by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 29, 2023
The Canadian team of Mike Winter, Karl Slezak Colleen Loach and Lindsay Traisnel upset the U.S. by 0.1 penalty at the Pan American Games in Chile Sunday to take team gold.
But individual gold went home with Caroline Martin Pamakcu on HSH Blake–fresh off a win with HSH Conor at the MARS Maryland 3-star last weekend. She moved up from second after dressage to take the lead with her cross-country trip.
Smashing through an oxer in the show jumping still couldn’t dislodge her from the top of the podium. Individual silver belonged to Jorge Marcio Carvalho of Brazil (Castle Howard Casanova), whose nation took team bronze. Individual bronze went to Canada’s Lindsay Traisnel. (Bacyrouge).
Jose Marcio Carvalho of Brazil, individual silver; Caroline Panukcu, USA, gold, and Lindsay Traisnel, Canada, bronze.
Caroline’s final score was 30.8 penalties. Jose accumulated 0.8 time penalties to total 32.2 and Lindsay had 1.6 time penalties to finish on 34.2.
The Canadian team score was 115.6 penalties; the USA lost its comfortable lead after cross-country because everyone had rails in the show jumping, leaving the country on 115.7. Brazil wound up on 127.1, and like Canada, qualified for eventing at the 2024 Olympics with their placings.
The U.S. lost its Pan Am lead in show jumping when none of its riders went clean. Liz Halliday had 13.6 penalties in the final phase with Miks Master C to finish seventh (42.4 penalties total); Sydney Elliott was eighth on QC Diamantaire with 9.2 in show jumping (42.5 penalties total) and Sharon White was 10th on Claus 63 with 16.4 show jumping penalties and a total of 47.
“It’s hard in the moment to look back and immediately start analyzing, but we all need to think about it for a couple of days, and with that will come more clarity on what we can do moving forward to not be in this position again,” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello.
“It’s good that we are all disappointed with silver because it means we want to be better, but are also genuinely happy for our friends, the Canadians, and glad to see both them and Brazil punch their tickets to Paris. As a team, we’re going to have to go away from this, analyze ourselves, and find a way to come back stronger.”
The U.S. eventers already qualified at last year’s World Championships with a team silver. In the discipline of dressage, where the U.S. qualified for the Olympics with a sixth-place finish at the World Championships, the team color was gold at the Pan Ams.
Pan Am show jumping begins this week. The U.S. needs to be one of three countries that qualifies for the Olympics in Chile, since it didn’t make the cut at the World Championships or the Nations Cup final.
Click here for the individual eventing results
Click here for team eventing results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 23, 2023
After a short stay at New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania, event horse Dutch Times is back home in Branchburg, N.J., to recover.
The 15-year-old gelding, ridden by owner Arielle Aharoni, injured his right foreleg and Arielle pulled him up two fences from the end on cross-country Saturday at the MARS Maryland 5-star. It was Dutch’s debut at that level, following a second-place finish earlier in the year at the Bromont, Canada, 4-star Long.
Arielle Aharoni and her Dutch Times on course Saturday at the MARS Maryland 5-star. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Dutch was bought by Arielle’s mother as a weanling. She saw him as a sport horse prospect, and that dream came true. He has been successful in show jumping as well as eventing. But Dutch is valued beyond his athletic ability; he is a member of the family, and his welfare has been their focus.
“I never really go for time, I never really pushed the envelope,” Arielle said when discussing her Bromont experience, explaining her priority is getting around safely.
Dutch went from the Maryland event to New Bolton and spent several days there before returning to his family’s farm to recover and be spoiled with attention by those who love him.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 25, 2023
Devoted horsewoman Ann David of Bedminster, N.J., died Saturday at the age of 94.
“She was a fabulous person who loved her horses and her dogs,” said Tierney Sullivan, a former owner of Coach Stop Saddlery in Bedminster, where Ann had shopped for decades.
Ann’s home was Hoopstick Farm, the former residence of Jean and Elliot Haller, where the first Essex Horse Trials was held in 1968. While Ann and her late husband, Edward, were moving from Illinois to New Jersey in 1978, Ann was concerned about finding the right kind of farm for her animals.
