by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 25, 2023
He’s a resident of North Carolina but rides for Ecuador. And on Wednesday at the Pan American Games in Chile, Julio Mendoza Loor gave his native land something it never had before–a gold medal in dressage.
He and Jewel’s Goldstrike won the Grand Prix Freestyle with 87.230 percent (including a 3 percent Big Tour bonus) after heading up the Grand Prix Special individual standings the day before. His efforts earned Julio a berth in the Paris Olympics next year. Ecuador does not have a dressage team, so he’ll be carrying the flag on his own.
A proud Julio Mendoza Loor and Jewel’s Gold Strike parade after their freestyle victory.
Julio was a hit with the judges, who gave Goldie lots of 9s on the artistic side, particularly in degree of difficulty (where his highest mark was a 9.6) and music and its interpretation–straight 9s with a 9.5.
He got a 9 for his entrance, the pirouettes, piaffe and passage and two-tempi. Impressive!
As he went along, Julio worked hard to keep his focus.
“Especially after my last pirouette/piaffe, straight from pirouette to piaffe which is really complicated, he was really ready for it,” Julio said.
“After that I had to hold in my tears because I just wanted to cry.”
His 12-year-old Dutch warmblood lives outside around the clock when he is home.
“For me if that’s where he is happiest, then that’s where he has to live,” the rider emphasized.
The silver medal went to Brazil’s João Victor Marcari and Feel Good VO. He was João’s reserve mount, but stepped up to earn 86.160 percent for their Freestyle. They were members of Brazil’s silver medal team.
Anna Marek, who won gold on the U.S. team with Fire Fly, earned the Freestyle bronze on 81.305 percent. She finished just ahead of her teammate, Sarah Tubman, the defending individual gold medalist from the 2019 Games in Lima in 2019. She was marked at 81.155 percent with First Apple.
A native of Germany, Svenja Grimm, rode for Chile and earned 78.335 percent aboard Doctor Rossi to finish eighth and qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Click here for freestyle results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 25, 2023
Devoted horsewoman Ann David of Bedminster, N.J., died Saturday at the age of 94.
“She was a fabulous person who loved her horses and her dogs,” said Tierney Sullivan, a former owner of Coach Stop Saddlery in Bedminster, where Ann had shopped for decades.
Ann’s home was Hoopstick Farm, the former residence of Jean and Elliot Haller, where the first Essex Horse Trials was held in 1968. While Ann and her late husband, Edward, were moving from Illinois to New Jersey in 1978, Ann was concerned about finding the right kind of farm for her animals.
Ann’s friend, Catherine Weinstock, recalled that when Ann went to a Realtor in her search, she said, “`What I want is a farm like the Hallers’,” where she used to board while living in New Jersey previously.
“It’s available,” said the Realtor, and Ann jumped at it. When the Essex Horse Trials was revived in 2017 after an 18-year hiatus, Ann donated the Jean and Elliot Haller Perpetual Trophy for Horsemanship to the competition. It is presented to the rider who demonstrates good horsemanship and a superior partnership with their horse during the event.
A board member of the Somerset Bridle Path Association, Ann also had hunted with the Essex Foxhounds. She was a devoted trail rider until the Covid pandemic, and then after a break, doing a little riding until about two years ago, according to Anita Kozak, her farm manager of 14 years, who lives at Hoopstick
“Everything she did was about horses,” said Anita.
“We rode every day; the only days we didn’t go out was if it was raining or snowing.”
Ann was active in the community with her friends in a book club–she was a voracious reader, a movie club and the Juliets, a group of women who went out to eat together, according to her friend, Heather Walker.
“She was smart and wonderful,” Heather remembered.
“She was so positive, so friendly and one of a kind, for sure.”
In a full circle Ann donated the Jean and Elliot Haller Perpetual Trophy for Horsemanship to the Essex Horse Trials, to be presented to the rider who demonstrates good horsemanship and a superior partnership with their horse.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 24, 2023
Jon Garner, known by many members of the public as a commentator at Canada’s Royal Winter Fair, has been named the horse show manager at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla.
A part of the show management team there since the facility opened in January 2021, he has been competition manager at Spruce Meadows in Canada and director of sport at Equestrian Canada.
Jon served in the British Army and competed internationally for Great Britain and Canada prior to his arrival at Spruce Meadows. More recently, he was the director for the FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha last spring, and held the same position in 2017.
