by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 28, 2022
There was a time when the horse show at New Jersey’s Somerset County 4-H Fair felt like a really big deal. The stables were full and the competition was serious.
Judy Hennessey, a 4-H leader in the county, remembers that during the mid-1970s when her son started in 4-H, there were 125 horses and ponies at the fair’s show and 500 kids in the program.
But this summer, the fair didn’t even draw a single 4-H horse, let alone enough for a horse show; instead there were some static displays on an equine theme.
One of the displays at the Somerset County 4-H fair. (Colette Eristavi photo)
Billed as America’s largest youth development organization, 4-H stands for “Head, Heart, Hands and Health.” Material from 4-H says it is “empowering nearly 6 million young people with the skills to lead for a lifetime.”
When it comes to making kids into horsemen and horsewomen, rather than just riders, 4-H has a reputation as being the ticket. Karyn Malinowski grew up in Somerset County, the home of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, and rode in the 4-H fair show.
She recalls from the late 1960s and early 1970s, “We learned about horse care and management through 4-H. Then our riding instructors took us to the A(-rated) shows and we learned equitation from that, but they didn’t teach us the nuts and bolts of daily taking care of horses; our 4H leaders did.”
The founder of the Rutgers Equine Science Center, Karyn also learned public speaking and horse judging from 4-H. She was “extremely disappointed” to find out that there was no 4-H horse show at the Somerset fair, the first held in three years due to Covid. The pandemic didn’t help the 4-H membership situation either.
Rachel Lyons, New Jersey’s state 4-H program leader, noted that “Many horse clubs, and other animal project areas, had a hard time during the darkest days of the pandemic. These clubs are usually very hands-on, and some (there were certainly some exceptions) had a hard time moving to an online, virtual format. It will take a few years for clubs to fully recover from the pandemic, but I am optimistic we will.”
Colette Eristavi, a club co-leader with Judy, said of the pandemic period, “a lot of kids found other things to do during that time.”
She added the displays at the fair attracted some interest from kids, but she wants to see how many follow through. Colette noted that children who don’t have horses need to learn about them if they have ambitions toward riding or being involved with them, and 4-H is a vehicle for getting that done.
In lieu of real horses, the leaders made “ponies” out of pool noodles at the fair, and kids were having a great time jumping over little fences with them.
Pool noodle ponies made a fun substitute for the real thing at the fair. (Photo by Collette Eristavi)
Colette is hoping there will be live equines at the fair next year, “even if that means we have to borrow horses” so kids can learn about being around them.
Kelly Champion, who was a member of the Morris County Gauchos 4-H club until she aged out 35 years ago, has fond memories of the program and it what it did for her. In addition to being involved in a variety of activities including the horse bowl quiz program and horse judging, it “teaches you to love your animal and learn about the animal.”
Kelly, who rode on the A-rated circuit, is now an instructor at Mane Stream, a therapeutic riding center in Oldwick. The “hands-on” experience she got from 4-H, along with the contacts she made there, has helped in her work in the industry,
Looking at the big picture, Karyn observed, “Overall, the numbers of the 4-H Horse Project in New Jersey are down,” while noting that is the case in all 21 counties, where the enrollment has been “getting less and less.”
She considers it ,“A sign of the times, they (kids) are showing and riding and that’s all they want to do.”
“It’s a much different world today,” Judy observed, noting the backyard horse that once was the backbone of 4-H horse clubs is vanishing in increasingly developed areas. At the same time, there are fewer barns where kids can take lessons without owning a horse, she said.
Membership issues are across the board in various 4-H clubs, not just those involved with horses. Judy knows of an alpaca 4-H club that is doing well, but members lease the alpacas rather than owning them, though she cited as a positive development that they were involved in a successful project to build a barn.
Costs of horse ownership and even leasing are yet another hurdle, not only for 4-H, but also for many people who would like to be involved with horses yet can’t afford it.
Karyn said that situation will be among topics addressed at the Rutgers Equine Science Center’s March 16, 2023 New Jersey Equine Summit, where the focus will include industry sustainability and the engagement of youth, as well as ways to cut costs of horse ownership.
This autumn, a survey will be sent out to New Jerseyans to pinpoint their areas of concern about the horse industry in advance of the summit, which will be free of charge for anyone wishing to attend. It will be the first time in 20 years that such a summit has been held.
Brittany Rigg, coordinator of the New Jersey 4-H State Horse Program and 4-H Senior Program coordinator, observed, “I believe the decline in numbers in the New Jersey 4-H Horse Project area is a reflection of the horse industry as a whole. Horses have been a leisure sport for a long time and with the shift in the economy, we are seeing this again, as we did during the last economic recession.
