When she’s competing in the Novice or Training divisions, Marilyn Payne is far from being just another lower-level eventer.
The Tewksbury resident is unique in many ways, not least because she is an internationally known official, having served as president of the eventing ground jury at last year’s Rio Olympics, among her many other impressive credentials in the sport. Although she stopped eventing in 2001, she picked it up again six years later at an age when many riders contemplate retirement—if they haven’t already bowed out.
Marilyn Payne and Double Entendre competing at the Mars Essex Horse Trials this summer. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Now 68 and soon to be a grandmother, Marilyn continues her participation in a discipline that is demanding in many ways, with cross-country a challenge that can often daunt riders who are far younger.
Marilyn had event horses early in her career, at one point riding as high as the intermediate level, but sold them after she and her husband, Richard, decided to start a family. She remains involved in the sport through their business, Applewood Farm, where she has bred, trained and competed horses that were eventually sold.
Marilyn Payne is always looking toward the next fence. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I really hoped that some day I would be able to keep a horse once it had been trained,” she said. Her decision to resume competing in the sport she loved came when she was driving home from an event with her children, Doug and Holly, both 4-star veterans. As they laughed and talked about their fantastic day, she came up with a plan.
“I was jealous of hearing about all the fun they had at these events. I decided that I had to get my own event horse and join them,” she said.
The mount she bought in 2007 was Safe Harbor, a sale horse that came from Doug, christened after the name of a retirement plan suggested by her sister, an investment broker.
Marilyn competed the mare from Beginner Novice up, through Training, doing the eventing championships and the Waredaca classic three-day event. When Safe Harbor hit 20, Marilyn started all over again in the spring of 2016 when she got Double Entendre, a horse that was being ridden by Doug’s wife, Jessica. Marilyn competed the young German-bred gelding, who has impressive Galoubet and Donnerhall bloodlines, at Novice in the Essex Horse Trials during June and is planning on moving him up to Training, contemplating Waredaca again next year when the horse will be seven.
Riding cross-country is still a thrill for Marilyn Payne. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“I just want to take him as far as I can,” she said.
Although she comments, “I don’t compete to win,” the Payne family is notoriously competitive. Marilyn recounted that at one event, she, Doug and Holly all got the same dressage score, but since her cross-country clocking was closest to the ideal time, she was happy to finish ahead of them in the standings.
“It was great. I didn’t care if I beat anybody else,” she said with a chuckle.
“We have a great time. You want everybody to do well, but you just want to do that little bit more so you can say, `Ha! Here I am an old lady, and I’m still beating these kids.”
To some extent, she has a greater appreciation for her riding than she did when she was younger.
“I enjoy it more because I know more. I wish what I know now, I knew then. I’d like to get some of the horses back I rode earlier and see what I could do with them,” she commented.
Sally Ike, the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s managing director of licensed officials, has known Marilyn since they both were district commissioners of their respective Pony Clubs; Sally at Somerset Hills and Marilyn at Spring Valley in New Vernon, where she used to live.
“I have so much admiration for her. Here she is, someone who has done so well as an FEI eventing official and is so well-respected, but she still loves the sport so much that she rides horses at Training Level,” Sally commented.
“She’s totally without ego,” observed Sally. “Somebody who has an ego wouldn’t want to put themselves in that position. Someone who has judged at the Olympic Games–a lot of people like that wouldn’t want to expose themselves to what others may perceive as their weaknesses. She does what she loves to do. High five.”
“It’s all about staying active,” added Sally. “Are you too old? Not if you stayed active. Carry on.”
Although Marilyn doesn’t ride as much as she’d like to because of her judging duties, she tries to keep fit between rides with other sports, including swimming, jogging and tennis when possible.
Marilyn with Martin Plewa and Christian Landolt, the eventing ground jury at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’m always challenging myself,” she said.
