by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 8, 2024
There was a time when $1 million show jumping grands prix practically abounded—we had the granddaddy of them all at Spruce Meadows, which was worth $3 million (Canadian) in September, while $1 million classes earlier in this century were offered in Ocala, Fla., and Saugerties, N.Y., as well as Thermal,. Calif.
The latter is now the richest grand prix in the U.S., the only one in the country still offering a seven-figure purse. So it’s especially exciting not only because of the prize money, but also because Saturday night’s Coachella Cup Grand Prix at the Desert International Horse Park drew a field of 41 that included some of the sport’s biggest names.
One of those is Ashlee Bond, whose victory was special because she is a hometown girl, a native of California who has competed at the show for years.
Ashlee, who rides on the Israeli team, said she has been sick for a month and was still coughing and sneezing during the awards ceremony, but the illness didn’t affect her performance on Donatello. The longtime partners, who have been together seven years, made short work of the jump-off course, clocking a clear round to finish in 39.33 seconds ahead of the USA’s ever-improving combination of Aaron Vale and Carissimo 25, finishing in 40.48 seconds. Third was Colombia’s Marc Bluman with Ubiluc in 40.91 seconds.
Ashlee Bond with the Coachella Cup and runner-up Aaron Vale (left) and third-place Marc Bluman (right)
Ashlee rode the curves of Olaf Petersen Jr.’s course in slalom style.
“His strengths are his turns,” said Ashlee of her mount, also noting, “since I pulled his shoes off, he’s able to go so much faster.”
Following the Paris Olympics, she wasn’t sure if Donny wanted to jump at the 5-star level anymore.
But leaving him barefoot after the Games was the key to continuing his career in a positive way.
“It’s just made him so much happier. He’s so fresh and sound and his stride’s gotten bigger. I feel like he is reinvigorated and has this happiness to go around and do his job. I’m really grateful, you don’t get these horses much in your lifetime,” said Ashlee.
Donatello and Ashlee on the way to their $1 million victory. (High Desert Sport Photo)
She would have been happy simply being in the Coachella Cup’s top three.
“This is amazing. I’m speechless. I can’t believe this happened,” she said, as she got a bit teary eyed about her “super surreal” achievement.
“It’s such a nice end to our year and a reward for our team and my horse. My little Donny is such a fighter and gives me so much every time. I’m super grateful,” commented Ashlee, who also won the class a decade ago. At that time she noted, however, It wasn’t FEI (international), so with Saturday’s class being a 5-star and attracting a stellar lineup of horses and riders, it means more than her previous victory.
Ashlee Bond and Donatello in the Coachella Cup. (Photo by High Desert Sport Photo)
“I’m just so honored to be here…this is really special it’s been an up-and-down year,” she continued.
“I feel really blessed and give it all to God more than me.”
Aaron Vale praised Carissimo, noting the 11-year-old Holsteiner is, “a wonderful horse. “I’m so close to getting exactly where I want to be, but there’s still a little hunger left. I’ve had a lot of close ones with one down, second place, third place, but what a fun night of jumping. I’m thrilled to be in California. I’ve never shown here, so what an exciting night. Hats off to Ashlee.
Commenting about the showgrounds, Aaron said, “It’s just really impressive.
“You just get a feel that the management and upper staff, they want it to be good; they want you to be happy. The amenities are great. I’ve got to say this is the best VIP I’ve seen. It’s just wonderful. You really feel welcomed. It makes you want to come back.”
Aaron Vale and Carissimo, second in the Cup. (High Desert Sport Photo)
Desert International Horse Park President and CEO Steve Hankin concluded, “When we started five years ago, if you had said this is where we would be right now, I think people would have said you were crazy. We built a nice horse park, and what Aaron said about the feeling here – that we want people here and we want to take care of them and have great time – it means the world to me, because that’s so, so important to us.
“The ultimate goal,” explained Steve, “was to bring great sport to California. It’s desperately needed it. I think we took a pretty big step forward this year in bringing great sport here. It just doesn’t get any better than to have this group of riders here with this class and to have Ashlee win it.”
