by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 19, 2024
German rider Isabell Werth, who has won more Olympic medals than any other equestrian, issued a statement about the “discussion” among “horse lovers, riders and animal welfare activists” in the wake of the Cesar Parra controversy.
Parra has been provisionally suspended by the FEI (international equestrian federation) after videos emerged of him whipping horses and other training practices that have been widely criticized.
Here are Isabell’s thoughts, edited for punctuation and with a few explanations:
“There have been very ugly pictures, which need consequences. I am, however, worried that it is a controversy that divides us, although actually, there is one thing that combines us and that is the love of horses. That is why we should sort a few things out.
It is good that we set ourselves a high bar. I try, however, not to make quick judgments of events from afar that I have not witnessed personally. In the past 35 years, I have won many medals and have brought fantastic horses into the sport. After their careers, they have spent many years and still spend their time with me as pensioners. However, I have also made many unintentional mistakes on the way and I try very hard, through personal development and good training, to keep these mistakes to a minimum. Those who know their boundaries have more humility when criticizing others.
Isabell Werth and Bella Rose at the 2014 world championships.
I went to Andreas Helgstrand’s yard for the first time four years ago. (After videos of horses with whip and spur marks surfaced from one of his stables, the Danish equestrian federation barred him from competing on the country’s team until at least January 2025.)
Thanks to (horse owner) Madeleine Winter-Schulz , Joshua then came to me. Since then, I have been there many times. During these visits, I have never seen any form of incorrect riding or any form of incorrect behavior. Actually, the opposite is the case. In the meantime, my students and I have bought quite a few horses from him that are all healthy and some are already successful in sport. We are very happy with all of them. (Isabell has been competing the former Helgstrand mount Queenparks Wendy, now owned by Winter-Schulz and known as Wendy de Fontaine, who won at Le Mans).
I was also surprised about the published scenes and the statements (about mistreatment) made by former employees of Helgstrand Dressage. Although this did not happen at the establishment where Andreas Helgstrand trains himself, it remains his responsibility. I have spoken with him openly and in depth about this. There is, however, one thing that needs our attention: he was not pictured on any of the horses.
It was a personal, and not a financial, decision to give a clinic at Helgstrand’s establishment in Wellington (Florida) USA (in January). While I was there, I taught a few good horses with their riders and I rode one horse The video of this has been seen and commented on by some of you: No, I did not use the so called “Rollkur” nor did the horse suffer in any way. I was just not able to keep the horse, during the first time I had ridden him, properly in front of my aids and in front of the vertical. His slightly short neck did not help the situation.
At the same time as this video was being shown, a 10-year (old) video of Bella Rose (the Tokyo Olympics silver medal horse) also surfaced. Bella is now 20 years old and is enjoying her pension with me. Her son is also happily growing up with us. Perhaps she will, which last year was not the case which I quite understand, like to get pregnant again this year?
Some of you have known for a long time that the O-tone on the old video does not belong to the pictures that are shown. (O-Tone stands for original tone, often referring to interviews in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.) A chance to criticize this film was not given to me. The WDR (a member of the German public broadcasting consortium) were ordered by the court to remove this video from circulation because the wrong impression was made. This court order is still in place for anybody publicizing it.
It is important to me that in the future we can have an honest and fair discussion, which will show the difference between bad riding and animal abuse. Mistakes in riding, however, should and must be discussed — this is the core of my sport and the prerequisite for the improvement of the horse and rider. But please, it has to be factual, objective and fair.
This is not so for cases like Cesar Parra, these are — as has already happened – a case for public prosecution.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 19, 2024
When the irrepressible Australian eventer (there’s a redundant description) Shane Rose appeared practically undressed for a “fancy dress” class at a horse show, the national federation, Equestrian Australia, took immediate action.
Its leaders responded to public reaction over Shane wearing nothing but what amounted to a thong, called a “mankini.”
He was suspended while the organization looked into the situation. It finally concluded that he did not breach the code of conduct by barely wearing the item. That cleared the way for him to point toward his fourth Olympics.
