Horse show woes? There’s a fix for that

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 24, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
July 24, 2016

Footing at shows will be a key issue for the USEF’s new compliance department.

What bothers you most at a horse show? Bad footing, overcrowded grounds, poor stabling?

Generations of exhibitors have voiced complaints about those issues and others, too often without getting satisfaction. Sometimes, their only options have been to sigh and continue competing at a place that is substandard, or just stay home if they can’t find an alternative.

Finally, the U.S. Equestrian Federation is starting a program that has the muscle to work with shows on improving conditions or, failing that, taking measures against fixtures that don’t solve their problems.

The new compliance program was announced last week, utilizing compliance officers trained to evaluate shows. Slated to start this fall, the program is a key part of a strategic plan–most of which has yet to be revealed–that is charting the future of the federation and will be an engine for change.

“The goal is to have better competitions that do meet the standards, happier exhibitors; in the end happier organizers, healthier sport, happier horses, said Bill Moroney, the USEF’s CEO.

When it comes to dissatisfaction with shows, “Footing is the number one issue,” according to Bill, who noted each breed and discipline has its own standards for the surfaces on which its horses compete.

The first order of business?

“Is the level of footing appropriate for the level of competition that is going to take place in the ring,” he said.

Since the condition of footing can be a judgment call, the compliance officer needs to know the standards in the rulebook, but also must check with exhibitors as part of the evaluation process to see what they think. In the case of the jumpers, for instance, if it’s acceptable for the highest level of class being offered during the week, “you’re pretty assured it’s okay for children’s jumpers,” noted Bill, the former president of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association.

The USHJA was working on its own compliance program last year and devised a learning module for evaluators, while drafting and field-testing an evaluation form.

“That was very helpful in getting this launched,” said Bill, noting the USHJA is no longer running its own program because USEF stepped in.

The type of person who can be a compliance officer was discussed at both the USHJA and USEF conventions. The officers will be USEF employees, communicators who can work with both exhibitors and management to set the stage for improvement, and have no conflicts of interest.

“What we’re focusing on this first year is doing the evaluation and working with organizers so they understand what the non-compliance issues might be. Then there will be a period of curing that issue, of going in and fixing the problem,” Bill said.

USEF CEO Bill Moroney. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)

A defined plan with a timeline will enable a show that only runs once a year to have remedied the problem by the following season.

Shows that can’t improve their footing to the degree required for the top level of competition they offer might “have to readjust their offerings,” Bill said.

If there’s a problem in the middle of a circuit running six or eight weeks, however, “they need to make an adjustment at that point, whether they move certain classes to different rings or adjust their schedule,” he pointed out.

“Part of being responsible is understanding that people should be granted the opportunity to cure the deficiency. If we get into a situation of multiple week events and we’ve got a serious issue, we’ve got to work with that organizer in how to remedy that situation…on a case-by-case basis,” Bill commented.

Should the situation be one that jeopardizes safety and the welfare of the horse, however, “we could say to you right then, `This is something that is completely unsuitable.’ I don’t think we’re going to find that very often; I think we’re going to be able to solve most of the issues as we go along.”

The 160-page strategic plan is the pet project of Murray Kessler, who will take over as USEF president next January.

The compliance program “addresses member concerns related to organizer non-adherence to competition standards in a mileage protection environment,” Murray commented.

“I expect a step forward in the fairness, safety and enjoyment of the competition experience in the United States, while at the same time preserving the mileage rule for its original good purposes.”

The number of shows that will be examined depends on the number of compliance officers hired.

“Certainly we can’t hit 2,500 horse shows a year, but I think the program will grow each year. In the first year, we’ll get somewhere between 30 and 50 horse shows,” Bill said. In five years, it could be as many as 500 shows across all levels, breeds and disciplines.

“I think our members want this, and I think good organizers will welcome an evaluation and inspection, because if they get a good mark and a passing grade, they’ll be able to say, `Look, we’ve been inspected.’ It will be a little bit of a Good Housekeeping seal.”

Enforcement for non-compliance will not begin until January 2018, unless the issues jeopardize welfare and safety. Remedying problems can be effective quickly because most shows now are licensed for one year, rather than three years as they were previously, allowing for movement in the marketplace.

If the footing isn’t repaired, for instance, the show may find it is not licensed above a certain level. Showgrounds that aren’t up to standards may find some shows that lease their property threatening to go elsewhere, to a facility that is in compliance.

“Sometimes, that’s just the kick in the hind end that some of these facilities need to be able to retain the people who are renting the facility,” Bill contended.

Shows that are overcrowded–with too many horses on too small a showgrounds with too little area to school, exercise and longe–could learn that opens the door to allowing a competitor in their vicinity to take up the slack through granting of a mileage exemption to hold their own show nearby. Shows with a large turnout also may need to implement measures such as monitors to supervise the schooling areas during high-traffic periods.

Safe paths to and from the competition and riding areas also are a concern. More and more horse shows are separating horse paths from motor vehicle paths, but where they cross during busy times, Bill said a crossing guard is needed to control the flow.

Many people may remember the discontinued “fed rep” program that made a stab at improving conditions at shows, but it “had no teeth in it,” as Bill explained, which rendered it ineffective. Using show stewards for the evaluations doesn’t work because they’re too busy with other things, and since they’re paid by the shows, they may be reluctant to criticize.