“This is something that is affecting a lot of the youth organizations within the horse industry, not just 4-H. During times of recession, we see a lot of our 4-H youth members focus more on our educational contests and non-horse-related events that we host.”
Brittany mentioned, “A lot of our members do not own their own horses and they lease or take lessons. Throughout the state, we have several horseless horse clubs that focus on the equine science of the horse, some focus on model horses and showing those, and some are based out of barns where the members take lessons weekly.”
She did, however, maintain that, “No matter what stage a member is at in their horse career, 4-H has something to offer them and the valuable life skills, knowledge and memories that they will make along the way ties the entire 4-H experience together.”
Brittany added, “To speak to the situation in Somerset, we have seen a decline in our program numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic; however, we are seeing this not only in the horse program but all of our project areas in the New Jersey 4-H Youth Development Program. A lot of our senior members have graduated during our two-year (pandemic) hiatus. Although we are seeing smaller numbers of youth participating in the horse program at the county and state levels, there have been some positives from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have a huge influx of younger members, or Cloverbuds (kindergarten through third grade) joining our programs and we were able to engage and reach youth and volunteers in different ways. Through our virtual programming, we were able to connect with youth not only in New Jersey, but across the county and even the world. We had youth participants from South Carolina, Indiana, New York, and even Azerbaijan.”
Brittany believes, “With the increase in younger members, our horse program will continue to grow over the next couple of years, although it might take some time. Our goal is to keep providing new opportunities and experiences for youth members to grow their life skills. 4-H is always going to be there to support the youth of not only the horse industry, but the world. “
The open enrollment period in 4-H began this month. All members wishing to participate in state level events, such as Horse Bowl, Horse Judging, Hippology, Equine Presentations, and the State Horse Show, will need to be a registered 4-H members by January 1, 2023. To join, click on this link
“The primary focus of all 4-H clubs is on youth development. 4-H gives young people an opportunity to practice important life skills like leadership, public speaking, personal responsibility and record-keeping through focusing on a child’s interest or passion…in this case, horses. 4-H is always recruiting youth, and volunteers are welcome at any time of the year,” Rachel stated.
Mentioning another factor in the 4-H situation, Karyn said, “I think getting volunteer leaders is tough.”
Emphasizing that “ Volunteers are truly the heart of 4-H,” Rachel commented, “ All 4-H clubs are run by caring adult volunteers. I strongly encourage anyone who is passionate about horses and horsemanship, consider passing on their knowledge and passion to the next generation. 4-H is a great vehicle to do that.”
But Judy commented that in her experience, the problem is that, “Parents don’t want to make a commitment to bring the kids to the meeting and they don’t want to help. In 4-H, we expect the parents to help a little bit. We’re not a baby-sitting service.”
In Rachel’s view, though, “I look at national volunteerism trends closely, and it appears more people are interested in volunteering, but for less time overall. 4-H has developed a short-term club model, that meets weekly for 6-12 weeks, rather than monthly all year, to meet the needs and expectations of volunteers and families.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 26, 2022
Sale Johnson, who owned several of the USA’s top international show jumpers in the late 20th Century, has died at the age of 73 in Jupiter, Fla., after battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
The horsewoman was an active rider as well as an owner. Karen Murphy recalled getting to know Sale when her family moved to New Jersey’s Somerset Hills from Union County.
“She was super welcoming,” Karen recalled.
“We did the Essex Foxhounds hunter pace. She was like a little kid, she was so excited about it, and I was a kid, I was 11 or 12. We thought that was a big deal and it was really fun,” said Karen, who called Sale “really generous of spirit.”
Born Nancy Sale Frey in St. Louis, Mo., Sale operated her equestrian interests out of a farm in Bedminster, N.J., and was known not only as a rider, but also a golfer and philanthropist who was concerned about the welfare of animals.
A natural athlete, Sale was a leader in basketball, softball, volleyball, swimming, field hockey, and tennis. She toured nationally on the junior tennis circuit and swam in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) ranks.
At the University of Miami, she captained the varsity tennis team as a freshman. After graduation, Sale worked in real estate marketing in Miami, and served as an advisor to the Miami County School Board’s Distributive Education Program, where she helped young adults gain skills to prepare for their vocations.
In 1982, Sale moved to New York City, where she was devoted to numerous charitable and community efforts, such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Morris Animal Foundation, the Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Alzheimer’s Foundation and the Lupus Research Alliance.
Her main area of philanthropic interest was autoimmune research, particularly diabetes and lupus, two diseases that affected her immediate family. With her daughter, Casey, who died in 2010 of complications from diabetes, she co-authored “Managing Your Child’s Diabetes,” published in 1994.
