by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 13, 2024
The tragic death of Chromatic BF at April’s FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final in Saudi Arabia has sparked a three-part U.S. Equestrian Federation welfare initiative, designed to improve the safety and well-being of sport horses.
In the bigger picture, the horse’s passing also may generate a different perspective on veterinary treatment for equines in competition, an opportunity “to make horses in sport be safer and help them be healthier.”
Those are the words of Kc Branscomb, who owned and bred Chromatic, a 13-year-old gelding who was third in the second leg of the Cup in Riyadh. After returning to the stables in good order following his energetic victory lap, the USEF veterinarian injected him with a cocktail of several substances. Minutes later, the horse collapsed and died, leaving his team shocked, distraught and looking for answers.
Branscomb was determined to ensure nothing like that happens to another horse representing the U.S., taking issue with the shot Chromatic received and expressing concern that was the cause of death, even though a necropsy performed at King Faisal University was inconclusive. She did not rest until she got what she was looking for from USEF in terms of addressing what had happened to her horse, what might be the fate of other horses in a similar situation, and making sure it could never happen again.
After the necropsy, USEF originally stated, “The cause of the death was severe diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, which could be attributed to multiple causes, including disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), cardiopulmonary failure, shock, and exercise-associated fatal pulmonary hemorrhage.”
According to the final report, the administered medications were not identified as the cause of death.
But Branscomb was skeptical after learning Chromatic had received 4 milliliters of Legend, 5 of Adequan, 20 of Traumeel, 20 of arnica and 20 of Selevit, a selenium/vitamin combination.
When she called her own vet, Dr. Jack Snyder, while she was in Riyadh and told him what Chromatic had been given, he said, “Oh, my God. I would never have given that. It doesn’t even work.”
To Branscomb, that showed a big gap in the knowledge of the treating vet who was working for the USEF, so she got busy.
“I love this sport and want to be proud of it,” Branscomb said.
Seeking to avoid any other horse having an end like Chromatic’s, she collaborated with Dr. J.E. Madigan, professor emeritus of the Department of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of California Davis school of veterinary medicine, who is board certified in the specialty of animal welfare. They engaged with USEF about the matter and on Tuesday, it was announced that Branscomb got what she sought.
In the announcement of the new initiative, the federation acknowledged, “USEF believes the most probable contributor (to Chromatic’s death) is related to medications administered to the horse by a USEF-appointed veterinarian shortly before the horse collapsed. The USEF-appointed veterinarian made the decision to administer FEI-permitted medications that he believed would help sustain the horse’s performance in the days that followed.”
Branscomb acknowledged, “I recognize Chromatic’s tragic death was the unintended consequence of a single veterinarian acting alone without prior consultation of anyone on Chromatic BF’s own team out of a well-intentioned, but mistaken, effort to help the horse prepare for the jumping final to be held two days later.”
She appreciates that “the USEF is taking substantive steps now towards improving sport horse welfare and better protecting all our competition horses.”
Branscomb had lobbied for revisions to the USEF’s Horse Participation Consent Agreement in terms of treatments that can be given without permission to horses representing the U.S. Now, except in an emergency, no medications will be administered to horses by team veterinarians at international competitions without prior consent of the athlete (a rider or driver), who is the person responsible under FEI regulations for substances present in a horse.
The second part of the initiative calls for the federation, in collaboration with American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) veterinarians, to develop a continuing education program for USEF team veterinarians “to ensure they are on the cutting edge of performance sports medicine and horse welfare in areas such as emerging therapies, equine exercise physiology, and pharmacology.”
As well, an education/research program in Chromatic BF’s name will promote a better understanding of sport horse welfare and encourage scientific research to improve the lives and well-being of high-performance equine athletes. USEF has pledged to make a financial contribution to establish a philanthropic fund through the AAEP Foundation in Chromatic BF’s name, which will be used to support research related to caring for sport horses. That will be administered by a committee consisting of USEF CEO Bill Moroney, USEF COO Sonja Keating; Dr. Tracy Turner, president-elect of the AAEP; Dr. Snyder; Dr. Madigan, USEF Chief Veterinary Officer Stephen Schumacher and Olympic show jumping medalist Norman Dello Joio.
Chromatic and Jill Humphrey at the FEI World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Branscomb said she is especially excited about the hand-in-hand collaboration between the senior leadership of the USEF and the incoming leadership of the AAEP.
