by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 9, 2024
When you think about going to camp, activities like swimming, tennis and hiking usually come to mind. But there’s a different take at Centenary University.
Based in Hackettstown, N.J., with an equestrian center in nearby Long Valley, Centenary will have two equestrian camps that offer a wide range of learning opportunities this spring and summer.
Centenary University Equestrian Center. (Photo by Jenna O’Connor)
Centenary is fielding an NCAA equestrian team for the first time next season, in addition to offering students a chance to ride on an Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association squad, which includes opportunities beginning with walk-trot.
There is an emphasis on equestrian teams at Centenary, which will have a special camp for prospective candidates. (Jenna O’Connor photo)
For NCAA, candidates have to be able to perform such sophisticated movements as turn on the haunches or counter-canter. Whatever the level, being involved with a team is a big responsibility, so how does a student prepare for that?
Prospective participants will get a chance to find out if they have the necessary skill set and the desire to take part by attending an Elite Equestrian College Prep Camp May 10-11. Riding lessons on the flat and over jumps, as well as discussions with coaches Michael Dowling and Heather Clark will be offered. Riders will participate in a mock horse show to get the flavor of what NCAA and IHSA are like.
To participate, they must be high school students (or entering their freshman year in the fall) who are able to groom and tack up a horse and walk, trot and canter, as well as negotiate a 2-foot, 3-inch jumping course.
“The intent is to expose them to what would be required for one or the other (team),” said Michael. It gives the coaches a chance to assess potential team members, while offering the participating riders an opportunity to decide which of the formats they would prefer. He noted Centenary has room on a team for virtually any student who wants to be part of one, and opportunities to show at least twice in a semester.
The camp “gives them the feel of what intercollegiate riding is like and what we have to offer here,” said Heather.
While the camp is a recruiting tool for the university, students do not have to be committed to attending Centenary when they enroll. It’s expected that there will be great demand for spots in the clinic. Parents are invited to attend and participate in the meetings.
Applications must be in by April 22, and there is room for only 16 riders, so those who are interested are advised to apply early. Click here for registration information.
And for another opportunity to pick up horse-oriented knowledge, Centenary will present the Equine Science Summer Day Camp in July and August, geared to those 13 and up who have basic horse experience.
Proud grads of the Centenary camps. (Photo courtesy Centenary University)
There are two different camps under the supervision of Dr. Lynn Taylor.
Level 1, July 29-Aug. 2, will include not only the basics of safety, tack and grooming, but also delve into nutrition, health issues and therapies. This is the third year it is being held.
“All of the students, even the ones in high school who are fairly well-experienced, realize very quickly that they don’t know everything,” Lynn said.
Those who want to take Level 2, which is making its debut Aug. 5-9, must have completed Level 1 successfully in any year, or be certified in Pony Club levels H-A, C-3, B and A.
There’s no riding involved. The camp is for students interested in learning or practicing skills; some may be considering being a veterinarian or a vet tech.
The camps test participants with daily quizzes. On the Fridays, students can choose to have a hands-on evaluation. If they receive a score of 80 percent or higher, they will get a certificate of competency from Centenary’s Equine Sciences department. If they don’t want to be evaluated, they will get a certificate of completion, but Lynn said so far, everyone has chosen to be evaluated.
Although campers may know the basics of care, “they may not have an opportunity to learn how to take a temperature or monitor hydration in a reinforced way,” Lynn said. They also practice taking vitals (vital signs).
In Level 2, they delve into alternative modalities, such as shock wave, chiropractic or massage. All students have an opportunity to do a hematocrit (a simple test that measures the percentage of red blood cells in a blood sample) and utilize Centenary’s laboratory facilities. Lectures and demonstrations fill out the camp programs.
“When I ask the kids what they are interested in, most do say being a veterinarian,” said Lynn.
“It’s a good kind of wake-up call. They really do see the level of involvement you’re going to have to have, even if you want to go to go to school for pre-vet, you really have to improve your handling skills and how things translate from the classroom to the barn.”
Click here to register for Level 1. Click on this link to register for Level 2.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 29, 2024
Will Coleman’s victory on Diabolo Sunday in the Cosequin Lexington 4-star Short started with an email from a woman in Australia who was marketing a horse.
“To be honest, I get emails like that all the time. I usually just take a glance,” Will recalled.
But his wife, Katie, thought the horse videos that came with the email were interesting and suggested Will look at them.
He ended up doing more than that, going to Australia with his father for three days to see the horse in person.
