by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 28, 2023
The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s most recent Town Hall webinar was a “Recognized Riding Academy-inspired” program, geared to addressing the concerns of the grassroots.
Previous Town Halls have dealt with such first-world equestrian issues as increasing prize money or how many shows can be entered to accumulate points for year-end championships.
But those at the entry and lower levels are “super-important” for the future of the sport in terms of its stability and growth, as USHJA President Mary Knowlton noted in this week’s session.
A key issue with those groups is cost; not only the cost of showing, but the cost of lessons or even just having the chance to ride.
One of the 37 people who participated in the forum was Shasta Parry, a show organizer from Utah. She noted, “it’s an expensive sport. It is inaccessible to far too many. I hate it, but I’m not sure how to fix it for everyone.”
So she says, “I’m doing what I can to bridge the gap, and cheering others on to do the same.”
If managers want to offer Outreach, Shasta suggested, “put together a schooling show.”
But even such smaller shows are expensive because of everything involved in putting them on; not just the obvious items like jumps, prizes and judges (though you don’t have to use licensed judges), but also behind-the-scenes expenses, such as manure removal or paying for EMTs.
Mary believes the introductory Outreach shows are “the biggest thing that helps,” and says Outreach Festivals “have to be low-cost, we really do police that.”
Jess Boppe commented that while there are local shows where riders can “get their feet wet with showing,” the costs pile up fast as they move on to rated shows. She pointed out membership and registration for riders and horses can amount to $200, and then there are the fees at the shows themselves. Jess wondered if the governing bodies might look at doing away with “some of these fees that are really adding up for horse owners and riders.”
Allie Zorn suggested “maybe a push for more transparency regarding how fees are utilized,” would help people understand what use is made of their money by shows and equestrian organizations.
She suggested it would be “a little easier for parents coming in (to showing) to know how their money is being spent.”
Other topics that came up during the Town Hall included being mindful of how to deal with riders who might be too heavy for a stable’s horses. It can be hard to estimate a rider’s weight, so one idea was to list weight ranges (rather than specific weights) that riders can check so instructors can make appropriate rider/horse pairings. It also would not be as embarrassing as asking for a specific figure for a rider’s weight.
(Horse & Hound reported this week that 12 people were asked to dismount at the Royal Three Counties Show in Britain because they were too big for the ponies they were riding. There is talk that a weight limit might be brought in next year.)
There was a discussion of dealing with temperatures and humidity when making a decision as to whether to ride or show. When the combination is over 150 degrees “it starts to get dangerous,” said Stephanie Cook, noting 160 is very dangerous. She pointed out it is not kind to put horses into “those metal boxes” after they have shown all day in high heat, thus subjecting the animal to a long ride in a hot vehicle (while you drive your air conditioned truck). She suggests waiting until things cool down in the evening, or perhaps staying an extra night before heading home.
The subject of jackets in the heat also drew comments. Even though jackets may be waived, there are some instances in which riders will insist on wearing them because they think they have a better “look” in that attire.
Leslie Terry said in the extreme heat and humidity of South Florida, “I see kids all the time passing out.”
She suggested a rule that would ban jackets when the heat index reaches a certain point.
Participants offered some interesting ideas when asked how to handle having riders of varying abilities riding together in the same ring, perhaps indoors in inclement weather. One suggestion was to have them proceed one behind the other, playing a sort of game where the last rider might be asked to move to the front of the line in an extended trot, while another might move up in a sitting trot or another gait.
Kay Altheuser mentioned having one person get in the center of the ring act as the instructor for five minutes, then switching off with another rider.
Cory Kieschnick noted pole exercises work, because they can run the gamut from rails on the ground to cross-rails and little fences.
It’s interesting what people can come up with when they have a forum like the Town Halls where they feel free to talk and exchange ideas that can improve the experience for everyone.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 21, 2023
Air vests, once most commonly associated with eventers, have gotten more popular with hunter/ jumper riders over the last few years.
