An effort by Michael Barisone’s attorneys to have Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor removed from hearing their client’s case did not succeed today, as the judge denied their motion for recusal.
Barisone has been held in New Jersey state psychiatric facilities since last spring, when the dressage trainer was found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity in the August 2019 shooting of Lauren Kanarek. She is an amateur rider who was a tenant on his Long Valley, N.J., farm. The trial drew international attention and the incident involved was featured on CBS’ 48 Hours television show.
Barisone had been trying to move Kanarek and her boyfriend, Rob Goodwin, off his property as his relationship with the couple deteriorated. He became increasingly distraught over the situation. It culminated in a confrontation between Barisone and his tenants that ended in gunfire, with Kanarek suffering chest wounds. She was rushed to Morristown Medical Center, where she underwent emergency lung surgery and was treated in the Intensive Care Unit.
Barisone said he did not remember anything about the shooting incident and appeared in court for his March 2022 trial looking disheveled; unshaven, with hair uncut and wearing a wrinkled shirt. He periodically would wipe tears from his eyes and put his head on the table in front of him.
He looked completely different — alert, clean-shaven with trimmed hair and neatly dressed — when he appeared before Taylor in September 2022 for his Krol hearing. That is a proceeding which makes a special finding as to whether a defendant’s “insanity continues” and if so, rules on continuing confinement. The court must grapple with a determination of “dangerousness” as a prediction of future conduct.
At issue this morning were remarks by Taylor about the change in Barisone’s appearance from his trial to his last Krol hearing. Attorney Chris Deininger, who appeared for Barisone with attorney Edward Bilinkas, contended those comments reflected what Kanarek had written in a letter to the court. Deininger maintained that document “contained inflammatory falsehoods.”
He believes it “puts a taint on the proceedings,” explaining, “a letter like that cannot be unread.”
Deininger told Taylor, “Even a conscientious jurist like yourself, your honor, can’t eliminate from the consciousness what that letter presented.”
Taylor responded, “I have no idea what was said in that letter…the court did not reference that letter at all in my decision on the Krol hearing.”
The defense is appealing the outcome of that September hearing.
The judge suggested the attorney had “jumped to the conclusion” that “because there is one line in there (the letter) that is somewhat similar to the court decision, the court must have been influenced.”
The judge asked how it tainted the proceedings.
Deininger said “the taint in my view is the public’s perception and it arises from the Krol hearing,” pointing out the judge had noted at that time Barisone “could have had his hair cut, he could have shaved for trial.”
Taylor noted there had been testimony in court that Barisone looked different than he had at the jail prior to the trial, and also when he appeared in court for his Krol hearing.
The judge mentioned psychiatrist Dr. Steven Simring, who testified during the trial, said Barisone was dealing with delusional disorder and persistent depressive disorder.
At the September Krol hearing, the judge ordered Barisone held at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany. Barisone was scheduled to appear today for another Krol hearing on his status, but it did not happen, as the court addressed the recusal issue and a defense request to bar press and the public from the next Krol hearing.
It is scheduled for April 25, when testimony on Barisone’s condition will be given by Greystone medical staff and there will be discussion about whether Barisone should be moved up a level on his Greystone status, so he could take short trips outside the hospital.
The judge mentioned the purpose of the Krol hearing is “everything about the demeanor, his mental state, statements made, when they were made; at trial, at the Krol hearing, in the hospital–all that’s relevant to his mental state.”
Deininger brought up a remark by Taylor during the Krol hearing, when the judge said, ” I don’t know if there was malingering during the jury trial.”
The attorney told the judge, “I think that could give the public a reason to question the integrity of the verdict. I’m concerned about that. I’m talking about public perception, not what’s happening in your mind.”
“I didn’t draw any conclusions,” the judge remarked.
“I said, `who knows?'”
The judge said Simring did comment that the issue was, “did the actions of the defendant and his appearance result from the mental illness or from something else?” Taylor asked whether the change in appearance was “the result of improvement in Mr. Barisone’s mental state or is it something else?”
Taylor wondered whether Barisone’s appearance during the trial was “a mannerism simply unconnected to the underlying mental illness that resulted in the acquittal. Dr. Simring seems to suggest that it did not relate to the delusional disorder but to the other diagnosis of depression.”
Deininger asked to have the next Krol hearing closed to media and the public, saying that although much about Barisone’s mental health was revealed during the trial, the Krol hearing represents a new phase and should not violate patient privacy provisions.