Appointed along with Jon, Kelly McCabe has been made head show secretary at WEC Ocala. She had served as the office manager at WEC. After competing nationally as a junior and amateur, she worked in horse show offices at Blue Ribbon Horse Shows, Brownland Farm Horse Shows and Maffitt Lake Equestrian Center Horse Shows for more than 14 years.
Her horse show experience also includes serving as the feed and bedding manager for Capital Challenge Horse Show and the awards coordinator for the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and the National Reining Breeders Classic Million Dollar Reining Horse Show.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 23, 2023
After a short stay at New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania, event horse Dutch Times is back home in Branchburg, N.J., to recover.
The 15-year-old gelding, ridden by owner Arielle Aharoni, injured his right foreleg and Arielle pulled him up two fences from the end on cross-country Saturday at the MARS Maryland 5-star. It was Dutch’s debut at that level, following a second-place finish earlier in the year at the Bromont, Canada, 4-star Long.
Arielle Aharoni and her Dutch Times on course Saturday at the MARS Maryland 5-star. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Dutch was bought by Arielle’s mother as a weanling. She saw him as a sport horse prospect, and that dream came true. He has been successful in show jumping as well as eventing. But Dutch is valued beyond his athletic ability; he is a member of the family, and his welfare has been their focus.
“I never really go for time, I never really pushed the envelope,” Arielle said when discussing her Bromont experience, explaining her priority is getting around safely.
Dutch went from the Maryland event to New Bolton and spent several days there before returning to his family’s farm to recover and be spoiled with attention by those who love him.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 23, 2023
With a total of 450.670 percent at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, the U.S. dressage team outdistanced second-place Brazil (443.343) on Monday, while Canada earned bronze with 431.937 and like Brazil, qualified for the 2024 Olympics.
Unlike the show jumping team, which competes at the end of the month seeking a berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the dressage team (and U.S. eventers) already were qualified, so the Pan Ams offered a chance to give up-and- coming riders experience.
The Pan American Games gold medal dressage team on the podium: Sarah Tubman, Codi Harrison, Anna Marek, Christian Simonson. (Photo Matt Turer/USEF)
“The team spirit is unbelievable, and it really has carried them through. Each one of them, in the end, rode better today,” said Chef d’Equipe George Williams.
“There were a few bobbles in some of the tests, but the actual riding was better, so I was happy with that. They came back strong, and I really feel like the team camaraderie helped carry them to this.”
Christian Simonson of California and Son of a Lady, a Danish warmblood, led off the order again in the second day of competition as the only Small Tour combination on the team. They earned a personal best in the Intermediate I with a score of 74.971 percent that put them first in the I-1 and fourth overall. Teams in the Pan Am Games are composed of a combination of Small and Big Tour riders.
Christian and “Sonny” demonstrated that they have a connection, earning a 9 for their canter pirouette.
“He and I just have really good communication,” said Christian.
“Even on a day when he’s a little tired or maybe not want(ing) to give 110 percent, he either will let me dig deep or he’ll dig in and fight for me. It’s the epitome of the best feeling riding – just that feeling knowing they’ll fight for you in the ring. The team atmosphere has just been incredible. We have so much synergy and it’s an amazing group of riders to be with.”
The first combination for the U.S. in the Large Tour rotation saw Anna Marek of Florida and Fire Fly open with the Grand Prix Special for the team. The Hanoverian gelding and his rider worked through an early bobble in the half-pass, recovering to gain improved marks totaling 73.489 percent.
Anna explained the strength of their growing relationship allowed her to guide them both back to focus and produce a very strong score for the team.
“I’m thrilled with our test and how he went. I was really proud that when we made a big bobble, we both recovered from it like it was nothing. As I was half-passing across and I kind of got down, then reminded myself that we have an entire test to go and just took a deep breath and said, ‘Alright buddy, let’s go,’” said Anna.
“He’s really a sensitive horse and that’s why I love him. We’ve built a lot of trust together… and I know he’s going to be there for me, and I can support him when he’s scared. He trusts me when I tell him we can do it.”
A few small miscommunications kept Codi Harrison and Katholt’s Bossco from scoring to their potential, but the pair recovered well to earn a 71.95, with Harrison showing their determination and fighting for every mark throughout the test to keep their score competitive. Katholt’s Bossco is a special horse for Harrison, who brought the Danish warmblood up the levels to Grand Prix.
“He felt so on today and great. The first part of the trot tour felt like it was some of the best work we’ve ever had. We had a few little miscommunications which was unfortunate, but overall, the feeling was so good,” commented Codi, who lives in Florida.