“Where I believe this initiative is somewhat different than previous attempts…is in its more holistic approach,” stated Matt Fine, the USEF’s senior director of competition operations, who was named as chief compliance officer.

“Rather than taking just (a) look at enforcement, the focus of the compliance department spans competition evaluations and standards compliance, investigating incidents at licensed competitions, and overseeing compliance with USEF internal policies and procedures,” he said.

“As we look outward to competitions and officials for compliance with our competition standards, we are also looking inward toward our (USEF’s) own policies and procedures,” noted Matt, an eventer who was involved with Pony Club. He has worked as a criminal defense attorney and is an officer in the Army Reserve’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

USEF President Chrystine Tauber called the creation of Matt’s position and the compliance department, “a significant change and a major step forward in the USEF’s governance process.”

When incidents occur at licensed competitions, Matt pointed out, “the compliance department will have the opportunity in the future to work collaboratively with other USEF departments, competition management, licensed officials and members to help develop our institutional knowledge and ‘lessons learned.’”

Although it will take a while to see how this works out, it has real promise to give members more for their USEF membership dues.

A spotlight’s on ponies at their dressage show

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 17, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
July 17, 2016

Pittstown trainer Lauren Chumley was a winner with Nikolas at one of her favorite shows, the National Pony Dressage Cup. (Photo by Jennifer Keeler)

It all started with a discussion on the issue of dressage ponies that Jenny Carol had with a friend over dinner in 2007.
“I never felt kids were getting the respect they deserved for riding the ponies,” she said, explaining that in dressage shows they were competing with long-striding warmbloods.

She had the answer: a dressage show just for ponies, “so ponies could be with other ponies. It would be a level playing field.”

So in 2008, the National Pony Dressage Cup was born. It was one of those, “if you build it, they will come” type of things, and come they did to Jenny’s home state, Ohio, from as far away as Kansas and Florida.

Eventually, the show ended up at the Kentucky Horse Park, which is where Jenny thought it should be all along.

The 32 ponies who took part the first year increased to 118 this year, representing 18 breeds in 23 divisions before the show wrapped up last weekend. And more adults than kids are riding. Jenny figures two-thirds of the competitors are grown-ups.

“The middle-aged woman is our target customer for ponies. They feel comfortable size-wise. It’s not as intimidating as a giant horse,” she said.

It’s one thing if a woman is very tall, she pointed out, but a pony “matches size-wise a lot of people a lot better. They can influence the movement of that animal much more effectively than on a really large warmblood.”

Jenny, who is 5 feet tall, noted that if she gets on a 16-hand horse, “my legs hardly come down to where they belong.”

The Cup is an annual highlight for many riders, including Pittstown trainer Lauren Chumley, whose clients are as enthusiastic as she is about the event.

“There was a really long time where there that wasn’t much for dressage ponies, but they’ve really worked to make this show a big deal and they’re doing a good job,” explained Lauren, who has competed in most of the Pony Cups over the years.

“She has been a devoted follower of the Pony Cup,” said Jenny.

“She’s an incredibly hard worker. She has so many ponies and does so much with them, they have such a well-rounded balanced career,” continued Jenny, noting many of them jump and event as well as doing dressage.

The 5-foot, 5-inch Lauren has been riding ponies for years, but the Cup is always a highlight of her season, and she praised the way it is run.

“They brought in some great judges,” said Lauren, observing, “Not all judges are pony-friendly,”

She cited Lilo Fore and Lee Tubman for doing a wonderful job, “They had great comments and great feedback.”

Jenny noted, “We try to encourage people at all ability levels to come and really enjoy the sport. We want to reward people no matter what their level of competition is.”

She mentioned that even introductory classes have money prizes.

Lauren competes ponies at all levels. Avatar’s Jazzman, a petite Morgan, has just started Grand Prix.

“It’s not a good Grand Prix yet, but I think it will be because he’s actually pretty gifted in piaffe and passage, which is unusual, but I’ll take it. We just have to get the whole thing cleaned up,” said Lauren.

She was reserve champion in the FEI open division with the Morgan, owned by Melissa Dowling.

Lauren has been getting help from veteran Grand Prix rider Jim Koford, who also competed at the show.

“He’s really helpful with the Grand Prix and very supportive. He’s told me when you start the Grand Prix, you’ve got a good year of messing it up before you get it right,” commented Lauren, noting she hasn’t had much experience at that level.

Unfortunately, adults can’t take a pony in CDIs (international equestrian federation dressage shows); the little guys are only eligible in pony classes restricted to juniors.

“There’s no way I can even fake being a junior,” chuckled Lauren, 32, who is based at Stonebridge Farm.

At the other end of the scale, she won the First Level championship with an overall average of 70.62 percent on Nikolaus, a 5-year-old imported from Germany 2 and 1/2 years ago.

“He’s just five years old, but he is super athletic and very naturally balanced. He has the best brain in the world. I event him too,” she said, noting he had his first beginner novice division outing the week before the Pony Cup.

The eye-catching dun, also owned by Melissa, is a branded Westfalen Riding Pony. He has a distinction in Lauren’s life.

“He’s the only horse in my entire career who has bucked me off when I was breaking him in Flroida,” she said.

