by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 19, 2024
Four Seasons, which traditionally marked the start of the outdoor show season in New Jersey, is making a comeback April 11-14 following a cancellation in 2023.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation national show is returning to its former home at Duncraven in Titusville, Mercer County. It will be managed by Claudine Libertore, who runs many of the shows in the state.
A.J. Garrity, whose father, the late Gary Kunsman, founded the fixture in the days when he was at Four Seasons Farm in Readington, said “it’s a special show to my family and myself because it was my dad’s horse show for so many years.”
Her husband, Mason Garrity, “really put his heart and soul into it and tried to build it up” when he managed it after its move to the Horse Park of New Jersey in 2016.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t really take off at the Horse Park the way we had hoped,” noted A.J., so the couple decided to take a break and put the show on hiatus for what would have been its fiftieth anniversary.
In a 2023 interview after Four Seasons’ cancellation, Mason said, “Last year (2022), the weather was gorgeous, in the 70s, but no one was there.” He noted that people are staying in Florida longer into the spring, with some not coming home until the week of Four Seasons. In addition, he pointed out, the Horse Park was showing its age, which didn’t help when trying to attract exhibitors.
Obviously, stand-alone shows don’t have the resources of the big circuits, observed Mason, who noted, “because of Gary, we ran it (Four Seasons) as long as we could.”
“The landscape of the horse shows has changed in the last few years,” his wife agreed, citing the domination of what she calls “Amazon” type horse shows with their own facilities that offer weeks of competition.
“The boutique-type shows. like we are, are kind of fading away. In New Jersey, I felt like we were the last man standing with our one-off type of horse show. Middlesex, Monmouth, so many of these special shows have changed hands.”
The Garritys knew it was time for a new direction if the show were to continue.
When Four Seasons left Duncraven, it had almost outgrown the venue, A.J. noted. But the stable was sold several years ago and “seeing all the improvements the new owners of Duncraven have made, it was in my head that I thought the show was ready to go back to where it was so successful for over 20 years,” explained A.J. Additional rings there will be helpful in organizing the schedule, she pointed out.
Meanwhile, her family has stepped away from managing shows. Mason runs a business making jumps, announces and has a judge’s card, but the Garritys decided to leave the management to someone else.
“Claudine has taken over so many of these horse shows and has a following of people enjoying her shows,” said A.J.
“I’m excited for 2024 and beyond for the horse show now.”
A.J. still owns the date, but she’s going to step back and “let Claudine take the reins in the management role. If she needs anything from us, we will be there, but we will kind of let it become her stepchild. She does such a good job with all her other dates, I’m just hoping this will join the group and be a success.”
Asked how many shows she runs in the state under her CJL signature, Claudine gave up on a count and figured between 20 and 30 (with another 12 to 15 nearby in Pennsylvania). In New Jersey, they include licenses with a variety of familiar names, including Middlesex and Monmouth, as well as Tewksbury (after a stable that disappeared from Hunterdon County decades ago), Snowbird and a bunch at Duncraven and the Horse Park.
“Most of my clientele are maiden voyage-type people, it’s all mileage,” said Claudine, mentioning many start in mini-stirrup and short stirrup, and then go on to do their first junior hunters or the classes offering 3-foot, 3-inch fences.
She’s hoping the return to Duncraven “will bring some of the older type people who used to do Four Seasons and the New Jersey circuit forever.
“I think it should get some interest,” she said. “Let’s see when it comes time to do entries.”
Claudine showed at Four Seasons when it was at Duncraven, so she has a definite connection.
She’s mulling what to include in the prizelist, and hopes to offer several derbies at varying heights for hunters and jumpers to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. That is something dear to the Garritys’ hearts, because their 10-year-old daughter, Logan, has Type 1 diabetes and they are involved with a walkathon to aid that charity.
Four Seasons will be one of the shows in a series of a dozen or so for which riders can earn points for the CJL high-score awards, to be presented at a December banquet.
Claudine, 53, talks about retiring from management at some point, noting she started showing at the age of three and managed her first show in 1999 at Congress Hill Farm in Monroe Township. But retirement is not happening yet, even if it’s hard to get help, so she does much of the work herself with the aid of her assistant, Gianna Bellantuono. She is an R jumper judge and has a small r in hunters and equitation. She also has accreditation as a regional course designer.
Running shows is not for the faint of heart.
“It’s a lot to do, it’s a gamble. You can have the best weekend and the best weather and you might sit there with 35 horses. Everybody right now is about facility, facility, facility. What’s going on on social media, where is everyone else going?”
Added Claudine, “All of us are struggling.”