“He really grew into the atmosphere today and it’s amazing to be able to say that he was my Young Rider horse. We really didn’t have any intentions on making him a Grand Prix horse and along the way, we realized he’s a much better Grand Prix horse and I feel so lucky that I have a horse who let me teach him the ropes and I learned from him and together we fulfilled a dream by making a U.S. team.”
As the final combination in for Team USA with medals on the line, Sarah Tubman and First Apple, a KWPN stallion, produced another spectacular test, earning 76.872 percent to help push the team to the top of the podium as the duo finished third in the Grand Prix Special. The pair, the most seasoned partnership in the group, showed their experience while helping guide the team to the podium.
“We’re just so fortunate to have each other as a team. This is a very young team to represent the U.S. and we really brought it,” said Sarah, a Florida resident who won individual Pan Am gold in 2019. She was second overall after the Grand Prix Special.
“Apple was fantastic today and he really gave me everything in there. It’s another personal best for us and I’m just so proud of the way he’s continued to rise to the occasion for me.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 23, 2023
With her victory on HSH Connor in the MARS Maryland 3-star Long event at Fair Hill, Caroline Martin Pamukcu earned the distinction of being the winningest eventer in the world this year, having now notched 11 victories. Perhaps she’ll earn one more soon. After collecting her ribbons,she took off from Fair Hill heading to Santiago, Chile, for the Pan American Games.
Caroline Pamukcu had a winning smile after going through the timers with HSH Connor.( Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
While she’s still working, it’s vacation time for Connor, who will be turned out, his shoes off, his coat growing fuzzy and having “a good time with his buddies” until he needs to get ready for the 2024 season.
Caroline led all the way through the 3-star, which is the U.S. Equestrian Federation National Championship. She finished on her dressage mark of 25.4 penalties, ahead of Lauren Nicholson and Larcot Z. Lauren had 28.6 penalties, her dressage score of 28.2 with 0.4 penalties added for just missing the optimum time on cross-country. Woodge Fulton, a local hero based in Maryland, rounded out the top three with Cash Point, finishing on her dressage score of 31.4.
In addition to HSH Connor, Caroline rode Tolan King to sixth place and HSH Double Sixteen to 15th place.
Asked about Connor’s personality, she said he is selective about his people.
“If he doesn’t like you, he will let you know. He’s very quirky that way,” she said, without specifying how he delivers the message to those he isn’t crazy about. But when you’re the highest-rated seven-year-old eventing horse in American history, you can get away with a lot.
Caroline pointed for this event, rather than several others during the same time frame, because she wanted a challenging course, not just “speed bumps,” as she trains her horse up toward a higher level. She will consult with her mentors, Erik Duvander and Great Britain’s Pippa Funnell, to decide what her program will be going forward—but she would like to go to Europe if the USEF is sending a team. If not, they’ll come up with a “good battle plan” for what she can attempt in America.
Lauren Nicholson and Larcot Z. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Ian Stark’s cross-country route for the 3-star was just what Caroline wanted. Although it was less testing than the 5-star course for the featured division at Fair Hill, it was difficult enough for the 45 riders in the section who tried their luck over it. Thirty-nine made it to the show jumping over Michel Vaillancourt’s course, the preamble to that phase for the 5-star.
Caroline Pamukcu in the 3-star presentation. That’s her Jack Russell, Troy, in the center of the photo. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Taren Hoffos, who stpod fourth on Regalia (29.4) going into the last segment, was eliminated after hitting the ground, just a few feet from the finish line. It was a sad ending for the rider who came all the way from California, and lasted so close to the end of the event.
Taren Hoffos nearly made it to the finish line before parting company with her horse, Regalia. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
I caught up with Bobby Costello, USEF eventing technical advisor and chef d’equipe, when he was on his way to the airport for a flight to Santiago. I felt the display of expertise among the 3-star competitors boded well for the team, and he agreed.
“Things are looking good,” he told me.
“I think in general, people are so much more well-mounted and giving thought to the horses they are choosing. Just looking at this division, we had so many up-and-comers. It’s nice to see a couple of the kids who had the first horse and then had to rebuild, like Woodge Fulton, a good example, she’s got another lovely horse.
“The future looks bright. People who are serious will stick it out through the dry times and hopefully come back even stronger.”
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 22, 2023
Here’s how Austin O’Connor describes himself on his Facebook page: “Irish international event rider and two-time Olympian…working hard to make it 3!!”
A victory Sunday in the MARS Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill with Colorado Blue probably did a lot toward having that happen. Austin’s triumph was the first at a 5-star for an Irish rider in 58 years, since Eddie Boylan won at Badminton, according to EquiRatings.