The judge believed so much about Barisone already has been aired through live streaming and the media that “I feel the horse has already left the barn.” Citing the fact that it is “a very unique case” in regard to the extent of the international attention it has received, he believes the courtroom should be open for future hearings.
“To close it would lead to a great deal of suspicion,” he said, in denying the motion.
Even a year after the trial, social media is still buzzing about the Barisone matter, with people dissecting the case ad infinitum. During the trial, the people posting were endlessly critiquing the judge, the witnesses and each other, and they continue to do so.
They have fresh fodder because there is an ongoing civil suit by Kanarek and a countersuit by Barisone that likely won’t come to trial for some time, since New Jersey courts are backed up with cases.
Legends of show jumping gather once a year to reminisce and induct new members into their ranks. This year, two course designers were added to the Hall during a dinner in Wellington. What they had to say was really interesting–remember, this is our heritage and the foundation on which today’s sport is built.
Captain Canada has a new role, serving as chef d’equipe of his country’s show jumping team. He’s off to a great start, winning the $150,000 4-star Nations Cup at the Winter Equestrian Festival last weekend with a team eager to take the trophy for him.
I spent some time with him getting insights about the job and how he’ll handle it. Want to know more? Click on this link.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation has let everyone know longime U.S. reining chef d’equipe Jeff Petska died last Sunday of cancer.
Petska was instrumental to U.S. Reining’s success internationally, serving as chef for all the U.S. World Equestrian Games teams since the sport began taking part in the WEG in 2002, and stayed through the last WEG, which was in 2018. The U.S. won gold at all five WEG.
Jeff coached junior, young rider and senior teams to podium finishes internationally, including a silver medal at the 2008 FEI World Reining Championships, and 2017 Junior silver, 2019 Junior gold, and 2019 Young Rider bronze at the FEI World Reining Championship for Juniors & Young Riders.
He operated Petska Performance Horses in Texas, for many years. He was diagnosed with cancer in May 2022. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and his children, Chelsea Petska Brelia, and Tanner Petska.
In a post on his Facebook page last month, he wrote:
“Besides all of my two-footed family I can’t thank the Lord enough for bringing the animals into my life that have allowed me the joys that they have given me. From riding on their backs, or from allowing me just a glimpse of what their minds are capable of, or just allowing me to watch in them in all their athletic grace I thank them.”
Irish rider Daniel Coyle, who is leading the North American League for the FEI World Cup Finals, is ready for a serious shot at the global indoor jumping championship in Omaha next month.
He demonstrated his prowess on Sunday in the Winter Equestrian Festival’s $226,000 CSIO 4-star grand prix presented by JTWG Inc.
Only four riders from a field of 43 managed to make it to the jump-off over a course set by Anthony D’Ambrosio, and just two of those—Daniel on Ivory TCS and the USA’s Lacey Gilbertson with Karlin Van ‘T Vennehof—were fault-free in the tiebreaker, which had no related distances. Daniel’s time of 38.06 seconds could not be beaten by Lacey, who gave it a good try in 39.30.
The Canadian-based rider has long had his eye on the big prize, the World Cup. He qualified as the North American leader in 2020 for the final, which was supposed to be held in Las Vegas, but it was cancelled by Covid. So he’s really looking forward to this year’s renewal.
“I have great depth in the string (of horses) and I think for the World Cup Finals, we need that. We set out this year as a plan to go there and do well,” he said.
Legacy, who won a qualifier, will be his number one horse for the Cup. Ivory, who he owns in partnership with Canadian Ariel Grange, might be number two (he’s allowed to take two mounts) but he suggested the stallion Gisbourne VDL also may be a candidate to help take the pressure off Legacy.
While the European Championships this summer will offer another chance to excel on the global stage, Daniel notes the World Cup is a unique opportunity at the highest level.
“It’s a different strategy, because all of those other major championships, you need to be on a team. Whereas at World Cup Finals, you don’t, it’s more a personal thing, you can do your own plan and it’s not part of a team.
“You never want to upset what is happening with a team but at a World Cup Finals, it’s all down to you and you alone,” explained Daniel.
He has had to work at being independent, noting “I think my best strength is being as strong as I can for me, and that usually is the best for the team. It took me a few years to figure that out. Trying not to do something wrong sometimes doesn’t help. Try and be the best person you can be for yourself, and everybody else–hopefully they can have the same idea.”