New Jersey is not the same horse state we knew when we were young, and some of the current professionals do not have the same approach as those who were based there a few decades ago.
“It’s not so much about learning how to do it and do it the right way and becoming a horseman,” mused Claudine.
“It’s all business-related. I see it every week. The horses are not prepared. They come in and do their schooling round or warm-up and the horse is bad and they scratch. Because they (trainers) already got their shipping (fee) and training (fee), at the end of the day, they’re still going home with the same paycheck. I find it disturbing,” said Claudine, who was taught differently.
But as she points out, there will always be beginners in the sport, and she’ll give them a place to go. So she perseveres.
“My people have become a little bit dependent on me,” she acknowledged.
“For now, I’m here.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 17, 2024
Those non-riding days present a good opportunity to clean out the tack room. Collect your unneeded items and donate them to Mane Stream (adaptive riding and therapy services), which is seeking donations of horse-related items for its Nov. 17 tack sale in Oldwick.
Mane Stream has a contactless drop-off for unwanted bridles, saddles, blankets, tack boxes as well as out-grown boots, breeches, jackets, and any horse-related jewelry, models or knick-knacks. Donations support Mane Stream;s mission to improve the quality of life for children and adults with physical, developmental, emotional and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine assisted activities, therapy services and educational initiatives.
This event is an important part of the yearly fundraising plan with all proceeds to benefit Mane Stream’s horses, adaptive riding program, therapy services and other equine assisted programs including “Horses for Healing: Cancer and Parkinson’s Disease”.
All donations can be dropped off at the stable at 83 Old Turnpike Rd. Oldwick during office hours. If you would like to make a donation or have any questions, contact Alex Willard at alex@manestreamnj.org, 908-439-9636 or visit www.ManeStreamNJ.org.
Want to learn more about Mane Stream?
Come to its open house March 23 from 12-2 p.m. You can get an in-depth look at therapy services, as well as a free program called Horses for Healing, geared to people living with Cancer and Parkinson’s Disease. Several openings are available for therapy services and the upcoming Horses for Healing program, which starts in April.
Meet the staff, take a tour of the facility and learn about the physical and emotional advantages of interacting with horses.
Bring a pair of shoes to help Mane Stream keep shoes out of landfills, provide affordable footwear to people in developing nations and raise funds for farrier costs for the Mane Stream herd.
If you know someone who might benefit from one of the programs Mane Stream offers, be sure to let them know about the open house and encourage them to visit.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 15, 2024
McLain Ward accepted the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s International Equestrian of the Year title and the International Horse of the Year title for stellar jumper HH Azur this weekend during the organization’s annual meeting in Louisville, Ky., while John French took the National Equestrian title and the trophy for Paradigm, the hunter who took National Horse of the Year.
The awards were voted on by USEF membership. Although standouts from a wide range of breeds and disciplines were nominated for the honors, the winners were not surprising, considering not only their accomplishments, but also the fact that hunter/jumper members are the biggest component of the federation.
McLain, who also was International Equestrian of the Year in 2017, rode 11 horses at the international level during 2023.
At the beginning of the season, he won the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva and the Rolex Grand Prix of ‘s-Hertogenbosch at the Dutch Masters with HH Azur, better known as Annie. She is owned by McLain and DoubleH Farm. They were only the second combination ever to win two consecutive legs of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping since its inception in 2013.
McLain Ward and HH Azur. (Photo © 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)
Annie, McLain’s ride for victory in the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup finals, retired after Aachen, but Ward kept going. He helped the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team to a win in the FEI Jumping Nations Cup in San Juan Capistrano aboard Contagious and secured another victory in the Grand Prix aboard Kasper van het Hellehof. He rode Callas to a top result for the team in the Mercedes-Benz Jumping Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen, followed by another strong performance for the pair at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final in Barcelona.
He rode Contagious in the Pan American Games,helping the team secure the USA’s qualification for the Paris Olympics with a team gold, and earned individual bronze as well.
“We are very honored to receive this award because it is chosen by our US Equestrian community. It is a reflection of our team’s hard work, and how that work is having a positive impact,” said Mclain in his acceptance.
“You might ask why I started this speech with the word `we’ instead of `I’. The reality is that [it is] because of the individuals and professionals around me, both past and present, that any of our accomplishments have been possible. The people around me have been some of the most brilliant and knowledgeable minds who have not only been the reason for that success in the sport, but have also, more importantly, made sure our horses have had a wonderful quality of life because of the care they receive.”
He gave special acknowledgement to his associate of more than 35 years, Lee McKeever.
