by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 20, 2022
Aside from the leadline, there isn’t much for little kids at most horse shows. But Dressage at the Park has come up with a cute idea for a good cause, to be held about noon July 9 during the show at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown.
The concept that will appeal to youngsters is a Matchy-Matchy Parade, sponsored by Patriot Farm, for the benefit of the Ride to Work program in Philadelphia. The parade is open to children of all ages (adults are welcome as well, if they like). Participants should decorate themselves and their horse with a Matchy-Matchy theme–think color coordination, ribbons and bling. Just a caution: Creativity is encouraged, but don’t come up with costumes that are liable to spook other horses.
You don’t need a real horse or pony to join in the fun. It’s also possible to participate with a stick horse, or even a model horse.
Everyone in the class will receive a gift and there is no fee to participate. However, participants are strongly encouraged to raise funds on behalf of Work to Ride. There will be awards for the most funds raised in each age group. Participants should try to be creative in their fundraising, perhaps staging a “pony wash” or running a carrot and cookie stand at the barn.
All horses (except the stick horses and model horses) must have current negative Coggins tests, and Flu/Rhino vaccinations within the past six months per USEF regulations. Pre-registration is suggested, but not required. Registration forms can be found at https://horseparkofnewjersey.wildapricot.org/Dressage-at-The-Park.
Here is more information about Work to Ride: Founded in 1994, it is a 501 c3, nonprofit community-based prevention program that aids under-resourced urban youth through constructive activities centered on horsemanship, equine sports and education. The program is located at Chamounix Equestrian Center, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. This setting provides a unique opportunity to bring urban youth in contact with animals and nature.For more information, visit https://worktoride.net.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 13, 2022
Jumper trainer/rider Kim Prince is headed for rehab today at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, according to her daughter, Lydia Frey. If the facility’s name sounds familiar, it’s because that’s where show jumper Cassandra Kahle started her rehab after her horse fell in a jump-off at the end of January.
Kim is expected to spend six weeks at Shepherd. She underwent a major spinal operation following a fall at the Upperville Colt & Horse and Colt in Virginia on June 9. Kim, who has ridden on 20 Nations Cup teams and in the World Cup finals, was hurt when her horse stumbled after a jump and fell with her.
After the accident, Kim was immediately evacuated by air from the horse show to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va. Surgery was performed, putting rods, screws, and plates into her neck for support and stability. Within 24 hours Kim showed some very modest progress.
The Kevin Babington Foundation, named after the Irish show jumper who suffered a severe spinal injury in a 2019 jumper class, is gathering resources Kim will need over the course of her recovery. Donations may be made by clicking on this link .
It has been a tough year for injuries in the jumper ring. Among those who have been badly hurt and are still recovering in addition to Cassandra are David Beisel and Washington International Horse Show President Vicki Lowell.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 9, 2022
It didn’t take long for HITS to snap up the Del Mar Horse Park as its newest venue, after West Palms Events announced it could not reach an agreement with the 22nd District Agriculture Association to operate the 63-acre park in Southern California.
“With only a five-year guaranteed contract, we were not able to come to an agreement that worked for us,” said Dale Harvey, president and CEO of West Palms Events.
At the end of the 2020 season, the 22nd DAA temporarily closed the park due to the impact of Covid and the need to complete costly stormwater mitigation on the property. In late 2021, a Request for Proposal was released and it received two bids —one of which was West Palms Events; the other was HITS.
“We have collaborated with the 22nd DAA for over 20 years and we wish them all the best in their efforts to reopen the Horse Park,” said Harvey. “We also intend to share all the work we’ve done on the stormwater project with them.”
HITS hopes to stage shows at Del Mar beginning in 2023, with seven dates that are part of the newly restructured California show schedule. In addition to seven hunter/jumper competitions, HITS will help support events of other disciplines at the facility.
“I founded HITS over 40 years ago and have been responsible for a number of different facilities around the country, including two right in the desert of California,” said HITS CEO Tom Struzzieri, who sold his West Coast property in 2019.
“The benefit of being a lifelong horseman, rather than just an investor, gives me a unique perspective in not only developing and designing facilities, but also in acting as a horseman in the coordination of events. These skills will be instrumental after witnessing the challenges the sport has experienced this past year. I look forward to starting the project of renovating one of the most iconic horse facilities in the country, and then producing some of California’s most outstanding events,” he said.
The Del Mar Horsepark has 400 permanent stalls, two grass jumping stadiums, four show rings and a covered lighted arena. During 2022, HITS will address the environmental concerns that caused the original closure of the Del Mar Horsepark. HITS also will improve the footing in the rings, adjust the layout of the facility to be more exhibitor-friendly and upgrade the stabling.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 1, 2022
Worried about rising fuel costs, supply chain issues and interest rates? How about job and housing markets?
