by Nancy Jaffer | May 5, 2022
The inability to come to a “mutually acceptable agreement” with one of the landowners on whose property the Millbrook Horse Trials is staged has led to cancellation of the Aug. 4-7 competition in New York.
“This will be a disappointment to many, especially in our own community of Millbrook” the organizers announced.
“As the only Area I eventing competition that offers all levels, from local beginners to the very top international competitors, MHT is an important summer fixture for competitors and spectators”.
The plan was to expand on last year’s event. The U.S. Eventing Association is “committed to assist Millbrook to make sure that this incredibly important event continues into the future,” said USEA President Max Corcoran ,
“We will work with the organizers of Millbrook to solve this and make sure that the event is viable.”
The board stated, “We are committed and hopeful that the horse trials will return to the eventing calendar for 2023.”
by Nancy Jaffer | May 14, 2022
Michael Barisone finally has been moved from the Morris County Correctional Facility to the Anne Klein Forensic Center for evaluation.
Though he was supposed to leave the jail in Morristown shortly after being found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity on April 14, the delay of nearly a month in his transfer means a hearing on his fate will not be held as originally scheduled May 17. He will be evaluated at Anne Klein in West Trenton, but he will have to spend two weeks in isolation there first.
Michael Barisone hopes to be riding again soon. ((Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The evaluation and subsequent hearing will determine whether he is a danger to himself or others, and if he can pick up the threads of his life again.
The dressage trainer was charged with two counts of attempted murder involving the tenants at his Long Valley Farm. Lauren Kanarek was shot twice during an August 7, 2019 encounter with Barisone when he confronted her and her boyfriend, Robert Goodwin, as he sought to evict them. The not guilty by reason of insanity verdict applied to the attempted murder charge involving Kanarek,as well as a charge of possessing a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
Barisone was found not guilty of attempted murder and possession of a weapon in connection with Goodwin.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 5, 2022
The owners of Brannon Farm in Georgetown, Ky., north of Lexington are struggling with the loss of every horse in their barn as it burned to the ground about 1 a.m. on the morning of May 1. There were 25 horses killed in the blaze, along with dogs, cats and a goat. A lot of equipment also was destroyed.
When the fire department got there, the barn was “fully engulfed,” said Billy Jarrell, a family friend.
He said the stable was founded in the 1960s by Marie Brannon and her late husband, Sam, a horse trainer who is member of the United Professional Horsemen’s Association Hall of Fame. Their daughter, Nancy, is the trainer there, along with John McKeown. The stable focuses on saddlebreds and saddleseat riding. A lesson program, primarily for children, is the main part of the business.
It is believed the fire was sparked by lightning, but an official cause has yet to be determined, according to Jarrell, a U.S. Equestrian Federation licensed official.
He said the lesson horses were outside at the time of the fire, so they survived. A stable owner in Versailles, which also is in the Lexington/Fayette County metro area, has offered her facility so Nancy Brannon can continue the business, and may be able to resume work next week. Jarrell said people also are donating tack and other equipment.
Those who want to donate such items may contact Jarrell at 859-509-1503. He noted Nancy Brannon is overwhelmed by the support from the community.
A GoFundMe page was started to assist the Brannons and deal with costs not covered by insurance. Click on this link to donate.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 11, 2022
A memorial service will be held Tuesday May 17 at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 404 North Alamo St., San Antonio, Texas for Helen Kleberg Groves, who was raised on the famed King Ranch.
An honorary lifetime trustee of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, she died in San Antonio May 6 at the age of 94. Among her children is grand prix show jumper Dorothy (D.D.) Matz, the wife of race horse trainer and former show jumper Michael Matz.
Known as Helenita, she graduated from the Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Va., and attended Vassar College. She was passionate about ranching, fine horses, and family. She was a crack shot with her Colt pistol, often bettering the men around her and continued to be a keen and accurate dove and quail hunter into her nineties.
Helen Kleberg Groves
Helenita ranched her entire life, from overseeing King Ranch’s Buck and Doe Run Valley Farms in Chester County, Pa., to her own Silverbrook Farms in Staunton, Va., to Silverbrook Ranches in Texas, she focused on raising the best Santa Gertrudis cattle and Quarter Horses in the country.
She campaigned many champion cutting horses, including Miss Peppy Also and Pay 21. She was a skilled rider and loved competing across the country, winning many championship buckles and collecting limitless friends along the way. Known as the “First Lady of Cutting,” she was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1998.