“My first thought was that I was not truly the horseman behind our success,” said McLain.
“My job in this operation has always been to ride, train, and compete, but Lee is the true horseman,” McLain contended.
“I believe that true geniuses don’t often realize they are a genius, and that is true for Lee. He wakes up every morning thinking about the horses, and he spends his days figuring out what they need to be the best in the sport and, much more importantly, in their lives.”
John French added the National Horse and Horseman trophies to a resume that already included a long list of achievements, among them the 2012 WCHR Lifetime Achievement Award and a place in the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame.
In 2023, John won three major events on three different horses, all of whose hunter careers he started himself. He added to his list of career successes by topping a field of 83 competitors to win the Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Rolex Stadium with Meredith Lipke’s Paradigm.
John French and Paradigm.
He also won the $100,000 WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular on Kent Farrington LLC’s Milagro and the $25,000 WCHR Professional Challenge on Marnell Sport Horses’s Babylon — his third consecutive WCHR Pro Challenge win. He also received the inaugural Jeff Wirthman Memorial Trophy as the Winter Equestrian Festival’s Leading Hunter Trainer by money won in 2023.
“I would like to really thank Kent Farrington,” John told his audience, “because four years ago, I pretty much thought I was going to wind down. I don’t think I would have had the success without the team that I have. I couldn’t do this on my own and I don’t see myself doing it on my own. These last few years with having a team and having someone like Kent; hopefully, now maybe I can go on for several more years. I really hope so.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 14, 2024
A U.S. Equestrian Federation clinic for 11 up-and-coming young riders set off a storm of heated comment on social media Saturday, after some who viewed the session criticized comments by clinician Katie Monahan Prudent, while others supported her approach.
A member of the gold medal 1986 World Championships show jumping team, the always-outspoken Prudent was an equitation champion as a junior and won many hunter and jumper championships over the decades. She last competed internationally in 2015.
USEF issued a statement on Sunday saying, “We are aware of concerns regarding the recent clinic and are conducting a review of the matter.”
The federation added, “The safety and well-being of both horse and rider are of the utmost priority to U.S. Equestrian. Effective communication between trainer, horse and athlete is critical to safety and success in equestrian sport. At times, direct words are needed to get this across when coaching; however, under no circumstances does U.S. Equestrian condone training techniques that do not put horse and rider well-being first.”
Katie Monahan Prudent competing on V in 2013. (Photo © 2013 by Nancy Jaffer)
The video of the segment with the controversial remarks was not available on the USEF network in the wake of the furor. The listing bore the message: “The recording unfortunately is not working. We will fix the problem shortly.” An edited version appeared subsequently.
There were those on social media objecting to the way the 69-year-old Prudent addressed some of the students, who were between the ages of 16 and 21, calling it “bullying.” Others were incensed when she mentioned flipping a horse over backwards, suggesting one rider should “crash him into a fence rather than letting him turn” and saying that horses “need a good licking sometimes.” Prudent also criticized “animal rights activists who know nothing about training horses.”
She was critical of the fact that riders didn’t even know how to safely shorten their stirrups when mounted, and suggested to U.S. Show Jumping Developing Chef D’Equipe Anne Kursinski that doing it properly should be the subject of another lesson.
“As a group, you guys lack discipline,” Prudent informed the riders. She told them, “either you don’t listen or you’re just birdbrained.”
The clinic took place in Wellington, Florida, while the USEF’s annual meeting was being held in Kentucky, ironically with an emphasis on “social license to operate” for the sport, so it has public acceptance.
Kaylee Monserrate, who called Prudent’s coaching “incredible for me,” said “her fast corrections for any mistakes I made kept me safe during the 1.45m schooling we were typically doing.”
She did, however, suggest some of Prudent’s comments, “could have been done so a little more tactfully, such as insinuating flipping a horse, etc., which is not okay.”
Kaylee noted, “The most learning here needs to be the industry as a whole, including the trainers in it. How students in a horsemanship clinic such as this one have never saddled a horse or properly changed their stirrup length is incredible and mind-blowing.”
She suggested many of Prudent’s remarks “came from what seems as an area of frustration,” and contended the industry itself is broken.
U.S. eventing world championships individual silver medalist Dorothy Trapp Crowell reacted this way, “I understand I am old school, but I actually agree with everything she’s saying. God forbid any of my lessons or clinics from the past were put out on Facebook now. Pull up your big girl britches and do what she says. She is actually trying to keep these kids safe by giving them the tools they need to ride safely. Which in the end keeps the horses safe.”
