by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 14, 2021
While the the International Modern Pentathlon Union announced earlier this month that show jumping will no longer be part of the modern pentathlon lineup following the Paris Olympics in 2024, protests of the move have come from representatives of numerous nations. A group called Pentathlon United has been formed to lobby for keeping riding in the Olympic pentathlon at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.
The sport received an unwelcome spotlight in Tokyo after a horse refused with a German rider who had been leading the competition to that point. She whipped the horse and burst into tears, a moment memorialized in a photo that made headlines around the world. Her mount was punched by her coach, who was disciplined by being sent home.
In a letter to athletes, the pentathlon union–which feared that the sport would be dropped from the Games by the International Olympic Committee– explained the decision, stating, “We would be making a mistake if we were to take our place in the Olympic programme for granted past Paris 2024. It is not granted for us, it is not granted for anybody.
“We really need to make sure that in that new environment, with all of these new sports (such as skateboarding) that have demonstrated strength and a lot of traction with people and media, we have to make sure that our sport if (sic) flawless.”
The organization’s executive board held a secret meeting in which it was decided to remove horseback riding from the program. Riding’s replacement sport for the 2028 Games had yet to be decided.
But comments from pentathlon supporters from Poland to Denmark and the Czech Republic to Finland have protested the move.
After word of the decision came, more than 700 pentathletes wrote a letter expressing no confidence in the pentathlon organization’s president and board, asking for their resignations, while at the same time they pressed to keep riding in the pentathlon to save the integrity of the sport.
In a letter to the Polish pentathlon association, athletes and coaches said they understood there needed to be changes and standardization of the rules of holding a riding competition as part of the sport, adapting rules not only to competitors’ skills, but also to the horses’ abilities.
At the same time, “There are many solutions, the introduction of which will make horse riding in a modern pentathlon safer for both parties,” those protesting contended in their letter.
A riding working group had been set up by the international governing body to explore whether the equestrian element should be continued in the format that also includes shooting, running, swimming and fencing, which debuted at the 1912 Olympics. There have been innovations since, including running all the sports in a 90-minute broadcast-friendly format, rather than over a period of days.
Modern pentathlon participants are assigned a horse and have just 20 minutes before competing in the jumping. It’s a big ask for athletes who are not accomplished riders. The five-discipline event began as a military competition, with women taking part for the first time in 2000. It has not been among the more popular events to watch for viewers of the Games, which endangers its continuing inclusion
.Meanwhile, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for all equestrian disciplines to be dropped from the Olympics, not just the riding phase of modern pentathlon. The FEI (International Equestrian Federation), which is the governing body for the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and grand prix-level show jumping, does not regulate pentathlon.
“Just as the Olympics evolved to include sports that are of current interest, like skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing, in a world that increasingly refuses to accept abuse in any form, it’s time to remove sports that are no longer supported by the public,” PETA’s senior vice-president of the equine matters department, Kathy Guillermo, wrote to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
There is no comparison between riding in the pentathlon and the Olympic equestrian sports, which are run at the highest standard of athleticism and care for the horse, most of which have been with their riders for many years.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 9, 2021
Mark Laskin has resigned as Equestrian Canada’s Technical Advisor-Jumping, which includes acting as chef d’équipe for the Canadian show jumping team at major games and Nations’ Cup team competitions.
He has been in the role for nine years after succeeding Terrance “Torchy” Millar. Mark has been working without a current contract, despite continuing to fulfill his duties at numerous events including the Tokyo Olympic Games and the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final in Barcelona.
Mark Laskin. (Starting Gate Communications photo)
“I was told during the first week of April that a contract would be forthcoming,” he said.
“Seven months later, the contract promised to me still hasn’t been delivered.”
Equestrian Canada is conducting a review of the Technical Advisor Jumping position led by James Hood, Equestrian Canada’s director of high performance and FEI Relations.
“When I was hired, the Jump Canada Board ran the discipline and EC handled the administration,” said Mark, 64.
“At that time, “Torchy” Millar was the chef d’équipe and I understudied with him for two years as assistant chef d’équipe. We worked so well together that Torchy stayed on for an additional two years before I moved into his role full-time. That was a successful succession plan, developed and managed by Jump Canada.
“I now find myself in a position where James Hood has told me that EC is doing a review of the role and will be compiling a job description and putting it out to tender. Almost as an afterthought, he added that I would be welcome to apply,” continued Mark.
Equestrian Canada stated that after two Olympic cycles, internal stakeholders and funders of the high-performance equestrian system in 2020 recommended during planning for the Tokyo Olympics a review of technical advisor roles.
“Mark Laskin’s contract was in extension, and he agreed to remain in the role during the process and his input and expertise were sought,” according to Equestrian Canada.
“Mr. Laskin resigned from his position prior to the publication of the leadership review postTokyo, the completion of the job description, and the move into the hiring process.”
The job description and skills competency are in final review with a hiring target by Jan. 1.
Mark cited interference from Equestrian Canada’s leadership group as another reason for his resignation, including recently being pressured as to which athletes are selected for Nations’ Cup team competitions.
“The leaders at our national federation need to have understanding and experience with our sport,” Mark stated.
“Unfortunately, Equestrian Canada has had many people in leadership positions that have no background in the equestrian field. That depth of understanding is integral to any future success of the organization. Equestrian Canada’s leadership group are making decisions that aren’t congruent with my philosophy. It is my opinion that the high performance program has been adversely affected and will continue to be in the future with the current leadership group at the helm. Consequently, I felt that I had no choice but to step down.