Ann’s friend, Catherine Weinstock, recalled that when Ann went to a Realtor in her search, she said, “`What I want is a farm like the Hallers’,” where she used to board while living in New Jersey previously.
“It’s available,” said the Realtor, and Ann jumped at it. When the Essex Horse Trials was revived in 2017 after an 18-year hiatus, Ann donated the Jean and Elliot Haller Perpetual Trophy for Horsemanship to the competition. It is presented to the rider who demonstrates good horsemanship and a superior partnership with their horse during the event.
A board member of the Somerset Bridle Path Association, Ann also had hunted with the Essex Foxhounds. She was a devoted trail rider until the Covid pandemic, and then after a break, doing a little riding until about two years ago, according to Anita Kozak, her farm manager of 14 years, who lives at Hoopstick
“Everything she did was about horses,” said Anita.
“We rode every day; the only days we didn’t go out was if it was raining or snowing.”
Ann was active in the community with her friends in a book club–she was a voracious reader, a movie club and the Juliets, a group of women who went out to eat together, according to her friend, Heather Walker.
“She was smart and wonderful,” Heather remembered.
“She was so positive, so friendly and one of a kind, for sure.”
In a full circle Ann donated the Jean and Elliot Haller Perpetual Trophy for Horsemanship to the Essex Horse Trials, to be presented to the rider who demonstrates good horsemanship and a superior partnership with their horse.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 25, 2023
He’s a resident of North Carolina but rides for Ecuador. And on Wednesday at the Pan American Games in Chile, Julio Mendoza Loor gave his native land something it never had before–a gold medal in dressage.
He and Jewel’s Goldstrike won the Grand Prix Freestyle with 87.230 percent (including a 3 percent Big Tour bonus) after heading up the Grand Prix Special individual standings the day before. His efforts earned Julio a berth in the Paris Olympics next year. Ecuador does not have a dressage team, so he’ll be carrying the flag on his own.
A proud Julio Mendoza Loor and Jewel’s Gold Strike parade after their freestyle victory.
Julio was a hit with the judges, who gave Goldie lots of 9s on the artistic side, particularly in degree of difficulty (where his highest mark was a 9.6) and music and its interpretation–straight 9s with a 9.5.
He got a 9 for his entrance, the pirouettes, piaffe and passage and two-tempi. Impressive!
As he went along, Julio worked hard to keep his focus.
“Especially after my last pirouette/piaffe, straight from pirouette to piaffe which is really complicated, he was really ready for it,” Julio said.
“After that I had to hold in my tears because I just wanted to cry.”
His 12-year-old Dutch warmblood lives outside around the clock when he is home.
“For me if that’s where he is happiest, then that’s where he has to live,” the rider emphasized.
The silver medal went to Brazil’s João Victor Marcari and Feel Good VO. He was João’s reserve mount, but stepped up to earn 86.160 percent for their Freestyle. They were members of Brazil’s silver medal team.
Anna Marek, who won gold on the U.S. team with Fire Fly, earned the Freestyle bronze on 81.305 percent. She finished just ahead of her teammate, Sarah Tubman, the defending individual gold medalist from the 2019 Games in Lima in 2019. She was marked at 81.155 percent with First Apple.
A native of Germany, Svenja Grimm, rode for Chile and earned 78.335 percent aboard Doctor Rossi to finish eighth and qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Click here for freestyle results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 23, 2023
With a total of 450.670 percent at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, the U.S. dressage team outdistanced second-place Brazil (443.343) on Monday, while Canada earned bronze with 431.937 and like Brazil, qualified for the 2024 Olympics.
Unlike the show jumping team, which competes at the end of the month seeking a berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the dressage team (and U.S. eventers) already were qualified, so the Pan Ams offered a chance to give up-and- coming riders experience.
The Pan American Games gold medal dressage team on the podium: Sarah Tubman, Codi Harrison, Anna Marek, Christian Simonson. (Photo Matt Turer/USEF)
“The team spirit is unbelievable, and it really has carried them through. Each one of them, in the end, rode better today,” said Chef d’Equipe George Williams.
