Ian, 76, is the most successful competitor over all in the history of Canadian show jumping. A 12-time Canadian National Champion, he has competed in more Olympic Games than any athlete in any sport.
“Everyone at EC (Equestrian Canada) and the Canadian team are feeling proud that Ian has chosen to share his knowledge, passion and experience in a mentorship and development role that will support the team now and into the future,” said Equestrian Canada CEO Meg Krueger.
“I think not only the athletes, but everyone, will benefit from his guidance and infinite interest in making the sport better. And we know he likes to win, too.”
Ian will be working toward preparing the Canadians to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“It has been my great honor to ride for Canada for the better part of 50 years,” said Ian, who retired from competing four years ago.
“This is my opportunity to give back and it is with further honor that I do so.”
He called his role a culmination of what he brings and what groundwork has been laid before him.
“In my time representing Canada, I have known and learned from over a dozen chefs d’equipe,” he continued. “Each of them have been great leaders in their own right and I will take that team spirit with me as I embark on this new role.”
“Over his career, Ian has developed a program that consistently produces top results in major competitions using proven principles,” said James Hood Equestrian Canada’s high performance director.
“We are grateful to have him guiding our team to be the best they can be. And we are looking forward to having him bring his leadership skills to the TA position.”
“I am very excited for the challenge,” Millar said. “I know we have some great riders and some great horses, he observed, adding he is optimistic that Canada can build a top team for Pan American Games in Chile this fall.
“These games are going to be challenging but they are our big chance to qualify for the Olympics. This is a must do and a can-do thing. Then we’ll build a team for Paris.”
Philip A. DeVita has passed away yesterday at the age of 88. Although he was a respected U.S. Equestrian Federation judge, the Apopka, Fla., resident is perhaps is best known for his hands-on involvement with horses. His email was “horseshowjunky.”
(Survivors and memorial service information are listed at the bottom of this story.)
Hunter/jumper rider Jimmy Torano posted a tribute to him, calling Phil “one of the original pioneers of our sport.”
Jimmy explained, “Everyone went to Coral Hills Farm when looking to buy a horse. Phil helped everyone, including me. I remember on several occasions as a junior, needing a horse to show. Phil always stepped up and loaned me one of his nice sale horses. And trained me. Never charged me a penny.”
The winner of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award, Phil recalled that for him, it was always about the horses.
“I didn’t want anything else. It was part of my life from the beginning,” he told me.
He had a multi-faceted career during which he sold horses to the biggest names in the business, worked as a trainer, got involved in selling horse transportation and was a highly regarded judge, retiring in 2017.
It all started when he lived in Harlem as a child and spent time with his maternal grandfather, who rented out horses and wagons by the Willis Avenue Bridge that connects Manhattan with the Bronx.
“I just loved looking at horses, and my grandfather became my first mentor,” said Phil, who went to auctions with him and developed a sharp eye for conformation. That served him well when he started buying and selling horses.
At age 12, he helped with horses during the summer at a riding academy in upstate New York.
Unlike many kids growing up in the 1930s and ‘40s who wanted to ride western because they idolized cowboy heroes such as Tom Mix or Gene Autry, Phil focused on hunters and jumpers.
“I just had a feeling it would be a great industry someday, and I wanted to be a part of that,” he explained. He didn’t take riding lessons; rather, he learned by observation.
“I was in the era with Benny O’Meara. The fellow that was a great mentor to all of us at that time was Herman Kaplan. He was probably the best blacksmith, the best horseman, I’ve ever known,” observed Phil.
One of his top horses was Colombo, who showed in the conformation division with Rodney Jenkins and DeVita’s son, Philip, who is himself a prominent judge, course designer and horse show manager.
Another favorite was Mink ‘n’ Pearls, purchased as a weanling, who went on to stardom with Bernie Traurig. He also had No Alibi and You Watch, horses he bred and raised.
Phil got involved in judging because he wanted to give back to the industry, hence his help for Jimmy Torano and others, including Margie Goldstein.
