by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 5, 2022
The Tewksbury Trail Association has received the Tewksbury Land Trust’s Ted Koven Conservationist of the Yea award. The distinction is a testament to the TTA’s extensive commitment to the community through volunteering time and financial resources to many local charitable organizations.
The Tewksbury Trail Association’s trail pace is always a highlight of the year. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
As an all-volunteer organization, the TTA’s help has been invaluable in meeting the Tewksbury Land Trust’s stewardship objectives, especially in providing safe public access for passive recreation.
The Land Trust’s president, Larry Ross, pointed out that the two organizations collaborated for nine months to hold the TTA’s annual trail pace across Land Trust preserves on Fox Hill, which included opening a new stretch of the Ten Mile Trail.
The Tewksbury Trail Association and the Tewksbury Land Trust working together.
TTA began its commitment to land and green space preservation over 25 years ago with 30 landowners and their horses. Since then, it has grown to over 250 members, with more than 180 generous landowners who support the TTA in its preservation efforts.
TTA’s commitment to the community is extensive through volunteering time and financial resources to many local charitable organizations. In addition to its collaboration with the Land Trust, it supports the Mane Stream, Raritan Headwaters Association, Tewksbury First Aid and Rescue Squad, Oldwick Fire Company, Oldwick Library, Hunterdon County ASPCA, Mylestone Equine Rescue, as well as other open space and farmland preservation initiatives.
In addition, TTA is responsible for developing, maintaining, and marking the trail network throughout the township. By linking them to TLT trails, the value of Land Trust preserves and easements to the community is increased significantly.
As an all-volunteer organization, the TTA’s energetic help has been invaluable in meeting the Land Trust’s stewardship objectives, especially in providing safe public access for passive recreation. Most recently, the two organizations collaborated closely for nine months to hold the TTA’s annual trail pace on TLT preserves on Fox Hill, which included opening a new stretch of the Ten Mile Trail. The event is open to both member and non-member horseback riders. As a result, equestrians could experience new trails and stunning views across the Raritan Basin.
For the community at large, the event drew attention to the progress of the nearly complete Ten Mile Trail and access to new, well-groomed paths for hikers and riders alike. It also demonstrated widespread cooperation among neighboring landowners who provided access to their properties to complete the six-mile pace. T
Testimonials supporting the TTA include a wide variety of community leaders and spokespersons for conservation organizations.
Sally Ike, the former managing director of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Licensed Officials committee, and recipient of the USEF Lifetime Achievement Award, said “One could not find a worthier recipient of the Ted Koven Conservationist Award than the Tewksbury Trail Association.
“Their commitment to the preservation of the countryside we live in, their partnership with the Tewksbury Land Trust and the sense of community that TTA brings to the table means that the view out my kitchen window of the beautiful countryside we drive through and that I’ve lived in for 40-plus years isn’t going to change. I feel very, very lucky!”
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 4, 2022
How could the result have been otherwise?
Cody’s Wish, the talented 4-year-old racehorse who shares a special relationship with teenager Cody Dorman, has been voted the public’s choice for the 2022 Secretariat Vox Populi Award.
Created by Secretariat’s owner, the late Penny Chenery, the annual award recognizes the horse whose popularity and racing excellence struck a chord with the public and earned recognition for thoroughbred racing.
Cody’s Wish, by leading sire Curlin and out of the Tapit mare Dance Card, is a fifth-generation great-grandson of Secretariat. The thousands of votes in the online public poll for Cody’s Wish topped the other nominees, who included the undefeated Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Flightline, and Rich Strike, the 80-1 longshot winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby.
The story of the colt who connected as a weanling with a boy suffering from a rare genetic condition that has left him unable to speak or walk has touched millions of people around the world. The colt was named after Cody Dorman, who met him at Godolphin’s Gainsborough Farm during a Make-a-Wish day in 2018.
