by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 2, 2022
A mere six and one-half months before the Eventing World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, the U.S. Equestrian Federation is looking for an interim chef d’equpe who will serve as team manager for that competition and several other events.
Erik Duvander, who was performance manager and chef d’equpe from 2017 until last fall, departed when his contract was not renewed. USEF failed to give a reason for not continuing with him, a strategy that led to all sorts of speculation.
Erik Duvander and Boyd Martin. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
It seemed an odd decision, considering the program really started hitting its stride near the end of 2021, with a good team finish abroad, an individual victory at Aachen by Will Coleman and the first 5-star victory since 2008 by an American when Boyd Martin overtook world number one Oliver Townend of Britain to win at Fair Hill.
The Performance Advisory Team and the Eventing Elite Task Force appointed in January have come up with a job description for the interim person, with priority one involving qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics through the team’s performance at Pratoni.
For the Tokyo Olympics, the team did not qualify at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games and made the cut instead by winning double gold (Boyd Martin) at the 2019 Pan American Games.
The number two priority is earning medals.
The duties of the chef will include keeping track of the athletes’ personal trainer/coach support, and competition plans, while assisting with the development of a cross “team” of staff, grooms, owners and athletes.The chef also will assist with development and implementation of the World Championships logistics plan, and with developing and implementing a communications and public relations plan around the World Championships, while “ensuring athletes project a positive image.”
The chef is expected to attend many events, including the Kentucky 5-star, Aachen, and the Pratoni test event, if possible.
Ironically, many experienced team riders are now getting instruction from Erik, who is back in the U.S. as a private trainer.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 23, 2022
The U.S. Equestrian Federation today announced an agreement for the World Equestrian Centers (WEC) to operate USEF licensed hunter/jumper and dressage competitions at its venues in Wilmington, Ohio and Ocala, Fla. The shows will begin next month pending execution of finalized license agreements.
USEF and WEC have been at odds over show dates since before WEC Ocala opened last year. When Roby Roberts, who runs WEC, didn’t get all the dates he wanted originally, he turned to the National Snaffle Bit Association for his shows’ governing body during the winter series.
And after finally getting USEF dates for last summer, he gave them back and went with National Snaffle Bit again. Having USEF rule against his efforts to host a show in Ohio in place of Devon–cancelled due to Covid restrictions– didn’t make for warm relations. So this is a breakthrough.
WEC weighed in on the decision this way: “After much discussion between the organizations, both parties agree that working together is in the best interest of the sport and will provide exhibitors with a safe and level playing field at both venues. In addition, the move aims to provide WEC customers with access to the best facilities and the ability to earn points for both invitational events, indoors and year-end points-based awards supported by the USEF.
“The Wilmington, Ohio, facility will begin with week XII (March 2-6) of its Winter in the Midwest hunter/jumper indoor circuit as a USEF sanctioned event, and for the remaining weeks of the shows which run through April 10, 2022.
“The World Equestrian Center Ocala will run hunter/jumper horse show dates sanctioned by the organization starting in June. The facility currently hosts national level dressage events sanctioned by the USEF as well, and plans to reintroduce CDI and FEI-level events in the near future. Announcements with more detail on specific show ratings will be forthcoming.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 26, 2022
Cassandra Kahle is “working hard” on recovering from a traumatic brain injury she suffered last month when her horse fell in a jump-off. The 29-year-old professional show jumper is in rehab at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.
“She has a lot to do to make her way back,” reported Emil Spadone, the owner of Redfields Farm in Califon,N.J. and Ocala, Fla., where Cassie works.
“But it’s her nature to work hard. We don’t realize how we take the most simple tasks for granted until you cannot do them,” he continued.
‘”Her therapies include working hard at regaining everyday life and becoming stronger to bring herself back. We are positive her efforts over the next month will bring us good results.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 25, 2022
With Donatella M, the warm-up is the hardest part of competing.
“She’s completely terrified of the other horses,” said her owner/rider, Alice Tarjan, who is competing at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival.
“It’s been a problem her whole life. She’s really honest about it. but you’ll go down and try to do a line of changes and if there’s another horse even coming across, she just shuts down. There’s nothing you can do, except stop and try to get out of the way. it makes the warm-up a little worrisome.”
Alice Tarjan is an expert at keeping her cool in the warmup, no matter what happens. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
But there’s a plus side to the equation, as we saw today when Donatella was marked at an impressive 74.347 percent for the FEI grand prix performance on the national side of this week’s show in Wellington, Fla. The score was by far the highest in the class, but because Alice rode as an amateur, she was marked only against one other amateur rider for her blue ribbon.
With Donatella, “The good thing is, if she’s so terrified in the warm-up, by the time you get in the ring, she’s really happy,” since she’s alone at that point, explained Alice, who is based in Oldwick, N.J., but spends four months in Loxahatchee, Fla., every year.
