by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 23, 2023
After a short stay at New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania, event horse Dutch Times is back home in Branchburg, N.J., to recover.
The 15-year-old gelding, ridden by owner Arielle Aharoni, injured his right foreleg and Arielle pulled him up two fences from the end on cross-country Saturday at the MARS Maryland 5-star. It was Dutch’s debut at that level, following a second-place finish earlier in the year at the Bromont, Canada, 4-star Long.
Arielle Aharoni and her Dutch Times on course Saturday at the MARS Maryland 5-star. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Dutch was bought by Arielle’s mother as a weanling. She saw him as a sport horse prospect, and that dream came true. He has been successful in show jumping as well as eventing. But Dutch is valued beyond his athletic ability; he is a member of the family, and his welfare has been their focus.
“I never really go for time, I never really pushed the envelope,” Arielle said when discussing her Bromont experience, explaining her priority is getting around safely.
Dutch went from the Maryland event to New Bolton and spent several days there before returning to his family’s farm to recover and be spoiled with attention by those who love him.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 25, 2023
Devoted horsewoman Ann David of Bedminster, N.J., died Saturday at the age of 94.
“She was a fabulous person who loved her horses and her dogs,” said Tierney Sullivan, a former owner of Coach Stop Saddlery in Bedminster, where Ann had shopped for decades.
Ann’s home was Hoopstick Farm, the former residence of Jean and Elliot Haller, where the first Essex Horse Trials was held in 1968. While Ann and her late husband, Edward, were moving from Illinois to New Jersey in 1978, Ann was concerned about finding the right kind of farm for her animals.
Ann’s friend, Catherine Weinstock, recalled that when Ann went to a Realtor in her search, she said, “`What I want is a farm like the Hallers’,” where she used to board while living in New Jersey previously.
“It’s available,” said the Realtor, and Ann jumped at it. When the Essex Horse Trials was revived in 2017 after an 18-year hiatus, Ann donated the Jean and Elliot Haller Perpetual Trophy for Horsemanship to the competition. It is presented to the rider who demonstrates good horsemanship and a superior partnership with their horse during the event.
A board member of the Somerset Bridle Path Association, Ann also had hunted with the Essex Foxhounds. She was a devoted trail rider until the Covid pandemic, and then after a break, doing a little riding until about two years ago, according to Anita Kozak, her farm manager of 14 years, who lives at Hoopstick
“Everything she did was about horses,” said Anita.
“We rode every day; the only days we didn’t go out was if it was raining or snowing.”
Ann was active in the community with her friends in a book club–she was a voracious reader, a movie club and the Juliets, a group of women who went out to eat together, according to her friend, Heather Walker.
“She was smart and wonderful,” Heather remembered.
“She was so positive, so friendly and one of a kind, for sure.”
In a full circle Ann donated the Jean and Elliot Haller Perpetual Trophy for Horsemanship to the Essex Horse Trials, to be presented to the rider who demonstrates good horsemanship and a superior partnership with their horse.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 25, 2023
He’s a resident of North Carolina but rides for Ecuador. And on Wednesday at the Pan American Games in Chile, Julio Mendoza Loor gave his native land something it never had before–a gold medal in dressage.
He and Jewel’s Goldstrike won the Grand Prix Freestyle with 87.230 percent (including a 3 percent Big Tour bonus) after heading up the Grand Prix Special individual standings the day before. His efforts earned Julio a berth in the Paris Olympics next year. Ecuador does not have a dressage team, so he’ll be carrying the flag on his own.
A proud Julio Mendoza Loor and Jewel’s Gold Strike parade after their freestyle victory.
Julio was a hit with the judges, who gave Goldie lots of 9s on the artistic side, particularly in degree of difficulty (where his highest mark was a 9.6) and music and its interpretation–straight 9s with a 9.5.
He got a 9 for his entrance, the pirouettes, piaffe and passage and two-tempi. Impressive!
As he went along, Julio worked hard to keep his focus.
“Especially after my last pirouette/piaffe, straight from pirouette to piaffe which is really complicated, he was really ready for it,” Julio said.
“After that I had to hold in my tears because I just wanted to cry.”
His 12-year-old Dutch warmblood lives outside around the clock when he is home.
“For me if that’s where he is happiest, then that’s where he has to live,” the rider emphasized.
The silver medal went to Brazil’s João Victor Marcari and Feel Good VO. He was João’s reserve mount, but stepped up to earn 86.160 percent for their Freestyle. They were members of Brazil’s silver medal team.
Anna Marek, who won gold on the U.S. team with Fire Fly, earned the Freestyle bronze on 81.305 percent. She finished just ahead of her teammate, Sarah Tubman, the defending individual gold medalist from the 2019 Games in Lima in 2019. She was marked at 81.155 percent with First Apple.
