by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 21, 2023
Following two nights of meetings on a project involving rezoning part of the Wellington, Florida, Equestrian Preserve — an application linked to expansion of the Wellington International showgrounds — the Village Zoning, Planning and Adjustment board put off a vote until next month.
Twenty-seven people spoke on the contentious subject Thursday in the public hearing portion of the board’s second session on Thursday. Board Vice Chairman John Bowers read the names and opinions of dozens of others from comment cards presented to the panel. By the time he finished, it was midnight before closing statements from the developer and “interested parties” could have been heard.
Considering the late hour, the zoning board decided to put off that part of the process and a vote until the panel’s next regular meeting on Aug. 16. That is nearly two weeks before the fate of the project could be decided at a Village Council meeting tentatively scheduled for Aug. 28 (and Aug. 29, if necessary).
Removing acreage from the Equestrian Preserve in the “Winter Equestrian Capital of the World” requires a super-majority of four of the five council members. Both the zoning board and the Equestrian Preserve Committee are advisory groups whose input is used by the council in making a decision. After two nights of hearings last month, the Preserve committee members unanimously voted against the request to take land from the Preserve.
Zoning board members started their second meeting of the week (click here to read a story on the first meeting) with questions for Village zoning and planning staff; Michael Stone, president of Wellington International, which runs the showgrounds, and Doug McMahon, managing director of developer Tavistock Group, co-founder of the Nexus Luxury Collection.
The applications under discussion for The Wellington North & South are being put forward by Wellington Lifestyle Partners (WLP), whose executive vice president and partner is Paige Bellissimo. She is the daughter of Mark Bellisimo, who made his name in the horse world as the point man for Wellington Equestrian Partners in the 2007 purchase of the showgrounds that is home to the Winter Equestrian Festival. Mark Bellissimo also was involved in entities that bought much of the land in the vicinity of the showgrounds, including the 90 acres needed for its expansion in the South portion of the project.
The Populous architectural firm, which will design the new Wellington International showgrounds, envisions this setting as the entrance.
WLP calls its project the Wellington Equestrian and Golf Club. (A golf course was purchased in April for $35 million as a key element of the resort club community). The Partners are seeking permission to construct 400 dwellings, including single-family homes, condos and townhouses, as well as small farms and a fitness/wellness center in addition to sports and recreation facilities.
WLP is requesting that 95.6 acres be removed from the protected Equestrian Preserve property in the North section, now the home of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival at Equestrian Village, in order to construct luxury housing there.
During Thursday’s hearing, it was mentioned that if the zoning change on that North parcel property is approved, no housing construction could proceed until the expanded showgrounds on the South parcel is ready for use. Zoning for the land to be added to the showgrounds must be changed from residential to commercial equestrian recreation.
Dressage competition is scheduled to continue at Equestrian Village at least through the 2024 winter season.
Michael Stone and Mark Bellissimo in 2007 by the old polo stadium at what would become the home of dressage at Equestrian Village in the Equestrian Preserve.( Photo © 2007 by Nancy Jaffer)
Wellington Lifestyle Partners, which McMahon serves as CEO, is not involved in the showgrounds expansion. That will be undertaken by the Global Equestrian Group, owner of Wellington International. But GEG lacks a signed contract to buy the necessary land for that expansion from WLP, which also seeks to change the land use and master plan for its property in the South parcel.
The tenuous connection between WLP’s projects and the showgrounds expansion has been difficult to understand for many, as well as why WLP doesn’t just sell land for the showgrounds to Wellington International right now. It has even been accused by Equestrian Preserve Committee Chairperson Jane Cleveland of holding the land sale “hostage” in order to get its zoning requests fulfilled.
But Thursday night, a new idea was presented, the prospect of WLP and Wellington International becoming co-applicants on the South parcel to coordinate development. Wellington International also is seeking rezoning there, to equestrian commercial for the acreage that would become part of the expanded showgrounds.
Eventually, dressage would move to the Wellington International site nearby on Pierson Road when the entire showgrounds is expanded over another 90 acres, land that is part of approximately 269 acres that is the South segment of the Wellington Lifestyle Partners’ application.
