by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 19, 2024
In the wake of the announcement that the last three shows of the season at Princeton Show Jumping have been cancelled, the Princeton Equestrian League Year-End Awards Party has been rescheduled. It will be held Oct. 5 at Hunter Farms, 1315 The Great Road, Princeton, N.J.
The party begins at 3 p.m., the awards will be at 4:30 p.m.
The party is free for all 2024 PEL members, trainers, and their families. Princeton will supply pizza and drinks; those attending should feel free to bring desserts or other items to share. Click on this link to RSVP by Oct. 1.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 1, 2024
It was a change of pace for me recently when, instead of asking the questions, I became the one being interviewed. I was a guest on this week’s episode (number 754) of The Dressage Radio Show, the official podcast of the U.S. Dressage Federation, to discuss “Riding Through,” a book I wrote with Olympian Debbie McDonald that was published in 2006.
Debbie McDonald and Brentina, 2008.
The “how-to” dressage tips it details are timeless, which is why it has been chosen as the first offering of the U.S. Dressage Federation Book Club, a benefit for the federation’s members. The club will have a discussion about the book in a webinar Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Evelyn Lancione, USDF’s member education coordinator, is in charge of the webinar, during which members will discuss the book and ask me questions about it. To register for the webinar, click on this link. To submit a question, address it to bookclub@usdf.org
The podcast was hosted by Reese Koffler-Stanfield and Megan McIssac. Here are links to the episode on the Horse Radio Network and on Apple Podcasts. The entire 47-minute episode of the podcast is interesting, since part of it deals with the Paralympics. However, if you want to go directly to my segment, you can fast forward on your podcast app to the 30-minutes-30-seconds mark, or you can just click on this link to listen to my segment of the podcast on YouTube starting at that time stamp. To hear what Evelyn had to say, go to the 23-minute mark.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 27, 2024
How does she do it?
Silva Martin has three rambunctious little boys at home (and an energetic eventer husband, Boyd Martin). At Dressage at Devon she is riding five horses.
No, make that six, because five wasn’t enough.
Friday night, Silva got on her retired mare, Rosa Cha W, dressed the horse and herself in colorful hippie garb (complete with lights and a giant (fake) joint, produced what amounted to an impressive little freestyle and won the second edition of the Devon Dance-Off.
Who’s that hippe? Silva Martin! (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
So back to the question, how does she do it?
Silva said her only responsibility was to “put on the outfit and ride the horse. So it didn’t take much for me.”
The costume that charmed the judges (which included breakers Nemesis and 2024 Olympic gold medalist Phil Kim — better known as Phil Wizard—as well as dressage rider J.J. Tate), took weeks for Silva’s friend Cheryl Griffith to make and design. Why did she pick flower power for her outfit?
Competitors were asked to select a decade for their theme, and Cheryl said the hippie era was the best.
“The costumes were totally over the top,” said Nemesis.
“It’s such an iconic show. We always say there’s special energy in the Dixon Oval, and our horses feel it,” J.J. commented.
“It’s such a great thing to have everybody celebrate dressage and celebrate horses and have some kind of fun across two different genres. Dressage really is dancing on horseback and so it kind of makes sense to bring dancing into it.”
It was Phil’s first time at a dressage show. He called it “super fun,” noting “the energy was amazing. and an interesting and different fusion It was cool to incorporate elements you find in breaking, which was dancing and freestyling and them interpreting it in their way, which was very cool.”
“I thought it was so fun,” said Silva.
“Dressage is very serious and a little stuck up sometimes, and I thought this was awesome and great for the sport. I had a great time doing it.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 29, 2024
A rider who was equally at home on jumpers and hunters, Patty Stovel can best be described simply as an incredibly hard worker who was a great horsewoman and teacher. She passed away Sunday at 67 after a long illness.
Trainer Otis Brown, a long-time associate of Patty’s, posted on social media: “So hard to say goodbye. I will forever cherish our 40 years as friends and business partners. From World Equestrian Games to six times champion of the International Hunter Futurity, numerous national champions and Grand Prix wins, I am forever grateful. Thanks for the memories, Patty.”