“The panel took into account the community event that Mr Rose was competing at, and that Mr Rose had already made a public apology,” said a statement from the federation. Going forward however, Equestrian Australia will work with clubs and stakeholders to assess minimum dress standards for future events.
A female rider might decide to wear the equivalent of Shane’s outfit–it would have been interesting to see if anyone objected to that.
Equestrian Australian CEO Darren Gocher explained his organization “has an obligation to look into any concerns of this nature that comes from the community. Having now thoroughly reviewed the incident and spoken to relevant parties, Equestrian Australia has confirmed that there was no breach of the code of conduct by Shane Rose.
“Shane has reflected on the incident, has apologized and understands the high standards expected of everyone involved in our High Performance program.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 19, 2024
A panel of voters from the horse industry has selected Francisco “Pancho” Lopez and the Holsteiner gelding Cedric, a regular on the U.S. Nations Cup teams, for induction into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame March 3 in Wellington, Fla.
The once-in-a-lifetime partner of rider Laura Kraut, Cedric made his FEI debut in 2006 and, despite being quirky and only 15.2-hands, the gray gelding bred in Belgium quickly became a powerhouse on the international show jumping circuit. His partnership with Laura spanned 11 years, producing 81 clear and 45 double-clear rounds in competitions offering $100,000 or more. The pair helped the U.S. win a team gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.
It was 1998 when Cedric became a pillar of the U.S. team. He was originally owned in the U.S. by Peter Wetherill and Happy Hill Farm. After Peter passed away in 2010, his brother, Cortie, assumed ownership with Laura before Margaret Duprey of Cherry Knoll Farm became Cedric’s final owner in 2012, keeping him in Laura’s barn.
Laura Kraut and Cedric in Hong Kong at the Beijing Olympics, 2008. (Photo © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer)
Cedric’s successful career also included being on the U.S. team at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games and numerous Nations Cup appearances, including Aachen, Barcelona, Dublin, La Baule, Rome, Rotterdam, St. Gallen and Wellington. He and Laura also won the Grand Prix at four Longines Global Champions Tour (GCT) events, and they were the first horse-and-rider combination to win back-to-back events, claiming top honors in 2010 at Chantilly and then Valkenswaard just two weeks later. Cedric and Laura also won GCT events in Lausanne (2012) and Wiesbaden (2013).
A naturally careful and competitive horse, Cedric was one of the nation’s leading money winners, amassing well over $2 million in prize money. He was formally retired at age 19 during a moving ceremony in Wellington in 2017.
“Cedric became something we never expected he could be,” Laura said in an interview, explaining why he was so special.
“He was so small and so difficult. He had always the most tremendous amount of jump; but he was afraid, and it never really entered my mind that he would become what he did. He was this unbelievable horse that when it was important, he had to know, because he never let me down.
“The few times I failed was never when it was a life-or-death moment,” she pointed out.
“I always used to figure that he thought I was getting too cocky; then he would throw me off. He was quite something. He was such a personable horse. He could have lived in the house.”
Laura and her partner, Nick Skelton, are based on a farm in Pielbergen, Netherlands from mid-April to December, and Cedric is nearby with his buddy, Quick Study (Lauren Hough’s former rider), on another farm.
“If I put him in Pennsylvania at Margaret’s farm, I’d never see him again,” said Laura, who wants to be near him. “He’s like family, Now I’m going to see him a lot because he’s five minutes down the road.”
The other Hall inductee, Pancho, was born in Mexico and joined his father in Los Angeles as a teenager. On one of his first days in the U.S., he walked several racehorses at the Del Mar racetrack where his family worked, and immediately fell in love with horses. He took his first grooming job at age 15 at Blakiston Ranch, not far from Los Angeles. He moved on five years later to work for Grand Prix rider Jimmy Kohn, and then joined George Morris at Hunterdon Inc. in New Jersey, where he worked for six years.
It was at Hunterdon that Pancho met Katie Monahan Prudent, the international champion with whom he is most identified. He became her barn manager and coordinated everything to keep the horses and the business in top shape.