The timeline for completion of the showgrounds is uncertain, but Paige Bellissimo told the board, “We don’t want to leave dressage or the (adjacent) derby field (where hunters and jumpers compete) high and dry” without a home at Equestrian Village if the new showgrounds is not finished.
“So this is our commitment on paper to not leaving them orphaned. We really want to show that we’re partners in this and we’re committed to the showgrounds as well.”
That enlarged Wellington International would have a jumper stadium and new indoor and outdoor arenas on the additional acreage GEG wants to buy, while the land currently used by the showgrounds would host only hunters and dressage. Stone estimated that during the Winter Equestrian Festival, the rearrangement of disciplines means shows will include 1,200 hunters and 300 dressage horse on the site of the current showgrounds. That is a total of 1,500 horses in an area that now serves 3,000, including the jumpers, which means the cramped circumstances would be alleviated as the jumpers move off to their own venue on the showgrounds’ new, bigger footprint.
Dressage riders rarely have had the chance to ride in the main arena at Wellington International, but plans call for them to be based there once the new showgrounds is built. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Much of the conversation recently about the importance of expanding the showgrounds goes beyond crowding at the site, or the lack of parking, need for better maintenance and the inconvenience of moving catering and equipment between Wellington International and Equestrian Village.
New high-end facilities in Ocala and Sarasota are offering competition to Wellington; not only in attracting riders and residents, but also bringing in sponsors and vendors. The current showgrounds could be viewed as outdated. Stone pointed out during the meeting that the VIP pavilion at Wellington International is basically under a tent because of regulations prohibiting a permanent building. That means the facilities are not attractive to sponsors, who don’t want clients coming to a venue lacking air conditioning and other amenities.
Some at the meeting who objected to more housing cited traffic issues, although zoning staffers downplayed what effect development would have in that area, and suggested alternate entrances to the expanded showgrounds might improve the situation. The biggest issue in regard to traffic, the bottleneck at the intersection of Pierson and South Shore Boulevard could be solved with expanded and additional turning lanes, rather than road widening, it was suggested.
While there seems to be general agreement that expanding the showgrounds would be a good thing for Wellington’s identity, most of those who spoke at Thursday’s meeting or submitted comment cards are against removing acreage from the Preserve to insure that the showgrounds can obtain additional acreage.That shows the difficulty of making land for a new showgrounds on the South parcel available only if the North parcel is taken out of the preserve and rezoned.
A petition against removing Equestrian Preserve land and amending zoning to allow an increase in residential density has gotten nearly 5,300 signatures.
Resident Mark Elie said 2016 traffic studies were used in evaluating what would happen with an influx of additonal cars due to increased development
“This is going to destroy what our lifestyle is like. We do not need more homes causing more traffic,” he commented.
Farm owner Michael Whitlow told board members they have “an obligation to preserve the Preserve. Once you start chipping away at the Preserve, we’re going to have nothing but development forever and ever.”
Several people speaking in support of the expansion did not mention the loss of land from the Preserve, but rather, zeroed in on the importance of keeping up with the times for the health of the equestrian industry.
Entrepreneur Michael Cruciotti, the brother of show jumper Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen, said he and his wife moved to Wellington six years ago for the horse show. He organized Equestrians for Wellington, which got more than 500 signatures this week from trainers, grooms, riders and others in the industry supporting the new plan. He called the horse show their “lifeblood.”
“Unless the horse show is allowed to expand, we will not see this investment continue into our community,” he said, citing the presence of “better options out there right now,” mentioning the World Equestrian Center in Ocala with its 5-star hotel and multitude of restaurants.
“If the horse show is not able to expand,” he cautioned, “I fear we may not have a horse show in the next five to 10 years.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 19, 2023
Managing risk when investing in horses is always tricky. The fragility of these animals and the whims of fate too often can result in a devastating outcome for owners, riders and trainers.
Catherine Haddad Staller, based in Califon, N.J., and Wellington, Fla., knows well the ups and downs of the horse business. Twice the U.S. dressage team’s reserve rider for the World Equestrian Games, she has had many other accomplishments during more than three decades of being active in the industry.
Her most recent success was the selection of her home-bred seven-year-old Hanoverian, Vianne, to compete in the FEI World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in the Netherlands next month. Doing the riding will be 23-year-old Hope Beerling, an Australian being trained by Catherine. Vianne is the only American-bred horse representing the U.S. that is participating in the competition.