Marilyn notes a plus to her equestrian participation is the fact, “The riders really appreciate that I still compete. They think it’s great. Other officials think it’s kind of cool,” she continued, while adding, “There’s probably people who think I’m crazy because I’m older.”
Well aware of the sport’s risks, Marilyn doesn’t go at it the way she might have a few decades ago.
“I’m much more sensible and careful. I don’t want to fall off,” she emphasized.”
“I’m not going to ride some of the difficult horses that I rode when I was younger. I want something safe. But on the horses I ride, I’m not nervous at all. I trust them because I brought them along. There’s really no fear there, it’s such a low level it’s not like I’m out there doing Rolex,” she said, referring to the Kentucky 4-star.
Plenty of assistance is always available. She goes to dressage clinics and Holly and Doug help with her jumping. In a quid pro quo, she helps them with their dressage if the whole family is at an event, and all of them can look at each other’s videos.
Marilyn Payne and her husband, Richard, with their son Doug and daughter Holly Payne Caravella. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Her children enjoy her involvement.
“I think it’s great,” said Doug who recently got a grant to compete at Great Britain’s Blenheim event.
“She got into this because she loved it. Safe Harbor was a perfect partner for her because she rode infrequently since she was judging so much, and the horse had a wonderful attitude.
“On the officiating side, it gives a much better perspective because it’s maybe not the top level, but she’s still in it. The moment you stop riding and only are officiating, it’s hard to stay cognizant of the questions being asked and how they will affect you,” said Doug. He noted another older high-profile official, Tokyo Olympics 2020 course designer Derek di Grazia, also tries to keep his hand in and won the 2-star at Rebecca Farm in Montana last week..
The riders appreciate having a senior official are out there with them.
His mother, Doug noted, “probably has one of the larger cheering sections when she’s out competing. My perception (of other riders) is that they all have the same respect that I do,
“It’s a lot of fun for us, too, when we’re able to compete at the same place. I’m pretty confident in her ability. She does a good job. She’s not going to push it beyond where she’s comfortable.”
Asked how he feels if she beats him in an event, he responded, “I guess you never like losing. But if you’re going to lose to somebody, that’s the first person I’d pick to lose to.”
How many horse owners do you know who have left New Jersey for good over the past few years? What about trainers and managers who have shut down their barns? Judging from my experience, your answer probably is “Lots.”
But trainer Mark Leone isn’t among them. Instead, more than $200,000 recently has been put into refurbishing his family’s Ri-Arm Farm in Oakland, Bergen County, where he plans to remain.
The red barn at Ri-Arm Farm. (Photo by Eileen Hillock)
“Did I ever think about moving out of state?” Mark asked in response to a question, before answering with a definite “Never.”
“I love the Northeast. I love the change of seasons.”
He finds the location conducive to enabling competition horses can take a break occasionally with their shoes pulled. Mark also likes the fact that the major show season in the region has both an end and a beginning.
After a barn re-do and new footing for the outdoor ring, among other improvements at Ri-Arm, he’s especially busy not only with his training duties, but also with equestrian governance. Mark is the new president of the North American Riders Group (NARG), and chairs the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Zone II committee (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania).
Ri-Arm, named after his late parents. Drs. Rita and Armand Leone, started about 47 years ago breeding Welsh ponies when the couple’s three sons were just beginning their riding careers. It evolved along with the boys as they rose to the top level of show jumping.
Densely populated Bergen isn’t a horsey county like Monmouth or Hunterdon, but it got a spot on the equestrian map because of Mark and his older brothers, Olympic show jumping medalist Peter Leone and Armand Leone, who played a key role in formation of the U.S. Equestrian Federation. The trio even made up their own Nations’ Cup team years ago, an equestrian version of the three musketeers.
The brothers, Armand, Peter and Mark, during their “Team Leone” days.
Along the way, Mark won the AHSA Medal Finals and then made his debut with the U.S. Equestrian Team while still a teenager. Peter, who works out of a farm in Westchester County, N.Y., went to the Atlanta Olympics. Armand, a lawyer who is also a physician, and his wife, Alison, both ride at Ri-Arm, along with their son, David, and Mark’s children, Mark, 14, and James, 10.