He cared for such horses as The Jones Boy (second-place finisher in the inaugural FEI World Cup™ Final in 1979), Noren (1982 American Grandprix Association Horse of the Year), The Governor (1986 AGA Horse of the Year), Amadia (team Gold medalist in the 1986 FEI World Championships) and Special Envoy (1986 AGA Horse of the Year). Pancho is unable to attend the Hall ceremony at the Wanderer’s Club, so Katie will accept for him.
Starting in 1996, Pancho worked at Willowcreek Ranch in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. He spent many years with Elise Haas, whose family established in his honor the “Francisco ‘Pancho’ Lopez Scholarship” at the University of California’s Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. It was fitting, as he had had started veterinary school when he was young but was not able to complete his education due to family obligations
Pancho had a remarkable “feel” for each horse and somehow knew when something wasn’t right. He was always ready to share his experience with others and passed on his knowledge to a host of grooms and barn managers. He has also shared his more than 50 years’ worth of knowledge with riders and horses as a clinician, joining Katie and other top professionals in educational settings.
Another trophy at the gala will go to Rodrigo Pessoa, the Brazilian who is an Olympic and world championships gold medalist, as well as a three-time winner of the FEI World Cup Finals.. He will receive the Hall’s international award, being presented for the second time. The honor was inaugurated last year when it went to Ian Millar, Captain Canada.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 16, 2024
Some crucial questions about the expanded Wellington, Fla., showgrounds finally were answered Thursday night at a meeting of the Equestrian Preserve Committee.
Although the session, which ran more than five and one-half hours, was held to insure the project met compatibility standards under the Village’s land development regulations, the items approved by a 4-1 vote in that context were less interesting than what was revealed about the showgrounds project itself during the session.
Over nine months of hearings, equestrians made it clear that the Wellington International showgrounds for hunters and jumpers, set up in 1978 as the home of the Winter Equestrian Festival at its current location off Pierson Road, needed massive improvement and more space. The situation was complicated when its owner, Global Equestrian Group (part of Waterland Private Equity) put the venue up for sale last year.
The entrance to the International Arena at Wellington International.
On Tuesday, according to Wellington International President Michael Stone, a “number” of entities (he declined to be more specific) started the process of bidding for that property.
Meanwhile, Wellington Lifestyle Partners was approved by the Village Council in a 4-1 vote to build a high-end golf club community at Wellington North on Equestrian Village where the Global Dressage Festival (no relation to Global Equestrian Group) has been held since 2012. The property, more than 96 acres, was part of the Equestrian Preserve that spreads across 9,000 acres in the municipality.
There was much opposition to taking it out of the Preserve, a designation created to prevent high-density development and insure continuation of the equestrian lifestyle. The EPC unanimously voted against dong that, but it is only an advisory group; the Village Council is the deciding body.
The fear has been that the Wellington North decision sets a precedent for removing land from other parts of the Preserve, a category that includes bridle trails, arenas, stables and pastures (but allows certain types of low-intensity development.)
In the fallout over the controversy, the Village Council removed the EPC’s chairman, Jane Cleveland, and another member of the panel, Carlos Arrellano, at the request of WLP. Both were critical of WLP’s plans. Replacing them were dressage rider Judith Sloan, secretary-treasurer of the U.S. Equestrian Federation and Annabelle Garrett, a former polo player and show jumper who had served previously on the committee. Elected as the new chairman was Glen Fleischer, whose wife, Karen Long Dwight of Take the High Road LLC, is a prominent horse show exhibitor.
In making its deal with the Village, WLP agreed to build what amounts to an expansion of the showgrounds on Pod F at the northeast corner of Gene Mische Way and Gracida, land it owns at Wellington South, adjacent to Wellington International. Until that work is finished, dressage will continue at Equestrian Village and WLP is not allowed to start constructing homes at Wellington North. The deadline for completing the expansion is 2028, but during the EPC meeting, it was revealed that the majority of the work now is expected to take less than two years.
