by Nancy Jaffer | May 27, 2024
The U.S. Equestrian Federation has reorganized major shows on the Southern California spring/summer calendar in the wake of Orange County Coastkeeper’s decision earlier this month to bar any equestrian activities involving more than 25 horses from the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano.
The indefinite closure was due to failure by the park’s operator, the Ridland Group, to comply with certain requirements and commitments made under a 2018 consent decree involving water quality, according to USEF. The Ridland Group is run by USEF show jumping chef d’equipe Robert Ridland and his wife, Hillary.
The federation noted that with a date for resumption of operations at the park uncertain, USEF “had no alternative but to remove all competitions from the calendar that were scheduled at the Riding Park, except for two that were relocated to another venue (the Los Angeles Equestrian Center). Simultaneously, USEF began the process of seeking alternative competitive opportunities for competitors affected by the indefinite closure.”
In an effort to ensure exhibitors would have access to USEF shows on the dates involved, a competition application process was begun for organizers who met USEF standards, license criteria and had a venue. There were 21 applications submitted, including by the Ridland Group, for the time period from June into September.
The Ridland Group announced May 20 it had reached an agreement with Coastkeeper and the city of San Juan Capistrano, which would allow horse shows to resume operations at the Riding Park. The court-approved agreement includes improvements to the Riding Park and corresponding deadlines for completion. Failure to satisfy the requirements in a timely manner will result in substantial financial penalties against the Ridland Group, USEF stated.
Sarah Spinuzzi, legal director of Coastkeeper, a California regional nonprofit protecting water quality, explained “the facility is going to be re-graded such that storm water from the equestrian stabling areas (known legally as the CAFO Production Area) will be retained on-site by June 3. This grading will prevent discharges of stormwater and wash-rack water to the creek. The facility will use the large grass field to pond retained stormwater.
“Over the rest of this year, the facility will work to improve infiltration infrastructure to be more professionally engineered so that rain events will not cause flooding and will be functional for the facility’s intended use. Future plans also require groundwater monitoring wells to ensure the protection of water quality.”
According to a posting by the City of San Juan Capistrano, in 2018, it entered into a consent decree with Coastkeeper and the Ridland Group to resolve litigation arising from alleged water quality violations at the City’s Riding Park property. It required completion of three water quality projects: removal of an Arizona Crossing (an unpermitted manmade road through San Juan Creek connecting Reata Park and the Riding Park, composed of construction debris, asphalt, broken concrete, metal and corrugated pipe); restoration of the creek bank and completion of a water quality improvement that would prevent stormwater runoff from entering San Juan Creek. The city completed removal of the Arizona Crossing and restoration of the creek bank within the timeframe required under the consent decree. Under a 2023 lease agreement with the city, the Ridland Group accepted responsibility to fund and complete the remaining water quality improvement project by April 15, 2024.
The city, the Ridland Group and Coastkeeper reached agreement last week on an amendment to the consent decree that extends the Ridland Group’s project completion timeline, allowing equestrian events at the venue.
In considering the allocation of 2024 competition, USEF considered member feedback, the court order and findings of a recent inspection of the Riding Park by the federation.
The re-ordered calendar provides the Riding Park time to complete the required improvements. It also offers competitors a choice of venues, should they seek an alternative to the Riding Park, or if the Riding Park is unable to operate. Providing sufficient competitive opportunities to members is a priority for USEF, according to the federation.
Blenheim Equisports will keep five of its 10 shows at the Mission Viejo Riding Park. They include the Blenheim June Classic June 26-30, the Blenheim Summer Festival July 18-21, the Blenheim Racing Festival July 25-28, the Blenheim Fall Tournament, Sept. 11-15 and the Blenheim International Jumping Festival Sept. 18-22.
The dates for the Blenheim June Classic 1 and 2 Shows June 12-16 and June 19-23, are now LA Classic 1 and 2. They will be at LAEC under the auspices of West Palm Event Management. On June 26-30, West Palm will run LA June Classic 3 at LAEC.
HITS will present the Adequan National Junior Hunter Championship West and pending USHJA approval, the USHJA Gladstone Cup July 22-24 at Del Mar, and from July 25-28, the Del Mar Summer Spectacular.
Nilforushan Equi Sport is staging Temecula Valley National Autumn 1 and 2 at Galway Downs Sept. 11-15 and 18-22.
The location of the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West, originally set for the Riding Park, will be announced in the coming weeks.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 23, 2024
This year, we had the debut of the FEI’s Longines League of Nations series, a team competition. Halfway through the four shows that will qualify countries for the League’s finals in Barcelona, it was announced today at CSIO Rome that rival watchmaker Rolex is inaugurating a new show jumping series for individual riders. It will include five European shows, with the finale in the U.S. at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., March 29, 2025.
The international arena at the Winter Equestrian Festival, the scene of many major competitions, will host the finale of a new Rolex series next year. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer) P
In addition to the Rome show at the Piazza di Sienna this week, other shows in the new series are La Baule, France, in June; Dinard, France, in July, Dublin in August and the Stephex Masters in Brussels Aug. 28-Sept. 1, all in 2024.
Olympic gold medalist Steve Guerdat of Switzerland observed, “The six shows that are part of the Rolex Series are some of the best shows in the world and the ones that we all, as riders, mark in our schedule every year. They are some of the most prestigious and historically significant competitions on our calendar, and by bringing this amazing group of shows together as part of the Rolex Series, the prestige and desire to win is only going to increase.”