Hope Glynn, whose daughter, Avery, was in the clinic, called it “great,” citing the instruction of not only Katie, but also Anne Kursinski and Beezie Madden.
“Katie set a tough gymnastics and if you answered the test, she praised you and if you didn’t, she taught you what to do…I am far more offended by trainers who say, `Yes, good job’ to everything. I encourage you to watch the whole clinic, the positives, the negatives, and spend your time learning instead of attacking someone online.”
Dutch Olympic show jumping individual silver medalist Albert Voorn, on the other hand, was outraged, stating it was unbelievable “that the USA equestrian federation allows this on their showgrounds. The world is totally lost.” (It isn’t U.S. Equestrian’s showgrounds, actually, but licensed shows are held there.)
Eventer Halley Anne commented, “What I learned from this is that if someone tells me to flip my horse over, I will leave the lesson. Hyperbole or not. If that’s the best way an instructor can think of to explain what they want me to do, then that is not the lesson for me or my horse. That being said, I liked her tough teaching style.”
Jeremy Steinberg, former. U.S youth. dressage coach, observed, “If it is in fact the case that `under no circumstances, does US Equestrian condone training techniques that do not put horse and rider well being first,’ you would clearly see that both horse and rider, on many occasions, were being over-faced, horses being incorrectly punished for lack of education as well as riders. If it was in fact the case that those horse and rider combinations were not up for the task, it should’ve been US Equestrian or Katie’s responsibility to then educate as opposed to berate and rough up.”
Meanwhile, Alice Debany Clero, the country’s leading junior jumper rider in 1986, declared that “Katie was the best trainer I ever had. Of course, she didn’t really mean she would flip the horse over. She was just trying to make a point to the riders that the ability of stopping in a straight line is very important.
“Please don’t let her blunt expressions soil her reputation,” added Alice, who coaches the Dubai show jumping team.
And here’s one more viewpoint, from Susan Bright: “When I was in college,” I was in a clinic with a top clinician/judge from Virginia Beach. I was winning equitation classes and felt like I knew quite a bit. During the mounted discussion, he threw his clipboard at me and said, `Riding isn’t about looking pretty, it’s about being a thinking rider.’
“He took off my stirrups and had me ride cross-country jumps until I fell off. (Then) said to get out of the way of the other riders. That lesson blazed a mark in my mind. But it made me a better thinking rider.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 13, 2024
There were some sentimental moments Saturday night before the first show jumping grand prix of the season at WEF, as veteran campaigner Mark Q was retired at the age of 22.
Kevin Babington took a joyful victory gallop at Devon after winning the grand prix in 2016. (Photo © 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)
Mark Q (Obos Quality X Abbey Emerald) is best known as the mount of Ireland’s Kevin Babington, whose victories with him included Devon, Lake Placid and Wellington. The bay gelding, bred in Ireland by Barbara and John Walshe, came to Kevin as an eight-year-old and they were a special match through a long career.
In 2019, Kevin suffered a fall with another horse in competition that left him paralyzed from the chest down. His teenage daughter, Gwyneth, took over the ride on Mark Q and gained valuable experience in 2- and 3-star classes.
Kevin Babington with his wife, Dianna, daughter Gwyneth and Mark Q at the horse’s retirement ceremony.
As Gwyneth rode Mark Q under the Wellington International arch, Kevin and his wife, Dianna, were on hand for the retirement ceremony in the center of the arena before a packed house in Wellington, Fla. They were joined by their other daughter, Marielle, and several supporters. Mark Q will live a life of leisure on their farm in Loxahatchee, Fla.
Tribute was also paid to Alan Chesler, an avid rider and an important figure behind the scenes in the world of show jumping.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 12, 2024
“Won’t you change partners and dance with me?” goes the line from the old Fred Astaire song. It keeps coming to mind as riders and countries change partners in a flurry of activity before the Jan. 15 deadline for nationality switches before this summer’s Paris Olympics.
The most recent swaps were announced by Andreas Helgstrand, following the Danish equestrian federation’s decision to keep him off that nation’s team — at least until January 2025 — after the scandal involving an undercover documentary of training practices at his stable.
Patrik Kittel of Sweden, who lost out on Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour’s Olympic ride, Bohemian, when the horse was sold to the U.S. for Endel Ots, will be getting the ride on Jovian in a new partnership. That was Andreas’ horse for the 2023 Danish national championships, where he won individual bronze but then lost it when the horse tested positive for medication due to colic treatment before the competition.
“I admire Jovian,” said Patrik of the World Championship for Young Dressage Horses winner.