“It was pretty brutal; it’s a long way,” Will grinned.
“We had a great time. It was kind of a cool trip and ended up buying this horse. It was quite an adventure.”
But the adventure had just begun when the horse arrived at Will’s farm because Diabolo was on Southern Hemisphere time and had trouble adjusting to the reverse seasons on the other side of the world. So Will knew the 12-year-old Holsteiner had talent, but was biding his time “until he was ready to show it to the rest of the world.”
Will Coleman and Diabolo. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
And show it he did this weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park. Diabolo was the only one of 39 horses who completed the 4-star that finished on his dressage score. His 29.9-penalty mark was just 0.2 ahead of Boyd Martin and Commando 3.
Will said he was “pleasantly surprised but not totally shocked” by Diabolo’s performance, having felt that he was on the verge of being competitive at a big event.
Will Coleman enjoying his victory gallop with Diabolo. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Is he a candidate for the Paris Olympics? Yes, he’s qualified, but Will noted Olympic selection isn’t up to him. His original goal for this year with Diabolo was the Luhmuhlen, Germany, 5-star.
“We’re going to keep working toward Luhmuhlen unless something changes,” he told me.
Will also was third on his 2021 Aachen winner, the 15-year-old Off the Record, who finished on 30.9 penalties.
Boyd not only was second with Connor, as Commando is known, but he also finished fourth with Federman B after a second double-clear round.
Boyd Martin and Commando 3.(Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I think they’re about as good as each other,” he replied when asked which he’d prefer as an Olympic prospect.
“They’re very strong in all three phases. It’s a wonderful position to be in to have a couple of hopefuls. Like your children, you should never favor one more than the other.”
Boyd thought the show jumping course designed by Steve Stephens was a good track, though he mentioned “you had to scoot around the corners” to finish within the tight time allowed. Will also is a fan, saying Steve’s courses are “some of the best we jump. The way he uses the stadium is unique.”
The atmosphere in the Rolex Stadium is all part of the equation in seeing what horses can handle.
“There’s no question American crowds are the best anywhere in the world,” said Boyd, who speaks from experience, having competed nearly everywhere.
“They love this sport,” he said of the U.S. fans.
“They cheer you when things go well; they even cheer when things go bad. It’s almost a letdown when you go to the other 5-stars in Europe,” he said.
Fifth place went to Pan American Games individual gold medalist Caroline Pamukcu on HSH Blake. She called him the top of her string and noted that her string is different from Boyd’s and Will’s; her oldest horse is only nine. She’s planning on a European tour this summer.
Miks Master C, who was in the lead after cross-country, had a rail in Sunday’s show jumping and dropped to seventh when 4 faults were added to his 29.2 total after cross-country. Elisabeth Halliday’s mount had been third in the 5-star at Kentucky last year, but like several other Olympic candidates, she chose the 4-star rather than the 5 this year. The thinking among those that went that route was that the 5-star might be an unnecessarily big effort in the lead-up to Paris, where the cross-country course will be at 4-star level.
Click here to see the 4-star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 28, 2024
Oliver Townend had to come from behind to win the Defender Kentucky 5-star three-day event, but the world’s number one eventer simply did all he could do by riding a perfect show jumping round Sunday on Cooley Rosalent, then waited for the leaders to make mistakes. They did.
Going into the final phase of the event, the top three in the standings were from Britain, with Oliver in third place by a margin of less than a 4-fault knockdown.
After Oliver finished his tour of the course, he just had to wait and watch to see what the others would do.
Oliver and Cooley Rosalent clear the final fence in show jumping. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
World Champion Yasmin Ingham, who had been standing second on Banzai du Loir, dropped to third along with a rail from an oxer midway through the course designed by Steve Stephens. She finished on 35.6 penalties. Then Olympic medalist Tom McEwen and JL Dublin looked on track to keep the number one spot until the penultimate fence, a Liverpool, where Dubs touched a pole and it fell. That put Tom second with 33.8 penalties and gave the title to Oliver for the fourth time.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’m still in shock,” he said at the awards ceremony, where he received the silver trophy from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
The rider earned that prize (and $123,000) at his hundredth 5-star event, an amazing statistic. He is tied with German superstar Michael Jung in the number of Kentuckies that he has won; only the legendary Bruce Davidson did better, with six victories during his heyday at the Kentucky Horse Park.
At first, it seemed that things might not turn out in favor of Oliver.
“I was fairly upset with myself after the dressage,” he said. Mistakes there left him tied for eighth place, and he wasn’t confident of finding a way to claim his usual Kentucky victory.
