by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 1, 2024
Jack Levy wasn’t a horseman to begin with. He was in the nursing uniform industry, where he did wholesale, retail and catalogues when he got a call from Miller Harness Co., which was looking for a CEO with his skill set..
His experience got him the job and in what would be typical Jack fashion, he was off and running a few days later, flying to Germany to get immersed in the business.
A savvy executive who made the equestrian scene his own — to the benefit of companies with which he was associated — his kindness, caring and guidance also benefited so many of the people in the horse industry. Whether they were employees or just those who got to know him along the circuit, they all enjoyed something special when Jack became their friend.
He died Saturday at the age of 88 after a fall following his battle with a long illness.
“He’s a fighter, and he wasn’t going to give in,” said his wife, Fran, noting he would go to his desk in their Pennsylvania home every morning at 6:30 to continue his work.
“He was such a voice for this industry and for people riding,” said Fran.
Although he had never ridden before taking the Miller’s job, Jack did get on a horse in Argentina when he went to see a saddlemaker, and rode a cutting horse at a market in Denver during the National Western Stock Show, Fran recalled. Jack went on to work for Weatherbeeta and most recently, as a consultant for Timmy Sharma at JPC Equestrian.
Wherever he was employed, Jack was someone who believed in helping others.
Jack Levy was always willing to help.
“He understood that the success of his team was far more important than any individual success of his own,” said Rosemary Staeck, who runs the online company EquusNow, which specializes in English tack and riding apparel.
She got her start at Miller’s with Jack, and credits him with her success.
“There was no greater leader than Jack,” she said.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Jack’s mentorship and faith in me. He could build a team that had such passion and drive. He celebrated others’ victories with such pride.”
She remembered that when she would go to him with a problem, he didn’t give her advice. Instead, he would tell her a story and in it, she would find the answers she was seeking.
“You never left a conversation with him without feeling better,” she recalled.
“He made you feel like you were the most important person on earth.”
Jack, who also had worked for Weatherbeeta, went on to be a consultant for JPC.
Timmy said he had received an email from Jack the day before he died. Work was what Jack did.
“He opened up a lot of doors for us,” said Timmy.
“He was a true visionary. I’m so blessed he came into my life.”
Of course, like so many others, Timmy deeply feels the loss of a man who was one of a kind.
“Now that Jack is no longer a phone call away, I will have to ask, `What would Jack do?’ His wisdom and guidance have left an indelible mark on my heart and mind, and I know many others feel the same.
“Until we meet again, my mentor and friend. Thank you for the lessons, the memories, and the music that will forever play in our hearts. Rest in peace, Jack. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten.”
In addition to his wife, Jack is survived by his daughter, Donna Chirico; sons Robert (Julie), Justin (Shauna), Jon (Ferrin) and 12 grandchildren. He also will be missed by his Doberman, Fritzi, and cat, Max.
There will be a celebration of Jack’s life Sept. 22 in Westchester Country, N.Y., with details to come. Donations in his memory may be made to the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation (USET.org). Click the donate button if using the website, specifying Jack Levy’s name when making the donation. Donations may also be made by mail at the USET Foundation, P.O. Box 355, Gladstone, NJ 07934-0355, or call (908) 234-1251 for more information.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 30, 2024
Michael Barisone made progress toward resuming his career as a dressage trainer on Friday, when a judge gave permission for the 2008 U.S. Olympic team alternate to leave New Jersey and travel to his Florida horse farm.
“I do think it is appropriate at this time to take the next step in relaxation of restraints on Mr. Barisone to allow him to return to Florida,” said Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor in Morristown, N.J.
“I need to figure out how I’m going to move forward,” said Barisone, 60, who is under an interim suspension by the U.S. Equestrian Federation for “allegations of misconduct,” so his legal issues are ongoing.
“We feel confident he will be reinstated,” said attorney Ed Bilinkas, who represented Barisone with attorney Chris Deininger.
