. Hyperbole or not. If that’s the best way an instructor can think of to explain what they want me to do, then that is not the lesson for me or my horse. That being said, I liked her tough teaching style.”
Jeremy Steinberg, former. U.S youth. dressage coach, observed, “If it is in fact the case that `under no circumstances, does US Equestrian condone training techniques that do not put horse and rider well being first,’ you would clearly see that both horse and rider, on many occasions, were being over-faced, horses being incorrectly punished for lack of education as well as riders. If it was in fact the case that those horse and rider combinations were not up for the task, it should’ve been US Equestrian or Katie’s responsibility to then educate as opposed to berate and rough up.”
Meanwhile, Alice Debany Clero, the country’s leading junior jumper rider in 1986, declared that “Katie was the best trainer I ever had. Of course, she didn’t really mean she would flip the horse over. She was just trying to make a point to the riders that the ability of stopping in a straight line is very important.
“Please don’t let her blunt expressions soil her reputation,” added Alice, who coaches the Dubai show jumping team.
And here’s one more viewpoint, from Susan Bright: “When I was in college,” I was in a clinic with a top clinician/judge from Virginia Beach. I was winning equitation classes and felt like I knew quite a bit. During the mounted discussion, he threw his clipboard at me and said, `Riding isn’t about looking pretty, it’s about being a thinking rider.’
“He took off my stirrups and had me ride cross-country jumps until I fell off. (Then) said to get out of the way of the other riders. That lesson blazed a mark in my mind. But it made me a better thinking rider.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 15, 2024
McLain Ward accepted the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s International Equestrian of the Year title and the International Horse of the Year title for stellar jumper HH Azur this weekend during the organization’s annual meeting in Louisville, Ky., while John French took the National Equestrian title and the trophy for Paradigm, the hunter who took National Horse of the Year.
The awards were voted on by USEF membership. Although standouts from a wide range of breeds and disciplines were nominated for the honors, the winners were not surprising, considering not only their accomplishments, but also the fact that hunter/jumper members are the biggest component of the federation.
McLain, who also was International Equestrian of the Year in 2017, rode 11 horses at the international level during 2023.
At the beginning of the season, he won the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva and the Rolex Grand Prix of ‘s-Hertogenbosch at the Dutch Masters with HH Azur, better known as Annie. She is owned by McLain and DoubleH Farm. They were only the second combination ever to win two consecutive legs of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping since its inception in 2013.
McLain Ward and HH Azur. (Photo © 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)
Annie, McLain’s ride for victory in the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup finals, retired after Aachen, but Ward kept going. He helped the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team to a win in the FEI Jumping Nations Cup in San Juan Capistrano aboard Contagious and secured another victory in the Grand Prix aboard Kasper van het Hellehof. He rode Callas to a top result for the team in the Mercedes-Benz Jumping Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen, followed by another strong performance for the pair at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final in Barcelona.
He rode Contagious in the Pan American Games,helping the team secure the USA’s qualification for the Paris Olympics with a team gold, and earned individual bronze as well.
“We are very honored to receive this award because it is chosen by our US Equestrian community. It is a reflection of our team’s hard work, and how that work is having a positive impact,” said Mclain in his acceptance.
“You might ask why I started this speech with the word `we’ instead of `I’. The reality is that [it is] because of the individuals and professionals around me, both past and present, that any of our accomplishments have been possible. The people around me have been some of the most brilliant and knowledgeable minds who have not only been the reason for that success in the sport, but have also, more importantly, made sure our horses have had a wonderful quality of life because of the care they receive.”
He gave special acknowledgement to his associate of more than 35 years, Lee McKeever.
“My first thought was that I was not truly the horseman behind our success,” said McLain.
“My job in this operation has always been to ride, train, and compete, but Lee is the true horseman,” McLain contended.
“I believe that true geniuses don’t often realize they are a genius, and that is true for Lee. He wakes up every morning thinking about the horses, and he spends his days figuring out what they need to be the best in the sport and, much more importantly, in their lives.”
John French added the National Horse and Horseman trophies to a resume that already included a long list of achievements, among them the 2012 WCHR Lifetime Achievement Award and a place in the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame.