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue are number one in the MARS Maryland 5-star event at Fair Hill. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The 49-year-old rider’s appearance on the top step of the podium to accept the Fair Hill Bronze trophy was a surprise. He had seemed likely to make one of the levels after going from twelfth place in dressage to fourth following cross-country, where he was the pathfinder in the 5-star section. His horse—known for speed—finished just three seconds over the optimum time of 11 minutes, 10 seconds on Saturday’s strenuous route laid out by Ian Stark.
It was show jumping prowess from his generous horse, some lack thereof among his rivals and luck that clinched the prize for which Austin had yearned.
“Unbelievable,” said Austin, an hour or so after his win, still looking dazed even after four laps of a victory gallop around the arena.
“I can’t wait to come back.”
The show jumping phase has been a bit problematic for him recently.
“The last couple of three-days (events), he had a couple of cheap rails,” recounted Austin, who is based in Britain.
“Today I make a horrendous mistake (leaving out a stride on the way to the Liverpool to end up in a very risky leap) and he gets me out of jail. He’s an unbelievable horse. He’s a proper, proper 5-star event horse.”
Austin added, “He’s 85 percent thoroughbred; he’s all blood, he’s all class, he’s all heart. He can try and try to the bitter end.”
Known fondly as Salty, the flea-bitten grey (yes, that’s a real term in the horse world) has been Austin’s project since he was a foal, 14 years ago.
After a refusal and his subsequent withdrawal of Salty at the Burghley, England, 5-star in September, Austin planned to reroute to the 5-star in Pau, France, which is happening this week.
But Tim Gardner, long-time part of the Fair Hill contingent, suggested he try Maryland instead.
It’s a competition that has both made dreams come true and also sent them packing. That’s how it happened for world number one Oliver Townend, who was leading with a rail in hand after William Fox-Pitt, standing second, toppled a pole on the show jumping route laid out by Canadian designer Michel Vaillancourt.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Oliver, who has been second and third in the two previous years of the Maryland 5-star’s existence, seemed headed for victory at last this time around. But when one rail fell, and then another, it vaulted Austin to victory on 34.9 penalties, just ahead of William on 35.3, while Oliver wound up third with the lovely Cooley Rosalent on 37.1.
EquiRatings, which is usually right on the mark, had given Oliver a 68 percent chance of winning. But they did say they thought Austin could make the podium.
Oliver said his mare “was giving me an amazing feeling,” in the show jumping. She’s only nine, as he often mentions, and he felt a knockdown at the third element of the triple combination was “a baby mistake.” A knockdown at the next fence had the spectators groaning in unison.
“Then I felt it was me getting a little too desperate at the next one. So perhaps she had one down and I had one down,” he suggested.
He added, “I thought she jumped a beautiful round and we had two mistakes.”
Then he changed the subject to say how happy he was for Austin, who has “been a good friend for me in the fairly tough times of the last few years.”
He predicted a party to celebrate both his win at Burghley, his seventh 5-star victory, and Austin’s triumph in Maryland.
William, who keeps talking about retirement, is staying in the game for his mare Grafennacht.
“She’s keeping me going,” said the 54-year-old rider, winner of more 5-stars than any other competitor.
William Fox-Pitt and Graffenacht. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I’m not sure I’d enjoy watching anyone else ride her yet,” he said.
“Could she give me a bit more fun and do I do it well enough? As an older rider, you’re increasingly worried about looking like an idiot. Yesterday morning I was thinking, `What the hell am I doing?’ By this evening I was a little,`That’s what I’m doing.’”
There wasn’t even a rail’s worth of penalties among the top three, showing how competitive the show jumping was at the event presented by Brown Advisory.
After Austin rode, Mia Farley had her turn on the thoroughbred Phelps, the only horse to hit the optimum time on cross-country, which put her third. It was a remarkable feat for a first-time 5-star rider, but the fairytale ended with two knockdowns in the final phase and a score of 40.9 penalties.
The entire story certainly isn’t over, though; Mia is only 23 and Phelps, owned by Olympic gold medalist David O’Connor, is just starting his upper-level career.
Mia was smiling as she held her horse before the awards ceremony, the pink fifth-place ribbon entwined in his bridle. She had noted previously that show jumping isn’t his strong point, so critiquing Sunday’s round, she said, “He was jumping high enough, for the most part. What more can I ask of him?” before bursting into giggles.
“I’m happy with how he felt on the last day. He was so good and competitive yesterday and I think we can get better Sundays, so we’ll see.”