“There were a few bobbles in some of the tests, but the actual riding was better, so I was happy with that. They came back strong, and I really feel like the team camaraderie helped carry them to this.”
Christian Simonson of California and Son of a Lady, a Danish warmblood, led off the order again in the second day of competition as the only Small Tour combination on the team. They earned a personal best in the Intermediate I with a score of 74.971 percent that put them first in the I-1 and fourth overall. Teams in the Pan Am Games are composed of a combination of Small and Big Tour riders.
Christian and “Sonny” demonstrated that they have a connection, earning a 9 for their canter pirouette.
“He and I just have really good communication,” said Christian.
“Even on a day when he’s a little tired or maybe not want(ing) to give 110 percent, he either will let me dig deep or he’ll dig in and fight for me. It’s the epitome of the best feeling riding – just that feeling knowing they’ll fight for you in the ring. The team atmosphere has just been incredible. We have so much synergy and it’s an amazing group of riders to be with.”
The first combination for the U.S. in the Large Tour rotation saw Anna Marek of Florida and Fire Fly open with the Grand Prix Special for the team. The Hanoverian gelding and his rider worked through an early bobble in the half-pass, recovering to gain improved marks totaling 73.489 percent.
Anna explained the strength of their growing relationship allowed her to guide them both back to focus and produce a very strong score for the team.
“I’m thrilled with our test and how he went. I was really proud that when we made a big bobble, we both recovered from it like it was nothing. As I was half-passing across and I kind of got down, then reminded myself that we have an entire test to go and just took a deep breath and said, ‘Alright buddy, let’s go,’” said Anna.
“He’s really a sensitive horse and that’s why I love him. We’ve built a lot of trust together… and I know he’s going to be there for me, and I can support him when he’s scared. He trusts me when I tell him we can do it.”
A few small miscommunications kept Codi Harrison and Katholt’s Bossco from scoring to their potential, but the pair recovered well to earn a 71.95, with Harrison showing their determination and fighting for every mark throughout the test to keep their score competitive. Katholt’s Bossco is a special horse for Harrison, who brought the Danish warmblood up the levels to Grand Prix.
“He felt so on today and great. The first part of the trot tour felt like it was some of the best work we’ve ever had. We had a few little miscommunications which was unfortunate, but overall, the feeling was so good,” commented Codi, who lives in Florida.
“He really grew into the atmosphere today and it’s amazing to be able to say that he was my Young Rider horse. We really didn’t have any intentions on making him a Grand Prix horse and along the way, we realized he’s a much better Grand Prix horse and I feel so lucky that I have a horse who let me teach him the ropes and I learned from him and together we fulfilled a dream by making a U.S. team.”
As the final combination in for Team USA with medals on the line, Sarah Tubman and First Apple, a KWPN stallion, produced another spectacular test, earning 76.872 percent to help push the team to the top of the podium as the duo finished third in the Grand Prix Special. The pair, the most seasoned partnership in the group, showed their experience while helping guide the team to the podium.
“We’re just so fortunate to have each other as a team. This is a very young team to represent the U.S. and we really brought it,” said Sarah, a Florida resident who won individual Pan Am gold in 2019. She was second overall after the Grand Prix Special.
“Apple was fantastic today and he really gave me everything in there. It’s another personal best for us and I’m just so proud of the way he’s continued to rise to the occasion for me.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 23, 2023
With her victory on HSH Connor in the MARS Maryland 3-star Long event at Fair Hill, Caroline Martin Pamukcu earned the distinction of being the winningest eventer in the world this year, having now notched 11 victories. Perhaps she’ll earn one more soon. After collecting her ribbons,she took off from Fair Hill heading to Santiago, Chile, for the Pan American Games.
Caroline Pamukcu had a winning smile after going through the timers with HSH Connor.( Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
While she’s still working, it’s vacation time for Connor, who will be turned out, his shoes off, his coat growing fuzzy and having “a good time with his buddies” until he needs to get ready for the 2024 season.
