by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 22, 2024
The seemingly endless speculation is over: the Winter Equestrian Festival showgrounds have been sold, with an ambitious nine-figure plan for upgrades on an expanded venue in Wellington, Fla.
The buyers are former owners, a group including entrepreneur Mark Bellissimo, with his longtime partners Lisa Lourie, Roger Smith and Marsha Dammerman. Bellissimo led the purchase of what was then Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, a deteriorating venue, from Stadium Jumping Inc. in 2007 and turned it into a facility that now attracts big name jumper riders from Europe, as well as from the U.S. and the rest of North America. It will be combined with a contiguous 96 acres that originally was billed as a new home for dressage.
Former U.S. Equestrian Federation President Murray Kessler is taking over as CEO, but Michael Stone will continue as president and lead the Equestrian Sport Productions team that has been putting on 40 weeks of shows at Wellington International in the “Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.”
Wellington International has been the scene of many thrilling competitions .(Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Enhancements will include not just the facilities, Kessler promised, saying, “We want to improve the production, the sport, attract the best riders in the world. It’s always sport first; we want this to be the best sport in the world.”
Much-needed major work on the current showgrounds will begin in April and continue until next show season there, while the action moves 1.5 miles from Wellington International to Equestrian Village, which hosts dressage from January through March, as well as a number of jumper and hunter competitions.
Bellissimo said that while there is a 2028 deadline for finishing the expanded showgrounds, “in a best case scenario, it would be the 2026 season, but what we’re not going to do is go into an incomplete facility.” Equestrian Village will operate as usual in 2025.
Global Equestrian Group and Waterland Private Equity, which bought the WEF showgrounds in 2022, wound up extending the right of first refusal to the buyers, who earlier this year had filed suit seeking that option, and the deal went through last week.
“The sale is a testament to the fact that Wellington International is now ready for its next chapter,” said Andreas Helgstrand, CEO of GEG.
When the project is finished, all the disciplines will be on the same property, which has a 193.6 acre footprint. Then construction will begin on a high-end golf community at Equestrian Village, formerly part of the Village’s Equestrian Preserve. There was an uproar in the community about removing the land from the Preserve, and contentious hearings were held from the summer of 2023 until the Village Council approved the project in February. The permission was contingent on providing a new destination to replace Equestrian Village so the Global Dressage Festival could continue.
Bellissimo, a controversial figure in some quarters, is involved with Wellington Lifestyle Partners that is constructing the golf community, but it is his daughter, Paige Bellissimo Nunez, who has an active role there. He is keeping a low profile on the showgrounds project, with its group for the moment called WI FL Acquisition. His daughter is on the board of that entity, but he is not.
“We have a remarkable once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really take a look at this and build the world class facility that Mark and Michael and others involved with this for a long time, the vision they’ve always had. This is building on all of that legacy,” said Kessler, a retired drug company CEO who has lived in Wellington for 48 years.
He noted “it’s just not right that over the last year or two, there has been a level of uncertainty, especially through the sales process. We want all that behind us. Everybody bring the community together, focus on making this the world’s greatest show.”
Assessing the news of the sale, show jumping Olympic multi-medalist McLain Ward, said, “A positive thing is Murray Kessler’s involvement. I’ve had great experiences working with him in the past and we hope for the best in this situation.”
Grand Prix show jumping always draws a crowd at Wellington International. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Dressage rider Arlene “Tuny” Page, who owns a farm in Wellington, started a last-ditch effort in February to raise money for the purchase of the Equestrian Village property where the dressage was being held. That didn’t work.
So she was interested to learn there will be a place for dressage in the showgrounds expansion.
“Obviously, every horseman and horsewoman and everyone whose livelihood depends on this being successful is going to be pretty darn happy if that really comes to pass. We’ve seen a lot of things fall through our fingers; you think it’s done and then nope, it’s not. I hope and pray that whole crew is really satisfied and will execute on it. That would be great,” she said.
Page takes comfort from Kessler’s involvement.