Her errors moved up Hannah Sue Holberg to become the highest-placed American, in fourth with Capitol HIM on 40 penalties. The Holsteiner had been bought by Christa Schmidt as her personal ride, but he proved too strong and got passed to Hannah Sue.
Hannah Sue Holberg was the highest-placed U.S. rider in the 5-star on Capitol HIM. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Every we time we asked him to do more, he stepped up and answered the questions,” she said.
“He is incredible.”
The 16-year-old gelding was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease a year ago. Once he got on the medication he needed, “it changed his life,” Hannah Sue said.
As I was leaving the press conference, I saw Ian Stark, to whom Austin had referred in his comments, and it’s obvious they’re old friends.
“Tell me about Austin,” I asked Ian.
“Give me some insight into what he’s like.”
A toast to victory: Oliver Townend, Austin O’Connor, William Fox-Pitt and Hannah Sue Holberg.( Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Ian replied, “Austin is just a dedicated competitor. He’s great with his horses. He’s great with people. He’s sometimes a bit shy, but he’s out-and-out wanting to win and he’s just a nice guy. He’s had some very tough times.”
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue on their way to getting their names in the record books. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Ian mentioned that Austin’s major mentor was David Foster, an Irish army officer and international three-day-event rider, killed in a fall cross-country at an Irish event in 1998.
“Austin was devastated at that. David was the main influence in his career,” Ian recalled.
“This is huge for him to win this. I think it will do his self-confidence so much good. It’s a good move for the sport and for Ireland, I think it’s fantastic.”
Click here for 5-star results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 21, 2023
The optimum time for completing designer Ian Stark’s cross-country course at the MARS Maryland 5-star event was designed to be difficult—if not impossible—to make.
But a thoroughbred from stellar racehorse lines showed up the warmbloods by finishing on the button in 11 minutes, 10 seconds. And in the process, Phelps enabled 23-year-old Mia Farley to become the first U.S. rider in a decade to make the time on their 5-star debut.
According to EquiRatings, that was Daniel Clasing in 2013, and the last U.S. rider to finish on the podium in their 5-star debut was Sinead Halpin Maynard, third at Kentucky in 2011. And Mia is now in a position to do the same, or perhaps better, if Phelps can leave the show jump poles in place on Sunday.
Going into the Sunday show jumping in third place, Mia is the highest-placed American in the standings, supplanting Boyd Martin, who was fifth after dressage on Contessa.
Boyd, the winner of the inaugural Maryland 5-star two years ago, became unbalanced on a steep landing at fence 3B after the first water and fell off Contessa’s right side. As his mare started galloping all the way to the main arena, he hit the ground hard. But in typical Boyd fashion, after a minute or two, he got up and is now heading for the Pau, France, 5-star, where he will ride Federman B this week.
Boyd Martin recuperated quickly from his hard fall off Contessa, but his son, Nox, shows disappointment at dad’s brief trip on course. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Mia is on 32.9 penalties, moving up seven places from tenth in dressage after beating the clock on the son of Tiz Now. She confided that show jumping isn’t the strong point of her mount, but perhaps he’ll rise to the occasion as he did on Saturday.
She called Phelps “a true fighter,” noting, “When I wasn’t fully there for him, he was like ‘It’s okay, I’ve got you,’ and it was a wonderful feeling for him to kind of step in and take over.”
World Number One Oliver Townend of Great Britain, kept his lead from dressage with the precocious Cooley Rosalent, adding 6 time penalties for finishing in 11 minutes, 25 seconds, giving him a total of 29.1 penalties. That means he doesn’t have the luxury of a rail in hand going into the final phase.
Oliver said of his mare, “she definitely could have gone a lot quicker,” but he didn’t want to stress an ingenue who is relatively new at the level, so he sat quiet going up the hills to save strength for tackling the big questions like the corners and water at the top. He was more focused on the fences than the speed.
Oliver Townend leads the Maryland 5-star with Cooley Rosalent. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“My horse is nine years old, so my thoughts were on the jumps and trying to give her as nice a trip as possible. She’s going to be a very long-term partner for me in my career, so it was about giving her the best experience possible,” he explained.
Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt, who has won an amazing 14 5-stars, is second on 31.3 penalties with Grafennacht, moving up from third after dressage, adding 5.2 time penalties. The Oldenburg mare’s talent has kept William enthusiastic as he acknowledge his remarkable international riding career is nearing its end.
William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Ian said “various things” pleased him as the riders executed his course, which was far tougher than what he designed during the event’s first two years. He said, using a British expression, that riders had given him “stick” for a leisurely optimum time in 2021 and 2022. He added that no one gave him stick this year.