In 2023, John won three major events on three different horses, all of whose hunter careers he started himself. He added to his list of career successes by topping a field of 83 competitors to win the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Rolex Stadium with Meredith Lipke’s Paradigm.
John French and Paradigm.
He also won the $100,000 WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular on Kent Farrington LLC’s Milagro and the $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge on Marnell Sport Horses’s Babylon — his third consecutive WCHR Pro Challenge win. He also received the inaugural Jeff Wirthman Memorial Trophy as the Winter Equestrian Festival’s Leading Hunter Trainer by money won in 2023.
“I would like to really thank Kent Farrington,” John told his audience, “because four years ago, I pretty much thought I was going to wind down. I don’t think I would have had the success without the team that I have. I couldn’t do this on my own and I don’t see myself doing it on my own. These last few years with having a team and having someone like Kent; hopefully, now maybe I can go on for several more years. I really hope so.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 10, 2024
The beginning of the winter dressage circuit every year is a time for change, but this season it seems an unusual number of high-level horses are switching owners.
The most recent on that list is Serenade MF (Sir Donnerhall/Duet MF X Don Principe). The mare, known fondly as “Shrimp” for her relatively diminutive size, was bought by Jessica Howington. The 11-year-old Hanoverian was ridden in the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals by Alice Tarjan, who raised her from a foal.
The timing was right, as Jessica just retired her Grand Prix horse, Cavalia, this month. She has ridden Shrimp only 10 times, but sees similarities between her and Cavalia, particularly the fact that both are by Sir Donnerhall.
“I’m really excited for them. I think it’s a great match,” Alice said about Shrimp going to Jessica.
“It will be fun to cheer them on.”
Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Alice has plenty of other horses to keep her busy, including Jane, who had nine victories in a row in a variety of Intermediate competitions between October 2022 and October 2023. She will be looking to give Jane more ring time this season.
So what are Jessica’s plans with her new horse, bred in North Carolina by Maryanna Haymon?
“I have no idea,” admitted Jessica, who is based in Ocala but is spending the winter at Rowan O’Riley’s farm in White Fences, near Wellington, which means she is right down the road from Alice’s winter quarters. She is training with Charlotte Bredahl, who is serving as the U.S. developing rider coach until April 1.
Serenade MF enjoying a victory during Dressage at Devon with Alice Tarjan. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
“In a perfect world, of course, I’d like to say I’m going to do the grands prix and go for Paris,” noted Jessica, referring to this summer’s Olympics.
“But this is a brand new relationship and I don’t want to put too much pressure on her or myself,” she explained in discussing her future with Shrimp.
“I want to just be able to take my time with her and build a relationship on that, so when we do go out for the first time, it’s a really good, positive experience and build from there. I need a few more rides under my belt with her before I make any major decisions.”
“Ideally,” Jessica continued, “I would like to get her in the CDI arena this season, if the relationship is good.
Andrea Woodard, with whom Jessica has trained, had learned Shrimp was for sale and shared the news.
“That’s how I heard about her, so of course, I went to try her,” said Jessica,
It was love at first ride.
“I got on and the second I picked up the trot I was like, `Yup, this feels exactly how I want it to feel.’ It did give me a lot of the same feeling as when I sat on Cavalia.”
Jessica Howington and Shrimp. (Photo courtesy Jessica Howington)
That mare has two foals by embryo transplant, and Jessica would like a few more, but she won’t risk having 17-year-old Cavalia carry a foal herself.
Jessica is a professional horsewoman with several other mounts. One is Lordswood Bernstein (known as Bagel), a six-year-old KWPN breeding stallion she’s had since he was a three-year-old. Like Alice, she buys horses young and trains them herself. She is hoping Bagel will compete at Third Level in Wellington.
She also owns MW Marcario (nicknamed Miso), a seven-year-old Oldenburg who is competing at Prix St. Georges.
But there is more in Jessica’s life than horses. The 44-year-old Emory University graduate, a native of Georgia, is a nurse practitioner who is active in her profession. While in Wellington, she is able to use telehealth to serve patients, and is dealing with those on hospice and palliative care.
She balances it all gracefully, and with appreciation.
“I am very grateful to have this opportunity with Shrimp. I feel very fortunate, and a huge part of that I owe to my parents, Melanie and King Howington, for helping me follow my dreams with her.”