Caroline led all the way through the 3-star, which is the U.S. Equestrian Federation National Championship. She finished on her dressage mark of 25.4 penalties, ahead of Lauren Nicholson and Larcot Z. Lauren had 28.6 penalties, her dressage score of 28.2 with 0.4 penalties added for just missing the optimum time on cross-country. Woodge Fulton, a local hero based in Maryland, rounded out the top three with Cash Point, finishing on her dressage score of 31.4.
In addition to HSH Connor, Caroline rode Tolan King to sixth place and HSH Double Sixteen to 15th place.
Asked about Connor’s personality, she said he is selective about his people.
“If he doesn’t like you, he will let you know. He’s very quirky that way,” she said, without specifying how he delivers the message to those he isn’t crazy about. But when you’re the highest-rated seven-year-old eventing horse in American history, you can get away with a lot.
Caroline pointed for this event, rather than several others during the same time frame, because she wanted a challenging course, not just “speed bumps,” as she trains her horse up toward a higher level. She will consult with her mentors, Erik Duvander and Great Britain’s Pippa Funnell, to decide what her program will be going forward—but she would like to go to Europe if the USEF is sending a team. If not, they’ll come up with a “good battle plan” for what she can attempt in America.
Lauren Nicholson and Larcot Z. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Ian Stark’s cross-country route for the 3-star was just what Caroline wanted. Although it was less testing than the 5-star course for the featured division at Fair Hill, it was difficult enough for the 45 riders in the section who tried their luck over it. Thirty-nine made it to the show jumping over Michel Vaillancourt’s course, the preamble to that phase for the 5-star.
Caroline Pamukcu in the 3-star presentation. That’s her Jack Russell, Troy, in the center of the photo. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Taren Hoffos, who stpod fourth on Regalia (29.4) going into the last segment, was eliminated after hitting the ground, just a few feet from the finish line. It was a sad ending for the rider who came all the way from California, and lasted so close to the end of the event.
Taren Hoffos nearly made it to the finish line before parting company with her horse, Regalia. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
I caught up with Bobby Costello, USEF eventing technical advisor and chef d’equipe, when he was on his way to the airport for a flight to Santiago. I felt the display of expertise among the 3-star competitors boded well for the team, and he agreed.
“Things are looking good,” he told me.
“I think in general, people are so much more well-mounted and giving thought to the horses they are choosing. Just looking at this division, we had so many up-and-comers. It’s nice to see a couple of the kids who had the first horse and then had to rebuild, like Woodge Fulton, a good example, she’s got another lovely horse.
“The future looks bright. People who are serious will stick it out through the dry times and hopefully come back even stronger.”
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 22, 2023
Here’s how Austin O’Connor describes himself on his Facebook page: “Irish international event rider and two-time Olympian…working hard to make it 3!!”
A victory Sunday in the MARS Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill with Colorado Blue probably did a lot toward having that happen. Austin’s triumph was the first at a 5-star for an Irish rider in 58 years, since Eddie Boylan won at Badminton, according to EquiRatings.
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue are number one in the MARS Maryland 5-star event at Fair Hill. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The 49-year-old rider’s appearance on the top step of the podium to accept the Fair Hill Bronze trophy was a surprise. He had seemed likely to make one of the levels after going from twelfth place in dressage to fourth following cross-country, where he was the pathfinder in the 5-star section. His horse—known for speed—finished just three seconds over the optimum time of 11 minutes, 10 seconds on Saturday’s strenuous route laid out by Ian Stark.
It was show jumping prowess from his generous horse, some lack thereof among his rivals and luck that clinched the prize for which Austin had yearned.
“Unbelievable,” said Austin, an hour or so after his win, still looking dazed even after four laps of a victory gallop around the arena.
“I can’t wait to come back.”
The show jumping phase has been a bit problematic for him recently.
“The last couple of three-days (events), he had a couple of cheap rails,” recounted Austin, who is based in Britain.
“Today I make a horrendous mistake (leaving out a stride on the way to the Liverpool to end up in a very risky leap) and he gets me out of jail. He’s an unbelievable horse. He’s a proper, proper 5-star event horse.”
Austin added, “He’s 85 percent thoroughbred; he’s all blood, he’s all class, he’s all heart. He can try and try to the bitter end.”
