by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 15, 2023
We were lucky, those of us who experienced the excitement of Thursday night at the National Horse Show in its heyday at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
The hot ticket was the Puissance (even more than the closing day’s grand prix), and the arena was filled from the box seats to the rafters with fans who would cheer each horse’s attempt to clear the giant wall in the center of the ring. Every time the wall grew higher, spectators held their breath, letting out a sympathetic moan when the top-most blocks fell, or conversely, roaring in support of the entries who cleared the imposing obstacle, until only one was left as the winner.
I’m talking decades ago here, and the Puissance (which means power) has been an endangered species for a while. As of this year, however, it apparently will be extinct in the Western Hemisphere, since the Washington D.C. International has decided to drop it.
While several shows abroad, including Dublin and the London International, still offer the Puissance, those in the U.S. have found it more and more difficult to fill the class, even though it can run with a small number of entries because it goes for several rounds.
“It is a specialized class. You need a specific horse for. It’s hard to carry a horse for one class,” explained Todd Minikus, a regular competitor in the Puissance at Washington.
Todd Minikus over Washington’s great wall on Vougeot de Septon. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“It’s certainly disappointing to see some of the tradition of some of the horse shows go by the wayside,” he commented, pointing out this isn’t the first time that has happened. He mentioned the Nations Cup competitions that were a staple of the North American Fall Indoor Circuit until they vanished near the end of the 20th Century.
“I guess there’s an evolution in everything. Changing times,” he observed.
“The Puissance seems to be a dying breed,” agreed Will Simpson, who set several high jump records; with Jolly Good (7-9 outdoors in 1985) and The Roofer (7-5 outdoors in 1976).
It wasn’t a puissance wall, but setting a high jump record outdoors at 7-5 with The Roofer showed Will Simpson could tackle heights. (Photo by Dougphoto)
“For a special horse, it’s an amazing class,” he said, but warned, “you shouldn’t just take any old random horse in there.”
His current mount, Chacco P, would be good at jumping the wall, he believes.
“Maybe I could go to Dublin,” Will mused.
Anne Poulson, Washington’s board chairman, explained why the Puissance is being discontinued, saying, “We’re trying to evolve with the type of classes people want.”
Since the Puissance is such an important part of the show’s history, however, tribute will be paid to it at this year’s edition in October at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Maryland.
“We’re going to have a nice ceremony and retire the wall. We’re thinking about putting the wall somewhere where people can have their pictures taken with it,” Anne commented.
The show also will recognize the contributions of the late Donald Tober and his wife, Barbara, who owned Sweet ‘n Low. That was the horse Anthony D’Ambrosio rode to a record 7-foot, 7 and 1/2 inch Puissance victory at Washington in 1983 (a decade after he set a 7-foot, 4-inch record at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden on Sympatico.) .
Anthony D’Ambrosio and Sweet ‘n Low setting the record at Washington. (Photo by E.B. Howe)
“You have to be cognizant of reading the tea leaves,” said Anne, noting “social license” in terms of what the public will accept in the way horses are used is a prominent consideration these days when deciding what to offer at a show.
“The riders’ safety and horse safety is so pre-eminent in everyone’s thinking,” observed Anthony.
In regard to the Puissance, Washington “hung on as long as they could, but let’s face it, they weren’t getting support from the riders,” Anthony said.
“It is, I guess, a relatively extreme sport and there isn’t a big appetite for that. It used to be something the riders wanted to do, to prove themselves in that capacity. We had top riders in the Puissance, even with their grand prix horses. But this is modern times. Take a look at the prize money offered in the Puissance compared to the money that is offered in grands prix, for instance.”
No one was arguing that Washington needed to keep the Puissance at this point.
“I think it’s time,” said McLain Ward, a Puissance winner at Washington multiple times.
“I think it’s not a well-received competition anymore. It’s not what the challenge of the sport is today.
“We’ve evolved into a more fine-tuned, finesse and tactical sport, not just pure power and strength. I think that’s a natural evolution. It was a great class in its moment, great memories.”
He added, “if you don’t move forward and where the sport’s going, you get left behind.”
