by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 4, 2024
Christine Traurig, the heroine of the 2000 Olympics whose crucial dressage performance secured team bronze for the U.S., will be assisting others as they try for a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She has been named by the U.S. Equestrian Federation to serve as the dressage team’s chef d’equipe for those Games, and also is taking the title of the USA’s dressage development coach in an update to the coaching structure. Her work in Paris is cut out for her, as the U.S. does not have a dressage rider among the current listing of the world’s top 50. However, it’s early days yet and a number of opportunities for rising up the ranks exist this winter and spring in Wellington and Ocala, Fla.
While a U.S. dressage medal in Paris is unlikely, the big goal is the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, because it is a home Games, which means it’s most important that the country puts on a good performance at home. So what’s starting now is the building process for 2028.
“I am excited to be stepping into the Development Coach role for the program,” said Christine.
Christine Traurig. (Photo © 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Our sights are set on the future and how we can continue to strengthen our development pipeline of talented horses and riders. It’s also an honor to be appointed as chef d’equipe for this summer, and a full circle moment for me in my career, as I hope to share my knowledge and past Olympic experience as an athlete and coach as guidance and support to our high-performance combinations on the road to Paris this summer.”
Christine, who has been part of the coaching program for nearly a decade, is taking over from development coach Charlotte Bredahl, who steps down April 1. With her appointment as chef, Christine will focus on supporting and working with athletes and their personal coaches who are aiming for Paris, as well as with USEF Managing Director of Dressage Laura Roberts.
U.S. Dressage Federation President George Williams will remain in his position as the high performance and pathway development advisor and youth coach. He assists with strategy development and working with athletes to identify opportunities, including enhancing the access to education and coaching through more clinics and competition opportunities.
Hallye Griffin, director of FEI Sport for USEF, said, “Christine is the right fit to support and will add invaluable expertise to the U.S. Dressage Team looking towards this summer’s Olympic Games. Additionally, Christine will be taking a more active role in the development program as we increase focus to our home Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”
The USEF Dressage Coaches Support Network will be expanded and help provide greater support across the U.S. dressage program, in coordination with Christine and George.
A native of Germany who grew up on her family’s small breeding farm, after training in her discipline Christine went on to work at the Hanoverian Elite Sales. Christine came to this country more than four decades ago. She earned a training grant to ride with coach Jo Hinnemann in Germany, the start of a long-term student/mentor relationship.
She was previously married to show jumper Bernie Traurig and is the mother of two. The Californian became the USEF’s Young Horse Coach in 2015.
As a part of the feedback and discussion, and following the 2024 Olympics, the USEF will continue to strengthen coaching support through the Los Angeles 2028 Games with the appointment of additional coaches and educational opportunities to support across the programs.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 31, 2023
Helgstrand Dressage, the stable whose training practices came out in the open via a scathing Danish undercover TV documentary in November, is calling 2023 a year that has “been challenging, evolving and educational.”
In a new year’s statement, the company noted, “2023 has opened an important debate on horse welfare in sport.”
It added that with the airing of the documentary, “it became clear that we have mistakes to correct and can continue developing our animal welfare.”
The documentary revealed the use of whips and spurs that left marks, which workers tried to cover up. The scandal led to the Danish equestrian federation’s decision to ban Helgstrand CEO Andreas Helgstrand from its teams, at least until January 1, 2025, which means no Olympics for him.
Among improvements in the wake of the documentary, Helgstrand stated it is upgrading continuing education and has put a new camera setup in its arenas.
“It’s all in our efforts to achieve the highest level of welfare for our horses and best framework for our staff,” the statement maintained.
“We have appreciated the debate that has come up afterwards — both in the general public, but in particular, in the industry. We believe that there is a lot we can learn from each other, and therefore we would like to continue the conversation and together become wiser about how to lift the task.” (They may mean “elevate the task”; this is a translation from Danish.)
A lot of the ways in which the company can improve simply involves basic horsemanship, respect for animals and common sense. Hopefully, what happened to the Helgstrand organization provides a lesson for other training facilities that need to learn one.
Helgstrand Dressage is owned by Global Equestrian Group, which also owns the Wellington International showgrounds, home of the Winter Equestrian Festival, in Florida. Plans for its expansion are tied to a hot issue about development in the “Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.” That situation remains to be resolved in 2024.