Cody and Cody. (Photo courtesy of the Secretariat Foundation)
When the colt saw Cody, he walked over to the boy, putting his head in the teenager’s lap, The connection was made, and the horse got a name.
Cody’s Dream was victorious in the Breeder’s Cup Dirt Mile last month, with Cody in attendance–the 16-year-old believes that the horse will win if he comes to watch him race, and the results have borne him out.
The occasion at the Breeder’s Cup was emotional; there were plenty of tears all around in the winner’s circle, where Cody sat in his wheelchair, draped in the blanket of flowers won by Cody’s Wish.
And there’s more good news. Cody’s Wish is set to race again in 2023, to the delight of his fans and of course, Cody Dorman
Godolphin Farm stated its team is “delighted that Cody’s Wish was voted by the fans to be the recipient of the 2022 Vox Populi award. The story of the two Codys’ bond for each other since the foal, Cody’s Wish, and the boy, Cody Dorman, first met in 2018 is a magical one.”
The Dorman family stated, “We would like to extend our most heartfelt congratulations for winning the Vox Populi Award to a very special friend and horse that’s not only dear to our hearts, but to so many people around the globe as well. Thank you, Cody’s Wish, for not only having the heart of a warrior on the track, but even more so for having a heart of gold off of it.
“You have not only inspired an amazing young man in Cody Dorman but you’ve touched the hearts of thousands of people in many walks of life. You’ve provided tears of joy, warmed hearts and provided a simple smile to so many. Congratulations to Godolphin, and everyone involved in the care and training of Cody’s Wish.
The Vox Populi trophy presentation is scheduled to take place at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 14.
Cody’s Wish joins the roster of racing stars who previously received the Vox Populi Award: Hot Rod Charlie (2022), Authentic (2020), Bricks and Mortar (2019), Winx (2018), Ben’s Cat (2017), California Chrome (2016 and 2014), American Pharoah (2015), Mucho Macho Man (2013), Paynter (2012), Rapid Redux (2011), and inaugural winner Zenyatta (2010).:
“We would like to extend our most heartfelt congratulations for winning the Vox Populi Award to a very special friend and horse that’s not only dear to our hearts but to so many people around the globe as well,” said a statement from the Dorman family.
“Thank you, Cody’s Wish, for not only having the heart of a warrior on the track, but even more so for having a heart of gold off of it.
“You have not only inspired an amazing young man in Cody Dorman, but you’ve touched the hearts of thousands of people in many walks of life. You’ve provided tears of joy, warmed hearts and provided a simple smile to so many.
“Congratulations to Godolphin, and everyone involved in the care and training of Cody’s Wish. And all of the people surrounding this magical story. And yes, that includes everyone that’s supported and cheered on Cody’s Wish! This is what makes this award even more special.
The love shown between Cody and Cody’s Wish is such a blessing. An instant blessing between a special boy and a special horse that will be cherished for years to come. God Bless you Cody’s Wish. You’ll forever be in the hearts of many.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 30, 2022
A true horsewoman with high standards and a generous soul, Judy Hofmann Richter always did whatever she could for those who crossed her path, whether they were people or animals. A great deal was lost when she died today, because, as her longtime friend Jimmy Lee said “There will not be another.”
Judy, 83, was hospitalized in Greenwich, Conn., after complaining about trouble breathing and double vision, dying peacefully a week later, November. 30.
On her Facebook page, she described herself as “author,” and indeed, she wrote several popular books, including the wistful memoir, “Some Favorite Days.” Judy also shared her vast equestrian expertise in “Horse and Rider: From Basics to Show Competition” (1979) and “Pony Talk: A Complete Learning Guide for Young Riders” (1993).
Judy was recognized by the horse industry many times. She was named American Horse Shows Association Horseperson of the Year in 1974 and in 2020, she received the U.S. Equestrian Federation Pegasus Medal of Honor from the AHSA’s successor organization.