“My boys are competing now, what a thrill,” said Mark.
His wife, Jane, also plays a key role at Ri-Arm, a compact but effective 17-acre facility, with an indoor ring and turnout as well as a Contagious Equine Metritis quarantine facility for imported mares.
“We still have the family togetherness. The horses were that phenomenal glue and chemistry that kept us connected in a great way,” he observed.
“My mom and dad gave us the opportunity, the facilities, the sport. Ri-Arm Farm, we’re proud of it. The policy was, `You can achieve more together than you can alone.’ ”
The brothers were indoctrinated into horsemanship and horse-keeping by their first instructor, the late Sullivan (Dave) Davis, who could train any breed or discipline. He taught them how to break in a horse and bring it along while picking up various aspects of care that are vital to a successful stable.
“We were so lucky growing up with Dave and learning the things we did as horsemen,” said Mark, noting the insights continued subsequently while training with George Morris and getting help from other big names in the sport. That included the late Frank Chapot, who helped design Ri-Arm’s grass ring and its natural fences. Frank, like George, was a former U.S. show jumping coach.
“We learned from great horsemen,” Mark observed.
His priorities these days, at age 55, are his business and his family, rather than his own riding.
“I love coaching, I love doing clinics,” he said.
At some point, though, Mark commented, “I hope to return to the grand prix ring before I get too old. But right now, there are too many other things going on. The sport now is better than ever. If you want to play at the top level, you need to commit. You can’t afford not to be training, training, training. You have to be realistic about what you chew off.”
Mark when he was competing in grands prix on Artos.
And in the governance area, that’s a lot for Mark. NARG took a hiatus for about a year after achieving its goals, including getting representation at the national level (former board member Murray Kessler this year became president of the U.S. Equestrian Federation) and the USEF current board is well-populated with the kind of people NARG feels should be involved in the sport. It also helped achieve improvement in shows with a well-received rating system that analyzed the pluses and shortcoming of the major shows on the continent.
But NARG, which proved so influential, has gotten back in the action with a voice in major issues. Mark wants the organization to be selective, though.
“When NARG first started, it was all things to all people. Now we’ve narrowed the scope of what NARG really is involved with. We’re really a reactive group now. We take positions on issues that are brought to our attention.”
NARG, allied with the International Jumping Riders Club, is looking at questions such as how riders get invitations to top shows. It’s also prepping to rate shows again, rating course designers and raising funds for its projects, along with campaigning for even more 4- and 5-star shows in North America.
NARG also is interested in seeing a national show jumping championship return.
“We’d like to bring that back to the forefront in terms of showcasing our riders. I feel like we have at least some contacts and connection with the federation; that we’re a part of some issues and processes as we go forward,” Mark commented.
“There’s got to be a way that some of our young national riders get to go against some of the top international riders; learn the sport, get involved,” he said in reference to a national championship
He noted, “The message for so long was, `leave America if you want to get better.’ Now we’re running more CSIs, international events. That’s made a big difference.”
In Zone II, one of his concerns is leading the way in saving the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships. The competition used to be in a single location for all its disciplines and had great spirit, but now it has split venues and frankly lost its cachet. He notes it’s difficult to get trainers and riders who are flying off to Europe or Spruce Meadows to participate in the NAJYRC show jumping, in which Zone II had a great record of success.
Mark in his own days as a junior with George Morris after winning the AHSA Medal finals.
USEF is also working on seeking an improvement of the NAJYRC program through a subcommittee. As Mark notes, NAJYRC was historically a great steppingstone, with winners in the past such as McLain Ward and Georgina Bloomberg who went on to grand prix success.