“Not only did he buck me off, he bucked me off twice in five minutes. I remember lying under the palm trees saying, `Wow, I’m on the ground again.’”

Nikolas is nearly 14.2 hands, the limit for ponies, and she noted he might grow over that height (warmbloods often have a late growth spurt).

“But I’m fine with that. Then I could do a CDI,” she said.

In his first time showing at Second Level, Nikolas also claimed the open title there with an average of 67.456 percent. He edged Lauren’s second mount, Welsh cob mare Sham’s Chinaberry (67.444 percent), who took the Open Welsh breed award. Chinaberry was reserve champion at Third Level Open as well.

Lauren catch-rides Chinaberry for owner Liam Rowe and his mother, Pam Carter, of Ringoes every year at the Pony Cup; it’s the only show the mare does all year. Chinaberry is trained by Lauren’s friend Bridget Hay, but at 5-11 tall, Bridget “looks completely ridiculous on her,” Lauren said, so that’s how she got the ride.

Lauren is eclectic in her appreciation of breeds. She also enjoys Norwegian Fjord Horses, and her 5-year-old mare, FMF Liesl, finished with the reserve Training Level Open ribbon under the guidance of her assistant trainer, Jessie Hayes of Pittstown.

Their score of 67.509 percent brought them the Neil Sorum Memorial Award for the highest single score earned by a Norwegian Fjord. This sturdy breed has a dun coat and distinctive jaunty black mane edged with grey, cut so the hair stands up straight to emphasize the curve of the neck.

Lauren also trains the successful mother/daughter team of Alayna Borden, 17, a senior at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, and her mother, Karen, 48. Both ride Hakuna Matata, owned by Marsha Montgomery of Whitehouse, a friend of Lauren’s. Marsha, who bred the mare, trained her up to Prix St. Georges, but isn’t riding at the moment, so the timing worked out for Lauren to connect the owner and the Bordens.

Hakuna Matata did double-duty at the National Pony Dressage Cup with the mother-daughter team of Karen and Alayna Borden. (Photo by Jennifer Keeler)

Alayna, who stands 5-5, took the Third Level Junior/Young Rider title with a two-day average of 63.398 percent. Not to be outdone, her mother, who’s 5-8, rode the Oldenburg mare to the Third Level Adult Amateur Division Championship with 64.872 percent. Hakuna Matata also received the Oldenburg breed award.

“She’s such a blast to ride,” said Karen, who asked her daughter for permission, willingly given, to participate in the show too.

“It’s such a nice change of pace from your typical dressage show,” she said.

“For me, it underlines the whole idea of how dressage is for every single horse or pony. When you see those little Welsh cobs giving their all in the extended trot across the arena, it’s such a breath of fresh air from what we’re typically showing against.”

Karen, who works as a pharmacist, noted what fun it is to ride as a partner with her daughter.

“We’re not competitive against each other. We support each other. We ride a little bit differently, and when we’re trying to figure things out, we bounce ideas off each other.”

She added, “I’m very lucky, because she was born with the horse gene. I say to her, `I don’t know what I would have done if you were born with the cheerleader gene.’”

Readying a historic stable for its next century

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 17, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
July 10, 2016

Stalls in the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stables are bright and shiny after a major refurbishment. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

Hundreds of horses over 100 years had taken a toll on the unique U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation stable in Gladstone. While the 12-foot box stalls still were serviceably sound, they looked worn.

Shortcomings generally were evident just on close inspection, but even the most dedicated efforts to care for the stalls could only do so much.

Scrutiny revealed wood that was no longer shiny, some of which had rotted; stall floors showing their age, iconic pale green paint chipped off the metal bars and feed bins, walls that were marked and scratched.

“Any time you have a facility that is coming up on 100 years, there are clearly some capital improvements and maintenance that need to be done,” observed Bonnie Jenkins the foundation’s executive director.

The moment had arrived to restore the grandeur of the most famous horse housing in the country. The cost is being borne by the foundation’s Gladstone Fund, an element of the Campaign for Excellence started in 2010, which is geared to preserving the facility at Hamilton Farm. Supporters of the foundation have contributed to insure the facility can be preserved in the style it deserves.

“It’s a great gift from great people who care,” said Cliff Cotter, the foundation’s director of facilities and the hands-on supervisor of the stall renovation project, which involves two levels of the building.

Former foundation chairman Jane Clark, for instance, has donated for projects such as footing for the arena where team training sessions and selection trials have been held, while a $1.5 million gift from the Hamill family last year meant work could get started on the stalls and ultimately other necessary jobs, such as replacing the original boiler and the slate roof with copper flashing.

The stable was built in 1916-17 by James Cox Brady, a New York financier who became master of an estate that spread across three counties. The structure of stucco over brick, reinforced with steel, was the largest and most lavish building of its kind in the country when it was constructed. It cost the then-princely sum of $250,000, about $5 million in today’s money after adjusting for inflation.

Its distinctive features include a second-floor trophy room with a glass ceiling, enabling those who gather there to see horses passing through the rotunda below; herringbone-pattern terrazzo brick floors and walls and ceilings of orange glazed tile.

After Brady’s death in 1927, the building was shut down. It eventually had several non-equestrian uses, including serving as a hospital for Merchant Marine seaman during World War II.