“I thought it would be a bit depressing going home on that plane having not won,” he mentioned.
“Then I sort of gave myself a kick into gear and thought, `She’s a very good horse.’
“I knew she’s an incredible galloper (her sire jumped 1.60 meters and her dam won the Scottish Midlands Grand National) so there’s no excuse on being too slow.” (Interestingly, Rosalent’s older full brother, Jewelent, was ridden to twenty-ninth place in the Cosequin Lexington 4-star earlier in the day by Phillip Dutton, who was making his fiftieth appearance at Kentucky.)
Oliver explained his strategy for a pleasant plane ride home by saying, “I had a very clear picture in my mind of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. If it was going to be my week, what will be will be. Just do my job and try and look after her for the future and also try and be as competitive as possible.”
Oliver and Cooley Rosalent enter the arena while he was still in shock over his victory. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
The mare was just one second over the optimum time on cross-country, putting her in that competitive position in show jumping, depending on what Oliver’s rivals did.
Only Oliver and a German Kentucky first-timer, Malin Hansen-Hotopp, fourth on Carlitos Quidditch K, were able to go double-clear in the show jumping. Malin won the James Wofford “On the Rise” award for the best finish by a first time 5-star competitor. Four other riders kept all the rails in place, but wound up collecting time penalties.
The double clear really was an achievement for Cooley Rosalent, who finished the week on a score of 31.8 penalties.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the horse,” said Oliver, noting “she was always special from the word go.”
“We’ve had her since she was four years old,” he said of the 10-year-old Irish-bred gray (his lucky color), a prospect he bought himself, then sold quickly to Diana and Paul Ridgeon. Paul just celebrated his 92d birthday and owned event horses for 45 years, but this was his first victory at the 5-star level.
After winning Great Britain’s Burghley 5-star last September with a former Kentucky victor, Ballaghmor Class, Oliver is now in line to take the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam if he can win Badminton next month. Only two riders, Pippa Funnell and Michael Jung, have been able to meet that challenge, but Oliver will give it a try on his third attempt.
“The first time, I nearly killed myself trying to win it. The second time I was second at Badminton,” he recalled ruefully.
Tom was philosophical about losing the title when he was so close to getting it.
“Today is one of those things and I’m sure I’ll beat myself up about it, but he’s crazy special,” he said of the horse who is nicknamed Dubs.
“I know on his day, he will wipe the floors clean. It’s exciting coming up to an Olympic year to have put ourselves in a great position.”
Yasmin felt her rail was just an unlucky rub during an otherwise excellent performance by Banzai.
“These things happen for a reason,” she believes, “and I know we’ll come out stronger next time. I’m delighted with him; it’s exciting to be on the podium at a 5-star and it’s a very important year.”
Yes, it could well be that Oliver, Yasmin and Tom will comprise the British team at the Paris Olympics.
Joe Eberhardt, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America, toasts a great 5-star with Lauren Nicholson, Tom McEwen, Oliver Townend and Yasmin Ingham. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
The U.S. national championship went for the third time to Lauren Nicholson, the top American, fifth on the 18-year-old Vermiculus. The horse is owned by Jacqueline Mars, which is particularly nice because the event is presented by MARS Equestrian.
Top U.S. rider Lauren Nicholson on Vermiculus. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“We came feeling a touch rusty,” said Lauren, explaining the horse “hasn’t had a proper big outing” since 2022.
She was pleased that she was “able to deliver what he deserved to get on the day.”
After cross-country, the highest-placed U.S. rider was Mia Farley on Phelps, standing fifth with one of only two double-clear trips in the second phase.
Mia had many rooters among fans in the packed Rolex Arena, because Phelps is a Kentucky-bred thoroughbred who was sold for a dollar. But the fairytale didn’t have a storybook ending in the 5-star. Phelps demonstrated that show jumping is his weakness in the Maryland 5-star last year, and this time, the problem was evident immediately. He dropped a rail at the first fence, then toppled three more before he finished his round. Mia wound up an unlucky thirteenth.
Click here for Defender 5-star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 4, 2024
Custom Made, ridden by David O’Connor to a history-making eventing individual Olympic gold medal in 2000, wasburied in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Memorial Walk of Champions.
The 17.1-hand Irish sport horse also is being honored with induction posthumously into the park’s Hall of Champions. Custom Made, better known as Tailor, was retired at the park during the event in 2004. He lived at Jacqueline Mars’ Stonehall Farm in The Plains, Va., until his death in 2019 at the age of 34, with David at his side.
