by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 1, 2021
The 500th member of the Century Club is Helene Dellechiaie of Oak Ridge became the 500th member of the U.S. Dressage Federation’s Century Club, for riders and horses whose ages total 100 or more and complete a dressage test.
Helene is 71 and her Connemara pony, Finnian’s Chase (Finn), is 29. They received a score of 73.125 percent for Intro Level Test A on June 26 at the Greendell Dressage Schooling Show in Newton.
Helene and Finn.
For the 26 years she has owned Finn, Helene has received several Awards of Excellence from the American Connemara Pony Society, the Master Challenge Award from the United States Dressage Federation, and three Horse of the Year Awards from the United States Equestrian Federation. Helene is a member of the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association, the same USDF Group Member Organization as the first Century Club rider, the late Lazelle Knocke of Readington. Lazelle and her horse, Don Perignon, joined the Century Club in 1996.
Helene said, “I would like to thank my husband Phil for his unrelenting support of my passion and my trainers, Kara Stark McGrew and Suzanne Marshall, for their patience teaching Finn and me how to dance. We would especially like to thank The Dressage Foundation and congratulate them on their 25th year of inspiring seniors toward achieving one more goal and honored to be the 500th team.”
In 2020, The Dressage Foundation welcomed 48 new members. So far in 2021, 24 riders have joined. With the support of Platinum Performance and donations from dressage clubs and individuals, TDF awards ribbons and plaques to each new Century Club member, as well as providing an annual Century Club Newsletter to all members.
“The Century Club members are some of the most inspirational equestrians I’ve ever known,” said Jenny Johnson, TDF’s Executive Director. “They come from all walks of life and all equestrian backgrounds. Some have ridden their entire lives, some just recently picked up the reins. We receive many calls and emails from riders who tell us that joining the Century Club is on their ‘bucket lists,’ even if it’s years away. Many thanks to all of the donors who help us recognize and honor the seniors of our sport, and congratulations to all the members!”
To learn more about the Century Club, visit dressagefoundation.org or contact Sara Weiss, director of grants and programs at sara@dressagefoundation.org or (402) 434-8585.
To support the Century Club, contact Jenny Johnson at jenny@dressagefoundation.org or (402) 434-8585. Donations to support the Century Club may also be made online at dressagefoundaltion.org/support.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 28, 2021
The Horse Park of New Jersey got an infusion of energy today, as four new members were elected to the board during its annual meeting. The trustees not only have impressive resumes, they also are devoted to the facility in Monmouth County.
That’s crucial, because as board president Adam Furlong noted, “The park is 30 years old and starting to show its age.”
He credited Horse Park Manager Adam Hendrickson and his crew for keeping things going. But the park needs a lot of things, Furlong said, noting, “The board has identified several million dollars of spending that we need to resolve toward the future well-being and success of the park.”
A big effort was made to keep the Horse Park in shape despite the difficulties of the pandemic year. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
The question is, how to obtain that money to cover the park’s needs and enable it to compete with other facilities in the region? Furlong noted the park welcomes those who want to be part of the solution and added it is receptive to feedback. In an effort to come up with a way forward, the board voted this evening to create a steering committee for future development and planning, Furlong stated.
“We have started networking in the community for outside-of-the-box thinking–we really need to reframe how we look at, and solve, the problem,” he explained.
Those new trustees should have some ideas about that. The group includes Doug Raynor, chairman of the Upper Freehold Township planning board and joint master of the Monmouth County Hunt. He owns a company involved in construction.
John Layton of Juliustown is a driving enthusiast who is a carpenter and owns a small farm. He is an expert on building and maintenance, which will be handy for the park.
Christine Odegaard of Allentown has organized the park’s Turkey Trot carriage driving event for the last two years and is an eclectic rider who enjoys trail riding, fox hunting and showing. Trained as a veterinary technician, she is an expert hand with video.
Kimberly Wojcik of Hightstown has been the Volunteer of the Year for the park and is on the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event committee. She’s been a special agent for both the FBI and the Secret Service.
They join Erin Gale, who holds one of the Department of Agriculture seats on the board, and financial analyst Melissa Sinopoli of Morristown, who was appointed by the board to fill an unexpired term.
(We also should mention that Bruce McNab was named a trustee emeritus. One of the founders of the park, “he supported it in countless ways for 30-plus years,” Furlong said)
The issue of finance is difficult because, as Furlong pointed out, horse parks elsewhere often are funded by the states where they are located. Despite its name, the Horse Park of New Jersey operates without state funding, and rents the land from the state Department of Agriculture which in turn has an arrangement with the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Since the park doesn’t own the land, it can’t be used as collateral for any loans, which means going to grants and “considerable fund raising projects,” even as the park is getting ready to welcome a new $65,000 tractor.
The wish list going forward includes an anticipated $2 million for footing for all the rings, $1 million for new stabling and $300,000 for a new septic. Among other needs are $185,000 for new water trucks for ring maintenance and another $2 million in building renovations, repairs, wells and improved bathrooms.
Meanwhile, there is ongoing investment in cross-country fences, with 11 new frangible obstacles, some obtained through the U.S. Eventing Association program for that purpose. Some portable fences also have been added to the inventory.
