by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 28, 2021
The International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) has taken a formal vote to drop show jumping from its program following the Paris Olympics in 2024, although protests of the move have come from representatives of numerous nations. However, a group called Pentathlon United has been formed to lobby for keeping riding in the Olympic pentathlon at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond, while the issue has been taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport..
Pentathlon 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.”
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 while there were countries that support dropping riding, 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.
According to “Inside the Games,” UIPM vice-president Joël Bouzou claimed the IOC had requested the removal of riding.
IOC member and UIPM first vice-president Juan Antonio Samaranch said there was no demand from the IOC, but that the pentathlon organization had to act proactively to keep the sport in the Games.
“We must rapidly develop a new event – then a chance exists,” he said.
Although modern pentathlon had been called a core sport of the Olympics, meaning it is supposed to have a guaranteed place on the Olympic program, that can change.
Citing such modern sports such as 3×3 basketball, skateboarding and surfing that are more attractive to young people, Samaranch claimed there are “no core sports.”
.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 26, 2021
He was the ultimate volunteer.
John von Stade, who died yesterday at the age of 83 after a long illness, spent 50 years as co-chair of the Far Hills Race Meeting while it went from being an event that attracted a few thousand spectators to the country’s richest day of steeplechasing, with more than 30,000 attending. He did everything from bedding stalls in the stables to putting up snow fencing at first, and then managing hundreds of volunteers and set the fixture’s course as it grew.
A resident of Peapack and Bernardsville until moving to Maryland six years ago, he was a member of a prominent racing family. His father, F. Skiddy von Stade was a founder of the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., which Mr. von Stade served as president from 1989-2005–longer than anyone else has held that position.
Guy Torsilieri spent 35 years helming the Far Hills Races with Mr. von Stade, who retired from the co-chairmanship in 2014.
“He was an art lover, a historian. He was like an old school guy, but he managed to change with the times. He had an incredible way about him, so gentle and focused. He knew which way things needed to go and should go,” Guy said.
former Far Hills Meeting co-chairman John von Stade, left, presents a trophy in 2010 to race horse owner Morten Buskop with race meeting co-chair Guy Torsilieri. (Photo © 2010 by Nancy Jaffer)
Despite coming from a family that was deeply involved in thoroughbred racing, Mr. von Stade only dabbled in it briefly on a personal basis.
He good-naturedly described his Ivy Creek Stables as “a fantastic disaster.”
“He got into it and quickly got out of it,” Guy related
Mr. von Stade, who previously owned the Essex Gallery of Sport in Far Hills, dedicated his life to philanthropic venues and giving back.
Guy called Mr. von Stade the “fabric and the glue” that held things together between the races and the foundation that donates to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerville. It is the home of the Steeplechase Cancer Center and the von Stade lobby, built on $18 million from the races.
Mr. von Stade will be formally remembered on race day next year.
“We will clearly honor him appropriately,” Guy said.
Mr. von Stade is survived by his wife, Phyllis; his son, John von Stade Jr., and three grandchildren, as well as his niece, famed opera singer Frederica von Stade. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 17, 2021
The Sonoma (Calif.) Horse Park will hold its six 2022 hunter/jumper shows from May to September under the auspices of the National Snaffle Bit Association, rather than the U.S. Equestrian Federation, it was announced today.
Last week, word from the park was that it would not run USEF shows until that organization’s mileage rule, which currently requires 250 miles between shows in Sonoma’s region, instead permits shows within 50 miles of each other. The circumstances brought to mind the situation between USEF and the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla., where the facility couldn’t get all the USEF hunter/jumper shows it wanted last winter and went with the NSBA instead. When WEC did get USEF dates for later in the year, it turned then down and signed up with NSBA again instead, a decision that also applied to WEC’s facility in Ohio.
Howard Herman, the Sonoma CEO, stated his case about the mileage situation at a Zoom meeting last week that drew approximately 50 riders, owners, trainers and other interested parties.
