by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 8, 2016
Daisy Farish is leading the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East at the end of the first day of competition at the Gladstone headquarters of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation.
Daisy Farish leads the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search on Ganjana after two of the four phases have been completed. (Photo copyright 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)
The 15-year-old Lexington, Ky., resident won today’s flat phase on Ganjana with a score of 92, and finished second in the afternoon gymnastics with the same score. Vivian Yowan, another Lexingtonian, tied with Sophie Simpson for eighth on 87 in the first phase, then topped the ranks in gymnastics with a 93 to stand second. The scores from gymnastics were multiplied by 1.5 to give Daisy a total of 230 to Vivian’s 226.5. Standing third is last year’s ASPCA Maclay winner, McKayla Langmeier, on 226.13, followed by Taylor St. Jacques (224.75) and T.J. O’Mara of Rumson in fifth with 223.25 Sophie is sixth on 222. One of the favorites for the class, Lucy Deslauriers, was fourth in the flat phase but had a refusal at the last fence in the gymnastics and is 53d on 148.50.
The four-part competition, considered by many the most rigorous event of its kind, continues at 9 a.m. Sunday, with all of the 57 competitors jumping a course. At 1:30 p.m., the top riders will compete in the “Final Four,” with each jumping a course and then going back over it on all of the other finalists’ horses.
The idea of the Talent Search is to discover riders who could represent the country internationally. Previous winners include McLain Ward, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who was on the silver medal squad in Rio last summer, and Charlie Jayne, the reserve rider for the 2012 Olympics and 2014 World Equestrian Games, as well as Andre Dignelli, who has coached a number of equitation finals winners and trains Daisy, along with Jodie Bailey, and Vivian as well.
Admission is free. If you can’t make it, the competition will be livestreamed on the USEF Network.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 6, 2016
Need new tack at a bargain price? Have old tack you want to pass on?
Mane Stream, which offers equine-assisted therapies to help improve the quality of life for people with physical, developmental, emotional and medical challenges–will have its tack sale from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 8,. The sale at 83 Old Turnpike Road includes new and used items, and offers such brand names, as Ariat, Baker, Tailored Sportsman and Essex. Mane Stream accepts donations of horse-related donated items year-round. For more information, contact Holland@manestreamnj.org, call 908-439-9636 or go to www.ManeStreamNJ.org.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 29, 2016
Mylestone Equine Rescue is having an open house Oct. 9, offering a chance to see the horses they’ve saved and meet people who care about animals (but don’t bring your dogs, some of these horses might be scared of them.)
The woman who runs Mylestone, Susankelly Thompson, explains what happens from noon-4 p.m. at 227 Still Valley Road, Pohatcong.
“When you arrive at open house, you will see Mylestone at its very best. All the horses are freshly cleaned and brushed; there are tents all about the farm with information, Mylestone merchandise, volunteer sign-ups and everyone’s favorites–the bake sale and our great silent auction. It takes a lot of volunteer hours to pull this one afternoon together, and we do it all for you. We want you to get the best picture possible of all that Mylestone Equine Rescue entails.”
Rain date is Oct. 16.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 27, 2016
Meg Sleeper, who represented the U.S. this month in the Endurance World Championships at Samorin, Slovakia (a venue bidding for the 2018 World Equestrian Games) shared her thoughts about the meet and a statement she signed about the sport for the American Endurance Ride Conference.
She also noted that her horse, Rim, who was spun at the 88-mile mark of the competition, is home and happy. He will be evaluated once he has a chance to rest; she thinks at this point his lameness at 88 miles did not reflect a serious condition. Meanwhile, she thanked everyone who supported her, both financially and as morale boosters.
Here’s what she had to say: ” I also wanted to send an update regarding some of the issues that face endurance as a sport. The sport of endurance developed out of the old cavalry tests, and it is supposed to test horse endurance and athleticism as well as rider horsemanship.
In recent years, particularly at the international level, there has been pressure to go faster and faster, which has led to more events being run over flatter terrain, where the speeds can be faster. Unfortunately, the change has led to a complete change in the sport and injuries typical of thoroughbred racing have become common. I hope that we can return international endurance to the sport that I have loved for 30 years. I am pasting the statement that AERC is circulating and hoping we will find enough international support to make a change.