Judy was multi-faceted, a USEF judge and successful trainer who had been a private school teacher after graduating from Smith College.
Andre Dignelli, a star student of Judy’s who won the 1985 U.S. Equestrian Team Talent Search Finals and a team bronze in the 1991 Pan American Games, described his mentor as “a strong person, a tall woman with real presence about her. She exuded strength and was giving of her time.”
Judy Richter with her son, Philip, left and former student Andre Dignelli. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Both Andre and his brother, Michael, who runs Heritage Farm in New York with him, considered Judy “very special.”
Judy and her late sister, U.S. Equestrian Team member Carol Hofmann Thompson, grew up in New Jersey and attended Kent Place School in Summit, where Jimmy was Judy’s prom date. He recalled that after the prom, he and Judy and their friends went down to Union County’s Watchung Stables a few miles away “because I had just gotten a new horse, and of course, we had to ride him in the dark. Judy mentioned that so many times over the years.”
Of course, Judy rode the horse in her prom dress.
Judy on her induction to the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame with her sister, Carol. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The Hofmann family was very involved with horses, not only hunting with the Essex Fox Hounds, but also competing in top-level showing. The girls’ mother, Mary, was joint District Commissioner of the Somerset Hills, N.J., Pony Club and their father, Philip, the CEO of Johnson & Johnson, drove a four-in-hand.
Judy married Max Richter and the two bought Coker Farm in Bedford, N.Y., named after Mr. Coker, the horse who brought the couple together. (Max was invited to ride Mr. Coker by Judy’s mother, and then asked Judy out on a date.) Judy lived at the farm until her death.
Over the years, she had a number of famous horses, including American Invitational winner Glasgow, ridden to great success by Olympic medalist Norman Dello Joio and subsequently by Judy’s son, Philip.
Judy and Philip Richter with Glasgow at the Hampton Classic. (Photo © 2011 by Nancy Jaffer)
Ellie Raidt, who rode with Judy as a junior, went on to become at trainer at Coker and compete on such wonderful horses as Johnny’s Pocket.
Among the other riders who excelled as juniors at the highest level under Judy’s tutelage were Alex Dunaif, Peter Lutz and Kara Hanley. Judy had a great deal of influence on many lives, including Ellie’s
“She was so encouraging and loyal. I wouldn’t be anything without her,” Ellie said. She recalled how Judy “insisted I learn to become a judge.” When Ellie received a pin from USEF commemorating her 40th year as a judge, she sent the photo to Judy.
Johnny’s Pocket was ridden to fame in jumper competition by Norman Dello Joio, who knew Judy.for half a century.
Judy Richter collected another honor as Norman Dello Joio gave a presentation speech in 2004. (Photo © 2004 by Nancy Jaffer)
“When she picked me to ride her horse, there were a lot more well-known, qualified riders,” said Norman, who went on to become an Olympic individual medalist..
“She stuck with me and believed in me and that was a game changer for me,” he continued, noting how they had interacted over the years.
“I’m going to miss that more than anything. She always said what she thought, and so do I. Sometimes it was great, sometimes there were fireworks,” he chuckled then added what so many knew about Judy, “She was one of a kind, that’s for sure.”
Expressing many common sense and thoughtful opinions made Judy an interesting conversationalist. Judy definitely was a person of character, as Jimmy remembers her.
“Judy stood up for what she thought was right, regardless of whether it was popular at the moment or not,” he said.
“Above all that, she was a good, good person. We’re very lucky to have known her.”
In addition to Philip, Judy is survived by another son, Hans (Jennifer), and two granddaughters, Maxine and Margot, as well as Richard Ten Dyke, her loving partner of the last few years.
A celebration of her life will be held at Coker Farm at a date to be announced in May.
Contributions in Judy’s memory may be made to the U.S. Equestrian Team and the American Cancer Society, because she was a cancer survivor.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 28, 2022
This is a letter from Judith Stratton, who served as DVHA’s vice president. She is responding to an article that appeared on this site Nov. 4. Here is a link to it.