“If you put her in the stadium, she’s relaxed in there compared to the warm-up. I’ve learned if I can’t get my changes in the warm-up not to panic, because she’ll do it in the ring. They all have their own thing. When she goes in the ring, she does her job.”
Alice bought the 11-year-old Oldenburg as a 4-year-old. The mare, who is by Furstenball out of a Jazz Time mare, had a foal a few years ago, but now has settled into a performance career. Trainer Marcus Orlob of Annandale, N.J., was on hand to offer comments during the warm-up, where I was impressed at the way Alice handled Donatella’s little quirks, not looking the least bit flustered.
That’s Alice, who doesn’t let a horse’s mood faze her.
Donatella behaves once competition is under way. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Whatever it is, you’ve got to ride it. Emotion plays no part in this sport. It’s just wasted energy,” Alice believes.
“It doesn’t change the situation. Whatever the situation is ,you’ve got to deal with it so you might as well think rationally and keep your head on your shoulders.”
Lars Petersen, a Danish Olympian (now an American citizen) who also has had a hand in training Alice, admires the way she handles her horses, no matter how challenging.
“She’s on them if they’re wild or not wild, she’s not a wimp,” he said.
“She’s amazing. She makes her own horses; she rides them from young horses and trains them up to Grand Prix.”
Alice calls Donatella, “A work in progress.” She wanted to compete her in international classes this week, but the mare developed hives (“it’s a Florida thing, they all get hives at some point”) and couldn’t give her the requisite medication for the skin problem if she went in the 3-star CDI. So she will wait until next week and enter her in World Cup classes.
Donatella is a star when it’s time to perform. ( Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
She’s not planning on trying for the World Cup finals this year; it’s too late in the season to think of it. But she’s interested in the prospect next year, when the finals will be in Omaha.
Alice isn’t one to plan too far ahead, though. She just enjoys being in the moment and having the opportunity to spend time in Florida during the winter.l
“It’s beautiful weather and you get to ride horses and that’s what I love to do,” she said.
“So life is good.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 26, 2022
An outbreak of EHV-1 has led to cancellation of four hunter/jumper shows and one dressage show at the Desert International Horse Park in California.
Steve Hankin, the venue’s CEO, said it is disappointing to cancel the rest of the season but “for now, our focus has to be on the care and safety of the horses here under isolation and quarantine and for those horses needing a home during this infection.
“The horse park will remain open for all of these horses, especially those unable to find an appropriate place for further quarantine or where transport creates additional risk, until we are through this infection. We will take every precaution to continue to protect the horses here until we close for the season. We’ll be back in the fall for the 2022/2023 season and look forward to welcoming everyone back.”
Last week, another horse has been euthanized in the wave of EHV-1 cases that led to requirements for handling horses to avoid contagion. He was the third to be put down in connection with the outbreak.
The horse was a 20-year-old warmblood gelding in Los Angeles County, where he had attended a show last week He displayed neurological signs Feb. 22 was confirmed positive for Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) secondary to equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1 non-neuropathogenic strain) Feb. 24. The horse was euthanized due to severity of clinical signs, according to the Equine Disease Communicatoin Center.
Three horses that had attended an event in Riverside County, Calif., and then returned home ran a fever with no neurologic signs but were confirmed positive for EHV-1. The horses in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Mateo counties have been isolated and will be quarantined at home, along with any exposed companions. Three additional horses on the index event premise, outside of the index quarantine barn, displaying fever only with no neurologic signs were confirmed positive for EHV-1
Meanwhile on the east coast, Equestrian Sport Productions that runs the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and Winter Equestrian Festival on Feb. 23 instituted strict new protocols for anyone shipping horses into the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and any new back numbers processed will be required to sign a declaration stating that the horses entering the facility are healthy and have not been in a California competition after Jan. 28.
An outbreak of EHV-1 in Europe last year led to a massive cancellation of shows.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 13, 2022
Those who have cancer or survived the disease can take advantage of a free therapeutic program, Horses for Healing, involving bonding with equines at Mane Stream in Oldwick this spring.
The mission of Mane Stream, which is marking its 50th anniversary, is to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges. That is achieved through equine-assisted activities, therapy services and educational initiatives.
The cancer program aids in recovery through helping participants to relax and lessen their stress level. It involves not only riding, but also horse care and grooming, as well as interacting with others in the same situation and volunteers.
Riding helps develop balance and coordination, while improving body awareness. Through weekly lessons, stability and coordination will improve, helping participants communicate with the horse and positively impact their daily life.
Mane Stream instructors are certified by PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) and have strong backgrounds in horsemanship. They are all trained in first aid and CPR. A key element of the Horses for Healing team is the group of specially trained volunteers, many of whom have their own cancer journeys.
For more information or to register, click here.here