The endurance riding world watched the World Endurance Championship in Slovakia with much excitement and anticipation for a more positive outcome than has been observed in recent FEI endurance events. Sadly, we were all disappointed with a needless equine fatality and numerous eliminations due to over-riding. Further, we were disappointed that the FEI appeared to “spin” a story in their initial press release rather than simply stating a significant injury had occurred and was being fully investigated. In the wake of this event, the American Endurance Ride Conference is very concerned about ongoing abuses in international endurance riding and requests that the following recommendations be forwarded to FEI:
- In the future, championship courses (indeed all endurance events) should be designed to include technical variations that require high quality horsemanship (as described in the Endurance Rules, article 801).
- Continued stringent drug testing to include sensitivity tests on the legs of horses to detect nerve blocking agents.
- Further emphasis on the model of endurance riding which emphasizes the goal of “fit to continue”.
- Crewing on trail should be eliminated or drastically reduced. The constant crewing has transformed the sport from one that rewards good horsemanship to one that rewards large crews and encourages over-riding of the horse. Many 160 km rides in the U.S. are successfully run without any crewing on trail. AERC strongly believes that this is an important horse welfare issue.
- Significantly increased suspensions for stables, trainers, owners AND riders whose horses are found to be metabolically compromised from over-riding (i.e. suspension from competing in any FEI event for 24 months). Clearly the previously levied penalties were inadequate. For example, all 5 horses from Dubai (MRM and Fazzi 3 stables) were disqualified for metabolic reasons (over-ridden) and one horse suffered a catastrophic injury despite the previously levied short term suspensions and educational measures undertaken by FEI.
The enforcement of high veterinary standards and rules appears to be improved over the past year. However, the events at the 2016 WEC indicate the need for continued and increased emphasis on horse welfare in FEI events.
It is our hope that continued insistence upon strict rule enforcement and high veterinary standards will result in a cleaner and safer sport for all endurance riders and their horses worldwide. We also hope that these recommendations will encourage FEI to continue to support clean endurance and horse welfare.
Sincerely,
Michael Campbell, President and Dr. Meg Sleeper, Chair International Committee
American Endurance Ride Conference
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 13, 2016
Mary Babick will take office as USHJA president in December.
Finally!
Mary Babick, a Middletown trainer, was in line to succeed Bill Moroney as U.S. Hunter Jumper Association president four years ago, when he decided not to step down at the end of his term after some members urged him to stay.
Instead of being offended and quitting, Mary just worked harder to learn more about good governance and devoted even more of her time to volunteering for both USHJA and the U.S. Equestrian Federation. Today, she was elected to the USHJA presidency at a meeting in Texas. She will take office Dec. 15. The other candidates for the post was Illinois trainer Diane Carney.
“It’s such an honor and a huge responsibility to be selected as president,” said Mary.
“I look forward to working in concert with other passionate volunteers to unite our industry, tackle our problems and, in so doing, assist in the development of our future leaders.”
Mary is a USEF registered judge. She earned her instructor certification from the British Horse Society and is a USHJA certified trainer. She has trained in certified management accounting and worked on Wall Street in the area of compliance.
Mary has been on the USHJA Board of Directors since 2010,, most recently serving as the Hunter Discipline vice president and a member of the executive committee since 2012. Additionally, she has been a member of the planning committee and the emerging athletes committee (on which she still serves), as well as chairing the youth committee. Her committee work dates back to the earliest days of USHJA. In addition to her USHJA service, Mary serves as chair of both the USEF National Breeds and Disciplines Council and Horse Identification Task Force.
“The USHJA has an incredibly bright future, and I look forward to Mary’s leadership continuing to improve our excellent member services while growing our sport,” said Bill Moroney, current USHJA president on leave of absence and CEO of the USEF, who presided over the election.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 11, 2016
The Amwell Valley Hounds are holding their hunter trials Oct. 1 at Black River Farm, 20 Boss Road, Ringoes. Featured are the B.W. Furlong Associates hunter derbies at 2-6 and 3-feet, but there are many other classes as well. Competitors do not have to be a hunt member. For information, go to www.avhounds.org.