Caroline Powell of New Zealand artfully handling one of Ian Stark’s challenging fences. the sunken road, on Greenacres Special Cavalier. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
He liked Oliver’s “phenomenal” horse (how could he not?) and thought Mia’s horse “went brilliantly.” He was really thrilled because her horse is a thoroughbred, since he’s a “racing man” and wanted to make a “rude gesture” to the warmbloods.
Cross-country course designer Ian Stark. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
This is Ian’s penultimate course designing gig. He is retiring after next year’s 5-star to spend time skiing and with his grandchildren, and will work as a mentor to aspiring course designers.
Mia rides with Karen O’Connor and her husband, David, who owns Phelps. (The gelding’s registered name is Tiz Special, but David likes to rename horses after Olympians; Michael Phelps in this instance.)
The rumor was that he paid $1 for the horse, but no transaction actually took place.
“I said that horse was so immature and backwards, I had no idea if he was any good,” recalled the Maryland event’s competition director, Joanie Morris, who owned the gelding after getting him through Archie and Michelle St. George of St. George Sales in Lexington. Ky.
“He was beautifully bred but he came off the track and really struggled in my front field for awhile.”
When Joanie sent him to David, she said, “`Just pay me a little bit when you sell him.’ And now, many years later, he hasn’t sold him, he’s a 5-star horse and I don’t have any money.
“Probably, technically, I still own him,” she mused. Asked if she’d really sell the horse to David for $1, Joanie chuckled and said, “I think he needs to come to the negotiating table,” then quickly added, “It’s all in good humor.”
After watching Phelps handle the demanding course, Joanie declared, “He was awesome You never know the ones that are going to end up being stars. He wasn’t the one I expected.”
David, for his part, was reported to have tears in his eyes as he watched the performance.
Mia was discovered by David during a clinic he gave in California six years ago. When he learned she was considering giving up on riding, he invited her to come East and work with him and Karen. It was only supposed to be for three months, but something clicked and she stayed on.
Discussing Phelps on Friday, David remembered at the beginning, he was a three-year-old who “just lived outside for years.”
Since then, “It’s been a fun project. He just keeps getting better and better. Mia has done a fabulous job, she’s the only one who has ever competed him.”
David looked around at the showgrounds and seemed almost surprised at what Phelps is doing.
“So here we are. It’s not something I ever expected and never thought he would get this far. He tries his heart out; he’s a wonderful personality to be around,” David said.
Of Mia, he commented, “She’s a very good horsewoman. It’s been a great partnership with the two of them.”
Mia has been riding the 10-year-old since he was four, and sees it as a long-term relationship.
On land or water, Phelps kept up a good gallop for Mia Farley. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’d never ridden a thoroughbred before him. It was different,” said Mia, who came from a show jumping barn on the West Coast.
While warmbloods dominate the eventing scene these days, David confessed, “I love thoroughbreds. He’s a funny horse, but so smart. To watch him gallop across a field is a blast, because he’s very fast.”
As everyone found out on cross-country day.
Only 14 horses, a little more than half of the original field of 26, will jump on Sunday. Piggy March, who led on the first day of dressage and was fifth after cross-country, withdrew Brookfield Cavalier Cruise from the hold box during the horse inspection before show jumping.
Like Boyd, Phillip Dutton was eliminated for a fall after he came off Azure; three other horses were eliminated and one, Jennie Brannigan’s Twilightslastgleam, withdrew. Arielle Aharoni, another first-time 5-star rider, didn’t have luck on her side. She pulled up Dutch Times two fences from the finish, and he was taken to New Bolton Center for diagnosis.
EquiRatings has Oliver as a 68 percent favorite to win. The last 9-year-old to win a 5-star was Oslo, ridden by William Fox-Pitt in 2011, (who also won Blenheim in the same year.) The only other 9-year-old to win a 5-star in the last 15 years was the legendary La Biosthetique Sam in 2009, under the guidance of Michael Jung of Germany.
In the 3-star Long, also presented by Brown Advisory, Caroline Pamukcu has stayed in front with HSH Conor on 25.4 penalties, ahead of Lauren Nicholson with 28.6 on Larcot Z.
Click here for the 5-star results
Click here for the 3-star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 20, 2023
There goes the podium…maybe.
British riders are standing first, second and third in the MARS Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill after the second day of dressage. And just for good measure, a New Zealander is fourth.
