by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 24, 2023
It takes more than a little rain to discourage dressage riders from participating in a competition they have anticipated all season long. Actually, even a whole lot of rain Saturday couldn’t dampen spirits during the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association Championships.
There were only a handful of scratches from the starting list of 60 in the show at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, N.J., and some were due to a shoeing issue or illness, rather than those deciding to duck the downpour.
Kathleen Young of Tewksbury, N.J., said she didn’t consider scratching.
“This is a very important show and I want to be supportive of ESDCTA,” declared Kathleen, who participated with a group of friends.
“We’re tough,” she smiled. “I had a great time.”
Mardi Gras understandably wasn’t a fan of the weather at the ESDCTA Championships, but he and owner Kathleen Young persisted through the raindrops. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
She and her thoroughbred-cross mount, Mardi Gras, were left more than damp during a downpour, but he was a good sport and the duo finished as reserve champions in the Division Two/First Level Championship behind Ashley Mucha and Ruby On Rails.
Persistence was the name of the game under the circumstances.
When asked why she didn’t stay dry at home in Pipersville, Pa., trainer Kendra Clarke said “We have been planning all season for this.”
She was pleased with her Andalusian mare, Giselle, who had been 600 pounds overweight when she arrived at Kendra’s barn, and “couldn’t walk without trying to come unglued.”
Kendra Clarke and Giselle. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Giselle has come a long way and despite the downpour during her Division Three Training Level Championship ride, “she cantered when I asked and stopped cantering when I asked,” said Kendra, so that’s a good day.
Show manager Lisa Toaldo, a former ESDCTA president, explained that calling off the competition was not a consideration.
“The riders work all season long to get their qualifying scores,” said Lisa, noting she didn’t want to make a decision that would mean “they weren’t able to get their day.”
While she observed that people “were thrilled” to be at the foundation’s historic headquarters, Lisa added, “unfortunately, they couldn’t do their victory lap in the pouring rain.”
That meant the horseless celebration for winners involved taking photos in the stable’s picturesque rotunda, as riders draped championship ribbons meant for their horses’ necks over their own shoulders.
Barn mates Susan Kozlowski and Kathleen Young display their ribbons sans horses. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
It was particularly special for 80-year-old Mary Anne Gerrity of Tewksbury and her 20-year-old Hanoverian, Fuerst in Line.
She had been looking into doing a ride to join the U.S. Dressage Federation’s Centurion Club, for horses and riders whose age totals 100 and can complete a dressage test at any level.
Mary Anne, who turned 80 Sept. 8, thought she might wait a bit before trying it. But there was another idea from Wendy Garfinkel, winner of the Division 3 Training Level Championship on Charmed as Well, who trains Mary Anne in conjunction with Elissa Schlotterbeck.
After Mary Anne’s successful ride in the Intro C/Training Level I Championship, she was saluted with celebratory flowers, a prize from ESDCTA and a bottle of wine by friends congratulating her.
“I was totally flabbergasted,” said Mary Anne, a retired Exxon export logistics employee who lives at Kathleen’s farm in Tewksbury.
She wasn’t sure three years ago whether at age 77 she needed another horse, but Welly, as he is known, convinced her that she did after she tried him. What decided her on the former Pony Club mount?
“His eye. It’s something you can see, a kindness,” she mentioned.
“At my age, I need a horse that’s going to take care of me. And he does.”
Mary Anne Gerrity and Fuerst In Line. (Photo courtesy Wendy Garfinkel)
An interesting sidenote: The first “Centurion Class” ride, held in 1996, featured Lazelle Knocke of Readington, N.J., a founder of ESDCTA, on Don Perignon.
Heart-warming stories abounded at the championships.
Becky Graham of Ringoes, N.J., who rode Change of Heart, said she thought about scratching. But when it looked as if the weather wouldn’t be dangerous, she decided, “We’ve already been practicing, we might as well keep going. It was fine.”
Her Morgan-cross mare got her name because she was purchased with a bucket of change from the kill pen at the Camelot auction. The buy was made by the mare’s previous owner, but Becky estimated that even with quarters, the horse’s price was “probably a few hundred bucks.”
For Natasha Worthington, winning the Division One/Intro A/B Championship with Jayde was everything a dream come true should be. Her average score of 70.469 percent would have been unimaginable in August 22, when her paint mare got hurt. Just being able to compete again was gratifying after the horse was diagnosed with two broken vertebrae in her neck.
“We think it possibly was a field injury,” said Natasha, a Doylestown, Pa., resident.
They knew something was wrong, even though the mare walked and trotted normally, because “Every time I tried to canter her, she would almost fall over. We thought it was a strain.”
Then the veterinarian did an ultrasound and the news wasn’t good.
Natasha said, “Let’s take six months and do what we can.”
