by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 24, 2018
Stars of the New Jersey horse industry were celebrated Jan. 28 at the Equine Advisory Board Breeders’ Luncheon in Eastampton Township wherei Maggi Romano was named Horseperson of the Year.
Maggi is no stranger to well-deserved recognition; her contributions to the industry have been honored for years.
She served two years as president and one year as show manager of the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of New Jersey and worked diligently as a board member of the New Jersey Horse Council, currently serving as its delegate to the American Horse Council. She was both vice chairman and chairman of the New Jersey Equine Advisory Board.
The Clarksburg resident is married to Anthony Romano, a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.
Other honors presented included Standardbred of the Year, Ariana G, owned by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld, and Thoroughbred of the Year, Irish War Cry, owned by Isabelle de Tomaso. Fairwinds Farm was the Breeder of the Year.
Lather Rinse Repeat received the Standardbred Pleasure Award for superior achievement, and the pinto, A Classic Romance, got a superior title as well. Madeline Crisp is the Equestrian of the Year, while Chloe Baker received the Ernest Bell Scholarship Award and Brittany Smith took the Agricultural Achievement Award. Bridget Favjan received the Sara Dubnin Scholarship.Nancy Murray was recognized for the Horse Park of New Jersey Volunteer award.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 10, 2018
March 1 is the entry deadline for the New Jersey Equine Artists’ Association Eighth Biennial “NJEAA Art of the Horse” contest and exhibition, which runs May 20-June 17. Works will be exhibited at Prallsville Mills in Stockton.
Judging from past exhibitions, it’s worthwhile to see the wide range of artwork that is presented.
For more information, email xochitlb@comcast.net
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 10, 2018
Former Fair Hill International Three-Day Event Executive Director Charles Colgan, who was also a former director of the National Steeplechase Association, died Jan. 2 after a brief illness.
Colgan, 77, who held the Fair Hill post for 10 years, was the son of a member of the Treasurers and Ticket Sellers Union, which enabled him to attend a wide variety of sporting and theater events in New York City. His deep love of horse racing developed from his experiences at the old Madison Square Garden, the New York racetracks and summer visits to Saratoga.
Practicing as a lawyer in North Carolina, he found a way to connect his professional life with his love for sport by working for the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association in 1971. He also served as editor of American Steeplechasing.
Colgan met Audrey Walsh, daughter of Hall of Fame horse trainer Mickey Walsh, while he was working as a white cap and she as an exercise rider at Belmont Park. They married in 1963. Their daughter, Kelly Colgan, and her husband, Peter McDermott, are prominent in today’s horse racing industry. Survivors also include his daughter, Kerry Shovlin, son Patrick Colgan and four grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be may to St. John Holy Angels Church,82 Possum Park Road, Newark, Del., 19711.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 5, 2018
The Wellington Eventing Showcase, which introduced hunter/jumper/dressage fans to eventing at the Winter Equestrian Festival, will not be held in February. It was a huge hit for the last three years (Boyd Martin won it every time) with a highlight in 2017 seeing riders gallop through the VIP tent to take a fence right in the midst of the party.
Boyd Martin on Welcome Shadow jumping through the VIP tent at the 2017 Wellington Eventing Showcase. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
The unrecognized competition with a $100,000 purse was staged on the grounds of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, a short canter from the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center where most of the WEF is presented.
Cross-country—the final phase in this format–ran on the derby field at Global. The next day, a show jumping grand prix was held there. That was always a bit dicey on that first weekend of February, because the $220,000 Longines FEI World Cup jumping qualifier also ran on that Sunday about a mile away at Deeridge Farm. I remember rushing from Deeridge to Global to catch the last of the WEF jumping class, and some of the riders also did a bit of dashing to participate in both.
Carly Weilminster of Equestrian Sport Productions said WEF organizers “had been given feedback from the show jumping riders that they’d prefer to do all of the FEI classes during the week on the grass instead of just the Grand Prix on Sunday. So we moved the Grand Prix to Saturday and all of the qualifying classes are now on the grass.”
The Saturday class, the 4-star $205,000 Net Jets Grand Prix, begins at the odd time of 11 a.m. at Global. Saturday night’s class is the Great Charity Challenge in the main arena at PBIEC at 6:30 p.m. Since the Longines class is on Sunday, it wouldn’t work to have a WEF class that afternoon, leaving Saturday morning as the window of opportunity.
Carly said organizers had hoped “to still be able to do the Showcase, but it posed a big logistical challenge with stabling and the field usage, etc” so it was called off. She added “We’re going to re-evaluate the week next year, but would still like to host the event.”
Lack of sponsorship also was a problem, as Equestrian Sport Productions is putting its efforts into September’s FEI World Equestrian Games in North Carolina and finding sponsors for that is taking precedence.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 5, 2018
Working on your equestrian new year’s resolutions? Daniel Stewart can help. He provided an inspirational keynote speech at December’s U.S. Hunter Jumper Association annual meeting in Texas, and this month, he’ll be closer to home at Chelsea Nix’s Penwick Eventing in Sussex County.
He is featured in a clinic there Jan. 20 and 21. While the jumper riding slots are filled, you can always try—maybe someone will drop out. There is room in the dressage portion of the clinic and auditors are invited as well.
Daniel is both a riding coach and a motivational speaker. He talks about building a team, “trust is a must,” and mentioned how your head and heart are more important than your hands and heels when it comes to riding. One of his mantras is, “turn life’s little setbacks into life’s little comebacks.” You get the idea.
For more information about the session in Hampton Township, contact Chelsea@penwickeventing.com. For more about Daniel, go to www.pressureproofacademy.com
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 3, 2018
Yes, it’s cold outside in New Jersey. Which is why the Jan. 5-7 CJL show at Duncraven in Titusville and the Hunter Farms Jan. 6-7 and Palermo shows on those dates have been cancelled, along with the Jan. 6 barrel racing at the Horse Park of New Jersey.
If you’re on the East Coast and planned on showing this weekend, be sure to check to make sure your show hasn’t been cancelled because of the weather.
