by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 16, 2020
September’s Devon Fall Classic show jumping competition and fall festival held has been cancelled. Held at the Devon Horse Show grounds in suburban Philadelphia, it’s been a popular stop for riders from the region.
Devon Horse Show and Country Fair CEO Wayne Grafton explained that the decision to cancel was due to “the lack of regulatory guidelines within an adequate time frame in order to plan and execute the event.”
The organization “is very disappointed given the cancellation of the May DHSCF, but we are focused on the safety and well-being of our competitors, volunteers and spectators, as well as the overall community. We are putting all our efforts into planning the 125th Anniversary Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, to be held May 27-June 6, 2021.”
Dressage at Devon, a September competition put on by a different organizing group, was cancelled earlier in the spring. The Devon Fall Classic is expected to return in September 2021. For more information, go to www.devonhorseshow.net.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 5, 2020
Long Island’s Hampton Classic Horse Show, one of the most popular and well-attended U.S. equestrian competitions, is joining Devon, the World Cup finals and the Kentucky 5-star in the ranks of shows cancelled due to Covid-19.
The Labor Day weekend fixture, postponed until Aug. 29 – Sept. 5, 2021, is known as much for drawing celebrities to its VIP tent as it is for attracting stellar show jumpers, hunters and equitation riders. Just as Devon is a highlight of the spring, the Classic marks the waning days of the summer show season in style with the action involving six rings on 60 acres. It has been a “can’t miss” for competitors and spectators over the last 44 years.
Hampton Classic perennial winner McLain Ward is always a crowd favorite at the show. (Photo © by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“It is difficult to express how disappointing this is for everyone,” said Shanette Cohen, the show’s executive director.
“However, given the current situation and the uncertainty that lies ahead, our Board reached the conclusion that there really is no other option.
“Naturally, the safety and well-being of our exhibitors, and everyone involved with the Classic, takes first priority and the Board is unanimous in its belief that the wisest course of action is to put all our efforts and resources into ensuring that the Classic is able to return next year at the same high standard that everyone expects.”
Around the world, high-end shows like the Classic one by one have been postponed into 2021. Internationally, travel restrictions have made such major fixtures as Germany’s Aachen unable to proceed. But even domestic shows like the Classic that attract large numbers of spectators, have expansive (and expensive) VIP arrangements, offer a large vendor village (the Classic has 70 vendors) and are supported by major sponsors can’t proceed under Covid-related restrictions.
Social distancing makes selling sufficient seats to help pay for the shows impossible, and it can’t be effected in VIP areas that usually are jammed to begin with. Unfortunately, the Classic likely isn’t the last major show to cancel its 2020 edition, though there aren’t many in that category left that could run this year.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 4, 2020
October’s inaugural Maryland 5- star event at Fair Hill has been postponed for a year “due to health and safety factors, in addition to other challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic” and will take place October 14-17, 2021.
The decision, announced today after consultation with all the parties involved, was made because “not being able to guarantee the health and safety of everyone and producing the event in a limited capacity was not favorable for the Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill’s inaugural year.”
Event organizers and partners are now focused on producing the maiden event next year with a field of international competitors, as well as international spectators traveling to the event.at the newly constructed Special Event Zone at Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Cecil County, Maryland.
“It was a very difficult decision and we are very disappointed for the competitors, fans and Eventing community,” said Jeff Newman, president of the Fair Hill Organizing Committee.
“The Fair Hill Organizing Committee was created and tasked to plan and produce the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill as a world-class, international sporting event that includes an abundance of fan offerings drawing spectators from around the world to Cecil County and surrounding region.”
Newman added, “From the start of the pandemic until now, like many sports and entertainment properties, we’ve fully vetted out different scenarios ranging from a scaled back event with some fans, a competition-only event without spectators, or postponing the event to 2021. Ultimately, we felt that the uncertainties and risks that will remain throughout the year are too great to overcome. As a result, with the support of our sponsors and key constituents, postponing the inaugural event to 2021 best enables us to achieve our original goals and set the foundation for a tradition that will continue for many years.”