She was honored for her philanthropic endeavors with several awards, including the Achievement Award for Volunteer Service from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, as well as the Rosenwald Award for Outstanding Philanthropy.
An accomplished golfer, she won several championships in that sport. Her involvement with horses included her own riding experience and extensive involvement as a patron of the sport.
Michael Matz rode her horse, Heisman, who was the number one U.S. qualifier for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Sale also owned The General, who won team bronze and individual gold with Michael at the 1995 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires. Following the retirement of her two stallions, Heisman and Golan, she ran an international horse breeding business out of the farm in Bedminster.
Sale, who died Sept. 8, is survived by her siblings, Alan and Jimm; her children, Jaime and Ava; her granddaughter, Maeve Shulman, and two ex-husbands; New York Jets owner Robert Wood Johnson IV and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad.
Donations may be made in Sale’s memory to the Lupus Research Alliance, https://www.lupusresearch.org/.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 19, 2022
It may be hard to believe in this era, but the concept of using horses for organized therapy was still in its infancy when Octavia Brown founded the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riders Club a half-century ago. The once-weekly program began on a rudimentary basis with horses provided by the local Pony Club.
Today, what she started on her Bedminster, N.J., farm has blossomed into an organization with hundreds of dedicated volunteers and deep support from the community.
SHHRC evolved into Mane Stream, which offers clients a long list of vital services, everything from speech pathology to physical and occupational therapy, as well as brightening the lives of those who are living with cancer and debilitating conditions.
As it marks its 50th anniversary, Mane Stream, located on 12 acres in Oldwick. N.J., officially sums up its mission as improving “the quality of life for individuals with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine assisted activities, therapy services, and educational initiatives.”
That’s certainly ambitions and accurate, but what stands out when watching Mane Stream participants is something that can’t be defined with mere words. It’s the joy someone feels from involvement with horses, whether it is simply brushing a pony, speaking for the first time after riding around the ring or break-through moments of leaving the wheelchair behind for freedom on horseback.
“Every new thing that comes along came from that whole beginning of thinking we could think outside the box. That’s exactly why I’ve stayed in it for as long as I have,” said Octavia, who went on from Mane Stream to start the Therapeutic Riding At Centenary University program.
Octavia Brown. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Today, “You can look at youth at risk, you can look at battered women, you can look at all kinds of things that none of us even thought about years ago,” Octavia observed.
You could say she was the Johnny Appleseed of therapeutic riding. At a time when the only course in the country was at Michigan’s Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center, people wouId come to Octavia and tell her, “I want to learn to do what you’re doing.”
So she started training people “and clearly they were gong to go out and do great things.”
Now she is involved on the board of the Horses and Humans Research Foundation.
For a very long time, “No one even thought about having qualitative and quantitative research on aspects of the field,” she recalled.
“The science behind this is starting to really take a firm hold. Maybe hopefully insurance will start to pay for this without quibbling, and people will start to sit up and take notice in areas we don’t even know about yet.”
She will be honored Oct. 1 at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, N.J., where Mane Stream is holding its anniversary gala. (As long as tickets are still available, they can be obtained through equus2022.givesmart.com.)
While Octavia ran her original operation with little help, Mane Stream today employs professionals to handle the ever-increasing aspects of its operation, which is a Premier Accredited Center of PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International).
Overseeing the therapy is Melanie Dominko-Richards, who began her association with Mane Stream at the age of six. Her mother worked down the road at the Oldwick General Store, where Mane Stream personnel would go for lunch. Melanie’s mom sought advice from them on how she should handle her “horse-crazy kid, who needed something to do for the summer.”
Melanie first visited Mane Stream at age six and became a volunteer when she was nine years old, a much younger age than what is allowed today. But it was an important step for her; one, she says, that “put me on the path of where I am today. I just loved it.
Melanie Dominko-Richards, Mane Stream’s director of therapy services with Tink. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I originally came for the horses. That was really the draw. Then I fell in love with the disabilities side of it,” she explained.
“I fostered this love of inclusion and a love of being around all different sorts of people.”
After volunteering through high school and getting a bachelor’s degree in education at Seton Hall University, she got a call from Mane Stream’s director of therapy services, offering her a 10-week gig. It has turned into 11 years. She got a promotion to director of therapy services in 2017. With a master’ in speech language pathology, she is now board president of the American Hippotherapy Association.
Trained in how the biomechanics of the horse implements the biomechanics of the human body, she explained, “Being on a horse kind of organizes the systems of the body.”
