by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 1, 2019
The Kevin Babington Foundation has set up a Facebook page to update people on the injured show jumper and his progress, share information regarding fund raising and to keep everyone current on what is needed for Kevin as he continues on his journey towards rehabilitation in the wake of his accident that left him with a critical spinal cord injury.
Here is a message from the Foundation: “As many of you know Kevin’s rehabilitation is going to be a long process. The KBF has been created to assist in generating funds so the large task of providing the best possible care for Kevin is viable.
“All of us at the KBF wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to the many people who have already donated. With the contributions received we were able to recently purchase a van for Kevin so he can easily be transported to and from physical therapy once he is released from Kessler and is down in Florida. Currently the date for Kevin’s arrival in Wellington is on or around December 5.
“If anyone has any questions, please send your inquiries here via private message on Facebook, or you can send an email to kevinbabingtonfoundation@gmail.com
if you need bank details for donations.
Kevin Babington Foundation board member Shane Sweetnam wears a green ribbon on his jacket signifying his commitment to Kevin. (Photo©2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Additionally, the KBF hopes to be a platform where riders can access resources to obtain information on innovative safety equipment to aid in the prevention of catastrophic injury. Arguably our sport is behind the eight-ball in this area, and it’s time we look more closely at the many cutting-edge options in safety vests and riding coats, which are readily available.
“Many thanks for your continued support for Kevin. He and his family, and all of us at the KBF are so incredibly grateful for your interest and generosity.
We hope we can continue to count on all of you as Kevin faces his brave battle to recover.”
Missy Clark
John Brennan
Shane Sweetnam
Colm Mcguckian
Darragh Kerins
Maarten Huygens
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 28, 2019
A respected member of the driving community, former Gladstone Equestrian Association president Louis Piancone was both “a dynamo and a gentleman,” said his close friend, Guy Torsilieri.
Mr. Piancone, 90, died on Thanksgiving after a long illness.
“He was incredibly generous,” said Guy. He noted Mr. Piancone made sure that his Oak Hollow Farm property in Gladstone, once part of the Brady estate, was farmland preserved. That was something he believed in, added Guy, observing that Mr. Piancone played a major role in “keeping equestrian sport alive in the area.”
The chairman emeritus of the Coaching Club of America, the four-in-hand driver had an incredible collection of carriages and coaches. He played a major role in the hugely successful staging of the 1993 World Pairs Driving Championship in Gladstone.
“He was a special individual in every way; his kindness, giving help, anything he could do for you,” commented Sharon Chesson, a former international driver.
“He will be sorely missed by everyone.”
Known for being impeccably turned out, Mr. Piancone treated everyone the same, from his employees to his family, Guy observed. “He was so gracious, total class, the old school.”
“He was a gem,” said Karen Murphy, joint master of the Essex Fox Hounds. “He was a kind, great figure in our community. It’s a loss for us.”
Born in Italy, Mr. Piancone immigrated to the U.S. in 1951. Four years later, he opened a delicatessen in Bradley Beach. Seeing the need for wholesale distribution of quality Italian food products, in 1964 he changed his approach to marketing and distribution, launching Roma Food Enterprises Inc. as its president and CEO. In 2005, Roma merged with Vistar Corporation and in 2008, Roma became a part of Performance Foodservice, which launched Roma products nationwide, becoming a leader in the Italian food service industry.
In 1988 , he pioneered marketing and production of Italian food products in Russia in partnership with the USSR Ministry of Science and Technology and the University of Moscow. He founded Astro Pizza, which brought the art of pizza-making to Russia. A visionary of today’s food truck popularity, he was always one step ahead of the game.
Lou Piancone sitting proudly in the driver’s seat in 2013. (Photo ©2013 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
In 1987, Roma financed and assisted in the baking of a 100-foot-diameter pizza that earned the 1989 Guinness Book World Record for “The World’s Largest Pizza”. Proceeds were given to the United Way, the American Red Cross and the National Italian American Foundation. He was a supporter of the Independent College Fund of New Jersey and helped develop the Junior Achievement Program.
