by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 14, 2021
This weekend’s Essex Horse Trials offers an opportunity to spend some time at one of New Jersey’s prettiest spots, Moorland Farm in Far Hills, where eventing competition will be held at every level from Preliminary down to Beginner Novice. Tickets are a very reasonable $10, with kids 17 and under getting in free.
Watch some of the most recognizable names in the sport, including Buck Davidson, Hannah Sue Burnett, Heidi White and Michael Walton, as well as competitors from New Jersey, among them Meg Kepferle, Holly Payne Caravaella and her mother, Marilyn Payne. Missing will be Essex regulars Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin and Will Coleman, because they are quarantining in Aachen, Germany, prior to the Tokyo Olympics, but that gives you an idea about the caliber of competition Essex has enjoyed over the years.
Competition is Saturday and Sunday, with a concert kicking things off on Friday evening. There’s also a big car show on Saturday in memory of Peter Chesson. For more information or to buy tickets, go to www.essexhorsetrials.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 12, 2021
After a year off due to the pandemic, the Lake Placid, N.Y., Horse Shows have “come back very strong,” said chairman Philip Richter, as the two-week competition looks toward the future.
Those involved with the shows are working on two-, four-, six- and 10-year plans, which is difficult, Philip pointed out, because his worry is “more what does the sport look like in 10 years and how do we stay relevant?”
He believes the answer is, “you have to have great facilities and keep reinvesting in your facilities; you have to keep upping the prize money. You have to have people have a great experience and thank them for coming.”
Part of the planning for Lake Placid involves considering whether to have FEI classes, but that hinges in part with getting more land from the town so “FEI could be a reality.”
This year, the shows were full with nearly 1,000 horses and couldn’t “take another horse,” noted Philip, pointing out that a lot of new people have come into the sport recently. There was not shortage of grassroots riders on hand, and even without FEI, there also were plenty of big names such as McLain Ward, Devin Ryan and Joe Fargis.
Alex Matz and Cashew CR, winner of the Richard Feldman Grand Prix, where the presentation included Dianna Feldman (right) Richard’s widow, with Philip Richter (far right), who succeeded Richard as Lake Placid show chairman. (Kind Media photo)
Not only would an FEI initiative require more space, it also would involve getting a sponsor to guarantee a five-year commitment “because you can’t just dabble in FEI and not swing the club all the way through,” said Philip. The show is trying to get a grant from the state of New York to make some improvements, since it is “the single-best revenue-generator in the town of Lake Placid, period.”
While the Ironman Triathlon might bring in 30,000 people, “they sleep in their Subarus and eat granola,” Philip pointed out.
Those who come for the horse show, on the other hand, spend a lot of money on restaurants and hotels in the community that hosted both the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. Many consider a trip to the scenic site in the Adirondacks a vacation as well as a competitive opportunity.
The shows, sponsored by Bainbridge Farms LLC and presented by Sea Shore Stables LLC, wrapped up over the weekend. As usual, they were a tradition that keeps exhibitors and their families returning for several generations.
A case in point involved Alex Matz, the son of longtime Lake Placid competitors Michael Matz (a three-time winner of the grand prix) and Alex’s mother, D.D. Matz. Alex won the first grand prix of his career, the $100,000 Richard Feldman class on Cashew CR, during the initial week at the showgrounds. Unstoppable, he returned Saturday during the I Love New York show to take his second grand prix, the $100,000 Great American Insurance Group feature, riding Davidson.
Alex Matz and Davidson. (Kind Media photo)
Laura Chapot, whose parents, Mary and Frank Chapot, made the trip to Lake Placid for years, also was a big winner in a variety of jumper classes.
The grass grand prix field benefitted from a year off, giving the roots a chance to grow deeper. Meanwhile, a $1.3 million investment in footing was made for the schooling rings and the hunter arenas.
Courses were laid out by Irish designer Alan Wade, who also did the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games and the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup Finals. Other familiar names in key positions were manager Michael Morrissey, as well as announcer Peter Doubleday and David Distler, a top-of-the-line judge and steward. As Philip describes them all, “people who know what they’re doing.”
That would include the show’s administration. Younger folks have been added to the board and there is “an executive committee full of smart people who understand finance and business,” Philip pointed out.
He learned from his namesake and grandfather, the late Philip Hofmann, chairman of Johnson & Johnson. Philip paid attention when his grandfather advised, “you’ve got to surround yourself with really smart people. You don’t want to make a lot of unnecessary mistakes.”
As Philip noted, “I don’t make any decisions in a vacuum. Everything gets run by the committee and then goes to the board for approval.”
Lake Placid is a big responsibility for Philip, who works full-time as president of Hollow Brook Wealth Management.
So with all his other responsibility, what keeps him going at the helm of Lake Placid?
The reason is simple, he explained: “I’ve been showing here since I was a kid. I love it.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 12, 2021
A well-known figure in the world of horse racing, fox hunting and show jumping, Bert Firestone, died today in West Palm Beach at the age of 89.
The industrial real estate developer and his wife, Diana, collected seven of racing’s Eclipse Awards. And while they also had great success racing in Europe, they were best known for their ownership of Genuine Risk, only the second filly to win the Kentucky Derby.
They owned both the Calder racecourse and Gulfstream Park from 1989-1991. The farms they operated included Catoctin Stud in Waterford, Va., before buying Newstead Farm in Upperville, Va.
