by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 30, 2020
The pandemic has taken a toll on two more major shows in a season that has vanished.
The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair has decided to cancel its 2020 edition seven weeks out from its planned May 21-31 dates.
“This decision was made only after significant evaluation of the far-reaching operational and financial implications,” according to a statement from the show, one of the most important in the U.S.
“The organizers evaluated many options including postponement.”
Devon officials say the decision made “In fairness to the competitors, vendors, volunteers and all others involved…is the best for everyone under the circumstances.”
The only other time this iconic show has been cancelled was for three years during World War II.
Old Salem Farm on Tuesday canceled its Westchester County, N.Y., shows scheduled for May 5-10 and May 12-17.
A statement from the show said, “This decision was prompted to do our part to flatten the curve of the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Our No. 1 concern is for the safety and well-being of exhibitors, sponsors, spectators, vendors, staff and the community. We will continue to follow updated recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), New York State and local authorities as it relates to public events.”
Scott Hakim, Old Salem Farm president, commented “Being back at Old Salem Farm after being away for the past seven years, my team and I had been working hard to make this year’s show extra special. It was deeply disappointing for all of us to make the decision to cancel the first Old Salem Farm Spring Horse shows in over 40 years. However, I am confident that we made the right decision. The health of our community is our priority. We are already looking at additional dates to add to our schedule and will be back as soon as the time is right.”
The Kentucky spring horse shows in May also have cancelled, but as of now, their summer shows in July and August, which include the U.S. Pony Finals, are on.
Meanwhile, north of the border, Equestrian Canada has said it will suspend sanctioned competitions through June 1. Points earned in any events held during that time will not count, and the same applies to qualifications and rankings.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 30, 2020
It didn’t take long for the International Olympic Committee to come up with new dates for the postponed Tokyo Games. Today it was announced that the competition will start on July 23, 2021, one day earlier than it would have started this year, ending Aug. 8. The Paralympic Games will begin on Aug. 24 and run through Sept. 5
Although IOC officials originally said summer would be the latest time for which the Games would be rescheduled in 2021, the organization did not take advantage of the possibility to hold them in a season that would be cooler than sizzling mid-summer. It was announced last year that the marathon would be moved 500 miles north of Tokyo to Hokkaido to ease the heat situation for those athletes.
The one-year delay will be costly. It could mean about $5.8 billion in losses, according to an estimate by Katsuhiro Miyamoto, an honorary professor at Japan’s Kansai University.
Although the IOC said that athletes who qualified for this year’s Games would keep their qualifications, that presents some problems for equestrians, who may not be using the same horses with which they qualified for this year’s Olympics. Some of the older horses may have retired, while others may not be in form during the lead-up to the Games.
The new dates have to work with the rest of the global sports calendar, with cooperation key. The World Athletics Championships, originally set for Oregon between Aug. 6 and Aug. 21 2021, will be postponed until 2022. The European championships in equestrian sports were scheduled for August.
“We support the new 2021 dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This gives our athletes the time they need to get back into training and competition,” World Athletics said in a statement.
“Everyone needs to be flexible and compromise.”.
Purchased tickets would be valid for rescheduled events or a refund could be requested when the new dates were set, organizers previously confirmed.
“In terms of transport, arranging volunteers and the provision of tickets for those in Japan and overseas, as well as allowing for the Covid-19 situation, we think that it would be better to reschedule the Games to one year later than planned, in the summer of 2021,” said Yoshiro Mori, who heads the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 27, 2020
Covid19 is causing the Standardbred Retirement Foundation to cancel three of its important fundraisers, at the same time that it is being slammed by the need for Americans to quarantine, keeping adopters away during the busiest time of the year for finding homes. More than 400 trotters and pacers are under the SRF’s expense and care. What this means is that there will be no funds to feed every one of its horses, making it an emergency situation.
SRF desperately needs to reduce its expenses and the number of horses now. It has already reduced staffing by 80 percent, The 31 year old organization does not receive any regular funds from any source. Support comes primarily from people who care about the animals.
The following is needed as the first effort to be able to keep all 403 horses fed and to avoid drastic action:
1. SRF is asking for Standardbred farms and breeders with pastures to take in a one or more horse on a permanent or temporary basis.
2. It seeks pleasure farm owners who have room to help by either providing a home, foster home or pasture where one can be squeezed in for any time period.
3. Use of farms with grassy pasture for horses to graze help with the cost of feeding.
4. Foster homes are such a huge help. SRF has everything set up on the website for those who can help with foster homes. This is the perfect time to be a foster, the weather is good, and you can quarantine at your your own farm.
5. Horse sponsorship will keep a horse that is with SRF fed during this crisis; it can be in any amount for any period of time. Sponsor a horse
6. Tax-deductible donations will make it possible to get through this crisis, and cover emergency care, if needed.
7. More than 200 Standardbreds are living out their lives with SRF, many had sizable earnings in the past, have lost their adopted homes, and are now considered too old for a life under saddle in a new home. SRF is requesting all racing owners and breeders whose horses the non-profit is helping, to help SRF now by sponsoring their horse, even if it was years ago that their horse came into the program.
Some horses just need a patch of grass, feed and general care, others require a little extra TLC, some are on the rebound from emaciated conditions and need more attention, some are already riding, others need a little training. Their ages range from 3 to aged, are mares and geldings, and are located in about 12 different states. They all have good brains, and great manners. Here is a link to a list of the horses in need, horses are being added until the list is complete.