Awards he received included the 1990 Kennedy Center Alliance award for Distinguished Corporate Leadership through Arts in Education; the 1991 Distinguished Citizen’s Award from the Boy Scouts of America and the 1992 Golden Lion Award presented by the Order of the Sons of Italy in America.
In 1992, he established a National Italian American Foundation Scholarship for students studying all facets of agriculture. In 1989, he received the Boy’s Towns of Italy Man of the Year Award and in 1995, its Humanitarian Award. In 1997, he was awarded the Humanitarian Award from the Center for Migration Studies in New York and in 2000, the National Italian American Foundation’s Special Achievement Award. In 2002 he received the Il Comitato Montesi D’America Man of the Year Award and in 2004, the William “Jazz” Jones Brightest Star Award presented by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newark.
He served on the boards of the U.S. Equestrian Team, the John Cabot University in Rome and the Hitchcock Foundation in Aiken, S.C. He was an honorary member of the U.K. Coaching Club and instrumental in bringing together the American, British and European Coaching Clubs by promoting four-in-hand driving internationally. In July 2016 he was internationally recognized as the Man of the Year by the European Driving Club.
Mr. Piancone also was active on the boards of the Somerset Medical Center Foundation and the Far Hills Race Meeting Association. A member of the International Architectural Council of The Preservation Society of Newport County, R.I., he received its Laurel Award.
Mr. Piancone is survived by his wife, Teri; his children, Mariette (Joseph) Picca, Louis M. (Madeline), Stephen (Deanne) and step-sons Adam and Sean. He has five grandchildren, Noel (Ed) Kaplonski, Joey, Marissa, Stephen and Anna and two great grandchildren, Edward and Peter. He is also survived by a brother, Michael.
In his memory, the family suggests a contribution to the Somerset Health Care Foundation, (Steeplechase Cancer Center) 110 Rehill Ave., Somerville, 08876 or the Far Hills Race Meeting Association, 50 US 202 Far Hills. Arrangements are by the Galloway & Crane Funeral Home in Basking Ridge.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 27, 2019
After trainer George Morris last week lost a bid in arbitration to reverse his lifetime ban from the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association announced yesterday it is removing the trophy bearing his name from the International Hunter Derby.
It’s ironic, since the former U.S. show jumping coach was involved with inception of the hunter derby concept. But as Mary Babick, USHJA president noted, “It is time to step up and no longer tolerate inappropriate behavior and to emerge as a safer and altogether more positive environment for our people and our horses. We should have zero tolerance for cruelty and abuse whether of horses or humans. Victim shaming and blaming is never acceptable.”
Morris, 81, received the ban for “sexual misconduct involving a minor” in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
Babick’s statement continued, “As an organization, the USHJA is committed to safety and fairness for our members. Our sport produces many positives for our participants. Horses bring horsemanship, sportsmanship, empathy and teamwork into our lives. But let’s face it, whether it is the treatment of horses or people, we also have dark corners of the sport. As a sport and a community, we can and should be better.”
She added, “The USHJA supports the mission of SafeSport. Our support does not make us deaf to the questions raised by many members concerning some of the processes utilized by the U.S. Center for SafeSport.”
USHJA also will re-name its Hunterdon Cup equitation competition, since Hunterdon was the name of Morris’ nationally known stable in New Jersey.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 19, 2019
The prediction from knowledgeable sources was that reining would be dropped from the FEI (international equestrian federation) ranks when members of the organization met this week at their General Assembly in Moscow.
So much for that…
After more than 20 years of cooperation, which produced some of the most exciting moments in World Equestrian Games’ history, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) announced a new agreement has been reached with the FEI. It was approved today by the General Assembly for the organization’s only western discipline.
“I am so proud of our NRHA Task Force that worked diligently with the officials at FEI to come to a workable Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). All of these individuals have focused on our mission to promote the reining horse. Although each organization has different needs, we were able to meet those needs and agree on a path forward,” said NRHA President Mike Hancock.
“This MOU provides more clarity, and the conversations have brought about better understanding. This agreement preserves the progress we have made over the last two decades, provides a means to develop more joint competitions, and protects the heritage of both organizations!”