McLain Ward and ZZ Top over the Washington wall. (Photo© by Lawrence J. Nagy)
McLain noted, “anything that is perceived as being against the horse’s welfare is bad. At the same time, I think we have to find balance and expertise in horse care and horse management. The horse’s relevance in the world is only through sport now. Sport is very important for the well-being and care of the horses. We have great sport in other style competitions that are just as challenging, albeit in a slightly different way.”
Washington International President Vicki Lowell commented, “I am sad about saying good-bye to the Puissance, but we must continue to evolve and do what is best for the horses and the sport.
“We will give it a wonderful send-off and will keep making sure we bring entertaining and `Wow’ exhibitions and sport to the forefront.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 18, 2023
The U.S. Junior Jumping Team made the podium and the Young Rider Team was fourth at the 2023 FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Youth Final at Sentower Park in Belgium last weekend.
“The juniors were great,” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe Anne Kursinski.
“Overall, they were amazing in getting on the podium. I’m proud of all of them—they all rode great.”
The bronze medal junior team: Tessa Downey, Laurel Walker, Elise Stephens, Stephanie Garrett, Carlee McCutcheon and chef d’equipe Anne Kursinski.(Photo©US Equestrian/Matt Turer)
Needing a clear to secure a podium placing, Carlee McCutcheon and Coco Mercedes, a 2013 Westphalian mare owned by Purple Rein Investments, delivered the key fault-free trip in 70.24 seconds.
“Carlee was amazing,” Anne said.
“She fought for it the whole way—the mare jumped clear, and it wasn’t the easiest ride. It definitely got us on the podium, and that’s what she had done in Traverse City (at the FEI North American Youth Championships), and she repeated it here.”
Carlee and Coco Mercedes’s clear-round effort kept the U.S. on a team total of 12 penalties—three faults clear of fourth-place Germany’s 15 and trailing the eight from Ireland and the Netherlands. The Netherlands ultimately defeated Ireland in a jump-off.
In the Young Riders, “It was close with all the top teams,” Anne noted.
“The U.S. did a great job. The Europeans just have a little more experience at this level of Nations Cup jumping, but I thought (we) were great and Alex (Alston on Keoki) ended up jumping a fabulous clear.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 6, 2023
Mexican sculptor Jose Amador Lobato Juarez will be holding an exhibition of his art Sept. 30 at Meg Sleeper’s Godwink Farm in Frenchtown.
A work by Mexican sculptor Jose Amador Lobato Juarez.
Amador is a Mexican artist who uses baling wire, driftwood and horse shoes to make his creations. He will create commissioned and non-commisioned art that will be displayed during the exhibition.
The non-commissioned pieces will be available for sale at the event, set for 1-5 p.m.) and those attending also will be able to commission him to create something specific.
The occasion is also the official opening of Meg’s new farm at 258 Spring Hill Road; Frenchtown, NJ 08825 . She is a veterinarian and endurance rider who has represented the U.S. in world championships.
There is no admission charge, but she would like people to RSVP so she can plan for light snacks and beverages.Her email is margaretmsleeper@ufl.edu.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 12, 2023
Does your horse crib, weave or pace?
Dr. Katherine Houpt may have an answer for you.
She will present: “Stable Vices: Theirs or Ours? Abnormal Behavior in Horses.” The James Law Professor Emeritus of Behavior Medicine at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will go on line this month to discuss common vices in domestic horses. The program will include potential causes, treatments and management strategies.
The veterinarian, who has a doctorate in behavioral psychology, focuses her research on domestic animal welfare, equid behavior and the physiological basis of equine ingestive and maternal behavior.
This session, part of the college’s Equine Seminar Series, will be presented Sept. 19 from 6-7 p.m. Eastern Time via Zoom. The event is free, but those interested are asked to register in advance at https://bit.ly/ESS-Sept2023
The Cornell Equine Seminar Series is presented by the Cornell University Equine Hospital, the New York State 4-H Horse Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Held monthly, experts present on important equine health and management topics.
For additional information about the college, see the College of Veterinary Medicine news website.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 11, 2023
Show manager, judge, course designer and governance veteran Britt McCormick was elected president of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association by the board of directors on Monday. He will not succeed current president Mary Knowlton until December 2024 after a 15-month transition period.