Ivory, known for her speed, was purchased by Daniel in partnership with Ariel at the VDL auction.
“I’m not wealthy enough to keep these horses, so I bought her to sell,” said Daniel, but fate intervened.
“A few people actually have tried her already and didn’t buy her, and I’m delighted they did not,” noted the mare’s rider moments after his victory gallop.
It came down to the wire: would Anna Buffini get the final North American slot in the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals, or was it possible that Sarah Tubman could earn the trip to April’s competition in Omaha?
Although there were nine others riding to music under the “Friday Night Lights” at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, the drama for those in the know involved the two formidable competitors who are also friends.
Sarah, second to go on First Apple before a packed house, earned an impressive 77.450 percent despite her disadvantageous spot in the starting order.
In Thursday’s Grand Prix that acted as a qualifier for the freestyle, her chestnut stallion said no in his first piaffe. In the freestyle, he was a different horse, completely cooperative. Sarah had no major holes in her scores, but her freestyle, to the music of Boston (More than a Feeling), was a little on the conservative side, with a degree of difficulty/calculated risks going from 8.3. to 8.9
Anna’s ride to the theme from “Top Gun Maverick” lost marks on FRH Davinia La Douce’s right pirouette, which oddly was marked from a 4 to an 8 (judges see different things depending on their position around the arena, but that was quite a spread). Her degree of difficulty for the test, however, topped out at an impressive 9.5.
“It was definitely a tricky ride.” said Anna.
In the past, that hadn’t turned out well, This time, however, “I think our partnership and the work we put together the last couple of years has really come together, so even if it is a little tricky, we can still come out with a solid test and perform well.”
After all, as Anna pointed out about her 16-year-old Hanoverian by Don Frederico, “she’s a chestnut mare. They all come out a little bit different, every single show.”
But she thinks the biggest benefit of this show is that it is a test that will have prepared her for Omaha.
“It’s such a good experience to ride under that kind of pressure when you have to deliver,” observed Anna’s trainer, Guenter Seidel, who coincidentally was Sarah’s trainer when she lived on the West Coast.
While it was close, the 28-year-old Californian’s total of 78.280 percent prevailed over Sarah’s mark, which in turn was just 0.40 ahead of third place Morgan Barbançon Bolero. That rider, representing France, had previously qualified for Omaha.
Morgan called her ride to French music the best test.
“He was really with me, I had a great ride.”
One of the judges, Clive Halsall of Great Britain, noted that no competitor was mistake-free.
At the same time, he praised them, noting, “These riders all came with the intention to do the very best they could. You could see the pressure was on and they all wanted to win this class.”
While he said judges “want to see good freestyles with risks,” there is always a risk/reward balance, as harmony needs to exist with a degree of difficulty. He noted, the riders “really went for it and tried.”
Korea’s Dong Seon Kim had a nice performance on his new horse, Galleria’s Bohemian, formerly ridden in the Olympics by Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, who was on hand to help. Bohemian’s new rider was very credible to soaring music from the show “Les Miserables,” but it stopped before he did as he got a little behind at the end of the test. He was sixth on 73.565 percent.
Sarah has no hard feelings toward her rival of the evening. In fact, the two had an impromptu hug when they met up after the competition.
“She’s an amazing human, rider and person,” said Sarah, who has known Anna a long time. Sarah originally was from California and now lives in Wellington, Fla., home of the AGDF.
For her part, Anna called Sarah’s ride “incredible. It could have been either of us. She deserves to go as much as I do, and I really wish she could go.”
Sarah is moving on and long has her eye on another goal–a spot on next year’s three-member team for the Paris Olympics.
Three North Americans will be riding in Omaha: Steffen Peters, a former Cup winner who qualified in California with Suppenkasper; Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, N.J., who made the cut on Serenade MF and Anna, who had 57 points. Sarah, with 54 points, is the first reserve.
Adrienne Lyle, who was expected to qualify with the veteran Salvino, lost her shot for Omaha when the stallion popped a splint last month and she could not compete.
Anna’s father, Brian, knew that “whoever is going to represent the U.S. you’ve got to put up a good number. We were delighted Sarah did so well, and then okay, if you’re going to go, you better earn it. And she did.”
Anna’s music was remarkable. After she saw the Top Gun movie with her family, she recalled, “We were sitting at the end with tears in our eyes and I was like, `This has to be my freestyle.’ We just loved it.”