That involved lots of hand-walking, MagnaWave, laser and other therapy, including ProSix equine body wrap. She started tack walking in November and did not show until April with the mare she bought four years ago off a Facebook ad.
Natasha Worthington and Jayde. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“She has made a really amazing recovery,” said Natasha, a physician’s assistant who also won at Lehigh Valley Dressage Championships last weekend.
Originally, she and Jayde competed at a low level in the hunters, but “dressage has been fantastic for her,” said Natasha, who trains with Kendra Clarke.
Natasha is very careful with 19-year-old Jayde and admitted after looking at the weather reports for Saturday, “I was very nervous about the rain” and it occurred to her Thursday not to come.
“But she was fine and here we are.”
Although Jayde just walks and trots in her current tests, moving up and doing a canter test next year is not outside the range of possibility.
But Natasha emphasized, “I’m thrilled if this is all we do. She’s my girl. Whatever she can do, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Click on the chart to read an enlarged version of championship results:
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 30, 2023
It’s been five years since show jumper Kevin Babington suffered a catastrophic fall in a grand prix, but his friends haven’t forgotten the paralyzed Olympian.
On October 1, they will hold what has become an annual benefit horse show, a fixture that debuted a few weeks after his 2019 accident. Not only did Kevin’s life change the instant he hit the ground, but it also upended the lives of his wife, Dianna, and the couple’s teenage daughters, Gwyneth and Marielle.
“Kevin was the primary breadwinner,” explained Dianna, who immediately had to step up with her girls to fill the gap in their business, care for her husband and learn about a host of medical issues and how to handle them.
Dianna Babington at the 2020 benefit show at Duncraven. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
In a different existence that suddenly was filled with doctors, hospitals and an immobilized husband, the mission is always the same.
“It’s been a nightmare. We’re trying to survive,” she said.
“I feel like this accident derailed everybody. It’s been tough. It’s very hard for us to make ends meet,” she observed, noting insurance does not cover everything needed, so the benefit show “kind of closed the gap for us.”
Kevin suffered a contusion to the spinal cord as a result of hyperextending his neck in the fall. The vertebrae hit the spinal cord, causing damage; it was a stretch and concussion injury from vertebra C3 to C5, which involves the diaphragm and mobility.
Friends recognized the immediate need for funds after Kevin’s accident, and went about setting up the show on short notice.
“It was sort of an emergency, we needed to do something for Kevin, he had just gotten hurt. Then we said, `We might have to do it again next year,’ and here we are. This is year five,” said Nancy Wallis, who course designs and co-manages the benefit with Jennifer Cassidy.
It is held at Duncraven in Titusville, N.J., a stable where Kevin once ran his business. When the Stout family took over Duncraven and refurbished it last year, they offered the venue free of charge for the show, as previous owner Tim Fedor had done.
Kevin is special, which explains why he hasn’t been forgotten, even though he’s no longer competing.
“You know people in your lifetime and you think they’re great and it goes on,” said Nancy.
“But once this happened to Kevin, we found out how many people he had touched.”
She described his kindness, noting, “He would always help, walk the course with you, or say, `Watch this turn from fence 6 to 7, it’s a little tight.’ He was so generous with his information and knowledge. He wasn’t trying to make anything off it, it was just genuine help.”
And now people are returning the favor.
Everything for the benefit is donated; the labor of the organizers, officials and volunteers, as well as raffle items, so the show has no costs that would cut down on the money raised.
“The only check we write is to the medic,” noted Nancy.
Kevin has never lost hope that some new development will give him a better quality of life and he keeps working at physical therapy. He’s game to participate in clinical trials and appreciates it when friends let him know about possible new treatments. Olympic gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa, for instance, recently called one new study in Lucerne, Switzerland, to his attention.
“There’s a lot in the works. I put my name in for all those things, to see if I can get into one of the studies,” said Kevin.
“I definitely have some hope.”
But following what Marielle, now 17, and Gwyneth, 20, achieve in the sport, “that’s the thing that keeps me going.”
Kevin watches the riders in his ring in Loxahatchee, Fla., from his wheelchair on the back porch of his home. Understandably, he’s proud of the efforts of his wife and daughters, calling the girls “really good teachers” in what has become “a family business.”
He does a lot of mentoring, and Dianna noted he “still has a great eye. There’s a place for him in the industry.”
When Kevin is needed for consultations, he goes down to the barn to lend expertise, and is active on Facetime for those seeking his opinion. In the past, the native of Ireland has helped with selection of the Irish team for the Olympics. Kevin, who tied for fourth in the 2004 Olympics, continues to watch the Nations Cups via the internet to stay current.
Kevin jumping at Hickstead.