“We have known about the mileage rule for 30 years, but I didn’t really understand it until I got involved in the process,” he said.
Former Sonoma manager Sally Hudson, the license holder for a number of the Sonoma shows, took her licenses to Rancho Murieta’s Murieta Equestrian Center, the state’s largest equestrian facility. It is about 100 miles from Sonoma, too close for the park to qualify for its own shows without a mileage exemption.
Sonoma had three USEF dates, including an exemption for a May show, but Herman said his decision means giving up those dates because the park needs more than three shows for its circuit. He noted it is hard to plan without knowing well in advance which shows USEF will approve.
“Sponsors and vendors want to provide an adequate season,” he commented. Sonoma previously staged the Adequan/USEF Junior National Hunter Championship West and a week of World Championship Hunter Rider competition under USEF auspices.
“At 80 years old, I’ve been given a voice,” the CEO said, explaining he could not live with himself if people in his community were shortchanged because of the mileage situation.
He feels an area that is home to 13 million people should be entitled to more in the way of USEF shows. Herman cited how expensive it is for northern California residents and people from the Pacific Northwest to go to the Thermal circuit in Southern California.The Sonoma Horse Park presents a closer alternative.
“We are committed to offering comparable prize money and special classes as we have in seasons past and a schedule that is consistent with what exhibitors and trainers have come to expect at shows that Sonoma Horse Park provides. We are looking forward to a new circuit, complete with circuit championships and prizes as per Sonoma Horse Park tradition,” stated Sonoma manager Sarah Appel.
Asked for comment, a USEF spokesperson said the organization was just made aware of the announcement and did not send a statement today.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 3, 2021
Show jumping will be dropped from the modern pentathlon lineup after the Paris Olympics in 2024, according to several media accounts.
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.
The International Modern Pentathlon Union Executive Board held a secret meeting this week in which it was decided to remove horseback riding from the program, the media outlets that ran the story stated. The board said it will issue a press release tomorrow, but did not give details. The word is that cycling could replace riding.
A riding working group had been set up to explore whether the equestrian element should be continued in the format that also includes shooting, running, swimming and fencing. The panel’s recommendations originally were scheduled to be announced during an executive board meeting at the end of this month.
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 was introduced to the Games in 1912 as a military competition, with women taking part for the first time in 2000. It has not among the more popular events to watch among viewers of the Games.
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.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 22, 2021
Martin Fuchs’ marvelous horse Clooney, who suffered a life-threatening accident in his pasture accident during the summer, finally came home this week.
Clooney got quite a welcome at his stable.
The Westphalian gelding Martin rode to the European show jumping championship in 2019 slipped in his pasture Aug. 16 and fractured his humerus on the right side.
He was put in a sling for treatment. but two weeks later, he miraculously was taking his first steps without the support.
“This horse never stops surprising me with his strength,” Martin said at the time. “Blessed to have him in my life.”
Martin’s wish was to have Clooney at home for his retirement. He thanked the Tierspital Zürich veterinary facility for its care of Clooney.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 16, 2021
The crowds turned out for the debut of the new Maryland 5 star event’s cross-country day, flocking to the Fair Hill Special Event Zone in numbers never seen over the last 32 years at the old Fair Hill International fixture in another area of the late William DuPont’s former estate.
Perhaps as many as 10,000 enthusiastic fans, a number arrived at judging by the traffic jams on the area’s narrow roads, showed up today to watch some of the world’s most celebrated international riders do what eventers do best. The spectators tailgated, admired the horses and crowded around the formidable fences in a fashion that spelled success for a facility which will host all manner of other attractions, including racing with parimutuel betting.
There was no betting this afternoon, but if there had been, you wouldn’t have gotten much of a payout by putting $2 on Oliver Townend and Cooley Master Class. The world’s number one event rider kept his lead from dressage, adding nothing to his 21.1 penalties from the opening dressage phase of the world’s newest 5-star event.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Master Class ace the Fair Hill drop. (Photo © 2021 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The stunning cross-country course was viewed with trepidation by many of the competitors, who didn’t hesitate to express their anxieties about it over the last few days.