It was with interest that I read your article on the dissolution of DVHA. I would like to address some of the comments that were made by DVHA members.
The first is in regard to the assertion that we did not properly conduct the dissolution process stipulated under our constitution. Two written communications; the first one announcing the dissolution and the second letter containing a ballot, were sent to all of the current adult voting members and life members. Approval of 75% of this mailing was required in order to proceed.
Secondly, that “little band of older members” is offensive to those of us who have given many years of dedicated service to the organization. We were also in DVHA in the early ’70s/’80s and some of us go back as far as the 1960s.
If any member wanted to give it “one more try”, where were they? They never attended meetings to express their concerns or to offer assistance. In fact, two of the life members expressing their dissatisfaction in your article didn’t even return their ballot to vote their opinion. Yet, they used your article to express their concerns and aspersions on DVHA.
There were several comments regarding Jessica Brittain. She was a 3-year member of the executive committee but was president only from December 1, 2021, through September of 2022. Also, she was not forced to resign. She stated she was not going to run again for president and was not going to chair the hunter/jumper division in 2023. Her decision to no longer be active was hers and hers alone. At the August general meeting we asked her and Jen Cassidy to present their ideas at our next general meeting in September, but they never bothered to attend and offer their presentation.
As you well know, DVHA is very dependent on the members volunteering to staff our shows. If we have an insufficient number of members, especially adults, we cannot survive. Membership in DVHA is also vital to the attendance at our shows as it constitutes the base from which we can forecast our upcoming show season. As property owners, in order for DVHA to maintain our showgrounds, hire judges and other staff, and pay taxes and insurance requires a monthly minimum gross income. By August of this year, we realized that we would be facing an insufficient amount of funds to even start a 2023 season. This same lack of funds also prevents us from making the necessary improvements to the footing in our rings.
We would have loved to continue, and we would have preferred to have heard from all of these members personally. The fact that members now bemoan the demise of DVHA without supporting and participating in the organization is on them.
Judith E, Stratton
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 17, 2022
European champion, reserve world champion, second place in the Longines FEI World Cup final and winner of the Grands Prix of Geneva, Zurich, Basel and Lyon, the gorgeous gray. Clooney 51 is saying goodbye to his fans next month.
Ridden by Martin Fuchs, this son of Cornet Obolensky owned by Luigi Baleri competed in two Olympics (Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021) and won the the Rolex Grand Prix in 2019 at the Palexpo.
Just after the Olympics in August 2021, Clooney fell in turn-out and broke his shoulder. The efforts to save him for a happy retirement came to fruition. But his connections felt that what was missing from his career was a last lap to say goodbye to his many fans.
The Geneva, Switzerland, show was a natural location for this, since those involved with him are Swiss. It will happen on Sunday, Dec. 11 before the start of the Rolex Grand Prix.
“Clooney is the horse of my life, an extraordinary being. He has given me so much and it is with him that I have had my greatest successes,” stated Martin.
Martin Fuchs and Clooney. (Photo © 2018 by Nancy Jaffer)
“His accident was a terrible ordeal for him and for all my team, but in the face of it he proved what strength of character he has. Today, he is well and he deserves to have a ceremony that reflects his fabulous career and the genius that he is. Geneva was an obvious choice, as we had one of our most beautiful moments here when we won the Rolex Grand Prix.
“I am very much looking forward to this farewell, which promises to be very emotional, and during which I will be surrounded by the great Geneva public, my family, my team and my friends.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 28, 2022
Trainer Joy Kloss, who ran Fox Hunt Farm in Lumberton, N.J., died suddenly on Thanksgiving night in Tryon, N.C. She was 71.
Joy Kloss, second from right, with Leslie Howard, Anne Kursinski and McLain Ward at the 2016 memorial service for Frank Chapot. (Photo © 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)
A USEF judge, she was a respected trainer who gave clinics and was involved in horse sales.
