Hunter teams have a promising WEF debut

by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 10, 2024

Amid all the controversy and lobbying about expanding the main showgrounds in Wellington, Florida, remember that even as equestrians cite the need for big improvements there, what the public sees is pretty darn good when they come to the home of the Winter Equestrian Festival.

I thought about it after Friday night’s new hunter teams competition at Wellington International, as I walked out past the colorful merry-go-round and the ornate fountain with its carved horses sending up bubbling streams of water. Luxe shops (and some with more moderate prices) line the path from the hospitality area around the International Arena, where the footing is fine and the lighting is good for featured night classes.

It was easy to forget the quality of the show after covering 60 hours of debate (or was it 65; I lost count) about taking land out of the Equestrian Preserve. It was all in the attempt to get a deal for the expanded showgrounds and move dressage to the WEF grounds from Equestrian Village down the street. So I was reminded by a trip to what used to be called the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center that Equestrian Sport Productions still runs a good show with precision, under the guidance of manager Dave Burton and Wellington International President Michael Stone.

The team event was the $100,000 Kristen Baran exhibition class, for the benefit of the Neil S. Hirsch Boys & Girls Clubs that helps youth get a leg up on life with education, activities and other benefits.

The hunter teams’ debut was pretty successful, but needs a few tweaks going forward. It involved three members on a team—a professional, an amateur and a junior—each riding over 3-foot, 3-inch fences in consecutive rounds that offered a few options. Only two team members’ scores counted; the drop score factor saved squads where one member had a mishap.

The class was basically three hunter rounds, what we see every week in the hunter arena at WEF.

To do something that could set the team concept apart, one person suggested a relay format, the way they do with the pony hunt teams at the Devon Horse Show. So the first rider would take three or four fences, the second would jump the next group and the third would finish the course. I think if would be cool if they jumped three abreast at the last fence, the way we used to do in the hunter trials (I still have photos of myself jumping a fence side-by-side like that with my friends from years ago.)

Brianne Goutal-Marteau’s winning team of Grace Debney and Clara Propp earned 181 points to 176 for Patricia Griffith’s squad of Callie Seaman and Vivian Goldman. Third of the 14 teams was Keri Kampsen with Stphanie Danhakl and Wyatt Rofey (175).

Brianne Goutal-Marteau on Grand Remo. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)

Brianne, who knew Neil Hirsch, really enjoyed the class—and not just because she was on the winning side.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Brianne, whose highest score on Grand Remo from the three judging panels was an eye-popping 93.

Brianne Goutal-Marteau’s score for her round on Grand Remo. s

“It’s been a long time since we have done something new in the hunter ring. And obviously to do it for a charitable cause is even better. I think the format is fine…it ended up flowing. It’s fun to do it at 3-3. There’s less pressure. You see a lot of horses having a good time doing everything easily.

Grace said she had been away from the hunters and focusing on the jumpers, so “It was a nice introduction back into it.” She borrowed her mount from Clara.

For her part, Clara said, “I had a lot of fun.. It’s a horse I know really well.  It was kind of low pressure and good experience going into next week,” she observed, referring to the Hunter Spectacular where hunters again will compete in the International Arena, which is not their usual venue at WEF.

Brianne Goutal-Marteau, Grace Debney and Clara Propp, the winning hunter team. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)

Florida trainer Andrew Lustig came up with the idea for the team endeavor.

As he explained it, there was a time in the hunters “when the lines (to the jumps) were really long and it was exciting. Other sports, gymnastics and swimming, they’re moving forward. So we’ve got to move forward, because if we don’t move forward, we die. It’s hard to ride under lights, when you never do.”

Andrew dreams big; he’d like to see the team idea develop like the show jumping Global Champions Tour and compete in Europe, which doesn’t usually feature hunters in shows held there. Although it’s very early days, he already can visualize show hunters in Cannes.

