by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 28, 2022
Tim Price of New Zealand, the number three-ranked eventer in the world, has just joined the lineup of the Mars Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill Oct. 13-16.
The world championships double bronze medalist will face off against world number one Oliver Townend of Great Britain in the competition, which made its debut last year. The 2021 winner, U.S. world championships team silver medalist Boyd Martin, will be riding in the 3-star at the competition, not the 5-star, which means he can’t defend his title.
The FEI entries close Frida, so who knows if there may be another superstar joining these riders and Great Britain’s Harry Meade, as well as France’s Astier Nicolas.
On the U.S side, Will Coleman, star of the silver medal team at the world championships this month, is going to be appearing, along with Doug Payne, top U.S. finisher in the Olympics last year; Buck Davidson, Liz Halliday-Sharp, Tamie Smith and many other names you will recognize.
Want tickets? Go to this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 21, 2022
The Masters’ Chase has become an autumn tradition, offering an afternoon of amateur racing, stick pony racing for kids, an antique car exhibition and tailgating, presented by the Countryside Alliance of the Somerset Hills.
Tailgating is a fun part of the Masters’ Chase. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
It will be held Oct. 8 at Natirar, a park that was once a private estate, on Main Street in Peapack, N.J. Gates open at noon and races start at 2 p.m. General admission is $40/car.
The mission of the Countryside Alliance is to perpetuate an understanding of the country way of life, maintaining and preserving the history and traditions of hunting with horses and hounds in the Somerset Hills and to educate the public on the proper care and breeding of hounds as well as horses.
For more information on entering the competition and reserving tailgating spaces, go to www.countrysidesh.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 26, 2022
Sale Johnson, who owned several of the USA’s top international show jumpers in the late 20th Century, has died at the age of 73 in Jupiter, Fla., after battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
The horsewoman was an active rider as well as an owner. Karen Murphy recalled getting to know Sale when her family moved to New Jersey’s Somerset Hills from Union County.
“She was super welcoming,” Karen recalled.
“We did the Essex Foxhounds hunter pace. She was like a little kid, she was so excited about it, and I was a kid, I was 11 or 12. We thought that was a big deal and it was really fun,” said Karen, who called Sale “really generous of spirit.”
Born Nancy Sale Frey in St. Louis, Mo., Sale operated her equestrian interests out of a farm in Bedminster, N.J., and was known not only as a rider, but also a golfer and philanthropist who was concerned about the welfare of animals.
A natural athlete, Sale was a leader in basketball, softball, volleyball, swimming, field hockey, and tennis. She toured nationally on the junior tennis circuit and swam in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) ranks.
At the University of Miami, she captained the varsity tennis team as a freshman. After graduation, Sale worked in real estate marketing in Miami, and served as an advisor to the Miami County School Board’s Distributive Education Program, where she helped young adults gain skills to prepare for their vocations.
In 1982, Sale moved to New York City, where she was devoted to numerous charitable and community efforts, such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Morris Animal Foundation, the Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Alzheimer’s Foundation and the Lupus Research Alliance.
Her main area of philanthropic interest was autoimmune research, particularly diabetes and lupus, two diseases that affected her immediate family. With her daughter, Casey, who died in 2010 of complications from diabetes, she co-authored “Managing Your Child’s Diabetes,” published in 1994.
She was honored for her philanthropic endeavors with several awards, including the Achievement Award for Volunteer Service from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, as well as the Rosenwald Award for Outstanding Philanthropy.
An accomplished golfer, she won several championships in that sport. Her involvement with horses included her own riding experience and extensive involvement as a patron of the sport.
Michael Matz rode her horse, Heisman, who was the number one U.S. qualifier for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Sale also owned The General, who won team bronze and individual gold with Michael at the 1995 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires. Following the retirement of her two stallions, Heisman and Golan, she ran an international horse breeding business out of the farm in Bedminster.
Sale, who died Sept. 8, is survived by her siblings, Alan and Jimm; her children, Jaime and Ava; her granddaughter, Maeve Shulman, and two ex-husbands; New York Jets owner Robert Wood Johnson IV and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad.
Donations may be made in Sale’s memory to the Lupus Research Alliance, https://www.lupusresearch.org/.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 26, 2022
The Spring Valley Hounds, which began in the New Vernon section of Harding Township, N.J., were scheduled to be hunting in a joint meet with the Amwell Valley Hounds from the Spring Valley Showgrounds Oct. 2 to commemorate the 100th year of the township’s founding.
Due to inclement weather, the meet has been postponed to Nov. 13.
The municipality was created in September 2022 from portions of Passaic Township following a referendum, and named after U.S. President Warren G. Harding. The area was once semi-rural, but as it developed, Spring Valley moved most of its operations north to Allamuchy, where there is more open space. For the last three years, however, Spring Valley has hunted in New Vernon once a year.
At the meet, Tim Brogan will be donating the scarlets that belonged to his late grandfather, Bill Keegan, a longtime supporter of Spring Valley, “in the hope of paying them forward for future riders who get their colors with SVH.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 14, 2022
After months of refurbishing and renovations under the new ownership of the Stout family, Duncraven is ready for its close-up.
The stable in Titusville, Mercer County, N.J., is holding an open house Oct. 1 from 4-7 p.m. to show off its re-do, from state-of-the-art footing to new fencing and a clubhouse where boarders can relax and get snacks.
Duncraven is being refurbished.
The stable will offer two types of board. The first is regular board for $1,595, and no requirement for training. Those who want access to amenities can pay another $400 per month.The other option is full board with access to the clubhouse for $2,195 month.
A redone barn aisle is waiting for boarders.
Those who aren’t able to make it on Oct. 1 can also see what Duncraven has to offer on Oct. 2, when it is hosting a benefit show for Kevin Babington.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 25, 2022
BP Goodfellas, bred by Kevin Babington, won the five-year-old title at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses this weekend.
The son of Stakkato Gold out of Goodwin’s Loyalty mastered a tough 16-jumping effort test set at Lanaken, Belgium by course builder Eugène Mathy. The highest obstacles were set at 1.30 meters, with eight of 47 combinations entered making the jump-off.
Gerard O’Neill and BP Goodfellas at Lanaken. (Zangersheide photo)
Rider Gerard O’Neill topped the competition in the tie-breaker with a clear round in 40.12 seconds. They edged Ristretto Vd Heffinck, ridden by Olivier van der Vaart,clocked in 40.52 seconds.
Gerard had been riding the horse only four weeks before this championship. BP Goodfellas’ regular rider had reached the maximum of three horses to ride in the championship and thus Gerard get the nod.
“I have nothing but admiration for this horse. He didn’t need, in retrospect, to jump the double, with the speed at which I entered. But he did a great job, he is a nice horse to ride with a real winner’s mentality. I also rode his mother a long time ago, so that makes a nice story. And I expect this is only the first chapter for BP Goodfellas,” said the winner.
Kevin had ridden Goodwin’s Loyalty between 2013 and 2015. They took the 1.45 meter derby at Spruce Meadows during their time together.
Stakkato Gold is the sire of Kevin’s longtime mount, Shorapur, who is doing broodmare duty at the farm of Greg Broderick where Goodfellas was foaled. Goodwin’s Loyalty is by OBOS Quality, the sire of one of the Babington family’s most successful horses, Devon grand prix winner Mark Q.
An Olympian who was a longtime member of the Irish show jumping team, Kevin suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a 2019 accident during a grand prix and has been working hard on his rehabilitation ever since. He is still in demand as a coach and is teaching on a regular basis. Goodfella’s win is great news for him, though he has no plans as yet for the horse’s next move.