“Murray is absolutely top drawer. He’s ridiculously smart and really well-connected. So that’s a great way to start. Things have been very, very shaky here.”
When dressage riders didn’t know if shows would be held at Equestrian Village for 2025, that did “have everybody on edge,” Page noted.
“If we have a path to glory, I’m all for it.”
The Adequan Global Dressage Festival grounds at Equestrian Village. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
In recent years, the new World Equestrian Center in Ocala north of Wellington and TerraNova near Sarasota on Florida’s West Coast have built glittering facilities and attracted a wide range of equestrian competitors.
But Bellissimo said, “This is not intended to be a relative standard vis a vis WEC or anyplace else. Wellington is unique; WEC is unique. They both have great products and great customers. Our focus is to really define something that is very unique and different. I believe we’ve got a leadership team that is unsurpassed anywhere in the world.
“What they need is the right vision, the right direction and the right capital. We’re going to defer to them in terms of expanding the vision and execution of this. It’s up to us to provide the capital, which we’re comfortable doing. There’s been a lot of interest (from) others that want to participate in this.”
He would like the process to be more collegial, to “create a little sanctuary to enjoy equestrian sport, enjoy their families and enjoy the uniqueness of Wellington and Palm Beach County. I don’t think that can repeated anywhere,” he continued, remarking that there are nearly 1,000 farms between Wellington and neighboring Loxahatchee.
“We’re going to try to fulfill what we started 18 years ago.”
What will the final design of the showgrounds be?
“There’s all kinds of creative things that can be done and a master plan will be put in place,” said Kessler, who doesn’t have details at the moment.
“You’re going to have to stay tuned for that part of it,” he noted. But he did add, “Dressage was in jeopardy in Wellington and now it has certainty.
“The idea is for Michael and his team to go out in the community and figure out what is the best configuration here. We need to figure out what exactly do the market and the customers want in building what we believe is a very unique and responsive venue for the different disciplines we serve.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 11, 2024
Hurricanes Helene and Milton have both made an impact on equine operations from North Carolina to Florida. The need is great in so many places, from hay and grain to fencing, equipment, stables and transportation for horses.
The Equestrian Aid Foundation is taking contributions for grants to help those affected meet their essential and most immediate personal and household needs as they begin the process of regaining stability. The Foundation can be reached at this link.
For horse owners who are also in need of such equine essentials a feed, forage and fencing, the foundation’s partner organization Fleet of Angels is handling requests for assistance.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 21, 2024
If Tamie Smith had won the MARS Maryland 5-star event with Mai Baum over the weekend, she knew exactly what she would do after stepping down from the podium.
“I can canter on his back standing up. I was hoping I was going to get to do that for the victory gallop,” she confided with a grin.
But it was not to be.
After she moved into the lead during dressage with the striking black 18-year-old German sport horse gelding, all eyes were on her the next day as she traversed the hilly cross-country course, a real test of endurance with an 11-minute, 15-second optimum time. For a horse without a lot of thoroughbred blood, that’s a challenge—and not always achievable.
“We went for it and tried to give it all we’ve got,” she recounted about her trip around the challenging route.
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum at the ninth fence on cross-country. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
She explained that Mai Baum, “always gives me a time on the course where he’s a little bit tired and I say, `Come on, buddy,’ and he didn’t respond. So that was my cue to say `okay.’
“He just ran out of steam; I had nothing. I got to the top of the hill at the Sawmill (obstacle 17) and he just basically broke to the trot.
“I said, `Let’s go,’ and he said, `Yeah, no. We’re not doing this.’”
So she wisely raised her hand and retired.
“He walked back all proud of himself,” she said with a smile.
“I think he thought it was the finish line. He was great, those eight minutes (on course) but what can you do? You’ve got to listen to your horse. That’s what I try to pride myself on, listening to them.”
A big problem with the cross-country involved a lack of rain for weeks in the area, making the ground hard despite the organizers dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water on it in an attempt to make it softer.
“Everybody did all they could do,” she said.
