by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 24, 2023
Following a decision to ban dressage trainer/entrepreneur Andreas Helgstrand from consideration for the Danish Olympic team, the Danish Riding Federation and the Danish Riding-Instructor Association are canceling a cooperation agreement with Helgstrand Dressage as a training venue for riding education as of the end of 2023.
“We are obviously incredibly sorry about that decision. We are immensely proud of our riding students, and we consider them close and talented colleagues,” Helgstrand Dressage said in a statement.
The action came in the wake of an undercover TV documentary that showed harsh training techniques at the Helgstrand facility in Denmark, and detailed attempts to cover spur and whip marks on horses.
Saying the footage “has made a very big impression,” the statement continued, “We understand that the images that have been shown in Operation X should be responded to.
“We have done that ourselves too. We have therefore also given both Dansk Riding Federation and Dansk Riding-Instruktør Association an open invitation for dialogue and to come visit Helgstrand Dressage to see for yourself how our practice is as a training ground and how in the last year we have improved many of our practices.
“We are very sorry that neither association has chosen to accept. Our invitation is still open: both are welcome to drop by — also unannounced, where you can carry out the necessary supervision with horses, training and pupils.”
The statement added, “Of course, we will do everything we can to continue the dialogue, so that in the future we can also welcome back our talented students at Helgstrand Dressage, where we are convinced that we can offer a good training place with healthy values and a strong community.”
The Danish Riding Association last month said Helgstrand would be banned from its teams at least until the beginning of 2025 — after the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to a Facebook posting by the Danish newspaper Nordjyske.
Helgstrand is the CEO of Global Equestrian Group, which is part of Waterland Private Equity. In 2021, GEG bought the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The home of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, the facility was renamed Wellington International.
Hearings have been going on in Wellington since the summer about controversial zoning issues in connection with a proposed expansion of the showgrounds.
The Olympics “is completely out of the question,” said the acting chairman of the Danish Riding Association, Jakob Ravnsbo, who succeeded Helgstrand’s father, Ulf, in the position. In a comment to Nordjyske, Andreas Helgstrand wrote that he regrets the association’s decision, has always been proud to represent Denmark, and that he had been looking forward to the Olympics.
Denmark’s Olympic hopes should not suffer as a result of the ban, as only three can be on a team in the Games and the country has several top riders, including Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, who recently got the ride on the spectacular Mount St. John Freestyle, previously ridden by Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin.
While the FEI, the international equestrian federation, commented that “any action or omission which causes or is likely to cause pain or unnecessary discomfort to a horse constitutes a violation of our rules,” it did not take immediate action in regard to the revelations of the documentary.
It stated it will “collaborate closely with the Danish National Federation, and there is a mutual recognition of decisions and any sanctions imposed. We will continue to communicate as the situation develops, and want to assure the equestrian community, our stakeholders and the public, that we are rigorously addressing this issue.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 8, 2023
Only one U.S. rider, Kent Farrington, will compete in the 22d Rolex International Jumping Riders Club Top 10 Final on December 8, during the Geneva, Switzerland, Concours Hippique International. The competition involves the 10 best show jumpers in the world, who qualify from the rankings list.
McLain Ward, number six in the world rankings, is opting out and instead going to the Desert International Horse Park in California during that time period. The IJRC worded announcement of that cryptically, saying Mclain “is unfortunately unable to travel to Europe to compete in this event.”
I was alarmed–could it be that McLain is sick, or was there a problem with his horses? But he told me heading west “was the better choice for my string of horses at this moment and keeping in mind next years busy season.” He is, of course, referring to the Paris Olympics.
McLain Ward and HH Azur on their way to victory at Geneva 2022. (Photo Ashley Neuhof/Rolex)
Irish rider Shane Sweetnam, number 11, made the top 10 as a result of McLain’s decision not to go to Geneva. At least Shane is based in the U.S.
Last year, McLain won the first leg of the Rolex Grand Slam (a different competition from the top 10) at Geneva with HH Azur, then took the second leg earlier this year in the Netherlands.
But their bid to become only the second winner of the Grand Slam ended when Annie had two of the first three fences down during the Grand Slam’s final segment at Aachen, and McLain retired from the competition. That was Annie’s last show. She had a formal retirement ceremony at the Hampton Classic in September.
Kent earned the Top 10 title in 2015 and 2019, and is the only U.S. rider ever to do so since the competition began in 2001. This year, he’s fresh off winning gold on the team with McLain at the Pan American Games, and also took individual silver at that competition in Chile. He is ranked number three in the top 10. McLain won individual bronze at the Pan Ams.
Created in 2001 by the International Jumping Riders Club, the Top 10 competition recognizes the achievements and talents of the world’s best show jumpers over the preceding year.