Known fondly as Salty, the flea-bitten grey (yes, that’s a real term in the horse world) has been Austin’s project since he was a foal, 14 years ago.
After a refusal and his subsequent withdrawal of Salty at the Burghley, England, 5-star in September, Austin planned to reroute to the 5-star in Pau, France, which is happening this week.
But Tim Gardner, long-time part of the Fair Hill contingent, suggested he try Maryland instead.
It’s a competition that has both made dreams come true and also sent them packing. That’s how it happened for world number one Oliver Townend, who was leading with a rail in hand after William Fox-Pitt, standing second, toppled a pole on the show jumping route laid out by Canadian designer Michel Vaillancourt.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Oliver, who has been second and third in the two previous years of the Maryland 5-star’s existence, seemed headed for victory at last this time around. But when one rail fell, and then another, it vaulted Austin to victory on 34.9 penalties, just ahead of William on 35.3, while Oliver wound up third with the lovely Cooley Rosalent on 37.1.
EquiRatings, which is usually right on the mark, had given Oliver a 68 percent chance of winning. But they did say they thought Austin could make the podium.
Oliver said his mare “was giving me an amazing feeling,” in the show jumping. She’s only nine, as he often mentions, and he felt a knockdown at the third element of the triple combination was “a baby mistake.” A knockdown at the next fence had the spectators groaning in unison.
“Then I felt it was me getting a little too desperate at the next one. So perhaps she had one down and I had one down,” he suggested.
He added, “I thought she jumped a beautiful round and we had two mistakes.”
Then he changed the subject to say how happy he was for Austin, who has “been a good friend for me in the fairly tough times of the last few years.”
He predicted a party to celebrate both his win at Burghley, his seventh 5-star victory, and Austin’s triumph in Maryland.
William, who keeps talking about retirement, is staying in the game for his mare Grafennacht.
“She’s keeping me going,” said the 54-year-old rider, winner of more 5-stars than any other competitor.
William Fox-Pitt and Graffenacht. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I’m not sure I’d enjoy watching anyone else ride her yet,” he said.
“Could she give me a bit more fun and do I do it well enough? As an older rider, you’re increasingly worried about looking like an idiot. Yesterday morning I was thinking, `What the hell am I doing?’ By this evening I was a little,`That’s what I’m doing.’”
There wasn’t even a rail’s worth of penalties among the top three, showing how competitive the show jumping was at the event presented by Brown Advisory.
After Austin rode, Mia Farley had her turn on the thoroughbred Phelps, the only horse to hit the optimum time on cross-country, which put her third. It was a remarkable feat for a first-time 5-star rider, but the fairytale ended with two knockdowns in the final phase and a score of 40.9 penalties.
The entire story certainly isn’t over, though; Mia is only 23 and Phelps, owned by Olympic gold medalist David O’Connor, is just starting his upper-level career.
Mia was smiling as she held her horse before the awards ceremony, the pink fifth-place ribbon entwined in his bridle. She had noted previously that show jumping isn’t his strong point, so critiquing Sunday’s round, she said, “He was jumping high enough, for the most part. What more can I ask of him?” before bursting into giggles.
“I’m happy with how he felt on the last day. He was so good and competitive yesterday and I think we can get better Sundays, so we’ll see.”
Her errors moved up Hannah Sue Holberg to become the highest-placed American, in fourth with Capitol HIM on 40 penalties. The Holsteiner had been bought by Christa Schmidt as her personal ride, but he proved too strong and got passed to Hannah Sue.
Hannah Sue Holberg was the highest-placed U.S. rider in the 5-star on Capitol HIM. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Every we time we asked him to do more, he stepped up and answered the questions,” she said.
“He is incredible.”
The 16-year-old gelding was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease a year ago. Once he got on the medication he needed, “it changed his life,” Hannah Sue said.
As I was leaving the press conference, I saw Ian Stark, to whom Austin had referred in his comments, and it’s obvious they’re old friends.
“Tell me about Austin,” I asked Ian.
“Give me some insight into what he’s like.”