For a hyper client who can’t focus, for instance, “the movement of the horse is self-organizing,” she explained. Melanie compared it to a zipper that’s slightly out of line.
“Being on the horse lines up the teeth of the zipper…so I can zip up the zipper. It readies the body for another task, such as speech therapy.
“A lot of clients come for multiple therapies, meet their goals, then move on to occupational therapy or physical therapy. They may also join an adaptive riding program and take a lesson. Our definition of special needs is very broad.”
The idea is to adapt teaching style and equipment to a participant. For instance, to help a client understand how to ride a circle on a horse, different colored cones can be set up to make a circle as the client sets off, then slowly the cones are removed, enabling them to understand how to produce the figure on their own.
Jen Dermody, the head instructor, equine manager and event coordinator, said one of the special things about Mane Stream is “the whole team feel” as volunteers work with professionals in helping clients.
Volunteers are vital to Mane Stream’s success, and each has their own purpose in helping others. Dan O’Donnell, who worked in technology and was a rider for 35 years, used to take his horses on the trails in the Oldwick area and would often pass by Mane Stream.
“When I retired, I decided to come in and see what was going on. It’s kind of nice to do something that’s your hobby anyway,” he noted.
Matt McCann; his wife, Renee, and daughter, Sara, all volunteered. Sara was a jumper rider, so she knew horses, but Matt, a CPA, enjoyed being along for the ride, so to speak, since helping at Mane Stream was an activity he could do with his whole family.
Leroy Hunninghake came in one day just to see what was going on at the facility and encountered someone in the lobby he had worked with in technology for 25 years. The man’s son had autism and was riding, so that inspired Leroy to get involved.
Karen Mikita-Kaufhold, the organization’s president, became involved with Mane Stream when she moved from Bergen County to Hunterdon County and was looking for volunteer work. When she mentioned it to the wife of the CEO at the company where her husband worked, the woman suggested she go to what was then Somerset Hills, because Karen rode horses and wanted to help people.
“I think that would be the perfect fit for you,” the woan said, and she was right.
“Once I began volunteering I loved it, I loved being there,” Karen remembered,
“When I started seeing what they do for the participants, that’s when it got to me; this is more than just the horses. This is helping somebody who is doing therapy on the horse and to see improvements, that’s when it got to me.”
She recounted hearing a little girl who hadn’t talked at all, finally say, “walk on” to the horse.
Occupational therapist Stephanie Egleston (second from right) works with a client with the help of volunteers. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I had tears in my eyes. This is what it’s all about.”
“I am so grateful and cannot thank our supporters enough for their generosity and kindness to help Mane Stream to be able to fulfill our mission and serve our community for 50 years and hope we can continue to for many more years to come,” she said.
Trish Hegeman, Mane Stream’s executive director for six years, reflected on 50 years of progress. She notes, “We’ve come a long way in terms of keeping people safe; we know a lot more about the right way to do things, we’ve learned a lot more abut how to engage with certain participants. We’ve definitely moved forward and are definitely interested in staying as a leader in the industry.”
The board adopted a strategic plan earlier this year, but one of the key questions that remains for discussion is “What’s next? What do we want to do?”
Getting more space is one question that will be dealt with in discussions next year, since at the current location, things are “built out as much as they can be.”
While the adaptive riding program moves in the winter to a board member’s farm where there’s a big indoor ring, the organization would like to have its own large indoor for lessons. The current indoor, used for therapy, is too small for that.
A client may have a diagnosis of ADHD, anxiety or some other condition. The horses are trained to carry riders who are not balanced or do unexpected things; perhaps they have muscle spasms, for example.
Volunteers work with clients in the outdoor ring. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
There is a big demand for adaptive riding, focusing on “anyone who’s not going to be successful in a typical riding environment.”
“We want people to be successful and independent, and those are not two things that happen all the time in other environments to people who come here,” said Trish.
Their Mane Stream experience “gives them something be successful at. Our people who might have other challenges in their life, and life is not so easy for them, are able to get on these big animals and tell them what to do. There’s something super-empowering about that.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 26, 2022
The Spring Valley Hounds, which began in the New Vernon section of Harding Township, N.J., were scheduled to be hunting in a joint meet with the Amwell Valley Hounds from the Spring Valley Showgrounds Oct. 2 to commemorate the 100th year of the township’s founding.
Due to inclement weather, the meet has been postponed to Nov. 13.
The municipality was created in September 2022 from portions of Passaic Township following a referendum, and named after U.S. President Warren G. Harding. The area was once semi-rural, but as it developed, Spring Valley moved most of its operations north to Allamuchy, where there is more open space. For the last three years, however, Spring Valley has hunted in New Vernon once a year.