Vianne takes a good look at the flag she will be representing at the Young Horse Championships with Hope Beerling. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Along with her achievements, Catherine, 59, also has dealt with her share of crushing disappointments over the years, and had to figure out a way of coping with them.
What she learned has been instilled in the development of NorCordia, an innovative company started in 2021 whose platform is geared to “helping our horses find their best partners” and enabling those who invest in the concept to seek a profit. It is the “first sporthorse portfolio investment company,” Catherine explained.
The Nor in NorCordia is for Nordic, which she calls “a representation of value,” (her partners are Danish), while Cordia refers to “the assurance of heartstrings,” a commitment to caring in connection with the horses.
The company initially offers portfolios of 10 to 12 horses, and each runs for three years. When a horse is sold during that period, it is replaced in the portfolio. The company has the ability to turn over anywhere from 18 to 24 horses in one portfolio. Eventually, replacement is stopped, so at the end of the three years, the plan is for the portfolio to be empty so investors can collect, though Catherine is careful to emphasize that investment carries no guarantee there will be a profit.
The trainer added, however, she believes “something cataclysmic would have to happen to not make a profit with this model.”
Explaining how the company manages risk, Catherine explained, “If something goes wrong with one horse, we can make up the loss by selling other horses. Because we place the horses with professionals in (both) Europe and the U.S., we never have one complete portfolio with one trainer.”
Having the NorCordia horses at several stables is a way to reduce risk in the case of disease, fire or natural disasters, for instance. The horses are mostly dressage specialists, with some show jumpers in the mix.
The first portfolio was started with a capital investment of 500,000 Euros. The second was started with 1 million Euros and had 10 shares at 100,000 Euros each sold to investors by February 2023. Portfolio three was started with 2.5 million Euros.
While Catherine and her partners want to sell horses, of course, there is another priority.
“For me,” she said, “the number one thing is horse welfare. We have to sell horses, but I said to all three of my partners, `We will be a company that gives our horses the best care, the best nutrition, the best management and the best training. We will take every precaution we can that when one of our horses leaves the stable, it’s going to the best partner, and a partner for life.’ That’s why our motto is `Horses for Life.’ ”
While she knows many ethical horse dealers, she’s also known some in the business who weren’t.
“I want to show the world how compassionately you can put horses on the market and send them on to their next partners.”
The idea is to “create training in a horse that makes him valuable to someone.”
The people who buy shares, however, aren’t buying horses for themselves. Instead, they’re involved in an investment that they hope results in a profit at the end of the three-year term. When the first horse in a portfolio is sold, the money goes to pay for expenses and care for the horses. When the second horse is sold, the company invests in another horse.
Catherine Haddad with members of her team Hope Beerling and Bella Nye. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Catherine’s longtime friend Hope Greenfield, who was involved with finance before she retired, had to be convinced to invest in the second portfolio.
“I said ‘No, I don’t want to be investing in horses anymore,'” recalled Hope, who has owned eventing and dressage horses over the years. She personally owns four horses, but was wary of getting involved with anything horse-related that wasn’t for her use.
“I know it’s a risk,” she said about the investment, pointing out, “I’m a fixed income type of person.”
But her friend, June Brody, who like Hope had been a New Jersey stable owner, wanted to split the fee for a NorCordia share after talking to her financial advisor. He examined the concept and thought it looked good. Hope was impressed by his assessment.
They finally decided to collaborate on one portfolio share in a venture they’re calling LOL (for Little Old Ladies) Adventure. The pair enjoys watching the portfolio horses compete, though they have no personal or emotional involvement with them.
“It’s fun,” Hope said.
“It’s not like investing in Berkshire Hathaway.”
NorCordia’s profile will be raised at Dressage at Devon which runs Sept. 26-Oct. 1, presented by Kingsview Partners. A highlight of the Pennsylvania show, the Master Class Sept. 28 featuring Danish Olympic star Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, will be presented by NorCordia. Last year’s class, with U.S. Olympic team silver medalist Sabine Schut-Kery doing the teaching, was very popular with spectators, who filled the stands looking for tips that perhaps could improve their own horses and riding.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 20, 2023
A presentation about an expanded showgrounds for Wellington, Fla., got priority from Wellington Lifestyle Partners in its first appearance before the Village Planning. Zoning and Adjustment Board Wednesday night.