Callan Solem, who met Joy through her own mentor, the late Carol Hofmann Thompson, called Joy “the consummate horseman. There was nothing about anything at the barn or the training she couldn’t do herself. She afforded so many possibilities to so many people.”
Added Callan, “You always knew where you stood with her. That was a working woman. There was not any work she was not willing and able to do when it was going to make things better for a horse.”
Joy’s close friend of more than a half-century, Nancy Dawn Ashway, her classmate at Southern Seminary and Junior College in Virginia, was just on vacation with her earlier this month.
“She had great horsemanship. She was straight to the point. She didn’t coddle her students,” Nancy recalled.
Kathy Brown Serio, a former student, paid tribute to Joy on her Facebook page, calling her a “fierce competitor, a loyal friend, and a force to be reckoned with…”
She added, “I thank you immensely for all you did for us growing up, there will never be another Joy Kloss. You taught me the subtleties–how to finesse a course, and showmanship, and I will forever be grateful.”
Survivors include Joy’s daughter, Kayley White (Al) and two grandchildren.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 24, 2022
All across the country, friends and families bond in several ways at Thanksgiving, whether it’s over football, watching the Macy’s parade or of course, sharing a turkey.
But in New Jersey’s peaceful Somerset Hills, hundreds have adopted a different tradition–seeing the Essex Fox Hounds off on their holiday hunt.
The Essex foxhounds head out across their country. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
It started when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was a member of Essex, and the public would come to the gathering at Ellistan in Peapack for a glimpse of the former first lady and her family.
Even after she was no longer part of the hunt field, however, more and more people would return each Thanksgiving, so they could enjoy the sight of horses and riders at their festive best, watching with interest as they gather, then take off behind the huntsman over green fields.
There was a time when you had to know someone to discover the Thanksgiving meet, but these days, Essex is reaching out to the community. The club invited friends of the hunt to attend, and enjoy a stirrup cup, courtesy of Sarah and Hank Slack, Ellistan’s owners.
Huntsman Bart Poole enjoys a stirrup cup and a greeting from Chris Nelson and Jim Gordon. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
The Slacks’ front pasture seemed even more crowded today, as hundreds turned out for the occasion, with their stately stone manor providing the perfect backdrop.
Many arrived early to tailgate and enjoy socializing on the grounds of the estate. One group, families that met when they were neighbors in Temple, Texas, nearly a half-century ago, came from as far away as Atlanta and Virginia for a reunion, something they have been doing for 40 years or so.
They had never seen the hunt before, but were eager to try something new. Their menu included champagne (the choice of most people who brought a spread), cider doughnuts and pumpkin muffins. After the riders set off, the friends were heading to Robin Hoffman’s house in nearby Mendham for dinner, with everyone pitching in on the cooking.
Scott Hoffman, Kara Gullo, Meg Trammell, Michele Lafrance, Robin Hoffman, John Francis Gullo II and Dick Lafrance start their day tailgating. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Also tailgating were regulars Dana Sendro of Fox River Farm and her daughter, Lexi Sendro, of Trouvaille Equestrian, both in Stockton. Their table was set with roses, candelabra and the same hunt-themed tablecloth they used at the steeplechase races, held in October down the road at Moorland Farm in Far Hills.
Dana and Lexi Sendro were into the festive look. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
They were enjoying spinach and goat cheese fritatas, blueberry muffins and a charcuterie board. After the hunt, Dana was going home to clean stalls while her father, Bill Kendzulak, handled the cooking.
Donna Durling, who fractured her sacrum while out with Essex six weeks ago, understandably couldn’t be on horseback today, but she wasn’t about to let them take off without being on hand and bringing some champagne. Her partner, Ed Johnson, was mounted, and she was riding with him in spirit.