They hunted in Virginia with the Piedmont and Middleburg Hunts and were joint masters of the Kildare Foxhounds in Ireland. They also competed in show jumping.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Firestone, an honorary life trustee of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, is survived by his daughter, Alison, a show jumper who rode for the U.S., and a son, Matt., an eventer who did the same. Other survivors are sons Greg and Ted and three stepchildren, Lorna, Chris and Cricket.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 6, 2021
It’s been a difficult year for the Far Hills Race Meeting, following cancellation of its 2020 edition due to the pandemic.
But the races are returning to center stage in a big way this autumn at Moorland Farm on Route 202, as the steeplechase fixture marks the postponed celebration of its 100th anniversary.
“People are really excited we’re coming back; they’re very tired of Covid and the last 16 months,” said Guy Torsilieri, who chairs the races with Ron Kennedy.
Even before official word that the high-profile sporting and social event was a go, the race meeting got “a ton of phone calls” from people eager to resume a tradition that many families have enjoyed for generations.
Crowds love the excitement of the Far Hills Race Meeting. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Those who have hillside spots need to renew their location by Aug. 1, and if they are dropping out, there’s “a huge waiting list” of those who would like to have a tailgating space, said Guy, who expects a sell-out of that site.
Tailgating on the hillside is a fun way to gather with families and friends. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Meanwhile, there has been great interest from corporate sponsors.
“So far, I’m batting a thousand. Every tent holder I talked to was thrilled to be back in full force,” said Guy.
“I think it’s going to be busier than 2019. There’s so much excitement to get out and do stuff with family and friends,” said Guy. He mentioned 25,000-30,000 people came to the last running, but he’d like to see 40,000 attend this year.
“We will comply with all CDC guidelines,” said Guy, noting that if people prefer to wear a mask, they are free to do so, but there are no requirements in that regard.
The 2021 edition wasn’t a sure thing until approximately two months ago, when state-imposed limits on crowd numbers at gatherings were lifted. The 500-person cap for the fall of 2020 made it impossible to hold the races last year.
For 2021, “We were on totally on hold until we knew we could go,” said Guy.
That has meant playing a bit of catchup. No decision has been made yet, for instance, on whether to continue the pari-mutuel betting option that debuted in 2018, and specific plans to mark the centennial are still being developed, aside from renaming the Chairman’s Tent at the finish line the Centennial Tent..
The announcer’s tower is a Moorland landmark. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The cancellation left the organization cutting back while missing a year’s income, Guy said. Moorland’s staff of “three and a half” employees dropped by two. The maintenance issue got solved by “a labor of love,” volunteer mowing efforts from Guy, Ron, Essex Horse Trials Co-Chairman Ralph Jones and “super-star volunteer” Zac Rubin (the son of Essex Horse Trials volunteer organizer Sally Rubin).
Guy Torsilieri of the Far Hills Race Meeting and Ralph Jones, co-chair of the Essex Horse Trials. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
Even though “the farm looks a little shaggy,” Guy chuckled, they got the necessary work done to have Moorland shaped up for the Essex Horse Trials July 17-18 and the races Oct. 16.
Another difficult aspect of the cancellation meant the event could not contribute to its charities.
“This partnership is of the utmost importance after the year we’ve had, and we’re elated to welcome our Far Hills family back to the property,” Ron said.
The race meeting has given more than $18 million to its beneficiaries and this year will contribute to a variety of local healthcare-oriented charities. They include Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Barnabas Health, Crossroads4Hope, the Arc of Somerset County, Community in Crisis, LifeCamp and Bonnie Brae.
Covid brought change to so many things, and in its wake, the race meeting has been streamlining its operations while looking at outsourcing some functions in order to be more efficient.
“Just because you’re 100 years old, doesn’t mean you’re doing everything right,” said Guy, noting this is an opportunity to make needed operational changes.
This year, tickets will not be available at area retail outlets and banks. Instead, all ticket purchases must be made on line at www.farhillsrace.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 5, 2021
Who didn’t see this one coming? The same American squad that competed in Rome last month has been named as the show jumping team for the Tokyo Olympics.
Kent Farrington (Gazelle) and his 2016 Olympic silver medal teammate,, McLain Ward (Contagious)–who is also a veteran of the 2004,2008 and 2012 Olympics– were selected, along with 2000 and 2008 Olympian Laura Kraut (Baloutinue) and Olympic newcomer Jessica Springsteen (Don Juan van de Donkhoeve.)
Unlike the U,S. dressage and eventing teams, which named three riders and a traveling reserve, no such distinction was made for show jumping. There can only be three riders on a team, but substitutions are allowed. So three riders could compete in the individual test, which comes first, and then for the team competition, one could be dropped while another is added.
Coach Robert Ridland always pays special attention to bringing along younger riders, so Lucy Deslauriers–the only U.S. rider double-clear in the Nations Cup in Rotterdam this month with her reliable Hester–and Brian Moggre (Balou de Reventon) will be reserves and quarantine in Germany with the team. Brian and Lucy were 1-2 in the grand prix in Sopot, Poland, last month.
(For more details about selection, see the article below this one in On the Rail section about Beezie Madden)
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 2, 2021
Expect medals in the Paralympics from the U.S. para dressage squad that was named today. Michel Assouline has done a great job coaching the team and putting America on the map in this discipline. Laureen Johnson will serve as team leader.
Riders heading to Tokyo include Beatrice de Lavalette and Clarc; Rebecca Hart and El Corona Texel, with Fortune 500 as a direct reserve; Kate Shoemaker and Solitaer 40 and Roxanne Trunnell with Dolton.
The three combinations who will represent the U.S. in team competition will be determined after the completion of the Individual tests Aug. 27.
Two combinations have been named as team alternates and are listed in selected order:
Sydney Collier and All In One and Charlotte Merle-Smith with Guata.