World number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden will be looking to repeat his 2022 finish at the head of the Top 10 final with King Edward. Also competing are number two, Ben Maher of Great Britain, who won the top 10 in 2021; Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat, both of Switzerland; Frenchmen Julien Epaillard and Simon Delestre; Max Kuhner (Austria) and Harrie Smolders (Netherlands).
IJRC President Kevin Staut noted that “the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final is a very special class; every edition of this competition is an extraordinary event, a new and exciting experience. Thanks to its format and the understanding there is between riders and the public, it is a perfect competition.
“Winning the Rolex IJRC Top 10 is one of the most satisfying and important achievements for a rider because it marks the crowning event after a year of constructive and constant work in perfect synergy and harmony with our horses.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 8, 2023
Part of the fun when going to major competitions involves visiting the trade fair to see what’s new and unusual. That’s how I discovered Nicola Schulten’s take on boots. What attracted me was seeing how she designed a way for spurs to in effect be buttoned onto the back of the boot.
A unique way of adding a spur to a boot. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I was really frustrated with my spurs flopping up and down and having very tight straps over my insteps and having the circulation cut off on my feet,” she told me when we met at the MARS Maryland 5-star.
“So I decided as a shoe designer and a rider, I ought to be able to solve this problem. We are not breeding our horses the same or wearing the same clothes as we did 100 years ago. So why should we be wearing still the same shoes that we were wearing 100 years ago?”
The veteran of 30 years in the shoe business undertook “a complete rebuild of a boot with more of an athletic construction method around the front, a lot of support on the back in the heel area and a lot of shock absorption on the sole.”
There’s also a shock-absorbing footbed inside the boot “that’s really energizing to wear. It’s much much more comfortable to jump off your horse in something that actually has shock absorption built all the way through it” rather than the usual thermo-plastic rubber, she said.
Any spurs on the market fit into the pockets on the sides of the heel. There are also two holes for adjusting the height of the spur.
She moved the zipper to the inside, “so the flexing is going on in the middle of the ankle.”
The part of the boot that goes against the saddle can be faced in suede, but overall “there are three layers of leather protection between you and your stirrup leathers,” Nicola advised.
They include a lining for sheepskin from India “so it has that natural quality that Indian sheep tend to have.” Between that and the leather exterior, there is a compressed layer of pigskin.
When the boot is worn by people with cerebral palsy, “they are now able to canter because they have more support,” Nicola said, adding other customers are riders with muscles missing, hammer toes, bone spurs and bunions. It struck me that para riders might benefit from these boots.
“The more I know about what’s going on with them, the more I can build into their boots,” the native of Great Britain said about her customers.
All boots are custom and start at $2,400 for the tall boots, and $800 for paddock boots.
Her business in Grand Rapids, Mich., The Impeccable Equerry, offers a variety of interesting products, including half-chaps.
I enjoy meeting entrepreneurs with original ideas, so that’s why I wanted to share the word about Nicola’s products when I spotted them.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 5, 2023
“No more testing.”
That was the word which came down from the judges after the top 24 competitors had completed their rides in the second round test of the ASPCA Maclay on Sunday.
The announcement had to be anticipated by anyone who was watching Carlee McCutcheon’s flawless performance on Chacco Star in that segment, 12 hours after the class started at the National Horse Show in Lexington, Ky.
Unlike her victory in the Dover Saddlery/USEF Medal Finals last month, when she came to the top from fourteenth place, Carlee led all the way through the Maclay in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. Last year, she led until the final tests, when bobbles wound up putting her fourth.
There was no mishap this time around. The victory capped off quite a fall season for Carlee, who also was second in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East, and third in the Washington International Horse Show’s equitation championship last weekend.
“Today was really just a blessing, and I’m so grateful,” said Carlee.
Carlee McCutcheon and Chacco Star. (Photo by Shawn McMillen Photography)
“Having a partnership like I have with Chacco, is a big advantage for me, he makes me so confident and brave every time I walk in the ring,” she noted.
“I know he’s so good at the equitation; he’s very seasoned at it. He’s way better at it than I am, for sure. I think having that sort of confidence going in the ring makes a big difference for me.”
Winning at the National “means more than I think I can express. It’s so historic to be here,” said Carlee, whose name will be engraved on the iconic silver tray with the likes of those including Bill Steinkraus, Frank Chapot and Leslie Burr Howard, among so many great riders who won Olympic medals for the country.
“I’m always grateful just to qualify for this horse show,” Carlee remarked.
“It’s such a special feeling to walk into the ring here knowing the highest level of the sport has competed here and won here.”