A toast to victory: Oliver Townend, Austin O’Connor, William Fox-Pitt and Hannah Sue Holberg.( Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Ian replied, “Austin is just a dedicated competitor. He’s great with his horses. He’s great with people. He’s sometimes a bit shy, but he’s out-and-out wanting to win and he’s just a nice guy. He’s had some very tough times.”
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue on their way to getting their names in the record books. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Ian mentioned that Austin’s major mentor was David Foster, an Irish army officer and international three-day-event rider, killed in a fall cross-country at an Irish event in 1998.
“Austin was devastated at that. David was the main influence in his career,” Ian recalled.
“This is huge for him to win this. I think it will do his self-confidence so much good. It’s a good move for the sport and for Ireland, I think it’s fantastic.”
Click here for 5-star results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 13, 2023
Forget the rumors. There were always whispers that at least one of the three traditional Olympic equestrian disciplines might not be held during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. But dressage, eventing and show jumping will have their place in the line-up, just as they did at the last LA Olympics in 1984, the International Olympic Committee has decided. The number of competitors and other details will be decided after next year’s Paris Olympics.
Modern Pentathlon, which made headlines in Tokyo when a trainer punched a horse, will be part of the 2028 Games as well. There was a real question as to whether it would have a spot in LA, although it’s already booked for Paris. But the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board said replacing show jumping with obstacle racing did the trick, along with work by the Modern Pentathlon Union to “reduce costs and complexity.”
They added, “Without the replacement of horse riding with obstacle racing, the sport would not have been included in the program.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 17, 2023
Nancy Jones likely is the biggest fan among the many fans of trainer Jeff Cook as a clinician, explaining, “He knows as much as anybody in the world, and he does it kindly.”
She’s a trainer herself, so when she says, “There’s nobody any better,” she has a real understanding of what Jeff can do.
“He just has so much experience and has a personal knack for reading people, but in a kind way,” she explained.
“He can fix a pony that’s being snarky and he can fix 1.60 (meter jumpers) and be kind and soft and make them better.”
Jonesie used to trailer her students to Hunterdon Inc. for lessons, in the days when Jeff worked there with George Morris, beginning in the early 1980s. She wound up hosting Jeff’s clinics at her barn, Logan’s Brook Equine Center in New Vernon, N.J., before they were moved to the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation nearby in Gladstone 15 year or so ago. Vicky Sroka, who organizes the clinics, sees many of the same people year after year, both trainers and riders.
“We have a following,” she said.
Jeff’s qualities were on display during a clinic last weekend at the USET Foundation’s landmark stable, where he shared his wisdom with riders jumping everything from 2-feet, 6-inches to 3-6 and 4 feet. He came East from his home in Oregon, pursuing a bi-coastal business that last year had him offering 22 clinics around the country, as well as training private clients.
“He can have eight people in his clinic and basically make it feel like you’re the only one there,” said Alicia Madretzke, a professional who participated at the Team with Basil, her homebred son of Balou du Rouet.
Karin Forrester, who keeps her 17.2-hand Holsteiner Silver Fox in her Califon, N.J., backyard, said of Jeff, “He’s so good at making sure you’re getting what you need out of it. He’s so great at being able to communicate with the individual for what works best for them.”
Jeff is a fan of group dynamics, such as the mixed bag of amateurs and professionals who rode in his clinic over the higher jumps.
“When there is variety, we can dive into a whole lot of different problems, we see the good and bad of each other,” he pointed out.
“What one person does well, maybe the other needs to work on. They can look at each other’s strengths and minuses and hopefully we learn from that. My goal would be with every level, pick out two or three things they can work on in the upcoming months.”
Jeff Cook in action. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
With the way he sets the fences, Jeff is “trying to produce some rideability with the courses. If the horses are more rideable, it offers a chance for the rider to be a little quieter with the horse and hopefully, there’s a little more of a harmonious relationship between the horse and rider.”
Discussing trends that he observes in his travels, Jeff noted he often sees rider’s the toe angle out too far, sometimes as much as 45 degrees. He prefers the 15- or 20-degree range; 45 degrees only “if the horse or pony is quite lazy.”
Jeff notes that an extreme angle of the foot in the stirrup can trigger problems.