A native of Germany, Svenja Grimm, rode for Chile and earned 78.335 percent aboard Doctor Rossi to finish eighth and qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Click here for freestyle results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 23, 2023
With a total of 450.670 percent at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, the U.S. dressage team outdistanced second-place Brazil (443.343) on Monday, while Canada earned bronze with 431.937 and like Brazil, qualified for the 2024 Olympics.
Unlike the show jumping team, which competes at the end of the month seeking a berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the dressage team (and U.S. eventers) already were qualified, so the Pan Ams offered a chance to give up-and- coming riders experience.
The Pan American Games gold medal dressage team on the podium: Sarah Tubman, Codi Harrison, Anna Marek, Christian Simonson. (Photo Matt Turer/USEF)
“The team spirit is unbelievable, and it really has carried them through. Each one of them, in the end, rode better today,” said Chef d’Equipe George Williams.
“There were a few bobbles in some of the tests, but the actual riding was better, so I was happy with that. They came back strong, and I really feel like the team camaraderie helped carry them to this.”
Christian Simonson of California and Son of a Lady, a Danish warmblood, led off the order again in the second day of competition as the only Small Tour combination on the team. They earned a personal best in the Intermediate I with a score of 74.971 percent that put them first in the I-1 and fourth overall. Teams in the Pan Am Games are composed of a combination of Small and Big Tour riders.
Christian and “Sonny” demonstrated that they have a connection, earning a 9 for their canter pirouette.
“He and I just have really good communication,” said Christian.
“Even on a day when he’s a little tired or maybe not want(ing) to give 110 percent, he either will let me dig deep or he’ll dig in and fight for me. It’s the epitome of the best feeling riding – just that feeling knowing they’ll fight for you in the ring. The team atmosphere has just been incredible. We have so much synergy and it’s an amazing group of riders to be with.”
The first combination for the U.S. in the Large Tour rotation saw Anna Marek of Florida and Fire Fly open with the Grand Prix Special for the team. The Hanoverian gelding and his rider worked through an early bobble in the half-pass, recovering to gain improved marks totaling 73.489 percent.
Anna explained the strength of their growing relationship allowed her to guide them both back to focus and produce a very strong score for the team.
“I’m thrilled with our test and how he went. I was really proud that when we made a big bobble, we both recovered from it like it was nothing. As I was half-passing across and I kind of got down, then reminded myself that we have an entire test to go and just took a deep breath and said, ‘Alright buddy, let’s go,’” said Anna.
“He’s really a sensitive horse and that’s why I love him. We’ve built a lot of trust together… and I know he’s going to be there for me, and I can support him when he’s scared. He trusts me when I tell him we can do it.”
A few small miscommunications kept Codi Harrison and Katholt’s Bossco from scoring to their potential, but the pair recovered well to earn a 71.95, with Harrison showing their determination and fighting for every mark throughout the test to keep their score competitive. Katholt’s Bossco is a special horse for Harrison, who brought the Danish warmblood up the levels to Grand Prix.
“He felt so on today and great. The first part of the trot tour felt like it was some of the best work we’ve ever had. We had a few little miscommunications which was unfortunate, but overall, the feeling was so good,” commented Codi, who lives in Florida.
“He really grew into the atmosphere today and it’s amazing to be able to say that he was my Young Rider horse. We really didn’t have any intentions on making him a Grand Prix horse and along the way, we realized he’s a much better Grand Prix horse and I feel so lucky that I have a horse who let me teach him the ropes and I learned from him and together we fulfilled a dream by making a U.S. team.”
As the final combination in for Team USA with medals on the line, Sarah Tubman and First Apple, a KWPN stallion, produced another spectacular test, earning 76.872 percent to help push the team to the top of the podium as the duo finished third in the Grand Prix Special. The pair, the most seasoned partnership in the group, showed their experience while helping guide the team to the podium.
“We’re just so fortunate to have each other as a team. This is a very young team to represent the U.S. and we really brought it,” said Sarah, a Florida resident who won individual Pan Am gold in 2019. She was second overall after the Grand Prix Special.
“Apple was fantastic today and he really gave me everything in there. It’s another personal best for us and I’m just so proud of the way he’s continued to rise to the occasion for me.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 13, 2023
Forget the rumors. There were always whispers that at least one of the three traditional Olympic equestrian disciplines might not be held during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. But dressage, eventing and show jumping will have their place in the line-up, just as they did at the last LA Olympics in 1984, the International Olympic Committee has decided. The number of competitors and other details will be decided after next year’s Paris Olympics.
Modern Pentathlon, which made headlines in Tokyo when a trainer punched a horse, will be part of the 2028 Games as well. There was a real question as to whether it would have a spot in LA, although it’s already booked for Paris. But the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board said replacing show jumping with obstacle racing did the trick, along with work by the Modern Pentathlon Union to “reduce costs and complexity.”