She rode it for her grandfather, James Robinson, who was an Air Force master sergeant, before he passed away last July.
How do you know when someone has suffered a concussion in connection with their involvement with horses? That often is a tough question.
British Equestrian has released unified concussion guidelines for the equestrian industry. The six-page guidance document is geared to help participants not only recognize when a concussion has occurred, but also to know what actions to take in the immediate aftermath and during recovery.
The guidelines have been produced in response to the action plan published by the government of the United Kingdom in December 2021 to address concussion in sport to help reduce risks and potential long-term effects associated with head injuries.
The launch is the first initiative in a campaign that will run throughout 2023 to raise awareness of traumatic brain injury (concussion) and its severity, and education on how to spot the signs and general management. Further resources will be available in the coming months via a planned hub on the British Equestrian website and through the federation’s member bodies.
Sports across the United Kingdom pledged unified support of the plan and, as part of British Equestrian’s commitment to the welfare of participants at all levels, the federation has produced equestrian-specific advice, developed by its World Class Programme Human Sports Science and Medicine team.
Chief Executive Jim Eyre commented; “Concussion in sport has hit the headlines in recent times and we’re increasingly aware of the devastating, lasting impact it can have. As highlighted in the Government action plan, all who regulate and work in sport have a collective duty to come together to safeguard the health of our participants. As such, I’m delighted we’ve produced this guidance, which is as relevant to those in elite equestrian sport as it those interacting with horses for the first time.”
Aimed at participants at all levels of equestrian sport, including riders, vaulters and drivers; parents, coaches, officials, grooms, medical personnel and event organisers, the guidance document provides information to manage concussion. It is geared to help from the time of injury through to a safe return to equestrian sport. This includes the stages of recovery following concussion and a standardized ‘return to riding’ program, both of which should be carried out in conjunction with advice from a qualified medical practitioner or healthcare provider. Links to further help and resources are also listed.
“Our member bodies have been really engaged in this work and are committed to the responsible management of concussions,” continued Jim. “Anyone in the equestrian industry is welcome to download the guidance from our website and adopt it as their own, so we all take a responsibility for our participants and their long-term wellbeing.“
Talk about closing the barn door after the horse is gone…
In the wake of a horse abuse scandal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the International Modern Pentathlon Union is working toward a “successful” show jumping phase at next year’s Olympics in Paris before riding is replaced in that sport for the 2028 Games.
Union members promised, after setting up “a riding review panel,” that they have a “full commitment” to making sure horse selection, course design and athlete performances are done properly as riding makes its last appearance in the sport in 2024. Why wasn’t this done years ago? There were always some not-so-pretty pictures from the riding portion of pentathlon over the years.
But the sport had its profile raised in a negative way that made headlines around the world when a German coach at the Tokyo Olympics punched a horse that had refused a jump with a rider who was leading the competition to that point. The publicity reflected negatively on all horse sports, with many critics not understanding the difference between pentathlon and the Olympic disciplines of show jumping, eventing and dressage, where riders are highly skilled and have spent years (rather than minutes) with their horses.
The bad publicity is a big concern, as “social license” to operate takes on more importance while horse sport deals with the necessity of public approval for what it does.
Pentathlon riding camps geared to sharpening participants’ skills will be staged prior to the Paris Games. That is where the equestrian discipline will be held for the final time before being dropped in favor of having participants negotiate an obstacle course on foot in future compeittions.
Qualification for the Games will be closely monitored to insure capability of those who compete in the riding phase during the Olympics. In Paris, the pentathlon has been revised to run in 90 minutes with riding and its other components: shooting, running, swimming and fencing.
Although many athletes objected, the Union’s Congress in 2021 approved a proposal to remove riding. The Union’s leaders were criticized for lack of transparency.
While modern pentathlon has been a part of the Games since1912, it is not yet on the schedule of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, despite plans to drop riding from the format.
More attention always should have been paid to the riding aspect, where participants had to deal with the luck of the draw in the horses they rode in the segment. The fences also were too high for athletes who were not specialists in riding.
In her quest to qualify for next month’s FEI World Cup Dressage Finals, Anna Buffini came east from California with FRH Davinia La Douce to compete in the final qualifier at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Fla.
The effort paid off today in the Grand Prix for Freestyle, which she won with a mark of 72.500 percent, as four of five judges gave her an 8 for the collective marks (general impression). Her mare, a 16-year-old Hanoverian by Don Frederico, looked bright and happy throughout her performance.