“I don’t want an excessive grip with the knee, but when they do that, the knee can be away from the saddle,” he commented.
As a result, “they lose ability to be tactful with their leg. When they angle out too far, it can override or light up a hottish type horse.” The result: “Too much leg and if they are wearing spurs, too much spur.”
Another trend he used to see was overbending.
“Now, a lot of horses go into a corner but don’t bend quite enough.” On the other hand, he said, that’s “better than overbending.”
He spent a few minutes discussing hand position, noting that when the thumb is horizontal, the hand can be weak and the elbow, not as elastic as it should be. He likes to see the thumb just inside the vertical. That enables the rider to move easily between positions.
If the horse is quite strong, he advises, turn the thumb a little more to the vertical for a split-second. That makes the hand “slightly stronger to get the horse back, then ideally return to thumbs just inside the vertical.”
Alicia rode Basil without a noseband, and I see that becoming a bit of a trend, in the area of horse comfort and not doing what I call over-tacking a horse.
Alicia Madretzke and Basil. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“We hopefully are dialing things down,” said Jeff, but it’s not always the case with what he sees as he travels.
In some areas, Jeff will spot what a horse is wearing on his head and his reaction is, “I didn’t even know the name of a bunch of the bridles—what is that? I think that varies by area, by stable a little bit.””
But he has some people who take the noseband off and meanwhile, “they have the horse’s nose cranked to his chest in draw reins.”
He prefers using a noseband—though there’s the odd horse he’s seen where it (no noseband) does make a difference.” He is, however, understandably “very opposed to crank or excessively tight nosebands.”
The FEI is now checking the tighness of nosebands, which he considers a step forward.
I’ve seen clinicians who are rough on their students. Jeff is the opposite, and his polite approach is his trademark.
“You don’t want to let things slide or not instruct,” he said, “but you want to keep it on a positive basis.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 13, 2023
Whether he was riding, grooming or helping mares foal, Buddy King did it all to perfection.
“He was the consummate professional horseman,” said Carol Molony, founder of the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame.
A friend to whoever needed one, Buddy died Thursday night after suffering a stroke. He was 91.
He and his wife, Cookie, were a devoted couple.
“It was an incredible love story,” Barbara Bemelmans of Hunt Cap Farms in Three Bridges said of their marriage, which would have lasted 61 years next month.
She recalled that when Cookie was working as a horse show secretary, which meant many long nights, Buddy wouldn’t eat dinner until she came home to Whitehouse Station, N.J., no matter how late it was.
Buddy and Cookie met at the old Piping Rock Horse Show on Long Island in the early 1960s. The Army veteran was working for Edgar Mills, she was working for Mrs. Thomas Waller, both big names in the sport.
The couple went on to get a job in 1965 with Frank and Mary Chapot, shortly after the U.S. team riders got married. They stayed with the Chapots when they moved from Walpack in Sussex County, N.J., to Neshanic Station in Somerset County.
The Kings traveled to Europe with the team mounts twice.
“We had the big string,” Cookie said proudly, recounting how that included such star show jumpers as Good Twist, Manon, Anakonda, Tomboy and White Lightning.
The Kings did every job around the Chapots’ Chado Farm that had to do with horses. They were fond of the Chapots’ daughters, Wendy and Laura. Wendy Chapot Nunn recalls being led around by Buddy on Good Twist, who wore a little western saddle for the occasion.
“He was great with our kids,” said Mary of Buddy.
She added that the couple “were kind of like family.”
Mary mentioned that the Kings “really cared about each individual horse. They got along with the horses so well, and the horses got along with them.”
The Kings left the Chapots in 1977 and three years later, Cookie was breaking a yearling when she had a bad fall that ended her riding days.
Buddy went to work for the Tewksbury Township road department, but stayed involved with horses. He rode Isleaway Duke, an appendix-registered quarter horse, to five straight non-thoroughbred New Jersey Horse of the Year titles.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a brother, Mike King of Virginia.
There will not be a funeral. Those wishing to make a contribution in Buddy’s memory may do so to the hospice at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset. To donate, click here and specify “hospice” under designation.