“Tailor was the horse of a lifetime,” said David.
“The most powerful horse I have ever sat on and a true gentleman of every sort. He was a great combination of athlete, legend, and friend.”
The park’s president, Lee Carter, noted, “The sport of eventing is an integral part of the Kentucky Horse Park story, and this should be recognized in our Hall of Champions. Custom Made is arguably the most decorated horse to compete at the park, having won the Kentucky Three-Day Event (1995), Badminton Horse Trials (1997) and Olympic gold. While Custom Made is no longer with us, we are thankful to David O’Connor for allowing future generations the chance to learn the history of this amazing horse.”
Tailor (Bassompierre x Purple Heather) was foaled in Ireland in 1985. He was imported to the U.S. by Joseph Zada to be a mount for O’Connor. In the first year of their partnership, they won the 1995 Kentucky Three-Day Event.
The following year, Tailor and O’Connor finished third in the Badminton Horse Trials and placed fifth individually in the Atlanta Olympic Games. They returned to Badminton in 1997 to secure the win, making Tailor the second American horse ever to be victorious in the prestigious competition.
Their historic achievement of individual gold came at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. It was the first eventing gold medal for the U.S. in 25 years. They continued a successful career together including victory in the gelding’s final competition at the 2002 Fair Hill International Three-Day CCI4*-L. He was inducted into the United States Eventing Association Hall of Fame in 2009.
Tailor lived out his life at Jacqueline Mars’ Stonehall Farm in The Plains, Virginia. He died in October 2019 at the age of 34 with O’Connor by his side, ending a celebrated chapter in U.S. eventing history.
“Tailor was the horse of a lifetime,” said O’Connor.
“The most powerful horse I have ever sat on and a true gentleman of every sort. He was a great combination of athlete, legend, and friend.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 27, 2024
Elisabeth Halliday, who had shared top billing after dressage in the Cosequin Lexington 4-star at the Kentucky Horse Park, found herself alone at the top of the chart with Miks Master C after a trip over the testing cross-country course on Saturday.
Mickey, third in the 5-star last year, had only 3.2 time penalties over a route that saw five eliminations and eight retirements.
Noting Mick “is a pretty keen horse on cross-country,” Elisabeth pointed out, “he’s a very good jumper and very careful. Although he was strong between the fences, he was very thoughtful and very organized in all the combinations. I was very thrilled with him.”
Elisabeth Halliday and Miks Master C. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Liz was busy in the 4-star, riding two other horses, Cooley Quicksilver, who is seventh and Shanroe Cooley, eighth.
The lone double-clear of the day over Derek di Grazia’s route came from Will Coleman and his rising star Diabolo, just 0.7 penalties back of Elisabeth’s 29.2-penalty mark.
Going into cross-country day, Elisabeth’s score was the same as that of Lucienne Bellissimo on DYRI, so they were tied. But Lucienne had problems at the five-part combination that was fence six—along with 20 other competitors and on her other horse, Tremanton, as well. She sank to thirty-first on 20 penalties for a refusal and 25.6 time penalties with DYRI.
I asked Will why so many riders had trouble at the combination. I don’t remember one cross-country obstacle getting quite that many victims, at least recently.
“It was a clever question, because it didn’t walk intimidating at all,” Will replied.
“I thought the `in’ to the coffin was pretty close to 5-star (difficulty). A lot of the horses just looked they didn’t quite know where to look. There is a lot going on there, it’s early in the course. Most people that had trouble, it looks like to me they didn’t get their horse back in what you’d say was a proper coffin canter. If you jump in either too fast or too out of balance…it can be harder for them to recover over the ditch.”
Will, like Elisabeth, said he was thrilled with his mount.
“I do have a lot of belief in the horse. We are still sort of getting to know each other. I think he’s got the qualities of being a winning horse. He’s not quite there yet. It’s kind of what we’re working towards. This was a step in that direction. I thought it was a good track and he actually enjoyed the whole experience; you know, the people and that Kentucky atmosphere.”
Will Coleman and Diabolo. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Boyd Martin finished third with Commando 3 (30.1) and just ahead of Will’s other horse, the veteran Off the Record (30.9). In fifth place, Pan American Games individual gold medalist Caroline Pamukcu on HSH Blake has 32.5 penalties, tying for fifth with Boyd on Federman B. So it’s a close race, with less than a rail’s difference among that group.