Eurodressage.com has a story about the finances of both Helgstrand and GEG. Here is a
link to that piece.
For a review of 2023, go to the second featured item on this website, or click on this
link.
Those seeking more detail can read past coverage by clicking the “previous columns” icon at the top of this website (
www.nancyjaffer.com) or by going to the search function on the site. This website covered dozens of hours of proceedings on the development issue, beginning in June.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 28, 2023
Barbara Hay’s life focused on raising young horses and training young riders.
She died at her Rainbow Ridge Farm in East Amwell, N.J., on Dec. 27, just three days short of her 72d birthday.
Barbara Hay on the farm with her horses. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
A national examiner for the U.S. Pony Club who was the chief horse management judge at many Pony Club rallies, Barbara never lost sight of what was important to her.
Although she was dealing with Lewy Body dementia and Parkinson’s disease, even in her waning days, Barbara “thought she was teaching Pony Club or doing a rating,” and would go out to the barn with her clipboard, said her daughter, professional horsewoman Bridget Hay.
“Horses were everything for her and Pony Club was such a part of her life,” Bridget explained.
Dressage professional Kim Herslow, who also has a farm in Hunterdon County, said, “Barbara was such a local horse hero. She will definitely be remembered by everybody who had horses in our area. Through all the Pony Club and all the time she has put into growing our younger equestrians, everyone knew Barbara.”
Added Kim, a friend for two decades, “She had such a passion for helping people learn and being involved with the horses as much as she could be. Bridget did everything she could to keep her mom in the saddle.”
Not too long ago, Kim recalled, Bridget had her Grand Prix horse on the longe line with her mother aboard. Barbara was “having a blast” doing piaffe and passage. “She kept talking abut it for days afterward.”
Trainer/judge Marilyn Payne said of Barbara, “in the horse world she was such a big name, especially Pony Club, she did so much for Pony Club. She was just fabulous, volunteering all the time and worked tirelessly. She was a very knowledgeable horsewoman.”
Marilyn mentioned Barbara had “a fabulous personality. She was nice to everyone; everyone loved her.”
Scores of people posted on social media after learning Barbara had passed away, many offering tributes about all the woman known fondly as “Baba” had done for the equestrian community.
Ralph Reilly commented, “Barbara was one of the kindest, most giving people I have ever known. Her encouragement and patience with all the Pony Club kids was remarkable. She touched so many young lives, leaving them all for the better. She is a cherished memory for us.”
Lucia Stout Huebner stated, “What a marvelous, beautiful and giving woman Barbara Hay was. Best riding instructor ever. She had a perfect balance of authority and kindness.”
Even before she could walk, Bridget began riding under the direction of her mother and was part of the Amwell Valley Pony Club. Together, the two bred dressage horses that Bridget went on to compete at Grand Prix, starting an impressive pipeline of American-bred horses who could excel in the discipline.
Bridget Hay and her mother, Barbara, cleaning tack during Dressage at Devon in 2016. (Photo © 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)
Early in her career, Barbara worked for breeder Gordon Smith, starting all the babies of his Trakehner stallion, Parliament.
Their breeding project began with Ming, an Oldenburg mare by Weltstern, who Barbara got in trade by riding for Ilona English. Ming became the foundation of the Hays’ program, in which Barbara played a major role.
“Her thing was breaking young horses. She helped me start all the babies here,” said Bridget, noting her biggest challenge came when her mother wasn’t able to work with her anymore after her diagnosis in 2020.
Barbara Hay with Bridget on Faolan at the 2022 USEF Festival of Champions. (Susan J. Stickle Photography)
Barbara’s husband, James, died 11 years ago on Dec. 28. In addition to Bridget, Barbara is survived by her son, Ryan; four grandchildren, Ryder, Audrey, Amelia and Julianna, and her sister, Susan Gaukin.
Visitation is 5-8 p.m, Jan. 2 at the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home in Flemington.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 3 at St. Alphonsus Church in Hopewell, with a reception to follow.
Donations in Barbara Hay’s memory may be made to the U.S. Pony Club (https://www.ponyclub.org)
A celebration of life will be planned at the farm in the spring, with a date to be determined.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 27, 2023
The prize money for the 2024 Longines FEI World Cup show jumping finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has been doubled by the organizing committee to a record 2.6 million Euros.