Patty grew up in Connecticut at her family’s Merrie-Land Stables, learning to ride under the guidance of her mother, Barbara Johnson, who instilled a love of horses in all her children when she built her business starting in the early 1960s. By the time Patty was 16, she was running her own little barn down the road. A working student for George Morris as a teenager, she finished second in the AHSA Medal Finals on her home-trained Brownstone.
Patty went on to work for Otis Brown in Tennessee. Among the top hunters she rode was Nashville Gent, who became the AHSA’s 1986 Regular Working Hunter horse of the year. Her most memorable jumpers included Volan and Frisco Kid. But it was Mont Cenis, the brilliant athlete she started riding when she went out on her own in 1990, who was her horse of a lifetime.
Patty rode him through the trials for the 1994 World Equestrian Games in the Hague, courageously meeting the challenge despite a broken wrist and collarbone to make the team. Patty finished as the best of the U.S. squad, in thirteenth place.
Among her many other accomplishments, she rode Frascati to the American Horse Shows Association Working Hunter Horse of the Year title in 1999 and 2000. She also guided Chippen in Style to the 2009 American Quarter Horse Association World Championship in Progressive Working Hunter.
Patty Stovel
Her daughter, U.S. Equestrian Federation National Breeds and Disciplines Breed and Program Manager Lexie Cerys Stovel, said on Facebook, “She lived and loved the horses for her whole life. She accomplished so much, from being the highest placed U.S. rider at the (1994) World Equestrian Games, to winning the American Gold Cup, to winning Regular Working Hunter Horse of the Year two years in a row.
“She was also the best mom. The number of animals she surprised me with over the years is uncountable. She is the reason I am the animal lover I am.”
In an interview, Lexie said that her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2000, but had a “really good quality of life until the last eight months,” continuing her pursuits almost as normal for several years.
“She felt she was really blessed to have that time,” said Lexie, but noted that even when her mother was really sick, she showed in the Baby Green Hunters in June at the Kentucky Horse Park.
“She never wanted to not be doing it. She was committed to horses and the industry. It wasn’t something she was able to give up. She fought for over four years. She was always so strong-willed,” observed Lexie.
In addition to Lexie and her brothers, Robert Johnson and Donald Johnson, Patty is survived by her ex-husband, Ken Stovel. A celebration of her life is being planned for Ocala this winter.
Those wishing to make a donation in her memory may contact the Pancreatic Action Network at
www.pancan.org or
Paws4thecause.com, an animal rescue from which she got quite a few dogs.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 29, 2024
Olympic eventer Liz Halliday is now working on her recovery from traumatic brain injury at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. The facility is rated as the number one rehabilitation hospital in the U.S.
Liz was operated on to relieve pressure on her brain after her horse fell during the American Eventing Championships a month ago at the Kentucky Horse Park. Her mount was not injured.
The rider is being treated by a team of specialists “dedicated to empowering her as she moves forward on the path to healing. With Shirley Ryan’s innovative therapies and unwavering support, Liz is working hard every day to conquer new challenges,” according to a statement from her friends and family.
Shirley Ryan is the first “translational” research hospital, where clinicians, scientists, innovators and technologists work together in the same location, applying (“translating”) research in real time.
Liz’s team thanked the staff at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, where Liz was treated after the accident.
“Their exceptional care and dedication during Liz’s stay have been instrumental in her recovery, and we will forever be thankful for their expertise and compassion,” the statement said, while thanking everyone who has sent messages of encouragement to Liz..
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 29, 2024
It’s been 15 years since Kevin Kohmann last rode at Dressage at Devon, and now he’s busy making up for lost time.
The Floridian won Friday’s Prix St. Georges and Saturday’s Intermediate I, both with scores over 70 percent on Scala, an intriguing black mare, originally bought for resale but who now has a home with Kevin and his wife, Devon Kane (named after a soap opera character and not the show).
Friday night, Kevin took the Grand Prix for Freestyle riding Dunensee, a stunning black gelding, ending up on 69.761 percent. Saturday night was the high point of a successful weekend with a victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle (77.540), featuring 15 starters who earned cheers from a crowd undaunted by the occasional drizzle. They clapped along to Kevin’s music, a compilation of tunes, including Wake Me Up, from his favorites DJs.