“Zone II is a very visible zone with membership, finances and we ourselves are struggling with this,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, he said Zone II’s main mission is to “give back to our membership” with initiatives such as children’s and adult championships. A low junior/amateur championship and a high junior/amateur championship have been added to the schedule of competitions. Clinics, the Emerging Athlete Program and forums (which he pointed out could be better-attended by members) are other focal points for the zone.
The gems of Zone II are the Devon, Pa., Fall Classic for jumpers and the hunter championships in Harrisburg, Pa., following the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
“As long as people feel we’re working for them,” Mark said, “that’s what this is all about, “giving back and keeping an eye on what’s good for our zone.”
The dream has become reality. How often do vanished equestrian competitions come back to life? That’s why it was so special yesterday when the Mars Essex Horse Trials got under way for the first time since 1998.
Speaking at the awards presentation, former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean recalled how a few years ago, people were saying, “What if we could get these trials to come back, and what if we could do them at Moorland Farm? It was a dream.” Then he turned to Guy Torsilieri and said, “You and Ron (Kennedy) make dreams come true.” The two men, who run the Far Hills Race Meeting at Moorland, were catalysts for reviving Essex, which was the type of competition to which rising eventers aspired. And now a new generation will be able to have the same ambition..
How appropriate that Buck Davidson–who competed at Essex in the days when it was held at the U.S. Equestrian Team in Gladstone–swept first through fourth places in the Open Preliminary section with Victor BZ, Dutch Harbor, Harry and Eroll Gobey respectively at the new venue, Moorland Farm in Far Hills.
Buck Davidson on his second-place mount, Dutch Harbor, with third-place Harry, left, and winner Victor BZ. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
The Preliminary Rider division went to Alice Roosevelt on Fernhill Zero. Alice, the great-great-great granddaughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, is only 16 and not surprisingly, had been unfamiliar with Essex. After all, it ended before she was born.
There was one big hurdle to overcome before the competitive jumping began. Friday night, a downpour left three inches of rain. It flooded some of the stabling (horses were moved to other stalls) and drenched the dressage arenas. They were a bit mushy, so after Saturday’s dressage phase, the white fences were moved to fresh ground for Sunday’s dressage.
Aside from that, things ran smoothly for what was essentially a first-time event with a well-known name.
“I think it was a great start,” Guy said, but he is looking forward to next year as the event grows and adds more advanced divisions.
The care and effort that went into this year’s event bodes well for the future. The seriousness of the enterprise was emphasized by its $26,800 prize money, an eye-opener for the levels competing.On Thursday, a cross-country course walk was an exciting reveal of handsome fences and the thought behind them at Moorland.
Course designer Morgan Rowsell, the event’s co-organizer with Ralph Jones, gave dozens of people (including another former New Jersey governor, Christie Whitman) a quick and insightful education about eventing.
Guy Torsilieri, former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman and Far Hills Mayor Paul Vallone (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
There are four tracks this year: Beginner Novice, Novice, Training and Preliminary. There are two sections for every division except Novice, which has two for Novice Rider and one for Open Novice.
Oh, did I mention that the course walk was preceded and followed by a cocktail party? Drinks included the Hoopstick, named after the Haller family farm in Bedminster where the event began in 1968, and there was an amazing cake topped by, what else a jump (it was edible, of course.)
Julie Berman, who keeps everyone organized at the Essex Horse Trials, with her husband, Bill, and the wonderful cake. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Everyone attending the party gamely headed out onto the course, abandoning drinks, sliders and salads, to follow Morgan as he made the circuit of his route.
We covered a lot of ground, and got a feel of what the horses have in store, though I hope they will be fitter than a lot of us were for such serious exercise.
Join Morgan in the following video clips as he discusses the highlights of the course.
The first stop is by the landmark race announcer’s tower, where he explains 11 A, B and C, and the challenge of eventing on a steeplechase track.
The fences are very clever. I particularly like number 12, the Moorland Barn, that’s between the tower and Ralph’s Cedar, number 13.
