by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 14, 2024
TerraNova Equestrian Center has cancelled its World Cup Dressage qualifier and national show scheduled to run Thursday through Sunday at its venue in Myakka City, about 20 miles east of Sarasota, which was hard hit by Hurricane Milton.
The reasons cited for not holding the show were ongoing power outages and widespread effects on the region’s communities. The facility had hosted equine evacuees at its state-of-the-art stables. Refunds are being issued for competitors, as well as for spectators who bought VIP brunch tickets.
In North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene caused massive damage, the Tryon International Equestrian Center called off its eventing competition that was to run Oct. 31-Nov. 3, due to damage on its cross-country course. The facility has served as a center for hurricane aid, distributing supplies and offering shelter to first responders.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 13, 2024
U.S. rider Hallie Coon and the aptly named Cute Girl finished third individually at a muddy Boekelo 4-star eventing Nations Cup Final in the Netherlands on Sunday, with the Irish team of Aiofe Clarke, Austin O’Connor, Susannah Berry and Padraig McCarthy taking top honors scording102.6 penalties. The USA finished second on 116. 1, while Germany was third with 131.9.
“The Nations Cup final here in Boekelo is a huge deal and it means a huge amount to anyone competing. It has a real weight to it that is more than some of the individual legs,” said Aiofe.
She commtend that the organizers, “have really done well here, there’s a great atmosphere- it’s built up to a really fun end of the competition. I love Boekelo and would come back every year if I had a horse for it. I love the enthusiasm of the supporters and the work that went in to getting the cross-country right.”
The victorious Irish team. (Photo courtesy Military Boekelo)
The footing was so mucky after extended periods of rain that a loop had to be taken out of the cross-country course to insure hore and rider safety. Germany won the individual honors however, as 2021 Olympic individual gold medalist Julia Krajewski first on Nickel 21 with 28.8 penalties, having added time penalties to her dressage score on cross-country and finishing clear in show jumping. Nickel is the horse on which she won the Aachen event last summer.
“I came here with the idea that I wanted to finish in the top five,” said Julia.
“But Nickel 21 was just great. He came out of the cross-country super fit and jumped fantastically today. I always like it when there is some pressure. And of course there was, because I had to stay clear. My horse took it well and kept space on every fence. It’s great to win here again after six years, just an hour and a half’s drive from home.”
Great Britain’s Laura Collett, clear through the first two phases with Dacapo, had a rail in the final segment to wind up second individually with 29.3 penalties. Hallie finished on her dressage score of 30.4 penalties, going from twenty-third place to sixth and finally third during the competition.
There was a wide range of ages among the U.S. squad. Twenty-nine-year-old Hallie rode on the team with the eternal Phillip Dutton, 60, who finished twentieth on Possante (43.1). Also on the team were Mary Bess Davis, 45, nineteenth with Imperio (42.6) and looking to the future, 19-year-old, Cassie Sanger, thirty-first with Redfield Fyre (51.2).
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 3, 2024
Our headline has a double meaning: Not only will some of the world’s top horses be at the Fair Hill eventing competition presented by Brown Advisory — including several big-time contenders from overseas — but you’ll also be able to put your money down on your favorite (or favorites) and perhaps get something back.
The Sport & Entertainment Corp. of Maryland, which puts on the event, is partnering with Crab Sports, a startup sportsbook tailored for the Maryland market, to offer sports betting markets for the Oct. 17-20 event. Spectators can bet on both the 5-star and the 3-star Long, in various classifications, including event winner, top three, top five and top 10.
This marks the first time fans will have the opportunity to engage in sports wagering on eventing in the U.S. An entrepreneur two years ago was working on a betting protocol for show jumping, but never went through with it.
At last year’s event, Maryland’s CEO, Jeff Newman, told me, “We want to continue to create more off-competition amenities, things non-equestrians want to come to. I think eventing is perfect for it.
“It’s something the sport needs. I think socially, it’s something that will help raise the bar and get more people out here.”
Craig Williams, Crab Sports director, commented, “Partnering with local businesses and events is at the core of what we do, and this collaboration allows us to connect with our Maryland customers in meaningful ways, going beyond where others are willing to go. Together, we’re excited to drive even more fan excitement and engagement to the world-renowned 5-Star, right here in our backyard.”