Thoroughbreds were also a lifelong passion. She led King Ranch’s Assault into the winner’s circle after his 1946 Triple Crown victory, and went on to breed, own, and race numerous horses that carried her rust and lavender silks throughout her life.
She co-bred and owned the champion filly Althea, who won the Arkansas Derby, as well as numerous other Grade I winners such as Serape, Free Drop Billy, and Hawkbill. Later in life, she could be found in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in August, enjoying the races and regaling all around her with her tales from decades past.
A lifelong learner, interested in numerous subjects including history, politics, the arts and the sciences, Helenita was a voracious reader with a steely memory. She enjoyed lunching with many of the prominent scientists from the institutions she supported, continuously expanding her broad intellect. She also was devoted to her strong corps of “Monday Night Ladies,” who are known to be the catalysts for much of the important charitable and political work done in San Antonio.
Helenita was a philanthropist, who took her service very seriously. She served as president of the Robert J. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation until 2020 and continued on the board until her death. Additionally, she served on the boards of educational institutions as well as the National Sporting Library and Museum, in Middleburg, Va.
Her knowledge and acumen as a rancher, horsewoman, and cattle breeder made her an indispensable member and leader on many boards, including the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the National Cutting Horse Association and her beloved King Ranch, where she served as a director from 1956-1988, and where her influence was felt for the remainder of her life.
Predeceased by her ex-husband, Dr. John Deaver Alexander, and her second husband, Lloyd L. Groves. Helenita is survived by five children in addition to Dorothy: Helen C. Alexander, Emory A. Hamilton (Fred), John D. Alexander (Claire), Caroline A. Forgason, Henrietta K. Alexander. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Deaver, Cadell, and Robert “Berto” Alexander, Helen H. Cottingham (Charlie), James Forgason, Laird George, and Alex, Lucy, Robert, and Arthur Matz.
Honorary pallbearers will be Deaver, Cadell, and Berto Alexander, Helen Cottingham, James Forgason, Laird George, Alex, Lucy, Robert and Arthur Matz.
The family would also like to recognize the extraordinary care her caregivers provided late in her life, especially Araceli Sutherland, Flor Smith, Dominique Palomo, Julieta Chavez, Ana Cardoza, Stephanie Sutherland, Jessie Gutierrez, and Karel Hoffman.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the King High Historical Foundation, the National Sporting Library and Museum, or any of the charities Helenita supported throughout her life.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 19, 2022
The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association announced that an email “phishing” scam has targeted some members with messaging that appears to originate from USHJA. The organization is providing guidance on what can be done to protect against this.
The email to which USHJA was alerted was sent with the subject line “charity campaign” from an @ushja.com address, which is not a legitimate USHJA email account. These emails are fraudulent and should be considered malicious. If you have received this email or something similar, take these steps:
• Do not click on any links in the email
• Report an email like this to ftc.gov or by forwarding to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org
• Mark the email as SPAM with your inbox provider
Also, USHJA wants you to know the following about emails it sends out:
• We will always include our physical address in emails we send. This is located at the bottom of the emails.
• We will always provide a way for you to opt out of receiving communications from us, though we hope you won’t opt out. You can manage what emails you receive from us at the bottom of every email we send, under “Manage Preferences.”
• We will always disclose a sponsor relationship if we are sending an email on behalf of a sponsor, and it will still come from us.
• We will never solicit you for funds related to another individual member. As a 501(c)3, we are not permitted to raise funds for an individual.
• We will never ask you to provide credit card or social security numbers via email.
• We will never solicit donations or payment through a third party payment service such as PayPal, Venmo or Zelle.
While phishing scams are common in today’s environment, there are steps you can take to help avoid them:
• Beware of emails with major typos or formatting issues
• Don’t trust unsolicited email
• Be cautious of email attachments
• Be sure your antivirus software is up to date
• Install a personal firewall and keep it up to date
• Configure your email client for security
by Nancy Jaffer | May 12, 2022
Did you miss watching the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star three-day event? Or did you enjoy watching it so much you’d like to see highlights again?
NBC television will be presenting the event Saturday May 14 at 1 p.m. Eastern time. Tune in to watch the masterful riding of superstar Michael Jung and the technique of his amazing mount, fischerChipmunk FRH. Cheer on Doug Payne, the highest-placed American rider and enjoy the opportunity to see competitors from around the world.
Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk master cross-country. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Commentary by Olympic gold medalist Melanie Smith Taylor will offer insight into the action as one of the world’s toughest competitions unfolds. Enjoy seeing the beauty of the Kentucky Horse Park in the spring as a bonus.