To read about other recent changes in dressage horse ownership, click on this link, and look at the second feature on this website. Also check out the article on Heidi Humphries in the On the Rail section of this site.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 13, 2024
There were some sentimental moments Saturday night before the first show jumping grand prix of the season at WEF, as veteran campaigner Mark Q was retired at the age of 22.
Kevin Babington took a joyful victory gallop at Devon after winning the grand prix in 2016. (Photo © 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)
Mark Q (Obos Quality X Abbey Emerald) is best known as the mount of Ireland’s Kevin Babington, whose victories with him included Devon, Lake Placid and Wellington. The bay gelding, bred in Ireland by Barbara and John Walshe, came to Kevin as an eight-year-old and they were a special match through a long career.
In 2019, Kevin suffered a fall with another horse in competition that left him paralyzed from the chest down. His teenage daughter, Gwyneth, took over the ride on Mark Q and gained valuable experience in 2- and 3-star classes.
Kevin Babington with his wife, Dianna, daughter Gwyneth and Mark Q at the horse’s retirement ceremony.
As Gwyneth rode Mark Q under the Wellington International arch, Kevin and his wife, Dianna, were on hand for the retirement ceremony in the center of the arena before a packed house in Wellington, Fla. They were joined by their other daughter, Marielle, and several supporters. Mark Q will live a life of leisure on their farm in Loxahatchee, Fla.
Tribute was also paid to Alan Chesler, an avid rider and an important figure behind the scenes in the world of show jumping.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 8, 2024
Christmas was great for dressage rider/trainer/new mother Adrienne Lyle, but it’s the new year that brings the promise of even more excitement for the Olympic and world championships team silver medalist.
When Zen Elite Equestrian Center owner Heidi Humphries talked to Adrienne after the Tokyo Olympics, “I knew she wanted to support the U.S.,” Adrienne remembered, “and then a short while later, she approached me about helping her find a horse to buy that I would train for her.” (to find out more about Heidi, click here or look at the second feature on this page.)
After Heidi told Adrienne she was in the market for a new grand prix horse, the rider started shopping. With the Paris Olympics on the horizon for this summer, that sort of quest easily could have been fruitless.
“I’d been looking for quite a while, and had been over to Europe a few times,” Adrienne recalled.
Then, “In a funny way, we happened to find two in one trip.”
Helping her assess the prospects was Debbie McDonald, who had been her mentor since Adrienne’s working student days. Debbie, an Olympic medalist who is the former technical advisor and chef d’equipe for U.S. dressage, noted that to be eligible to represent a country in the Paris Games, a horse would have to be owned by a citizen of that nation by a Jan. 15 deadline.
So in mid-December, the clock was ticking. One horse was lined up for Adrienne to try; then, as she and Debbie were on their way to Europe, another came up for sale.
“It was a situation that happened to be, timing-wise, good,” said Debbie.
The first prospect, Lars van de Hoenderheide (Negro X Layout), a 13-year-old Belgian warmblood, turned out to be in Debbie’s view, “just a lovely solid citizen. He really is a good horse.”
In his last start, at Kronenberg in the Netherlands in December, he won the freestyle with 78.475 percent, although his best freestyle finish was seven months earlier in Compiegne, France, where he won with an 81.210. He was based at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands and shown by world champion Lottie Fry of Great Britain, who is petite, while Adrienne is tall. But Debbie thought, “A little bit of change in rider size” could be handled fine by Lars.
Lottie Fry and Lars van de Hoenderheide
The second horse, Helix (Apache X Broere Jazz), was a year younger and had less ring experience than Lars, but has “a ton of potential,” in Debbie’s view. Marina Mattsson of Sweden showed the horse internationally in 2023, where he had good finishes but no victories. Two months ago, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, the Danish star who was fourth in the Tokyo Olympics, took over the ride.
“We went there with the idea of buying one horse,” said Debbie, but Heidi thought it was a good idea to have a veterinary check for both.
Although they each passed the vet, “It was never the idea to go and buy two horses,” Debbie emphasized.
Then on Christmas Day, Adrienne got a text from Heidi.
“She asked if, in a perfect world, what did I think about getting both? I said, `Oh my gosh; absolutely,” recalled Adrienne.