“He is an absolutely fantastic horse, and I am honored to have the opportunity to ride him. I have been a fan of his since Andreas bought him. He has qualities beyond this world – when he trots, it’s like he’s trotting on clouds. I will do everything I can to do him justice and hope that we develop a good and fruitful partnership together.”
In collaboration with Queenparks Wendy’s owner, Bolette Wandt, Isabell Werth’s owner Madeleine Winter-Schulze has begun a partnership on the mare.
Andreas Helgstrand and Queenparks Wendy.
As a 5-year-old, Wendy won the Blue Hors Young Horse Championship with one of the highest scores ever, along with a bronze medal at the World Championships for young dressage horses.
Isabell said of her new mount, “I am very proud and grateful to welcome this outstanding horse as a new addition.”
She has other horses that are candidates for Paris, including Quantaz and Emilio, who was supposed to retire but was doing so well he kept on going.
Wendy’s owner Bolette Wandt called her mare and the German rider, “the perfect match. They are both true power girls. Wendy has a real ‘here-I-come’ charisma, talent, and power – the entire package required to reach the top. Moreover, she is still a young horse, and I have no doubt that there is a lot more to come in the future. Wendy is in very good hands with Isabell.”
Jovian doesn’t lack talent or results either. Andreas Helgstrand spotted him when he bought Jovian as a three-year-old. From there, things progressed quickly, and in 2019 and 2021, Jovian won the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses. By the age of 8, Jovian was already an internationally successful Grand Prix horse with a series of top international placements, including a bronze medal at the European Championships with the Danish national team in 2023.
“I admire Jovian. He is an absolutely fantastic horse, and I am honored to have the opportunity to ride him. I have been a fan of his since Andreas bought him. He has qualities beyond this world – when he trots, it’s like he’s trotting on clouds. I will do everything I can to do him justice and hope that we develop a good and fruitful partnership together,” said Patrik.
Jovian and Wendy are at the peak of their careers, according to a statement from Helgstrand, “so it only makes sense that they should have optimal conditions to develop their sporting potential” while Andreas is out of competition in 2024.
“Both Wendy and Jovian are two absolutely fantastic horses, and it’s, of course, a bit sad to say goodbye to them,” said the statement.
“However, I am most of all happy and proud that we have made agreements with two of the world’s absolute best dressage riders, allowing both horses to showcase their worth and continue on their journey towards the stars,” noted Andreas.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 11, 2024
From “Veterinary Care for the Senior Horse” to “Balanced Hoofcare” with a discussion of barefoot vs. shod, the annual horse management seminar Feb. 3 in New Brunswick will answer equestrians’ concerns along the lines of “You asked for it…!”
Presented by the Rutgers Equine Science Center and Rutgers Cooperative Extension, the seminar will be held live after three years of virtual conferences. The program consists of the most requested topics by those who attended the virtual conferences.
“This year, we selected a topic that we have not covered in a long time, if ever. Whether you have racehorses, sport horses, or just like riding horses, there will be something for everyone. We have so many veterinary and nutrition experts and colleagues. I am very excited to be able to have them share their expertise with you” said Dr. Carey Williams, extension equine specialist and associate director of extension for the Rutgers Equine Science Center.
“Our goal for this face-to-face seminar is to bring in the leading veterinary and academic experts in each of these topic areas. This includes caring for and feeding the senior horse, farrier care, emergency management, orthopedic problems and solutions, parasites, and pain.”
Those making the presentations are leading experts in their field. They include Dr. Jessica Martin of Mountain Pointe Equine, who deals with a lot of senior horses in her practice, along with having owned senior horses. Among others is Dr. Nettie Liburt, who owns Liburt Equine Nutrition Consulting. She will present, “Feeding the Senior Horse”. A talk on “Emergency Management” will be presented by another Mountain Pointe Equine veterinarian, Dr. Charlotte Weisberg.
Other topics include a lecture on parasites and ticks and a presentation on physical therapy and other ways to manage orthopedic injuries.
In addition to these presentations, the seminar will feature informational displays, networking opportunities with industry companies and area organizations, ample time for one-on-one discussions with the day’s presenters and door prizes.
Early bird registration ends on Jan. 22, so those planning to attend are encouraged to register before then to secure the discounted rate. The complete program, registration information, and seminar brochure are posted on the Rutgers Equine Science Center website at esc.rutgers.edu, as well as the registration site at: https://go.rutgers.edu/2024HMSReg.
However, those who can’t make it to the live presentation, the program will be available on line on three successive Tuesday evenings; Feb. 13, 20 and 27, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.To register go to: https://go.rutgers.edu/2024VirtualHMSReg
Each webinar will feature two speakers whose presentations will be under the theme of “You asked for it…!”