“Nowhere else in the country is there an atmosphere like this,” said Kevin, who was among the riders characterizing Devon as similar to a European show in its ambience. The idea of his “happy music” is to “engage the crowd a little bit.”
Kevin, who is coached by Christoph Koschel, said he was worried “until the very last minute of the class” about whether his score would be surpassed. Coming closest, as she did in the Grand Prix for Freestyle 24 hours earlier, was Canadian Olympian Camille Carier Bergeron with her Finnlanderin. That combination was just short of victory with a percentage of 77.280.
The freestyle was a qualifier for the 2025 FEI World Cup final in Switzerland. Kevin rode in the 2024 final last spring in Saudi Arabia, and now has his sights sent on the 2025 edition in Switzerland.
“I’m more than thrilled. This horse was fantastic today. I’m a little bit overwhelmed right now,” Kevin recounted after a victory pass punctuated by raising his arm high in triumph.
“The horse didn’t let me down,” he said.
A change he made in his freestyle a week ago paid off. It formerly included a canter to piaffe transition.
“My horse did not like it,” he explained. “It was a very expensive mistake I had over and over again.We decided to take it out and it worked out fantastically. It flows very, very nice.”
The first time he competed at Dressage at Devon 18 years ago, Kevin turned the wrong way at the beginning of his Young Rider test, prompting the judge to ring the bell. He lost first place by a half-percent from because of that. The incident is indelibly inscribed on his memory. Since then, he always reminds himself of where he needs to turn at the beginning of his test.
Kevin’s wife, Devon (named after a soap opera character, not the show) was seventh in the freestyle on Giulietta. She also is his business partner at Diamante Farms. Kevin was honored with the new “US Happy Horse” award from BioStar, given to those who “promote horse welfare and exhibit a partnership that showcases happiness and harmony in the ring, regardless of placing.”
Of course, being a Happy Horse means Dunensee gets all the right supplements and care, but in his case, it also includes enjoying a collection of stuffed animals by his stall, including a giant alligator (Florida!)
The freestyle turned out to be a great showcase for amateur riders. Christina Morin-Graham, who works as managing principal at Graham Partners Inc., a private equity firm, felt it was possible she wouldn’t even qualify for the freestyle. Her third-place finish there was a testimony to her talent and that of her horse, DSP Dauphin, as well as coaching by Heather Mason for the occasion.
Christina, a volunteer for the DAD board, was marked at 74.785, for her ride to a borrowed Beyonce freestyle.
But it was during the qualifier Friday night that she had “one of those Devon moments” and a great realization: ” Partway through, I looked around and I was like, `My horse is dancing and I’m under the Devon lights.’ It didn’t matter what the score was. I halted at the end and the judge in front of me stood up and smiled and I went, `Okay. We did it.'”
Christina Morin-Graham and DSP Dauphin. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Christina is married to Steve Graham, a breaking (break dancing) enthusiast who was able to get top breakers for judging and demonstrations in Friday night’s Dance-Off. (Read about that here).
The rider, who also trains with Silva Martin and Tracey Olsen and works with barn manager Laura Murphy, sees similarities in the athleticism needed for both breaking and riding. While she hasn’t done any breaking floor work, she has dabbled a bit in “top rock,” a beginning stage of breaking.
Another amateur, Connecticut resident Allison Carmichael, who trains with Jennifer Williams, finished fourth with 74.735 percent on Figaro. Her freestyle, put together by Tom Hunt, started off with an attention-getting “Figaro, Figaro, Figaro” vocal as she came to a four-square halt on entering the ring. (Figaro is a character in the opera, “The Barber of Seville. And since her horse is named Figaro, it couldn’t be more perfect.)
Allison Carmichael and Figaro (Figaro, Figaro). (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Although she only got the music on Wednesday, Allison was spot-on with her timing, going into an extended canter on the diagonal from her halt and ending, appropriately, with another “Figaro.”
click here for the freestyle results
In the Grand Prix Special held Saturday afternoon, Ali Potasky and Inxs moved ahead of the Grand Prix for Special winner Tina Konyot with Grover. That flipped the order of finish from the Grand Prix. (Interestingly, both horses are by Everdale).