But in 1961, it started on the road to its current legendary status when Hamilton Farm was leased for use by the U.S. Equestrian Team, which funded, fielded and trained riders for international competition. It was a mission that had belonged to the Army until the cavalry was disbanded after World War II.

The USET elevated America’s profile on the international equestrian scene. Coaches such as Bertalan de Nemethy and Jack LeGoff worked with horses and riders who brought home the medals. Those who trained at Hamilton Farm included William Steinkraus, Frank Chapot, George Morris, Michael Page, Jimmy Wofford and dozens more who would go from Gladstone to glory at the Olympics, Pan American Games, world championships and the most important shows on the globe. Famous horses from several disciplines who have stayed in the stables, either long-term or as “guests,” include Snowbound, San Lucas, Grasshopper, Brentina, and so many others whose names are part of history.

Prior to the re-do, lower level stalls had scratched walls, worn floors and chipped paint on feedbins and railings. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

The stall project started with the building’s lower level in December. Approximately 24 people were involved, plying a variety of trades at the site, from masonry and demolition to sandblasting steel so it could be primed and repainted.

Brass finials and other pieces, such as the rings used for tying horses in the stalls, had to be removed and shipped out for polishing, while missing items including brass plates from the stall locks were remade. Over the years, some of the valuable brass had been taken and likely sold, although the individually produced finials atop the posts flanking the stalls were spared because they are difficult to take off.

In fact, care had to be taken when the finials were re-positioned after being polished, since as Cliff noted, “each one sits on a post totally differently, because all the holes in the posts were hand-done when the building was constructed.

“Every time the guy moved from one post to the next, he could have been off a half-inch or quarter-inch, drilling the three holes that hold the finial on. So when you take a finial off, you have to make sure it goes back to the same place. Otherwise it’s a big puzzle to put them all back.”

Stall floors, originally tile with cork mixed in and laid above structural concrete, were chopped out with a jackhammer. Then metal mesh was laid down, with concrete poured on top of that. The original trough drains remain in each stall, but new pads were installed, coated with layers of a urethane finish. A final black painted layer includes an aggregate material to assure a good grip for horses walking on the surface.

The refurbishment involved some research.

“Probably the hardest part of the job was finding the wood to rebuild the stalls exactly the way they were when they were built,” Cliff recalled.

“I wasn’t satisfied with the options people were coming up with. I didn’t feel it would be the right fit for the building and also the longevity of the wood we needed.”

The southern yellow pine that duplicated the original wood was finally located in Alabama. At one point, a different type of wood, or perhaps even plastic wood, was considered.

“But we felt with the sealers we have today, able to seal the wood on all six sides, that will protect it longer than the original wood,” he explained.

Each board was individually milled, cut, planed, sanded and stained, then given two coats of polyurethane before it went into place on the 600-pound doors, from which the original wood had been removed. It took two hours per door to do the job, but everything was prepped and ready so it could be done in the optimum amount of time.

As Cliff looked into how to deal with what was needed for the brass fittings, John Bradshaw of Bradshaw Awards in Flemington, which engraves trophies for the foundation, pointed him toward the J.M. Caldwell Co. foundry in Westchester, Pa.

It took nearly four months from seeing the prototypes of missing items they made up until they produced samples that got the green light.

Construction supervisor Cliff Cotter shows off one of the brass rings used for tying horses. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

“You can’t really tell the difference between what was made 100 years ago and what (was) reproduced,” said Cliff, who has been with the foundation since 2006. He previously worked on large construction projects, such as dormitories at Yale University, and the golf course that shares Hamilton Farm with the foundation.

All the work on the stalls was thoughtful and painstaking.

“It’s the only way to do it here,” said Bonnie.

“To do it any other way would be not honoring the legacy we have and the wonderful facility we’ve been given.”

Other touches included replacing fluorescent lights with instant-on LED fixtures, re-opening windows that had been painted shut or warped, redoing brass ventilation grilles and putting a new surface on the ramps leading from the top floor to the lower level.

The stalls on the upper floor will be ready for their makeover in December. The cost will be approximately the same as the $275,000 spent on the lower level. Cliff thinks the upper level will go a little faster than the lower level, “because now we know the quirks and little things we have to do to make it work.”

He believes that if James Cox Brady came back today, he’d be pleased to see that from his viewpoint, the stables haven’t changed at all.

“This is a building that was built very, very well and we’re trying to take care of it to last another 100 years,” said Cliff. “It’s a labor of love to know that you’re working on something that’s going to last.”

The USET Foundation stables, which have stood the test of time. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

The public is invited to visit the stables during the week, or when events are being held there. They include everything from Pony Club camp to dressage shows and the U.S. Equestrian Federation Talent Search.

More information is available at www. USET.org. Those who wish to contribute to the Gladstone Fund may do so through the website or by calling (908) 234-1251.

The foundation’s mission is stated as supporting, “the competition, trainining, coaching, travel and education needs of America’s elite and developing international High Performance horsea and athletes in partnershp with the U.S. Equestrian Federation.”

A triumphant preview of the Mars Inc. Essex Horse Trials

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 3, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
June 23, 2016

Essex Horse Trials veteran Buck Davidson returned for the Invitational Derby Cross at Moorland Farm with Victor BZ.