While it’s “always a possibility” that whoever buys Wellington International would also want to buy Pod F,” it won’t be for sale until it’s built out,” said Stone. However, he said “they’d (the new owners of Wellington International) be pretty crazy” not to want to buy Pod F because a deed restriction means it must remain a showgrounds for 50 years, so it cannot be converted to housing or other uses in the next half-century.
{For your convenience in reading this story, here is an acronym glossary: WEP (Wellington Equestrian Partners); GEG (Global Equestrian Group); WEF (Winter Equestrian Festival); EPC (Equestrian Preserve Committee); WLP (Wellington Lifestyle Partners}
Although originally the expanded section of the showgrounds was slated to be quite elaborate, with a stadium seating 7,000 and a hospitality area accommodating 4,000, that has been scaled back.
“The cost of building the sort of stadium (originally presented), it just isn’t viable to build it that size,” said Stone, explaining “everything has to be practical and realistic.”
Attorney Leonard Feiwus, who represents the Equestrian Club Estates development bordering the showgrounds, compared the grandiose first proposed arena to “the Meadowlands in Secaucus.”
Lights and noise have been a concern of neighbors, but the issues are being worked out with berms and landscaping.
“This is going to be constructed in a way that a future buyer, if he wants to build a more fancy stadium and he wants to do more permanent structures, he’s able to do it,” said Stone.
Michael Stone
The site will now have a capacity of 6,000, with an arena seating 3,000 (the arena at Equestrian Village seats 1,500), a 1,500-seat VIP hospitality area, a 1,000-seat special events pavilion, and a 210-seat restaurant, in addition to areas for retail, offices and other facilities. The circulation and safety of horses, golf carts and service vehicles will be improved from the current status at Wellington International, which will increase safety.
The project is described by WLP as being “horse-centric.”
Showjumping was to have been the highlight on the expanded venue, with dressage sharing the current showgrounds with the hunters. Now dressage will be on the expanded portion, but the large number of arenas and a grass field there means jumpers and hunters can show at that site as well. While dressage runs only 13 weeks, the hunters and jumpers compete nearly all year in Wellington.
Unlike Equestrian Village, where the VIP area is very close to the ring and horses can hear the “clank” of silverware, as Sloan put it, there will be a greater setback for the dressage arenas, which should cut down on horse distraction.
Parking has been an issue at Wellington International. The new site will have 1,500 paved parking spaces and 1,500 for overflow. Dressage riders competing in the national division often like to haul in their horses, compete, load them back in the trailer and go home. That’s the advantage of owning a farm in Wellington, instead of having to travel approximately three hours to compete at TerraNova near Sarasota or World Equestrian Center in Ocala.
There will be 20 haul-in parking spaces, which Stone believes is sufficient because dressage riders who haul in leave after they compete. That is unlike show jumpers and hunters, who use the stabling and also take advantage of vendors and food purveyors, which he said the dressage people competing in national classes for the most part do not do, since their stay on the property is short.
The recommendations passed by the EPC include:
- Adding another 220 permanent stalls added to the 220 stalls available “Day One” among the 1,204 12 by 12 stalls planned (the difference is made up by tent stalls);
- Requiring hospitality tents to be at least commensurate in quality with the media center tent at Wellington International;
- Providing adequate fencing between barns and adjacent parking areas to contain horses;
- Insuring that the 78,000-square foot covered arena will be constructed at the showgrounds and not on “an adjacent property;”
- Requiring mats in all stalls;
- Providing schooling hours with lighting to start at 6:30 a.m.
- Having 30 feet in between the show rings.
Writing on social media the day after the meeting, EPC member Dr. Kristy Lund explained, “ If we did not pass the motion, some of our important recommendations, like making sure the covered is built on the showgrounds and not an adjacent property and safety fences and distance between rings for safety .. would not be heard by council.
“So yes, we could have voted a symbolic no for the project but that would not have changed anything.. the deal still moves forward. By voting ye, we ensure council gets to see our recommendations and hopefully, they will act on some of them and make the horse show better.”