Plans for the Wellington North and South development project received a thumbs-down last month from the Village’s Equestrian Preserve Committee. That panel unanimously was against rezoning acreage set aside for equestrian purposes in order to complete a land use designation swap that is necessary for a major expansion of the Wellington International showgrounds.
Here’s a diagram of the property around the showgrounds.
Members of the preserve committee, which is only an advisory group, pointed out that they did not see an application for the expanded showgrounds during their two-day hearing. They emphasized they had no guarantee that WLP would actually sell the land to Wellington International, since the two don’t have a signed contract.
That complaint obviously hit home, because right off the bat, WLP offered the zoning board details about what is planned for the showgrounds, part of the South segment of the proposal.
“This is an opportunity, a moment in time, to create state-of-the-art facilities that will double the size of the showgrounds for all three disciplines — dressage, hunters and jumpers. As we move forward with this project, if we are approved, this will be the first dirt that is moved and this will be the first set of structures that will be built,” promised Doug McMahon, managing director of the developer, the Tavistock Group, co-founder of the Nexus Luxury Collection and the chief executive officer of Wellington Lifestyle Partners.
Rendering of a “wow” concept for the entrance to the expanded Wellington International showgrounds.
Wellington International President Michael Stone said dressage isn’t really viable at the Equestrian Village, where it has been held since 2012. It is separated from the main showgrounds by about a mile. Equipment and catering has to travel that distance, which has made access difficult and raised safety concerns. Those problems would be alleviated if all the disciplines were part of the same contiguous footprint, Stone noted.
The current dressage facility (slated for housing under the Wellington North plan) is “small and needs a lot of investment. We want to create the best possible place for dressage,” said Stone.
He pointed out that Wellington International’s parent company, Global Equestrian Group, has a big business selling dressage horses “and to sell horses, you need a showcase. Moving it over to Wellington International, we’d then have the ability to showcase those horses. It’s all part of a major planning. We’re going to double the size of the showgrounds to 190 acres.”
Stone said expanding the showgrounds is necessary to compete with up-to-date equestrian facilities in Sarasota and Ocala, each of which is approximately three hours from Wellington.
Architectural firm Populous, which is involved with Olympic venues in Paris and Los Angeles, will be designing the new showgrounds. The firm’s Todd Gralla, director of equestrian services, showed designs that promised a “wow moment” upon entering the glittering new facility.
“Interested parties” addressing the committee cited concerns about traffic and losing the equestrian ambience that has made Wellington famous around the world. There is quite a lot of opposition to the Wellington North and South project. A petition against removing Equestrian Preserve land and amending zoning to allow an increase in residential density for high-end houses and condos in the preserve had 5,059 signatures as of July 18.
This is the notice posted in the Village about Wednesday’s hearing.
The zoning board hearing, which lasted nearly four hours and continues Thursday night, will get under way with comments from the public. The final decision on the project will be made by the Village Council, which is scheduled to take it under consideration next month.
Check back at this website after the second hearing to learn how the board voted.
Meanwhile, the Village Council has approved 27 luxury homes on a former golf course inside the sprawling Palm Beach Polo complex. The Farrell Building Co West. Plans for Farrell East have been dropped in the face of protests from the community.
Andrew Carduner, the president of Palm Beach Polo’s homeowners association of 3,000 residents, praised the cooperation of Farrell’s Florida rep, Michael Sanchez, saying he has been responsive to residents’ concerns.
But when Carduner appeared during Wednesday’s Zoning Board meeting on Wellington North and South to comment against those plans on behalf of what he called the “equestrian bedroom of this community,” he cited the complaints heard during the meeting to that point as he stated his opposition to the project.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 28, 2023
The U.S. finished fifth of eight teams in the Longines FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain on Friday, when the home side claimed victory for the first time since 2010 with 4 penalties in the two rounds at Hickstead.