Boyd Martin, the highest-placed U.S. rider, third with On Cue after yesterday’s dressage, called it “horrendously difficult” after walking the hilly terrain and seeing what designer Ian Stark had in store.
When it came time to meet the 28 fences on horseback this afternoon, however, competitors discovered the experience wasn’t as overwhelming as they feared.
“It rode well all in all,” summed up Oliver, whose trip ended five seconds under the 11-minute optimum time.
“All the top class horses dealt with it extremely well. Some of the real good gallopers made it look like a walk in the park,” Oliver observed.
“For me, my horse gave his all.”
Tim Price of New Zealand, in second place on one of those good gallopers, Xavier Faer, was 14 seconds under the time. He stands on his dressage score of 24.3 penalties, less than a rail behind Oliver. We’ll see how that plays out in the show jumping tomorrow afternoon. Boyd and On Cue also threaten Oliver after a lovely trip that kept him on his dressage score of 25 penalties.
Tim Price and Xavier Faer are a close second going into show jumping. (Photo © 2021 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
But after the top three, there was quite a bit of shakeup in the standings.
Six riders were eliminated, including Phillip Dutton, the last to go, who had a fall with Singapore at the Groundhog Garden Gate just seven fences from the end of the course as the rain that had held off for hours came down with a vengeance. The horse eventually caught his breath after the shock. Both he and his rider were able to walk away from the incident, but that made me recall how Ian said yesterday he couldn’t relax “until the last horse is home safely.”
He also had a bad moment at the beginning of the 5-star, when the first horse on course, Buck Davidson’s Carlevo, fell at fence 10A, the brush shoulder.
:I wasn’t feeling terribly great when the first horse fell over,” Ian noted wryly. The tension has taken a toll on him.
“I feel as if I aged 20 years in a week,” he confessed.
But perhaps having riders heap praise on his efforts will refresh him.
Tim Price, Ian Stark, Oliver Townend and Boyd Martin.
Hannah Sue Burnett, who had been fourth on the 18-year-old Harbour Pilot, dropped to 25th with a refusal and time faults.
Lauren Nicholson took her slot on the leaderboard with Landmark’s Monte Carlo, another horse owned by Jacqueline Mars.
Doug Payne, the top-placed U.S. rider at the Tokyo Olympics, had a disappointing dressage test on Quantum Leap that tied him in 33d place with Buck Davidson and Jak My Style. The two are now tied for 11th after excelling on cross-country.
Don’t look down! Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo get ready for a leap off the wall. (Photo © 2021 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Harry Meade, a member of one of Britain’s most respected eventing families, moved up from 10th to fifth with Superstition. The horse was nicknamed Stinky before Harry started riding him, so the eventer recounted that they exchanged the t for and l and made the Hanoverian gelding answer to Slinky around the barn.
Another Brit, Zara Tindall, the former world champion, had touted the jumping skills of her Class Affair yesterday when his dressage test could be summed up as a work in progress. But a refusal and time faults dropped her from 15th to 29th, though he did look impressive at the challenging Maryland Crab Water combination with two giant crabs presiding, claws and all.
Boyd Martin and On Cue mastered the Maryland crab. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
The final horse inspection tomorrow will be interesting for those who recall when Cooley Master Class was spun at the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star in April over what Oliver called the equivalent of a paper cut. He noted the horse had a “a little bit of a shifted shoe” today, so we have to hope that will have no lasting effects.
Even if Oliver takes first place, the biggest winner of this weekend will be the Maryland 5 star at Fair Hill itself.
“I love this venue,” said Boyd.
“It’s got that aura of a championship with the racetrack and the beautiful rings for the dressage and show jumping. I think this cross-country course was fantastic. I think this event’s going to evolve in years to come to be probably the world’s greatest 5-star.”
If you want a rundown on all the results, click here