When the horse shows are going on in Wellington, a few minutes from Loxahatchee, he can often be found at ringside, helping his girls and offering advice to anyone who needs it, along with a friendly chat.
As Nancy noted, “he never mentions himself. It’s always, `What are you doing, what horse shows have you been to, where are you going next?’ He’s a forward thinker, for sure.”
Paralyzed from mid-chest down, he has had some subtle improvements in terms of what he can feel here and there on his body, but none are “life-changing improvements,” as his wife put it.
While his right arm has gotten stronger and he can bring it up almost up to his nose, his fingers are not strong enough to hold a fork, which would enable him to feed himself.
Kevin at the 2004 Olympics, where he tied for fourth. (Photo © 2004 by Nancy Jaffer)
Still, she said, “there have been some blessings.”
He can laugh, even in the midst of chronic pain; he can clear his throat a little bit and his voice is stronger than it used to be.
“I never hear him complain,” Diana mentioned, “He hasn’t given up.”
The couple knows that medical science is always making strides.
“I’m hopeful something will break at some point. I hope it’s during his lifetime,” Dianna said.
Meanwhile, Kevin is grateful for the benefit show, and those who are putting it on.
“For the local people to come out and still support is just incredible, and even for the new owners of Duncraven to step up and offer their place is just wonderful. I miss that area.”
“The horse community is amazing,” he added.
Dianna mentioned $30,000 was raised by last year’s show. That’s a remarkable amount, considering the show was practically rained out and only ran some classes in the indoor ring as the monsoon came down outside it. Extending a raffle through the next weekend helped bring in more contributions.
Kevin has always had enthusiastic fans.
This year, fundraising strategies include bareback “Ride a buck” classes.
“Kevin was a big bareback rider,” Nancy pointed out.
Kids who participate will put $5 under their knee. The last one to keep the bill in place will be the winner and enjoy a 50/50 split, with Kevin’s trust keeping half the money and the winner keeping half (unless they want to donate it). The adults will ride with $10 bills under their knees.
The third jumper class of each division is a 50/50 stakes class. Entry fees go in the pot, with half to the winner.
Volunteers are needed who can help set up for the show, as well as working the day it runs. They should contact Nancy at (908) 256-3386. Donation of raffle items also is being sought. Julie Koveloski is in charge of that at (609) 439-8983 or email jroslowski@yahoo.com. Items raffled in the past have included gift cards, mini-jumps (for kids), air vests and photo sessions, but there are always gift baskets and a variety of offerings.
People who can’t make it to the show but want to donate may give to the Kevin Babington Trust, which goes directly to him for a variety of crushing expenses that never stop cropping up. Checks may be sent to Kevin at 13254 Casey Road, Loxahatchee, Fla. 33470.
Those looking for a tax deduction with their contribution can donate to the Kevin Babington Foundation, a 501(c)3 which provides support not only to Kevin, but also to other show jumpers who have suffered spinal injuries. It helps pay for aides, which enables Dianna and the girls to keep working. Its mission for those seeking help also includes outfitting vehicles for transportation and remodeling to make homes suitable for the disabled, but does not contribute toward daily expenses.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 9, 2023
Dressage at Devon, once a highlight of the competition season, has been facing challenges for years as the yearlong show calendar was rearranged to the disadvantage of its autumn date.
The Northeast no longer is a hub of high-level dressage. There was a time, however, when Devon, Pa., was a must-stop for both U.S. and Canadian riders.
The Saturday night freestyle always drew the likes of such memorable combinations as George Williams with the lop-eared crowd favorite Rocher, a three-time winner of the musical ride; Lars Petersen on Succes and Jacquie Brooks of Canada with D’Niro. Anne Gribbons, a Devon board member and former U.S. dressage technical advisor, won the freestyle in the 1980s with Amazonas, who had been victorious in the three-year-old stallion class during the show’s popular breeding division some years previously.
George Willliams with Rocher during her 2013 retirement at Dressage at Devon, where she was a freestyle star. (Photo © 2013 by Nancy Jaffer)
The New England Dressage Association show in Saugerties prior to Devon made for a nice little autumn CDI (international) circuit as horses headed from there to Pennsylvania, Tryon, N.C., and then Florida. That state has become the center of dressage during the winter in this country, and the World Equestrian Center Ocala now offers three CDIs from September to December as well, an incentive for people either leaving earlier for Florida or simply moving there.
There’s a new, small CDI in Pennsylvania during June and another CDI further south, in Virginia, during May. But when the NEDA show did not continue as a CDI (it is now a regional competition), Devon was left as the lone major international show in the Northeast.
So it is working hard to entice competitors and spectators to the storied Devon showgrounds. Creative thought and determination are highlights of a resolute effort to insure that the show keeps its place, both in history and the future.