Buck Davidson and Mars Essex Horse Trials Open Preliminary winner Victor BZ at the barn jump that mimics the real thing. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Next we went to the water jump, 14ABC, the Far Hills Splash.
Then we visited the huge trakehner fence, number 15, aptly named Look and Leap.
After that it was 16AB, Life’s an Open Road, an oxer followed by a brush corner.
We finished up our tour with 18ABC, the Lazy River Bend, a giant log that horses jump before heading downhill to a ditch and then turning toward a rolltop.
Here’s a map of the preliminary course.
If you want to come out to the horse trials, you can see dressage, cross-country and show jumping either day. Times may be subject to some change, but at the moment, plans call for Novice and Preliminary to be held on Saturday, with dressage starting at 9 a.m. and running until 2:25 p.m.; Novice show jumping goes from 11:30 a.m.-1:55 p.m.; cross-country for both levels from noon to 3:50 and Preliminary show jumping is set from 5:30-6:45 p.m.
On Sunday, dressage runs from 8:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. Cross-country is 10:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., with show jumping ending the day from 12:15-3 :55 p.m.
Tickets are $10 per person if you buy them at the Essex website, www.essexhorsetrials.org . They are good for two days. Tickets at the gate are $20. Kids 14 and under get in free.
Non-equestrian attractions include activities for children, a classic car show, the vendor village and dining options.
Can you imagine taking a sample of feed every time you open a new bag, keeping it in a baggie marked with the date the feed bag was opened and the lot numbers? Oh, and writing all the information in a log book, including where and when the feed was purchased. How about testing the supplements you give your horse, to see if they show evidence of substances that are prohibited in competition?
That’s now the routine at the barns where horses are being trained by Adrienne Lyle and her mentor, Debbie McDonald. Adrienne and one of her mounts, Horizon, were suspended from competition by the FEI (international equestrian federation) after a drug test taken at a Feb. 10 show revealed a trace of ractopamine.
Adrienne Lyle was all smiles after Horizon won the national Intermediaire I championship following a long battle to make it to the Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The substance, forbidden by the FEI, was not named on the ingredient list of Cargill’s Progressive Nutrition® Soothing Pink™, a gastric nutritional supplement administered to Horizon, but it was in there. The same thing happened to Young Rider Kaitlin Blythe and her mount, Don Principe. The only link between Adrienne and Kaitlin was the fact that they were using Soothing Pink.
The suspensions of Adrienne and Kaitlin were lifted after Cargill admitted responsibility for the presence of ractopamine and took the supplement off the market, but the FEI still insisted on its policy of suspending the horses for two months—even though they were not harmed and the substance had cleared their systems within five days.
It took intrepid lawyer Sam Silver bringing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to get the horses’ suspension lifted so Adrienne and Kaitlin could take Horizon and Don Principe to last weekend’s Dutta Corp. U.S. dressage national championships in Gladstone.
It was worth the trouble. Each won the national title in their divisions; the Intermediaire I and Brentina Cup respectively.
Fighting the FEI is expensive, and the total bill hasn’t been tallied. The case has yet to be fully adjudicated by CAS, which will require a trip to Switzerland, according to Horizon’s owner, Betsy Juliano. What the FEI will do subsequently is uncertain.
Why shouldn’t the whole matter have been dropped once Cargill took responsibility?
A statement from the FEI said it is “not challenging the suspensions at CAS, but only defending its paramount interests; to safeguard the welfare of our equine athletes and the level playing field.” The FEI deferred further comment “until the final CAS decision is received.”
Betsy noted, “It’s not as if we disregarded an ingredient on the label.” She added that the horses have been tested before on the same regimen with no negative results.
Betsy stated that the U.S. Equestrian Federation has been a strong support, going to CAS on the horses’ behalf. If not for that, she said, Adrienne and Kaitlin would not have been able to compete in Gladstone after a long and thorough preparation of their horses.