Amazingly, not only was it Ali’s first CDI (international) Grand Prix, it was also the first for Inxs, who has done developing and national Grands Prix. He earned 69.638 percent, to 68.851 for Grover. And on top of that, neither Ali nor Inxs had shown previously at Dressage at Devon.
“I’m really surprised and wasn’t expecting it, even though I came in feeling ready. It feels surreal,” said Ali, a 33-year-old professional, who works for dressage trainer Kathy Priest, the horse’s co-owner, at Woodspring Farm in Kentucky. So they came a long way for a trip to the Philadelphia suburbs, but it was worth the trip.
The horse arrived from Europe as a six-year-old, and became the first Grand Prix horse that Ali trained.
“I’m having sort of a disbelief moment,” she said about her Dressage at Devon debut.
“It’s very surreal.”
Of the show, she commented, “I just think it’s really quaint and a fun atmosphere. It was also fun to ride with a crowd, I’ve never ridden with that atmosphere. I like it.”
Look at that smile! Ali Potasky was thrilled to win the Grand Pri Special. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Her horse, who originally was a resale project, adjusted well.
“He actually gave me confidence in there today. He didn’t bat an eye” when people clapped.
Ali explained she entered the Special because Inxs does not yet have a freestyle. But you can bet he will soon. It’s a work in progress as she prepares for the winter circuit in Wellington, Fla.
Click here for Special results
During the afternoon, Marcus Orlob—who has had quite a streak of bad luck—turned the corner with a 74.470 percent victory on Alice Tarjan’s JJ Glory Day in the CDI 2-star Intermediate A, earning a couple of marks of 9 for piaffe and collected trot. It was black horse day at Devon — Glory was the third black horse to earn a blue ribbon on Saturday.
The Danish warmblood stallion is only eight and part of the U.S. developing program. He has not shown for a year because Marcus is focusing on training, but he hopes to start the stallion at Grand Prix next year.
Marcus Orlob and JJ Glory Day. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“He delivers every time I ask,” said Marcus, who was glad to get in the ring at the show. His ride for the Grand Prix, Jane, seemed to have pulled a muscle coming off the van on her arrival at Devon, so he withdrew her from competition. She’ll get a workup from her regular veterinarian on Monday.
Jane, also owned by Alice, was Marcus’ Olympic mount, but she never finished her Grand Prix test in Paris because she was eliminated for having a tiny scratch on her white hind leg.
Marcus takes it all philosophically, saying–as so many do–“You get used to it. That’s life with horses.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 27, 2024
“It’s a simple sport, but it’s hard to do,” mused Brett Parbery as he wrapped up the Jewel Court Stud USA’s Masterclass Thursday evening during Dressage at Devon, after giving short lessons to five riders involved in everything from western dressage to Grand Prix as the crowd in the grandstand watched intently.
He offered many other valuable bits of insight. Among them: noting that if you’re taking short cuts and training a horse with pressure, “the test will catch you out,” describing the way the passage in the Grand Prix test “links it all together” and noting it is better to ride toward the corner rather than the letter when stepping out on the diagonal.
Friday morning, it got more personal as Brett helped Silva Martin, the wife of eventer Boyd Martin, prepare for her Fourth Level Test 1 with Federman B. Bruno, as the horse is known, was Boyd’s mount at the Paris Olympics, where had a little kerfuffle with the flying changes in the dressage portion of the competition.
Bruno is heading for the Pau, France 5-star event next month and Silva is riding the horse in dressage shows to get him more relaxed and producing better changes.
Brett is an Australian (Boyd grew up in Australia and is a dual Australian/US. citizen) so the two not surprisingly are friends. Brett is staying at Boyd’s farm near Devon, where sleep is at a premium because Boyd and Silva have three very active young boys.
Brett Parbery and Boyd Martin. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Bruno showed a little tension when he entered the ring, but he went on to get more relaxed by the time he got to the tempi changes and finished fifth on 66.315 percent.
Silva also rode Commando 3, Boyd’s Olympic reserve horse, to fourth place on 66.942 percent. Commando will be competing with Boyd aboard at the Maryland 5-star in October
With a smile, I asked Silva whether she was getting paid extra for showing Boyd’s two event horses.