February 13 is about pasture management, with the topics, “Managing Weeds in Horse Pastures”
by Dr. Matt Elmore, Rutgers University, and “Equipment for Small Horse Farm Pasture Management”
by Dr. Bob Coleman, University of Kentucky.
On Feb. 20, senior horse care is featured with “Feeding the Senior Horse,” presented by Dr. Nettie Liburt of Liburt Equine Nutritional Consulting, and the other topic is “Veterinary Care for the Geriatric Horse”
by Dr. Jessica Martin, Mountain Pointe Equine, Hackettstown, N.J.
On Feb 27, health and welfare is the focus, with“Parasites and Ticks in your Horse” by Dr. Danielle Smarsh of Pennsylvania State University, and “Evaluating Pain in your Horse,” by Dr. Kris Hiney, Oklahoma State University
Attendees can register for one specific webinar night, or for all three at the same time using the same link. The webinars are free to attend. However, to facilitate a more engaged live audience with the speakers, they will not be posted to the archived webinars immediately after the program.
For questions, contact Carey Williams at 848-932-5529, or carey.williams@rutgers.edu.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 10, 2024
The beginning of the winter dressage circuit every year is a time for change, but this season it seems an unusual number of high-level horses are switching owners.
The most recent on that list is Serenade MF (Sir Donnerhall/Duet MF X Don Principe). The mare, known fondly as “Shrimp” for her relatively diminutive size, was bought by Jessica Howington. The 11-year-old Hanoverian was ridden in the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals by Alice Tarjan, who raised her from a foal.
The timing was right, as Jessica just retired her Grand Prix horse, Cavalia, this month. She has ridden Shrimp only 10 times, but sees similarities between her and Cavalia, particularly the fact that both are by Sir Donnerhall.
“I’m really excited for them. I think it’s a great match,” Alice said about Shrimp going to Jessica.
“It will be fun to cheer them on.”
Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Alice has plenty of other horses to keep her busy, including Jane, who had nine victories in a row in a variety of Intermediate competitions between October 2022 and October 2023. She will be looking to give Jane more ring time this season.
So what are Jessica’s plans with her new horse, bred in North Carolina by Maryanna Haymon?
“I have no idea,” admitted Jessica, who is based in Ocala but is spending the winter at Rowan O’Riley’s farm in White Fences, near Wellington, which means she is right down the road from Alice’s winter quarters. She is training with Charlotte Bredahl, who is serving as the U.S. developing rider coach until April 1.
Serenade MF enjoying a victory during Dressage at Devon with Alice Tarjan. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
“In a perfect world, of course, I’d like to say I’m going to do the grands prix and go for Paris,” noted Jessica, referring to this summer’s Olympics.
“But this is a brand new relationship and I don’t want to put too much pressure on her or myself,” she explained in discussing her future with Shrimp.
“I want to just be able to take my time with her and build a relationship on that, so when we do go out for the first time, it’s a really good, positive experience and build from there. I need a few more rides under my belt with her before I make any major decisions.”
“Ideally,” Jessica continued, “I would like to get her in the CDI arena this season, if the relationship is good.
Andrea Woodard, with whom Jessica has trained, had learned Shrimp was for sale and shared the news.
“That’s how I heard about her, so of course, I went to try her,” said Jessica,
It was love at first ride.
“I got on and the second I picked up the trot I was like, `Yup, this feels exactly how I want it to feel.’ It did give me a lot of the same feeling as when I sat on Cavalia.”
Jessica Howington and Shrimp. (Photo courtesy Jessica Howington)
That mare has two foals by embryo transplant, and Jessica would like a few more, but she won’t risk having 17-year-old Cavalia carry a foal herself.
Jessica is a professional horsewoman with several other mounts. One is Lordswood Bernstein (known as Bagel), a six-year-old KWPN breeding stallion she’s had since he was a three-year-old. Like Alice, she buys horses young and trains them herself. She is hoping Bagel will compete at Third Level in Wellington.
She also owns MW Marcario (nicknamed Miso), a seven-year-old Oldenburg who is competing at Prix St. Georges.
But there is more in Jessica’s life than horses. The 44-year-old Emory University graduate, a native of Georgia, is a nurse practitioner who is active in her profession. While in Wellington, she is able to use telehealth to serve patients, and is dealing with those on hospice and palliative care.
She balances it all gracefully, and with appreciation.
“I am very grateful to have this opportunity with Shrimp. I feel very fortunate, and a huge part of that I owe to my parents, Melanie and King Howington, for helping me follow my dreams with her.”