“There was a real discouraging period of time after the FEI refused to lift the horses’ suspensions after all this time preparing the horses, the effort and the heart that goes into it. And then to have her not be able to go down centerline here was really sad to me,” she said, recalling her emotions about Horizon’s situation before the situation was resolved.
The USEF’s help sends “a positive message to the membership, especially the membership who competes, that our federation is fair and will stand behind us when it is necessary,” said Betsy. She had an unusual advantage in this instance, because her company is involved in providing legal services.
As she noted, “by lucky happenstance, this situation falls smack into my line of work. The method of proceeding through a situation like this is something that is every day for me.”
Betsy also praised Cargill and said she will still use their products. “I now know that if I get in trouble,” she said, Cargill will step up. “This company raced to our aid,” she pointed out.
The situation was a learning experience for all involved, but Adrienne—whom I’ve known and respected since 2005, when she started as a working student with Debbie—has a reputation for being aboveboard and meticulous.
“I’m always so paranoid. That’s the irony in all this,” Adrienne said wryly, referring to all the precautions she takes.
“The CDI horses (those in international competition) have their own grain room and only one person is allowed to make their grain.”
The situation affected her preparation with her horses, causing her to miss an important show at the Tryon, N.C., International Equestrian Center.
It “would have been key, especially for the stallion (Salvino) who’s only done one CDI. We applied for a wild card, and luckily they gave us a wild card,” said Adrienne, who was reserve in the Grand Prix championship with Salvino, noted the suspension didn’t affect training for Gladstone.
“We kept training as if we were going to come here,” she said.
Kaitlin, whom I did not know before meeting her at Gladstone, said, “The biggest thing for me is how vulnerable we all are without really knowing that we are. We all consult the best vets and nutritionists and you think you’re dotting all your I’s and crossing all your T’s; it came as such a surprise to us.”
Brentina Cup champion Kaitlin Blythe with Debbie McDonald, Betsy Juliano and Debbie McDonald. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
She noted it was lucky the horses weren’t harmed by the ractopamine, noting that in other instances around the country, there are horses that have been sickened or died after consuming contaminated feed.
Like Adrienne, she’s keeping a log and going through the baggie procedure.
“It’s been an educational experience,” said Kaitlin. “It’s going to be a bit of an eye opener for everyone as to what can happen when you think nothing can happen.”
We’ve seen this before. For instance, New Zealand eventer Jock Paget lost his 2013 Burghley 4-star title when his winning mount tested positive for the tranquilizer reserpine, determined to have been in a supplement. He was suspended for months, until it was found that he was not to blame.
Show jumper Margie Engle lost the 1999 American Invitational title when reserpine turned up in a supplement she used that had been guaranteed to test clean.
As Steve Schumacher, director of the USEF’s equine drugs and medication program warns, “Caution is urged if one is using so-called herbal or natural products, since plants are commonly the source for pharmacologically potent, forbidden substances such as cocaine, reserpine, and marijuana.”
Can you imagine taking a sample of feed every time you open a new bag, keeping it in a baggie marked with the date the feed bag was opened and the lot numbers? Oh, and writing all the information in a log book, including where and when the feed was purchased. How about testing the supplements you give your horse, to see if they show evidence of substances that are prohibited in competition?
That’s now the routine at the barns where horses are being trained by Adrienne Lyle and her mentor, Debbie McDonald. Adrienne and one of her mounts, Horizon, were suspended from competition by the FEI (international equestrian federation) after a drug test taken at a Feb. 10 show revealed a trace of ractopamine.
Adrienne Lyle was all smiles after Horizon won the national Intermediaire I championship following a long battle to make it to the Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The substance, forbidden by the FEI, was not named on the ingredient list of Cargill’s Progressive Nutrition® Soothing Pink™, a gastric nutritional supplement administered to Horizon, but it was in there. The same thing happened to Young Rider Kaitlin Blythe and her mount, Don Principe. The only link between Adrienne and Kaitlin was the fact that they were using Soothing Pink.