Another 100,000 Euros has been added to the purse for the dressage finals, bringing the total to 400,000 Euros. This is the first time the finals, set for April 16-20, will have been held in the Middle East.
In 2023, Riyadh hosted 11 FEI events, with 12 more planned for 2024. In 2026, when the other world championship disciplines will be staged in Aachen, the Saudi city of Al Ula will host the FEI Endurance World Championship.
The Saudi show jumpers will be competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia previously earned two Olympic medals in jumping, an individual bronze in Sydney in 2000 and a team bronze in London in 2012.
Unlike 2023, when the vaulting World Cup finals were in Omaha alongside show jumping and dressage, they will solo in Basel, Switzerland next month. The FEI Driving World Cup™ Final will be held in Bordeaux, France during February.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 26, 2023
Make sure you vaccinate your horses in 2024.
An unvaccinated 28-year-old mare in Ocean County, N.J., had to be euthanized after becoming the third confirmed case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in the state for 2023 .
She suffered from depression, front and rear ataxia, disorientation and falling. EEE cases also were diagnosed in Gloucester and Salem Counties in September and October.
Although the disease usually appears during mosquito season, this case occurred beyond the expected mosquito-borne disease season for New Jersey. The horse had no recent travel history, indicating that the disease was transmitted within the state. Based off the clinical history, it is possible that exposure to EEE occurred during a period of warmer than average temperatures in the area at the end of mosquito season.
Livestock owners are strongly encouraged to vaccinate against West Nile Virus, EEE, and other mosquito-borne diseases. Effective equine vaccines for EEE and WNV are available commercially. Horse owners should contact their veterinarians if their horses are not up to date on their vaccinations against both EEE and WNV.
“We continue to encourage horse owners to be vigilant in vaccinating their animals against these diseases spread by mosquitoes,” New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Joseph Atchison III said.
“Vaccinated animals are much less likely to contract deadly diseases such as EEE and West Nile Virus.”
For more information about EEE in horses, visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture website at this LINK
EEE and West Nile virus, like other viral diseases affecting a horse’s neurological system, must be reported to the State Veterinarian at 609-671-6400 within 48 hours of diagnosis. The New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory is available to assist with EEE and WNV testing and can be reached at 609-406-6999 or via email – jerseyvetlab@ag.nj.gov.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 22, 2023
With the 2024 Paris Olympics looming large (the opening ceremonies on the Seine will happen in seven months) two new international-caliber horses have been purchased by Zen Elite Equestrian Center for American riders.
The farm near Fort Lauderdale has bought Bohemian, the son of Bordeaux ridden to fourth place with a mark of 87.507 percent in the Tokyo Olympics by Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark. The 13-year-old Westphalian gelding will be competed by Endel Ots, Zen’s resident trainer. He does not have any international results at Grand Prix level.
After the Tokyo Olympics, Bohemian was sold to South Korean rider Dong-Seon Kim, who finished 43d in the 2016 Olympics with Bukowski. Kim was a candidate for Paris, but he dropped that ambition and the horse came up for sale again. Bohemian was ridden since August by Patrik Kittel of Sweden. Their best score together was 75.872 percent for the Special in Herning, Denmark, two months ago.
Bohemian competing at the 2023 Global Dressage Festival with Dong Seon Kim. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
And Pan American Games team gold medalist Christian Simonson now will be riding Fleau de Baian, trained by the Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen. Christian trains with U.S. Olympian Adrienne Lyle. Fleau de Baian is a KWPN (Dutch) stallion by Jazz. That horse’s best score with Adelinde was 78.325 percent in May’s Grand Prix Freeestyle at Exloo, Netherlands.
Christian, a star in the Young Rider ranks, won both the I-1 and Prix St. Georges on the mixed team at the Pan Ams with Son of a Lady, but does not have any international Grand Prix results.
“We have some really amazing horse/rider partnerships that we are excited about this season, and we are so proud to be supporting USA Dressage,” said a statement from Zen
Zen owner Heidi Humphries explained her plan in creating the facility was to develop a world-class sport horse center with the feel of a spa, oriented toward Broward and Dade counties south of equestrian hub Wellington in Palm Beach County.
With a 20,000-square-foot insulated covered arena, two outdoor arenas and a rehab/spa/gym for horses and humans, Zen Elite Equestrian Center is a full-service facility in Southwest Ranches.