“I feel very sad to be resigning,” he continued. “The management of an international team is a complex task that requires the full support and understanding of the National Sport Organization, and that has not always been the case recently.”
Mark’s decision was fully supported by the EC High Performance Committee–Jumping, which includes former world champion Gail Greenough, Mike Lawrence, Beth Underhill, and Marni von Schalburg.
“We share Mark’s frustration at the lack of communication and consultation with our committee,” said Mike Lawrence.
“As the people who are ultimately responsible for guiding show jumping at the highest levels, we need to have a say in the high performance program and the process that is followed.”
Mark produced double clear rounds riding Damuraz to lead Canada to the team gold medal at the 1980 Alternate Olympics in Rotterdam. He is a member of the Jump Canada Hall of Fame.
“I am Canadian through and through and have taken great pride in Canada’s success on the world stage,” said Mark.
“I want to thank everyone who has shown their support over the years, especially the riders with whom I’ve developed strong friendships and shared so many incredible memories and successes. I’ll miss them the most.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 26, 2021
Just in time for the holidays, Laura Graves and Curt Maes have a daughter. Their first child is named Mackenzie Elaine Maes.
Laura and Curt with their baby.
Laura is a dressage Olympic medalist and former world number one in the discipline, who has been keeping a lower profile since retiring her Games mount Verdades last year.
Curt has been her right-hand man with the horses. Here’s a look at the new arrival: and her parents.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 6, 2021
Erik Duvander (left) with Boyd Martin. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The U.S. Equestrian Federation decided not to renew the contract of Erik Duvander after he put in four years devoting himself to American eventing as the fed’s performance director. No reason was given for dropping him, but USEF is doing a rethink on its eventing program. Read my story about it on the Horse Sport website. Here is the link . And as part of the big change, Peter Wylde, who coached show jumping for the eventers, also didn’t have his contract renewed. Read the details here .
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 8, 2021
One Northeastern eventing competition got what it wanted as a committee redid the sport’s calendar and cut back on the number of events in certain categories. (See this link for an explanation.)
The Horse Park of New Jersey’s Jersey Fresh International, for instance, lost its CCI 4-star Long, 4-star Short and 3-star long at the Horse Park of New Jersey, which got just an Advanced horse trials in June. But for Plantation Field Eventing, being awarded the featured CCI 4-star Short at its September international fixture from 2023-2027 had been only half the battle.
Plantation Field Eventing, which also presents 3-star and 2-star Shorts and an Advanced Horse Trials in September, last year faced the threat of losing its venue. But it is good to go forward following a decision from the owner of the property.
Plantation Field is a remarkable piece of land with eye-catching jumps and terrain. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Cuyler Walker Jr. had cancelled the show’s lease on his Pennsylvania acreage in 2020 after a website made an issue of its “troubling associations inherent” in its name, claiming Plantation Field conjured up images of slavery and asking for a name change. Although “plantation” in this case meant a place where trees were planted (by Boy Scouts in the 1930s), the issue upset the property owner, who felt he was being accused of racism.
When the U.S. Eventing Association announced before the 2020 event started that it would not use the Plantation name in its press releases (and did not wind up covering the event that year), the issue got even hotter.
As a result, the owner was to allow the competition only to run for two more years through the end of its contract.
But the impasse changed when U.S. Eventing noted having the competition shut down wasn’t right for the sport, adding the property had no connection to slavery. At the same time, the U.S. Equestrian Federation decided decisions regarding regarding venue and competition names “are ultimately at the discretion and the responsibility of individual organizers.”
The lease is renewed and this year, at a very successful running of the international event, Cuyler helped give out the awards. Rider after rider came up and thanked him for letting the sport continue on his property, said Denis Glaccum, president of Plantation Field Equestrian Events, which run from spring through the fall with a variety of competition levels. Cuyler even provided the wording for Plantation Field’s successful bid for the international event during the 2023-27 period. It also will continue in 2022, as originally planned.
Plantation Field attracts the big names, such at Olympians Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin, who live nearby in Pennsylvania, as well as the 2021 third Olympic team member, Doug Payne, and Olympic alternate Liz Halliday-Sharp.
There are no other star-rated international events in the New York/Philadelphia metropolitan area. The Maryland 5-star and 3-star in October is nearby, but Maryland would be considered more Mid-Atlantic than Northeast; ironically, an area that was once the hub of the sport in this country. Migration patterns change, and equestrians keep moving south, or at least spending much of the year there..
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 5, 2021
Are you familiar with the hunter/jumper rule changes that will go into effect Dec. 1 for the 2022 show year?
There is a long list of them, but here are some of the most important to know:
Find out before your hunter class how you will jog after you jump. A show can hold a jog in the traditional way, when you run in with your horse after your number is called, or it can use the 2020 Covid-inspired Presidential Modification of trotting a circle on a loose rein at the end of each over-fences performance.
- The changes for hunters also include an expansion of offerings, with low adult amateur hunter and low children’s hunter horse added to the rated sections.
- In the jumpers, management will be allowed to change the table under which a class offering less than $25,00 is run for a variety of reasons, including bad weather or encroaching darkness.
- There is no longer an amateur-owner jumper section, only an amateur jumper division, though an amateur-owner high-score award will be offered in the Horse of the Year ranks. Oh, and if you have a mule, it is now allowed to compete in U.S. Equestrian Federation jumper classes.
One more thing–after much discussion over the years, it has been decided that earbuds and earphones cannot be worn in schooling or exercise areas.