He is survived by his sons, Philip John DeVita (Mary Beth) and Travis DeVita, daughters, Deborah Ann Omerovic (Selmir) and Denise DeVita ; a sister, Angela Pear (Meir); grandchildren, Anthony Joseph DeVita, Philip John DeVita, Jr., Joseph John DeVita, Alecia Damico, Deidra Slachter and William Gallagher, as well as several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial ceremony will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Mount Dora, Fla., on Monday, March 27 at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation,
2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, New York 10306; www.t2t.org/donate
I always thought of Jimmy Wofford as the irreplaceable man. Jimmy, who died today after a long struggle with cancer, held the status of legend befitting his expertise in a variety of roles.
He was a doer who checked all the boxes; few lives are as well-lived and appreciated as his. And right up until nearly the very end, he made the most of the time he had left, visiting family and friends in England, going fishing and enjoying his Fox Covert Farm in Virginia.
(NOTE: Jimmy’s funeral has now been set for 11 a.m. Feb. 24 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 9108 John S Mosby Highway in Upperville, Va. Donations in his memory may be made to the Piedmont Fox Hounds Conservation Fund c/o Box 592 Upperville, VA 20185 or The National Sporting Library,102 The Plains Road,Middleburg ,VA 20117.)
Heavily influenced by his military heritage, he grew up on a farm next to the Fort Riley, Kansas, Army base, where the U.S. cavalry trained. His father, Col. John Wofford, was an Olympian who rode on the U.S. army show jumping team in the 1932 Olympics.
Jimmy went on to get Olympic and world championships medals in eventing. He then became a coach, generously sharing his knowledge of the sport to the benefit of horse and rider, whether in person or through the books he wrote.
There likely isn’t an eventer who wasn’t influenced in some way by this master horseman.
Jimmy going cross-country on Carawich.
Swapping his riding clothes for a business suit, he moved seamlessly into equestrian governance, becoming a most effective president of the American Horse Shows Association, the predecessor of the U.S. Equestrian Federation. He also served as a vice president of the U.S. Equestrian Team.
His great sense of humor was a treat for every audience when he served as an after-dinner speaker or a master of ceremonies at the U.S. Eventing awards presentations.
A real student of history, he used that to tailor his perspective on the world. An engaging writer, he produced several technical equestrian books.
But his finest effort was “Horse Crazy After All These Years,” his life story that was both motivational and entertaining. It’s a history as much as it is a biography, because Jimmy lived through all the changes in U.S. horse sport that brought us from the army teams to today’s very different world.
Jimmy’s heyday in the sport was at a point in time when endurance and guts, as much as talent, were the keys to victory. And he had all three.
As an outdoorsman, he enjoyed going fishing with his dog, shooting and fox hunting.
Last month, he left his home for the final time to attend a meet of the Piedmont Fox Hounds, greeting the masters and thoroughly enjoying the action, despite the burden of being on oxygen. His friend, Jim Wolf, took him there, reporting that “everyone in the hunt field came by and said hello and the hounds came up to him. It was nice.”
Jim and Jimmy were like brothers. They had traveled the world together and engaged in their share of shenanigans.
“What do you say about someone like Jimmy, who’s an icon of the sport?” asked Jim.
“He made so many contributions it would be hard to catalogue them. It just goes on and on.”
Added Jim, “He got some really good years after the diagnosis, and he went after it. He did not feel sorry for himself. He had a long time to say goodbye; he hadn’t left anything undone or unsaid.”
Jimmy will be mourned by many, including me. He was a loyal friend, a faithful correspondent and a continuing inspiration. But as his daughter, Hillary Jones, told me, we can take comfort because he is now at peace after his grueling final battle.
Jimmy enjoying one of his favorite pastimes, fishing with his Labrador Retriever by his side. (Photo courtesy Jim Wolf)
He leaves Gail, his wife of 56 years; Hillary and her sister, Jennifer Ince, and four grandsons.