The organization is fighting back with a series of initiatives. This year’s show (www.dressageatdevon.org), Sept. 26-Oct. 1 will feature an encore of the highly successful Master Class that debuted last year with U.S. Olympian Sabine Schut-Kery. The clinician this time for the NorCordia-sponsored evening Sept. 28 will be Danish world championships medalist Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, known for her stylish performances with such wonderful horses as Bohemian and Vamos Amigos, both of whom have been sold.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour at the 2022 World Championships.
She will be teaching during the evening, and those benefiting from her wisdom will include not only the spectators, but also an interesting list of riders. Among those set to take part are eventer Boyd Martin, Canadian Lindsay Kellock and Australian Hope Beerling–who just finished 10th out of 40 in the world seven-year-old championships in the Netherlands with Vianne.
The NorCordia Master Class raffle is open with worldwide ticket at norcordia.com/raffle.The purchase of a $5 ticket could win one of the prizes including a memorabilia collection from Cathrine Laudrup DuFour, a Stübben custom saddle designed by Catherine Haddad, a limited edition Master Class shirt from Uniqcorn Exceptionnel and many more prizes. On Oct. 2, NorCordia will announce the winners, who will be notified via email.
New at the show for 2023 is a “dance-off” freestyle contest Sept. 29 with a live band. Catherine Haddad Staller, Lauren Sammis and Jim Kofford are among those scheduled to participate. On the final day, the schedule will be dominated by musical freestyles in various divisions.
As is the case with many boutique shows (not part of a series) in several disciplines, funding is a problem for D at D. In 2019, it put out a request for help with financial issues. It didn’t receive much of a response, and the advent of Covid in 2020 made the situation even tougher.
Gribbons, who competed at D at D “at least 25 times,” remembers the show as “the high point of the year, the place to be. The atmosphere in the Dixon Oval, especially at night, is the closest this country has to the atmosphere at Aachen. It gives you a very intimate feeling.”
The “Where Champions Meet” sign is as applicable to Dressage at Devon as it is to the spring hunter/jumper show. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
However, after the show found itself coping with difficult times, she recalled that the board took a vote in the wake of the pandemic as to whether it should even continue. It was decided to go ahead, and the spectators who came out in 2021 were thrilled to be back watching the competition.
It’s always a struggle, however. Costs of putting on the show have risen from $750,000 in 2021 to $900,000 this year, with a hole in the budget of $40,000. The price of renting the showgrounds also increases from 10 to 15 percent annually, according to show president Anne Moss, who took that position in 2022.
She noted that while the 2019 aid attempt “didn’t get off the ground,” it had lacked help from anyone with a fundraising background. Now board member Nicole Del Giorno, a professional in the field, is spearheading the effort.
A trainer who was a gold medalist at the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships as a teen, Nicole knows the dressage world well. She works for a company called MarketSmart, that has software which “helps non-profits find and engage major-giving donors.”
Moss said, “She has enabled us to have consultations with experts in fundraising to come up with a strategic plan for the show.”
Dressage at Devon President Anne Moss. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
That led to establishing the Dressage at Devon Sustainers Club. The show has sent an appeal letter, “hoping people can donate $1,000 and become a member and hopefully do that every year to help sustain the show,” said Moss.
Del Giorno noted sponsors, who are looking at what a show can do for their business, think differently from individual donors and philanthropists. That segment instead is focused on, “how can I make a difference that’s going to reflect my values?”
She suggested this donor thought process: “If I really care about dressage education in the region; if I really care about trying to keep our top horses and riders in the region and being able to see top-class dressage, suddenly as a philanthropist, Devon is looking very attractive.”
As Moss noted, “A lot of big sponsors are sponsoring our national governing bodies. It’s harder and harder for a stand-alone horse show to get the attention of sponsors for the support we really need. There’s only so much money you can ask from the competitors and spectators before they’re going to say `No’. We want to encourage competitors and spectators. The only way we can fill those holes is with donations and sponsorship.”
The money that comes in is not being wasted, because the Devon board is keeping a close eye on its finances.
“We’ve tightened out belts and tightened our belts. We’re trying to do it on as much of a shoestring but still make it a fabulous show,” commented Moss.
Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF qualified for the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals with a victory at Dressage at Devon 2022 Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer
“We’re in the process of reshaping what the show is. We know we’re not going to attract all the big names from Florida and the West Coast. So we’re trying to put an emphasis on making it a fabulous experience for the amateur CDI and the wonderful professionals who support us, and all the Canadians, and add as much to the schedule as we can for education.”
The Dressage at Devon Forum on the Wednesday of the show will feature veterinarians from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center lecturing on advanced breeding techniques for sport horse mares, while Dr. Hillary Clayton will give a presentation on biomechanics on the Thursday morning into the afternoon, accompanying livestream of the young horse classes. There are plenty of shopping opportunities, while a barn day and kids’ activities Oct. 1 offer another way to participate.
