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.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 31, 2023
Helgstrand Dressage, the stable whose training practices came out in the open via a scathing Danish undercover TV documentary in November, is calling 2023 a year that has “been challenging, evolving and educational.”
In a new year’s statement, the company noted, “2023 has opened an important debate on horse welfare in sport.”
It added that with the airing of the documentary, “it became clear that we have mistakes to correct and can continue developing our animal welfare.”
The documentary revealed the use of whips and spurs that left marks, which workers tried to cover up. The scandal led to the Danish equestrian federation’s decision to ban Helgstrand CEO Andreas Helgstrand from its teams, at least until January 1, 2025, which means no Olympics for him.
Among improvements in the wake of the documentary, Helgstrand stated it is upgrading continuing education and has put a new camera setup in its arenas.
“It’s all in our efforts to achieve the highest level of welfare for our horses and best framework for our staff,” the statement maintained.
“We have appreciated the debate that has come up afterwards — both in the general public, but in particular, in the industry. We believe that there is a lot we can learn from each other, and therefore we would like to continue the conversation and together become wiser about how to lift the task.” (They may mean “elevate the task”; this is a translation from Danish.)
A lot of the ways in which the company can improve simply involves basic horsemanship, respect for animals and common sense. Hopefully, what happened to the Helgstrand organization provides a lesson for other training facilities that need to learn one.
Helgstrand Dressage is owned by Global Equestrian Group, which also owns the Wellington International showgrounds, home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, in Florida. Plans for its expansion are tied to a hot issue about development in the “Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.” That situation remains to be resolved in 2024.
Eurodressage.com has a story about the finances of both Helgstrand and GEG. Here is a
link to that piece.
For a review of 2023, go to the second featured item on this website, or click on this
link.
Those seeking more detail can read past coverage by clicking the “previous columns” icon at the top of this website (
www.nancyjaffer.com) or by going to the search function on the site. This website covered dozens of hours of proceedings on the development issue, beginning in June.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 30, 2023
The lull before the new year offers an opportunity to reflect on special memories of the people and horses we lost in 2023. Let’s recall their accomplishments and raise a toast to them as we head into 2024.
The first person who comes to my mind in that regard is Jimmy Wofford, the eventing Olympic medalist who eventually became more well-known for other achievements.
Jimmy Wofford loved his Labrador retrievers and the opportunity to go fishing. (Photo by Jim Wolf)
He took on an important role in governing horse sport (he was the president of the old American Horse Shows Association), coached a contingent of successful riders, was a brilliant speaker and went on to offer incisive views on things equestrian through his published work. An outdoorsman who became a celebrated author, he was intellectual without being pedantic, and had a wicked sense of humor.
Jimmy died in February after a long illness, something he fought with his trademark determination and bravery.
More medalists left us early in the year. They included Jimmy’s friend and 1972 Munich Olympics eventing silver medal teammate, Kevin Freeman; dressage rider Carol Lavell, most identified with the giant blaze-faced Gifted, the mount she rode to the team bronze at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, and Champ Hough, eventing team bronze medalist in the 1952 Helsinki Games, the first Olympics in which civilian equestrians represented the U.S.
From the hunter/jumper world, the losses included Marco Fuste, the FEI’s charismatic jumping director; enthusiastic jumper owner Mike Polaski; hunter trainer/rider Larry Glefke and Karen Golding, who was in a category of her own as an international jumper groom and eagle-eyed steward. Others we will miss include George Spellman, who did everything and was a friend and supporter of everyone at the Devon showgrounds in Pennsylvania, where the late trainer Susan Sisco so often excelled in side-saddle competition.
Karen Golding with Olympic gold medalist Joe Fargis on their induction into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. ((Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Also among those to whom we said goodbye were jumper owner Diana Firestone, mother of rider Allison Firestone; Ralph “Larry” Roberts, founder of the World Equestrian Centers; USEF judge Phil DeVita Sr. a pioneer of the sport and winner of the USHJA’s Lifetime Achievement Award; the outspoken Tiffany Teeter, an artist and knowledgeable horsewoman who was a supporter of the Amwell Valley Hounds.
This group also includes hunter legend Peggy Augustus, perhaps best known for her great champion Waiting Home; the 2005 Virginia Horseperson of the year, Meredith McLaughlin, who was involved in governance and had “a keen eye” for a nice equine prospect and Ellie Wood Keith Baxter, winner of the 1936 ASPCA Maclay Finals, who continued riding at age 100 and lived until she was 101. Kavar Kerr, “who lived a life of doing for others” came up with the idea of the American Hunter Jumper Foundation and was a noted horse owner as well as a rider, in addition to being a pillar of the Blowing Rock (N.C.) Horse Show.
Ellie Wood Baxter.
In dressage, those who departed included Elizabeth Madlener, a special trainer, judge and rider, who helped contribute to the popularity of the freestyle; Peggy Thomas, the owner of Debbie McDonald’s Olympic star, Brentina and Ellen DiBella, who focused on western dressage and Morgans. For information about dressage breeder Barbara Hay, see the current obituary in On the Rail section of this website.
Peggy Thomas, center, at the retirement of Brentina with Debbie and Bob McDonald; her daughter, Jane, and husbnd Parry Thomas. (Photo © 2009 by Nancy Jaffer)
In New Jersey, Buddy King, a friend to all and an all-around horseman and Ann David, owner of Hoopstick Farm (the first home of the Essex Horse Trials), have said farewell.
Others who are deserving of special mention include U.S Equestrian Team veterinarian Dr. Stephen Soule; Jeff Petska, chef d’equipe of the medal-winning U.S. reining team; Lars Sederholm, who played a key role in training U.S. eventing individual gold medalist David O’Connor; and JoAnne Postel, who founded the Foxfield program (known for its bareback and bridleless drill team) with her sister, Nancy.
Among those who sadly died in riding accidents, doing what they loved, were veterinarian Dr. Meg (Muggy) Mullin, jumper rider Hannah Serfass #rideforhannah, amateur show jumper Wayne Barr Jr. and eventer Jessie Aikman.
Wayne Barr Jr.
The horses we lost included Shutterfly, 30, ridden to three FEI World Cup show jumping finals titles by Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum; Primmore’s Pride, 30, who clinched first Rolex Grand Slam eventing title for Pippa Funnell; the Best Horse title winner at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Cortes C, 21, Beezie Madden’s Olympic and world championships show jumping medal ride, famous for jumping with his front legs crossed.
Beezie Madden and Cortes C at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in France, where won the title of Best Horse. (Photo © 2014 by Nancy Jaffer)
Others are eventing star Mr. Medicott, competed by five people, including Phillip Dutton and Karen O’Connor and Solaguayre California, the mount of eventer Tamie Smith, who had to be euthanized after fracturing a knee in an accident at the Luhmühlen, Germany 5-star event.
It’s a long list, the roster of those to whom we said adieu this year. If it’s missing someone who meant a lot to you, apologies; please take the time to remember them in your own way.