Funeral arrangements are in italics above, but I also would count on some kind of tribute at the Kentucky Horse Park during the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in April.
Dressage trainer Debbie McDonald, who was at the helm of the team that took silver at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, has been named the U.S. technical advisor for the discipline through the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The announcement comes 13 months after her technical advisor contract was not renewed by the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
She has operated as a private trainer in the interim, with a group of clients including her longtime associate Adrienne Lyle.
Adrienne, the USEF’s International Rider of the Year for 2022, now is the top-ranked U.S. dressage rider, 10th in the world standings.
Last year, there was no U.S. technical advisor for the world championships in Denmark, where the team finished sixth to qualify for Paris, but was out of the medals.
Debbie will be focusing on training support and collaborating with riders’ personal coaches over the next 18 months in the run-up to team selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“The team’s achievement in Tokyo was such an incredible moment for our program, and over the last year I’ve felt a fire and drive to want to get our athletes back on the podium in Paris,” said Debbie.
“I’m so passionate about the potential of our athletes and combinations, and it’s my intention to make sure we’re doing everything we can to produce the absolute best results possible in Paris. I’m very motivated and feel incredibly supported to help our athletes work towards that goal over the next year and half.”
In the technical advisor role, Debbie will work closely with USEF Managing Director of Dressage Hallye Griffin and High-Performance & Pathway Development Advisor George Williams on preparation, planning, and training, as well as providing on-the-ground training support through the Paris Games.
Debbie has been an integral piece of the program’s success over the last decade, with multiple podium finishes at the championship level, including the Olympic Games, the FEI World Championships and the Pan American Games.
She began working for USEF as the Dressage Development coach and continued to support pathway development through her appointment as technical advisor in 2019. An Olympian who earned team bronze at the Athens 2004 Games with her special mount, Brentina, she is a double gold medalist from the 1999 Pan American Games. In 2003, she was the first American rider to win the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final.
Debbie’s contract was not renewed in 2021 after a lawsuit was filed against her and her husband, Bob. He had been suspended by USEF when allegations dating back nearly a half-century were made to SafeSport. After SafeSport arbitration, the case was closed and Bob was reinstated. The civil matter–for which the couple never had been served–was dismissed.
When you think of family projects, perhaps painting the living room, cleaning the garage or planting a garden comes to mind. But for Natalee and Steve Herrig; their daughter, Hannah, and her husband, Zach Ketelboeter, the family project is being produced on a grander and altogether different scale.
It’s a state-of-the-art horse show facility, rising from an old cattle pasture similar to the properties you can still see on the drive of a half-hour or so from glamorous Sarasota on Florida’s west coast. The still-rural location offers a contrast to the busy tourist destination city with its famous Gulf beaches, high-end stores and wonderful restaurants, but it’s close enough to allow exhibitors access to those features.
When the family started its work, there was nothing on the property they had bought, just over the Sarasota County line in Manatee County. Hannah and Zach named it TerraNova after two of their horses, Terra and Nova, but the name was doubly appropriate because it means “new land” in Latin.
Eventually, the showgrounds will be surrounded by housing, estates particularly suitable for horse lovers who want to enjoy their animals in the country, while being close enough to Sarasota that it’s easy to hop over for shopping or dinner.
Steve, whose businesses include workers’ compensation insurance, handed the equestrian portion of the project over to Hannah, an eventer turned dressage rider who has a degree from the University of Florida in communications and leadership fulfillment. Her husband is experienced in construction and stable management.
Natalee is part of the effort as well, handling community outreach and charitable initiatives. Since TerraNova opened last year, it has hosted not only jumper shows, but dressage competitions and eventing as well.
Although the facility had no track record in eventing, it immediately received dates from the U.S. Equestrian Federation for those competitions, because it has not only a specialist operations team experienced in the discipline, but also demonstrated the ability to accomplish what the family set out to do.