The show has hired Phelps Media Group to get the word out. The sponsorship team has been increased from one person to three, offering different circles of contact from which to seek support. Volunteers are also needed, and the jobs they do offer another way of giving to the show.
Devon continues to have its own brand of allure. There are still riders for whom Dressage at Devon represents a goal worth working for.
Kim Opiatowski last rode there decades ago, back when the show offered Third Level competition. Now the lowest level for performance horses is Fourth Level, and Kim is hoping her qualifying score with her mount, Dario, made the cut.
While there may be less in the way of big names than in the past, “It’s kind of nice for some of the amateurs, because it’s not quite as crowded as it has been in the past,” said the New Hope, Pa., resident.
At the same time, she pointed out, “It gets you ready for some of the big show venues if you’re going to go to Finals later. It’s a good steppingstone because (the U.S. Dressage) Finals can be pretty electric. too.
“It’s a very spectator-friendly show, so friends and family can come watch and they can also see the freestyle on Saturday night. There’s a lot of aspects of the show that are very fun to do that you don’t have at other shows.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 18, 2023
New Jersey will get its first National Collegiate Equestrian Association team as Centenary University introduces its participation in the 2024-25 academic year.
Centenary, based in Hackettstown with an equestrian center in nearby Washington Township, also will keep fielding an Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association team. NCEA, associated with the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), is limited to women riders. IHSA is co-ed.
Centenary will be the first NCEA school in the country that offers a degree program in equine studies. While NCEA’s highest profile is for its Division I schools, such as Auburn University or Texas A&M, Centenary’s category of Division III is growing within the organization. Centenary is offering NCEA only for jumping seat equitation riders.
Competition is an important part of the program at Centenary University. (Photo courtesy of Centenary)
Michael Dowling, who coaches the Centenary team with Heather Clark, said NCEA involvement, will “raise the skill sets of the riders that are coming into Centenary. We feel that by doing this, we are providing that opportunity for students who also want the kind of academic offerings we have.”
Kelly Munz, chair of the equine studies department at Centenary, pointed out, “the NCEA has been coming on strong and we’ve been thinking about it for a little while.”
At the same time, she emphasized, “We’re very devoted to IHSA, which is where we’ve been successful for so many years.”
But as she noted, “Division III schools are picking up the NCEA, and one of the things that has changed is they now offer a single-division championship at the finals for just hunt seat or just western. That has made all the difference,” Kelly continued, explaining Centenary does not have a western team and so could not participate when two disciplines were required.
Centenary offers the opportunity for students to come to a program where “they actually get ride time and a lot of opportunities to compete,” Kelly pointed out.
“Some of the bigger schools have a lot of power and money to offer students, but a student may go there and not be able to compete because they’re twentieth or twenty-fifth on the bench, and you can only compete so many. Some of the beauty of the Division III schools is that we’re offering students the opportunity to show and they will also be able to do IHSA as well as NCEA.”
“We’re seeing a lot more schools offering both,” said Michael, noting IHSA is the only option for male students, while women can rider in both NCEA and IHSA.
Division I schools offer scholarships for riding, but Division III schools cannot give athletic scholarships, though Kelly pointed out Centenary does provide academic scholarships.
So while a Division III school likely wouldn’t be competitive against Division I schools due to the financial recruiting advantage of the latter, with single division championships available for Division III schools, “we will be competing against other schools similar to ours,” said Michael.
“This is exciting news for Centenary University’s equestrian program,” said Dale Caldwell, president of the university.
“The success of the equestrian program is one of our highest priorities. We want students to excel, both in the classroom and in competition.”
Kelly pointed out 100 percent of Centenary’s pre-vet students have been accepted to veterinary schools. The university offers a Bachelor of Science in Equine Science, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Equine Studies with concentrations in equestrian media and public relations, equine-assisted services, equine business management and equine training and instruction. Centenary students may also choose the Bachelor of Science in Animal Health (the pre-veterinary track).
Students who are interested in riding for Centenary can contact Kelly at Kelly.Munz@centenaryuniversity.edu. They should also go to the NCEA website at https://collegiateequestrian.com and look for the questionnaire they can fill in.
“Once we get the name out, I think students are going to come to us,” said Kelly.
“They have the opportunity to ride on two teams and have an equine program if they want to become an equestrian professional. We’re a small school in a great location that has a lot of hands-on opportunities.”