A carriage always appears at the Thanksgiving meet. Jeromy Smith drove the Johnsons’ carriage to add an extra note of interest. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
As the members of the hunt came together prior to moving off, Jazz Johnson, one of the four Essex masters of foxhounds, walked around to personally greet those who had come out to be part of the scene. She thanked the Slacks for hosting the occasion, then invited the crowd to have a drink and sign up to become a Friend of Essex, so they could be notified of future events.
The Essex masters of foxhounds, Sarah Slack, Dennis Sargenti, Lynn Jones and Jazz Johnson. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I’m just trying to take every opportunity to remind people that there’s this huge connection between fox hunting and the land, open space and the countryside,” she told those with whom she chatted.
“It means so much to us to try to preserve this tradition and keep everybody thinking about the beauty of this natural sport.”
To find out more about Jacqueliine Kennedy Onassis’ connection with Essex, click here to read a story I wrote last year.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 21, 2022
A memorial service will be held next year for Sergeantsville Grain & Feed owner James Fred McCue Jr., who died Nov. 7 at age 73.
The son of Esther Mastrobattista McCue and James Fred McCue Sr., Jim was a native of Bernardsville, where he was the 1967 Heavyweight State Champion in wrestling and received a scholarship to Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, Pa., for wrestling. He has been inducted into the Bernardsville High School athletic hall of fame.
At Bloomsburg, Jim he won the Pennsylvania State College Wrestling Conference Championship. He qualified for the U.S. Olympic wrestling team, but was unable to compete due to injury. Jim went on to complete his master’s degree in Education, but ultimately decided to go into the family business.
He worked at Somerset Grain & Feed in Bernardsville until he purchased Sergeantsville Grain & Feed in 1981. Jim was happiest when working hard and being with his own family, feedstore family, friends, and customers. Jim was a staple of the Sergeantsville community and cherished its members.
Jim McCue
He served on the Delaware Township Committee and Planning Board, becoming the only person in New Jersey, at the time, ever elected to local office by a write-in vote. That is the way he became the mayor.
Jim’s friends described him as firm but fair, generous and hardworking. He was big-hearted and didn’t take things too seriously, being known for his sense of humor.
Jim is survived by his wife of 37 years, Stephanie; their children, Chelsea McCue Harms (John Harms) and Peter B. McCue; a granddaughter, Scarlett Harms; his sister, Sarah “Sally” McCue Horwitz (Ralph Horwitz) and his brother Peter A. McCue (Elizabeth Miller).
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Doylestown, Pa., Hospital IMU unit, Doylestown Hospital Hospice or any charity of choice.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 20, 2022
Barbara Isaac, one of the country’s pioneers in therapeutic riding, died Nov. 14 in Ormond Beach, Fla., at the age of 91.
The founder, with her husband, Hanen, in 1979 of the Handicapped High Riders Club which became Riding High Farm in Allentown, N.J., she was part of a group interested in learning about therapeutic riding instruction who gathered around Octavia Brown’s dining room table in the late 1970s.
Octavia, founder of the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center (now Mane Stream in Oldwick) told those who came to her Bedminster, N.J., home everything she knew about the subject, in the days before NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) was formed, and its successor, PATH International, wasn’t even a dream.
As Octavia recalled, Barbara “made it clear that she had been seeking something like this to put her heart into–and she did.”
Barbara devoted herself to Riding High’s clients and its growth. She also contributed to the development of therapeutic riding in the state and the country.
“Since more and more people in New Jersey were learning to be instructors and wanting to create programs, Barb suggested we create a state interest group and that was the birth in the early 1980s of HRH (Health and Recreation through Horses) of N.J., which served as a network and information resource for those providing equine assisted services,” Octavia stated.
