It’s been five years since show jumper Kevin Babington suffered a catastrophic fall in a grand prix, but his friends haven’t forgotten the paralyzed Olympian.
On October 1, they will hold what has become an annual benefit horse show, a fixture that debuted a few weeks after his 2019 accident. Not only did Kevin’s life change the instant he hit the ground, but it also upended the lives of his wife, Dianna, and the couple’s teenage daughters, Gwyneth and Marielle.
“Kevin was the primary breadwinner,” explained Dianna, who immediately had to step up with her girls to fill the gap in their business, care for her husband and learn about a host of medical issues and how to handle them.
Dianna Babington at the 2020 benefit show at Duncraven. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
In a different existence that suddenly was filled with doctors, hospitals and an immobilized husband, the mission is always the same.
“It’s been a nightmare. We’re trying to survive,” she said.
“I feel like this accident derailed everybody. It’s been tough. It’s very hard for us to make ends meet,” she observed, noting insurance does not cover everything needed, so the benefit show “kind of closed the gap for us.”
Kevin suffered a contusion to the spinal cord as a result of hyperextending his neck in the fall. The vertebrae hit the spinal cord, causing damage; it was a stretch and concussion injury from vertebra C3 to C5, which involves the diaphragm and mobility.
Friends recognized the immediate need for funds after Kevin’s accident, and went about setting up the show on short notice.
“It was sort of an emergency, we needed to do something for Kevin, he had just gotten hurt. Then we said, `We might have to do it again next year,’ and here we are. This is year five,” said Nancy Wallis, who course designs and co-manages the benefit with Jennifer Cassidy.
It is held at Duncraven in Titusville, N.J., a stable where Kevin once ran his business. When the Stout family took over Duncraven and refurbished it last year, they offered the venue free of charge for the show, as previous owner Tim Fedor had done.
Kevin is special, which explains why he hasn’t been forgotten, even though he’s no longer competing.
“You know people in your lifetime and you think they’re great and it goes on,” said Nancy.
“But once this happened to Kevin, we found out how many people he had touched.”
She described his kindness, noting, “He would always help, walk the course with you, or say, `Watch this turn from fence 6 to 7, it’s a little tight.’ He was so generous with his information and knowledge. He wasn’t trying to make anything off it, it was just genuine help.”
And now people are returning the favor.
Everything for the benefit is donated; the labor of the organizers, officials and volunteers, as well as raffle items, so the show has no costs that would cut down on the money raised.
“The only check we write is to the medic,” noted Nancy.
Kevin has never lost hope that some new development will give him a better quality of life and he keeps working at physical therapy. He’s game to participate in clinical trials and appreciates it when friends let him know about possible new treatments. Olympic gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa, for instance, recently called one new study in Lucerne, Switzerland, to his attention.
“There’s a lot in the works. I put my name in for all those things, to see if I can get into one of the studies,” said Kevin.
“I definitely have some hope.”
But following what Marielle, now 17, and Gwyneth, 20, achieve in the sport, “that’s the thing that keeps me going.”
Kevin watches the riders in his ring in Loxahatchee, Fla., from his wheelchair on the back porch of his home. Understandably, he’s proud of the efforts of his wife and daughters, calling the girls “really good teachers” in what has become “a family business.”
He does a lot of mentoring, and Dianna noted he “still has a great eye. There’s a place for him in the industry.”
When Kevin is needed for consultations, he goes down to the barn to lend expertise, and is active on Facetime for those seeking his opinion. In the past, the native of Ireland has helped with selection of the Irish team for the Olympics. Kevin, who tied for fourth in the 2004 Olympics, continues to watch the Nations Cups via the internet to stay current.
Kevin jumping at Hickstead.
When the horse shows are going on in Wellington, a few minutes from Loxahatchee, he can often be found at ringside, helping his girls and offering advice to anyone who needs it, along with a friendly chat.
As Nancy noted, “he never mentions himself. It’s always, `What are you doing, what horse shows have you been to, where are you going next?’ He’s a forward thinker, for sure.”
Paralyzed from mid-chest down, he has had some subtle improvements in terms of what he can feel here and there on his body, but none are “life-changing improvements,” as his wife put it.
While his right arm has gotten stronger and he can bring it up almost up to his nose, his fingers are not strong enough to hold a fork, which would enable him to feed himself.
Kevin at the 2004 Olympics, where he tied for fourth. (Photo © 2004 by Nancy Jaffer)
Still, she said, “there have been some blessings.”
He can laugh, even in the midst of chronic pain; he can clear his throat a little bit and his voice is stronger than it used to be.
“I never hear him complain,” Diana mentioned, “He hasn’t given up.”
The couple knows that medical science is always making strides.
“I’m hopeful something will break at some point. I hope it’s during his lifetime,” Dianna said.
Meanwhile, Kevin is grateful for the benefit show, and those who are putting it on.
“For the local people to come out and still support is just incredible, and even for the new owners of Duncraven to step up and offer their place is just wonderful. I miss that area.”
“The horse community is amazing,” he added.
Dianna mentioned $30,000 was raised by last year’s show. That’s a remarkable amount, considering the show was practically rained out and only ran some classes in the indoor ring as the monsoon came down outside it. Extending a raffle through the next weekend helped bring in more contributions.
Kevin has always had enthusiastic fans.
This year, fundraising strategies include bareback “Ride a buck” classes.
“Kevin was a big bareback rider,” Nancy pointed out.
Kids who participate will put $5 under their knee. The last one to keep the bill in place will be the winner and enjoy a 50/50 split, with Kevin’s trust keeping half the money and the winner keeping half (unless they want to donate it). The adults will ride with $10 bills under their knees.
The third jumper class of each division is a 50/50 stakes class. Entry fees go in the pot, with half to the winner.
Volunteers are needed who can help set up for the show, as well as working the day it runs. They should contact Nancy at (908) 256-3386. Donation of raffle items also is being sought. Julie Koveloski is in charge of that at (609) 439-8983 or email jroslowski@yahoo.com. Items raffled in the past have included gift cards, mini-jumps (for kids), air vests and photo sessions, but there are always gift baskets and a variety of offerings.
People who can’t make it to the show but want to donate may give to the Kevin Babington Trust, which goes directly to him for a variety of crushing expenses that never stop cropping up. Checks may be sent to Kevin at 13254 Casey Road, Loxahatchee, Fla. 33470.
Those looking for a tax deduction with their contribution can donate to the Kevin Babington Foundation, a 501(c)3 which provides support not only to Kevin, but also to other show jumpers who have suffered spinal injuries. It helps pay for aides, which enables Dianna and the girls to keep working. Its mission for those seeking help also includes outfitting vehicles for transportation and remodeling to make homes suitable for the disabled, but does not contribute toward daily expenses.