While it may seem like a good safety measure to wear one, the truth is that there hasn’t been sufficient research to determine how much protection they offer and set safety standards for their use.
Eventers are required to wear hard body protectors under their air vests on cross-country. There already are safety standards in place for body protectors.
Hunter/jumper riders just wear the air vests, which unlike the body protectors, do not change their body profile–a look that is important to them. The vests fit nicely over a regular show coat and are attached to the saddle via an unobtrusive lanyard. When the rider parts company with a horse, the lanyard detaches and activates the vest’s trigger mechanism, releasing Co2 to inflate the vest before the body hits the ground.
But there’s a great deal that isn’t known about the effectiveness of air vests operating on their own, without body protectors beneath them.
There’s a lot to take into consideration when calculating the protective value of air vests for riders.
The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association is launching an extensive program of testing the air vests at Virginia Tech, which previously came up with the star rating program for evaluating helmet safety. USHJA has pledged $100,000 toward the research, which will cost a total of $825,000 and cannot begin until $450,000 is raised. Those who wish to contribute can go to this link.
On Tuesday night, USHJA presented an informational webinar with Drs. Stefan Duma and Barry Miller from Virginia Tech. It was hosted by Joe Dotoli, the USHJA’s safety committee chairman.
There are a lot of questions to be answered, from the extent of the thoracic protection offered by the vests, with and without body protectors, as to whether they also may help prevent some head injuries.
One problem mentioned is the prospect that if someone falls from their horse and the vest doesn’t deploy, the Co2 canister used to inflate the vest could prove a danger to the rider’s ribs.
Another downside is the concern that the popping sound of the vest being deployed could spook a rider’s horse or other horses in the vicinity. Companies that make vests are working on making the noise go away, but achieving it “will be a challenge.” The vests started as protection for motorcycle riders, Joe pointed out, and the cycles (of course) didn’t care about a popping noise.
Listeners to the webinar wondered whether wearing an air vest could become a rule, the way helmets did at the beginning of this century. But Joe noted at that time, the U.S. Equestrian Federation “had a good standard from ASTM (The American Society for Testing and Materials) on the helmets.”
Air vests (the black garment over the red coat) are gaining popularity with hunter/jumper riders, despite the fact that more information about their effectiveness is needed. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
To find a standard for the vests, “we don’t know until we do the science,” he explained. The study is expected to take two years after it gets under way. The sooner the money is raised, the sooner that will happen.
One of the goals of the work is to “test and rate the biomechanical performance of equestrian chest protection systems.”
Once manufacturers have information from the study, “they can design vests around the research,” Joe said.
The researchers would like to get any videos that might help them in their work. If you have something like that, send it to bmiller21@vt.edu .
A concern expressed during the webinar is whether the vest can protect someone whose horse falls on top of them. It requires a body protector for an effort to reduce the severity of crush injuries, though it is not always effective against such a traumatic accident.
Joe noted that “eventing falls have been so devastating with rotational falls.” He explained that type of fall doesn’t tend to happen in hunter/jumper competition because of breakaway cups and rails that tumble easily in those classes, while eventing involves many more solid obstacles cross-country.
USHJA webinars have aired on a number of topics. Next up on Monday June 26 at 7 p.m. is a Town Hall on the grassroots of the industry.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 2, 2023
McLain Ward, who was hoping to be only the second person to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, had two of the first three fences down today in the Rolex Grand Prix at the Aachen horse show in Germany and retired from the class.
McLain Ward retired from the Rolex Grand Prix after two fences down in the first three at Aachen.
He was aboard HH Azur, on whom he won the first two legs of the Grand Slam in Geneva and at the Dutch Masters. But with no chance of making the cut to be in the top 18 for the second round this afternoon, there wasn’t any point in continuing in the class with the mare who had given him so much over the years.
Obviously, he was disappointed.
“You certainly come with high hopes,” he pointed out.
A victory would have meant 1,500,000 Euros, a combination of the prize money an a bonus that has been won just once before, in 2015 by British rider Scott Brash. But even more important, it would have captured his “white whale,” a victory that has eluded him in this most prestigious of grands prix.