We’re in a financial storm–is there any safe harbor? Find out what’s happening at noon July 5 when the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association presents a seminar with U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Curtis Dubay on the current economic conditions and the national impact of inflation for your businesses.
Discussion topics include the national economic impact of inflation, rising fuel costs and supply chain issues, interest rates, job and housing markets and key takeaways for future business forecasting. Most important, this expert can tell you what the current situation means for businesses in the horse industry. Your questions also will be welcome.
Click on this link to register.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 22, 2022
The U.S. will be hosting the Longines FEI World Cup finals twice in the next four years, with the Split Rock Jumping Tour’s Fort. Worth, Texas, venue just announced as the site of the show jumping and dressage competition, three years after Omaha’s scheduled 2023 encore of that city’s 2017 Cup finals debut.
Fort Worth will offer a venue like no other for the Longines FEI World Cup finals.
It’s quite a coup for Split Rock, which is only in its eighth year.
“We don’t like to sit still,” explained Derek Braun, Split Rock’s president and founder.
“It’s always been a big dream of mine to organize a championship.”
When the tour readied its inaugural 4-star show jumping qualifier slated for the Will Rogers Coliseum, “It was in our head as potential.”
But as was the case with so many plans, Covid threw a wrench into the picture when Split Rock’s first Fort Worth show had to be cancelled in 2020.
“That left us in a real bind because we wanted to operate an event there before making the decision to bid it,” said Derek.
But 2021 offered an opportunity and the Split Rock crew grabbed it.
Conor Swail was the winner of the inaugural Fort Worth World Cup qualifier. (c) Winslow Photography
“Last year, because Fort Worth was so incredibly successful for everyone and the feedback was so amazing,” the team decided to push for the finals.
“We only had six weeks to put together the bid from the time that our event went,” Derek recounted.
“We all put our heads down and made it happen and had an amazing presentation with FEI. I guess we did a good enough job to give them the confidence to give it to us.”
Although Split Rock has never put on a dressage show, he said “we will absolutely bring people that can help us with those details to accomplish only the best.”
The city of Fort. Worth, which is a partner in the effort with Split Rock, will be the seventh U.S. location to hold a World Cup finals. Others were Baltimore, Tampa, Del Mar, Los Angeles (dressage only) Las Vegas (five times) and Omaha. Vegas was supposed to have the finals again in 2020, but it also was a casualty of Covid and did not bid again.
Fort Worth’s finals presents a nice step forward in terms of building a spectator base for major international jumping and dressage competitions in parts of the country other than the East and West coasts. Lisa Roskens, who spearheaded the Omaha finals presented through the Omaha Equestrian Foundation, noted, “When we pitched for 2017, we said our goal was not just to host a great Finals, but to inspire others to do so as well and to expand the reach of the FEI in the central part of the country.”
Lisa also complimented Erin Davis-Heineking, who approached Split Rock with the concept of having an annual jumper show in Fort Worth.
“She is a true talent in and out of the saddle,” Lisa observed.
Derek and his associates plan to be in Omaha for its finals next year.
“I have huge respect for what they were able to do in 2017 and obviously going to do next year. I plan on utilizing some of the team they have put together for their event. I have not spoken to them yet, but I hope they are willing to give us all and any advice possible, because they did such a great job.”
Vaulting, which will be one of the features at Omaha for the first time, may be a possibility in Fort Worth, Derek said, but it’s still early days in terms of making that decision.
Entertainment–always a big part of the finals–will have a western theme, naturally, considering the location.
“The western culture there is like nothing else, and we plan to have everybody who comes to town experience all the culture Fort Worth has to offer; the nightlife, the shopping. The atmosphere just draws everyone in, Everyone is going to be able to make a vacation weekend of it for sure,” said Derek.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 28, 2022
You’ve got to love a town where the official seal bears the image of a show jumper, neatly clearing a vertical obstacle of red and white rails. That municipality is Far Hills, N.J., which has quite a history with horses.
The name Far Hills has long been linked with an equestrian lifestyle, as part of the greater Somerset Hills area that includes the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation’s Gladstone facility and the Essex Foxhounds’ home in Peapack.
Although it is less than five square miles, Far Hills may ring a bell with you because it is the home of the Far Hills Race Meeting, which each autumn draws as many as 30,000 visitors (about 30 times the number of its residents) and more recently, the site of the revived Essex Horse Trials (essexhorsetrials.org), scheduled for this coming weekend..