Even before yesterday evening’s Invitational Derby Cross competition at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, I knew there wasn’t going to be just one winner.

I’m talking big picture here, not who was taking home the blue ribbon for what basically was an exhibition. The Derby Cross and accompanying cocktail party heralded the return of the iconic Mars Essex Horse Trials in 2017 at a new location.

Essex, last held in 1998 at Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, home of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, was a major fixture on the circuit and its many supporters keenly felt the loss when it was discontinued.

So it’s a win for the sport that Essex is going to be back with a bevy of sponsors as Mars Inc. leads the way, and it’s a win for the Somerset Hills area, where a long-range strategic plan calls for having more top-class equestrian sport in the area.

Essex isn’t picking up exactly where it left off. It was a 2-star, but is coming back on the weekend of June 24, 2017 as a beginner/novice through preliminary fixture, though ambitions are to have it move up to a higher level at some point.

Essex began a few miles from Moorland at Hoopstick Farm in Bedminster, where Roger Haller, his family and friends put on the first Essex in 1968. Roger, a member of the eventing Hall of Fame, died in March, but his widow, Ann, was on hand to be part of the event that heralded the revival of Essex. And the event’s signature cocktail, the Hoopstick, was perfect for a toast to the return of the event.

The Derby Cross, with 12 riders taking part, was run in front of about 400 enthusiastic partygoers on the incredibly scenic former estate where the popular Far Hills Race Meeting is staged each October.

The Derby Cross “bears no relation to any jumping or eventing competition you’ve ever seen,” said Sally Ike of Tewksbury, who acted as the judge for the event. Course designer Morgan Rowsell of Long Valley came up with a hybrid that artfully combined show jumping fences with the type of natural fences, such as brush obstacles and carved logs, that one would find on an eventing cross-country floorplan.

The route was cleverly laid out, using the up-and-down of the grassy terrain to raise the level of difficulty without raising the fences too high.

Those who went clean in the first round (some got assistance from jumping a 4-foot, 3-inch joker fence that erased one knockdown for those who cleared it) came back over a shorter course against the clock. Clearing the joker fence in that round took five seconds off the entry’s time.

Derby Cross winner Jennie Brannigan and Kilkenny.

It was fun and easy to understand with commentary by experienced eventer Doug Payne. He could have a career in announcing when he decides to stop riding.

The occasion was like old home week; every time I turned around I saw people I knew, many of whom were regulars at Essex. The word of the day was “exciting.” Everyone was jazzed at the thought of Essex returning to the area.

Buck Davidson went to Essex every year, as I remember, and he believes he took part in the last one in 1998. He was eager to compete at Moorland Farm yesterday.

He recalled Essex as “always one of my favorite events. I’m really excited to have this event coming back. I’m very excited for the real thing come next year.”

Another Essex veteran, Holly Payne Caravella, Doug’s sister, rode at Essex for the first time in 1998.

“I was so upset years ago when they stopped it and I was happy I got to do it at least one year,” said the Gladstone resident.

“It’s so exciting that it’s coming back and now everyone’s going to be able to appreciate it.”

She believes 230-acre Moorland Farm, with its sweeping vistas, is a perfect location.

“It’s beautiful, it’s awesome, it’s right outside of town, which is really cool, so I think it will draw a lot of local people. They’ve got tons of land and all the equipment they need to maintain the footing, so I think it’s going to be really good.”

Jennie Brannigan, who won the Derby Cross on Kilkenny, relished her time on the property because she enjoys steeplechase racing, though she has never been able to attend the Far Hills meeting because it conflicts with the important Fair Hill, Md., International three-day event in Maryland. She loved having the opportunity to ride on such special turf, and like the others, is hoping to return in 2017.

The move to give Essex a new lease on life began last year during the Gladstone Gathering at the historic USET Foundation stables. Jim Brady, whose family once owned Hamilton Farm, felt that the area wasn’t hosting as many top-class equestrian events as it once did. He revitalized the old Gladstone Equestrian Association, and came up with the idea for the party.

Tewksbury resident Ralph Jones was among those attending, and the gathering inspired him. The eventing enthusiast began working with Morgan to find a venue where Essex could live again.

“It was so well regarded back in the day,” said Ralph.

“I was just thrilled with the idea of starting it over.”

Sinead Halpin and Topgun, second in the Derby Cross.

Local favorite Holly Payne Caravella of Gladstone and Never Outfoxed.

Essex Horse Trials Board Vice President Guy Torsilieri, former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman and Paul Vallone, mayor of Far Hills.

They looked at several locations, but Moorland had everything, including great footing maintained for the races. Guy Torsilieri, chairman of the board of the Far Hills Race Meeting and a former Essex chairman, liked the idea and soon Essex was off and running.

“We worked very closely with Guy to bring it back,” said Ralph, noting that Guy had kept Essex’s 501-C3 status.

“We basically took the dust covers off and started over.”

Addressing the crowd at the Derby Cross, Guy said, “There is a group of individuals, and all of you, who have decided that it is time to revitalize equestrian activity in this area. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Essex, the Monmouth at the Team show at Gladstone in August and the races are all being benfited by Rod Ryan and Open Road Auto Group; the Peapack Gladstone Bank and RWJ Barnabas Health.

“I’m thrilled it’s all coming together,” said Guy.