The class presented by Brown Advisory also marked the individual championship for the 2024 Major League Show Jumping series, with Ireland’s Conor Swail taking the overall title for the season. He finished eighth in the 12-horse tie-breaker with 4 faults on Casturano.
Some riders who seemed to be likely key contenders for the Cup’s big payoff were far from the title. The USA’s Kent Farrington, who rode his young horse, Myla, didn’t make the jump-off after dislodging a rail in the triple combination. Another U.S. star, McLain Ward, downed the first element of the double combination in the tie-breaker with Callas, and knocked the last rail as well to finish eleventh.
In the first round, the time allowed of 83 seconds proved to be tight for five riders who otherwise would have been clean. Seven other competitors retired when they ran into trouble in the first round. But for $1 million, it has to be hard.
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by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 6, 2024
A born horseman whose natural ability made him a legend, Rodney Jenkins was the ultimate winner in the days when he reigned as a dominant force on the grand prix circuit with his most famous mount, the equally talented Idle Dice.
The Red Rider, who had been in deteriorating health, passed away in his sleep at age 80 on Thursday in Glenwood, Md. The loss has been keenly felt around the equestrian community, where he was an idol. Many people remembered sitting ringside watching Rodney school horses as a way to improve their own technique, though who could match him?
The red-head grew up learning to ride by the seat of his pants in Orange, Va., where his father, Enis Jenkins, was a professional horseman. He became a huntsman, then went on to work for Gene Mische, who went on to be the country’s best known horse show organizer.
Rodney’s talent took him to the top of the sport, with victories everywhere from Madison Square Garden to Devon and all the other great shows. His honors included being American Grand Prix Association champion and American Horse Shows Association Horseman of the Year. After hanging up his saddle in 1989, Rodney turned to training racehorses. He was successful at that too, until he retired for good earlier this year. His best season at the track came in 2006, when his horses won $1.8 million.
But he will be most remembered for his ability in the show ring, a standout with the hunters as well as the jumpers. He had a great eye for a fence, and understood what a horse was thinking almost before the horse knew what it was thinking. If you had to sum it up in one word, Rodney was a horseman.
He also was a low-key and kind person.
Retired show jumper Melanie Smith Taylor has an especially warm place in her heart for Rodney, and her mind flashed back to their special connection when she learned of his death.
After the owners of Melanie’s 1984 Olympic gold medal mount, Calypso, went into bankruptcy, they sent the horse to Rodney to be sold. But Rodney dragged his feet and never showed Calypso.
It wasn’t just that the Dutchbred gelding didn’t happen to be Rodney’s type of ride; he knew Calypso had always been Melanie’s horse, and he didn’t want to see such a great athlete demoted to being a junior jumper or some other job unworthy of his record.
Melanie’s fiancée, polo player Lee Taylor, realized the only thing missing from her life was Calypso. So he went to Rodney and said he wanted to buy the great horse and retire him to his Tennessee farm—though he didn’t mention his connection to Melanie.
But she believes “Rodney read between the lines and knew he was coming home to me. Rodney made it happen.”
The horseman felt the brilliant show jumper should quit at the top of his game (the way Rodney himself would eventually end his showing career).
The deal went through, and Melanie was ecstatic when Calypso arrived at Lee’s farm for a long and happy retirement.
Another top show jumper, Bernie Traurig, reminisced about looking up to Rodney as his own career got under way.
He recalled in a social media post that, “As a young professional, Rodney was my mentor. I was a sponge for his education, learning anything I could soak in from his wisdom and ability. As much as possible, I would watch him school, teach at clinics, watch him show, learn how he managed his stable and what he fed his horses,” Bernie recalled.
“I was lucky to even sell him some very nice horses. I begged him to try Idle Dice as a 5-year-old when I was showing him as a hunter, and, well, the rest is history. He was arguably the best horseman and rider of hunters and jumpers in his heyday, and set the bar for us all.”