As Tamie and anyone else who has tackled Fair Hill under any type of conditions know, “it’s a long grade and hats off to the organizers and the team that tried to do all they could with the ground. The weather wasn’t on our side. It (the ground) was quite hard and I think you saw a lot of horses feel it.”
The hilly challenge is “one thing when the ground is absolutely stunning. It’s a different sport when it has rained a ton and it’s really deep; or it’s hard,” pointed out Tamie, the first American to win the Kentucky 5-star in 15 years when she did it in 2023 with Mai Baum.
She’s an admirer of thoroughbreds for the cross-country task: “it’s actually exciting to see those thoroughbreds gallop across that country. It’s beautiful, that’s what eventing is. As much as I love Mai Baum and he’s given me and taken me so many places, if he had a lot of thoroughbred in him, nobody could catch him — but this time they could.”
So what’s next for Mai Baum, better known as Lexus around the barn.
Tamie was happy to report that when she took him out the day after cross country to see how he felt, “he trotted up like a million bucks.”
“He’s not ready to retire,” she emphasized.
“He’ll do some showcases and I’ll do some 4-star shorts.”
Earlier in the week, she also had mentioned the possibility of trying hunter derbies and perhaps, straight dressage.
And she’s not going anywhere.
As the 50-year-old Californian put it, “I’ve got a lot more to do.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 26, 2024
Two hard falls last weekend at Fair Hill, Maryland, didn’t take the edge off the irrepressible Boyd Martin. He and his Olympic mount, Federman B, are standing sixth at the Pau, France 5-star following a cool and careful cross-country trip over Pierre Michelet’s twisting course on mucky footing.
Conditions exacerbated by more rain prompted the removal of 10 fences altogether on a very soggy Saturday. It wasn’t a day to think about making the time; it was a day to think about staying upright in the slop. So no surprise, none of the 56 from a starting field of 71 who finished the route made the optimum time of nine minutes, nine seconds.
Boyd had 17.6 time penalties for a total of 47.1 penalties, moving up from sixteenth place after dressage with the benefit of going early (fourth in the lineup) to avoid the churning that later starters faced.
“Bruno was brilliant today and gave me his heart and soul around a very challenging course,” Boyd stated.
“I was thrilled with him every step of the way.”
Boyd Martin and Federman B going cross-country at Pau. (Peter Nixon photo)
The conditions scrambled the results order from dressage, with the new number one, Britain’s Caroline Harris, on the Anglo European studbook stallion D-Day, moving up from twenty-second place in dressage with a trip that accumulated a mere 10 time penalties for an overall total of 40.3. The top four are all British.
The leader from dressage, Roz Canter with Izilot DHI is barely behind Caroline on a score of 40.6 World number one Tom McEwen is also less than a show jumping rail from the leader with Brookfield Quality (43). Piggy March and Halo are fourth with a score of 45, just ahead of China’s Alex Hua Tin (45.7) on Chicko.
The other American, Will Coleman, moved up from thirty-ninth after dressage to twenty ninth on 59.6 penalties. Boyd withdrew his second horse, Miss Lulu Herself, before cross-country. She was twenty-first after dressage.
“After lots of thought and talking with my circle of family, coaches and owners, we have decided to save Lulu for another day,” Boyd revealed.
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 25, 2024
Just four days after the MARS Maryland 5-star wrapped up, the final 5-star of the year got under way at France’s Pau venue, known for its twisty/turney cross-country course.
World number two Ros Canter of Great Britain leads after dressage on a sparkling 19 penalties with Izilot DHI, who retired on cross-country at both Badminton and Burghley. Second place is a tie between Maryland winner Oliver Townend (who rode Ballaghmor Class to that title) and his 2024 Kentucky 5-star winner Cooley Rosalent and Emily King with Valmy Biats. Both were marked at 24.6.
World number one Tom McEwen continued the British wave in fourth place with Brookfield Quality (25.8).