Matthias Hollberg, who competed at the Essex Horse Trials last year, will be back this weekend. (Photo © 2021 by Lawrence J. Nagy)Although it is less than five square miles, Far Hills may ring a bell with you because it is the home of the Far Hills Race Meeting, which each autumn draws as many as 30,000 visitors (about 30 times the number of its residents) and more recently, the site of the revived Essex Horse Trials (essexhorsetrials.org), scheduled for this coming weekend.
The Far Hills steeplechase calls Moorland Farm home (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Both take place on a former estate, Moorland Farm. This year, however, the dressage and show jumping portions of Essex will run on Friday, July 1, a few miles down the road at the USET Foundation, while the cross-country will be held the following day over the varied terrain at Moorland.
Tickets are $10 per carload each day, and if you’re unfamiliar with this corner of the state, it’s the perfect occasion to visit. There are plenty of vendors and in addition, a car show at Moorland for those who want something to do besides watching the horses.
Competitors in the featured Open Preliminary division, which offers $10,000 in prize money, include local stars Meg Kepferle of Long Valley, N.J., on Cooley Renegade and Arielle Aharoni of Bedminster, N.J., with Furst Queen and Littlebitadominic, as well as Chumley. That’s the hunting horse owned by dressage rider Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, who contributed to the Dutta U.S. Dressage Team’s second-place finish in Rotterdam last weekend. (Read about it in the second feature on this website.)
Also entered is Hannah Sue Burnett, winner of the division last year. This time, she’s riding Stakkato Bronx, and her new husband, Matthias Hollberg, will be on J. Both horses are owned by Jacqueline Mars, a great benefactor of the sport. Sarah Kozumplik-Murphy, two-time winner of the Devon eventing derby, will be aboard Devil Munchkin.
There won’t be any horses going over the striped colored poles as depicted in the Far Hills logo during the Moorland portion of the competition, however, since the segments using that equipment will be at the Team. But the logo is still an appropriate image to associate with both the town and the races as they pass their century milestones.
The steeplechase marked its 100th anniversary in 2021, when the borough of Far Hills did the same, though the steeplechase was actually100 in 2020 but precluded from celebrating that year when it was cancelled due to Covid.
Eminent historian Barry Thomson, appearing at the Clarence Dillon library in Bedminster recently, gave a lecture about Far Hills’ history, quoting a 1986 article in Town & Country magazine that cited the borough’s “patrician style.”
Historian Barry Thomson is an expert on the history of the Somerset Hills. (Photo © 20022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The piece described Far Hills this way: “Tucked away in leafy western New Jersey is a horsey enclave with a distinctly blueblood character all its own. Since the 1890s, fashionable New Yorkers and ardent foxhunters have been drawn to its rolling hills and verdant meadows.”
As Barry noted, “That’s not all of what Far Hills is about, but it’s certainly a big part of what Far Hills is about and has been for a long time.”
Horse-drawn carriages would line up at the Far Hills train station at the end of the 19th Century and beginning of the 20th, as business leaders arrived from New York each weekend and in the summers to enjoy the countryside in a special part of the state.
By 1921, rising taxes had led the 200 residents of Far Hills to separate from Bernards Township and incorporate as a borough. The local property tax rate jumped from $2.72 in 1919 to $3.53 in 1920. (Those were the days!)
Both the villagers and Far Hills estate owners objected to sharing the costs of road upkeep in the 60-square-mile township with its population of 5,100 and also to the school taxes for educating the township’s 800 children, of whom only 90 were from Far Hills. And that led to formation of the borough.
The Far Hills fairgrounds. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The fairgrounds in Far Hills, now probably best known as the venue for the Visiting Nurse Association of the Somerset Hills’ spring and fall rummage sales, once hosted many horse and livestock shows. The little grandstand from those days is still on site.
Oh, and one more thing about the Far Hills borough seal. No way of knowing for sure if its show jumper is unique among municipalities across the country, but it should be noted that Wellington, Fla., home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, merely has a horse’s head on its logo–despite the fact that it draws thousands of horses from around the world for its shows.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 18, 2022
Pat Boyle and Phil De Vita Jr., two horse show managers who have experience with competitions across the country, will “put a fresh set of eyes” on the Devon Horse Show as they take the helm for the 2023 edition.
The two were just appointed following the resignation of the men who ran the Pennsylvania multi-breed fixture for decades. David Distler and Peter Doubleday had a total of 85 years between them at the U.S. Equestrian Federation Heritage Show when they stepped down on June 6.