To read about other recent changes in dressage horse ownership, click on this link, and look at the second feature on this website. Also check out the article on Heidi Humphries in the On the Rail section of this site.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 8, 2024
Heidi Humphries has made a major splash in the world of dressage by buying several high-profile horses recently, including two top international mounts for Olympic and world championships team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle.
But this is a fairly new development, so understandably, there are those who are unfamiliar with her name. To answer part of the question, Heidi is a registered nurse and successful businesswoman. She serves as the CEO of Spectra Baby USA. It’s a company focused on supporting breastfeeding mothers with products designed for efficient technology, creating comfortable pumps and accessories.
On the equestrian side of the equation, horses have been a part of Heidi’s life since she went to a “horse” birthday party at age seven.
She “absolutely fell in love” with horses, and her parents, Sam and Linda Perlman, obliged that passion four years later by buying her an Appaloosa named Roxie.
That mare “was truly my rock during my childhood,” recalled Heidi.
“There is just something about horses. The way they know when you had a tough day and give an extra nicker to greet you, the way they sound when they are happy munching their hay, and the intoxicating way they smell when they nuzzle against you.”
She rode and showed hunt seat a bit, but was always fascinated by dressage. Heidi dreamed of having an Olympic dressage horse, and that may well come true later this year.
She took time off from riding after her children, Bryan and Nicole, were born, but she knew horses would come back to her life someday.
Heidi Humphries and her son, Bryan, with Quinn Iverson and King’s Pleasure.
That happened six years ago. She now owns Zen Elite Equestrian Center near Fort Lauderdale, Fla., south of Wellington.
“I owe so much of who I am and the amazing people who have come into my life, to the beautiful four-legged souls that I have had the honor of spending time with,” she noted, and is thankful for the support of her family and her partner, Danielle Linder, in the process.
Heidi enjoys watching Olympic dressage and admired Adrienne’s partnership with Salvino during the Tokyo Olympics. The two were introduced by a mutual friend soon after the Games.
“There is something about the way she is with horses,” Heidi mused in response to being asked why she decided to buy horses for Adrienne.
Adrienne Lyle on Top Gun with Heidi Humphries, Debbie McDonald and Christine Traurig, who sill be U.S. dressage chef d’equipe at the Paris Olympics.
“She is really a nice person, so helpful in every way, as I learned more about the dressage world,” Heidi explained.
“But it is the way she comes absolutely alive on a horse that captured me. She truly becomes one with the horse and you can see that the horses respond to her in such a beautiful way. There is an honest love for horses that goes way beyond a piaffe or passage, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”
And now she is part of it, in a big way. Heidi just purchased two Grand Prix horses rather than one for Adrienne because, “I want to see our U.S.. team do well, and two incredible talents are even better than one.” That’s especially true with the Olympics on the horizon this summer.
She’s not counting on owning an Olympic horse in 2024, however.
“There are no guarantees in life,” Heidi pointed out.
“I am fully aware of that. But I think we have an amazing team of riders and horses at Zen and I am excited to see what they can do, this season, and beyond.“
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 8, 2024
Christmas was great for dressage rider/trainer/new mother Adrienne Lyle, but it’s the new year that brings the promise of even more excitement for the Olympic and world championships team silver medalist.
When Zen Elite Equestrian Center owner Heidi Humphries talked to Adrienne after the Tokyo Olympics, “I knew she wanted to support the U.S.,” Adrienne remembered, “and then a short while later, she approached me about helping her find a horse to buy that I would train for her.” (to find out more about Heidi, click here or look at the second feature on this page.)
After Heidi told Adrienne she was in the market for a new grand prix horse, the rider started shopping. With the Paris Olympics on the horizon for this summer, that sort of quest easily could have been fruitless.
“I’d been looking for quite a while, and had been over to Europe a few times,” Adrienne recalled.
Then, “In a funny way, we happened to find two in one trip.”
Helping her assess the prospects was Debbie McDonald, who had been her mentor since Adrienne’s working student days. Debbie, an Olympic medalist who is the former technical advisor and chef d’equipe for U.S. dressage, noted that to be eligible to represent a country in the Paris Games, a horse would have to be owned by a citizen of that nation by a Jan. 15 deadline.
So in mid-December, the clock was ticking. One horse was lined up for Adrienne to try; then, as she and Debbie were on their way to Europe, another came up for sale.
“It was a situation that happened to be, timing-wise, good,” said Debbie.
The first prospect, Lars van de Hoenderheide (Negro X Layout), a 13-year-old Belgian warmblood, turned out to be in Debbie’s view, “just a lovely solid citizen. He really is a good horse.”