The U.S. total was 31, with none of its riders putting in a fault-free trip. The veterans had the best scores. Laura Kraut on Dorado 212 wound up with 4 faults in each round, while Devin Ryan had 7 and 4 on Eddie Blue. The less-experienced riders, Alessandra Volpi (Berlinda) and Paris Sellon (Atoucha) each logged 8 and 4 but gained valuable mileage.
Luckily, the U.S. already made the cut for the Nations Cup Finals in Barcelona, where the team has a shot at qualifying for the Paris Olympics. If it doesn’t happen there, the country gets one more chance at the Pan American Games in Chile this autumn.
“We always strive to hit the podium but sometimes it does not happen and today was one of those days,” said U.S. Coach Robert Ridland.
“It was an interesting class because when you looked at it on paper, Germany and Great Britain had the strongest teams. The British were great and deserved the win. As we know, winning on home soil is good for the sport. It was both a challenging but also a rewarding day.
“Everyone had something they needed to change from the first round, and they made those changes happen and improved their performances in the second round. We are leaving with some more experience, both for our horses and riders, and it’s a part of the building process as we look ahead.”
British chef d’equipe Di Lampard shone with pride (and a tear), saying, “It’s ideal when you get this combination of experience and youth.”
Great Britain team (L-R) Harry Charles, John Whitaker, Di Lampard (Chef d’Equipe), Ben Maher and Tim Gredley, winners of the LONGINES FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Great Britain – Longines Royal International Horse Show. (FEI Photo)
“When we have (Olympic individual gold medalist) Ben (Maher) leading us out, it gives us all a great spring in our step to start with – we’ve all got confidence in him to go out first wherever we’re drawn. It was fabulous to have him in the team this week. ”
Tim Gredley, she noted, has “been in the winning team several times, so it’s absolutely fabulous. My third member John (Whitaker) clinched it for us – his reputation goes well before him. And I’m so proud of Harry (Charles). Twice now, he’s been my anchor rider and delivered so well. I couldn’t be more pleased for him. At this age, he’s showing such a maturity.”
The youngest member of the team at 24 (In contrast with John Whitaker’s age of 67), he produced its only double-clear with Casquo Blue.
“It’s my first Nations Cup win, and I’m so happy for all the boys, and for Di,” said Harry. “I think for months this has been our goal, so when a plan comes together like it did today, it’s a real sense of achievement. It’s a really special day.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 24, 2023
Christian Simonson, who wrapped up his Under 25 career in style at the Aachen, Germany, show, this summer, has been named to the short list for the U.S. dressage team at the Pan American Games in Chile during October.
He is the only rider in the group of eight to be named with two horses, Zeaball Diawind and Son of a Lady. (To read more about Christian, click here.)
Christian Simonson and Zeaball Diawind. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Each rider in the group will have to compete at an FEI show by Sept. 10 to remain eligible. U.S. Equestrian Federation Dressage High Performance Pathway Advisor George Williams will serve as the chef d’equipe in Santiago.
The Pan Ams offers an opportunity for less-experienced riders to get mileage at a championship event. Much of the pressure has been eased, however, because the U.S. qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a sixth-place finish at the world championships last year. Adrienne Lyle, who trains Christian, rode on that team. She will not be in Chile, however, as she awaits the birth of her first child.
Others named to the short list are Susie Dutta and Don Design DC; Codi Harrison (Katholt’s Bossco), Charlotte Jorst (Zhaplin Langholt); Kevin Kohmann (Duenensee), Anna Marek (Fire Fly), Sarah Tubman (First Apple) and Jennifer Williams (Joppe K)
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 13, 2023
More than 3,000 wild horses are being targeted by the federal Bureau of Land Management for a helicopter roundup at the Antelope Complex in Nevada during this summer’s heatwave, with several advocacy groups calling for suspension of the action due to threats to the animals’ health and safety under such severe weather conditions.
Is this any way to treat wild horses?
Animal Wellness Action, the Wild Beauty Foundation, and Advocates for Wild Equines noted that BLM’s daily gather reports from the operation reveal two horses have already lost their lives. A foal died of colic after arriving at the holding facility, and a 4-year-old mare broke her neck while being stampeded into the agency’s traps.
“If the BLM is serious about adhering to its own animal welfare rules, it will immediately suspend its operations in the Antelope Complex until the weather turns and temperatures drop,” said Scott Beckstead, director of campaigns for Animal Wellness Action and an equine welfare specialist.