Those in the legions of Devon devotees who might worry about big modifications to the icon should rest easy, according to Pat.
The action under Devon’s iconic sign won’t be changing as new management takes over. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
“We are going to keep everything that is in position now. We’re going to look at some things and see if we can make some changes a little bit; little tweaks, nothing major. Because it’s kind of set in stone what it is, once we look at it, we’ll see what we do.”
He stressed the importance of “just preserving this great event. We are going to keep everything that is in position now,” he said.
Pat runs numerous competitions under the banner of Illinois-based Showplace Productions. The list of his best-known shows includes the fall indoor circuit’s Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, Pa., where he succeeded Peter Doubleday in 2021, and the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s marquee year-end championship in Las Vegas. He also is the technical coordinator for shows at the Desert International Horse Park in California, where Phil is the show manager.
Phil, who lives in Florida, is a course designer and judge, as is Pat. He manages the hunter/jumper portion of the Germantown, Tenn., charity show and the Menlo Charity show in California, among many others.
When discussions about taking over at Devon began, Pat said, “My first reaction was sort of similar to Harrisburg, when I got involved with that. It’s one of the most iconic shows, Harrisburg; so is Devon. They can’t not be successful, they cannot leave (their locations), in my opinion. We have to try to preserve whatever we can preserve going forward. It’s so important to me.”
His attachment is more than just professional. His daughter, Caitlin, won Devon’s 2014 R.W. Mutch Equitation Championship on “one of the best weekends of my life. It holds a near and dear special place for me on a personal level,” Pat explained.
He noted that “Peter and David have obviously done incredible things. I respect them both to the 10th degree. As far as what can we do different, it’s so new right now I haven’t even gotten that far. I’m honored to be thought of to keep that thing going.”
He added, “Phil and I are a good team.” They will look at schedules and plans and “what can we do new and different.”
“I always like to try to do a little something different—we did a big new facelift and a big new everything at Harrisburg. Devon’s a little more traditional with all the blue and everything like that.”
While that won’t be changing, he mentioned he’s known for ring décor “and how everything looks and just that aspect of it I’ll probably bring a little bit of my flavor to the event.”
by Nancy Jaffer | May 20, 2022
You may regard the Horse Park of New Jersey as a place for competition, but it is also a place that is in competition–with state horse parks elsewhere that have similar missions.
They are located in Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky and Florida (and don’t forget the refurbished Fair Hill, Md., site that hosts the country’s new 5-star event). Private facilities in North and South Carolina and New York also are among venues that are looking to attract exhibitors, and huge expenditures at Wellington International and the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla., have raised the bar even more.
One thing all these places have in common is up-to-date footing and stabling, while the New Jersey park in Monmouth County is working with footing in its rings that is not to the modern standard, and stalls from another era. The parks in other states “show off their state. New Jersey’s state animal is the horse, and our horse park is usable, but it’s sure nothing to show off,” said board member Marilyn Payne.
In its 35 years, the horse park has fallen farther behind because it hasn’t had the infusion of cash it needs to modernize.
“It’s a crisis for long term use and competition with other venues,” said Marilyn, a well-known trainer who has competed at the park as has her son, Doug, the highest-placed rider on the U.S. Olympic eventing team in Tokyo last year, and her daughter, Holly Payne Caravella, also a professional horsewoman.
Doug Payne taking a victory gallop in the grand prix ring at the Horse Park of New Jersey when he won at Jersey Fresh. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Marilyn cited the effort that went into the venue’s premier feature, the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event for two decades, but “we lost it because other horse parks had far better (arena) footing and stabling,” she contended.
Complaints about those two items have kept some equestrians living in other states from coming to the park, while they also have been responsible for a number of New Jersey horse owners’ decision to show elsewhere, even though the footing on the cross-country course is ideal.
The situation is particularly painful with rising gas and diesel prices, since it is more cost-effective and convenient for New Jersey equestrians to show in-state rather than driving for hours to ride under better conditions in other states. She notes that other facilities offer “destination events,” explaining “that’s something you want to be able to qualify for and get there because it’s such a fabulous venue.”
But now there is an opportunity for improvements at the park, and New Jersey residents can make them happen by contacting their state legislators and urging them to vote for Assembly Bill 3982, a fiscal year supplemental appropriation introduced by Assemblyman Ronald Dancer of Cream Ridge (R-12th Dist.)
Assemblyman Ron Dancer.
The bill calls for a $2.5 million allocation for footing for three arenas and two warm-up rings, with stabling improvement if any money is left over. The assemblyman noted the time is right to seek funding from the state because it has “unprecedented surplus levels,” as tax revenues increased $13.4 billion in two years, more than 35 percent higher than what was collected in 2020, according to nj.com.