The compatibility issues go to the Planning Zoning and Adjustment board Feb. 28. On March 5, the Village Council is slated to look at them before work can get under way on the expansion.
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 14, 2024
Olympic and world championships dressage medalist Adrienne Lyle is off to the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla., with two new horses this week. The trio is still in a period of adjustment with each other, since the horses arrived from Europe at her base in Wellington, Fla., last month. That means they won’t be competing at WEC this time. It’s more of a get-acquainted trip.
“I’ve never had horses who were trained to grand prix, so it’s different,” said Adrienne, who usually brings her mounts to that level herself.
“There’s more language to learn from each other. There’s more intricate things I have to figure out. First of all, what it means to them before you try to change it to the way you want it. They’re both trying really hard, so it’s been fun.”
The horses, purchased by Zen Elite Equestrian Center owner Heidi Humphries, are 12-year-old Helix (Apache X Broere Jazz), a Dutchbred, and Lars van de Hoenderheide (Negro X Layout), a 13-year-old Belgian warmblood previously ridden by world champion Lottie Fry.
Adrienne needs qualifying scores with an eye toward making the U.S. team for the Paris Olympics this summer. The pressure never ends, and it’s particularly intense because she has not yet shown the horses, and doesn’t have the luxury of lots of time to achieve her goal.
“I will be less prepared than I would like to be going in the ring,” she acknowledged.
“You can’t work them harder or expect more of them because you’re on a timeline. I would love to have a year to play around with them, but we don’t have that. We’ll do the best we can with our normal training program.”
When a rider has a history with a horse, Adrienne pointed out, “You know how to prepare the balance. You know what they need help in, what you need to ride a little bit lighter, softer, stronger. It’s getting to know them. All the little subtle nuances to make it look seamless.
“Like a horse you’ve been riding for a long time—even though you haven’t.”
Although she lacks mileage with the horses, their character is evident. Before she got in the saddle for a limbering walk around prior to shipping Helix to Ocala, she characterized him as “a super trying horse.
Adrienne takes Helix out for a stroll. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“He always wants to do the right thing. He’s very sensitive to ride and very supple, but has a lot of power. He’s very talented. He always wants to figure out what you want to do. His piaffe/passage tour is going to be really phenomenal,” said Adrienne.
That reminds her of Salvino, her Olympic and championships medal ride, who is back in work now.
Lars, meanwhile, “has a fair amount of experience, he’s been there and done that. So I think he’s got a lot of confidence in himself. It’s just kind of changing a little bit the shape to the way that I ride. Every rider has a slightly different way they want them to go. He does his job well so we’re just trying to mold him to make him a bit more my ride.”
His former rider, Lottie, is short, while Adrienne is tall.
“I think the leg aids are a little bit different, because my legs hit him much lower than hers. Helix’s rider was rather tall, about my height. So I think in those terms, the aids click a little bit quicker on him.”
Both horses had been in work and are fit.
As a result, their rider pointed out, “We’re not trying to build up their strength, it’s more about building up our communication.”
Adrienne soon will return to Ocala for competition, as well as showing in Wellington and at TerraNova Equestrian Center outside Sarasota. All the venues are approximately three hours from each other.
Unlike the situation that existed for years, when Wellington was the only place in Florida where the top dressage horses performed, variety helps with the training. Horses previously would get so used to Wellington that switching to other venues after the winter season could be difficult.
Adrienne with Lars and Helix. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
In Ocala this time, Adrienne will be schooling the horses and caring for them herself, even taking them out to graze, as well as riding, to get to know them better. She’s treating the situation as if she’s competing, so the horses can learn her routine.
Meanwhile, she’ll be having a reunion in Ocala with her 2018 World Equestrian Games silver medal teammates Laura Graves and Kasey Perry Glass, both young mothers like herself. Debbie McDonald, Adrienne’s mentor and the former U.S. technical advisor, also will be on hand to help. How does the saying go? They’re getting the band back together!
One young lady who won’t be there is Adrienne’s daughter, Bailey, who was born last autumn. The baby is staying at home in Wellington so her mother can focus as much as possible on the horses.