It seemed HH Azur, at 17, just wasn’t up to the challenge at this point in her life.
“We really thought she was going to retire a couple of years ago. She’s had this kind of rebirth the last 18 months. It has been just this incredible ride,” he mused.
“I knew it was going to come to an end somewhere, and maybe I didn’t just quite believe enough today.”
He added, “I knew we were kind of on the last gasp and she always just seems to be able to pull something magical out. I probably didn’t ride her also 100 percent like I believed she had all the energy to do it. It’s disappointing, but I don’t think it takes away anything from her incredible career and what a partner she’s been.”
What’s next? He’s thinking about the Paris Olympics next year.
“You move forward. We have some exciting young horses coming up.”
Meanwhile, he’s grateful for his partnership with the mare, whom he fondly calls Annie.
“I said to my daughter when she was crying today, we’re only the second person that’s ever been in this position and we’ll continue to fight on and be proud of the work we’ve done,” McLain noted.
Now the mare is ready for the next stage of her life.
McLain and HH Azur on their way to the World Cup title in 2017. (Photo © 2017 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I think Annie means a lot to the entire equestrian community, the fans of show jumping and particularly the U.S. She really is a queen. We’re all very grateful to be in Annie’s life and she’s going to have a wonderful retirement and probably a few more babies,” McLain concluded.
Later in the day, McLain wrote this letter to Annie and put it on his Facebook page:
I knew this day would come, but somehow you always were able to reach deep inside and achieve greatness time and time again.
We all know there comes a time when your mind and body disagree but it is still hard to let go. You have given all of us so much but it’s time to say goodbye to our sport and retire in good health.
I knew from our beginning you were better than me and that it would take every bit of my ability to not let you down. Your wings carried all of us whose lives you have touched on an incredible journey that is the epitome of why we seek such lofty goals and pursue them with such passion.
You are the very definition of a queen. It was a privilege to have been the one to ride on your wings, to be your partner and to be part of your life.
A special thank you to Lee, Erica, Virginie, Kirstie, the Mathy family, the Harrison family and all of our incredible team. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in Annie and my journey. Without each and every one of you, the story we’ve written would not have been possible. I’m forever grateful for your contributions and I have no doubt Annie has touched your life in a positive way as she has everyone’s.
Happy retirement, my Queen.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 2, 2023
The Paris theme of TSF Dalera BB’s freestyle music made its usual memorable impression today at Aachen, as Jessica von Bredow-Werndl completed her sweep of the Grand Prix dressage competition.
After her final salute, Jessica hugged her mare’s neck as the fans stood and cheered. In turn, she waved, and wiped away tears.
“I was very emotional, as everyone could see,” pointed out the German Olympic gold medalist and FEI World Cup Finals champion.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB.
“It is because of this incredible mare. She leaves her heart in there for me. It is the arena that affects me, it such a pleasure to perform there and she always listens to me. Yesterday, I had big mistakes because I made the wrong decisions.
“Today I didn’t take any wrong decisions, so we had no mistakes, because she just listens to me,” she said.
Jessica and the Trakehner mare were rewarded with a score of 90.820, which may well go higher if she does the same music-appropriate performance at the Paris Olympics next year.
Second place went to Nanna Skodborg Merrald of Denmark with Blue Hors Zepter her World Cup runner-up (to Dalera). The judges awarded 88.730 percent for the combination’s best-ever freestyle result to-date. Aachen was only the pair’s fourth competition together.
Like Dalera, Nanna said, Zepter is a horse that has “a big heart and always want to fight for you. I now just have to figure out how much I can ask of him and what is too much. I actually found some new buttons here in Aachen. No, I don’t think we have reached the limit in his potential yet.“
Third place went to a rider from Aachen’s partner country, Great Britain. That was Charlotte Dujardin with Imhotep. She once set a world record to the Freestyle she performed today. That was with the legendary Valegro, whose horseshoe decorates the Walk of Fame in Aachen. Her new star is nick-named Pete, and at least as younger horse he was so wild that Dujardin and her trainer, Carl Hester, decided it would be best for him to live outside 24 hours a day.