The suspensions of Adrienne and Kaitlin were lifted after Cargill admitted responsibility for the presence of ractopamine and took the supplement off the market, but the FEI still insisted on its policy of suspending the horses for two months—even though they were not harmed and the substance had cleared their systems within five days.
It took intrepid lawyer Sam Silver bringing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to get the horses’ suspension lifted so Adrienne and Kaitlin could take Horizon and Don Principe to last weekend’s Dutta Corp. U.S. dressage national championships in Gladstone.
It was worth the trouble. Each won the national title in their divisions; the Intermediaire I and Brentina Cup respectively.
Fighting the FEI is expensive, and the total bill hasn’t been tallied. The case has yet to be fully adjudicated by CAS, which will require a trip to Switzerland, according to Horizon’s owner, Betsy Juliano. What the FEI will do subsequently is uncertain.
Why shouldn’t the whole matter have been dropped once Cargill took responsibility?
A statement from the FEI said it is “not challenging the suspensions at CAS, but only defending its paramount interests; to safeguard the welfare of our equine athletes and the level playing field.” The FEI deferred further comment “until the final CAS decision is received.”
Betsy noted, “It’s not as if we disregarded an ingredient on the label.” She added that the horses have been tested before on the same regimen with no negative results.
Betsy stated that the U.S. Equestrian Federation has been a strong support, going to CAS on the horses’ behalf. If not for that, she said, Adrienne and Kaitlin would not have been able to compete in Gladstone after a long and thorough preparation of their horses.
“There was a real discouraging period of time after the FEI refused to lift the horses’ suspensions after all this time preparing the horses, the effort and the heart that goes into it. And then to have her not be able to go down centerline here was really sad to me,” she said, recalling her emotions about Horizon’s situation before the situation was resolved.
The USEF’s help sends “a positive message to the membership, especially the membership who competes, that our federation is fair and will stand behind us when it is necessary,” said Betsy. She had an unusual advantage in this instance, because her company is involved in providing legal services.
As she noted, “by lucky happenstance, this situation falls smack into my line of work. The method of proceeding through a situation like this is something that is every day for me.”
Betsy also praised Cargill and said she will still use their products. “I now know that if I get in trouble,” she said, Cargill will step up. “This company raced to our aid,” she pointed out.
The situation was a learning experience for all involved, but Adrienne—whom I’ve known and respected since 2005, when she started as a working student with Debbie—has a reputation for being aboveboard and meticulous.
“I’m always so paranoid. That’s the irony in all this,” Adrienne said wryly, referring to all the precautions she takes.
“The CDI horses (those in international competition) have their own grain room and only one person is allowed to make their grain.”
The situation affected her preparation with her horses, causing her to miss an important show at the Tryon, N.C., International Equestrian Center.
It “would have been key, especially for the stallion (Salvino) who’s only done one CDI. We applied for a wild card, and luckily they gave us a wild card,” said Adrienne, who was reserve in the Grand Prix championship with Salvino, noted the suspension didn’t affect training for Gladstone.
“We kept training as if we were going to come here,” she said.
Kaitlin, whom I did not know before meeting her at Gladstone, said, “The biggest thing for me is how vulnerable we all are without really knowing that we are. We all consult the best vets and nutritionists and you think you’re dotting all your I’s and crossing all your T’s; it came as such a surprise to us.”
Brentina Cup champion Kaitlin Blythe with Debbie McDonald, Betsy Juliano and Debbie McDonald. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
She noted it was lucky the horses weren’t harmed by the ractopamine, noting that in other instances around the country, there are horses that have been sickened or died after consuming contaminated feed.
Like Adrienne, she’s keeping a log and going through the baggie procedure.
“It’s been an educational experience,” said Kaitlin. “It’s going to be a bit of an eye opener for everyone as to what can happen when you think nothing can happen.”