The assemblyman had asked for a wish list of improvements the horse park board wanted to see, and it came to a total of $8.5 million.
“From that. he came up with that proposal of $2.5 million,” said park board vice president Ellen Clark, noting he felt that was the park’s best shot for its most-needed improvements.
Stabling is an issue because at the time the park was developed, horses generally were smaller than they tend to be today, she said. It’s important that the horses have enough space, and in the interests of disease prevention also can’t touch noses with other horses while in their stalls.
However, Dancer knows more needs to be done. He wants to see work begin on drafting a five-year capital plan for further improvements at the park after the end of this fiscal year on June 30.
Footing First is the company that would supply SRS footing. The firm said the footing, which includes silica sand,
“provides excellent traction, cushion and durability.”
Silica sand, according to the company, creates a surface with longevity and is a “blend has proven itself to be an excellent choice for all disciplines.” That’s important at a facility used for everything from dressage, show jumping, driving and eventing to saddlebreds and western.
“We felt this is the best solution for the park and our needs, to serve all our constituents,” said Ellen.
Big names such as Boyd Martin were a fixture at Jersey Fresh. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The assemblyman, the son of legendary harness horse driver and trainer Stanley Dancer, was behind a bill that sought to eliminate the tax on horse board in 2020. Although that made it all the way to the governor’s desk, he didn’t sign it. The legislator is hoping for better luck this time, but first the bill has to get out of committee.
He advises the way to do that is for everyone who would like the Horse Park to be improved to write to the legislators in their own district, or even call their offices. This is a proactive step that should be taken by anyone who wants to see the park live up to its potential.
They should also contact Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (District 19) and Senate President Nick Scutari (District 22). Click on this link to find the names and addresses of your legislators; all you have to do is fill in the name of the town where you live. And a note or call to Gov. Phil Murphy also will be beneficial. Contact him via email with this link. Here is a link that will enable you to read the details of the bill. A sample letter you can send is on the Horse Park website at www.horseparkofnewjersey.com; or click here
“We’ve never had funding available to address the needs of the Horse Park. The horse is the state animal, and we need to make a statement we are supporting our state horse park financially,” the assemblyman said, noting he is unaware of any direct state appropriation for the park during its history, aside from supplying the land where it is located.
“When you have a state horse park that is drawing from other states and regions, we want to be proud of what we have in New Jersey. Number one, we want to make sure everything is safe. The emphasis here is on safety and recognizing that the state of New Jersey has a fiduciary responsibility to address the needs of a state horse park,” he added, commenting, “I think it’s overdue.”
Because of the park’s name, people think it is funded by the state, which doesn’t provide an incentive to give money to the facility. The park is actually a non-profit that has to pay for itself. Ellen noted there has been talk about rebranding–perhaps with a named sponsor–but that’s only a thought at the moment.
“We try not to raise the rates at the park so much that people can’t afford to use it,” Ellen commented. She noted the park is still seeking other grants, through “every possible avenue.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 23, 2022
The U.S. is neck and neck with the Netherlands’ home team in the dressage Nations Cup at the Rotterdam Horse Show after today’s Grand Prix. They are tied on a score of 19 points each, with Sweden third on 29. Seven nations are competing, with the championship to be decided on Saturday after the Special and Freestyle.
Dutch rider Dinja van Liere leads the way individually on Hermes (79.739), while Patrick Kittel of Sweden stands second with Blue Horse Zepter (76.130 percent). The top U.S. rider was Ashley Holzer of Wellington, Fla., with Valentine (72.957). Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, N.J. was seventh in the field of 28 with the U.S.-bred Serenade MF (71.239) in the mare’s first European competition.
There were two other U.S. riders competing. Katie Duerrhammer on Paxton (70.456) finished 11th while Ben Ebeling on Illuster van de Kampert ended up 28th and last with a score of 57.152 after getting marks of 1 in the piaffe on two occasions in the test.
The Americans have been shortlisted for the team that will go toAugust’s world championships in Denmark, for which Rotterdam is an observation event. Other short-listed riders are slated to compete at Aachen next month.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 15, 2022
We get used to seeing U.S. show jumping teams on the podium, as they were in this 2020 competition. Nations Cup qualifier in Florida.
The U.S. team was victorious in a Nations Cup qualifier for Barcelona in 2020. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
But for the first time, the U.S. show jumping squad hasn’t qualified for this fall’s Nations Cup Final in Barcelona..
What happened? Read the story I wrote for Horse Sport by clicking on this link