These are desperate times that could never have been predicted. Every one of these horses is in imminent danger of SRF having to take other measures to get this manageable and must count on good people to reach out to help. On average, the cost per day just to feed the herd is approximately $4,000.
The link below provides information on adoption, fostering, sponsoring, and how to make a tax-deductible donation to help these horses. Please email to offer help, calls are being taken at 609-738-3255, but responses may be slow so please be patient.
To adopt, foster, sponsor, or make a tax-deductible donation please go to AdoptaHorse.org for questions please email SRFhorsesandkids@gmail.com, or call 609 738 3255.
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Donate to SRF Today
About Standardbred Retirement Foundation
Standardbred Retirement Foundation provides humane care and services for horses in need of lifetime homes, and in crisis, through rehabilitation, training, adoption, life-long follow-up
or life-time sanctuary, and offers therapeutic equine opportunities for children and adults.
SRF is a 31 year old registered non-profit organization, donations are tax-deductible.
Media Contact:
Tammy Cailliau
Phone: 609-738-3255
Email address: SRFHorsesandkids@gmail.com
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 26, 2020
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said the Tokyo Games could be rescheduled to be held before next summer, according to the newsletter, “Inside the Games.”
Bach was quoted as saying the Games would “not be restricted to the summer months.” That could solve the problem of the 100-degree heat that was likely during a Tokyo summer, when the Games originally were slated for July 24-Aug. 9. The prospect of such heat prompted moving the marathon 500 miles north, which annoyed Tokyo folks who were hoping to see the race pass by them on the street.
The newsletter also mentioned that there was a thought at one point of cancelling the Olympics rather than postponing, but now the IOC is going ahead and conferring today with the governing bodies of all 33 Olympic sports about the way forward. However, Bach mentioned that those involved would have to make “sacrifices and compromises.”
What that means for equestrian sports remains to be seen. There has always been a concern that equestrian could be on the chopping block as the Olympics modernizes with sports that are urban and young (see break-dancing and skateboarding as part of the Paris 2024 agenda) Is it possible that some sports may have to be dropped for the next iteration of Tokyo 2020?
The IOC is faced with the enormous task of seeing how the Games can be juggled with the schedules of so many sports, as qualification and minimum eligibility requirements come into play.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 25, 2020
U.S. Equestrian Federation mileage rules will be waived so the organization can allow for “major events” that had to be cancelled to be rescheduled later in the year, USEF CEO Bill Moroney stated today, while announcing an extension of the organization’s original 30-day suspension of its events from April 16 to May 3.
The suspension includes all USEF-owned events, selection trials, training camps, clinics and activities. The federation can only recommend that all its licensed competitions be suspended and that equestrians do not participate. If those competitions are held, however, points, money won and rankings toward USEF awards will not count.
USEF President Murray Kessler is planning to use his Presidential Modification authority to enable the shows to have a new time slot and develop a fair method for altering qualifications for these events. With that direction, “USEF has already implemented mechanisms to provide for flexibility and the ability to make necessary modifications to responsibly manage the competition calendar in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In that vein, Moroney stated, “We are engaging with organizers daily and continue to review situations on a case-by-case basis.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 25, 2020
Aachen, the world’s most prominent horse show, will not be held in early June as scheduled. The organizers of the German show, which includes jumping, dressage, eventing and driving, say they will be looking at a date later in the year to run the competition.Aachen draws competitors from all over the world, who won’t be able to be there under the current circumstances, which may well last into the summer.
The Tryon Equestrian Center also has stopped all competition until mid-May, as per the orders of the North Carolina governor.
The Horse Park of New Jersey has closed until April 13, according to Adam Furlong, president of the park’s board of trustees.
“We do not take this decision lightly; but we recognize our social responsibility to be part of `flattening the curve,’ he stated.
“As a result of the guidelines provided by the USEF, FEI, and local and state officials, we have seen almost all equestrian events cancelled for the foreseeable future. As such, we must temporarily cease operations in order to be fiscally responsible and to ensure the safety of all those who use the park. It is our sincere hope that everyone will do their part in reducing the spread of COVID-19, and that will be able to return to operations in one month.
“The Board will work diligently with all impacted events to find suitable alternative dates when it is safe to operate those events.”
In other virus-related changes and closings:
Tack sales scheduled for the weekend of March 28 at Riding for Heart in Pittstown and April 4 at Mane Stream Therapeutic Riding in Oldwick are being postponed. Riding with Heart doesn’t have a date yet, but Mane Stream will be combining the spring sale with its autumn sale.
Meanwhile, the New Jersey Region Pony Club has reshuffled its schedule of events.
The Quiz Rally originally scheduled for March 14 in Goshen, N.Y., was cancelled and will be rescheduled before June 22, the closing date for entries for the U.S. Pony Club Championships and Festival in July at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The April 5 dressage schooling show originally scheduled to be held at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, is being moved to the Horse Park of New Jersey. The new date is May 30. The May 17 Dressage Rally (open just to Pony Club members) has been rescheduled and moved from the USET to the Horse Park of New Jersey. The new date is April 25, sharing the weekend with the show jumping rally already scheduled for April 26 at the HPNJ.
Manhattan Saddlery is not open for in-person shopping, but will accept orders by phone and internet. Dover Saddlery remains open, but check hours. It is offering curbside pickup.
Further from home, the New Zealand Equestrian Federation has shut down the Olympics disciplines, para and endurance for three months. They’ll take another look at the end of April, however.