Rolex also presents a Grand Slam series that includes Geneva, ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, Aachen and Spruce Meadows, with a 1 million Euro bonus for the winner of all four competitions. Only one rider, Great Britain’s Scott Brash, has been able to take all four in succession and collect the big prize.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 26, 2024
A fall at fence 5B on cross-country at the Bicton International Horse Trials in Southwest England Sunday resulted in the death of rider Georgie Campbell. Her horse, Global Quest, was uninjured and walked back to the stable. The rest of the event was called off.
Georgie, 36, was third in the 3-star Short at Osberton in her last outing with the horse in early May.
Georgie and Jess Campbell.
The former Georgie Strang has been married to New Zealand eventer Jesse Campbell since 2020.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 5, 2024
EQ PRO, a Naples-based equestrian apparel designer, is offering a summer camp scholarship in conjunction with the Interscholastic Equestrian Association for hunt seat and dressage riders in grades 4-8..
Juliette Douros Hawk, a 14-year-old award-winning junior equestrian and founder of EQ PRO, stated, “My horseback riding journey began when I was 10 at a local summer camp, where I discovered my passion for riding and competing. I know how expensive this sport is. This is why I am honored to partner with IEA in the hopes that together we can continue to inspire the next generation of riders.”
“By supporting IEA scholarships, young equestrian athletes are empowered with opportunities like attending specialized horse training programs or pursuing degrees related to their equestrian passion,” said IEA Resource Development Director Kathy Dando.
“The EQ PRO Summer Camp Scholarship will benefit young novice riders by helping them improve their horsemanship skills during the off-season.”
A $500.00 scholarship will be awarded to two IEA rider applicants per year, one each for hunt seat and dressage (or until scholarship funds have been fully dispersed). Applicants must be in fourth through eighth grade at the time of application deadline May 17.
EQ Pro Summer Camp Equestrian Scholarship winners will be chosen and notified in early June 2024. The deadline to submit your application is May 17, 2024, via the online application form at https://www.rideiea.org/opportunities/for-riders/ .
by Nancy Jaffer | May 27, 2024
Spectators are invited to attend a clinic with U.S. Olympic dressage team silver medalist Sabine Schut-Kery at Dumovin Farm in Westchester, Pa., Wednesday through Friday. The clinic is a benefit for Dressage at Devon, where Sabine gave the show’s first Masterclass two years ago.
“Dressage at Devon holds a special place in my heart,” said Sabine, who was the highest-scoring member of the U.S. squad at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
“I look forward to sharing some of my foundational principles with riders and spectators, while teaching a range of horse and rider athletes spanning the levels.”
Dressage at Devon President Anne Moss explained, “This event upholds our educational mission while also having the potential to deliver supplemental financial support that the fall show greatly needs.”
For information about attending the clinic as an auditor, click on this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | May 21, 2024
An agreement involving a California regional nonprofit protecting water quality and the Ridland Group show organization has paved the way for competitions to resume at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, after activities involving more than 25 horses were barred last month.
Subsequent negotiations were held between the two entities and the city of San Juan Capistrano, which owns the park that is leased by the Ridland Group, the operator of Blenheim Equisports. The property on San Juan Creek hosts a group of shows in the spring and summer. The next Blenheim show was slated to be held there June 7-9.
On Monday, Sarah Spinuzzi, legal director of Orange County Coastkeeper, explained the circumstances that will enable horse shows to be offered again at the park, which also is used for community events such as dog shows and concerts.
“The facility is going to be re-graded such that storm water from the equestrian stabling areas (known legally as the CAFO Production Area) will be retained on-site by June 3,” she stated. (CAFO stands for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation).
“This grading will prevent discharges of stormwater and wash-rack water to the creek. The facility will use the large grass field to pond retained stormwater. Over the rest of this year, the facility will work to improve infiltration infrastructure to be more professionally engineered so that rain events will not cause flooding and will be functional for the facility’s intended use. Future plans also require groundwater monitoring wells to ensure the protection of water quality.”
Violations of the Clean Water Act at the site have been an issue since 2017, according to Orange County Coastkeeper, which sued the city and the Ridland Group that year. An agreement for a “collaborative effort” to protect water quality in San Juan Creek while continuing equestrian activities was reached the next year. There was a five-year timeline for the remediation, plus two extensions, but Coastkeeper maintained this year’s April 15 deadline had not been met and announced the restrictions.
Two Blenheim shows were moved north to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center this month. The U.S. Equestrian Federation permitted relocation of the May competitions “because of the short notice of the closure and desire to not disrupt competitors’ plans to show,” said USEF CEO Bill Moroney.
When it was announced at the end of April that the two shows would be moved, the Ridland Group issued a statement saying it “acknowledges and respects the issues raised by Orange County Coastkeeper regarding the compliance of the Clean Water Act and would like to affirm a wider ongoing commitment to uphold the highest standards of environmental conservation throughout the operations at the Riding Park.”
Meanwhile, the dates that had been reserved for the other Blenheim shows slated for the Riding Park through Sept. 22 became available for applications to USEF from Southern California organizers who have “proof of venue” where the competitions could be held. The Ridland Group was among those that applied.
USEF also had requested that organizers interested in hosting the Junior Hunter Finals West or the Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West, both of which were slated for the Riding Park, make contact by May 20.
“All organizers meeting USEF standards and the license criteria were welcome to apply for events through the duration of the application period, which closed last evening on May 20,” according to a Tuesday comment from USEF.
“The applications submitted through this process are being reviewed thoroughly.”
The federation added it “is working diligently to ensure that competition participants and their horses have access to reliable, safe, and quality competitions in California for the remainder of the competition year. We recognize time is of the essence and are working to resolve the calendar issues as expeditiously as possible.”