At the meet, Tim Brogan will be donating the scarlets that belonged to his late grandfather, Bill Keegan, a longtime supporter of Spring Valley, “in the hope of paying them forward for future riders who get their colors with SVH.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 14, 2022
After months of refurbishing and renovations under the new ownership of the Stout family, Duncraven is ready for its close-up.
The stable in Titusville, Mercer County, N.J., is holding an open house Oct. 1 from 4-7 p.m. to show off its re-do, from state-of-the-art footing to new fencing and a clubhouse where boarders can relax and get snacks.
Duncraven is being refurbished.
The stable will offer two types of board. The first is regular board for $1,595, and no requirement for training. Those who want access to amenities can pay another $400 per month.The other option is full board with access to the clubhouse for $2,195 month.
A redone barn aisle is waiting for boarders.
Those who aren’t able to make it on Oct. 1 can also see what Duncraven has to offer on Oct. 2, when it is hosting a benefit show for Kevin Babington.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 18, 2022
What a ride! Today’s show jumping finale of the FEI World Eventing Championships was far from an anti-climax after Saturday’s thriller of a cross-country test at Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy.
The course designed by Uliano Vezzani, set on undulating turf, provided surprises that I for one couldn’t have predicted, as the medal positions kept changing among the top four countries in a process that paved the way for a new generation to make its mark in the sport.
The grass show jumping arena at Pratoni.
Explaining his challenging route that took a toll on top combinations, Uliano said, “After a cross-country test like yesterday’s, the horses have ‘opened up’ and today they have to show that they are back in balance, well in hand. Which is exactly what you want from an eventing horse.”
But four knockdowns by world number one eventer Oliver Townend and Kentucky 5-star winner Ballaghmor Class? Unthinkable, yet it dropped Britain (the favorite going into the week) from the podium to fourth place (100.9 penalties).
Two knockdowns from Germany’s Michael Jung, who has a Fort Knox-worth pile of gold medals? How could that be, when it appeared he would set a new world record with fischerChipmunk FRH to finish on his dressage score of 18.8 penalties?
Even so, Germany was able to end with a team gold (95.2 penalties) after lingering on the lower levels of the podium throughout the competition.
Hard to believe that Boyd Martin, the anchor of so many U.S. teams, would be the drop score (42.2) in twentieth place with Tsetserleg after four rails toppled. But America finished on silver (100.3) anyway, though for a brief shining moment earlier in the day, the squad had a glimmering of gold in its sights. There were only 0.4 penalties between the U.S. and bronze medal New Zealand (100.7), and just 0.2 between New Zealand and Great Britain.
Will Coleman and Off the Record mastered the course. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
It was the first time in 20 years that the U.S. had medaled at the worlds, having won gold in Spain in 2002.
“I’m very proud to be an American today,” said Boyd.
“Having five clear rounds yesterday in the cross-country was awesome, and just looking at the results here, any three of the five of us could have gotten a team medal.
“I’ve been on many of these teams, and we’ve been so close over and over again, and it’s a massive sigh of relief. I’m really thankful for this team and proud to be here with these guys sitting next to me.”
The bonus was that the U.S. qualified to have an eventing team in the 2024 Paris Olympics, along with the other nations in the top seven. France already was qualified as the host country for those Games. The U.S. dressage team qualified for Paris at their championships in Denmark last month, as did the para team for the Paralympics. The show jumpers will have to use the 2023 Nations Cup Final or the 2023 Pan Am Games to qualify.
The U.S. team of Will Coleman, Lauren Nicholson, Tamie Smith and Boyd Martin.
What about the individual eventing medals, you wonder.
That, too, would have been an unlikely prediction if anybody had suggested 25-year-old Yasmin Ingham, riding as an individual for Britain, would take the gold.
At the Kentucky 5-star this year, a notice came to the press room that Yaz would be giving a press conference one afternoon. Huh? “Who is she?” I asked, wondering about her resume, aside from being the 2013 Sportwoman of the Year on her native Isle of Man, and winner of Britain’s 2021 Blenheim event. I couldn’t make the press conference, but a few days later, we found out who she was, when she finished second to Michi Jung in the 5-star.
Yasmin Ingham triumphant. (FEI / Richard Juilliart)
And today she was first on the Selle Francais Banzai du Loir, moving up from third after dressage (22 penalties) to second after cross-country (adding just 1.2 time penalties) to clear in the jumping, winding up number one on 23.2 penalties. Too bad for Britain that she was riding as an individual instead of on the team.
Yasmin Ingham jumped clean to win individual gold at the FEI World Eventing Championshipsl.
As Michi’s horse brought down the plank at the tricky final fence, Yaz gasped and was immediately enveloped in hugs.