In an attempt to ensure that reining is moving forward in a sustainable way, key Performance Indicators have been put in place for the next four years aimed at growing participation in the discipline.
Details of the agreement and its potential impact on the NRHA membership will be revealed in the near future as implementation plans are finalized.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 16, 2019
So much for the FEI World Equestrian Games. For the first time since the compilation of world championships debuted in 1990, the WEG will not be held in its next calendar rotation in 2022.
Italy and Saudi Arabia were the only bidders for the WEG, but instead of awarding it, the FEI at its annual meeting in Moscow today wisely decided to break up the concept which had become too expensive and unwieldy.
So Italy gets eventing and driving at Pratoni del Vivaro (where those world championships were held in conjunction with the 1998 Rome WEG), while Herning, Denmark, gets show jumping, dressage, para dressage and vaulting.
Individual show jumping medalists Martin Fuchs, Simone Blum and Steve Guerdat on the podium at the 2018 WEG, likely the last one ever held. Photo © 2018 by Nancy Jaffer
A decision on the reining and endurance world championships is pending, waiting for word about the future of those disciplines in the FEI.
The good news is that Omaha, which successfully hosted the FEI dressage and show jumping World Cup finals in 2017, will get them again in 2023. That choice is well-deserved. It will be nice to have the Cup finals back in the U.S. so soon after the 2020 edition in Las Vegas.
Leipzig, Germany, gets the 2022 Cups in dressage, jumping, driving and vaulting. WEG aspirant Saudi Arabia had to settle for the 2024 World Cup finals in jumping and dressage.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 15, 2019
Patricia Duffy Murphy was always an elegant presence, beautifully turned out whether in a formal gown at Madison Square Garden for the National Horse Show; riding her favorite horse, Sean, with the Spring Valley Hounds, or while welcoming guests to her home at Spook Hollow Farm in Bedminster, which traditionally has hosted the Essex Fox Hounds’ opening meet each season for 40 years.
But more important, she was a warm person with a quick smile, who made sure you knew she was glad to see you. That’s how we’ll remember Patricia, who died Wednesday at age 89, surrounded by her family, the focus of her life.
Patricia Murphy with her daughter, Karen, in 2012 at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation. (Photo © 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)
Patricia, the widow of U.S. Equestrian Team President Vincent B. Murphy Jr., was always there for her six children: Vince Jr., Patricia Stuebe; Michaela (Mikey) Hoag, a former grand prix show jumper; Dan, Karen, who is the joint master of the Essex Fox Hounds, and Kevin, who died in 2013.
Born in Germantown, Pa., Patricia graduated from the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Eden Hall and attended Pratt Institute in New York City. Patricia was one of the first women invested with the American Sovereign Military Order of Malta. She was also a long-time supporter of the Summit Speech School and the Midland School.
She was known for her devout faith, kindness and high moral standards. Oma, as she was affectionately called by her 20 grandchildren and Grand Oma by her 11 great-grandchildren, was the glue that kept the Murphy family together. Every child and grandchild spent holidays at the farm, where they felt her love, warmth and support. Family was paramount in her eyes and she instilled that deeply across the generations.
Like her late husband, Pat suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, which inspired Mikey to become involved in raising funds for research into this devastating condition. She started an organization called Part the Cloud, which works with the Alzheimer’s association, raising money for early stage human trials to find a drug that can slow, stop or ultimately cure Alzheimer’s.
The organization has had 39 trials around the world, with applications from 29 countries. The idea is to get a drug on the market as fast as possible, Mikey said. It took seven years to raise $30 million, which includes a $10 million donation from Bill Gates. She hopes that by April, another $30 million will be raised.
Mikey has staged Silicon Valley fund raisers every other year featuring celebrities performing pro bono, including Tony Bennett, Jimmy Buffet, Chris Isaac and Idina Menzel.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made to Part the Cloud at alz.org/partthecloud or the Countryside Alliance of the Somerset Hills (https://greatnonprofits.org/org/countryside-alliance-of-the-somerset-hills).