“Well, that’s the thing,” she replied with a good-natured grin, “He’s actually a bad pay.”
Bruno is staying another night so he can do the same test on Saturday.
Silva Maratin focuses on Federman B. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“In Paris, he was so good and then he just lost it a little bit we’re just get him to relax and take a breath in the ring. Doing this kind of thing is awesome for them” to steady the nerves, without having to handle a cross-country test afterwards.
Brett offered eyes on the ground in the warm-up and support from ringside.
Asked to share his impression of Dressage at Devon, which is presented by Kingsview Partners, he said, “I’m blown away.”
“This is my first American show, other than the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky (2010) and the World Equestrian Games in Tryon (2018). Its just got a great vibe, the atmosphere is great, the show organizers are great, this particular show has that heritage feel about it. I really, really enjoy it.”
He had his work cut out for him with the Masterclass, because not only did he have to deal with horses at different levels of training, he also had to click with a crowd that included experts, as well as those just getting introduced to the discipline.”
Jewel Court Stud USA’s Montenegro, by Toto Jr. and a grandson of Totilas, ridden by Kamden Perno as Brett Parbery offers pointers. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“My theory is that if I speak to the audience as if they have never seen dressage before, even the most experienced rider in the crowd will get something from it. The more experience we get, sometimes the more we forget about the basics and the fundamentals. The most difficult problems in dressage are always solved through creating better fundamentals. If you explain the fundamentals. The great rider always picks up something.
“Maybe because I’m in Australia and maybe because we’re a long way away from the action, we often try and work by ourselves. We have to break it down. That’s why you see a lot of Australians out there in the education space…we have to figure it out ourselves. To be able to be repeating it every day, I have to make every concept very simple.”
Western dressage rider Lorna Nagel, who was aboard Janine Callen’s quarter horse Nigh Deposit Nic, declared, “Brett was awesome. He’s just right on target with everything I use to train.I was glad to get the same opportunities as the other riders and be treated the same.”
Brett had a goal he wanted to reach, not only for the riders who participated, but also for his audience.
“I want everyone to walk out of here and go, `You know what? That’s actually very simple. Maybe I can do it.’ That’s what you want people to go home with, that feeling.”
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 27, 2024
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier in Las Vegas, part of the North American League (NAL) for the 2024/2025 season will not be replaced due to the short time frame to organize a high-quality replacement in November, it was announced Friday.
Additionally, commercial and broadcast commitments already in place would have posed significant challenges, and adding a replacement qualifier would have created difficulties in maintaining consistent broadcast coverage and partnership agreements.
The 2024/25 season will only have seven NAL qualifiers, but those seeking to qualify for the April finals in Switzerland will still use four scores to make the cut.
Todd Hinde, FEI Director of Jumping said, “We believe this decision is essential to maintaining the competitive integrity of the league. We look forward to the upcoming bidding process and to working closely with organizers to ensure that future events meet the high standards of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™.”
Blenheim EquiSports, which got the rights for the qualifier through 2027, called off the competition due to “unforeseen circumstances.” When asked for specifics, Robert Ridland, president of Blenheim, said “I cannot comment at this time.”
Meanwhile, cancellation of the Vegas qualifier led to new possibilities for the Marshall+Sterling Insurance/USHJA National Championships, which had been scheduled to run with the Cup qualifier at the South Point Hotel and Casino.
That show will be a stand-alone produced by the Desert International Horse Park, led by Steve Hankin. Pat Boyle will continue as show manager.
Explaining his decision to become involved with the championships, Steve said, “We’re excited to put on a great event in Vegas and continue to help build up the sport. We’re two months out from the event and we want it to be successful. We’re going to put in a lot of energy and focus on the event and the sport and that’s what we care about.”
Showing in Vegas is a highlight of the year for those qualifying for the USHJA Championships.
Discussing working with Steve and Desert International Horse Park, USHJA President Britt McCormick commented, “Their expertise, coupled with Pat Boyle’s continued leadership, will elevate this year’s championships, allowing us to bring more opportunities to our competitors.”