The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill is the newest CCI5*-L Three-Day competition on the international eventing circuit. Fair Hill is one of only seven eventing competitions in the world, and just the second in the U.S. with the 5-star distinction. Six out of the seven 5-stars have been cancelled this year due to problems related to the pandemic. Pau in France, scheduled to run the weekend after Fair Hill, is still trying to present its 5-star.
Sponsors of the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill were notified of the decision this week and backed the postponement. Primary partners include host location Cecil County and its agencies, Brown Advisory, Quarry View Building Group, Taylor Harris Insurance Services, Dubarry of Ireland, W.L. Gore, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips, Maryland Public Television (MPT) and The Sport Corp.
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and United States Eventing Association (USEA) were also informed, supported FHOC’s decision, and confirmed the new dates on the schedule for the event in October 2021.
“We recognize the difficulty of the decision to cancel the 2020 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill considering the excitement and positive momentum building towards the inaugural event in October. We look forward to working with the Organizing Committee to support a successful event in 2021,” commented USEF CEO Bill Moroney.
The 2020 USEF CCI3*-L National Championship, which was to run with the 5-star, will be reallocated to a new venu, with details announced in the coming weeks.
Mike Gill and Michael Hankin will remain as The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill’s co-chairs. They said, “Ultimately, postponing the event to 2021 was the right move for the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill’s first year because health and safety must come first. Our goal from the start was to showcase Maryland Pride to attending fans from around the world while also delivering a top-class competition for the riders and horses. However, due to the incredible challenges and uncertainty resulting from the pandemic, that’s just not possible this year. We look forward to producing an incredible event in 2021 and providing an economic stimulus.”
Fair Hill’s newly built Special Event Zone serving as the venue for the Maryland 5 Star features a new Ian Stark-designed cross-country course, as well as new dressage and show jumping areas constructed in the infield of the historic turf track. The USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championships and USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championship will run concurrently with the CCI5*-L competition in 2021.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 3, 2020
After a pandemic hiatus of more than two months (because nothing was happening on the New Jersey equestrian scene) the page listing shows and other activities in the state has returned. Couldn’t run it when there was nothing to list. Check it out on this website.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 20, 2020
The “uncertainty of the time” led to today’s announcement that Dressage at Devon is cancelled. The September show, a highlight of the year, was called off “to ensure the safety of our competitors, vendors, sponsors, spectators and our wonderful volunteers,” according to the show’s president, Lori Kaminski.
The fixture is the third at the historic suburban Philadelphia showgrounds to be called off in the last few months. The first was the May hunter/jumper show, which should have been getting under way tomorrow. The summer Brandywine hunter/jumper show was next to go.
As the dressage show’s statement explained, “Operating an international competition at a venue such as Devon is a large undertaking. Our team has worked diligently to review the equestrian governing bodies’ requirements to hold a competition, as well as federal, state and local regulations. It became clear that holding the competition this September, while ensuring everyone’s safety, is not realistic.”
As the statement noted, the situation has made it difficult for suppliers, vendors, competitors, volunteers and sponsors to plan and commit resources and support, all crucial to the success of the show.
At the same time, a group of new board members was announced. They are Christina Morin Graham, Maureen “Mo” Swanson, Jessica “JJ” Tate and Karen Ramsing- Bixler.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 21, 2021
TerraNova near Sarasota, Fla., burst on the scene during the autumn with its first eventing competition. Next up is a Split Rock CSI 2-star in January. The venue is drawing raves for its scenic setting and top-of-the-line arenas just a half hour’s drive from the city.
Located practically equidistant from Wellington and Ocala, it adds another element to Florida’s already incredible opportunities for competition. Dressage and driving also are planned. Read my story at Horse Sport by clicking on this link.
Jumping a replica of the TerraNova stable on the cross-country course at the new venue near Sarasota, Fla. (Al Green Photo)
