by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 5, 2022
The Nebraska stable owned by Canadian equestrian team veteran show jumper Karen Cudmore and her husband, Blair, burned early last Thursday in a horrific blaze believed to be accidental, leaving one barn worker dead and a firefighter in the hospital.
The barn worker was identified as Nate Dietrich, 32,who opened several stall doors before succumbing to the smoke. His body was found near the wash rack. The horses that were rescued first lived in the stalls where he had opened the doors. Donations for his family may be made here. (Note that his first name was William but he went by Nate.) With the Cudmores’ approval, the foundation will pay for Nate’s funeral.
Twelve horses died in the blaze itself and although 10 Heartland Farm horses were rescued, seven were euthanized as a result of the fire. The dead horses included Coneja, Karen’s grand prix mount, who had just won a competition at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala before heading home, and retiree Southern Pride, whom Karen rode in the 2010 World Cup Finals.
Karen Cudmore and Southern Pride (Photo by Cealey Tetley/courtesy Equestrian Canada.
The Nebraska Equine Clinic worked to save the remaining horses at a barn across the street from the structure that burned. Volunteers took shifts to help with caring for the horses being treated. The surviving horses have now been taken to the clinic for further care, while volunteers are still working with them.
Horses living in the pastures that were taken to other sites because there was no water available for them at Heartland due to the fire have been returned to the farm since the well there is now in working order.
The Omaha Equestrian Foundation has set up a fund to help the Cudmores, who will have to deal with bills for veterinary care and rebuilding their business.
According to Lisa Roskens, the organizer of the 2017 Omaha FEI World Cup finals and a member of the Omaha Equestrian Foundation board, the Foundation will work with the family to figure out how to allocate donations (some also are being made to a GoFundMe site) to include Nate Dietrich’s survivors as well.
Click on this link to make a tax-deductible donation, but be sure to specify the contribution this way “To benefit Heartland Farms/Cudmore”.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 18, 2022
California’s Desert International Horse Park is taking the cautious route after an outbreak of EHV-1 (equine herpes virus) on the premises and is closing access to new arrivals for at least the next week.
Individuals with horses that are currently in transit will be turned away if possible, but daily haul-in horses and riders cannot come to the horse park until further notice.
The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) confirmed three cases of non-neurologic EHV-1 at the park as this situation unfolded. Of the three original horses in isolation, two have now tested negative. There are three additional positive cases, but all were horses that earlier in the week tested negative. All are stable and currently asymptomatic. Two horses with fevers developed neurological symptoms. One of these was euthanized Feb. 18.
The facility will run a modified horse show for the people who are on the property already. With a smaller show, Horse Park President and CEO Steve Hankin said, “We can spread out the rings to minimize congregation of horses and the potential for nose-to-nose contact. We will issue a revised schedule over the weekend, but we do know for sure that we will not run FEI next week.
“In the end, we have decided to have a smaller horse show for the horses on the property,” as opposed to cancelling the show completely.
Although it would be best if non-quarantined horses stayed on the property to allow for the additional time needed to monitor and limit the potential spread of EHV-1, Steve said he understands if customers decide to leave.
“We would strongly encourage anyone who decides to leave to follow the recommended bio-security guidelines of USEF (U.S. Equestrian Federation) and CDFA and segregate their horses for seven days and continue to do temperature checks twice a day during this period.”
He added, “We are as disappointed and concerned as everyone with the emergence of EHV-1 on the property. Each time we send out a test and wait for results or pick up the phone and learn of another sick horse, as happened last night, my heart sinks.”
Noting there are “things each of us can do to help reduce the risk of outbreaks,” Steve added, “We are committed to do our part now and in the future to share and inform everyone of the important best practices we can each adopt for the safety of our horses.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 23, 2021
A group of distinguished riders are offering lessons in an auction designed to benefit Kevin Babington, the Olympic show jumper left paralyzed by a fall in competition nearly 2 and 1/2 years ago.
Though Kevin has made some progress since the accident, which is encouraging, the pace has been slow and costly. His care and rehab are very expensive. He is able to give lessons, as does his tireless wife, Dianna, but much more is required.
Kevin Babington was always a popular winner. (Photo © 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)
That is where you come in.Why not provide a benefit for his foundation while providing a benefit for yourself by learning from such great equestrians as Captain Canada, Ian Millar; Olympic gold medalist, world champion and World Cup winner Rodrigo Pessoa and Irish star Shane Sweetnam, as well as Kevin himself.
Click on this link to see how to bid.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 14, 2022
The way forward for the USA to achieve top level eventing aspirations will be examined by a new panel, the Eventing Elite Program Task Force, which includes some of the discipline’s biggest names, announced today by the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Riders such as Aachen winner Will Coleman and Lynn Symansky will be working with Olympic cross-country course designer Derek di Grazia, U.S. Eventing Association President Max Corcoran, U.S. developing eventing coach Leslie Law, who won Olympic gold for his native Great Britain, will work with representatives of other interests in the sport. That includes Christine Turner, who owns several of Boyd Martin’s horses, and physician Dr. Mark Hart.