Discussing why the show held the class, manager Dave Burton explained, “It’s an ongoing goal for us at Wellington International to provide opportunities for hunters to be showcased. This season, they experience the International Arena, night classes and the derby field, all with substantial prize money for professionals, amateurs, young hunters and ponies.

“The hunt team class is a perfect way to showcase hunter horses and riders in a fun environment that also gives back to an organization that has a huge influence in the Wellington community and greater Palm Beach County.”

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At last, the Wellington Council reaches a decision about a controversial project

by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 8, 2024

After eight months, more than 60 hours of public deliberations and much community angst, the Wellington Village Council voted just before midnight Wednesday to take 96-plus acres out of its Equestrian Preserve for a golf community, in order to insure its cramped and tired major showgrounds can expand.

The deal means that Wellington Lifestyle Partners will be able to construct its development on the Equestrian Village land used by the Global Dressage Festival at Wellington North. But there’s a quid pro quo, as was often discussed during the hearings. First, WLP and developer NEXUS need to build the expanded showgrounds on their property at Wellington South, a short distance away, where the Winter Equestrian Festival is held.

The deadline for making the showgrounds operational is 2028; until then, dressage can stay at its current home in the Preserve. Discussion about arrangements for the 2025 dressage show there already has started.

The quid pro quo, however, did not sit well with many in the equestrian community. They mounted opposition to taking 96-plus acres from the Preserve for the development, with more than 10,000 people signing a petition against that action. The fear is that the Wellington North project would set a precedent for future incursions into the Preserve, which includes 9,000 acres across the municipality.

Frustrated residents reacted Thursday morning on social media to the council’s action.

“Why isn’t the Village Council protecting our lands and ensuring us that our votes matter?” wrote Mark Offerman.

“Everything in this proposal smells dodgy.”

Other residents, however, many of whom have big investments in their local farms, urged the council to make the deal so the showgrounds can be improved and Wellington could remain “The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.”

“I feel like it’s the first step in the right direction,” said Wellington farm owner Romain Marteau, who spoke at council meetings several times to emphasize the need for a better showgrounds.

While he acknowledged there was disappointment in some quarters over the vote, Marteau advised, “People should get together now and be part of the solution and try to advise NEXUS and WLP on how to build a horse show, because they are seeking input from the equestrian people. The only thing that matters going forward is to make sure that the horse show is successful. Without a successful horse show, Wellington isn’t going to be successful.”

The Wellington South showgrounds, formerly Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and now Wellington International, was bought two years ago by Global Equestrian Group, which is part of Waterland Private Equity.

But GEG had financial issues and the showgrounds are up for sale. William Blair, who manages major sales and acquisitions, is requiring anyone who is interested in purchasing the property to sign on Feb. 13 that they are serious, so further discussions can proceed toward getting a new owner for the internationally known venue.

A number of prominent equestrians have indicated there will be great financial support for purchase of the showgrounds, which they want to see run as a non-profit, with its revenue plowed back into the facility for improvements. They have been concerned that the lavish World Equestrian Center in Ocala is a strong rival to the Wellington shows, once unquestionably the USA’s creme de la creme circuit.

Marteau pointed out that “the next big challenge is making sure the (Wellington) show lands in the right hands.”

Multiple entities are trying to put offers together for the showgrounds and it is unclear who will go on to a second round in the bidding. The word is that among the groups seeking to buy the facility is HITS, whose other venues include shows in Ocala and New York.

Rendering of what Equestrian Village and White Birch (now polo fields) will look like as part of the golf development.

The council vote was 4-1 (it is required that for land to be removed from the Preserve, four of the five council members must vote in favor of it.)

Vice-mayor Michael Napoleone, who is running for mayor, voted against it. He noted he grew up in east Boca Raton (south of Wellington) and saw how development transformed that area, not necessarily for the better.