The best American is Boyd Martin, sixteenth with Federman B, who seems to have conquered his flying change problems from the Olympics. He was marked between 6 and 7.5 for those movements during his test, where the score was 29.5. Boyd’s other horse, Miss Lulu Herself (great name for a chestnut mare) stands twenty-first on 30.1 penalties. The only other U.S. rider in the event is Will Coleman with Off the Record, thirty-ninth on 33.2.
For Pau dressage results, click here.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 20, 2024
At last!
Two thirds and a second at the first three MARS Maryland 5-star events finally added up to a victory Sunday in the fourth renewal for a doggedly determined Oliver Townend of Great Britain. As he sought to reach his goal, the former world number one never lost his focus with Ballaghmor Class over an emotional weekend.
Oliver Townend clears the final fence on his way to victory in the MARS Maryland 5-star. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Oliver, really, really wanted this victory, taking every opportunity to praise MARS Maryland – the world’s newest 5-star, as he explained why it was so important to have that event join the 5-stars at Burghley (twice) and Kentucky on his resume.
Oliver Townend rests his head on the neck of Ballaghmor Class in relief and tribute. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Over the course of the weekend, he finished second in dressage, then moved up to first after cross-country, when overnight leader Tamie Smith retired Mai Baum on course.
Ballaghmor Class, better known as Thomas, is as tough as his rider. Together, they embarked on sealing the deal with show jumping, though Oliver was well-aware he had been in first place before at that point durring Maryland, only to wind up on a lower level of the podium. But the poles on the course designed by Michel Vaillancourt didn’t dare to fall, such was the energy generated by Oliver and his flea-bitten gray (that’s a coat color, not an insult).
In a post-ride interview, Oliver sounded positively angry about those who have sold his mount short in the final phase of eventing.
“A lot of rubbish has been spoken about his show jumping over the years because he’s normally always in a grass arena going last,” Oliver said. But, he pointed out, put Thomas on a well-groomed artificial surface like the one at the Kentucky 5-star or Maryland and it’s a different story.
He had no room for error, however. His countryman, David Doel, who had been second after cross-country with a lightning trip aboard Galileo Nieuwmoed, dropped a rail at the second element of the sixth stadium obstacle, a triple combination. David would be third with 38.5 penalties, but that was still pretty special, considering he was sixteenth after dressage.
New Zealand’s Tim Price, who had won Maryland in 2022, moved up to second on 34.6 penalties after yet another in a series of clean rounds from Falco, the horse with whom he finished sixth in the Paris Olympics. This was only the second 5-star for Falco; he won his first at Pau, France, in 2021.
Runner-up Tim Price and Falco. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
And then it was all up to Oliver, who wound up on 34.6 penalties after a perfect trip in front of a packed stadium, where everyone seemed to be holding their breath until they burst into a cheer as he finished, raising his hand high in triumph.
When the dream finally became reality, Oliver said, “It’s unbelievable. I’m relieved more than anything. A lot of pressure comes with riding Ballaghmor Class, I think, because I expect to do well on him. And when you’re against these guys, it takes some winning, it’s a 5-star for a reason,” he observed, looking at Tim and David.
He and the owners, Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan, have been on “a massive journey” with the Irish-bred horse “and I couldn’t be prouder of him,” Oliver said.
“He’s a top-class horse, and I think he’s possibly from the British team situation not always been treated with the respect that he deserves because 1) he’s got me on his back and 2) he had a fence down going into the lead at Badminton and Burghley.”
This was Oliver’s ninth 5-star win, matching Lucinda Green, another Brit, and Andrew Nicholson of New Zealand, both retired from top competition. Oliver noted Andrew has been an important person in both his personal life and his career.
“He’s probably going to make a comeback now,” he chuckled.
At age 17, it’s fair to say that Thomas won’t continue competing indefinitely, but when someone asked if he would retire the horse from 5-star competition now, Oliver snapped back, “Would you?” calling it “the most ridiculous question I’ve been asked all week.”