Also in attendance were former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman and Far Hills Mayor Paul Vallone, both of whom spoke about the importance of supporting the horse industry in the state.

“New Jersey’s one of those places that once you come here, you realize how horses are really in the tradition and from growing up, even not in the area, I knew New Jersey as a horse place,” said Sinead Halpin of Branchburg, second in the Derby Cross on Topgun.

“The terrain and the land is just stunning, so I’m surprised there weren’t more events here.”

As I was leaving, I chatted with Cheryl Bock of Califon, and asked her what she thought about the revival of Essex.

“I’m glad it’s back,” she said.

My feelings exactly.

Flying down to Rio with high hopes

by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 3, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
July 3, 2016

McLain Ward and HH Azur are leading the U.S. show jumping team to Brazil. (Photo copyright by Nancy Jaffer)

Impressive! That’s the reaction prompted by the announcement of the U.S. Olympic equestrian squads. It’s the most promising group of American athletes headed to the Games since 2004, when the country brought home five medals across the three disciplines, including a team gold in show jumping.

The low point was the 2012 London Olympics, when there were no American equestrian medals for the first time since the 1956 Olympics. That puts on extra pressure for 2016. But through intensive development, training and fundraising efforts, jumping, dressage and eventing teams have emerged that could earn a place on the podium in Rio.

All three coaches are optimistic, without going overboard. As eventing coach David O’Connor noted, “It’s sport, and you never know really what’s going to happen.”

But the U.S. has more depth in all the disciplines than it has enjoyed in years.

It has been said the country could field two successful show jumping teams in Brazil. That was the same assessment bandied about before the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, where the team took gold while Joe Fargis and Conrad Homfeld accounted for the individual gold and silver.

Show jumping coach Robert Ridland is fortunate to know his contingent extremely well– he led the same riders to a team bronze at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. From my sidelines vantagepoint, I saw this one coming, telling Robert several weeks ago an encore for the 2014 team seemed likely to me. Protocol meant he was not allowed to comment, but I remained confident.

It seemed fairly obvious. Can you imagine an Olympic team without two-time Olympic team gold medalist McLain Ward, who rose to number one in the world rankings last month? Especially since he rides the spectacular HH Azur, winner of the grand prix in Rome last month against the world’s best?

With Rothchild, Ward was fifth at the WEG, missing the “Final Four” by one spot.

“He set the bar pretty high,” said Ridland, noting that this time, “you probably would say he is in a stronger position. We’re pretty excited about that.”

And what about Beezie Madden, Ward’s teammate on the Olympic gold medal squads, with an individual Olympic bronze to her credit? She also came home with an individual bronze from her trip to the WEG with Cortes C. You couldn’t leave her off the team.

Kent Farrington, the second-highest-placed U.S. rider at number six on the international roster, has had vast success with Voyeur. Lucy Davis, the rookie of the 2014 WEG squad, “made a pretty big statement,” as Ridland put it, during two Olympic observation events with six fault-free trips in seven rounds on Barron. Two years on, and with the WEG experience behind her, she has more to offer the team than she did in 2014.

“We’ve got four really strong horse/rider combinations,” Ridland observed.

Show jumping has the greatest number of countries that could be medal possibilities. In addition to the world champion Dutch, the Germans always are a threat and France can be impressive. The British, gold medalists in 2012, are without two of that squad’s powerhouse horses that made gold happen. Team member Scott Brash, who has been number one in the world, isn’t playing because two of his mounts are out of action.

Other squads with possibilities include Ukraine (composed of riders from outside its borders), Switzerland, Sweden and Quatar with its high-priced horses. Brazil has the incentive to do well at home, but it’s a longshot.

It will be interesting to see how the U.S. team does against many of the major players when it takes the field for its last big prep at Aachen, Germany, July 12-17.

None of the Olympic dressage team horse/rider combinations are on the 5-star squad for Aachen, with the exception of alternate Shelley Francis (Doktor). Steffen Peters will ride Rosamunde, who is the direct reserve for Legolas in Rio.

Meanwhile, Olympic combos Peters with Legolas and Kasey Perry-Glass (Goerklintgaard’s Dublet) will appear in the 4-star at Aachen.

Neither Laura Graves (Verdades) nor Ali Brock (Rosevelt) are competing at the German show.

Explaining why, coach Robert Dover said of Laura, “She is so on it now and having won her last class in Rotterdam (the final observation trial) with such a high score (77.314 percent) and feeling so confident, then what we’ll do are several dress rehearsals between now and the Olympics. She didn’t need to do another show.”

Laura Graves was a star with Verdades in the run-up to Rio. (Photo copyright 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)

As for Brock, who had done two of the three competitions for team aspirants in the Netherlands, Dover said, “everything she does is pretty mistake-free, and for her, it’s really just about having all the expression and the feeling of electricity, so we didn’t feel she needed to go out again.”

As for Peters’ particpation, Dover observed, “Steffen loves Aachen. He’s had such great shows there. Both of his two horses are still evolving into better animals, with more quality every time I see them. I never second-guess Steffen.”

Dover enthuses about his group, most of whom have been in Europe for two months, “It’s the most wonderful crew of human beings. They’re like a family together. They’ve been this way from the winter on. They support each other at home, they support each other. They were supporting each other when they were competing against each other for these cherished team spots. As a coach, you can’t want more than that. It was very heartwarming.”