“Paris definitely is something I’d really love to do,” she said, but added, “I’m accepting with horses, sometimes things work out and sometimes they don’t. Now we definitely have a focus.”
She noted that since she has always developed her own Grand Prix horses, getting two who were so far along “already was a big leap for me.”
Adrienne enjoyed touching base about the horses with Lottie and Cathrine, who were helpful.
After her daughter, Bailey, was born last autumn, Adrienne, 39, started gearing up her fitness. She hadn’t ridden for the last four months of her pregnancy, the longest she’d been out of the saddle in her career, so she went into high gear.
“I knew if I wanted to be ready for show season, I had to hit the ground running. As soon as the baby was born, I was doing fitness training twice a day. I feel I’ve gotten back to where I was before, or pretty darn close,” she revealed.
With both horses scheduled to arrive this week at Adrienne’s winter base in Florida, it’s going to be an especially busy time. There are plenty of 3- and 4-star rated shows in Wellington this winter, and Adrienne will participate in them as she learns how best to showcase the horses’ talents.
But time is short before Paris, and she has a lot to do.
Adrienne Lyle and Lars van de Hoenderheide, who has just arrived in Wellington. (Photo © 2023 by Christian Simonson)
“I think they’re both lovely horses, both have charming personalities and have had really lovely homes with good care,” said Debbie.
“Adrienne being the rider that she is, I think she’s going to be able to do quite a decent job pretty quickly.”
While the circumstances aren’t ideal, the challenge is doable.
“Trying to get something for Paris this late is pretty slim pickings. I think the right horses just came up at the right time. It was just a very fortunate situation for Adrienne and Heidi,” said Debbie.
Adrienne, who is married to veterinarian David Da Silva, is balancing motherhood and her profession.
Her daughter is “a good little barn baby” who likes to stroke horses’ noses and sit on her mother’s lap when she teaches lessons. And there are a lot of those.
Adrienne’s students include Pan American Games team gold medalist Christian Simonson, for whom Heidi bought Fleu de Baian, a 3-star winner at Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special, who had been trained by the Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen.
Quinn Iverson, who started as a working student for Adrienne and is “quite a little handy horsewoman” is riding Heidi’s King’s Pleasure, as well as Gremlin, a horse owned by her longtime supporter, Billie Davidson. Adrienne also works with her 2022 world championships teammate, Katie Duerrhammer and Kylee Lourie’s Paxton.
In addition, she has a five-year-old and a seven-year-old she is training for Heidi, as well as five-year-old Furst Dream, for Betsy Juliano. Betsy is also the owner of Salvino, Adrienne’s Olympic and world championships mount, who is being ridden, but whose plans for the season have yet to be decided.
Adrienne Lyle and her Olympic and world championships mount, Salvino. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Luckily, Adrienne can handle being busy.
“I’m very, very thankful and now it’s time to put our heads down and go to work and see what we can do,” said Adrienne.
“I’m one who always likes to stay quiet and let the results do the talking, so that’s going to be my plan.”
At the same time, she added, “Regardless of any goals we have, the horses will dictate their training and competition schedule. Keeping them happy and stress-free during this transition to their new home is the most important thing.”
The horses should “never feel any additional stress in their lives just because we have goals we want to accomplish. So we will make sure their health and happiness are our number one priority and we will work around what is best for them.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 8, 2024
Heidi Humphries has made a major splash in the world of dressage by buying several high-profile horses recently, including two top international mounts for Olympic and world championships team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle.
But this is a fairly new development, so understandably, there are those who are unfamiliar with her name. To answer part of the question, Heidi is a registered nurse and successful businesswoman. She serves as the CEO of Spectra Baby USA. It’s a company focused on supporting breastfeeding mothers with products designed for efficient technology, creating comfortable pumps and accessories.
On the equestrian side of the equation, horses have been a part of Heidi’s life since she went to a “horse” birthday party at age seven.
She “absolutely fell in love” with horses, and her parents, Sam and Linda Perlman, obliged that passion four years later by buying her an Appaloosa named Roxie.
That mare “was truly my rock during my childhood,” recalled Heidi.
“There is just something about horses. The way they know when you had a tough day and give an extra nicker to greet you, the way they sound when they are happy munching their hay, and the intoxicating way they smell when they nuzzle against you.”