Those include enabling the Nov. 11-17 fixture to accept additional participants and showcase key competitions in slots previously reserved for the international-level show jumping. The Western Conference Equitation Finals will be the highlight on Saturday night, while the IHSA/USHJA 3’3″ Hunter Seat Medal Final West is the feature for Sunday.
Conor Swail won the Longines FEI qualifier in Las Vegas last year. (Andrew Ryback Photography)
Ridland guided the Olympic show jumping team in Paris to its third consecutive silver medal under his direction as chef d’equipe. His contract for that position is up for renewal at the end of this year; such contracts in all the Olympic disciplines run with the Games quadrennium.
It has been a rough year for Blenheim EquiSports, which lost some dates for its shows due to water quality issues involving the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park it runs south of Los Angeles. For previous stories about the topic, click here and here.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 27, 2024
It was going to be a second chance, of sorts. Marcus Orlob’s Olympic ride on Jane in Paris was cut short after a judge spotted a tiny scratch on her white hind leg, a trifle she sustained after spooking when the horse before her left the ring. Jane had performed well as far as she got in the test, showing off her possibilities.
Marcus; Jane’s owner, Alice Tarjan and the mare’s many fans were looking forward to seeing Jane do her entire Grand Prix Friday night at Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon in the qualifier for Saturday night’s freestyle.
But Jane was withdrawn from the competition, having slipped as she got off the van at the Devon showgrounds. She wasn’t right, Marcus said, so that was the end of her Devon before it began.
That took some of the excitement out of the Friday night class, although It drew 20 horses, a very healthy number for the show. U.S. 2024 FEI World Cup Finals rider Kevin Kohmann won on Dunensee with a score of 69.761 percent, just edging Canadian Olympian Camille Carier Bergeron on Finnlanderin (69.435). Saturday night’s freestyle is a qualifier for the 2025 FEI World Cup finals.
The Grand Prix for Special, to be contested Saturday afternoon, was won by Tina Konyot on Grover with 70.087 percent.
Dressage at Devon’s Grand Prix for Freestyle winner Kevin Kohmann on Dunensee. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
On top of the enduring disappointment of the Olympics. Jane being unable to compete at Devon was a bitter pill for Marcus and Alice. The mare will be getting a thorough veterinary examination and if she is fit, she may get a chance to finish that Grand Prix one more time before the end of the year at TerraNova in Florida.
But there was a glimmer of happiness in the afternoon at Devon, as Marcus’ wife, Shannon Stevens, won the Prix St. Georges with the appropriately named All of Harmony. He was the only horse to break 70 percent in the show’s largest class, which included 25 horses. The 10-year-old Oldenburger’s score was 71.912, but amid the joy, Shannon thought about her husband’s situation.
“It’s tragic, honestly. He’s had a rough go. This is part of the sport. But I’m going to live in the moment today and hopefully Marcus will have his moment again — and he will.”
For her part, Shannon said of her mount’s performance, “I’m over the moon excited. I couldn’t be more proud. He put his heart and soul on the line.
Shannon Stevens and All of Harmony. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’m rusty for sure,” she continued.
“I’ve been out of the international ring for a little bit and he hasn’t shown in about two years. What a way to start off. I’m thrilled.”
Shannon explained the horse’s down time by saying he was working with his amateur owner, Kathryn Williams.
“He has the ability to teach somebody the movements.The owner handed over the reins to me less than three weeks ago,” Shannon recalled.
“I said, `this is a really ambitious goal. I’m going to throw him in Devon, let’s get back into it.’ He’s just so willing , he doesn’t say no–`You want more?’ He fights for you.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 20, 2024
They have been a pillar of U.S. dressage teams through more than 80 international competitions, with 59 victories over eight years. The career of Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper has included silver medals at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The horse known affectionately as Mopsie gained his greatest fame by being designated as “the Rave Horse,” after his freestyle at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics went viral. He had thousands of fans, including rapper Snoop Dogg, who made a point of meeting Suppenkasper at the Paris Olympics last month.
Steffen and Suppenkasper in Wellington. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
But when Suppenkasper’s owner, Akiko Yamizaki of Four Winds Farm, on Friday announced the retirement of 16-year-old Suppenkasper, she also revealed, “As we mark 20 years together as a team, the time has come to end this amazing journey and it is with deep gratitude to Steffen, the horses and everyone that has been part of this journey that we now end this excellent adventure and long ride with this team.”