The Texan is chairman of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s National Breeds and Disciplines Council and serves on the National Hunter Committee.
He said his short-term goals “include taking a hard look at the business side of USHJA. We are a multi-million dollar non-profit organization and I’m really looking forward to taking a look at the internal business side quite a bit. Then I would like to get with all the various task force chairs and see where we are on the sports side, getting feedback and input to see where they think we should be going next.”
He believes, “If at the end of my term, we are more collaborative as an association; we have identifiable sport growth at every level, including the elite level; and we are providing the services that our members expect, I’ll be happy.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 11, 2023
Devin Ryan of Long Valley, N.J., has been named to the team for the FEI Nations Cup final in Barcelona this month, along with his 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games gold medal teammates McLain Ward and Laura Kraut. Also traveling to Spain for the competition are 2021 Olympic team silver medalist Jessie Springsteen and Karl Cook.
The final will offer one country qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics. No team in the Western Hemisphere has qualified for those Games. The spot will go to the highest-placing team not already qualified.
It’s the next-to-last shot for the U.S. to send a team to Paris. If the U.S. doesn’t qualify there, the final opportunity is the Pan American Games in Chile this autumn. The three highest-ranked teams there not already qualified can get a ticket to the Olympics at that competition.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 24, 2023
The Tewksbury Trail Association will return to Christie Hoffman Farm Park in Tewksbury for its annual Trail Pace Sept. 17. There are opportunities for riders at all levels and ages to participate.
The Tewksbury Trail Association pace at Christie Hoffman Farm Park. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
TTA President Jeannie Shuster said an eight-mile course will offer both trail and pleasure pace options.
“This year, we have an Open and a new 90-plus division. To be eligible for the latter, the combined ages of two riders must be 90 years or over.
“We have a great selection of prizes for all divisions. All TTA-members will enjoy a discount on the registration fee. And we will have a special TTA Trail Pace 2023 T-shirt for the participants,” she said. That will be on a first-come, first-served basis until they run out.
Joy Custer, who leads the TTA Trail Committee, added: “Part of the fun is designing the course of this year’s pace with the TTA team. We worked hard to clear the trails and make them accessible for the trail pace. I can’t wait to see riders from the Tewksbury area and far beyond join our event and enjoy our trails.”
The TTA Trail Pace takes place between 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Teams of two or three riders can enter one of four divisions: Open and 90-plus and Trail Pace and Pleasure Pace. An equine veterinarian will be on site.
For more information, go to the TTA website: www.tta-nj.org .
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 11, 2023
Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs on Leone Jei was the only combination to achieve three clear rounds in the world’s richest grand prix, the $3 million (Canadian) CPKC International, part of the Rolex Grand Slam series.
Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei. (Photo Spruce Meadows)
The competition at the Spruce Meadows Masters in Calgary, Canada, drew a field of 29 on Sunday, with just Martin and Canada’s Tiffany Foster on Figor going fault-free over two rounds to meet again in a jump-off.
After Tiffany’s mount dislodged a rail, all Martin had to do was put in another perfect trip over the course laid out by Leopoldo Palacios and an international team of designers. That’s just what the former World Number One did. Martin, who lost a stirrup in the first round, is the type who meets every challenge.
Calgary, Alta Sep, 10, 2023 Martin Fuchs of SUI riding Leone Jei in the CPO ‘International Grand Prix presented by Rolex at the Spruce Meadows Masters. Mike Sturk photo.
As he took the last fence, he raised his left arm in triumph, then hugged his horse after landing before taking off his helmet and greeting the fans.
The top-placing American was Hannah Selleck, 26th on Cloud 39 after having 12 faults in the first round.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 11, 2023
As I listened on the radio this morning to the names being read at the annual ceremony for the 9/11 terrorism victims while bells tolled, I saw a Facebook post by horse show judge and trainer Jimmy Lee about this day in 2001. He and other show officials were called to fill in for those who couldn’t get there after the attack.
“Twenty-two years ago this morning,” Jimmy wrote, “I got a call and got in my car and drove from Cape Cod to Springfield, Massachusetts, to judge the Eastern States Horse Show for Jim Lahood. In one of the first classes, several of the horses had American flag stickers on their hindquarters. I sure as hell will never ever forget!”