“He bucked everyone off,” revealed Charlotte. He is no longer quite as wild, but still is on grass with a friend around the clock when he is at home.
His score of 88.415 percent is a new personal record for him, and it seems inevitable that the numbers will go up.
“Pete is a very young, inexperienced horse, so I am delighted with the result. But there is more to come,” Charlotte vowed.
Fifteen riders qualified for the freestyle, but no U.S. riders were among them.
Click here for the dressage results.
Four-in-hand driving also wrapped up today. As usual, Boyd Exell of Australia, world number one, was the winner.
For the individual driving results, click here. For the team driving results, click this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 2, 2023
The final day of the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival is always emotional, ending with the aufwiedersehen tradition of the crowd and competitors waving goodbye as white handkerchiefs flutter everywhere in the stadium to the accompaniment of the German folk song, Muss i Denn.
But the competition that wrapped up this afternoon seemed even more poignant than usual in terms of the high passion synonymous with one of the world’s great horse shows.
There was a lot to take in, from Rolex Grand Prix winner Marcus Ehning of Germany weeping following his victory, to dressage champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl’s tears after taking the freestyle and the disappointment (well-handled) of McLain Ward losing his chance at the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping (Read the details in the On the Rail section of this website.)
And then Ludger Beerbaum spontaneously grabbed a microphone and announced that he is retiring from show jumping.
As he looks ahead to his 60th birthday next month, the 1992 Olympic individual gold medalist explained, “Now is the time to make room for the younger generation. It is a pleasure for me to take this step at the most beautiful tournament in the world, which is not easy for me.” Or for the 45,000 in the grandstand, either, as tears came to their eyes while the German superstar rode his last lap of honor in what to him (and many others) is a sacred place.
Today’s victory on Stargold was the third for Marcus in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen; he also won in 2006 and 2018.
The class was a marathon, with 40 starters (all of whom had to qualify in order to compete) riding over an appropriately challenging Frank Rothenberger-designed course in the vast stadium, complete with its lake, hedges and ditches.
Frank conceded, “Sometimes designing the course can be difficult, because the arena is so big, so we have to make sure we include some technical combinations and lines instead of just related distances. I think the best courses use a mixture of modern course designing with a bit of everything.”
Marcus Ehning and Stargold in the vastness of the Aachen stadium–talk about atmosphere.
The original group was whittled down to the top 18 for a second round (although only 17 went because the 18th qualified, Laura Kraut of the USA, withdrew Baloutinue after he over-reached and grabbed himself in the first round.)
From the group of 17 that went over another course, five were tied on zero penalties to jump off over yet a different route. Four of them were past winners of the grand prix.
The only one in the group who hadn’t won the grand prix, Mexico’s Eugenio Garza Perez, had a rail at the Mercedes oxer with the lovely grey, Contango. They would finish fifth, but Eugenio earned the award for being the most stylish jumper rider at the show.
Next up was Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, who had been Olympic and world championships individual gold medalist, as well as a three-time winner of the FEI World Cup Finals. His mount, Major Tom, was really trying, but knocked a pole at the Grand Slam fence. His time of 47.08 was better than Garza’s 48.77, however, so he moved ahead in the placings.
Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt, the 2016 winner who was third to go, also had a rail at the Mercedes fence with his 9-year-old Zineday, the youngest horse in the class. But his time of 43.36 (which would be the fastest of the tiebreaker) insured that at least there would be a German winner.
The 2021 winner, Daniel Deusser, produced the first triple clear of the day on the horse who has the coolest name, Killer Queen VDM. He also left the jumps intact, but his time of 45.73 was eminently beatable, as illustrated by Philipp’s clocking.
So Marcus did exactly that, bringing Stargold through the finish line 0.61 seconds faster than Daniel.
Stargold made a statement after his victory.