“It’s always hard to come over here and then acclimate them to a different coast. The first show, especially, to have a solid ride. She just nailed it,” said Anna.
But the real test comes in the freestyle Friday night, because that is the class that counts toward the World Cup (the Grand Prix is simply a required stop along the way.)
Speaking about the freestyle and the tight contest to qualify for the World Cup, she said, “It’s very difficult. It’s up and down. You don’t know if you’re in, you don’t know if you’re out We have to do our absolute best tomorrow (Friday) to make it. The freestyle is my favorite, that’s no secret, and the freestyle is her favorite. If we can go out there and do what we’ve done the last three shows in California, it could be very competitive.”
Anna trains with Guenter Seidel, who has been a longtime team member. “I wouldn’t be here without him. Everything you see in there is because of him,” Anna maintained.
The picture for the finals changed when Adrienne Lyle was unable to compete Salvino here after he popped a splint. She is the top-ranked U.S. rider, at number 10 in the world. Steffen Peters, like Adrienne a member of the 2021 Olympic silver medal team, qualified in California with Suppenkasper. Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, N.J., has qualified and did not need to compete this week.
That left Anna’s big competition as Sarah Tubman with First Apple. But the Dutchbred son of Vivaldi balked in his first piaffe, throwing his head in the air and failing to execute. Scores for that movement ranged from zero to 1. He wound up eighth of 12 starters with a score of 66.413. First Apple will have a lot of ground to make up in the freestyle, but his test has been designed specifically for him, as opposed to the standardized Grand Prix in which he competed on Thursday.
There was a 13th starter, but unluckily Julio Mendoza Loor of Ecuador, who had the score to win the class, was eliminated after a spur drew blood on Jewel’s Goldstrike.
Second place went to Canada’s Chris von Martels with Eclips (70.174), while Dong Seon Kim of South Korea on Galleria’s Bohemian (68.435) was third in the combination’s first FEI appearance. A mistake at the end of the two-tempis was costly, marked with 3s and 4s, but piaffe and passage brought some 8s to the table.
Bohemian was previously ridden by Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on the Danish Olympic team and to a victory in the freestyle at Aachen last year. Cathrine was on hand to offer support for the horse’s new rider, who is reported to have paid millions (how many millions is hard to nail down) for the 13-year-old Westfalian by Bordeaux.
The busiest rider of the day was Morgan Barbançon of France (who formerly rode for Spain), fourth and fifth on Bolero (68.326) and Deodoro (68.218). She is already qualified for the World Cup finals.
Earlier, Morgan won the Mission Control 3-star Grand Prix qualifier for the Grand Prix Special with Habana Libre A, a Dutchbred by ZZ Top. Her score was 71.630 percent.
There’s no question as to who is her favorite mount.
“He is the best horse I’ve ever ridden and has all the makings of a top horse; every time in the ring he gets better
I often find that the people involved in putting on an equestrian competition may be as interesting as those participating in it.
Such is the case with Bernardo Costa Cabral, the 45-year-old course designer from Portugal who will head the team laying out the jumper courses at April’s Longines FEI World Cup finals in Omaha.
His resume includes some of the most prestigious shows in the world, from Royal Windsor and the London International in Britain to the National in this country, as well as shows in the Middle East and Europe.
When I met him at the Royal Winter Fair seven years ago, however, the designer wasn’t quite as well-known as he is now. So I was interested in the beginnings of his career. How many designers get involved with that aspect of the sport from a young age?
But he did, and in a unique way. I’ll let him tell you about it. Click on this video to learn his story.
The finals April 4-8 are in Omaha for the second time since their debut in the midwestern city in 2017. It’s a shame that it took six years for the World Cup to return to the U.S., but as you may remember, the 2020 finals in Las Vegas had to be cancelled because of Covid. Happily, now things are back on track and in another three years, they are set for Fort Worth, Texas, under the auspices of the Split Rock series.
But why wait that long? It isn’t often that there is an opportunity to see the best competitors in show jumping as well as dressage and vaulting in the U.S. It would be nice to go to the Paris Olympics to see them in 2024, but that will be one expensive trip, and not within the means of so many people.
Omaha, however, is a town of reasonable prices, so take advantage of the chance to be there and watch the legends, such as Germany’s dressage star Isabell Werth and the USA’s super show jumping McLain Ward (both won in 2017.)