We’ve seen this before. For instance, New Zealand eventer Jock Paget lost his 2013 Burghley 4-star title when his winning mount tested positive for the tranquilizer reserpine, determined to have been in a supplement. He was suspended for months, until it was found that he was not to blame.
Show jumper Margie Engle lost the 1999 American Invitational title when reserpine turned up in a supplement she used that had been guaranteed to test clean.
As Steve Schumacher, director of the USEF’s equine drugs and medication program warns, “Caution is urged if one is using so-called herbal or natural products, since plants are commonly the source for pharmacologically potent, forbidden substances such as cocaine, reserpine, and marijuana.”
The CP National Horse Show, where the ASPCA Maclay at 3-6 has been the industry standard for generations, just scrapped plans to use the Maclay name for a new 3-3 equitation competition.
The ASPCA Maclay stands alone at the CP National Horse Show. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
In my column of last week, linked here, past Maclay winners polled were outraged that the name of their class was to be used for a less-demanding test. Confusion also was guaranteed by staging a 3-3 class, whose title included the word Maclay, a week before the ASPCA Maclay itself would be held at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena .
“We have taken into consideration the many comments that were received and have since removed the ‘Maclay’ designation from the title of the class,” said Geoff Teall, chairman of the National’s equitation committee.
CP National Horse Show President Mason Phelps had explained originally when questioned about the new class, “We think it has a lot more punch using the word Maclay in there, versus not. We want to keep it all sort of in the spirit of what we do.”
But there was just too much pushback for that reasoning to survive.
The new class has been renamed the National Horse Show 3’3″ Equitation Championship in honor of the USHJA Foundation. The class, which will be held in the Alltech Arena on October 28-29, before the 2017 CP National Horse Show gets under way, will be a stand-alone under USEF rules.
There will be only one Maclay trophy at the CP National Horse Show. (Photo copyright 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)
“It’s a long title, but I think it’s great. I really like that name because it makes it really important and it’s its own entity now, instead of something that is less than a big, important event,” said 1977 ASPCA Maclay winner Francie Steinwedell Carvin, one of many who had protested using the Maclay name for another class.
“I think they’re smart and I think a lot of people are a lot happier, including me,” she said when commenting about the change.
“The goal of the National Horse Show 3’3″ Equitation Championship is to offer a stepping stone to riders who aspire to compete in the ASPCA Maclay National Championships,” Geoff noted.
This also takes pressure off riders who aren’t ready for the difficulties of the Maclay to try an alternative and a more gradual approach that can educate them for a shot at the Maclay down the road.
As Geoff pointed out, “The fact that it is National Horse Show and is going to be in that ring gives it enough cachet that people will willingly give up” the idea of competing at 3-6 if they’re not really prepared.”
“We are certain that the addition of this class will allow more riders an opportunity to compete and prepare for the major ASPCA Maclay National Championship,” commented Geoff.
Geoff Teall, head of the CP National Horse Show’s Equitation Committee. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
He added, “The creation of the National Horse Show 3’3″ Equitation Championship solidifies the National Horse Show Association’s commitment to elevating competitive hunter and equitation competition. We chose to host the class in honor of the USHJA Foundation because the organization’s goals of supporting riders in competition, especially juniors, aligns perfectly with our goals in the creation of the NHS 3’3″ Equitation Championship.”
For the first year of the class, riders don’t need to be a member of the National Horse Show Association and will not need to qualify. Qualifying for the championship at the 2018 show will begin Sept. 1.
However, those wishing to take part in the inaugural class must be under 18 and have not competed over the 3-6 fences in the ASPCA Maclay Finals, US Equestrian Federation Medal Finals, U.S. Equestrian Federation Talent Search, the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Classic Finals, the Jump Canada Medal Finals or the North American Equitation Championship.
While riders eligible for the 3-3 championship may participate in the Maclay regionals, they may not show in both the ASPCA Maclay Finals and the National Horse Show 3’3″ Equitation Championship in the same competition year.