Team spirit is important, as Dover observed.

“What I love is that we’re going in as a team that is renowned now as being a contending team. On any given day, just like with the jumpers, there’s going to be that team that has the luck of the day and has done all their homework.

“We know that the Germans are very strong; we know that the British, if (defending Olympic titleist) Valegro is at his very best, is a hard team to beat as well. And we know that the Dutch are very strong. But I think they are saying the same things about America right now. That’s always the nice way to go into an event.”

The German team will be announced at Aachen, and no doubt it will be a contender for gold in Rio; Germany has three of the top four combinations in the world rankings. The Dutch won’t be at Aachen; their national championship is at the same time.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Edward Gal, who is supposed to ride Glock’s Voice at the championship. He has had a checkered year, with physical problems for both himself and his horses. But even without him, the Netherlands edged the U.S. last month at Rotterdam in the team competition.

Great Britain, which won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London, has the record-holding Valegro with Charlotte Dujardin, but the two haven’t competed since last summer’s European Championships. Her trainer and mentor, Carl Hester, is the top-ranked British rider at number 10 with Nip Tuck, and Fiona Bigwood recently moved up to number 14 with Aaterupgaards Orthilia, so they’re in with a good chance. Sweden could be in contention for a medal, while Spain has number two-ranked Beatriz Ferrer-Salat with Delgado, but no one else in the top 50.

Eventing is always the most unpredictable discipline to figure, because one misstep on cross-country can ruin a team’s medal chances. But anyone who bets against Germany this time would be foolish. With defending Olympic champion Michael Jung, the world number one, leading the way (he said his choice to ride in Rio is Fischer Takinou) and world champion Sandra Auffarth right behind him, Germany is the solid gold medal favorite.

Great Britain (which names its team Tuesday) is more of a question mark than usual because its pillar, William Fox-Pitt, has come back from a horrific accident that left him out of the action for many months. France is a nation on the rise and also looks like medal material. New Zealand is a threat, even without its longtime star, Andrew Nicholson, and with Tim Price as a reserve instead of on the team itself following an injury to his top horse. You can never count out Australia, either.

O’Connor can take comfort in having a deeper well from which to draw than usual, and top riders with several options. Phillip Dutton, world number three, is on the squad with Fernhill Cubalawn, but he also has Mighty Nice and Fernhill Fugitive as direct reserves in case of adversity.

Phillip Dutton was named to the team with Fernhill Cubalawn and two other direct reserves. (Photo copyright 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)

Boyd Martin, number seven in the world, was named with Blackfoot Mystery, but Welcome Shadow (second in the CCI 3-star at the Jersey Fresh International) is a direct reserve. World number 11, Lauren Kieffer (Veronica, and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett as direct reserve) is joined by British-based Clark Montgomery with Loughan Glen. Reserve rider Maya Black (Doesn’t Play Fair) is young but steady.

O’Connor, who like Ridland and Dover took over the coaching job following the disappointing 2012 Games, puts it this way: “The ship has turned. Now we’re just working on getting some speed up on the ship. The nice thing is that a couple of the more experienced guys have multiple horses. We’ve got some new people coming in that have been out there and gotten some experience under their belts,” said O’Connor, including Kieffer in that group.

He noted that an important plus in this group is the fact that “Morale is high, for each other; not for just one person. Attitude is really important. Everybody feels like there’s a lot of confidence.”

This team is characterized by hard-working doers and achievers with the right attitude for success.

“The one thing you really can’t teach is that twist that you want to be a champion and you can produce horses that way,” O’Connor said. “That internal drive, you can support it, but you’ve got to come with that desire.”

From the big picture perspective, Rio is looking like a very problematic Games. You’ve heard about the crime, the unfinished venues, the transportation links that still need work. A little more than two weeks ago, the state of Rio de Janeiro declared a “state of public calamity.” The governor said a financial crisis could bring about “a total collapse in public security, health, education, mobility and environmental management.”

Police and firefighters who hadn’t been paid were greeting arrivals at the Rio airport last week with a sign that that read, “Welcome to hell.”

Meanwhile, 150 prominent doctors, bioethicists and scientists from around the world asked for the Olympics to be moved or postponed because of the Zika epidemic, though it is expected that since it will be winter in Rio (seasons are opposite below the equator) less mosquitoes will be around to carry the disease.

But the coaches are undaunted. Actually, the equestrian venue at Deodoro, where the 2007 Pan American Games were held, is in decent shape compared with the locations for several other sports.

Dover notes people worried that the infrastructure for the 2004 Games in Athens wouldn’t be finished in time, but it was. The six-time Olympian said that in his experience as a rider, there were concerns about every Games, except the 1984 competition in Los Angeles, yet all turned out well.

“In all probability,” he contends, “we’ll look back and say the competition and venue ended up being as fine as the previous games.

“It’s going to be fine,” Ridland agrees.

“We’ve got a job to do, we’re going there and that’s what the deal is.”

This column was revised at 10:20 a.m. on July 4, 2016.

Want a good start with horses? Try Pony Club

by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 19, 2016

By Nancy Jaffer
June 19, 2016

Four-star eventer and author Doug Payne is one of the best known Pony Club alumni from New Jersey.