They added, “Without the replacement of horse riding with obstacle racing, the sport would not have been included in the program.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 17, 2023
Nancy Jones likely is the biggest fan among the many fans of trainer Jeff Cook as a clinician, explaining, “He knows as much as anybody in the world, and he does it kindly.”
She’s a trainer herself, so when she says, “There’s nobody any better,” she has a real understanding of what Jeff can do.
“He just has so much experience and has a personal knack for reading people, but in a kind way,” she explained.
“He can fix a pony that’s being snarky and he can fix 1.60 (meter jumpers) and be kind and soft and make them better.”
Jonesie used to trailer her students to Hunterdon Inc. for lessons, in the days when Jeff worked there with George Morris, beginning in the early 1980s. She wound up hosting Jeff’s clinics at her barn, Logan’s Brook Equine Center in New Vernon, N.J., before they were moved to the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation nearby in Gladstone 15 year or so ago. Vicky Sroka, who organizes the clinics, sees many of the same people year after year, both trainers and riders.
“We have a following,” she said.
Jeff’s qualities were on display during a clinic last weekend at the USET Foundation’s landmark stable, where he shared his wisdom with riders jumping everything from 2-feet, 6-inches to 3-6 and 4 feet. He came East from his home in Oregon, pursuing a bi-coastal business that last year had him offering 22 clinics around the country, as well as training private clients.
“He can have eight people in his clinic and basically make it feel like you’re the only one there,” said Alicia Madretzke, a professional who participated at the Team with Basil, her homebred son of Balou du Rouet.
Karin Forrester, who keeps her 17.2-hand Holsteiner Silver Fox in her Califon, N.J., backyard, said of Jeff, “He’s so good at making sure you’re getting what you need out of it. He’s so great at being able to communicate with the individual for what works best for them.”
Jeff is a fan of group dynamics, such as the mixed bag of amateurs and professionals who rode in his clinic over the higher jumps.
“When there is variety, we can dive into a whole lot of different problems, we see the good and bad of each other,” he pointed out.
“What one person does well, maybe the other needs to work on. They can look at each other’s strengths and minuses and hopefully we learn from that. My goal would be with every level, pick out two or three things they can work on in the upcoming months.”
Jeff Cook in action. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
With the way he sets the fences, Jeff is “trying to produce some rideability with the courses. If the horses are more rideable, it offers a chance for the rider to be a little quieter with the horse and hopefully, there’s a little more of a harmonious relationship between the horse and rider.”
Discussing trends that he observes in his travels, Jeff noted he often sees rider’s the toe angle out too far, sometimes as much as 45 degrees. He prefers the 15- or 20-degree range; 45 degrees only “if the horse or pony is quite lazy.”
Jeff notes that an extreme angle of the foot in the stirrup can trigger problems.
“I don’t want an excessive grip with the knee, but when they do that, the knee can be away from the saddle,” he commented.
As a result, “they lose ability to be tactful with their leg. When they angle out too far, it can override or light up a hottish type horse.” The result: “Too much leg and if they are wearing spurs, too much spur.”
Another trend he used to see was overbending.
“Now, a lot of horses go into a corner but don’t bend quite enough.” On the other hand, he said, that’s “better than overbending.”
He spent a few minutes discussing hand position, noting that when the thumb is horizontal, the hand can be weak and the elbow, not as elastic as it should be. He likes to see the thumb just inside the vertical. That enables the rider to move easily between positions.
If the horse is quite strong, he advises, turn the thumb a little more to the vertical for a split-second. That makes the hand “slightly stronger to get the horse back, then ideally return to thumbs just inside the vertical.”
Alicia rode Basil without a noseband, and I see that becoming a bit of a trend, in the area of horse comfort and not doing what I call over-tacking a horse.
Alicia Madretzke and Basil. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“We hopefully are dialing things down,” said Jeff, but it’s not always the case with what he sees as he travels.
In some areas, Jeff will spot what a horse is wearing on his head and his reaction is, “I didn’t even know the name of a bunch of the bridles—what is that? I think that varies by area, by stable a little bit.””
But he has some people who take the noseband off and meanwhile, “they have the horse’s nose cranked to his chest in draw reins.”
He prefers using a noseband—though there’s the odd horse he’s seen where it (no noseband) does make a difference.” He is, however, understandably “very opposed to crank or excessively tight nosebands.”
The FEI is now checking the tighness of nosebands, which he considers a step forward.
I’ve seen clinicians who are rough on their students. Jeff is the opposite, and his polite approach is his trademark.
“You don’t want to let things slide or not instruct,” he said, “but you want to keep it on a positive basis.”