“Chasing these animals, including foals, heavily pregnant mares, and elderly animals, through extreme heat will inevitably lead to their suffering and deaths. We call on the BLM to do the right thing and ground the helicopters until conditions improve.”
The BLM claims to adhere to its Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP) in its wild horse and burro operations. Because the CAWP is a set of voluntary guidelines and is not legally enforceable, abiding by those guidelines is a matter of agency discretion. Public observers of the BLM’s activities, including the helicopter operations and conditions inside the agency’s holding facilities, have shown that CAWP violations are a routine occurrence, despite agency assurances to the contrary.
The CAWP addresses conducting wild horse and burro gather operations in extreme temperatures, stating, “Horse captures must not be conducted when ambient temperature at the trap site is below 10ºF or above 95ºF without approval” of the person in charge. For burros, it’s when the temperature is below 10 degrees or above 100 degrees without approval. But 95 degrees and 100 degrees are still far too hot for a helicopter roundup. Or any roundup.
“Having spent years documenting wild horse roundups, which are at their very core cruel and antiquated practices, the idea of forcing terrified wild horses to run in extreme heat is the definition of animal cruelty,” said Ashley Avis, president and founder of the Wild Beauty Foundation.
“If the Bureau of Land Management proceeds with rounding up horses at these temperatures, it only reinforces the carelessness, mismanagement and disturbing ethos of the agency –- clearly opting to prioritize the financial interests of the helicopter contractors over animal welfare. I hope the BLM does the right thing and immediately suspends these operations.”
Video of the operations posted by wild horse advocacy groups monitoring the Antelope Complex operations have documented terrified horses desperately trying to escape the helicopters and the traps, with stallions somersaulting over fence panels and mares desperately trying to return to foals that have fallen behind in the stampede. The distress experienced by the horses while they are chased by the helicopters would be compounded by extreme heat and will inevitably lead to more deaths.
“Advocates for Wild Equines National is opposed to wild horse and burro roundups, but especially summer roundups altogether,” said Britta Starke, legislative liaison for Advocates for Wild Equines.
“As it relates to summer roundups, the scientific data is clear that horses can die from the combined effects of sustained exertion and high temperatures, and therefore any roundup scheduled during extreme summer temperatures should be suspended or canceled. Any injury or death to a horse should be considered a major CAWP violation and grounds for investigation of the BLM by an outside source.”
Animal Wellness Action is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization with a mission of helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty and to encourage enforcement of our laws.
The Center for a Humane Economy is a non-profit organization that focuses on influencing businesses to pay attention to animal cruelty in their operations and to eliminate harmful practices.
The Wild Beauty Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to illuminating key issues wild and domestic horses are facing today through film, education, advocacy, and rescue. WBF recently co-produced the award-winning documentary, Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West, which debuted for the public in May.
Advocates for Wild Equines was founded in September 2021 and seeks to bring together people from diverse backgrounds and with various interests including wild horse and burro protection, preservation of public lands, wild equine rescue and climate change. The grassroots coalition of individuals and organizations welcomes all who share a vision of ending roundups and equine slaughter, as well as rewilding all horses and burros currently being warehoused in holding pens by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 15, 2023
(a reminiscence from an Oklahoma friend, Barbara Haney, was added to this story July 24)
Kavar Kerr “lived a life of doing for others in an incredible fashion. She was a force of nature to get things done,” said Burr Collier, president of the Blowing Rock, N.C. Horse Show, remembering his friend, who died July 13 in Jackson Hole, Wyo., surrounded by her three dogs.
“Everything she did was for the good of the sport and the people (of) the sport that she loved,” he recalled.
Kavar Kerr.
Tom Wright, who was one of her trainers, noted, “She gave the shirt off her back to her friends and people she respected. She loved fiercely, and worked tirelessly for the underdog and felt that caring and supporting artists was a particular responsibility in her life.”
He added, “a great horseman and successful amateur rider, she owned great animals and supported many professionals, just when they needed her most.”
Kavar enjoyed some very successful horses, among them Trust Me and Sleigh Ride in the hunter ranks, and in eventing, Mike Huber’s mount Southcoast, who won a section of the 1983 Open Preliminary event at Rolex Kentucky.