It is five years since Barisone has been anywhere near a horse, after being arrested for the 2019 shooting of his student, Lauren Kanarek, at his Long Valley, N.J., farm. He said he doesn’t remember the incident, which left her clinging to life in a hospital Intensive Care Unit. Kanarek took two bullets in the chest during a confrontation, the culmination of tensions that had escalated for months between Barisone and his tenants, Kanarek and her boyfriend, Rob Goodwin.
In 2022, during a trial that drew international attention, a psychiatrist testified the horseman “became increasingly desperate, because he saw himself in a situation in which he was being physically threated by Lauren Kanarek and Robert Goodwin…He was afraid he’d be killed and wanted to defend himself.”
During the trial, Bilinkas asked Kanarek whether she was bent on destroying Barisone and threatening everything he held dear. She replied, “at some point, yes.”
After the jury deliberated for more than three days, Barisone was found not guilty by reason of insanity on a charge of second-degree attempted murder. Following his time in jail and psychiatric institutions, at a Krol hearing last fall the judge gave permission for Barisone to be released from Greystone Psychiatric Hospital and live at the home of a friend, Brenda Putnam-Higgins in Readington, N.J., where he has been busy doing repairs and driving her to doctors, grateful for her help.
Michael Barisone in his competition days. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
But the judge ruled at the 2023 court session that Barisone could not leave the state. Krol hearings are held periodically to determine the progress of a criminal defendant who has been confined to a psychiatric institution following a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. At Friday’s Krol hearing, Taylor imposed several conditions in connection with allowing Barisone to go to the farm in Loxahatchee, Fla., he shares with his fiancée, Lara Osborne.
Noting that Kanarek resides about five miles from Barisone’s property, Taylor said “the court does have some significant concern” about Barisone being there “because of its location close to where the victim lives.”
Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
He also noted that with Barisone’s return to the equestrian community, he might run into Kanarek somewhere.
“And there’s no telling what Miss Kanarek’s reaction may be to see Mr. Barisone,” nor the reaction of both people’s supporters, Taylor commented. For that reason, he wants to continue Barisone on Krol status, meaning he will have to return to New Jersey for hearings. The next is scheduled for February.
Taylor, who believes lessening of any restraint on Barisone should be gradual, specified that he cannot go to any state except New Jersey or Florida, he should continue with treatment by a psychologist and no guns can be brought to the Florida farm. The judge warned that should Barisone refuse to return for a Krol hearing, he could face a criminal contempt complaint.
After the hearing, Bilinkas said about his client, “I clearly think him being back with his family in his own home is going to help his mental health and he’ll progress to the point where he doesn’t need any more supervision. To me, this is the first big step and it’s extremely important.”
Michael Barisone and Lara Osborne with attorneys Ed Bilinkas (left) and Chris Deininger (right). (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Morris County Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Schellhorn told the judge at the start of the hearing that the restraints keeping Barisone in New Jersey were appropriate in relation to a psychiatric diagnosis of delusional disorder. He contended that could present a risk because Barisone “will always believe at some level that Lauren Kanarek was bound and determined to destroy and kill him,” something Schellhorn said was a belief “not based in reality.”
Lauren Kanarek’s mother, Kirby Kanarek, said before the hearing that she was upset by the thought that Barisone could be moving to Florida.
“He’s never really apologized to us. He never apologized to my daughter. If he’s not apologizing, that means he doesn’t feel sorry,” insisted Mrs. Kanarek, who attended all the court hearings with her husband, Jonathan.
She is also disturbed that stories on social media posts “by some of the equestrian community are completely false and lies.
“I’m very upset that the equestrian community has gone after our family.
“We didn’t pick up a gun and shoot anyone. My daughter was shot. He came down to her house and shot her. Her body was significantly damaged.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 28, 2024
A new competition series with $1 million in prize money for dressage, show jumping and eventing is being launched by the U.S. Equestrian Federation, with an eye toward the 2028 Olympics in California.
The disciplines all will have qualifiers and a finals at three different venues that will name a U.S. Equestrian Open champion in each. The finals will be broadcast on ESPN.
