by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 2, 2017
Consummate volunteer Larry Langer, one of the key figures in the hunter/jumper industry, received the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the organization’s annual meeting in Kentucky.
He has been part of the sport for 66 years, ever since he was a knobby-kneed kid with glasses who discovered that unlike his parents and his sister, horses didn’t talk back. From there, his involvement with riding took off.
After time as a rider, trainer and show manager, judge and steward, he got into equestrian governance. Larry has served on a wide variety of boards, including that of the USEF, and was instrumental in the birth of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association. He was honored with its distinguished service award five times.
Tom Struzzieri and his friend, Larry Langer. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“You name it and Larry has been involved as a tireless volunteer,” said HITS showmanager Tom Struzzieri, who introduced his friend to the audience in a Lexington, Ky., ballroom where the Pegasus Awards were held.
Larry is always generous with his time and counsel. As Tom noted, Larry is characterized by “his loyalty and non-stop energy for the sport.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 2, 2017
He guided the U.S. show jumping team to medals at the 2014 World Equestrian Games, the 2015 Pan American Games and the 2016 Olympics, so it was no surprise that Robert Ridland just got another four years as the squad’s technical adviser/chef d’equipe, or the title he prefers, “coach.”
At this point, Robert is the only U.S. chef in the Olympic disciplines who is assured of staying through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Robert Dover guided the dressage team to bronze at the Rio Games, but wasn’t sure he wanted to stay on past the 2018 World Equestrian Games.
David O’Connor, whose eventing squad did not finish as a team at either the 2014 WEG or the Rio Olympics, got another two years to show what he can do.
But it seemed a cinch that Robert Ridland would be asked to remain in his post.
“I’m very excited to once again be given the unique opportunity of working with what I believe is the most talented group of horses and riders in the sport today,” said Robert, who had Kent Farrington (number three in the world this month) and McLain Ward (number four in the world) as half of his team at the WEG, Pan Ams and Olympics.
“Over the past four years, I have constantly been reminded of how fortunate we are to have the unrivaled USEF support team working behind the scenes with us to make it all possible,” Robert continued.
“And with the unwavering support of the owners, I look forward to continuing to help lay the groundwork for sustained success for our present and future riders throughout the next quadrennium and beyond.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 27, 2016
Carl “Doc” Simmons fell in love with hunting from the first day he tried it. He rode with Suffolk County’s Smithtown Hunt on Long Island, but took inspiration from the old, very social (and defunct) Meadow Brook Hounds in Nassau County, a hunt that counted Theodore Roosevelt as a member before he became president of the U.S.
Doc learned that a secretary would sit at a table every time Meadow Brook went out, taking notes on who was riding, the name of their horse, the grooms and guests, the weather conditions.
After looking at those write-ups, he started his own hunting diary. He kept notes of his first 500 hunts over a 10-year period, and then was able to figure out how the numbers mounted after he moved to Virginia and hunted several times a week. All told, he has hunted with 33 clubs in six states and seven countries.
On Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, the 70-year-old Bernardsville resident marked his 1,000th day of hunting. Before the field at the Monmouth County Hunt (mchconservancy.org) started off, he raised his flask and members lifted their stirrup cups, as he offered a toast, his “ode to the hunt:”
May the fox be sporting, and the scent be strong.
May your mount be willing all hunt long.
May the hounds be active, true to the line,
And upon our return, all’s safe and fine.
May the sun be shining, yet the weather cool.
And, above all else . . .
May your flask be ever full.
Carl “Doc” Simmons offers a toast to mark his 1,000th day of hunting, as other members of the Monmouth County Hunt raise their stirrup cups. (Photo by Bonnie Smith)
Doc noted his achievement isn’t unique. As he pointed out, anyone able to put in 50 hunts a year for 20 years can enjoy the same achievement, though that’s easier said than done.
“There’s probably a lot of people who have had 1,000 hunts, but they just never thought of it,” he commented.
With the pressures of work and other demands, difficult weather and the challenge of keeping horses sound, however, 50 hunts a year is not within everyone’s reach.
“He should be proud of it,” said Dennis Foster, executive director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, who has ridden with 408 different hunts in 11 countries, and logged thousands of times out with the hounds.
Of course, Dennis is in a singular position, but referring to Doc’s milestone, he noted, “It isn’t something most people can say they did. It’s an accomplishment, and if he took the effort to document it, (it’s) something very special to him.”
Doc, who has a doctorate in management, is president and CEO of Global Network Solutions, a consulting firm. Although he rode while growing up on a farm in Western Pennsylvania, he stopped when his time was devoted to college, a stint as a small-college All American football player and playing with a New York Giants farm team. He then devoted himself to his career, and didn’t get back into horses until he was in his 40s.