Barbara Isaac, second from right, when Health and Recreation through Horses of N.J. received the Dominic Romano Community Service Award at Centenary University in 2013. With her, from left, were Mary Alice Goss, Joan Schneider, Gaye Collins, Octavia Brown and Liz Doskotz. (Photo courtesy Octavia Brown)
“We were the first state group under NARHA, and things just went on from there. Way more politically savvy than I was then, she contacted the New Jersey Horse Council and the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board for HRH to become a member. That opened the door to making the entire New Jersey horse industry aware of what we were up to, and they embraced us from then on,” said Octavia.
She recounted that Barbara “got herself on the board of the New Jersey Special Olympics and talked them into funding an annual statewide Special Olympics equestrian competition, as far as I know the first in the nation as a free-standing horse show.
“When the national Special Olympics were drafting guidelines and rules for national competition, the two of us went to Washington D.C. to meet Eunice Shriver (the sister of Jack and Bobby Kennedy) and persuaded her to offer horse show ribbons as well as the standard three Special Olympics medals, pointing out that this would be a horse show.
“She told us that having gone to Foxcroft (a private equestrian-oriented girls’ school), she perfectly understood why ribbons were important. That is in effect to this day. She also agreed that men and women, boys and girls of all ages should compete together, only divided by their equestrian skill level.”
Barbara went on to train future instructors at Riding High Farm, which became a PATH premier accredited program.
“It’s safe to say that while I may have introduced Equine Assisted Services to New Jersey,” continued Octavia, “it was Barb who made it respected and valuable to the movers and shakers in the New Jersey equine industry. She once said to me, `Sometimes, I feel like your pupil and sometimes like your mother.’ She taught me so much about politics, running an organization and influencing people, sometimes against their so-called better judgment, to follow her lead. Thanks to her dynamic leadership, we achieved so much in and for New Jersey.”
Barbara was a mentor to many, including Mary Alice Goss, founder of Special People United to Ride.
“She was very dynamic, very loving and very giving,” said Mary Alice, who did her practice teaching with Barbara before starting SPUR.
“She supported all of us, she helped anybody and everybody who showed an interest. If you came up to Barbara and said, `I’m thinking about starting a program,’ she started supporting you.”
Robyn Sturz, the executive director of Riding High, noted that Barbara was one of those people who made sure something got done, once she had an idea.
“Everyone jumped on the train with her for whatever the ride was going to be. She definitely was a strong-willed person and an icon in the industry. It rollar-coastered into what therapeutic riding is today.”
One of her interests was working with at-risk youth, which Riding High continues to do today, along with therapeutic and veterans’ programs, serving 95 people each week.
Barbara stayed involved with Riding High for decades. Even after retiring in 2005, she made it a part of her life for another 10 years, until she moved to Florida.
Visitation will be Nov. 27 6-8 p.m. and Nov. 28 9:30-10:30 a.m. followed by her funeral at Huber-Moore Funeral Home, Bordentown, N.J. Interment will follow at the Brig. Gen. William C. Coyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 350 Provinceline Rd., Wrightstown, N.J. Donations in her memory may be made to Riding High Farm, 145 County Road 526, Allentown, N.J
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 18, 2022
A horrific fall in a jump-off tragically put the brakes on professional rider Cassandra Kahle’s promising career last January. The following nine months have tested her, as she works to recover from a traumatic brain injury, focusing on therapy with the same determination she once applied to winning in competition.
Cass has never stopped pointing toward a comeback since she came out of a coma..
There was a moment while Cass was still in the hospital when her mother, Natasha Brash, tactfully asked, “What do you want to do, other than riding?”
Cass didn’t hesitate to respond.
“I don’t really know anything other than riding, I’ve done it my whole life,” she pointed out.
“I couldn’t come up with something else I felt as passionate about. I just knew I had to work at getting back to it.”
Cass and her physical therapist, Pete Marsicano, joined her mother on Zoom last night to fill in friends and relatives on how her recovery is going.
Cass can smile as she discusses her progress.
Pete, based at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in Flanders, N.J., originally was working with Cass five days a week.
The sessions have been cut to three days a week as Cass gets better. She is back to riding at Redfields in Tewksbury Township, N.J., where she works for Emil Spadone, but notes it’s a slow process.