As he explained his decision, “For me,” the golf community “is too much density for Wellington.” He does, however, believe improving the showgrounds is important and voted for a zoning change on Wellington South so it can be built. There also will be housing on another parcel adjacent to the showgrounds.

“It’s a complicated issue. There’s a lot of passion on both sides, and I’ve tried to look at the bigger picture,” he said.

On Monday, in a last-minute bid to save Equestrian Village, a number of prominent equestrians said they would pony up $25 million to buy the property and insure it would be used for the dressage shows and other equestrian-related activities.

But Councilman Michael Drahos pointed out the property is worth more than $25 million “and you don’t have a willing seller.” In addition, he pointed out, they had not approached the landowner and did not have a plan for their vision if they bought the property.

Marteau, who is married to trainer Brianne Goutal-Marteau, emphasized people behind that eleventh hour bid for Equestrian Village need to have a seat at the table and make sure dressage has a voice in developing the new showgrounds.

Tuny Page, a dressage rider and farm owner who led the effort for funding to buy Equestrian Village, said the reason that was such a late starter involved “a tremendous amount of trust” that the development would not go through. She cited votes against the project by the Equestrian Preserve Committee and the Planning, Zoning and Adjustment board, but they are only advisory groups and it’s the council’s vote that counts.

The council’s decision means “Wellington is going to change significantly,” she said, pointing out that the people who buy houses in the golf development likely won’t be equestrians.

Speaking about WLP and its plans, Drahos said before the vote Wednesday, “I do believe this model is guaranteed to succeed.”

“This is a no-look-back moment for Wellington,” he commented, saying the decision was “logic-based.”

He added, “What I really hope for us as a community is that this is the moment we become unified. We will never be the equestrian capital of the world unless the entire community buys into that.”

All the property involved was collected by Mark Bellisimo, who bought WEF in 2007 when it was failing and revitalized it. He also built Equestrian Village—with the help of several of the people who contributed to the $25 million buyout deal. But he is a controversial figure in town. Many are wary of him and there were frequent comments about his unfulfilled promises on several projects.

Doug McMahon, the CEO of WLP, said Bellissimo is not involved in running the organization (his daughter, Paige Bellissimo Nunez, is its executive vice president) and has no interest in taking a larger role, a comment obviously meant to reassure those who still had misgivings about anything with which Bellissimo is involved.

Lauren Brody, an equestrian realtor who is the administrator of the Keep Wellington Green Facebook page, said, “This was a very long game. Mark Bellissimo played. Call him anything you want, but the man was shrewd and he sat back and put all his chess pieces into play. This passed because he did that.”

She suggested that Equestrian Village, with its new zoning, “is now worth $1 billion. There’s no buying it. The council handed Mark Bellissimo hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in value. All they got in return was a ring here and a ring there and a green space that’s already green” (vacant land that WLP is giving to the Village for a park.)

“If we had to lose Equestrian Village, we should have gotten a lot more in return,” she contended.

Brody is encouraging people to be more proactive in the wake of the Council decision. She suggested residents attend a Monday candidates’ night to hear what prospective Council members have to say. Brody added she has not ruled out running for the council in 2026 (she can’t do it sooner because the next election is in March).

“I’m planning to get more involved as the days go on,” she promised.

The showgrounds project next week is set to go before the Equestrian Preserve Committee for the compatibility determination process that may add some requirements to its construction. The EPC last summer unanimously voted against taking land out of the Equestrian Preserve.

Horse sports must deal with social license to operate; thoughts from a USHJA town hall and Europe

by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 30, 2024

A discussion on the threat to horse sport from social license to operate (SLO) drew 200 very concerned people to a U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Town Hall Monday night.

Dozens of commenters pointed out the need for many changes in how equestrians operate in order to obtain political and public acceptance. A second town hall on the subject to explore it further will be held Feb. 19.

The topic is a polarizing one for a lot of people, USHJA President Mary Knowlton pointed out, “because we’re used to doing things the way we’re used to doing things. We are fiercely individual. We do not like anyone to tell us their way is better.”