Olympic course designer Derek di Grazia is on the new U.S. eventing task force. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The task force will be aided by a facilitator in figuring out the best procedures for moving the U.S. eventers toward earning their first Olympic team medal since 2004. Erik Duvander, who held the performance manager title from 2017 until last month, did not have his contract renewed.
There is a question as to who should lead the effort to get the country’s eventing effort back on track. Will it be a coach, someone more akin to a team manager or perhaps a person playing another role? USEF Director of Sport Will Connell is going to act as the staff liaison for the task force.
The task force has to work fast, with the world championships in Italy on the horizon this summer, and the 2004 Paris Olympics on the horizon as well.
USEF is eager for input from its constituency, asking that all comments be directed to the USEF Eventing Elite Program Task Force on email, EEPTaskForce@usef.org.
Others on the task force are riders Ariel Grald, Liz Halliday-Sharp, and Eric Markell, one of the owners of Tamie Smith’s Mai Baum. USEF President Tom O’Mara and CEO Bill Moroney will attend all the meetings. USEF also is looking for a managing director of eventing to fill the vacancy left by Jenni Autry.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 23, 2022
There’s a question about whether the FEI World Cup finals will be able to run this spring in Leipzig, Germany, because of the Covid situation and resulting government restrictions. A number of indoor shows in Europe already have been cancelled or are being held without spectators. The latest cancellation, announced today, is Gothenburg, Sweden.
Will there be enough qualifiers in Western Europe to enable a finals, or will it be cancelled for the third year in a row? Central Europe had a full complement of qualifiers, and North America is also on the way to completing its lineup.
But if you’re looking for a sure thing, bet on Omaha’s Cup finals.
McLain Ward won the Longines FEI Jumping Final in 2017, the last time it was in Omaha. (Photo © 20217by Nancy Jaffer)
The Nebraska city that held a universally praised finals in dressage and jumping in 2017 is doing more than an encore next year. Not only will it be offering the dressage and show jumping Cup finals, it is adding vaulting. If you haven’t seen the gymnastics on horseback, you’re in for a treat–especially when it comes to the costumed freestyles.
Costumes and artistic grace are highlights of vaulting that make it intriguing for spectators. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
But if you want the best seats and perks in Omaha April 4-8 next year at the CHI Health Center Arena and Convention Center, you need to make plans. There’s an April 1, 2022 deadline to purchase or upgrade your membership in the World Cup Club. Extras include a private reception and discounts on merchandise.
To join, click on this link and fill out the form.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 21, 2022
As the International Modern Pentathlon Union debates what should replace show jumping in its sport line-up for the 2024 Paris Olympics (apparently some sort of cross-country obstacle race is being considered), German prosecutors dropped their investigation into two controversial figures whose behavior sparked outrage during the competition in Tokyo.
Pentathlete Annika Schleu and her coach, Kim Raisner, got worldwide headlines after Schleu threw a fit when her horse refused to jump and Raisner punched the animal. Prosecutors let the matter rest after the rider and coach were told to make a charitable donation.
The German Animal Welfare Federation filed a criminal complaint against the pair after their actions at the Games, but they were not charged. Schleu had been leading the women’s modern pentathlon competition before her mount, Saint Boy, would not jump. The rider was criticized for overuse of whip and spurs.
The public prosecutor, quoted by the publication Pferderevue, said the pentathlete and the coach “only had a short-term effect on the riding horse and were in an exceptional physical and psychological situation of the Olympic competition. In addition, no injuries were inflicted on the competition horse.
“In view of the minor impact of the crime and against the background of the continued media reporting, it can be assumed that the investigative proceedings have had a sufficient impact on the suspects who have not yet appeared criminally.”
The German Animal Welfare Association said it had aimed to initiate “a social discussion about how to deal with horses in competitive sport”.
“We have undoubtedly succeeded in doing this, as the announced changes in the mode of modern pentathlon show,” it stated, quoted by Deutsche Welle.
Although the scandal pointed out the problems of requiring people to ride horses under pressure when many are inexperienced at equestrian sport, more than 650 pentathletes signed a letter seeking the resignation of the pentathlon union’s president after riding was removed from the format.
The sport, which has been part of the Games since 1912, is not on the program for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. In order to be considered for inclusion, it must replace riding and present its overall competition formula, which at this point includes only swimming, fencing and the laser run, which combines running and shooting..
Raisner was found guilty by a disciplinary panel of violating a rule under which a “pentathlete or team is disqualified for rapping or beating a horse and all other cases of cruelty and/or ill treatment of a horse”.
She was ordered to attend a “coach education seminar” which offers a “humane treatment of animals” module before returning to a UIPM competition.