Where do young people go to learn about horses if they’re interested not only in riding, but also in finding out how to take care of their mounts and make lasting friendships in the process?
Answer: Pony Club. Such star equestrian athletes as U.S. eventing coach and Olympic gold medalist David O’Connor and Olympic show jumping gold medalist Melanie Smith Taylor are among the most prominent alumni. Of more recent vintage are dressage Olympian Adrienne Lyle; her cousin, Maya Black, a contender for the Olympic eventing team; New Jersey Pony Club eventers Doug and Holly Payne and scores of others whose names you’d recognize.

Yet while it’s nice to become a star, that’s not really the point.

“Pony Club is where it all begins,” said Karol Wilson, the U.S. Pony Club’s member services and regional administration director, quoting the organization’s slogan. She noted Pony Club is the largest equestrian educational organization world-wide.

“There’s a long-standing history with the New Jersey region,” said Karol.

“They’re excellent representatives of what Pony Club does, from the grassroots or beginning level all the way up to the A level and those who go on to be Olympians,” she said.

Pony Club emphasizes horsemanship, and in the process, other qualities are developed.

Members of the New Jersey Region Pony Clubs (njregionponyclub.org) are “learning self-esteem, self-discipline, setting goals, learning to fail.” says regional supervisor Cathy Brogan of Frenchtown.

“I think that’s one of the big things that we teach our kids: Everything can go wrong but tomorrow the sun comes up and you go forward. I think that’s a priceless tool. You don’t get an award for showing up, you’ve got to earn it,” she said.

Teamwork also is part of the package for the kids who become involved in Pony Club, which is a low-cost alternative to many other forms of equestrian involvement.

“They make lifelong friends and network together,” Cathy pointed out.

Riding lessons are  a key part of the package, of course, as is offering opportunities for “good shows at first-class facilities.”

The New Jersey Region staged unrecognized horse trials last month at the Horse Park of New Jersey. Next month, it has two shows at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation’s Gladstone facility. An open dressage show will be held there July 23, with a “day for eventers” July 24, featuring dressage eventing tests, combined tests and an eventing derby that includes both stadium jumping and a short cross-country course.

WOW Camp, with outside instructors, runs at the Horse Park at the same time as the U.S. Eventing Association’s  Area II YRAP (Young Riders Advancement Program). There are other instances of doing things with different groups, such as the animal adopt-a-thon at the horse trials, which drew 110 vendors.

New Jersey Region Pony Club competitors at the national championships. Cathy Brogan is at far right, middle row.

Heather Perry and Camille Lieberman hacking out Pony Club Games ponies in Central Park.

She said membership in the region’s eight clubs has been relatively static, with approximately 160 kids involved, down about 20 from last year. Cathy noted it’s cyclical, with kids graduating all the time and then new children coming in.

Kevin Price, now executive director of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, is a graduate of the Fox and Hounds Pony Club in Burlington County.

He observed that there increasingly is a call for more horsemanship in various breeds and disciplines.

“The world of equestrian sport not as flat as it used to be, with a lot more horizons and possibilities for those entering the sport and who are in the sport,” he said.

Yet “Pony Club still in many aspects fills that niche of horsemanship and horse management because that is the central core of its whole culture. I call Pony Club a culture because it is the culture of managing and caring for the horse. Part of the Pony Club process also teaches a whole range of other skill sets to its members,” Kevin said, noting Pony Club has amplified its offerings to meet the changing needs of the horse community with a variety of tracks (from dressage and show jumping to horse management) that go beyond the eventing/fox hunting milieu that was its original foundation.

From the parents’ side, he said, they “are always looking at not only the value of riding horses and the activity their kids are involved in;  they are looking at the end value of how this can make them a better citizen and improve their potential to go to college and get a job. The Pony Club structure and the testing process (for certificates and certifications) is also backed up by that standard of education: `Here’s what I learned to be awarded that.’

“It’s a meaningful outcome for parents who say, `Yup, this has a lot of end value.’ They also see the growth of their child, not only the team and leadership skills they’re learning as they’re going through the process. Pony Club as an organization is hard to duplicate.”

He added the success of Pony Club, “all comes down to the quality of the volunteers and the passion they have to provide quality education that’s rounded. Cathy carries on that time-honored tradition and culture. If we could clone Cathy, it would be great.”

Much of her volunteer inspiration came from her late father, Bill Keegan, who was active at Watchung Stables and with the Spring Valley Hounds.

If something needs to be done, Cathy’s reaction is, “Well, just jump in and do it. don’t wait for someone else to do it. That was the way he was.”

Cathy first got involved with Pony Club at Spring Valley in New Vernon in 1978, when she became the leader there. Her 47-year-old son, Tim Brogan, is an adult member of pony club and his daughter, Barbara, 14, is also a member, carrying on the family tradition.

“The kids are the reason I do it; they’re awesome. It keeps you young,” said Cathy.

“You get a different perspective on life. It’s not just taking lessons. It’s a whole way of life, it’s a whole family. Everybody reaches out and helps everybody else,” Cathy said.

“If somebody’s horse comes up lame, somebody else will say, `Why don’t you try my horse for now?’ Everybody’s talking the same language. The goals we have for our kids are all the same: Make them very independent, very nice adults.”