David Doel and Tim Price go after Oliver Townend, who retaliates in the traditional post-podium champagne battle. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Tim called show jumping with Falco “really good fun on him, because he’s an out-and-out jumper in his own way. The way he gets in the air is a lot of fun. He gives you the most confidence you can imagine. He makes the job very easy for me.”
For his part, David said of Galileo, “I just felt that actually, I let him down today. I didn’t quite do him the justice. The distance going down to the treble (triple combination) was a little bit quiet, just made him work a little bit too hard. He is a pretty phenomenal horse, and normally a very, very good jumping horse. Definitely sort of my mistake today and kicking myself a bit.”
He pointed out he came to Maryland for a top five finish, so a top three was gravy.
Buck Davidson was the best-placed American rider, finishing fourth on Sorocaima, a thoroughbred ex-racehorse who started 60 times at the track. He had two fences down in the combinations, bringing his total to 47.6 penalties. Even without the 8 penalties, he wouldn’t have made the podium, but it’s great to see a thoroughbred doing well against all the warmbloods.
“He’s been amazing,” said Buck.
Here’s the back story: “A friend of mine called me and said they had a horse they wanted me to have,” Buck said.
“I tried everything I could do to not buy him, but really had no excuse not to. He goes to work every day and tries his heart out. He’s only been doing the sport for four years and this is his sixth 5-star.”
Tim Price, Oliver Townend, David Doel and Buck Davidson with the Fair Hill Bronze. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Just eight horses competed in the show jumping. They were the only ones who completed Saturday’s cross-country from a field of 21. (To read about that, click here.)
In the 3-star that ran with the 5-star, popular trainer Sharon White rose from ninth after dressage with Jaguars Duende to take the lead on cross-country after going clear. She had no penalties in the show jumping either with the 8-year-old Westphalian mare, earning the title on 29.6 penalties.
Maryland 3-str winner Sharon White and Jaguars Duende. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
That was just one penalty better than Sarah Shulman and Cooley Chromatic, the first horse Sarah trained herself. Veteran Will Coleman was third with a new horse, Fahrenheit Addict (31.5)
Of her mare, Sharon said, “Her mind is extraordinary; just to sit on a horse that loves the pressure and handles it…she wants to win that’s a really special thing. She showed me that again today. That’s really unique.”
For Will, it’s been a tough season. He had two horses selected for the Paris Olympics, but it turned out neither was fit to compete, so he was off the team. Then he was supposed to bring one of those horses, Diabolo, to Maryland, but he also had a problem, so Will’s only riding opportunity at the venue was in the 3-star.
Even so, he’s looking on the bright side.
“I still feel very grateful for so many things in my life,” he said.
“I’ve got a lot of really wonderful supporters, I’ve got an amazing family, got some incredible coaches. I’ve got some nice horses, I probably need to get few more. But I’m also feeling overwhelmingly blessed. I’m looking forward to next year, because it’s another opportunity for me to improve and keep doing this.
“There’s nothing I can complain about. It’s been an up and down year, yes, in some ways, But I still have to remind myself how lucky I am.”
For 3-star results click here
For 5-star results, click here
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 19, 2024
Could this be the year that Britain’s Oliver Townend finally wins the MARS Maryland 5-star event?
After making the podium in the first three editions of the competition, but falling short of victory, he moved closer to taking the title for the first time with his 17-year-old partner, Ballaghmor Class. Following Saturday’s cross-country segment, he rose to first place with just 4.8 time penalties added to his dressage score of 26.5. Sunday’s show jumping finale will tell the tale for this prize that Oliver wants very, very much.
The Irishbred gray gelding Oliver calls Thomas has led six times in five-star events after cross-country, with three wins (Burghley 2017, 2023) and Kentucky (2021). If he can pull off victory in Maryland, he would become one of just three horses with more than three 5-star wins. The others are legends; Priceless (four) and La Biosthetique Sam (six).
Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The prospect has made Oliver emotional, bringing him to tears as he contemplated the career of his amazing partner, whom he called “a special horse.”