The ambitious TerraNova endeavor continues its growth, with a permanent VIP pavilion, a new show office under construction and permanent stables for the horses shipping in to compete. The barns are state-of-the-art, with a high-ceilinged design that maximizes air circulation, as well as stall fans, LED lights and “mattresses” cushioning the stall floors to insure horses get a comfortable night’s rest.
I asked Steve how he feels now that his vision has gone from imagination to reality, and he swiftly but politely corrected me. Listen to what he and the rest of his family had to say in this video.
Florida isn’t always as balmy as it is portrayed in the commercials suggesting that you come on down. There was a recent cold snap in the Sarasota area (you can hear the wind blowing in the videos above and below) but the organizers were quick to move the VIP facility back toward the comfort zone with heaters whose flames danced as showgoers gathered around them.
Trainer Michele Grubb, who has been nominated for the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, has added TerraNova to her list of showing destinations.
“The footing is great, the management is great, the new barns are absolutely spectacular, the VIP is lovely. There’s nothing more you could ask here for the horses, exhibitors, the spectators. The only thing, it is very far from the hotels,” she said, noting that makes it difficult for people, including grooms,who are staying in motels closer to Sarasota if they need to be present at the showgrounds late at night or early in the morning. Cabins and other onsite accommodations are part of the venue’s plan, but there is no completion timeline for them as yet.
Irish rider Jonathan Corrigan, based in Wellington on the east coast of Florida, showed at TerraNova last year as well as in 2023, noting that it can hold its own among the many shows in the state.
“They were brave building this with everything else that’s going on,” he pointed out, while mentioning that Florida’s west coast has less in the way of showgrounds than the Ocala/Wellington axis.
“I know we’re planning on coming back a couple of times this year,” he said.
A Winter Equestrian Festival regular at Wellington, Jonathan commented that at TerraNova, “The classes are easier, a little bit softer, They’re still competitive enough, but there definitely is less pressure. If you want to come and bring an FEI horse or two and then bring a couple of young horses, it’s a great place to do it.”
When I wondered if he could evaluate TerraNova in relation to the lavish World Equestrian Center in Ocala, he pointed out, “WEC is pretty much finished and these guys are just getting started, so it would be hard to compare them just yet.”
Olga Zarlenga, who is going to be barn manager at TerraNova, was manager of the show jumping at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
She noted one important aspect of the new facility is that “They’re listening to the riders” about what they want,” which doesn’t always happen elsewhere.
As to its location, she said, “Everything starts from somewhere.” As an example, she mentioned that “Ocala was, okay, it’s horse country, but suddenly WEC was there and everybody wants to go there.”
The TerraNova show jumping competitions this winter, which include competitions rated 2 stars by the FEI (international equestrian federation), are being run by the Split Rock Tour. It was founded by Derek Braun, who put his riding career aside so he could focus on his efforts on advancing the sport with an updated perspective.
Split Rock’s event manager, Mike Belisle, was also involved in developing the TerraNova concept. He is delighted with the growth of the site and its shows. Hear what he had to say in the video below.
One innovation that gained instant popularity is Natalee’s project, Tiny Town. This miniature village complete with a child-sized veterinary clinic and market is a magnet for kids when they get tired of watching horses jump.
The vendor area is still a work in progress, with only a few tents selling vests and saddlery. There undoubtedly will be more vendors when there are more spectators.
Emilien Rieyre is based in Wellington with Voltaire Design, but wanted to come over and see what TerraNova was about. He had a conclusion about the venue that was similar to that of many other people I spoke with there.
“It’s really different but it’s beautiful,” he said.
Equestrian Land Conservation Resource is offering a program on equestrian trails at 10 a.m. EDT Wednesday Feb. 8. Among the panelits is ELCR Executive Director Holley Groshek, on why public equestrian trails are important to outdoor recreation, considerations for building and maintaining trails, safety measures when sharing the trail, working with equestrian groups in your area and more.
The audience for this presentation could include outdoor planning professionals, city managers, tourism and parks/recreation departments, as well as anyone in the general public interested in preserving outdoor access.