“The launch of the U.S. Equestrian Open series has been a priority for us. There’s a purpose-driven need for equestrian sport to produce a more commercially significant and identifiable championship model within the United States, particularly focused around the Olympic disciplines,” said David O’Connor, the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s chief of sport.
“We’ve seen new and creative branded series introduced across other mainstream sports, such as golf and tennis, which have experienced tremendous success, both from an athlete and spectator perspective. As an organization, we felt strongly we needed to move the needle forward in our sport by providing access to significant prize money and standing behind a unique model for each discipline, which encourages participation at the highest levels.”
The eventing final at 4-star Long with $200,000 in prize money will be held at Morven Park in Virginia, where the first qualifier will be staged this year.
The dressage final, with $200,000 in prize money and a $50,000 high point series incentive across the qualifiers, will be at the Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, Calif. Athletes must complete a minimum of two Grand Prix Freestyles at designated US Open series qualifying CDIs during 2025.
The show jumping final, with $750,000 in prize money, will be held as part of the new Rolex series during the last week of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla.
“This series is a testament to the growing momentum and mainstream appeal of equestrian disciplines, and we are proud to play a pivotal role in its success,” says Michael Stone, president of Wellington International.
A dedicated microsite, live leaderboard tracking, publicly accessible and enhanced horse and rider information, as well as significant mainstream airtime on major sports broadcasting platform, ESPN, alongside live coverage via USEFNetwork powered by ClipMyHorseTV, will aim to generate increased media value and public recognition of athletes, horses, horse owners, and organizers.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 22, 2024
Six years ago, the life of the Babington family changed forever.
Top international show jumper Kevin Babington suffered a disastrous fall with his horse in a grand prix, a crash that left him with a contusion of the spinal cord as a result of hyperextending his neck in the accident. The vertebrae hit the spinal cord, causing damage; it was a stretch and concussion injury from vertebra C3 to C5, which involves the diaphragm and mobility.
The man who had been the pillar of his family, wife Dianna and daughters Gwyneth and Marielle, suddenly found himself dependent on them and others. Not only was he unable to ride and earn a living the way he always had, he couldn’t walk, use his hands or do almost anything for himself. He’s also in chronic pain.
Kevin and Dianna Babington. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
With the primary breadwinner sidelined and in need of costly care, the family faced a future burdened with constant worry. Finances were a huge concern, but Kevin’s friends offered whatever aid they could.
One of the constants in the circle of help has been the Babington Benefit Horse Show, organized every year since a few weeks after his 2019 accident. It is held at Duncraven in Titusville, a scenic section of Hopewell Township, New Jersey.
This year’s show is Sept. 7, about a month earlier than usual due to various changes in the competition calendar, but that likely will be a blessing with better weather than the usual October date often brings.
All the labor for the show is done by volunteers. The Stout family who owns Duncraven enables use of the property free of charge, a tradition started by the previous owner, Tim Fedor. Kevin once had his business at that venue.
Kevin in the 2004 Olympics. (Photo © 2004 by Nancy Jaffer)
The judges, Creigh Duncan, Abbe Wolfe, Bri Quinn and Michelle Morasky donate their time, as does secretary Mary Norris. The show is approved by the N.J. Professional Horseman’s Association, so riders can earn points toward that group’s awards.
Special classes offered include the Handy Hunter Derby with fences ranging from 2 feet to 3 feet, so everyone can choose their preferred height. There’s also a bareback ride-a-buck, a nod to Kevin’s appreciation of riding bareback. Young competitors tuck a $5 bill under their knees ($10 or $20 in the case of adults) and the winner is the last one whose “buck” hasn’t fallen. The victor gets half the money that has hit the ground, but they can donate that amount if they choose.
Entry fees and proceeds from a raffle go to the Babington Family Trust. It helps pay for the many things Kevin and his family need to live that aren’t covered by the Kevin Babington Foundation, which also aids other equestrians with spinal injuries.