The new committee has yet to meet, but Turner sees its mission as a great opportunity to make important changes.
“Let’s question everything we do,” he said.
‘Let’s make it a new world.”
In his view, the key question to ask when treating competition horses is, “What do they really need?”
Too often, he pointed out, horses are medicated just to medicate them, without really knowing which medications are needed.
“Let’s reassess all this,” Turner commented
He said this work “is long overdue,” adding he told Branscomb, “I’ve waited 40 years for you to show up.”
As Madigan noted, “After extensive discussions and negotiations with key stakeholders in U.S. sport horse events, we now stand on the brink of a new era. These changes are not just necessary; they are vital to protecting our horses and allowing them to compete safely.”
He called the initiative, “a major leap forward in horse welfare. It’s a new day for equestrian sports—one that prioritizes the health and safety of our equine partners above all else.”
Dello Joio recalled that years ago, one of his horses was medicated at a competition without permission.
He felt the agreement between USEF and horse owners “needed to be updated.”
The initiative, he added, “is the best possible scenario that could come from the death of a horse. It has some meaning and it’s going to go forward in a good way.”
Dello Joio, who won the individual bronze in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics, recalled that he did have a horse once who got treated by a team vet without his permission.
“I made it clear at that time that if it ever happened again, I would no longer have any association with the team. It happened once and never happened again to me in all my years of showing with the team,” said Dello Joio.
“That was in a different era, and needed to be rethought.”
Keating noted that “Kc’s decision to work collaboratively with USEF and to move forward demonstrates her passion and commitment to the betterment of the lives of performance horses. We are grateful to her for that and look forward to implementing these new initiatives. As the guardian of the sport, horse health and well-being are top priorities for USEF, and these new initiatives align with our mission as a federation.”
Branscomb showed persistence in pursuing what can only be described as justice. Now the committee will help lead the way.
“I wanted people who had boots on the grounds at these shows. I wanted everybody to have a seat at the table to get their out-of-the box solutions on how do we focus the research and get the best information in the hands of the practicing vets, so that the horses that compete under our flag, and all horses, can live healthy, happy lives and be active in sport.”
Branscomb had a mission she was set on accomplishing. And so she did.
“I’m pretty relentless,” she admitted.
“I’m excited about these three initiatives. I feel pretty good about the legacy of my fabulous horse being something we all can be proud of.
“This horse was important to me. The horse deserved this. I had been waiting to get this agreement together before I was willing to put him in the ground,” she noted.
“I have his ashes. I’m satisfied We can lay him to rest in peace. I’m looking forward to burying him here on the farm where he was born.”
Those who wish to contribute to the philanthropic fund can go this link, https://membership.aaep.org/FFTH/Shared_Content/Donation-Pages/Public-In-Memory.aspx, and indicate: Directed Giving Chromatic BF Sporthorse Welfare Fund.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 17, 2024
Hunt Tosh came from behind with the Wheeler Family’s Cannon Creek to take the Platinum Performance/U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s International Hunter Derby Championship for the fourth time and make history in the process.
The victory on Saturday was the third for Cannon Creek himself, who won previously in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, he had an unlucky rail.
Cannon Creek was fourth after Friday’s Classic round, with a score of 287.50. But he climbed to the top with a mark of 292.5 in the Handy round at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. His total was 580.
Hunt Tosh and Cannon Creek. (USHJA Photo)
Even though he has won before in the vast Rolex Stadium, Hunt was still thrilled.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Hunt, who collected $45,415.21 for the victory.
“Cannon Creek, I can’t say enough wonderful things about him. He loves this ring.”
When heavy rain and winds hit the Horse Park after two-thirds of the 31 entries had completed their rounds, Hunt was wondering whether the class could even resume. But the weather cleared, things were tidied up and the top group got their opportunity to compete.
Amanda Steege, who won the Classic round with Lafite de Muze on Friday, had a lovely trip in the Handy until she finished and the spectators applauded. Lafite reacted with a spook and a lead change that dropped him from the top of the standings to fifth on 560.50. Their Handy round was scored as 266.50.
Second overall four points back of Hunt was Liza Boyd with Crooks Show Jumping’s Crooner Brimbelles Z (576).