She rode and showed hunt seat a bit, but was always fascinated by dressage. Heidi dreamed of having an Olympic dressage horse, and that may well come true later this year.
She took time off from riding after her children, Bryan and Nicole, were born, but she knew horses would come back to her life someday.
Heidi Humphries and her son, Bryan, with Quinn Iverson and King’s Pleasure.
That happened six years ago. She now owns Zen Elite Equestrian Center near Fort Lauderdale, Fla., south of Wellington.
“I owe so much of who I am and the amazing people who have come into my life, to the beautiful four-legged souls that I have had the honor of spending time with,” she noted, and is thankful for the support of her family and her partner, Danielle Linder, in the process.
Heidi enjoys watching Olympic dressage and admired Adrienne’s partnership with Salvino during the Tokyo Olympics. The two were introduced by a mutual friend soon after the Games.
“There is something about the way she is with horses,” Heidi mused in response to being asked why she decided to buy horses for Adrienne.
Adrienne Lyle on Top Gun with Heidi Humphries, Debbie McDonald and Christine Traurig, who sill be U.S. dressage chef d’equipe at the Paris Olympics.
“She is really a nice person, so helpful in every way, as I learned more about the dressage world,” Heidi explained.
“But it is the way she comes absolutely alive on a horse that captured me. She truly becomes one with the horse and you can see that the horses respond to her in such a beautiful way. There is an honest love for horses that goes way beyond a piaffe or passage, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”
And now she is part of it, in a big way. Heidi just purchased two Grand Prix horses rather than one for Adrienne because, “I want to see our U.S.. team do well, and two incredible talents are even better than one.” That’s especially true with the Olympics on the horizon this summer.
She’s not counting on owning an Olympic horse in 2024, however.
“There are no guarantees in life,” Heidi pointed out.
“I am fully aware of that. But I think we have an amazing team of riders and horses at Zen and I am excited to see what they can do, this season, and beyond.“
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 7, 2024
Sagacious HF, a genuine warrior of a dressage horse who won medals for the U.S., died this weekend. He was less than three months short of his 25th birthday.
The Dutch warmblood (Welt Hit II/Judith X Cocktail) competed until the age of 23. He began at First Level in 2004, and took his final step into the arena in 2022.
Although several riders did well with him, he enjoyed his greatest success with Lauren Sammis, who earned individual silver with the gelding at the 2007 Pan American Games, where the combination contributed to team gold.
Sammis, who thanked owner Al Guden and his late wife, Judith, for the opportunity to compete Sagacious, trained him from First Level to the Games in Rio de Janeiro at Small Tour and then to Grand Prix. He won six Grands Prix and Freestyles in a row in 2009.
Sagacious and Lauren Sammis at the 2009 national champoinships. (Photo © 2009 by Nancy Jaffer)
While his Pan Am results with Sammis were the most memorable of his career, Sagacious also went on to perform with a variety of women in the saddle. They included Caroline Roffman in 2013, when she rode him in the U-25 at Aachen; from 2014-2018 Chase Hickok, top U.S. U-25 rider in 2015 who also competed in 5-stars abroad. In 2018, Allessandra Ferrucci took up the ride, followed by Jordan Lockwood.
Judge Natalie Lamping said of Sagacious on Lauren Sammis’ social media page, “He was a heart horse for so many riders. He taught so many after your training, Lauren.”
When asked what made the horse special, Lauren believes, “The thing about Sagacious is he was so smart. When you didn’t use his intelligence, he found ways to use his intelligence to entertain himself. That horse was exceptional and he was ready to learn.”
She added, “He changed dressage. Through my career, I’ve had international judges come up to me and say at that time we were the best pair in the world. In my youth, I had no idea the journey that we were on. I’m grateful to him. I was just riding.”
She pointed out, “The way he moved in his prime was memorable. He had such carriage, such swing, such ease; it was a beautiful picture. Everything happened out of a balance and an ease, not pressure.”