Show jumper Jimmy Torano compared Rodney to basketball superstar Michael Jordan in terms of the domination of his sport, and noted sadly, “We already missed seeing him at the shows. Now we will really miss him. He is a Legend. The Greatest of all Time.”
In addition to Harry Gill’s thoroughbred, Idle Dice, who won everything, from multiple victories in the American Gold Cup to the President’s Cup (four times), Rodney’s many show jumping partners included Number One Spy, also owned by Gill; The Natural, the first jumper to sell for $1 million, American Invitational winner Third Man and Czar, on whom he earned double silver at the 1987 Pan American Games.
Rodney missed the Olympics at the height of his career because only amateurs could compete in the Games and Pan Ams during that period. As a professional, he was ineligible until the rules were loosened and he was able to compete at the Pan Ams.
Rodney Jenkins, right, with 1987 Pan Am Games silver medal team members Greg Best, Katherine Burdsall and Lisa Jacquin (Karl Leck Photo)
A member of the Show Jumping and National Show Hunter Halls of Fame, he was also inducted into the Washington International Horse Show Hall of Fame when I caught up with him a few years ago. He reminisced about the days when he was riding, adding he hadn’t been on a horse since 2008. He still judged some shows–who could argue with his eye for a horse?
“I really miss the competition,” he admitted in his soft southern drawl
“I enjoyed showing, and when I didn’t, I quit. The horse show glitter is wonderful, but I see it’s going on great without me. They have some wonderful riders out there.”
Rodney Jenkins and Idle Dice.
He told me he would look at show jumping on TV (no doubt while smoking his pipe), saying, “I love to watch a good horse jump, and there seems to be a lot of them.”
He was devoted to his wife of 26 years, Un Jin Jenkins, who rode in the 1988 Olympics representing South Korea and is now a prolific painter. The couple lived in Maryland with their two sons, Matthew and Ty. Rodney described them as “all-American boys” who participated in sports, but not riding.
Rodney, who also had three children from a previous marriage, Blythe, Robert and race horse trainer Patrick Jenkins, enjoyed staying in one place instead of constantly being on the move as in his horse show days.
“It’s the best time of my life,” he said with a smile. “God is good to me.”
A memorial service will be held at noon Jan. 7 at Tycoons in the Laurel Park clubhouse in Maryland.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 5, 2024
Charlotte Dujardin, the former dressage heroine, was penalized Thursday by the FEI with a year’s suspension for a horse-whipping incident captured on video and publicized just before the Paris Olympics, when it gained worldwide attention and notoriety.
Britain’s multi-medalist from three other Olympics had voluntarily suspended herself in July after revelation of the video, ending her nation’s possibility of a team gold medal at the Games. She and Imhotep were replaced on the squad by newcomer Becky Moody with Jagerbomb. The team wound up with the bronze, keeping Britain from a sweep of all three equestrian team gold medals, as it won both the eventing and show jumping titles. Dujardin’s mount, Imhotep, had been regularly scoring over 80 percent in the Grand Prix and the Special used for awarding team medals at the Games.
Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep.
After an investigation into Dujardin’s case, the FEI initiated formal disciplinary proceedings, citing three charges: abuse of horse, conduct that brings the FEI and/or equestrian sport and the FEI into disrepute, and breach of the FEI Code of Conduct on the Welfare of the Horse.
The gravity of the offense was balanced by the FEI with “relevant mitigating circumstances,” which included Dujardin’s prior clean disciplinary record and her voluntary withdrawal from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The FEI imposed a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs (U.S. $11,341) and is giving her credit for time served. That means her suspension will end July 23, but it is uncertain what the future holds for her in the sport. Until the end of the suspension, she is prohibited from participating in all activities related to competitions or events under the jurisdiction of the FEI or her national federation.
Meanwhile, she announced on Thursday she is pregnant with her second child, who is expected in February.
The video that came out on social media showed Dujardin aggressively hitting her student’s cantering horse with a longe whip, prompting the animal to kick out several times. The video was taken during a lesson at a private stable and made public for an anonymous client by a Dutch attorney.
Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep at the 2023 European Championships, where they won individual bronze.
“What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils, however there is no excuse,” Dujardin stated on social media in the wake of the video.
“I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment,” she said.
“I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down, including Team GB, fans and sponsors.”
Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro at the 2012 London Games, where they were double gold and led Britain to its first ever Olympic dressage medal.
On Thursday, she posted a message on Facebook saying, “I fully respect the verdict issued by the Federation for
Equestrian Sports (FEI), released today. As the federation has recognized, my actions in the video do not reflect who I am and I can only apologize again. I understand the responsibility that comes with my position in the sport, and I will forever aim to do better.
“This has undoubtedly been one of the darkest and most difficult periods of my life, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me during this time. To those of you who have sent messages, emails and tried to reach me to check in on how l am – thank you. Every kind word truly has made a difference, more than you’ll ever know.
“What I was unable to share at the time is that I am currently pregnant, with my baby due in February. This was planned well before the Olympics and something my partner, Dean, and I have been excited about for a long time.
At the moment, the energy I have is focused on Dean and our daughter Isabella, and we are all very much looking forward to the arrival of our new family member.”
Dujardin’s scandal came as horse sport has been focusing on “social license to operate” and seeking the acceptance of the public with an image that emphasizes equine welfare.
FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “It is regrettable that this case has put our sport in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, especially during a critical time leading up to the Olympic Games.”
She added, “These significant sanctions send a clear message that anyone, regardless of their profile, who engages in conduct that compromises the welfare of the horse will face serious consequences. We believe this outcome reaffirms the FEI’s commitment to equine welfare and to its role as guardian of our equine partners.”
Meanwhile, the FEI has other cases pending that involve allegations of abuse. They include dressage rider Cesar Parra and eventer Andrw McConnon.
Jim Eyre, chief executive of British Equestrian commented about Dujardin’s matter; “We are confident that this has been a thorough disciplinary process and thank those involved for their professional approach.
“The welfare and ethical treatment of horses has always been a priority and no one involved in our sport should be in any doubt that we expect the highest standards at all times. We will continue to work with our member bodies tirelessly to uphold the integrity of our sports through enforcement, education, and advancement in our knowledge.”
Jason Brautigam, chief executive of British Dressage, stated: “We stand united with the FEI in taking a zero-tolerance approach to any breaches of our equine welfare policies – and this case has proved that these disciplinary processes work, regardless of the status of the individual concerned.
“We launched the Charter for the Horse last year and remain totally committed to upholding these standards. Working closely with our colleagues across the Federation, we will continue to collectively put the health, care and wellbeing of the horse at the heart of everything we do, and proactively demonstrate that equestrian sport is conducted in an ethical and responsible way.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 28, 2024
It takes more than a little rain to put a damper on a custom that goes back decades.
A field of 20-plus riders braved the showers to ride their beautifully turned-out horses at the Essex Fox Hounds Thanksgiving Meet in Peapack, N.J.
“Rain, snow; we’re out,” said Lynn Jones, one of the four masters of foxhounds who serve Essex.
“This is a tradition that goes back 134 years, and we wouldn’t break tradition for a little rain. It doesn’t bother the hounds or the horses one bit.”
Essex Fox Hounds Joint Master Lynn Jones introduces her horse to a young visitor at the Thanksgiving meet. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
She wore a “hand-me-down” black Melton wool coat, difficult to find these days, but generally impervious to inclement weather unless it’s of the natural disaster variety. There was only one raincoat among the riders. Dee Osborne decided to go that route, but she wore a Barbour, with a British sporting pedigree that made it perfectly acceptable.
A hardy group of spectators also was undeterred by ominous weather predictions for an occasion that many have celebrated over the years at the picturesque Ellistan estate.
Essex huntsman Bart Poole lead the way at the Thanksgiving hunt. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“We love it. We love gathering. We love seeing our friends every year. We like to see the horses,” said Susan McDowell-Harvey of nearby Bernardsville.