“Honestly, I’m still not believing it,” she said, a bit breathless moments later.
“I really didn’t think this would happen. My horse, Banzai, was just impeccable; perfect, could not fault him today in the show jumping round. I’m just over the moon. I can’t explain how happy I am, because there’s just no words for it.
“I’m shaking at the moment, even still.”
Describing today as extreme pressure and nerve-wracking, Yaz said she “tried to treat it as a normal competition, and make sure I did my normal plan, and routine and structured system. Stuck to it, blocked everything else out and focused on the job.”
Yaz on Banzai.
Banzai, she emphasized, “just delivered. He was absolutely perfect.”
She is the latest link in the tradition of British eventing world champions; Lucinda Green, Ginny Leng, Zara Phillips Tindall and Ros Canter, who won four years ago and was fourth today with Lordship’s Graffalo (26.2), who is only 10 years old.
Yaz has looked up to the more experienced riders on the team and took advice from them.
“Now that I’ve managed to do it and become world champion, I’m just speechless,” she said.
How cool is this mounted band that led in the medalists?
Olympic champion Julia Krajewski of Germany took silver with a clear round on Amande de B’Neville (26 penalties), moving up from fifth after cross-country. New Zealand’s world number three, Tim Price, also fault free, took bronze with 26.2 penalties. He had the same score as Ros, but with a cross-country time closer to the optimum to break the tie. His mount, Falco, was developed by Sue Dempsey, who designed the cross-country course for the 2012 London Olympics.
“We worked so hard for this, we focused on it for years, this kind of major event, it means everything,” said Tim, whose wife, Jonelle, rode on the team with him.
Michi wound up a disappointing fifth (26.8), but emphasized he was very happy for the team.
“It was a fantastic performance, everyone was great. Today I’m a little bit unlucky, but luckily, on the other side, it was enough for the team.”
The USA’s Tamie Smith, poised for the podium in third place with Mai Baum after cross-country, saw her individual medal prospects disappear with two rails down, putting her ninth on 32 penalties. Her horse had lost his front shoes on cross-country and may have been feeling the effects of that today.
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
Her score left Will Coleman as the highest-placed American, seventh with Off the Record (27.2) after a fault-free round.
Lauren Nicholson had two rails and a time penalty with Vermiculus (41.1) to place nineteenth for the team, while Ariel Grad, riding as an individual for the U.S., was part of that rising generation I mentioned to end up eleventh after a faul-free trip on Leamore Master Plan (32.5).
That was impressive, considering she was fiftieth following dressage. Jumping is the forte of her Irish-bred son of Master Imp.
Ariel Grald and Leamore Master Plan. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
U.S. Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello called it “such a crazy day. I had a feeling when I walked the course that it was going to be very influential. I’d never seen such a consistently big and very technical track and have those three lines, all single jumps to combinations, with three completely different distances. It was a real important phase, and no team went unscathed, and you had to keep fighting to the end.”
Ariel, Tamie and Boyd are still working with former eventing performance manager Erik Duvander, whose contract was not renewed last December by the U.S. Equestrian Federation. Bobby Costello took over as interim chef d’equipe this year.
“The most pleasing thing is that America has won a medal after a long drought and I’m very, very proud of the way the riders rode and how they present themselves, It’s very, very good,” said Erik, who was in Italy to help his riders but expressed pride in the team as a whole.
Much of what they have done was built on a foundation of the four years he gave the U.S. effort.
Although pathfinder Will Coleman does not work with him, Erik called that rider “very impressive…he’s been in the game for such a long time, but I think he’s now grown into the shoes and is now a serious competitor on the world stage but also within the team. He’s got the confidence and the self-belief and the skills as well.”
The nicest development, he added, is the number of people from other nations who “came up to me and congratulated on how America has turned around from being an average nation to a top nation. It has been noted by everyone.”
Click here for the team results. Click this link for the individual results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 25, 2022
BP Goodfellas, bred by Kevin Babington, won the five-year-old title at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses this weekend.
The son of Stakkato Gold out of Goodwin’s Loyalty mastered a tough 16-jumping effort test set at Lanaken, Belgium by course builder Eugène Mathy. The highest obstacles were set at 1.30 meters, with eight of 47 combinations entered making the jump-off.
Gerard O’Neill and BP Goodfellas at Lanaken. (Zangersheide photo)
Rider Gerard O’Neill topped the competition in the tie-breaker with a clear round in 40.12 seconds. They edged Ristretto Vd Heffinck, ridden by Olivier van der Vaart,clocked in 40.52 seconds.