He noted Thomas had “a couple of niggling setbacks” in the spring, which had never happened before. So Oliver, a former world number one, knows the clock is ticking relentlessly and he must appreciate every moment that he can be center stage with his athletic partner. At the same time, he is looking ahead to competing Thomas in 2025, if all goes well.
Part of Oliver’s way to the top was paved when overnight leader Mai Baum retired after a refusal at fence 17, the oddly shaped Sawmill Slice of brush and logs. The black gelding felt like a 10-year-old in the dressage phase, rider Tamie Smith reported as she discussed his 25.3 penalty test on Friday.
Tamie Smith on the cross-country course with Mai Baum before she retired at fence 17. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
But he actually is 18, and the MARS Maryland 5-star was planned to be his final competition at the sport’s highest level. His age and the taxing, undulating terrain at Fair Hill proved to be too much for this warmblood, so there was no sense in having him continue to run the last 5-star of his career.
(Interesting that in fourth place is a thoroughbred — the type of horse that was the original eventing mount when the competition format required more endurance. The pairing of Buck Davidson and Sorocaima, an ex-racehorse who was thirteenth after dressage, is now a longshot contender on 39.2 penalties.)
Buck Davidson and Sorocaima. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Mai Baum’s absence is no insurance, however, that Thomas will take the big prize at the competition, which offers a purse of $325,000. Oliver, who was second in dressage, has to watch out for fellow British subject, David Doel, whose Galileo Nieuwoed had been touted as the fastest horse in the competition, which drew 21 starters.
That wasn’t false advertising. David completed the 28-fence test in 10 minutes, 51 seconds, 24 seconds under the optimum time of 11 minutes, 15 seconds. David was the only one of the eight finishers not to incur time penalties over the final route devised by retiring course designer Ian Stark.
David Doel and the speedy Galileo Nieuwmoed. ( Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
David, calling his horse, “A phenomenal galloper and jumper,” noted, “It was almost a little bit embarrassing going that quick. But he just was within his stride. I never really felt like I was pushing him. I never felt like I was actually going to his limit. He definitely still felt like he had a few more gears in there.”
After rising from sixteenth place in dressage, he is less than a rail behind Oliver on a score of 34.5 penalties going into show jumping, and a mere 0.1 penalties ahead of third-place Tim Price and Falco. The New Zealander, who won Maryland with another horse in 2022, rode Falco to sixth place in the Paris Olympics.
Tim Price and Falco. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Boyd Martin, the 2021 Maryland winner, had a Groundhog Day moment, falling at the third fence, the Locust Log Pond after Commando 3 hit the obstacle. In 2023, he fell at the third fence in a different iteration when he was riding Contessa.
After starting out with a fall Saturday morning in the 3-star that runs with the 5-star, he scratched his other horses in that competition. Following his 5-star tumble, he scratched his second mount, Olympic veteran Tsetserleg. Boyd is scheduled to ride in the 5-star at Pau, France, this coming week with his Olympic mount, Federman B.
Seven entries retired on course, while six were eliminated and two withdrew from the original field of 23 that was listed for cross-country. The small number of finishers raised questions for some, but not Oliver.
“I thought it was a brilliant track and we’re all huge fans of Ian Stark and I thought it was a very fair track,” he commented.
“But it’s a 5-star and it’s meant to be a 5-star and this is the top of the sport and it did feel like you were riding around Badminton, Burghley or Kentucky, and those events are the top of the sport and as a rider, you don’t necessarily want it to be easy.”
As he reflected on his course, Ian mused, “There were quite a few that were going really well and then silly mistakes towards the end and they didn’t complete. So the statistics are not great, and it’s not quite how I wanted to end my career.
“But I thought there was some good riding, and there was maybe some green riders, green horses that were barely ready for it,” he pointed out, adding that the “trouble” was spread around the course.
“And it’s a difficult one when your first horse (Harry Meade’s Away Cruising, who lost a shoe) doesn’t go around. It sort of makes other riders begin to question. And so maybe the greener ones weren’t quite so confident setting off.”