Scott, Scott, Susan and Jack McDowell-Harvey ward off the rain with mimosas. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“And it’s always nice to get out of the house,” added her son, Jack.
Susan and her husband, Scott, began coming for the meet in the days when daughter Sarah McDowell (who now lives in London) rode with Essex. As usual, the family was enjoying mimosas and oysters Rockefeller.
The menu for Linda and John Quinn of New Hope, Pa., who were parked down the row, included freshly made Irish coffee, topped with whipped cream.
John is a native of Ireland, so to him the conditions probably were like what his compatriots call a “soft” day, a cross between a mist and a drizzle, though this version was a little more assertive.
“We’ve come every year since our children were three and five years old, and now they’re in their mid-30s. It was always our tradition to come, and we see people we don’t normally see all the time,” Linda said.
Linda and John Quinn with an artful Irish coffee. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Some folks did look at the weather and decide to duck out. Suzann Johnson and her husband, Art Gertel, of Readington N.J., invited 10 people to the tailgate brunch they have staged for 30 years, but just one showed up. The conditions certainly didn’t deter an accomplished carriage driver, however.
“I compete in this kind of stuff,” explained Suzann, who was the Leading Lady Whip at the Orleton Farm Driving Competition in Massachusetts during August, when a hurricane was bearing down on that area.
Matt Tierney of Ramsey, N.J., was visiting his father, John, in Peapack and decided to bring his three children, ages 5, 3 and 1 to the meet. “I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “It was very special, very fun.” His kids really got into it.
“By the time the horses and hounds started going out of the gate and up the road, they expected to be able to follow them,” he reported. “So in the car we had some tears” when the vehicle went in the opposite direction from the animals..
Sally Ike, who chairs the Essex hunt committee, noted the rain was a bit inconvenient, but emphasized it is a badly needed blessing during the drought. She mentioned how important the hunt is for land conservation and thanked the landowners who allow the hunt to cross their property.
The chilly edge was taken off for riders and spectators alike by hot toddies courtesy of Ellistan’s owners, Hank and Sarah Slack (she is another of the Essex joint masters).
Ellistan estate manager Michael Webb.( Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
These stirrup cups are as traditional as everything else.
Ellistan estate manager Michael Webb doesn’t change the recipe from year to year. It consists of brandy, rum, sherry, “our apple cider that we make here and some of the honey we produce as well,” in addition to orange and lemon juice.“That’s it. Bring it to the boil and put it in a cup.”
Rain? What rain?
Essex honorary secretary Ruth Beesch and Dee Osborne in her Barbour rain jacket. ( Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
The Johnson family, which enjoys strong connections with the hunt (Jazz Johnson is also a joint master of Essex) had seven cousins riding. Christy Johnson Moynihan said her two sons, Rowan and Joe, took riding lessons for a month to up their game (they had only ridden as kids) so they could participate on Thanksgiving.
I, too, am a veteran of many years at the Thanksgiving meet, having written about it since Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis put it on the map in the days when she hunted with Essex and often brought her son, John.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis from the days when she rode with Essex. That’s her son, John, to her right in front of the house. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
While that’s how what otherwise would have been a routine holiday gathering of a local group became big news, once people came to see her, they kept coming, even after she rode off into history.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 26, 2024
Olympic eventing multi-medalist Phllip Dutton put his concerns about the dangers of his sport on social media, and they are worth sharing.
He stated: “With the 2024 eventing season coming to a close, I feel it has been a great year for our sport in many respects with some incredible performances at the CCI5*s throughout the world and with the showcasing of the sport at the Paris Olympics.
“The downside and tragic events of the year were two high-profile riders having cross-country falls. Namely, the death of Georgie Campbell and the life-changing accident of Liz Halliday at the AEC (American Eventing Championships) competition in Lexington, Ky.” (Liz suffered a traumatic brain injury when her horse fell with with her on cross-country. She is being treated at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago.)
“Our sport has come a long way in regard to safety and horse welfare. Frangible pins have definitely prevented falls, and in doing so, have prevented major injuries to both horse and rider — and probably, in some cases, death. Course design and construction have also played an important part as well. It is in everyone’s best interest to embrace this new technology to further improve the safety of the sport.