In 2014, the NCAA was considering dropping equestrian, feeling the number of teams was not sufficient to continue the program. But Tom O’Mara, whose daughters rode on teams during college, led the way in trying to find a solution that would keep equestrian as part of NCAA. He was successful in that effort, and went on to become president of the U.S. Equestrian Federation. The NCEA now has 23 members across 14 states and has gained two programs within the last month.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 18, 2023
Karl Cook, who won the 2023 American Gold Cup last weekend with Caracole de la Roque, has been named with an all-star group of riders to the U.S. squad for the Barcelona Nations Cup final later this month.
The 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games gold medal teammates McLain Ward, Laura Kraut and Devin Ryan will be. traveling to Spain with 2021 Olympic team silver medalist Jessie Springsteen,
The final will offer one country qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics. No team in the Western Hemisphere has qualified for those Games. The spot will go to the highest-placing team not already qualified.
It’s the next-to-last shot for the U.S. to qualify for sending a team to Paris. If the U.S. doesn’t qualify there, the final opportunity is the Pan American Games in Chile this autumn. The three highest-ranked teams there not already qualified can get a ticket to the Olympics at that competition.
Karl was selected for the team before his Gold Cup win. His mount previously was ridden by France’s Julien Epaillard, who won a leg of the 2022 World Championships.
At the Gold Cup in Michigan, Karl turned in a dazzling time of of 32.95 seconds, easily beating a mark of 34.35 seconds set earlier in the class by Israel’s Ashlee Bond and Donatello.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 21, 2023
At the age of 24, the durable eventer Mr. Medicott left us last weekend. Retired in Virginia at the farm of Jacqueline Mars, the Irish-bred son of Cruising was a star for the U.S. with three different riders.
The first was Karen O’Connor, who took over the reins from Germany’s Frank Ostholt.
Karen O’Connor and Mr. Medicott at Rolex Kentucky 2012. (Photo © 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)
The horse, originally named Crag Cave Slieveluachra, was nicknamed Cave throughout his life. Cave was twenty-fifth with Frank at the 2008 Olympics, where he was on the German gold medal team, then came to the U.S. in 2010 for the FEI World Equestrian Games, where he was twenty-first. After that, the Mr. Medicott Syndicate, which included Sarah Broussard, Jacqueline Mars and Suzanne Lacy, bought him for Karen as a prospect for the 2012 London Olympics.
While it took some time for Cave to transition from having a male German rider to a female American rider. On the plus side, “he loved the job and continued to do his thing,” said Karen’s groom, Max Corcoran.
Karen and Cave were fourth at Rolex Kentucky in 2012 before finishing ninth as the highest-placed American entry at the London Olympics.
After Karen’s retirement at the end of 2012, a group of owners including Bruce Duchossois, Annie Jones, Stephanie Speakman, Tom Tierney, and Caroline Moran joined the Mr. Medicott Syndicate and got the ride for Phillip Dutton.
“I didn’t have a lot of time to get to know him, as I remember as we started to compete straight away, but fortunately we clicked from the beginning,” Phillip said.
In competition, Cave’s enthusiasm took “a bit of managing,” said Phillip, adding, “However, I always felt this came from Cave loving the sport and his job.”
In the spring of 2014, Phillip and Cave were third after cross-country at Kentucky, but the horse aggravated an old tendon injury and withdrew. He basically spent the next two years recuperating, with a brief return to competition in 2015 before going to the sidelines again.
Then at age 18, in the last event where Phillip rode him, he was fourth and the highest-placed American entry at the 2017 at Rolex Kentucky competition. After that, Phillip’s daughter, Olivia, began riding Cave to a series of top-10 finishes at the national Training and Preliminary levels during the latter half of 2017 and early 2018 before finishing third at Fair Hill.
“It was a big adjustment for me, but we took it one step at a time and I truly think that Cave knew he had to take care of me,” said Olivia.
“We grew a strong relationship where we could both trust each other.”
Olivia and Cave earned their qualification for the North American Youth Championship in the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event CIC 2-star, then contributed to Area II’s team gold medal at the championships.
Cave was formally retired following show jumping at the NAYC. He had quite a record, competing at 50 FEI events in a career that included five different riders. He finished in the top 10 at 30 of those competitions.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 18, 2023
Peggy Thomas, the owner of U.S. dressage star Brentina, died this month at her farm in Idaho. She was 97.
Debbie McDonald, who guided Brentina to an FEI World Cup Finals victory, as well as medals in the Pan American Games, the World Equestrian Games and the Olympics, said, “I was so fortunate to have had the opportunity to ride for the Thomas family for over 45 years
“Peggy was not just a wonderful owner, but an amazing horsewoman and human being. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.”
At Brentina’s 2009 retirement in the Thomas & Mack Center: Debbie and Bob McDonald, Peggy Thomas, Jane Sturdivant and Parry Thomas. (Photo © 2009 by Nancy Jaffer)
Mrs. Thomas was the widow of E. Parry Thomas, her husband of 69 years. A banker who helped finance development of the casino industry in Las Vegas, he died in 2016.