Gerard had been riding the horse only four weeks before this championship. BP Goodfellas’ regular rider had reached the maximum of three horses to ride in the championship and thus Gerard get the nod.
“I have nothing but admiration for this horse. He didn’t need, in retrospect, to jump the double, with the speed at which I entered. But he did a great job, he is a nice horse to ride with a real winner’s mentality. I also rode his mother a long time ago, so that makes a nice story. And I expect this is only the first chapter for BP Goodfellas,” said the winner.
Kevin had ridden Goodwin’s Loyalty between 2013 and 2015. They took the 1.45 meter derby at Spruce Meadows during their time together.
Stakkato Gold is the sire of Kevin’s longtime mount, Shorapur, who is doing broodmare duty at the farm of Greg Broderick where Goodfellas was foaled. Goodwin’s Loyalty is by OBOS Quality, the sire of one of the Babington family’s most successful horses, Devon grand prix winner Mark Q.
An Olympian who was a longtime member of the Irish show jumping team, Kevin suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a 2019 accident during a grand prix and has been working hard on his rehabilitation ever since. He is still in demand as a coach and is teaching on a regular basis. Goodfella’s win is great news for him, though he has no plans as yet for the horse’s next move.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 25, 2022
The USA’s Chester Weber had a tough go today in the cones competition at the FEI World Driving Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, finishing 17th in that section to end up eighth overall as Boyd Exell of Australia kept his crown. It was Boyd’s sixth straight victory since his inaugural gold in 2010.
Chester, third individually after the dressage phase, slipped to fourth following yesterday’s marathon . Nine penalties on the cones course and 16.02 time penalties were costly.
Boyd had a total of 156.06 penalties for the event, retaining his edge because of his victorious 34.13 penalty score in the dressage. He had no knockdowns on the cones course, but accumulated 5.92 time penalties with a wise element of caution to his driving in rain and a damp surface.
Boyd Exell along the cones course on his way to his sixth world title. (Photo courtesy FEI)
Ijsbrand Chardon of the Netherlands led his country to its eleventh gold (313.93) in the team competition, while he took silver individually on 159.82, failing to add to the five individual golds he already had. Third went to Germany’s Michael Brauchle (164.89) as his nation earned silver (327.45) over Belgium (356.39) in the team contest.
Ijsbrand’s 25-year-old son, Bram, the youngest ever to win a world driving championship as he did with the indoor FEI World Driving Cup in Bordeaux earlier this year, was the only driver to go double-clear in the cones to win that section. He was using his “A Team” for that phase, having had issues with his combo in the dressage and marathon.
“I’m the current Dutch, European and World Cup Champion,” said Bram, “but on the World Championship I had unusual mistakes, the same as Tryon (the 2018 world championships in North Carolina.) I needed revenge on the Sunday, I needed it…to show that I can do it”, Bram said.
Boyd said, “I have the pressure of having fantastic horses and you mustn’t let them down.That’s one of the hardest things–they are 15 years old now and so experienced.
“The team of people around me, all the helpers, it’s about not letting them down too. Plus Koos (de Ronde of the Dutch team), Bram and Ijsbrand they add to the pressure too. So even when you have great horses, you also have to watch out for these guys.”
Boyd added, “When you look back in history, other drivers have had fantastic horses, and I’ve also had them over the years. Over time, everybody has great horses. It’s nice to remember them too.
“The pressure was also about keeping the reins dry.I had a second pair of gloves which I hadn’t thought I’d need! Also, the horses and carriage were starting to slip in the corners. The course was a good testing course today, but only in good conditions.
“With all the many U-turns in the wet conditions, it made it much harder. I used the information my team fed back to me about the rounds before me and I didn’t expect my horses to spook at the wooden horse in the middle, which cost me a few seconds. But overall, I tried to stay calm and not knock any balls“, Boyd added.
The U.S, which won gold in the championship at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, did not have a team in this year’s competition after Misdee Wrigley cancelled her participation due to health reasons.
There were only six driving teams at Pratoni, compared to 16 for the eventing championship the previous week. And Australia’s driving squad had just two members. Boyd’s teammate, Tor van den Berge, was eliminated, which meant Australia did not finish as a team.
Four-in-hand driving is expensive to pursue. That’s particularly so for Americans, since the major competitions are in Europe and it’s costly to ship so many horses and carriages abroad.
At the USA’s national championships last year, only Chester and Jimmy Fairclough participated. It’s a beautiful sport, but the money factor limits involvement to the wealthy or those who have great sponsors.
Click here for the individual standings. Click on this link for the team standings.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 24, 2022
The USA’s only representative at the FEI World Driving Championships dropped one place, from third to fourth, after today’s marathon, but with the cones phase to come on Sunday, he still has a chance for a medal.