“I started showing him in May,” Liza said, “and John French actually was the first one to ever show him as a hunter. Lauren Crooks had him and is pregnant and said, ‘How about you take him, do him in some derbies, and just do him through Derby [Championships] and then we’ll see, maybe he’ll like that job.’ And he clearly did.”
Scott Stewart finished third with Gochman Ventures’ Daydream (567) and also was the winner of the Tier II segment.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 16, 2024
The prestigious Nations Cup of Ireland on Friday stacked up to be a match between the U.S., which hadn’t won the Aga Khan trophy since 2017 and Ireland, a country with a habit of fielding winning teams this year.
And so it was at the end of the first round in Dublin before a packed (as always) grandstand that both of those nations had 0 faults, though the USA’s total time on course was better, 210.88 seconds to Ireland’s 217.32. The competition was far from over at that point, however. Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland, last year’s winner, were all behind but in reach with 8 penalties, while Britain was further back with 12. But no matter.
What counted would be where they were at the end of the second round for the presentation of the coveted golden trophy by the Lord Mayor of Dublin. The show, which began in 1864, is now part of the Rolex series, which gives it even more glitter.
EquiRatings gave Ireland its top win chance, 18 percent, but ranked the U.S. sixth in that category, with a 10 percent win chance. All of the last 10 winners were in the top two after round one, according to EquiRatings, so that held true.
The route designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade for the class sponsored by The Underwriting Exchange included many tributes to the nation’s history and character: the Ballsbridge wall, the Irish brooch fences, the Celtic crosses standing guard at the next-to-last and the Irish telephone boxes to finish off the display.
The only veteran of the USA’s Olympic silver medal team from earlier this month was anchor rider McLain Ward, but he was on the steady Callas, rather than his Games horse, the more spectacular Ilex.
Spencer Smith impressed on Keeneland not only as the U.S. pathfinder, but also the first in the class to venture out over the emerald green turf, a refreshing vista after all the man-made footing that is generally the rule these days. At age 28, the 2014 USEF Medal Finals winner surely has an even greater future ahead of him. Spencer is ranked no. 118 in the Longines standings, but that will be changing.
Spencer Smith and Keeneland. (US Equestrian photo)
“You want to have a strong rider come out of the box and it tends to be, more and more so, the chefs d’equipe are putting really strong riders to start off with because it takes pressure off those who follow,” said U.S. Coach Robert Ridland.
“We drew post position number one and Spencer said, `I’ll go first.'” And look what he did!”
He would be one of only six double clears in the class eligible for a piece of a 50,000 Euro bonus that was part of the $250,000 total prize money. When you consider that the others included McLain, world number one Henrik von Eckerman of Sweden (Iliana) and 2021 Olympic individual gold medalist Ben Maher of Great Britain (Exit Remo), that’s pretty heady company.
The U.S. flag waves in triumph over the Royal Dublin Society arena.
The difference for Ireland in the final standings was that it had no double clears. Each of its riders put in one fault-free round, and the Nations Cup rule that allows one drop score helped, but an additional fault-free trip by an Irishman would have made the score equal with the U.S. and led to a jump-off. Instead, the U.S. won on 4 penalties, while Ireland had 8 and Britain rose from seventh after the first round to third with a total of 12. Britain has won the Aga Khan trophy the most times, 27, while Ireland has won it 24 times.
On the podium with his team, Robert raised show jumping’s most famous trophy (the Aga Khan was instituted 98 years ago), as each rider touched it.
“I was just talking to (Irish chef d’equipe) Michael Blake. He was pointing out how many times he had beaten us this year,” said Robert.
“I think we got even today.”
The riders were ecstatic over the win.
“It’s an absolute honor to be here. This is probably the best Nations Cup in the world,” said Lucy Davis, who rode Ben 431. Aaron Vale was excited about making his Dublin debut with Carissimo 25.
“I just can’t wait to come back,” he said.
McLain noted, “It was a pressure-packed round on the way in.”
McLain Ward and Callas.
While he could afford three time faults for going over the 74-second time allowed and still secure a win, a knockdown would have meant a tie-breaker where the trophy could slip away. But he didn’t leave the door open and finished well within the time.
“I know the crowd was a tiny bit disappointed that we pulled it off, but we all started in Ireland anyway,” said McLain, whose father’s family has its roots in that country.
“It’s coming home for us and we love being here.”