Kevin on his victory lap after winning the Devon Horse Show Grand Prix in 2016 on Mark Q. (Photo © 2016 by Nancy Jaffer)
The show has three co-managers: Nancy Wallis, Jennifer Cassidy and Julie Koveloski. Entries are through horseshowing.com at https://horseshowing.com
“As soon as we start putting out notices,” said Jennifer, “everyone gets excited about this every year. It’s a lot of support from the community.”
Kevin taking a view of the course at Devon during his riding days. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The organizers are looking for volunteers, including those who can work two days before the show for set-up and the day after for take-down, as well as for jump crew on the day of the show. Nancy is happy to hear from anyone who wants to volunteer at (908) 256-3386. Jennifer’s number is (215) 954-9062.
The show also needs raffle items, which in the past have included gift baskets, tack and gift certificates for everything from horse transportation to dinners. Julie can be reached by those offering such items at (609) 439-8983.
Kevin, who rode for Ireland and tied for fourth in the 2004 Olympics, teaches from his wheelchair on the porch of his Loxahatchee, Fla., farm, where the family also has stalls for rent. Dianna also teaches to help support the family.
Nancy said every time she calls Kevin, he tells her he’s fine and doesn’t talk about himself. He works at his physical therapy and has been involved in a number of clinical trials. Kevin has not given up hope that he will walk again on his own, and perhaps be able to ride someday.
“We keep waiting for something to break,” Dianna said about innovative therapies that could make a big difference for her husband.
“We’re hopeful something in his lifetime will be available, but there’s still nothing. I think someday something will be able to fix this, but it’s just not far enough along now.”
She and Kevin are grateful for those who help, and note the benefit show has a special place in the couple’s hearts. A former resident of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Dianna said, “I love and miss the Northeast. It’s a community I wish I’d never had to leave. The people who are there are extremely special. I never feel like they have forgotten us.”
Other fundraisers have expanded from the Foundation to include special classes dedicated to Kevin at various shows, and even sponsorship of Kevin-related jumps.
Friends haven’t forgotten Kevin Babington. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
People who can’t make it to the show but want to donate may give to the Kevin Babington Trust, which goes directly to him for a variety of expenses that are related to his condition. Checks may be sent to Kevin at 13254 Casey Road, Loxahatchee, Fla. 33470.
Those looking for a tax deduction with their contribution can donate to the Kevin Babington Foundation. The 501(c)3 provides support not only to Kevin, but also to other show jumpers who have suffered spinal injuries. It helps pay for aides, which enables Dianna and Kevin’s girls to keep working.
Its mission for those seeking help includes outfitting vehicles for transportation and remodeling to make homes suitable for the disabled, but does not contribute toward daily expenses.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 28, 2024
It was an obvious decision — after winning her second Olympic individual gold medal this month and earning a host of other global titles over the years, German dressage queen TSF Dalera BB will be retired from competition, rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl announced Wednesday on Instagram.
The 17-year-old mare will, however, be making some “joyful appearances” for exhibitions in Neumunster, Germany, this year and Basel, Switzerland, next year.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera have a special bond.
The Trakehner, the number one-ranked dressage horse in the world, “loves her stage so much,” explained Jessica, “and that is why it is important to me that she gets to do this a few more times. This journey has been so special for me and fortunately it is not over yet.”
Jessica added, “Apart from that, Dalera gets the best life that she deserves.” As the rider put it, “she deserves only one thing, and that is the very best.”
“I am slowly starting to realize what has happened over the last few weeks,” said Jessica about earning her second double gold in Paris. She previously said she would do a few more shows before Dalera’s retirement, but Jessica has now realized there was nothing more the mare could do or prove in competition.
Dalera and her rider would move lightly as one through their performances, perfectly balanced, scaling the heights of their sport seemingly without effort.