But that is a dangerous standard in the era of social media and video cameras everywhere.

As Mary pointed out, “We are looking at ourselves from within our sport, where we might not agree with each other, but we sure understand what is going on. The people from the outside who are looking at us, animal rights activists in particular, they don’t understand.”

An equestrian who looks at a horse lying down in the deep pile of shavings in his stall can see that he’s comfortable. But someone from the public, who knows nothing about horses, might say, “My God, that horse is in a prison, it’s behind bars…that horse is trapped,” Mary pointed out.

What can be done about this situation that threatens the sport?

“It’s important we seize control of this topic ourselves and look for great solutions,” said Mary. Otherwise, equestrian competition will be in trouble.

She mentioned the film “Black Fish,” about how orcas were treated at Sea World.

“The public rose up, and suddenly the idea of keeping an orca in captivity was not okay.”

Mary mentioned that there are no longer pony rides in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park after animal rights activists protested what they called, “exploiting the ponies.”

Two years ago, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) protested the use of horses in the series, “The Gilded Age” after one died of natural causes during filming. The organization urged the public to stop watching the show until horses were no longer part of the production.

This month’s U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Horsemastership clinic for juniors and Young Riders got negative publicity because of controversial comments by show jumping clinician Katie Monahan Prudent, who had been a prominent U.S. team rider.  In the wake of an outcry over some of her remarks, including criticism of “animal rights activists who know nothing about training horses,” the USEF is continuing to review the matter.

An SLO example that always comes up in connection with horses is the 2021 Olympic pentathlon in Tokyo, where a coach hit a horse who had refused a jump, as the rider was crying. That was enough to end show jumping in pentathlon after this summer’s Olympics. At the 2028 Olympics, horseswill be replaced by an obstacle course competitors run on foot.

Like all the situations Mary cited, it points out the danger to the future of equestrian sports from SLO.

A new USHJA Blue Ribbon Commission will “look at our sport and make suggestions as to how we can go forward and try to do a better job,” said Mary. The panel is meeting every other week until May, when it will put out its report. Meanwhile, she mentioned, the FEI’s (international equestrian federation) horse welfare work is “a really good start.”

The European Equestrian Federation also is making a concerted effort to get on top of the SLO situation.

Attorney Dominique Torsiello commented during the town hall that “the distinction between animal rights and animal welfare is important.”

Mary explained animal rights is focused on the ethical argument over whether animals should be used by humans in the first place, while animal welfare is focused on the quality of animals’ lives.

Californian Marnye Langer noted the city of Berkeley’s onerous ordinance requiring horses to be turned out 14 hours a day was not passed, due to a technicality.

In that instance, she said “Horse people may have dodged a bullet, but many more are coming.”

That’s why it is so important to find an SLO solution, rather than “having a solution thrust upon us,” as Mary put it, noting equestrians “have to tell our story better.”

Show jumper Candice King remarked that “we have to be aware as clinicians on how we deliver our instruction.”

Mary noted that she and Katie Prudent, among so many others, “came up through a system that embraced that type of military training.”

The cavalry influenced the standard of riding in the U.S. almost until the 1960s, and many of the top trainers of that decade and several of the decades that followed were shaped to some extent by that tradition.

“It’s really hard to acknowledge that maybe we need to say things differently,” suggested Mary.

Even now, “we as a sport are not very open to the idea of science-based decision making. We came up through an apprentice-based system and we’re used to doing it the way our people in the past taught us to do it.” The new equitation science has a lot of really valuable insights, she pointed out.

One of the questions equestrians must ask themselves, Mary said, is not “could I?” but rather “should I?”

Those who think, “What they can’t see won’t hurt,” should remember there are cameras everywhere.

Her suggestions included listening to what people are telling you, take a minute and try to understand what they see. Take time for self-reflection, ask yourself where you can improve and be honest with yourself.