Chester Weber in the marathon. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian)
Australia’s Boyd Exell continues to lead individually at Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, with a total of 150.14 penalties after scoring 116.01 in the marathon, where Chester added 118.36 penalties to his dressage score for a total of 159.88
Michael Brauchle of Germany sizzled to win the marathon with 107 penalties for a total of 156.18, as the Netherlands’ Ijsbrand Chardon moved up to third and brought his team into first place. His score was 157.47, adding in 114.49 from the marathon.
“This year I won the marathon at Royal Windsor and Valkenswaard and that was good for me. I’m a young man and I have a lot of strength and my horses fight for me and with me. It’s a big plus for me in the marathon when my horses have fun–big fun,” said Michael, who is posing a big threat from his vantagepoint in second place overall so far.
“My right leader is Djamilo (Jamie) and he’s a brilliant marathon horse. He knows his job; he’s been doing this for four years. I bought him as a young horse, and we have worked together for a lot of years and make a good team together. I think we also put Germany in a good place now,” Michael commented.
Boyd, the defending champion, was sixth in the marathon and will have to hustle in the cones to keep his place, as the three others are so close behind him.
Boyd Exell in the marathon. (Photo courtesy FEI)
Chester, who was ninth in the marathon, noted, “The course was hilly up and down oted, “The course was hilly up and down and it was really a nice challenge. There are a lot of shows where we’ve driven the same track so many times, and that experience can be invaluable, but when you come to a competition like here in Pratoni, and this was a really new feeling and test, and you really had to be a clever driver and know where your strengths are and what you can and can’t do.”
With two newer combinations debuting in their first world championship, in both Amadeus and Julius V, the pair strengthened the team’s overall score with their agility and responsiveness to the questions asked along the track.
“I felt like the first four obstacles were really strong,” mused Chester, who was on the USA’s gold medal team at the 2018 world championships during the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C.
“They handled it really well. I lost a little bit of pressure on the leaders after the fifth obstacle, but this team is a little inexperienced and completely new leaders from Tryon and they showed a lot of promise today,” he explained.
“We’ve been working really hard at home to try and get them faster and certainly what I saw in the first four obstacles is the talent we need for the future and standing on another podium.”
In the team competition, the Netherlands has 311.58 penalties after taking over the lead from Germany, which has 314.85. Belgium is in third with 335.20. The U.S. has no team because Misdee Wrigley withdrew shortly before the championships due to health reasons. Only two drivers are required to make up a team, though most countries have three drivers and a drop score.
Click here for the individual standings
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 23, 2022
Australia’s Boyd Exell moved into first place as the dressage phase of the FEI World Four-in-Hand Driving Championships wrapped up, but overnight leader Chester Weber of the U.S. stayed near the top of the standings in third place.
“I love driving, the score is only the icing on the cake,” said Boyd.
“My right leader is Checkmate and today he was the showpiece. He was a wheeler in Normandy and Tryon (the 2014 and 2018 world championships) and now he’s a leader. He’s always been a really special horse. Celviro is my left leader, he’s the solid one and every time he delivers. I have a new wheeler called Hero and he did well–he’s a marathon specialist.”
Chester Weber and his team. (Photo © Massimo Argenziano )
Boyd, ranked world number one, earned 34.13 penalties for his test. Mareike Harm of Germany collected just 38.85 penalties to stand second. She is listed as number six in the world rankings.
“I have a nice lead but it’s a three-day competition and a lot can go wrong. We had problems in Aachen in the cross-country and a five-point lead is not enough, so it’s not over until Sunday afternoon,” Boyd pointed out.
Chester, number 17 in the world, was marked at 41.52 penalties, while Anna Sandmann of Germany is fourth on 42.52. The daughter of three-time world champion Christoph Sandmann is 34th in the world rankings. She is not competing as a member of the German squad, but that nation still has the lead in the team standings (88.03), ahead of the Netherlands (89.23) and the two-man team from Australia (91.50), operating without the benefit of a drop score.
Chester moved to Europe in May to prepare for the championships in Pratoni del Vivaro Italy.
“The way the sport is, if you want to be in the top five, you have to spend time competing against those top five,” he explained. His team of horses are all Dutch warmbloods. Two of them are veterans of the gold medal U.S. team at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C., four years ago.
The U.S. does not have a team at Pratoni because Misdee Wrigley withdrew shortly before the championships due to health issues. It only requires two drivers to make up a team in driving.
The marathon gets under way tomorrow at 4 a.m. Eastern time.
For individual standings, click here. For team standings, click this link.