I was sleeping after flying in the night before from a busy week covering the Spruce Meadows horse show in Canada when the phone rang. It was my husband, telling me to turn on the TV.
“What station?” I asked. “Any station,” he replied.
A side note here. Kevin Babington, who was also at Spruce Meadows, did not leave Canada Sept. 10 and when all flights were suspended after 9/11, he wound up having to take a bus across the country in order to get home to the East Coast.
Jimmy’s post initiated a flood of memories from so many people about a day they can never forget. You always remember where you were when something that momentous happens, like Pearl Harbor, or the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I thought it would be instructive for my readers to see what others remembered about the day.
Sterling D.B. Graburn commented, “I was at the NEDA dressage/sport horse breeders show. We had similar issues with judges having to drive in to replace judges too far away, and it did delay the show. Funny how that day changed how we think, travel, and live our lives. Brought the reality of the economic risk a terrorist attack can put the world under, never mind the horrible loss of life.”
Kim Hewitt Bonstein recalled, ” We lived 20 miles from Ground Zero in Fanwood next to Westfield, NJ, and the fighter jets flew so low over our houses on the way to the city that it felt like they could hit the tree tops.
“Within hours of the (Twin) Towers falling, every house on our street had American flags flying and they stayed up for a very long time. On September 11 we were all stunned, yet proud, Americans no matter our political views or differing backgrounds. We were one country and one people.”
Heather Hunter wrote that she had driven to a store to pick up something “when a woman came running out of the store, screaming her husband was in there. Confused, I went into the store and saw on the TV screen what was happening. I went numb and went back to the church where T2 was and just sat in the parking lot, praying they would not bomb the church. I still get teary and feel the fear I had that morning – the helplessness. I cannot imagine what that woman felt. I will never forget the fear, her tears or her screams.”
Lisa Mitchell “was driving down 684 in Westchester county,N.Y., from North Salem to Greenwich. First and last time I have ever seen that road empty at 9:30 in the morning.”
Judy Siracusa was picking up lighting fixtures that morning. She watched what was happening on TV “with the big guys who loaded the boxes. I was embarrassed crying until I saw every one of these guys weeping buckets. We’re all still Americans.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 11, 2023
Daniel Bluman couldn’t have cut it any closer.
A heartbeat. An instant. Little more than a 10th of a second was all that separated the winner of the 4-star HITS $300,000 Grand Prix from runner-up McLain Ward in a hold-your-breath jump-off on Sunday.
Daniel and 12-year-old Gemma W., a mare he has ridden since she was five, had the benefit of going last in a six-horse tie-breaker, culled from a starting field of 41 in Saugerties, N.Y.
Daniel Bluman and Gemma W at HITS. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“It’s always an advantage to have the pole position, as we call it,” said Daniel, who rides for Israel internationally.
“You get to see what everyone does. I knew exactly what I had to do in order to win.”
McLain, the U.S. gold medal Olympian who is the number six-ranked show jumper in the world, had just set a flying pace of 40.16 seconds over the shortened eight-fence route with Contagious, whose heart and speed never disappoint.
Daniel, world-ranked number 19, finalized a plan as he stood at the ingate and watched McLain go. The jump-off course started out with a left turn by the statue of Liberty jump before a vertical in the middle of the ring, and that was to Daniel’s advantage, since as he said, “I know my horse off the left has a very quick lead, so I get a little bit from McLain there.
“Where I thought he left the door a little bit open was to the last jump,” said Daniel, referring to the turn from a vertical on the rail to a the red, white and blue Great American Insurance Group oxer near the middle of the arena.
“I thought he was a little bit out,” at that point, Daniel said, referring to McLain’s path, so he made a tighter turn with his Dutchbred mare, and that did the trick in 40.02 seconds, a mere 0.14 seconds faster, but it was just enough to claim the $99,000 first prize.
This is the kind of grin you grin when you’re Daniel Bluman and you know you beat the clock. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
It was the second grand prix win this month for Daniel, who topped the 5-star $425,000 grand prix at the Hampton Classic on Labor Day weekend with Ladriano Z, the third time he had won that competition. He noted that both his horses are “proven winners, so I know that any given day, I have a shot.”