“I tried to put a bit of pressure on Marcus,” said Daniel.
“I have mixed feelings; of course I would like to be standing on the winning podium, but even if I had ridden a second faster, Marcus would probably have done the same.“
Philipp blamed himself for his dropped rail, but pointed out “No one else had such a young horse. So, sitting here on the podium next to these two guys with their experienced championship horses is a great result.”
Speaking of his win, a delighted Marcus stated: “I was the last to go in the jump-off, and he was incredible. I couldn’t really watch the horses before me, but I know he is such a fast horse – I didn’t want to take too many risks and in the end, it all worked out.”
The crowd was behind him, he noted, saying, “I could feel their energy and I wanted to give them something back. So long as I rode well, I thought my horse could do it – I was slightly lucky in the second round, but without luck, you can’t win. Today was my day.”
Marcus Ehning and Stargold triumphant. (Photo by Tiffany van Halle)
Overjoyed and overcome, Marcus said, “It is absolutely amazing, my horse is a superstar and I really believe in him. I was the last to go in the jump-off, and he was incredible. I couldn’t really watch the horses before me, but I know he is such a fast horse.”
At the same time, he added, he was a bit cautious, explaining, “I didn’t want to take too many risks, and in the end, it all worked out.”
When it did, he took off his helmet, waved it around and then buried his face in the neck of his 11-year-old Oldenburg stallion by Stakkato Gold.
Marcus Ehning, overcome by emotion buries his head in Stargold’s neck.
Marcus emphasized, “Stargold is incredible, not many people believed in him, but last year at the FEI World Championships he showed how class he is. He is a very clever horse, and I am so proud of him and very thankful to his owners” (Elmrock BV).
Now Marcus is embarking on his own Grand Slam crusade. The Grand Slam prize goes to a rider who wins three of the events in the series, with Spruce Meadows in Canada the next up.
Before the white handkerchiefs came out, each nation competing at Aachen sent its riders into the arena for a farewell, passing between the stands and a line-up of Great Britain’s Household Cavalry. Workers were kept busy raising and lowering the appropriate flags as the anthem of each nation played.
Britain was Aachen’s partner this year. Annually, the show picks a country to be saluted. It’s the turn of the U.S.in 2024, but I ask you: What do we have that can match the pomp of the British Household Cavalry? Not only are the members of that group resplendent in their beplumed helmets and gold braid, but they also have swords and lances — and know how to use them. One demonstrated by galloping his horse past a hanging watermelon and slashing it in half with his saber. The other demonstrated tent-pegging (a former FEI discipline not practiced in many parts of the world) by taking his lance and sticking it through a peg and pulling it out of the ground (at a full gallop, of course).
You have 12 months, USA. Figure out how we can show off to that wonderful crowd at Aachen.
For the Rolex Grand Prix results, click here.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 1, 2023
“Thank you, beautiful Dalera,” is the way Jessica von Bredow-Werndl expressed her gratitude to TSF Dalera BB after winning the dressage Grand Prix at Aachen on Thursday, and she had the chance to say it again today, after another victory, this one in the Grand Prix Special.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera. (Photo courtesy CHIO Aachen)
It was her 10th triumph in a row since November 2022, with time off between January and the FEI World Cup final in April while she was on maternity leave.
There were a few bobbles this morning; the marks of 6 she got in the collected walk transition into the piaffe, and uncharacteristic 4’s and 5’s for a miss in the flying changes between the canter pirouettes.
“It’s not so easy when you try to be so light in the aids,” said the Olympic champion.
“I made two wrong decisions which ended up in two big mistakes,” explained Jessica.
“In the transition from the collected walk to the piaffe, I collected Dalera too much into transition to the piaffe. And with the one-tempis on the center line, I waited too long.” The rider from Bavaria said both mistakes were her fault: “Dalera was amazing; I wasn’t,” she emphasized.
The very refined Dalera, a 16-year-old Trakehner by Easy Game, made up for the mishaps stepping as lightly as if she were dancing on a cloud.