Her record includes not only two Olympic team gold medals, in addition to her individual golds, but also six European championships, seven German national championships and two FEI Dressage World Cup Finals, the last of which was in Omaha in 2023. Needless to say, Dalera also has won at Aachen.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera on their way to winning the 2023 FEI World Cup title. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Dalera, Jessica explained, “has been so much more to me than just my sport partner over the last few years. I’ve never experienced anything before like connecting with a horse on such a soul level that we didn’t need words, we understood each other and I always knew what she needed.”
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and her individual gold medal with Isabell Werth (silver) and Lottie Fry (bronze) at the Paris Olympics.
Over the years, Jessica’s social media has been full of photos of her interacting with Dalera outside of competition, whether taking a trail ride or cuddling with the mare in her stall. The two have been together since the elegant daughter of Easy Game was eight years old.
Dalera will, of course, have a home and love for the rest of her life.
Jessica said it all when she observed, “It has been an incredibly beautiful journey with her.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 13, 2024
The tragic death of Chromatic BF at April’s FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final in Saudi Arabia has sparked a three-part U.S. Equestrian Federation welfare initiative, designed to improve the safety and well-being of sport horses.
In the bigger picture, the horse’s passing also may generate a different perspective on veterinary treatment for equines in competition, an opportunity “to make horses in sport be safer and help them be healthier.”
Those are the words of Kc Branscomb, who owned and bred Chromatic, a 13-year-old gelding who was third in the second leg of the Cup in Riyadh. After returning to the stables in good order following his energetic victory lap, the USEF veterinarian injected him with a cocktail of several substances. Minutes later, the horse collapsed and died, leaving his team shocked, distraught and looking for answers.
Branscomb was determined to ensure nothing like that happens to another horse representing the U.S., taking issue with the shot Chromatic received and expressing concern that was the cause of death, even though a necropsy performed at King Faisal University was inconclusive. She did not rest until she got what she was looking for from USEF in terms of addressing what had happened to her horse, what might be the fate of other horses in a similar situation, and making sure it could never happen again.
After the necropsy, USEF originally stated, “The cause of the death was severe diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage and edema, which could be attributed to multiple causes, including disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), cardiopulmonary failure, shock, and exercise-associated fatal pulmonary hemorrhage.”
According to the final report, the administered medications were not identified as the cause of death.
But Branscomb was skeptical after learning Chromatic had received 4 milliliters of Legend, 5 of Adequan, 20 of Traumeel, 20 of arnica and 20 of Selevit, a selenium/vitamin combination.
When she called her own vet, Dr. Jack Snyder, while she was in Riyadh and told him what Chromatic had been given, he said, “Oh, my God. I would never have given that. It doesn’t even work.”
To Branscomb, that showed a big gap in the knowledge of the treating vet who was working for the USEF, so she got busy.
“I love this sport and want to be proud of it,” Branscomb said.
Seeking to avoid any other horse having an end like Chromatic’s, she collaborated with Dr. J.E. Madigan, professor emeritus of the Department of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of California Davis school of veterinary medicine, who is board certified in the specialty of animal welfare. They engaged with USEF about the matter and on Tuesday, it was announced that Branscomb got what she sought.
In the announcement of the new initiative, the federation acknowledged, “USEF believes the most probable contributor (to Chromatic’s death) is related to medications administered to the horse by a USEF-appointed veterinarian shortly before the horse collapsed. The USEF-appointed veterinarian made the decision to administer FEI-permitted medications that he believed would help sustain the horse’s performance in the days that followed.”
Branscomb acknowledged, “I recognize Chromatic’s tragic death was the unintended consequence of a single veterinarian acting alone without prior consultation of anyone on Chromatic BF’s own team out of a well-intentioned, but mistaken, effort to help the horse prepare for the jumping final to be held two days later.”
She appreciates that “the USEF is taking substantive steps now towards improving sport horse welfare and better protecting all our competition horses.”
Branscomb had lobbied for revisions to the USEF’s Horse Participation Consent Agreement in terms of treatments that can be given without permission to horses representing the U.S. Now, except in an emergency, no medications will be administered to horses by team veterinarians at international competitions without prior consent of the athlete (a rider or driver), who is the person responsible under FEI regulations for substances present in a horse.