Carlee comes from an equestrian family that breeds winners, although they are best known for reining—in which Carlee also competes. Her grandparents are Colleen and Tim McQuay; her parents are Mandy and Tom McCutcheon, all names well recognized in the horse world, no matter which branch you favor.
Carlee, who is trained by Max Amaya and T.J. O’Mara at Stonehenge in Colts Neck, N.J., also collected the Dennehy award for the best record in the fall equitation finals. She has finished her junior years with the ultimate triumph, and will be starting her professional career now.
The reserve champion was Eleanor Rudnicki, riding Waldo. She is trained by Berry Porter and North Run. Explaining what the show means to him, Berry said, “I remember watching some of these people on television and going, `Oh,it would be so cool to meet them or know them.’
“And then to have Missy Clark and John Brennan supporting me and at the ring with me is kind of cool. Never though it would happen.”
Tessa Downey, third on HH Moonshine, earned the same color ribbon as she got last year, but the University of Georgia equestrian team member stated she is “a lot prouder of the result” in 2023. She is trained by Peter Pletcher and Emily and Ken Smith.
Eleanor Rudnicki, Carlee McCutcheon and Tessa Downey with the famous trophy.
All three of the top-placing Maclay riders are from Texas, which is the first time that has happened at the country’s oldest major equitation championship, which began in 1933. (But it came close to happening last year, when the second, third and fourth-place ribbon winners were Texans.)
The officiating was being handled in a different fashion this year, with four judges: Rachel Kennedy, Wendy Peralta, Tamara Provost and Danny Robertshaw.
They were divided into two teams, complete with scribes, on each side of the ring, and the scores were done as averages.
“We spent a lot of time in Florida talking about how this should go,” said Rachel.
“I think the day went great. The kids rode great and the course was great. I can’t tell you enough good things about how today went.”
Transparency was the name of the game. The standby list was updated every 50 riders, and there was a QR Code on the livestream that people could access to find out the standings as the class went along. That innovation was enabled by Liz Soroka, who works magic behind the scenes at the show.
It took nine hours for the 226 Maclay starters in the first round to finish the beautifully landscaped course, designed by Kentucky Horse Park regular Bobby Murphy and Kevin Holowack, a Canadian who studied architecture in college. Kevin said proudly that a trainer told him the course “subtly separated” the contenders.
The challenges on the initial route included a unique first fence, a single red, white and blue pole over a base covered with artificial grass, and two one-stride double combinations with four strides between them.
A group of 24 was selected to perform on the flat, with 12 in each section.Competitors were asked to counter-canter, ride without stirrups, and lengthen stride in the sitting trot.
In the second round over 13 fences, judges included two tests; calling for the 24 riders to hand- gallop fence 4, an oxer on one side of the ring, and on the other side of the ring, put in six strides between the one-stride double of verticals and fence 10, an oxer.
As the leader following the first round, Carlee was honored with the new Hannah Serfass Memorial Award, named after a 15-year-old equestrian who died at a Florida show in April when her horse fell on her during a show jumping competition. Hannah’s score in the first round was 96.5; Eleanor’s was 94.75.
Here’s a shout-out for New Jersey: Kate Egan of Glen Gardner, who rides with Emil Spadone and Luke Olsen at Redfields, finished seventh; Caroline Signorino, who rides with Geoffrey Hesslink, was ninth.
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 4, 2023
Irish course designer Alan Wade has laid out show jumping fences across Europe and North America, with the FEI World Cup Finals and the FEI World Equestrian Games among the many competitions that have benefited from his style.
But until this week, he had never designed at the National Horse Show, so he was new to the Alltech Arena in Lexington, Ky., and the characteristics of that ring.
“It is quite a funny shape, but the horses seem to be jumping well. I try to build a course that’s friendly, but still gets a nice result,” said Alan, who was assisted at the show by Olympic designer Steve Stephens.
“This is quite a big ring, so it jumps a bit more like an outdoor than the indoors we have in Europe,” Alan observed.
As always seems to be the case, Alan’s efforts created classes that were both fair to the riders and exciting for the spectators.
The show’s highlight, the $226,000 4-star Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier Saturday night, drew an international field of 28, with 11 coming through to the tiebreaker.
U.S.-based Irish rider Shane Sweetnam made the most economical of turns in the jump-off with James Kann Cruz, his wife’s Irish sport horse by Kannan. He was rewarded with a clear round in the time of 33.41 seconds. His approach to the double combination showed a bit of bravery that paid off.
World Cup qualifier winner Shane Sweetnam with judge Maria de Lourdes Arrambide, National Horse Show Chairman Bill Weeks and NHS President Jennifer Burger.