Spencer noted, “We’ve got a lot of Irish friends and supporters and to ride with this amazing team, Olympians and superstar athletes, I’m so lucky to be here with a great horse.” He called winning the Aga Khan, “the greatest feeling in the world.”
“Obviously they cheer for the home team, but if the home team can’t win, we are the second favorite by a mile,” said Robert.
“Our four riders, when we win there, are like rock stars. It’s really quite amazing. They love team USA here.”
The Aga Khan trophy with Lucy Davis, Aaron Vale, Robert Ridland, McLain Ward and Spencer Smith.
Robert was happy to have Lucy “back in the fold” after she took a break from the grand prix scene. She had been on his medal-winning 2014 world championship and 2016 Olympic teams.
“She looked really good today,” said Robert.
He pointed out Aaron is getting to know Carissimo “better and better. He’s done quite a few Nations Cups for us this year and been very, very consistent.”
Although McLain was the only rider from the silver medal Olympic team to compete in the Aga Khan, Robert said “there’s momentum, and so we’re a little bit riding that momentum and it doesn’t get any better than Dublin.”
He added, “It’s kind of hard to beat what we just won.” And at Dublin, like the Olympics, what makes things special are the crowds.
“You can’t get from one side of the arena to the other to watch because there’s so many people,” he said, calling them “real fans of the sport. It’s very invigorating for sure. It’s why we do the sport.”
If you want to see the top riders live in Sunday’s grand prix, tune in to Horse & Country TV at 10 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.
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by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 9, 2024
The 2024 Paris Olympics is a long way from Chariots of Fire, the Best Picture of 1981, which depicted the Paris Games of 100 years ago.
That was an idealistic time, with participation limited to amateurs, when athletes sought glory for their country as much as for themselves. The final Games organized personally by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the man who founded the modern Olympics, it was the second Olympics for Paris — which also hosted in 1900.
With World War I (incorrectly called the War to End All Wars) consigned to history, 1924 was a time of hope. The money and glitter associated with the commercialism of the Olympics in this era were yet to come.
Paris 1924 hosted 126 events involving 17 sports. Compare that with 329 medal events in 32 sports during Paris 2024. Only 3,089 athletes were in the 1924 Games; 10,500 was the number this time. There were about 625,000 spectators in 1924. This year, 15 million people fans were expected. Not counting the billions watching via TV, of course.
As romantic as the movie’s take on 1924 was, in the big picture for equestrian, these are far better times. Looking at black and white films of the show jumping in Paris 1924 is one long cringe, seeing the ungainly types of jumps and the way, for the most part, that the horses were ridden.
The 2024 Paris Games, which end Sunday, were fabulous in terms of horse sport and welfare. First of all, consider the stunning backdrop, the Château de Versailles. The beauty of that setting likely will never be duplicated at future Olympics. All the seats in the stadium were filled for each discipline, and more than 40,000 people turned out for cross-country. That’s great evidence for keeping horse sports in the Games.
Competitors and horses were safe, there were no bone-shattering falls. The jumps themselves were a treat, showcasing the highlights and culture of France, from Notre Dame to the Arc de Triomphe and haute couture. More important, we saw a renewed emphasis on horse welfare. Okay, the weather was a little warm, but that was handled with cooling stations, air-conditioned stables, wonderful footing and perfect conditions making for great performances.
The wall replicated a stained glass window from Notre Dame cathedral.
And there were plenty of them. Britain and Germany dominated the medal standings with five each. The Brits took team gold in eventing and show jumping, the Germans in dressage, as usual, and that country enjoyed standout efforts in its sweep of individual gold medals: Michael Jung (Chipmunk) in eventing, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (TSF Dalera BB) in dressage and Christian Kukuk (Checker 47) in show jumping.
The chateau de Versailles made a striking backdrop for equestrian competitions, as seen here with Britain’s Laura Collett. (Photo Jon Stroud Media)
It was a difficult Olympics for the U.S., which didn’t come close to an eventing medal and was eliminated in dressage. The saving grace was a show jumping team silver, the third in a row for America at the Olympics.
Saying goodbye to the Olympics that have become a part of our lives over 17 exciting days is never easy.
I have recollections of many Olympic closing ceremonies, always a bittersweet farewell when the athletes marched before their fans one more time. Medal winners or not, they each had memories they would carry forever.