She remarked, ““Today, I look out my window to catch Ravel (the winner of the 2009 FEI World Cup Finals) and Mopsie basking in the sun, the large crowds and long airplane rides now a distant memory.”
The Dutch-bred Suppenkasper, ranked number 46 in the world, reached the peak of his career with Steffen, a six-time Olympian who just turned 60.
“With Steffen as our rider, and with a number of horses, including Lombardi, Ravel, Legolas, Rosamunde, and Suppenkasper, our team has traveled around the world and had the honor of representing the USA in multiple international championships and events,” Akiko noted.
Through their partnership with Steffen, Four Winds Farm of Woodside, Calif., has represented the U.S. on the world stage for more than 20 years, including at five Olympic Games (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024), four FEI World Championships (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), a Pan American Games (2019), and five FEI Dressage World Cup Finals.
For his part, Steffen said, “What a true honor it has been to be a part of Mopsie’s career and life. It’s hard to explain how much appreciation I have for Akiko for purchasing him eight years ago and then supporting us to compete around the world together. The historic silver medal in Tokyo was, of course, the highlight of our career together.
“For me,” the Californian continued, “it will always be one of the proudest moments of our partnership — to have Mopsie deliver for our team that night in Tokyo. The individual victories were amazing, but I always felt the proudest delivering for our team, and it meant the world when we accomplished that in Tokyo. Mopsie became the ‘Rave Horse’, that’s still special to me because he connected so many people. They recognize him and his accomplishments, and there’s really no reason to mention my name, but it’s Mopsie’s character and energy which made people gravitate to him.
A special moment for Steffen and Mopsie at the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“The journey we’ve shared together is quite hard to put into words, but thoughts of gratitude, thankfulness, and friendship come to mind, both for Mopsie and Akiko, and I’m so privileged to have been a part of this journey with them.”
Akiko emphasized, “We have been fortunate to be part of so many teams with great riders, horses and owners over the years, and as anyone knows, there are countless hours of work and multiple shows to get to these culminating events and it truly takes a village to make things happen.
“We have had the amazing support of USEF staff, including Gil Merrick, Jim Wolf, Jenny van Wieren, Will Connell, Hallye Griffin, and Laura Roberts and knowledgeable Chef d’Equipes Klaus Balkenhol, Anne Gribbons, Robert Dover, Debbie McDonald, and Christine Traurig throughout the years, as well as the tremendous commitment of the team’s veterinarians Dr. Rick Mitchell, Dr. Cricket Rusillo, Dr. Paul McClellan, and Dr. Laura Faulkner and talented staff support.
“We’ve been lucky to have so many successful horses come through the U.S. Dressage Program, and we feel indebted with the deepest gratitude to the USET Foundation, led by Bonnie Jenkins, the competition organizers, and all the excellent service providers, including Dutta Corp, Klatte, JetPets, and Rockridge, among others, who have overseen the care and transportation of Mopsie and our other horses throughout their careers.”
Steffen and Mopsie in Tokyo.
“Mopsie’s career would not have been possible without the support and dedication of our home team, which includes Dr. Rodrigo Vazquez and physiotherapist Tom Meyers who both have been on this journey with us as a team for more than 20 years; Suppenkasper’s groom Eddie Garcia, and our other staff and supports Rafael Hernandez, Dawn White O’Connor and Haley Smith; our farriers Jim Carr, Stephan Tournier, Chuck Mundo; and the many staff at Arroyo Del Mar who have been a part of taking care of our horses, as well as my incredible staff at Four Winds Farm, Merced Huerta, Humberto Bejinez, Bryant Cruz and Artemio Cruz who look after and love our horses once they’re retired at the farm, as well as Alyson Hamilton, Greg Hardester, and CFM for all of their behind the scenes work.”
Akiko concluded, “Alongside Steffen and myself, Shannon (Steffen’s wife), Jerry (Yang, Akiko’s husband), Miki, and Emi (their children) have traveled the world together and shared the deep emotions that come with the highs and lows of being part of something so extraordinary.”