The ground-breaking aspect, in Lauren’s view, was that “He had more scope than any of the horses at that time. He was the beginning of what the new face of dressage looked like. You could say that Totilas then became the face of dressage. Those horses changed the trajectory of the sport.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 5, 2024
A celebration of life is planned Jan. 22 for Alan Chesler, the owner of Sher-Al Farm, who was respected in the equestrian community. The gathering will be held from 2-5 p.m. at Wellington National Golf Club, 400 Binks Forest Drive.
Alan, 82, a native of Canada who spent winters in Wellington, died January 2 after an illness. His daughter, Frankie, remembered him as “such a great equestrian, he taught me everything and I loved every minute of it. I can’t believe I’m going to be riding again and not have him in the ring with me. It will not feel right, but I will be riding for him and thinking of him each and every time. I remember he always told me, “Just humor me.”
It got me so very far in riding and in life and I always trusted him and will continue to trust what he taught me so well. He was such an amazing teacher. He taught me to drive a car, stick shift, a horse trailer, a bus, how to back up a trailer and so much more. He taught me numbers, gosh he loved numbers.
“He was a human calculator. We used to drive from show to show playing math games, geography games and listening to the best oldies music. I sure miss those days. Time always passes way too fast when you’re having fun, and I can’t think of any time spent with my dad that wasn’t fun.”
Martha Hall recalled him this way: “Alan was a real winner! Those of us who knew him and were lucky enough to show with him were better off because he was all that and always so kind.”
In addition to Frankie, he is survived by his wife, Sherry, and daughters Mikala van Arnhem and Robin Chesler, as well as a son, Andrew Chesler, and four grandchildren.
Those who would like to remember Alan Chesler with a donation may do so by contributing to the charity of their choice.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 4, 2024
Christine Traurig, the heroine of the 2000 Olympics whose crucial dressage performance secured team bronze for the U.S., will be assisting others as they try for a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She has been named by the U.S. Equestrian Federation to serve as the dressage team’s chef d’equipe for those Games, and also is taking the title of the USA’s dressage development coach in an update to the coaching structure. Her work in Paris is cut out for her, as the U.S. does not have a dressage rider among the current listing of the world’s top 50. However, it’s early days yet and a number of opportunities for rising up the ranks exist this winter and spring in Wellington and Ocala, Fla.
While a U.S. dressage medal in Paris is unlikely, the big goal is the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, because it is a home Games, which means it’s most important that the country puts on a good performance at home. So what’s starting now is the building process for 2028.
“I am excited to be stepping into the Development Coach role for the program,” said Christine.
Christine Traurig. (Photo © 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Our sights are set on the future and how we can continue to strengthen our development pipeline of talented horses and riders. It’s also an honor to be appointed as chef d’equipe for this summer, and a full circle moment for me in my career, as I hope to share my knowledge and past Olympic experience as an athlete and coach as guidance and support to our high-performance combinations on the road to Paris this summer.”
Christine, who has been part of the coaching program for nearly a decade, is taking over from development coach Charlotte Bredahl, who steps down April 1. With her appointment as chef, Christine will focus on supporting and working with athletes and their personal coaches who are aiming for Paris, as well as with USEF Managing Director of Dressage Laura Roberts.
U.S. Dressage Federation President George Williams will remain in his position as the high performance and pathway development advisor and youth coach. He assists with strategy development and working with athletes to identify opportunities, including enhancing the access to education and coaching through more clinics and competition opportunities.
Hallye Griffin, director of FEI Sport for USEF, said, “Christine is the right fit to support and will add invaluable expertise to the U.S. Dressage Team looking towards this summer’s Olympic Games. Additionally, Christine will be taking a more active role in the development program as we increase focus to our home Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”
The USEF Dressage Coaches Support Network will be expanded and help provide greater support across the U.S. dressage program, in coordination with Christine and George.
A native of Germany who grew up on her family’s small breeding farm, after training in her discipline Christine went on to work at the Hanoverian Elite Sales. Christine came to this country more than four decades ago. She earned a training grant to ride with coach Jo Hinnemann in Germany, the start of a long-term student/mentor relationship.
She was previously married to show jumper Bernie Traurig and is the mother of two. The Californian became the USEF’s Young Horse Coach in 2015.
As a part of the feedback and discussion, and following the 2024 Olympics, the USEF will continue to strengthen coaching support through the Los Angeles 2028 Games with the appointment of additional coaches and educational opportunities to support across the programs.