But Adrienne has other responsibilities as well. Having aged out of the under-25 ranks, her protégé, Quinn Iverson, will be making her senior Grand Prix debut in the National ring with Beckham. And Adrienne also will be working with a teammate from the 2022 world championships, Katie Duerrhammer, who rides Paxton.
Adrienne is grateful to those who have helped her.
“I want to thank everyone involved; thank Heidi for this chance and Debbie for always being there for me. It’s an amazing opportunity.”
But she cautions, with the horses, “The most important thing is you take it on their time frame and you never push them. However far we get this year, there’s a lot more in the future. Either way, it’s going to be the start of a really fun journey.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 12, 2024
Videos on social media showing dressage trainer Cesar Parra whipping horses and engaging in training practices that have caused an outcry prompted the U.S. Equestrian Federation Board of Directors Monday to introduce an extraordinary rule change, which would expand its jurisdiction over horse abuse outside of competition.
Cesar Parra after competition.
The rule, which could go into effect Dec. 1 if passed at the USEF’s mid-year meeting, defines horse abuse as any action or omission that is likely to cause pain or unnecessary discomfort to a horse. It will not, however, be retroactive.
On Tuesday, the USEF followed up with a letter to members, stating “the images and videos are disturbing and show a complete disregard for horse welfare and are in no way aligned with our values and beliefs as the stewards of horse sport in the United States.”
To ensure the integrity of the investigation, USEF cannot disclose details of the situation. But the federation emphasized, “We are documenting these violations and will pursue disciplinary action to the highest degree in partnership with the FEI (international equestrian federation).”
The USEF maintained, “It is imperative that as a community, we continue to hold each other accountable and speak up when we see something that endangers the integrity of our sport, the health and welfare of our horses, and/or the well-being of our athletes and members.
“If you have witnessed horse-related abuse, please contact USEF by texting what you saw to 2USEF (28733) or by emailing generalcounsel@usef.org. As a reminder, if you witnessed or have knowledge of sexual abuse, it must be reported to law enforcement and the U.S. Center for SafeSport.”
The USEF does not have the ability to secure search warrants, so it will rely on reports from members in enforcing the rule. The abuse must be reported to licensed officials at a show, and to USEF if it takes place outside of competition. There will be 21 definitions of what constitutes abuse in the proposed rule. Some already are in the rulebook, but more are being added.
The proposal clarifies that licensed officials or competition management can “take swift action” to issue a written warning or disqualification if the abuse occurs at a showgrounds.
The rule change notes that “USEF takes its social license to operate very seriously, and learning from the mistakes of others, recognizes that time is of the essence.”
It notes that the horse industry has come under increased scrutiny, particularly in regard to the integrity and safety of horse racing. USEF cited as another example the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey circus, which shut down in 2017 and reinvented itself without animals in 2023. USEF also mentioned modern pentathlon, which no longer will include show jumping after this year, following an incident in which a coach punched a horse at the Tokyo Olympics.
“Social license is a vitally important issue for our industry, and further oversight of training practices outside of competition has been an important topic under consideration. The Cesar Parra concerns are an example of why this is an important issue to address. The rule change is being released today to provide as much time as possible for member and stakeholder feedback,” USEF Chief Marketing and Content Officer Vicki Lowell stated on Monday.
“USEF takes horse abuse very seriously. Horses are our trusted partners in sport and in life. The goal of the extraordinary rule change put forward today is to ensure that USEF has broader oversight of horse welfare outside of competition. This rule will have the opportunity for member and stakeholder feedback before a decision is taken at the Mid-Year Meeting.”
Parra, who rode for his native Colombia in the Olympics, represented the U.S. in the Pan American Games after becoming a citizen.
He has been provisionally suspended by the FEI, which can act in abuse cases outside of competition. The USEF has honored that suspension, as the two organizations investigate the Parra situation and decide how this matter should be resolved.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association will hold its second Town Hall in a row about social license to operate on Monday Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