She was known for her great sense of humor and her love of all animals, but it was her charitable side for which she will be most remembered in the equestrian world.
A year after Louise Serio and Geoff Teall started the World Championship Hunter Rider organization in the early 1980s, Kavar came to them and said, “Why don’t we make this bigger and make it a foundation and start an emergency relief foundation?”
As Louise noted, “She changed lives like that. She was just an amazing lady.”
Kavar enjoyed showing her hunters.
The American Hunter Jumper Foundation, which merged with the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association in 2013, helped scores of equestrians in need, whether they were dealing with illness, a barn fire or other tragedies.
The Kavar Kerr Distinguished Service Award, named in her honor, is presented annually by the World Championship Hunter Rider Committee of the USHJA for exceptional dedication, leadership, and commitment to the WCHR Program through volunteer service and philanthropic efforts.
The center of the WCHR logo, at the top of this page, bears a likeness of Kavar jumping one of her horses.
Another person whose life was changed by Kavar is international show jumper Laura Kraut. Her first Olympic mount, Liberty, was purchased in a partnership put together by Kavar, who brought in Peter Wetherill, Joyce Williams and Kate Gibson and was part of the syndicate herself.
When Laura won the 4-star grand prix at Chantilly, France, on Bisquetta over the weekend, Kavar was on her mind.
“I thought of her when I was in there getting the ribbon,” said Laura.
“She’s the person who helped me get to the next level of my career, and the point where I am now. She never took credit for it.”
As Laura was building her resume, she rode a hunter for Kavar and lived with her in Florida during the winter circuit.
“We were really great friends. She had the biggest heart, the greatest sense of humor–I never laughed more with anyone than I did with her,” Laura remembered
Peter Wetherill ended up buying in on the Anthem syndicate as well, and Kavar’s introduction of Laura to him was key.
“If it weren’t for Peter, I wouldn’t have gotten Anthem, he came in at the 11th hour through Kavar’s urging and helped us buy Anthem, and then he bought Cedric,” said Laura, referring to her 2008 Olympic team gold medal mount.
“None of that would have happened without Kavar.”
Laura noted Kavar had bravely struggled with pain and illness for decades.
Losing Kavar was “very, very sad,” Laura acknowledged, but “she’s out of pain now. I feel confident she got out of life what she wanted.”
Barbara Haney grew up with Kavar in Oklahoma, where the two were part of “very small” hunter/jumper group during the 1970s.
“She first had a small roan, Carousel (later inherited by younger sister Mara),” recalled Barbara.
“I can even remember her riding jacket from then: a Scottish tweed from Miller’s, of course, that looked so sharp on Carousel.”
When Kavar was diagnosed with severe scoliosis, she “had to stop riding for a while, while she wore a back brace to correct that condition. She would still attend all the shows and was always ready to lend a hand when I needed one, like to hold a crop, or keep my place in the order at the in gate,” Barbara reminisced.
“At a big show in Tulsa one night, I managed to misplace my gloves right before the show started. She ran around and found a pair for me to borrow. I won the eq championship that night with whoever’s gloves those were, which was one of the biggest wins I have ever had,” said Barbara.
“After I left Oklahoma for college, I wrote to her, and saw her once or twice, but we drifted apart, since I was working internships in the northeast and wasn’t back home much. I’d given up riding to concentrate on school, and didn’t go back to riding for another 20-ish years. I still thought our paths would cross again at some point.”
Kavar, who was on the board of the Kentucky Horse Park, also raised money for the first World Champion Hunter Rider Spectacular at the Winter Equestrian Festival with funding from the late Sallie Wheeler. The class is named after the late Peter Wetherill.
Always upbeat, Kavar was known for her great sense of humor.
For the Blowing Rock show, Kavar brought in money dedicated to Sallie Wheeler and her late husband, Kenny, in recognition of all they had done for the horse show world.
A native of Oklahoma, she was a granddaughter of Robert Kerr, who served the state as governor and U.S. senator. Kavar was a big fan of the University of Oklahoma Sooners and enjoyed watching their football games in person when she could.