The Horse Park, like so many other venues, was affected by the pandemic last year. The U.S. Equestrian Federation shut down the shows it licensed from March 20-June 1, 2020. That meant the Horse Park couldn’t hold its featured Jersey Fresh International.
“The pandemic was a learning experience for each and every one of us,” Furlong pointed out.
Board members and volunteers stepped in during a difficult time, doing everything from mowing grass to loaning trucks as needed to the park.
But on the other hand, the horse trials held in June and July 2020, once competition resumed, produced the largest revenue and the greatest number of entries in the park’s history. The same was the case with Jersey Fresh this year.
“Jersey Fresh 2021 was about as perfect an event as we could have,” said Furlong, citing it as a return to activity, complete with spectators, tailgaters and vendors, all of which had been missing from competitions for more than a year.
Tailgaters turned out for the Jersey Fresh International at the Horse Park of New Jersey, glad to be at a competition again. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
Three events that couldn’t be staged at their usual venues in 2020 reserved again for this year.
A phase one federal Payroll Protection Program loan to the park was forgiven, but the facility did not get a phase two loan.
Meanwhile, understandably, revenue fell 26 percent and expenditures fell 22 percent as net income dropped by 77 percent. The park’s profit margin in 2020 was 2 percent. It had been 7 percent in 2019.
But after being locked in for a good part of 2020, people were ready to get out of their homes, and that’s where the Horse Park has an edge.
“We know we have great land and location, and those two things will always be an advantage for us,” said Furlong.
“So we need to continue to build on all of the momentum we have had in the past 12 months, as everyone has realized how great outdoor space is.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 26, 2021
A legend several times over, show jumper Harry de Leyer died yesterday, according to his daughters, Christine.and Harriet.
Harry de Leyer walks out of the ring at Madison Square Garden during Snowman’s retirement ceremony at the National Horse Show. (George Axt Photo)
A ferocious competitor in the show ring, a longtime trainer at the Knox School and a resistance member in the Netherlands during World War II, he was best known for his partnership with Snowman, an $80 ex-plow horse he rescued from a trip to the slaughterhouse and turned into a national champion who captivated the country.
Harry was a showman as well as a horseman, known for throwing his hunt cap into the air after a clean round. Always a crowd-pleaser, he did so much for horse sport by connecting with the fans.
He relationship with the horse of a lifetime was turned into an award-winning documentary “Harry and Snowman,” directed by Ron Davis, which received wide acclaim. The rider and his one-of-a-kind mount also were the subject of a book, “The Eighty Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse who Inspired a Nation,” written by Elizabeth Letts.
Arrangements are in process for Harry, 92, who had been in a Virginia nursing home.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 25, 2021
The state animal is honored in June with the Month of the Horse. Years ago, it was a big deal, celebrated with a number of promotional occasions. They included “open barns” on various farms, major competitions (the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event used to be in June) and a special multi-dimensional offering called the Equine Expo at various locations. Then there was the Festival of Champions at the U.S. Equestrian Team in Gladstone, where everything from grand prix jumping to reining and dressage was featured.
A horse’s head is atop the state seal of New Jersey. So of course it’s the state animal.
Although all that has dropped by the wayside (but of course there are still plenty of shows in June, including Middlesex at the Horse Park of New Jersey) it’s worth noting that the Garden State’s equine industry contributes $3.2 billion to the state’s economy. June is also a time to reflect on how much in the state is horse-oriented, including the Horse Park and a variety of other showgrounds; the USET Foundation, the Rutgers’ Equine Science Center, dedicated to research and education, and of course the racetracks–Monmouth Park, the Meadowlands and Freehold Raceway. And let’s not forget the Cowtown Rodeo in Salem County. Equestrians enjoy easy access to top veterinary practices, tack shops, feed stores and plenty of trails, despite the fact that New Jersey is the country’s most densely populated state.
So this is the month we should count our equestrian blessings. Why not consider bringing back the Equine Expo; done properly, its varied attractions might attract more people to join the band of equestrians who call New Jersey home.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 22, 2021
Luke 140, Boyd Martin’s Jersey Fresh 4-star Long winner last month, won’t be his mount for the Olympics.
Boyd Martin and Luke 140 at Jersey Fresh. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Unfortunately Luke 140 looks like he has tweaked his leg on his last gallop,” said Boyd, explaining why the horse who was his humber one mount for the Games isn’t going to Japan.
“.My gut feeling is that if I push on with him towards the Tokyo Olympics that it could turn into a bad injury.,” noted Boyd, who will be riding the second of his two back-up horses, Tsetserleg, on whom he earned double gold at the 2019 Pan American Games.
“Luke is a young horse and has a huge future ahead of him and I believe its better to save him for another day,” Boyd explained.
“This is a heartbreaking decision, as Luke has been in fantastic form in his training in the build up towards Tokyo. I am very grateful that I have a tremendous replacement horse in Thomas (Tsetserleg) who is also in sizzling condition. I would like to thank and tell the group of owners behind Luke how sorry I am.”
Boyd and Tseterleg, who is now his mount for Tokyo. (Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Boyd at Thomas fell near the end of the course at the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star in April, which is why he wasn’t the selectors’ number one choice for the rider.
But they think Boyd is so important to the team that he was named with two direct reserve horses. On Cue, the mare on whom he finished fourth at Kentucky as the top-placing American, is still waiting in the wings if necessary.