“I think we’re all on very good show jumpers, the top four or five horses are very good show jumpers and good show jumping riders,” said Boyd.
click here for 4-star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 27, 2024
The odds might seem to be against the U.S. repeating its 2023 victory in the 5-star Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event.
Last year, Tamie Smith on Mai Baum became the first American to win the competition since 2008. This year, the top U.S. rider after cross-country is Mia Farley, but there is something standing between her and the trophy—what could well be the British team for the Paris Olympics. They are occupying first through third places before Sunday’s show jumping finale. And right behind them is Monica Spencer of New Zealand.
Mia is fifth with Phelps, the thoroughbred that her trainer, David O’Connor, bought for a dollar (which he still owes the seller, I believe). She has 33.8 penalties, to 28.6 for the leader, Tom McEwen on JL Dublin. That means Tom can topple a rail and still finish ahead of Mia (but not his compatriots, World Champion Yasmin Ingham, second on 31.6 penalties with Banzai du Loir and world number one Oliver Townend, third with 31.8 on Cooley Rosalent in his landmark one hundredth 5-star). Tom also does not have one-rail edge over Monica, fourth on 31.9 with Artist.
Kentucky 5-star leader Tom McEwen of Britain on JL Dublin at the Head of the Lake. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
But Mia already has achieved a distinction. She was one of only two riders to go double clear today over Derek di Grazia’s beautiful but demanding course within the 11-minute, 14-second optimum time. (Germany’s Christoph Waller on D’Accord FRH was the other, now standing sixth with 34 penalties.) But even beyond that, this was the second time Mia had gone double-clear in a 5-star, and she’s only been in two, having debuted at the level in the 2023 Maryland event.
How rare is that record? No less an authority than EquiRatings said that of the more than 1,000 horses who completed a 5-star over the last 15 years, only 37 have managed a double-clear in their first two 5-star outings.
Mia knocked two flags during her trip around the course, and while flag issues can stick a rider with a 15-penalty burden, a review of the videotape revealed no violation.
Knocked flags were no problem for Mia Farley and Phelps. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Phelps dropped two places in the Maryland standings due to knockdowns in the show jumping there. Mia thinks this time could be different.
“We’ve been working hard at it this year. Show jumping is his weaker phase, but we’ll see tomorrow,” she explained. “No matter what, I’ll try to be happy with today and hope his training at home comes through.”
There were 37,953 fans at the Kentucky Horse Park on cross-country day (to read about the 4-star, click here or go to the second feature on the main page) and many of them seemed to be cheering on Phelps, a son of famed stallion Tiznow. After all Phelps is a Kentucky-bred. Kentuckians love thoroughbreds (don’t forget the state is the home of the Kentucky Derby).
Mia appreciates a thoroughbred’s attributes, noting that previously she rode a warmblood who was apt to start running out of gas at the end of cross-country.
With thoroughbreds, bred both for speed and endurance, “at the end of the course, if you ask them to go, they have it.”
That means a rider has a lot of options
At the very least, Mia is well-situated to be the top U.S. competitor, which would give her the national championship title
Tom, the rider who EquiRatings projected to be the likely winner, said “Realistically for me, the question was before me what I know the horse can do. That’s what we try to deliver on the day.”
He cautiously took two long routes that resulted in 4 time penalties, but he had enough margin from the score of Dubs’ lovely dressage test to keep his standing at the top of the results.
The issue gets more complicated because he’s trying to prove his worth for the Olympic team. Ditto Yasmin and Oliver. The Olympics allows only three riders on a team, though an alternate can come on board in certain circumstances during the competition.
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Oliver was asked if the 10-year-old Rosalent would be his choice for an Olympic mount, as opposed to one of his other horses.
“I’d like to think she’s definitely in the mix,” Oliver responded.
“She’s been to Maryland and here. She’s proved that she copes with the crowd, she’s proved that she copes with quick tracks. She’s definitely on an upwards trajectory in terms of the way she’s finding the competitions. Fingers crossed, it’s not my decision on this, but I’d very much like to get there on any horse,” said Oliver, who is going to Badminton on another horse.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
There were two horse falls during the 5-star. Canada’s Lisa Marie Ferguson took a tumble when the 18-year-old Honor Me went down, and Philip Dutton hit the turf after a tired Quasi Cool was asked to leave a bit too long to the last fence and chipped in. Both horse and rider were fine, and Azure was sent to his stall for rest and fluids.
Boyd Martin retired On Cue (eleventh after dressage) partway through the course, feeling that she wasn’t herself and didn’t like the ground.
Click here for the 5-star results