“I just tried to keep it as smooth as I could, he’s a great horse, he’s always going to try to jump it,” said Shane, noting, “actually, we slipped a little bit, but it gave us room and then we just tried to keep it coming. You know, he’s giving his best all the time. He really is a show-off, he really wants to perform.
“I know with all the horses after me that I would have to be fast,” remarked Shane, who was fourth to go in the tiebreaker. His time of 33.41 seconds did the trick.
Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz. (Shawn McMillen Photography)
While he’s had a good year, finishing high up in a number of grands prix, he hadn’t earned first place in one during 2023 until he succeeded with the National’s feature.
He added, “I’m delighted to have won this, especially in Kentucky,” where he has been a regular in the winner’s circle at the Kentucky Horse Park.
His whole family is with him at the show, including his wife, Ali, and daughter Olivia, who was riding in the ASPCA Maclay finals the day after her father’s victory.
Last year’s National grand prix winner, Daniel Bluman of Israel, couldn’t repeat his 2022 feat, but came close in 34.14 seconds with Gemma W.
After the class he had a comment about the turbulence in the Middle East.
“I want to send my thoughts and prayers to everyone that is currently affected, by the war,” he said, referring to the situation in Israel and Gaza.
“It’s a real tragedy and we’re praying for our resolution for the hostages to come back, and for peace in a better future.”
U.S. competitor Devin Ryan, third last weekend in the 5-star World Cup qualifier at the Washington International show, earned that placing again with his long-time partner, Eddie Blue, clear in 34.22 seconds.
“He really is quite a fighter,” Devin said of Eddie.
“You know, at home in the stables and everything he has a big personality. He’s a bit cheeky and when he goes in the ring, he just loves his job. He puts his ears forward every time he goes in the ring. He likes being on the stage.”
Interestingly, the top three in the class all rode grey horses.
Devin leads the North American League standings for next year’s World Cup finals in Saudi Arabia. He has 30 points to 28 for Shane—who had never won a Cup qualifier before—and 25 for Alise Oken.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 11, 2023
The keynote address at the Rutgers Equine Science Center’s Evening of Science & Celebration will be “Welfare over Triumphs: Protecting the Juvenile Performance Horse.”
The speaker at the Nov. 9 gathering in New Brunswick is Dr. Jessica Leatherwood from Tarleton State University in Texas. Her presentation will focus on her years of research into the health and safety of the young performance horse, but won’t be centered on any particular breed or discipline. The talk will cover some of the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations for the upkeep and management of young growing performance horses.
The Evening of Science and Celebration, which runs from 6-9 p.m. is an opportunity to unite equine professionals, horse owners, farm owners and barn managers, educators and students, 4-H members and all equine enthusiasts for the purpose of learning about current projects and ongoing research initiatives being conducted at the Equine Science Center. The Center addresses horse industry issues and challenges through sound science and research.
Leatherwood joined Tarleton State University earlier this year as a faculty member in the Department of Animal Sciences, serving as an associate professor and graduate coordinator. She received her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in Animal Sciences; with her graduate programming focusing on equine nutrition and physiology.
During her time at Texas A&M, Leatherwood co-developed an international horsemanship program providing opportunities for high-impact learning experiences and obtained funding for students to participate in international experiences by conducting four-day horsemanship clinics in Europe, Oceania, and South America. She hopes to develop a similar program for students at Tarleton State University.
Dr. Karyn Malinowski, founding director of the Equine Science Center, will give her yearly update on the state of the center, along with an overview of the last year’s accomplishments.
The evening will include research updates and presentations. Taylor Palmer Jr., owner and operator of Boxwood Farms in Englishtown, N.J., will be awarded the 2024 “Spirit of the Horse” award. It recognizes individuals whose lives have been profoundly changed because of their involvement with horses and who have given back to the horse industry.
Palmer focused on the fine details of harness racehorse breeding that embraced quality over quantity; increasing awareness of the horse industry in New Jersey, including the importance of preserved farmland and open space; and served as the founding chair of the Rutgers Equine Advisory Committee (now known as the Rutgers University Board for Equine Advancement (RUBEA).
“Taylor Palmer Jr. lives and breathes New Jersey Agriculture, devoting his and his family’s entire life to breeding the best Standardbred racehorses possible”, said Malinowski.
She noted that he has served New Jersey agriculture for decades with his involvement in the state Board of Agriculture, his commitment to supporting the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey as treasurer, and as a proponent for the preservation of farmland in the Garden State.
“I am personally grateful for Taylor’s commitment to the Rutgers University Equine Science Center and its programs,” she said.
The event requires registration that can be made online at: https://go.rutgers.edu/Evening2023.