The second part of the initiative calls for the federation, in collaboration with American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) veterinarians, to develop a continuing education program for USEF team veterinarians “to ensure they are on the cutting edge of performance sports medicine and horse welfare in areas such as emerging therapies, equine exercise physiology, and pharmacology.”
As well, an education/research program in Chromatic BF’s name will promote a better understanding of sport horse welfare and encourage scientific research to improve the lives and well-being of high-performance equine athletes. USEF has pledged to make a financial contribution to establish a philanthropic fund through the AAEP Foundation in Chromatic BF’s name, which will be used to support research related to caring for sport horses. That will be administered by a committee consisting of USEF CEO Bill Moroney, USEF COO Sonja Keating; Dr. Tracy Turner, president-elect of the AAEP; Dr. Snyder; Dr. Madigan, USEF Chief Veterinary Officer Stephen Schumacher and Olympic show jumping medalist Norman Dello Joio.
Chromatic and Jill Humphrey at the FEI World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Branscomb said she is especially excited about the hand-in-hand collaboration between the senior leadership of the USEF and the incoming leadership of the AAEP.
The new committee has yet to meet, but Turner sees its mission as a great opportunity to make important changes.
“Let’s question everything we do,” he said.
‘Let’s make it a new world.”
In his view, the key question to ask when treating competition horses is, “What do they really need?”
Too often, he pointed out, horses are medicated just to medicate them, without really knowing which medications are needed.
“Let’s reassess all this,” Turner commented
He said this work “is long overdue,” adding he told Branscomb, “I’ve waited 40 years for you to show up.”
As Madigan noted, “After extensive discussions and negotiations with key stakeholders in U.S. sport horse events, we now stand on the brink of a new era. These changes are not just necessary; they are vital to protecting our horses and allowing them to compete safely.”
He called the initiative, “a major leap forward in horse welfare. It’s a new day for equestrian sports—one that prioritizes the health and safety of our equine partners above all else.”
Dello Joio recalled that years ago, one of his horses was medicated at a competition without permission.
He felt the agreement between USEF and horse owners “needed to be updated.”
The initiative, he added, “is the best possible scenario that could come from the death of a horse. It has some meaning and it’s going to go forward in a good way.”
Dello Joio, who won the individual bronze in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics, recalled that he did have a horse once who got treated by a team vet without his permission.
“I made it clear at that time that if it ever happened again, I would no longer have any association with the team. It happened once and never happened again to me in all my years of showing with the team,” said Dello Joio.
“That was in a different era, and needed to be rethought.”
Keating noted that “Kc’s decision to work collaboratively with USEF and to move forward demonstrates her passion and commitment to the betterment of the lives of performance horses. We are grateful to her for that and look forward to implementing these new initiatives. As the guardian of the sport, horse health and well-being are top priorities for USEF, and these new initiatives align with our mission as a federation.”
Branscomb showed persistence in pursuing what can only be described as justice. Now the committee will help lead the way.
“I wanted people who had boots on the grounds at these shows. I wanted everybody to have a seat at the table to get their out-of-the box solutions on how do we focus the research and get the best information in the hands of the practicing vets, so that the horses that compete under our flag, and all horses, can live healthy, happy lives and be active in sport.”
Branscomb had a mission she was set on accomplishing. And so she did.
“I’m pretty relentless,” she admitted.
“I’m excited about these three initiatives. I feel pretty good about the legacy of my fabulous horse being something we all can be proud of.
“This horse was important to me. The horse deserved this. I had been waiting to get this agreement together before I was willing to put him in the ground,” she noted.
“I have his ashes. I’m satisfied We can lay him to rest in peace. I’m looking forward to burying him here on the farm where he was born.”
Those who wish to contribute to the philanthropic fund can go this link, https://membership.aaep.org/FFTH/Shared_Content/Donation-Pages/Public-In-Memory.aspx, and indicate: Directed Giving Chromatic BF Sporthorse Welfare Fund.