The couple, who owned River Grove Farm, was known for their charitable efforts. With Parry’s partner, Jerry Mack, they donated land to the University of Nevada at Las Vegas for construction of the Thomas & Mack Center. That facility hosted six FEI World Cup finals.
They also sponsored the Brentina Cup for riders 16-25 to bridge the gap between juniors and Young Riders to senior competition. Winners have included Adrienne Lyle, Debbie’s protege, who rode the Thomases’ Wizard in the 2012 Olympics..
Mrs. Thomas is survived by sons Peter, Roger, Steven and Tom, as well as a daughter, Jane Sturdivant; 13 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. Services were private.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 16, 2023
“The nicest guy” is the way friends characterized Mike Polaski, who was well-known on the horse show circuit and in thoroughbred circles as well.
A self-made man “who lived life to the fullest,” Mike died Sept. 10 at age 76 after being hospitalized for a stroke. Starting as a blue-collar worker, he went on to be an insurance salesman and then began his own highly successful insurance company, Specialty Underwriters. He also owned numerous restaurants over the years, as well as being involved with breeding horses and cattle.
Mike Polaski.
The 30-year sponsorship of his Hidden Creek Farm furthered the career of show jumper Margie Goldstein Engle, who rode horses he bred and owned everywhere from numerous grands prix to international championships.
Among the best known of his jumpers were Hidden Creek’s Laurel and Hidden Creek’s Alvaretto, who made him the only owner to take the American Grand Prix Association and American Horse Shows Association Horse of the Year titles in the same year. Hidden Creek’s Cuervo Gold was part of the 2006 silver medal team at the FEI World Equestrian Games at Aachen in 2006. Hidden Creek’s Perin won a team gold and individual bronze at the Pan American Games and finished in top 10 at the 2000 Olympics.
“I was fortunate to have quite a few nice owners, but he was one of the best,” said Margie.
“His big thing was he wanted everyoneto have a nice time. He was a fun person to be around, very gregarious. He lived life to the fullest, there wasn’t any grass growing under his feet. He always liked to do things for charities and other people.”
Trainer Tom Wright observed, “He would give the shirt off his back if you were lucky enough to be his friend.”
Mike started riding to follow his pointer dogs while hunting, then went on to buy a horse, a farm and began showing. He also had racehorses with trainer Michael Matz, a former show jumper.
Being involved in church-based charity efforts in Africa and Eastern Europe was important in Mike’s life, and he financed construction of a children’s hospital in Kenya.
Viewing will be held Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. followed by a 5 p.m. memorial service at 414 Church, 1672 77th St. West Allis, Wisc.
He is survived by his wife, Catherine Jerene Polaski; children Michael John (Dreama) Polaski, Jennifer Anne (Jose) McFarland, and Sarah Marie (Joseph) McLean; grandchildren Madison (Victor) Magalhaes, Seth Polaski, Eddie McFarland, Lola McFarland, Ava McLean, Bret McLean and Graham McLean, as well as a great-grandchild, “Baby” Magalhaes.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Reach 7, P.O. Box 658, 200 E. Centennial Drive, Oak Creek, WI 53154, or through Venmo.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 15, 2023
We were lucky, those of us who experienced the excitement of Thursday night at the National Horse Show in its heyday at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
The hot ticket was the Puissance (even more than the closing day’s grand prix), and the arena was filled from the box seats to the rafters with fans who would cheer each horse’s attempt to clear the giant wall in the center of the ring. Every time the wall grew higher, spectators held their breath, letting out a sympathetic moan when the top-most blocks fell, or conversely, roaring in support of the entries who cleared the imposing obstacle, until only one was left as the winner.
I’m talking decades ago here, and the Puissance (which means power) has been an endangered species for a while. As of this year, however, it apparently will be extinct in the Western Hemisphere, since the Washington D.C. International has decided to drop it.
While several shows abroad, including Dublin and the London International, still offer the Puissance, those in the U.S. have found it more and more difficult to fill the class, even though it can run with a small number of entries because it goes for several rounds.
“It is a specialized class. You need a specific horse for. It’s hard to carry a horse for one class,” explained Todd Minikus, a regular competitor in the Puissance at Washington.
Todd Minikus over Washington’s great wall on Vougeot de Septon. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“It’s certainly disappointing to see some of the tradition of some of the horse shows go by the wayside,” he commented, pointing out this isn’t the first time that has happened. He mentioned the Nations Cup competitions that were a staple of the North American Fall Indoor Circuit until they vanished near the end of the 20th Century.
“I guess there’s an evolution in everything. Changing times,” he observed.