You can’t say it was unexpected, they all have sparkling resumes. But before I go any further here, I have to issue a reminder that this is not, as we always say, a dressage competition. We have cross-country coming up Saturday over a very tough Ian Stark course (look at yesterday’s story at the bottom of the page to see what he had to say). And of course, the show jumping Sunday could change everything.
But as Oliver Townend, the number one-ranked eventer in the world, remarked, Britain is so strong in eventing now that it could field three teams in next year’s Olympics. He turned in a stunning dressage performance to top the leaderboard with the eye-catching grey, Cooley Rosalent, by a show jumping sire out of a thoroughbred mare.
“She’s nine years old, so it could have gone drastically wrong through no fault of her own, just through inexperience,” said Oliver with a grin after his ride.
Oliver Townend looks on top of the world after topping the leaderboard. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The mare was a little nervous as she went into the arena.
“But it actually helped in the end, because it lifted her ears and I could ride her forward and she relaxed throughout the test,” Oliver commented.
The sensitive Rosie, who wears a nose net, has a lovely outline and produced sparkling half-passes among other well-presented movements. She was marked at 23.1 penalties, the equivalent in non-eventing dressage of 76.92 percent. Oliver even got a 9 from one judge for his first halt.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
I watched his warm-up, as he and his newest star rehearsed the movements over and over. Oliver didn’t think it was enough, feeling he was 10 minutes behind where he needed to be, but it was sufficient to please the judges. He has placed second and third respectively at the last two Maryland 5-stars, so he would dearly like to win this one.
The overnight leader, Piggy March, dropped to second on her score of 24.2 penalties with Brookfield Cavalier Cruise.
As expected, William Fox-Pitt knew just what was needed from Grafennacht, producing a test good for 26.1 penalties. William is so tall, he has to shorten his stirrups when he rides the mare. She’s 17 hands, but svelte, without a big barrel that could take up some of his long legs.
“She was quite frisky today,” William announced. “I couldn’t quite get her on the bit, but she was still showing off well and I was very pleased with her.”
William Fox-Pitt and Graffenacht.(Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
She is the only 5-star horse that the legendary rider has at the moment. The mare is good cross-country, but her show jumping development “is in progress,” according to William. He said she’s a little bit “core weak. Even though she can stretch and jump and gallop, she’s not really round enough to be a sure thing in the jumping.
“If I’ve got three (rails) in hand on Sunday, I’ll be happy,” he declared.
At age 54, William is looking at retirement, and having Grafennacht is what keeps him going for now.
Monica Spencer, who rode Thursday, dropped from second to fourth with Artist (28.4), a thoroughbred who is still very much in the hunt.
Just behind her in fifth place is the highest-placed American, Boyd Martin, winner of the first Maryland 5-star with On Cue. He’s back with another mare, Contessa, not quite the dressage star her predecessor was, but still putting in a credible test with a few blips for a score of 28.6.
Boyd Martin and Contessa. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
A couple of small things weren’t perfect, a flying change came too early, a reinback went more toward the middle of the ring than the side. But overall the training with his wife, Silva, and former German star Bettina Hoy seems to have paid off.
He changed his warm-up routine, explaining about Contessa, “The more I ride, the worse she gets.”
So he did his warm-up about two hours before his test, then had a massage and a stretch.
“I hopped on 15 minutes before the test. It’s a bit risky, because they get excited, they can really get hot. But she stayed really calm and relaxed and did a great test.”
He pointed out she has a massive canter stride, which is great for cross-country but hard to collect for dressage.
“I’ve just been cross-country schooling her over and over again. So tomorrow (Saturday) will be a real test. I’m quietly confident and quietly terrified,” he revealed.
The 5-star is running with a 3-star Long in the event, presented by Brown Advisory. There are just 26 in the 5-star (as someone mentioned, there are only so many 5-star horses in the world) but 46 in the 3-star. The USA’s Carolyn Pamukcu leads the way on HSH Conor with 25.4 penalties, while Lauren Nicholson is second in that division on Larcot Z (28.2) and the next 12 riders in the standings also are American.
Click here for the 3-star results
Click here for the 5-star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 19, 2023
Remember those EquiRatings statistics we told you about yesterday?
They proved their worth on Thursday as the MARS Maryland 5-star event began with the predicted winner taking the lead.
Notice I didn’t say the predicted winner, Great Britain’s Piggy March, actually clinched the top spot with the Irish bred Brookfield Cavalier Cruise on 24.2 penalties.