Twelve years ago, Kavar was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and presumably had only five years to live. A brother and sister had died previously, and she did not want her parents to face burying another child, so she was determined to live.
Her mother, Joffa, a sculptor, died in June 2022 and her father, Bill Kerr, died a week and two days before she did. He was the founder of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyo. and Kavar served on its board. Outside of the horse world, she was also active in philanthropy, serving on the board of a battered women’s shelter in Wyoming.
Kavar, who was 64, is survived by her sister, Mara Kerr of Edmond, Okla.; her niece, Ayla Mashburn of Oklahoma City, a nephew, Graycen Mashburn (Whitney), Edmond, Okla., and great-nieces Tyler, Aubrey and Caroline.
Private services will be held in Minnesota, at the final resting place of her parents and siblings, Joffa and David.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 18, 2023
The inaugural $10,000 Bill Ellis Memorial/U.S. Hunter Jumper Association International Hunter Derby at the Princeton Summer Classic in Skillman, N.J., was such a hit last year that there will be an encore July 28.
The class is being sponsored by Carol Stillwell and Emil Spadone of Horseflight. After last year’s class, won by Amanda Steege on Lafitte de Muze, Carol said of Bill, “He was a true horseman. With Bill, it was about the horses and making sure they were taken care of. I couldn’t be prouder, in New Jersey, to have it here, I would like to see this continue on and on.”
And so it will. The competition starts at 8 a.m. An exhibitor party sponsored by Carol will take place July 27 from 2-4 p.m. outside the exhibitor tent.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 20, 2023
Devin Ryan of Long Valley, N.J., has been selected to compete on the USA’s NetJets squad for Great Britain’s Hickstead show next week. A member of the 2018 World Equestrian Games gold medal team, Devin was out of the highest level of the sport after his top horse, Eddie Blue, got sidelined by a bone bruise.
Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue at the Longines FEI World Cup Finals. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
He brought Eddie back gradually, not rushing his recovery. Patience paid off. Devin did well in April at the Longines FEI World Cup final, where he was 13th, and then had only one rail in the hotly contested Aachen Nations Cup to contribute to the team’s fourth-place finish this summer.
Devin will be joined at Hickstead by another veteran, Olympic team gold medalist Laura Kraut. As usual, coach Robert Ridland is mixing in less-experienced riders, so they can get mileage.
The others on the team are Charlotte Jacobs, Paris Sellon and Alessandra Volpi, who was a member of the third-place squad this month at Stockholm, where she just missed the podium individually in the grand prix, finishing fifth in her first 5-star competition.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 17, 2023
A “manure link” website, set to go live in March, will list manure and compost availability by geographic location within New Jersey.
It will also will enable those seeking manure or compost to sign up for notification when the resource they are looking for becomes available. The project will give smaller farms with limited land capacity a way to distribute their manure to composters and farmers who can use it to benefit their operations.
The state Department of Agriculture is partnering with Rutgers University, the Office of Research Analytics and the New Jersey Compost Council to develop the New Jersey Manure Link website. The intent is to connect livestock farms (manure generators) and composters with farmers seeking these resources to provide an alternative option from purchasing fertilizer.
The NJDA’s Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources received a Conservation Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service to fund creation of the New Jersey Manure Link project. The concept is designed to be “where to find what feeds your field” for Garden State farmers. The website is designed and hosted by Rutgers University’s Office of Research Analytics.
“We believe this website will be a valuable resource for farmers and composters,” state Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Joe Atchison said.
“The ability to provide a clearer pathway to make connections between these operations will benefit all involved.”
The Compost Council will provide outreach and educational components, including two hands-on composting field days and resources for the website. The field days will be scheduled for livestock farmers and composters, as well as producers across all agricultural sectors, including urban farming, to demonstrate the importance of composting, nutrient management and how to effectively incorporate organic materials into farming practices.
The goals of New Jersey Manure Link include recycling valuable nutrients, generating accessibility to organic materials, reducing animal waste excess and protecting waterways adjacent to livestock farmland.
The project will allow urban farmers to gain access to raw feedstocks, as well as finished compost. The project falls within the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Global Warming Response Act 80 x 50 Report from 2020. It identifies the need for the reduction, recycling and reuse of agricultural organic waste materials, as well as increased education and adoption of composting practices.