This was the first show back for Contagious, a 14-year-old Zweibrucker German gelding, who had time off after a freak injury–he hurt himself when he fell down on his way to the stable on the Aachen, Germany, show’s opening day in June. He definitely is back in form, and may be part of the team for this autumn’s Pan American Games, as the U.S. tries to qualify for the Paris Olympics next year.
When judging his prospects for the HITS class, McLain took note of Daniel’s prime position in the jumping order.
“I knew Daniel was behind me, he’d beaten me with this horse a couple of times. I know it’s a very fast horse, I know he’s going to be very ambitious to win. I really didn’t have any option but to lay down a very good round,” McLain said.
McLain Ward makes a strong turn as he starts the jump-off on Contagious. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I felt if I had a fast four, I was going to be up near the top of the results either way. My horse runs a little bit to the right on the left lead and so when I jumped the second to last, he leaked out a little and I didn’t pick up on the first distance. I also knew I had left a little room there.”
But he was thrilled with Contagious, noting “he performed great.”
Third place went to a rider from the next generation, 17-year-old Zayna Rizvi on Exquise du Pachis, clocked for a clean round in 41.27 seconds. It’s interesting to see a teen up against Olympic veterans such as 47-year-old McLain and 33-year-old Daniel, but that’s not a novelty for Zayna.
As she said on a similar occasion, “It’s awesome to compete against all these professionals. It’s a great experience for me and I learn so much from it.”
Zayna Rizvi and Exquise du Pachis. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
McLain called her “a super-competitive rider,” but noted the age difference among the top placing riders is not unusual.
“We’re seeing young people up at the top of the ranks every week.”
The time allowed of 86 seconds for the first round was really tight, and 15 starters had time faults, while six retired or were eliminated.
“I thought it was a good and challenging course,” said McLain of the route designed by Oscar Soberon.
“I thought the standard of the course and the challenge of the course matched the prize money.”
It really was an impressive effort by Oscar, someone I met for the first time at this show.
“What I really enjoyed seeing was a mix between seasoned riders and up-and-coming riders. That shows it’s rideable, it’s jumpable, there were faults everywhere, which I think was good,” Oscar said, meaning there was no “bogey” fence in the Douglas Elliman Arena.
McLain Ward, Daniel Bluman and course designer Oscar Soberon. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
While he agreed the time allowed was “a little snug,” he pointed out “in this ring and this footing, the horses really gallop super fast. There were many places to gallop and make up for time. ”
While he called time “a factor, I don’t think it was too tight, but definitely a challenge.”
The change at the showgrounds since my previous visit to HITS Saugerties last year is amazing, from the footing to the landscaping and the bathrooms.
HITS was started by Tom Struzzieri, but now the Saugerties facility, like four other HITS venues around the country, is owned by private equity firm Traub Capital Partners, a New York-based strategic private equity firm that is investing heavily in its properties.
As Daniel referenced, “It’s a world class ring with world class jumps, a beautiful warm-up area. I think it’s a fantastic venue. I’m very impressed.”
The grand prix ended the facility’s big show jumping competitions for the year, while marking the end of phase one of improvements.
“For the new HITS, we’re so excited to be building a facility that really caters to the top show jumpers and every client who’s ever been part of the HITS family” as Joey Norick, HITS’ chief customer officer, put it.
Phase 2, which starts in October, is the next stage in a multi-year plan involving “anything we can do to create a great environment for our clients and their horses. We’re aiming to make this one of the nicest facilities in North America,” Joey said.
The exhibitors’ lounge at HITS Saugerties. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
jumper and hunter rings already have been improved, and other rings will also be redone, while the parking lot will become a jumper ring and parking will be improved in another location on the grounds.
Another innovation is the exhibitors’ lounge, where riders, owners and their families can take advantage of covered seating and free food.
“We look to give back to the exhibitors and really appreciate them being part of our horse show series,” explained Joey.
“It’s always exhibitors first,” he said, while noting shade has been provided around the property and chairs are everywhere, so spectators have a place to sit.
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