Registration can be done via the Crab Sports website or their free mobile app, available for download through the App Store and Google Play. Those interested in betting can register using the promo code MD5STAR through those platforms for access. All new users will receive a $500 Bet Insurance offer, giving them a second chance if their initial wager does not settle as a win. Full terms and conditions can be found here.
Market lines for the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory will open Oct. 14 and be live through the event’s conclusion Oct. 20. All participants must be 21 or older and physically present in Maryland. For tickets to the event, click this link.
Looking for a good bet? Mai Baum, the first U.S. horse to win the Defender Kentucky 5- star since 2008 when he did it in 2023, will be making his 5-star swan song at Maryland under the guidance of Tamie Smith.
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Ballaghmor Class, another Kentucky winner who also has a victory in Britain’s Burghley 5-star to his credit with rider Oliver Townend, will be on hand along with additional challengers from England. And New Zealand’s Falco, ridden by Tim Price of New Zealand, also could be in the favorite category.
The USA’s Boyd Martin with have his previous Maryland winner, On Cue in the line-up, along with the promising Commando 3, his Olympic reserve horse, and his old favorite, Tsetserleg, for whom this surely should be the last 5-star.
Click here for the current 5-star entry list.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 8, 2024
The Dressage Foundation has made awards to two trainers from its $25,000 Anne L. Barlow-Ramsay Grant for U.S.-Bred Horses Fund.
The grants, going to more than one recipient for the first time, are designed to showcase U.S.-bred horses ridden by American citizens.
Lauren Chumley of Pittstown, N.J., and Leeloo Dallas will be training this winter with Michael Bragdell under auspices of the grant. Leeloo Dallas, bred by Racheal McKinney, was purchased by Lauren as a foal. Lauren specializes in developing young horses and is a member of the USEF Developing Program with the mare, who has KWPN bloodlines.
“I believe in this little American horse with my whole heart and in Michael’s program,” said Lauren.
“I am absolutely thrilled that TDF believes in us too.”
Floridian Molly O’Brien and Fortunato H2O, an 8-year-old Oldenburg stallion owned by Lehua Custer, will train with Olympians Sue Blinks and Ali Brock during the winter season in Wellington. Molly is an assistant trainer and head groom for Lehua and has competed Fortunato H2O successfully through Prix St. Georges. Fortunato H2O was bred by Kendra Hansis of Runningwater Warmbloods.
Calling the grant life-changing not only for herself, but also for Lehua and Kendra, Molly said, “Dr. Ramsay’s philanthropic generosity affords riders like me, without private sponsorship, to pursue training opportunities to showcase elite, U.S.-bred equine athletes on a competitive stage.”
The Anne L. Barlow-Ramsay Grant Fund was established at the Dressage Foundation in 2008 by Dr. Barlow-Ramsay to fulfill her desire to support U.S.-bred horses that are competing on the international dressage stage. Since 2008, eleven recipients have been awarded a $25,000 grant for training or competition, including those who have successfully competed at the highest level of the sport. Applications are due August 15 each year.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 2, 2024
Could mandatory registration of dressage trainers be on the horizon, along with a certification requirement for these professionals?
It’s a definite possibility in the wake of Tuesday’s FEI stakeholder meeting in Switzerland, where some key players in the discipline met to discuss the core objectives of dressage and “ways of realigning the discipline to reflect these objectives.”
Dressage has been under scrutiny not only since the pre-Olympic Charlotte Dujardin scandal (the Olympic multi gold-medalist was shown hitting a student’s horse with a longe whip in a video that went viral) but also after other allegations of abuse became public.
What is the overall goal as seen at the meeting? Those attending contended that horses should be trained through balanced and systematic education, while being ridden to be calm, supple, flexible, confident, and responsive, “fostering a deep and positive connection with the rider.” You may be seeing that perception written into the FEI Rulebook going forward.
“A crucial aspect is that Dressage is practiced without tension or resistance, ensuring harmony between the horse and rider,” the FEI stated.
FEI Dressage Director Ronan Murphy explained the next step is to figure out how to “adapt our practices and approaches to ensure these standards are met. This effort is not the responsibility of any one group; it is a collective mission for the entire Dressage community.”
FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said, “While showcasing top sport, the Paris Games brought to light challenges that have prompted us to reflect and reassess in the post-Games period.”
One thing that should be reassessed is how the blood rule is handled. A case in point was the way the head of the ground jury stopped Marcus Orlob in the middle of his Paris Grand Prix test because his mount, Jane, had a tiny scratch on her white hind leg. It wasn’t gushing blood. Had it been on a black leg, it wouldn’t have been visible at all.
Was anyone in the stands, far from the middle of the arena, able to see that? No, so they were mystified when the rider was excused. Why not let the athlete finish his test and then have the veterinarians in the backstage area determine afterward whether the horse should be disqualified. The scratch obviously was not anything to do with abuse; it happened when the mare whirled to follow the previous entry, who exited the arena the wrong way.
The FEI should train and trust officials to make judgments about the presence of blood and determine whether it stems from something the rider has done or from another source. Animal rights activists have terrified officials, even though many of these protestors know nothing about horses and may have objectives that don’t necessarily relate to horse welfare. The fear of having horse sports excluded from the Olympics has been a driver for incidents like the one involving Jane.
National federations and media were not part of the Tuesday meeting. Participants included representatives of the
International Dressage Rider’s Club, the International Dressage Officials Club, the International Dressage Trainer’s Club and the dressage organizers, as well as the presidents of the European Equestrian Federation and the Pan American Equestrian Confederation; the FEI vice president, the chair of the FEI Para Equestrian Technical Committee and the FEI Dressage Steward General.
The discussion will continue at the FEI annual meeting in November and its sports forum in April 2025.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 3, 2024
Six years after Amanda Steege and Lafitte de Muze won the World Champion Hunter Rider Professional Challenge at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, they did it again Wednesday night in Maryland.
Scores of 93.66 and 91.16 over two rounds gave Amanda a total of 184.82, 6.08 points ahead of runner-up David Wilbur with Four Aces.
Amanda Steege and Lafitte de Muze (Shawn McMillen Photo)
On Friday night, Scott Stewart took the $30,000 WCHR Pro Hunter Rider Final, in which the top four riders rode “donated” horses they had not competed previously in a format like the Final Four, which used to decide the world show jumping championships.
It was the eighth time that Scott, 60, had won the title.
Despite his record, “I still get nervous,” he conceded.
“It’s a great honor to be included in these group of riders. I’m hopeful that I’ll get to keep doing it. I’ve won it enough, and I just enjoyed doing it, so I wasn’t really expecting to win, but I was, I would say, probably the most relaxed I’ve ever been.”
Scott had a 20-point margin over second-place Geoffrey Hesslink. Amanda was third and Nick Haness, the 2022 winner, finished fourth.
Of her victory earlier in the week, Amanda said, “We pick certain classes throughout the year that we really aim Lafitte for and try to have him peak at.”
Lafitte, who is owned by Cheryl Olsten, has the right bloodlines for victory. The son of Darco is out of Everlychin de la Pomme, a mare who won the Grand Hunter Championship at Capital Challenge in 2013 with Scott Stewart aboard, after she had campaigned in the jumpers with Shane Sweetnam.
Amanda, who is based in Califon, N.J., and Wellington, Fla., has a motto of “calmly confident” with her 13-year-old Belgian warmblood mount, “just trying to go out there and pick up the canter and show a little pace without overdoing it and attacking the jumps.”
“To win this same class again is very exciting,” she said.
“I think it’s remarkable to have a horse like Lafitte for seven years and have him still be so at the top of his game. Every round that I do on him, he tries so hard. He never comes out of his stall and feels like he doesn’t want to go to the ring. I just am so thankful to have him for the last seven years, and I’m looking forward to quite a few more.”
Amanda noted that Lafitte is “unbelievably intelligent” and “really a ham” who is always up for a photo session and posing with his prizes.
The rider gives credit to her partner, Tim Delovich, who “is so responsible for Lafitte being Lafitte.”
“Lafitte is amazing, but he’s an athlete and he’s sensitive,” she explained.
“Tim is his person and sort of pulled it all together with him. I really do think Lafitte understands this whole thing and that he’s really supposed to be showing off when he’s out there. He makes us all better.”