He started hunting in 1992, after taking riding lessons at the C.W. Post Equestrian Center in Old Westbury on Long Island, territory that was used by Smithtown for a drag hunt. After looking at hunting pictures in the lobby of the Post facility he decided, “I want to do that. And that was it.
“I fell in love with it. I love to dress up, frankly,” he said with a chuckle, but then cited hunting’s physical, emotional, intellectual, social and spiritual benefits.
“It gathers all of our senses that are alive,” he stated.
Monmouth Joint Master Meg Valnoski said Doc had just started hunting with Monmouth this season, and told her he would be reaching his milestone this winter.
“He brings great enthusiasm and really enjoys the traditions of foxhunting, which includes both the hunting and social aspects. He’s been a great addition to our hunt,” said Meg.
The other joint master, MJ Carey, agreed, adding, “He understands and respects the sport, and the tradition of the sport. That’s what’s kept our sport alive, the people who hold deep in their hearts the traditions of the sport.”
UPDATE:
I just learned that Doc achieved his milestone on Alex, a horse he leases from Kit and Shane Alley, the owners of Harmony Hill Stables in Allentown.
Here is Alex’s story, courtesy of Kit:
We are an approved partner farm for Turning for Home Retired Racehorses, Parx Racing, Bensalem Pa. We partner with Turning for Home to take off-the-track thoroughbreds to rehab, retrain and rehome them. In the program for just over a year, we have rehabilitated, retrained and rehomed 11 OTTBs.
Alex was one of the very first OTTBs that we took in from Turning for Home in October 2015. Alex had one of the worst bowed tendons I had ever seen, and in fact, the vet had recommended putting her down until TFH and our farm got involved. It took us almost one year to rehab Alex.
After her long rehabilitation, we started retraining her and because she had been “on the farm” so long she was stubborn to retrain. We got her out on some hunter paces. Finally, with a lot of patience and love, we built a solid training foundation so that Alex was ready for a second career and her forever home.
We advertised Alex for adoption and many people loved her conformation and her pedigree (Cat Thief) but absolutely no one would give her a chance because of her previous injury. Many people want a “perfect horse” with no injuries and so many excellent OTTBs, like Alex, get overlooked. We kept riding and training her because we knew how good she was and believed in her. Then Doc Simmons contacted us and was interested in leasing an OTTB for the hunt season and adopting an additional OTTB gelding as well.
He was unsure at first because of her size, 15.3 hands, which is another reason OTTBs are overlooked. I encouraged him to just give our girl a chance and he did and he loves her. In fact he refers to her as his “new girlfriend.”
When Doc achieved his 1,000th hunt milestone upon her trusty back and was giving his toast, tears were streaming from my eyes; tears of happiness, because I knew that we had brought Alex back and she had finally found her forever home and second career with Doc.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 21, 2016
The inaugural New Jersey Veterinary Foundation Veterinary Educator of the Year award was presented to Dr. Sarah Ralston. The Rutgers University professor, who is retiring, has mentored 113 students who have gone on to veterinary medicine careers since 2000 alone.
Her Young Horse Teaching and Research program provided hundreds of students from 1999 to 2013 the opportunity not only to learn some principles of doing scientific research, but also the hands-on experience of teaching young horses ground manners, but also being involved with marketing, promotion and team work in connection with the annual auction of the horses.
She has mentored more than 30 George H Cook Honors Scholars, about half of whom went on to vet school, with others going into human medicine or on to graduate school, veterinary technician or USDA positions.
Sarah’s research on glucose and insulin metabolism, young horse nutrition, senior horse nutrition and more recently metabonomic studies of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in horses has made an impact in how horses are fed.
Desite her retirement plans, Sarah will continue to be available for consults, advising students and doing research, collaborating with colleagues in Princeton.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 15, 2016
One of the New Jersey equestrian community’s most active and respected volunteers, Tricia Haertlein, died Monday of cancer. A spirited worker with a “can do” approach who was extremely active with the Gladstone Driving Event, the Lebanon resident served as president of the Gladstone Equestrian Association’s Gladstone Driving board.
But you would often see her at competitions involving other disciplines in the state. She and her equally civic-minded sister, Barbara, took turns as president of the Hunterdon County Horse and Pony Association.
Susan Data-Samtak, president of the Somerset County Horse & Pony Association and another dedicated volunteer, noted “Tricia was a knowledgeable horsewoman, having been a carriage driver and rider most of her life. Early on, Tricia was a 4H leader for a “horseless horse club” before such clubs were popular. Tricia assisted in Octavia Brown’s handicapped riding program, organized driving and riding events, pre-dating the formation of the Gladstone Driving Event.
“Tricia was always there to help another horse person with advice or recommendations as to who might help if she couldn’t. We will miss her strength and support,” Susan concluded.
Contributions in Tricia’s memory may be made to the Hunterdon Land Trust, 111 Mine St., Flemington, NJ 08822, an organization with which she had been working before she became ill.