That’s because we’re only halfway through the roster of 26 starters, and there are some in the second group scheduled for Friday who have a good record in the first phase. They include World Number One Oliver Townend, another Brit, with Cooley Rosalent and William Fox-Pitt (yes, yet another Brit) with Grafennacht.
But the stats also favored Monica Spencer of New Zealand, who sent the thoroughbred Artist (Guillotine/Maxamore) 14,000 miles to be tested at Fair Hill. So guess who stands second at the moment on 28.4 penalties? You got it. Do the numbers ever lie?
Since 2010, all the winners of 5-star events in the U.S. have placed anywhere from first through fifth in the dressage segment. So we have to wait until tomorrow to see who makes that top five group.
This is Piggy’s debut at the three-year-old Maryland event, presented by Brown Advisory, and she is wildly enthusiastic about being here (except for having problems getting a rental car).
“It’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve never, ever anywhere seen such footing,” she exclaimed, referring not only to the grass on the racecourse but also in the arenas.
Piggy March and Brookfield Cavalier Cruise. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)
That, she noted, “is why we came here for our horse, we heard the footing was great.”
Her noble-countenanced 10-year-old by Cavalier Carnival out of Ryans Cruise “is still quite low on mileage.”
After he finished second in the 4-star Long at the Bramham Horse Trials in England, his team sat down to decide what would be next. They thought other 4-stars might be “taking a step back for him.” So that meant going 5-star. Although the Burghley 5-star is just down the road from Piggy’s place, and she won it in 2022 with the now-retired Vanir Kamara, the terrain is undulating and it’s a bit tougher than what Maryland had to offer – or at least that’s what she thought. But having seen the course that Ian Stark built this year, that preconceived notion has gone out the window.
“It’s such an honor and a treat to be able to come over here to compete in America. We thought this would be the best place for him. But we weren’t expecting it to be such a tough cross-country,” she admitted.
Still, it seems as if the horse she calls “the biggest dude” should be up to the task.
“He’s a brilliant horse who comes here really confident…it’s my job to give him the best run ‘round that we can do. He’s always believed in his job; he’s been a good cross-country horse so far. We’re excited to give it a go.”
Piggy believes “The best thing about him is his temperament and his mind.. He’s got such a great heart. He’s so rideable.”
Piggy March was pleased as punch with her horse’s dressage effort. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“Fletcher,” as he is known around the barn, will fill out more, she noted, and gain expression in dressage as he gains experience.
“The exciting thing about him is there’s loads more to come,” she promised.
Monica calls her 12-year-old horse, “a true gentleman” as well as “a beautiful mover and capable of probably a slightly better score than that couple of little blips here and there, but can’t complain with a 28.”
She got Artist as a too-slow-to-race four-year-old, and had an interesting insight about thoroughbreds when it comes to dressage.
“I do think they take a little bit longer to strengthen up because they’re not bred or built for the job we asked them to do.”
Another thoroughbred, Phelps, showed his style with a mark of 32.9 to be fourth under Mia Farley, competing in her first 5-star. Her mount, owned by Olympic individual gold medalist David O’Connor, was purchased for $1, but that little investment has paid off in an exceptional way.
Mia Farley is a first-time 5-star rider with the thoroughbred Phelps. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Standing third on 32.4 was 2023 Essex Horse Trials winner Hannah Sue Holberg and the Holsteiner Capitol HIM.
He doesn’t always take everything in stride, so the big screen in the arena freaked him out slightly, but then he went on to do his job.
”He did everything better and as well as he can at home or better,” said Hannah Sue, who confessed to messing up the final flying change, saying, “I was getting too excited.
“But otherwise, I thought I rode to my plan and I rode more aggressively in the trot work, which I’ve been trying to do.”
All of the top four were cited as among the best dressage horses in the event by EquiRatings.
Piggy’s comments gave us an insight of what to expect from Ian Stark’s cross-country route.
Cross-country course designer Ian Stark. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Ian said he “got some stick” for his first Maryland course because too many people made the time, but that was his debut in the venue. The second year, he said, continuing with his rationale, “was like the first year,” because the start and finish were in a different place. That’s my excuse.”
In the last 10 years at U.S. 5-stars, the 2022 Maryland cross-country had the highest inside-the-time rate at 54 percent. In 2021, it was 26 percent, tying with the 2018 Land Rover Kentucky event.
This year, Ian warns, “be careful what you wish for.”
He noted that the time to complete the course Saturday without incurring penalties is 11 minutes, 10 seconds. While Ian said, “I don’t agree with time being unobtainable,” he slyly added, “I’d be quite happy if no one gets the time.”
Click here for 5-star results