In his last start, at Kronenberg in the Netherlands in December, he won the freestyle with 78.475 percent, although his best freestyle finish was seven months earlier in Compiegne, France, where he won with an 81.210. He was based at Van Olst Horses in the Netherlands and shown by world champion Lottie Fry of Great Britain, who is petite, while Adrienne is tall. But Debbie thought, “A little bit of change in rider size” could be handled fine by Lars.
Lottie Fry and Lars van de Hoenderheide
The second horse, Helix (Apache X Broere Jazz), was a year younger and had less ring experience than Lars, but has “a ton of potential,” in Debbie’s view. Marina Mattsson of Sweden showed the horse internationally in 2023, where he had good finishes but no victories. Two months ago, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, the Danish star who was fourth in the Tokyo Olympics, took over the ride.
“We went there with the idea of buying one horse,” said Debbie, but Heidi thought it was a good idea to have a veterinary check for both.
Although they each passed the vet, “It was never the idea to go and buy two horses,” Debbie emphasized.
Then on Christmas Day, Adrienne got a text from Heidi.
“She asked if, in a perfect world, what did I think about getting both? I said, `Oh my gosh; absolutely,” recalled Adrienne.
“Paris definitely is something I’d really love to do,” she said, but added, “I’m accepting with horses, sometimes things work out and sometimes they don’t. Now we definitely have a focus.”
She noted that since she has always developed her own Grand Prix horses, getting two who were so far along “already was a big leap for me.”
Adrienne enjoyed touching base about the horses with Lottie and Cathrine, who were helpful.
After her daughter, Bailey, was born last autumn, Adrienne, 39, started gearing up her fitness. She hadn’t ridden for the last four months of her pregnancy, the longest she’d been out of the saddle in her career, so she went into high gear.
“I knew if I wanted to be ready for show season, I had to hit the ground running. As soon as the baby was born, I was doing fitness training twice a day. I feel I’ve gotten back to where I was before, or pretty darn close,” she revealed.
With both horses scheduled to arrive this week at Adrienne’s winter base in Florida, it’s going to be an especially busy time. There are plenty of 3- and 4-star rated shows in Wellington this winter, and Adrienne will participate in them as she learns how best to showcase the horses’ talents.
But time is short before Paris, and she has a lot to do.
Adrienne Lyle and Lars van de Hoenderheide, who has just arrived in Wellington. (Photo © 2023 by Christian Simonson)
“I think they’re both lovely horses, both have charming personalities and have had really lovely homes with good care,” said Debbie.
“Adrienne being the rider that she is, I think she’s going to be able to do quite a decent job pretty quickly.”
While the circumstances aren’t ideal, the challenge is doable.
“Trying to get something for Paris this late is pretty slim pickings. I think the right horses just came up at the right time. It was just a very fortunate situation for Adrienne and Heidi,” said Debbie.
Adrienne, who is married to veterinarian David Da Silva, is balancing motherhood and her profession.
Her daughter is “a good little barn baby” who likes to stroke horses’ noses and sit on her mother’s lap when she teaches lessons. And there are a lot of those.
Adrienne’s students include Pan American Games team gold medalist Christian Simonson, for whom Heidi bought Fleu de Baian, a 3-star winner at Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special, who had been trained by the Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen.
Quinn Iverson, who started as a working student for Adrienne and is “quite a little handy horsewoman” is riding Heidi’s King’s Pleasure, as well as Gremlin, a horse owned by her longtime supporter, Billie Davidson. Adrienne also works with her 2022 world championships teammate, Katie Duerrhammer and Kylee Lourie’s Paxton.
In addition, she has a five-year-old and a seven-year-old she is training for Heidi, as well as five-year-old Furst Dream, for Betsy Juliano. Betsy is also the owner of Salvino, Adrienne’s Olympic and world championships mount, who is being ridden, but whose plans for the season have yet to be decided.
Adrienne Lyle and her Olympic and world championships mount, Salvino. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Luckily, Adrienne can handle being busy.
“I’m very, very thankful and now it’s time to put our heads down and go to work and see what we can do,” said Adrienne.
“I’m one who always likes to stay quiet and let the results do the talking, so that’s going to be my plan.”
At the same time, she added, “Regardless of any goals we have, the horses will dictate their training and competition schedule. Keeping them happy and stress-free during this transition to their new home is the most important thing.”
The horses should “never feel any additional stress in their lives just because we have goals we want to accomplish. So we will make sure their health and happiness are our number one priority and we will work around what is best for them.”