Terri Young expressed concern about equestrians who are “writing off non-horse people’s opinion as `They just don’t know.’ It doesn’t matter if they don’t know.”

As she pointed out. “They are vocal and have the ear of legislators.”

Commenter Molly Scriven stated, “the more we price the general public out of the sport, the more it becomes a treatise on the wealthy. The more people who are able to join and love our sport and their horse partners, the more voices of understanding we can have.”

But there are many issues that need attention in the meantime.

Sue Lyman noted that the Horse and Rider Advocates committee has tried to address several key matters, including longeing, having horses compete in too many classes, the practice of pulling shoes for under saddle classes.

“But what we put forward is always pared down,” she stated.

“I just wish people would be better horsemen.”

A commenter who gave her name only as “Sue Ellen” said that while she has been lobbying for years to stop shoe pulling done for the under saddle classes so the horses move better, such a rule “has been stopped dead in committee in spite of evidence by vets and farriers that the practice is harmful.”

Horses lined up to have their shoes put on after competing in the hack. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)

Suggestions made during the town hall include requesting a drug test when there is reasonable suspicion about a horse. Mary will talk to USEF about that.

There was also a conversation about using the equine grimace scale for judging. Some judges are uncomfortable calling out lame horses, so this one will require “a lot of conversation.”

Bev Bedard, chair of the USHJA’s stewards committee, said that panel started working on the issues Monday and would welcome comments and ideas for discussion and action.

There was, as there always is, talk about whether stewards should be hired by USEF instead of the shows, so they don’t risk not being rehired by management who takes issue with the way they are doing their job.

Veterinarian Mike Tomlinson, who is also involved in governance, said “Right now, the management considers the riders/trainers/owners to be the customers and the officials must be nice to them. If an official calls out a competitor for abuse, the official is currently often labeled `not good’ and not asked back.”

The U.S. is not, of course, the only country taking steps to deal with SOL.

The European Equestrian Federation reported “initial studies have shown the public has concerns about horse welfare and the overall role of the horse in a sport context. The emphasis is on us to change these opinions, consider how we approach our sport and educate the public to develop a stronger reputation for equestrianism.”

At this point, as the EEF noted, the question becomes how to do that. There is a vast number of people who have formed opinions over a range of experiences, “from those competing or spectating at top sport, to those taking their children for a weekly lesson. Finding the right ways to connect to these different groups and tackling the issues they foresee is part of the challenge.”

Europe’s various equestrian federations have looked into the areas where they have influence, to engage fully and “create changes in perception.”

The German federation has come up with a strategy following a 2022 workshop about social license.

The plan to regain society’s trust and secure it long-term is scheduled initially to run until 2026 and will be adapted and developed along the way.

The Germans are planning, among other things, 100 workshops on the topic of social licensing throughout the country.

In terms of additional action, one key component involves access to the sport, with the German federation supporting riding clubs to source and fund suitable horses, particularly for children to engage and learn.

Another is insuring rules and governance are in place to ensure fair sport, with the horse as an equal partner, and to explain and implement the rules better. The federation also will utilize science to inform decision-making and maintain the best conditions for horses.

At the top end of the sport, performance and welfare will be combined with transparency and open access. Another aspect involves communication, connecting athletes and those inside and outside the sport to understand the importance of horses in society.

With studies showing the public has concerns about horse welfare and the overall role of the horse in a sport context, the emphasis is on changing these opinions, considering how to approach the sport and educate the public.

That requires action on horse welfare, environmental sustainability and the issues on which the public has expressed criticism. It also means showing the public that their criticism has been heard. There is a need for research to determine what changes need to be made on horse welfare and environment.

“There must be continuous active listening, to monitor the opinions and acceptance society has. There must be continuous development within the sport so we adjust and change with an evidence-based approach to the issues. And there must be continuous communication, in an open dialogue to build and maintain trust,” according to the EEF.