Ian pointed out that the course was very little changed from last year, and that in terms of those who didn’t finish, “It’s unfortunate, but it happens, sadly. The ones that did go around looked amazing. And their riders were quite happy.”
Ian Stark (nicknamed Scotty) in a horse inspection 17 years ago, wearing a kilt to proclaim his Scottish heritage. (Photo © 2007 by Nancy Jaffer)
He mentioned that nearly 25 percent had clear rounds (except for time penalties), and was pleased that only one rider didn’t collect those, which testified to the appropriateness of the optimum time. (The situation looked worse than it was because of the smaller number of entries.)
What happened to those who had problems?
“For whatever reason, bad luck, younger horses, greener combinations…it wasn’t quite the result I was hoping for,” he replied.
“There’s one thing for sure,” he said with a chuckle, “nobody will talk me out of my retirement now.”
So what will the 71-year-old do in that retirement, aside from spending more time with his three grandchildren?
Turns out, it’s not really retirement. He will still help riders in the U.S., as well as continuing to ride in lower-level eventing competitions and start green horses–though in that regard, he says his family thinks “I’m nuts. I wait until they’ve all gone out, and then I back them a little bit (work with young horses).”
David Doel, Oliver Townend and Tim Price. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 16, 2024
Olympic eventer Liz Halliday, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in an August cross-country fall, is making “steady progress” in rehab, it was revealed on Wednesday.
Liz is at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, where her friends and family cited, “The dedication of her amazing team of therapists, doctors, nurses, and staff,” saying it is “nothing short of extraordinary, and we are deeply grateful for the care and expertise they are providing. Each day brings meaningful victories, and Liz is pushing forward with impressive strength and resilience.”
Liz Halliday’s upbeat spirit, evident here after a show jumping round last year, is helping her work toward recovery.( Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
To keep her horses going, her mounts are being placed with other top riders.
“The first group of horses safely arrived at Boyd Martin’s farm this week and have settled in beautifully. Liz’s amazing team have been incredibly resilient during this time of transition and are keeping things running flawlessly at the farms,” the statement from friends and family said.
“Liz continues to prioritize rest and therapy, and we kindly ask for your continued respect for her privacy as she focuses on her healing journey. Liz and her family and friends appreciate every single one of you, and while there is still a long road ahead, we know that with your support — and her tenacious spirit — she will continue to make strides toward a full recovery.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 14, 2024
TerraNova Equestrian Center has cancelled its World Cup Dressage qualifier and national show scheduled to run Thursday through Sunday at its venue in Myakka City, about 20 miles east of Sarasota, which was hard hit by Hurricane Milton.
The reasons cited for not holding the show were ongoing power outages and widespread effects on the region’s communities. The facility had hosted equine evacuees at its state-of-the-art stables. Refunds are being issued for competitors, as well as for spectators who bought VIP brunch tickets.
In North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene caused massive damage, the Tryon International Equestrian Center called off its eventing competition that was to run Oct. 31-Nov. 3, due to damage on its cross-country course. The facility has served as a center for hurricane aid, distributing supplies and offering shelter to first responders.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 18, 2024
As I was telling you in Thursday’s story about the first half of the MARS Maryland 5-star event’s dressage phase, Mai Baum and Ballaghmor Class would be the ones to watch on the second day of competition at Fair Hill. And so they were.
Overnight leader Cosby Green and Highly Suspicious, competing in the horse’s first 5-star, moved down to sixth on Friday. They were overtaken by a wave of brilliant performances from luminaries of the sport.
This is the final 5-star of an impressive career for 18-year-old Lexus, as Mai Baum is known. His 25.3 penalties for Friday’s test were more than a point ahead of 17-year-old runner-up Ballaghmor Class, or Thomas, which is what rider Oliver Townend calls one of history’s most successful event horses.
Tamie’s least impressive marks were for the mid-test halt (6.5 across the board) but she made up for that with a 10 for her final halt and salute. It doesn’t get better than that, and her post-performance series of hugs for Lexus showed her pride and affection for the stately black gelding.