“Both Georgie and Liz’s falls were at jumps without frangible pins. It is probably not practical yet to have every fence frangible, but as riders, we should be encouraging organizers and designers to aim for this. Other sports more dangerous than ours have made huge leaps in the safety area – Formula One and the NFL come to mind. Having the old adage that horses won’t learn if the fences come down is rubbish! If a horse needs to run into a solid fence to back off, you probably shouldn’t be riding him.
“On the other side of safety, riders have to make sure they have the right skills and their horses the right education before setting out on course. Aggressive riding definitely plays a part in keeping a horse confident on cross country. More importantly though, is being able to approach each cross-country jump with the required speed, line and take off distance on a forward-thinking horse. After watching some of the long-format events lately, it’s clear to me that many riders lack those skills and instead are relying just on speed and aggression and having a brave, genuine horse.
“As riders, we have to make split-second decisions, and it is not always going to be the right decision. That is sport and life. However, embracing improvements to jump design, frangible devices in future courses and riders who have a good grasp, understanding and the skills needed to ride safely at each jump will hopefully keep a bright future for our sport.”
Meanwhile,the U.S. Eventing Association Foundation is working to add more frangible devices to cross-country fences. It’s an ongoing process; the foundation pointed out it was less than 10 years ago that the first MIM-clipped fence was used at a British event. And now they are proliferating.
The Foundation has been instrumental in getting frangible fence kits into the hands of course builders across the U.S. And the technology continues to evolve with new approval of MIMS clips for Trakehners recently announced.The frangible technology programs have increased due to large donations from key eventing supporters, but they have also been made possible by the many smaller donations received from riders, trainers, and other horse lovers in the sport. The Foundation needs help to continue sharing of the technology and to support safety efforts in eventing. The organization is asking for donations toward that goal.
Click here to connect with the Foundation and find out more.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 25, 2024
The former majority owners of Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, Mark Bellissimo, Marsha Dammerman, Lisa Lourie and Roger Smith issued a statement saying their new entity, WI FL Acquisition, LLC completed the purchase of Wellington International from Global Equestrian Group. They confirmed former USEF President Murray Kessler will be chief executive officer of the new Wellington International facility. The venue was known as PBIEC prior to GEG’s purchase and renaming of the showgrounds.
“We are grateful to have Wellington International back into a local and long-term ownership group, committed to ensuring the showgrounds thrive for years to come. All disciplines will continue to have a home here in Wellington including show jumping, hunters and dressage,” stated Bellissimo.
“These sports, along with polo, define this community and firmly establish Wellington as the premier equestrian destination in the world. We look forward to investing in the showgrounds and working with (Wellington International President) Michael Stone and the leadership team going forward. Special thanks to City National Bank CEO Jorge Gonzalez and Market Executive David Albright for stepping up in support of the transaction in such a short time frame and continuing our great partnership.”
Saying he welcomes the opportunity to work with the Wellington International team, Kessler noted his objective is to “capitalize on this remarkable growth opportunity for Wellington. While our investment plan is a multi-year journey, I’m pleased to share that we are already making some meaningful enhancements to improve the experience and infrastructure for the horses, athletes, partners and spectators for this coming season.”
WEF is the largest and longest-running equestrian competition series in the world,”hosting 42 weeks of competition annually across the equestrian disciplines of show jumping, hunters, dressage and para-dressage and welcoming over 350,000 spectators, 15,000 horses and 7,500 competitors. In 2024, WEF contributed more than $400 million in economic impact to Palm Beach County.”
Stone commented, “With the sale process complete, we can now turn to what we do best – focusing on the shows, the horses, the riders and the equestrian season here in Wellington with a renewed purpose and committed ownership group.
“Wellington International Horse Show is the anchor of the Wellington community. When it is strong, our community is strong,” commented Kessler.
“We are ready to turn our attention and resources to ensure that Wellington International remains the premier horse sports destination in the world.”