“There wasn’t really a thought about not getting back on,” she mentioned, while at the same time admitting, “I was nervous about getting back on.”
That was only the beginning. It was a start, yet the challenges continue.
“I can’t see a distance to a rail anymore,” she said with a smile.
“Any chance of seeing my spot like I used to; it’s gone.”
But just being on top of a horse is huge step for Cass, who was in a coma after her accident. Since she doesn’t remember the accident, or even the week before it, “In one way, I’m really fortunate,” she said. “because I have no actual fear.”
Progress has been slow, yet steady.
At the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, where Cass underwent therapy after getting out of the hospital, she learned how to stand and walk again.
When she came back to New Jersey and started going to Kessler at the end of May, it “jump-started my progress,” Cass recalled.
Knowing his patient was set on riding again, Pete set up a bolster in therapy, to simulate something that would have a relationship to a horse’s back. That enabled her to practice regaining her balance before getting into the saddle again. Pete even figured out a way for her to use an overhead weight bar, making the move equivalent to holding the reins on a strong horse without getting pulled out of the saddle.
Cass’s physical therapist at Kessler, Pete Mariscano.
“I’d have to hold my balance with my feet off the floor, so it was really like riding a strong horse with no stirrups. That really resonated with the feeling of riding and being able to hold my core and my balance and not get pulled over the fence. That was a big confidence booster,” said Cass.
“An exercise being as close to the actual task is beneficial,” Pete observed.
Natasha showed Pete how to give Cass a leg up on the bolster, because “mounting seemed like the biggest question.”
Once that got answered, it eased one of Cass’s worries.
“I hadn’t been emotional at all this whole time,” said Cass, but “just that feeling I was getting a leg up and swinging my leg over–oh my gosh, I just about broke down into tears. That was the closest I felt to getting back on a horse. And I was like, oh my goodness, this is actually real. I guess it’s going to happen.”
As Pete noted, “She’s been game for all of it, and that makes the whole PT process that much more effective.”
It was his experience working with stroke patients when he was in school the made him realize it was his life’s calling. With Cass, he is learning about horses, and on occasion he has even been spotted neighing and cantering around the clinic. They both believe a sense of humor and few laughs are a good way to smooth the journey.
Meanwhile, actually riding is a form of therapy in itself, Pete observed.
Cass at Devon when she was competing. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Cass has started to talk to a sports psychologist, who advised her to go from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.
“That has helped me keep my positive attitude, because it’s easy to get hard on yourself and you’re learning to post all over again and you can’t keep your stirrups. It’s a rough road.”
Added Cass, “She has helped me see the other side of how hopefully I can learn from it and grow from it. Something that may have held me back before the accident, now is a good time to work on it and get down to the basics and overcome some of those issues.”
Sometimes, though, that’s easier said than done.
“It’s hard to keep a positive attitude at this stage. I’m ready to be right back to normal. I think I should be jumping and competing.”
Realistically, she added, “I’m a few months away from that. It’s time to dig in and push through and try to get back to feeling confident in my riding again. It’s a process.”
Her situation has helped her understand what her amateur students go through, “the issues and struggles they have,” and she hopes what she has gone through will help with the way she teaches them.
As she becomes fitter, things become easier. She is still working on posting trot with no stirrups.
“At first, it was half a lap each way and walk in between. Now I can trot for five minutes. That’s enough to keep you motivated and going the right way.”
Knowing that so many people care about her is crucial to her improvement, and looking ahead, she would like to find a way to help people in her position who don’t have that kind of support.
“It has made such a difference and given me comfort,” she explained.
“There could be dark times, you have to watch where you let your mind go. When I was in the hospital, coming in and seeing a new bouquet of flowers and a card really gave me the confidence that, `Okay, I can do this.’ There are no words how grateful I am for that support. It really made the difference.”