He did his first 4-star event at Fair Hill, so it’s a closing of the circle to have the German sport horse deliver his final 5-star at the facility.
“I was super-pleased with him. He was feeling like a million bucks,” said Tamie of the 2023 Defender Kentucky 5-star winner.
“He feels like he’s 10 again, so strong. I feel like I had my best test. I was really thrilled with pretty much every aspect of it,” she said. Although she’s had a test that earned less penalties, it would seem this one got elevated in her mind because it’s the last at the 5-star level.
Oliver raised his right arm in triumph more than once at the conclusion of his 26.5-penalty test in one of his favorite venues. It was emotional for him, he started to cry in a post-competition interview.
Oliver Townend was pleased with Ballaghmor Class and his dressage test. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
To him, Fair Hill is special.
“I love it here. I love the place, I love the atmosphere, I love the people’s enthusiasm behind the event. I’m a massive, massive fan of the entire venue,” commented the number five-ranked eventer in the world, who has come close to winning with a variety of horses in the event’s first three years, but hasn’t yet made it to the top of the podium in Maryland.
Bubby Upton, who had to learn to walk, and then to ride again after breaking her back last year in a fall on the flat, turned in a sparkling test with Cola, marked at 26.7 penalties. Brown Advisory, which presents the 5-star, and Howden Insurance teamed to get Bubby to the States for her first visit to the U.S.
Now 25, she was a top Young Rider with Cola and excelled in the junior ranks as well. The two have a true emotional connection, and she has an amazing story of grit and perseverance.
Bubby Upton, who had to learn to walk and then ride again after breaking her back, gives thanks to her Cola after her dressage test. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
World number three Tim Price of New Zealand, a previous Maryland winner, is fourth (27.4 penalties) with Falco, his sixth-place finisher from the Paris Olympics.
New Zealander Tim Price and Falco. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
And Boyd Martin of the U.S., world number six, is fifth with another equine senior citizen, the 17-year-old Tsetserleg who has been there and done that. He is also seventh with Commando 3 (28.5), behind Cosby.
Of course, Saturday’s cross-country, the last course to be designed by the retiring Ian Stark, could do another reshuffle of the standings, so don’t open the champagne just yet.
Asked what he thought of the route across terrain that gets steep at times (they didn’t call it Fair Hill for nothing) Oliver had just one word, “Big.”
“Yeah, it’s big,” agreed Tamie.
The top three after dressage: Oliver Townend, Tamie Smith and Bubby Upton. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
I wondered what Lexus will be doing when this event is history and he heads home to California. Tamie noted that “Lexus could do anything,” and offered several thoughts on the subject.
They run from having his owner, Alex Ahearn, ride him on the trails, to perhaps focusing on pure dressage and maybe doing hunter derbies (Tamie already has discussed that with prominent California hunter/jumper trainer Archie Cox.) I suggested he could do exhibitions; he is so popular that could be a winner for, perhaps, a charity.
Can’t you see Mai Baum as a pure dressage horse? (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“He’s a very all-around horse,” said Tamie.
One thing is certain: “We’ll keep enjoying him.”
Making a decision about what’s next requires some input from the horse.
“It’s hard because they don’t actually speak in words, but they do speak if you listen to them,” said Tamie.
“We listened to him this summer when he wasn’t quite right and ready to go to the Paris Olympics,” noted the rider, who called that experience “dream-crushing.”
But she knows what’s important.
“You just become a horseman…you do what’s right by them, not necessarily what you competitively want. Mai Baum has taught me a tremendous amount about horsemanship and listening to my horse.”
Oliver doesn’t have the luxury of all those possibilities with Thomas post-eventing.
“I don’t quite know what we’re going to do with him once his job as an event horse is finished, because I can’t see him doing too many other jobs,” mused Oliver.
“We’ll keep him going as long as he’s able. He isn’t going to be a happy hacker for somebody. I can’t see him in the hunting field. He’s a naturally top class event horse and we’ve been hugely privileged to have him as part of our team for so long.”
Click here for 5-star dressage phase results