“The Puissance seems to be a dying breed,” agreed Will Simpson, who set several high jump records; with Jolly Good (7-9 outdoors in 1985) and The Roofer (7-5 outdoors in 1976).
It wasn’t a puissance wall, but setting a high jump record outdoors at 7-5 with The Roofer showed Will Simpson could tackle heights. (Photo by Dougphoto)
“For a special horse, it’s an amazing class,” he said, but warned, “you shouldn’t just take any old random horse in there.”
His current mount, Chacco P, would be good at jumping the wall, he believes.
“Maybe I could go to Dublin,” Will mused.
Anne Poulson, Washington’s board chairman, explained why the Puissance is being discontinued, saying, “We’re trying to evolve with the type of classes people want.”
Since the Puissance is such an important part of the show’s history, however, tribute will be paid to it at this year’s edition in October at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Maryland.
“We’re going to have a nice ceremony and retire the wall. We’re thinking about putting the wall somewhere where people can have their pictures taken with it,” Anne commented.
The show also will recognize the contributions of the late Donald Tober and his wife, Barbara, who owned Sweet ‘n Low. That was the horse Anthony D’Ambrosio rode to a record 7-foot, 7 and 1/2 inch Puissance victory at Washington in 1983 (a decade after he set a 7-foot, 4-inch record at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden on Sympatico.) .
Anthony D’Ambrosio and Sweet ‘n Low setting the record at Washington. (Photo by E.B. Howe)
“You have to be cognizant of reading the tea leaves,” said Anne, noting “social license” in terms of what the public will accept in the way horses are used is a prominent consideration these days when deciding what to offer at a show.
“The riders’ safety and horse safety is so pre-eminent in everyone’s thinking,” observed Anthony.
In regard to the Puissance, Washington “hung on as long as they could, but let’s face it, they weren’t getting support from the riders,” Anthony said.
“It is, I guess, a relatively extreme sport and there isn’t a big appetite for that. It used to be something the riders wanted to do, to prove themselves in that capacity. We had top riders in the Puissance, even with their grand prix horses. But this is modern times. Take a look at the prize money offered in the Puissance compared to the money that is offered in grands prix, for instance.”
No one was arguing that Washington needed to keep the Puissance at this point.
“I think it’s time,” said McLain Ward, a Puissance winner at Washington multiple times.
“I think it’s not a well-received competition anymore. It’s not what the challenge of the sport is today.
“We’ve evolved into a more fine-tuned, finesse and tactical sport, not just pure power and strength. I think that’s a natural evolution. It was a great class in its moment, great memories.”
He added, “if you don’t move forward and where the sport’s going, you get left behind.”
McLain Ward and ZZ Top over the Washington wall. (Photo© by Lawrence J. Nagy)
McLain noted, “anything that is perceived as being against the horse’s welfare is bad. At the same time, I think we have to find balance and expertise in horse care and horse management. The horse’s relevance in the world is only through sport now. Sport is very important for the well-being and care of the horses. We have great sport in other style competitions that are just as challenging, albeit in a slightly different way.”
Washington International President Vicki Lowell commented, “I am sad about saying good-bye to the Puissance, but we must continue to evolve and do what is best for the horses and the sport.
“We will give it a wonderful send-off and will keep making sure we bring entertaining and `Wow’ exhibitions and sport to the forefront.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 18, 2023
The U.S. Junior Jumping Team made the podium and the Young Rider Team was fourth at the 2023 FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Youth Final at Sentower Park in Belgium last weekend.
“The juniors were great,” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe Anne Kursinski.
“Overall, they were amazing in getting on the podium. I’m proud of all of them—they all rode great.”
The bronze medal junior team: Tessa Downey, Laurel Walker, Elise Stephens, Stephanie Garrett, Carlee McCutcheon and chef d’equipe Anne Kursinski.(Photo©US Equestrian/Matt Turer)
Needing a clear to secure a podium placing, Carlee McCutcheon and Coco Mercedes, a 2013 Westphalian mare owned by Purple Rein Investments, delivered the key fault-free trip in 70.24 seconds.
“Carlee was amazing,” Anne said.
“She fought for it the whole way—the mare jumped clear, and it wasn’t the easiest ride. It definitely got us on the podium, and that’s what she had done in Traverse City (at the FEI North American Youth Championships), and she repeated it here.”
Carlee and Coco Mercedes’s clear-round effort kept the U.S. on a team total of 12 penalties—three faults clear of fourth-place Germany’s 15 and trailing the eight from Ireland and the Netherlands. The Netherlands ultimately defeated Ireland in a jump-off.
In the Young Riders, “It was close with all the top teams,” Anne noted.
“The U.S. did a great job. The Europeans just have a little more experience at this level of Nations Cup jumping, but I thought (we) were great and Alex (Alston on Keoki) ended up jumping a fabulous clear.”