In Los Angeles, 40 years ago, I watched something new during the closing ceremonies. I still remember the lead paragraph of the story I wrote, “It was a great night for brotherhood and break dancing.”
Who had ever heard of break dancing?
Well, I thought, we’ll never see that again.
Wrong. Now breaking, as it’s called today, is one of the newer Olympic sports, geared to attract younger people who want to watch the Games on their phones.
Dressage at Devon even picked up the thread last year, having a couple of break dancers judge the new Dance-Off feature with riders in outlandish costumes doing fun freestyles.
At the Barcelona Games closing ceremonies in 1992, I decided to join the athletes (strictly forbidden) and simply waltzed from the press seating into the stadium. No one stopped me. Doing that today, with all the security in place, would mean arrest or worse.
But back them, it was a joyous time, far more relaxed, with Olympians from all the different sports mingling in a happy jumble. It felt great to be in the midst of it, though no one asked for my autograph, as they were doing with the basketball Dream Team.
The Paris Olympics, great as they were in many ways, disappointed me with an over-long opening ceremony on the Seine. The team members went by on the boats so quickly you didn’t really have a chance to look at them for as long as you would if they had marched into a stadium, which it is the way it was done at every other Olympics.
The athletes always should be the focal point, but they weren’t. The wacky, and to some, appalling aspects of the opener seemed off the mark about what the Olympics stand for — or are supposed to stand for, at any rate. And why showcase that song “Imagine” with the line, “Imagine there’s no country, it isn’t hard to do?”
Yes it is.
Representing your country is still what the Olympics are all about, along with the values of excellence, respect and friendship. Without national pride and the magnificent smorgasbord of nations in attendance, the Olympics would be just another sporting event.
So I’m skipping the closing ceremonies, which are being billed as “Dystopian,” and featuring Tom Cruise rapelling off the top of the stadium to come down and hand off the Olympic flag to Los Angeles, the 2028 host.
Enjoy, if that’s your thing. I’ll be watching Chariots of Fire.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 8, 2024
The biggest shocker during the equestrian portion of the Paris Olympics was the fall of world number one Henrik von Eckerman in the individual finals, when his horse, King Edward, went left, and he went right.
Sadly, Henrik had no chance to show his appreciation for King Edward in victory at the Olympics, but this photo from the 2022 World Championships expresses his love for the horse.
Here is his explanation of what happened and his feelings about the lost opportunity for himself and his special horse, known affectionately as Edi. Henrik stated:
“It ended in a way I could never have imagined. Everything felt as it should until I misjudged a distance after the open water, which resulted in a hectic jump over the Eiffel Tower plank and a very long five strides to the next oxer.
“I wanted to resettle my balance and signs weren’t clear to Edi and the situation ended in a misunderstanding and a fall in the turn,” the Swedish rider continued.
“What’s hurting the most is that these were the last Olympic Games for King Edward; his shape and spirit were there to fight for medals in the jump-off, he deserved that so much. To take that away from him is a bitter pill to swallow.
“But with time, the wound and pain will heal (he’s speaking figuratively here, not literally) and the scar that stays will hopefully make me a better rider and horseman. I’m forever grateful to you, my king, my team and my family. Lastly, I wanted to reach out to all of you who have sent their support and all the kind messages I’m receiving. It’s touching me deeply.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 8, 2024
An Atlantic County mare who was vaccinated for Eastern Equine Encephalitis in July died six days later from the effects of the mosquito-borne illness. It is the first reported case of EEE for a New Jersey horse in 2024. Fever, front and rear ataxia and inability to rise were among the reported clinical signs in the affected horse.
EEE causes inflammation of the brain tissue and has a significantly higher risk of death in horses than West Nile Virus infection, a viral disease that affects a horse’s neurological system. Both diseases are transmitted by a mosquito bite. The virus cycles between birds and mosquitoes, with horses and humans being incidental hosts. EEE infections in horses are not a significant risk factor for human infection because horses (like humans) are “dead-end” hosts for the virus.
In general, most regions in New Jersey have a reported mosquito population near the five-year average. The first EEE positive mosquito pool was detected in Cape May County this year (https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/statistics/arboviral-stats/). EEE positive mosquito pools have also been found in Morris and Union counties. Livestock owners are strongly encouraged to vaccinate against WNV, 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 Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn said.
“Vaccinated animals are much less likely to contract deadly diseases such as EEE and West Nile Virus.”