As expected, Jessica’s score of 81.021 led the way to a German team victory (458.285). Denmark (460.097) was second despite the best efforts of Great Britain’s Charlottes, Dujardin and (Lottie) Fry, who were the pillars of the third-place British team (459.756).
Charlotte Dujardin is still getting to know Imhotep.
Charlotte Dujardin and Imhotep. (Photo courtesy CHIO Aachen)
“He is making such good progress as the moment and is gaining more and more strength and expression,” she explained about the Dutch warmblood, marked at 80.787.
World Champion Lottie, riding her Olympic mount, the Dutchbred Everdale, rather than her world’s mount, Glamourdale, finished fourth with a score of 79.574. Maybe we’ll see Glamourdale face off with Dalera at the European Championships this summer.
Third place went to the best Danish pair, Nanna Skodborg Merrald, with the Oldenburg-bred gelding, Zepter by Zack with a score of 80.340 percent.
The horse was schooled by Daniel Bachmann Andersen. When Daniel left the Blue Hors Stud, Zepter was intended as a schoolmaster for a young rider, but he also left. So Nanna, took over the gelding; together they were second at the FEI World Cup finals in Omaha.
Click here for individual results, and on this link for team results.
Aachen didn’t go well for the U.S. team, which finished last of eight nations. Chalk it up to a learning experience.
“There are certainly things we will take away from this competition and look at moving forward as a program,” said U.S. technical advisor Debbie McDonald.
“It wasn’t the result or marks we wanted coming into this competition, but each of these combinations knew the areas of improvement that need focus in their training and have clear takeaways after this week, so they can come back better and stronger.”
Bright notes for U.S. dressage came in non-team classes. Today, Christian Simonson finished out his Young Rider career with a third place on Son of a Lady in the freestyle, earning 75.660 percent. The other American in the class, Erin Nichols, finished 10th on Elian Royale (72.235).
Christian was ninth with a 70.177 percent on Zeaball Diawind in the Intermediate I. He acquitted himself well among big-time competition.Olympic multi-medalist Charlotte Dujardin won with the promising Times Kismet (78.294), while German Frederic Wandres had an impressive performance with Quizmaster FRH (75.441).
Adrienne Lyle, an Olympic medalist who is a protege of Debbie’s, trained Christian remotely because she is six months pregnant and couldn’t make the trip to Germany.
The music Christian used for his freestyle was what he rode to with his first Young Rider horse. It’s a full circle kind of thing, he noted, calling it “a good farewell for my Young Rider career.”
With Zeaball, “it was more a real weekend of experience, getting my growing pains out of the way. It was just `give me a lot of time in the ring in Aachen,’ which is something I hope will pay dividends…years from now.”
In the four-in-hand driving, the USA’s only representative, Chester Weber, lost his way in the marathon and was eliminated.
“Today we had an unfortunate error of course. I take full responsibility for this mistake,” stated Chester, who had won the dressage phase, “and am sorry that I let my team and my horses down. In life, we are suffering or learning and I choose to use this setback as a springboard for a comeback.”
Click here for individual driving results.
Aachen is a show like no other, and if I had to offer just one example, it would be this evening’s MERKUR Casino-Cup in the vast Deutsche Bank Stadium. The class is a contest among multi-national teams of three; an eventer, who rides a course of solid jumps and a tour of the lake in the middle of the stadium; a show jumper who competes over a regular course of colored poles and a four-in-hand, maneuvering around a set-up like the obstacles on a marathon course, as well as negotiating a route through a pair of cones after the eventer piled on the carriage.
It is all for fun, with the crowd cheering and clapping to music non-stop for a refreshing break from the serious competition.
The top three teams in the combo class delighted the audience.
The music fit the competitors; Australian eventer Andrew Hoy, for instance, rode to “I come from the Land Down Under.”
That was also appropriate for the driver with whom he was paired. World Number One Boyd Exell–who won the marathon today–is an Australian as well. Joined by Swedish show jumper Frederik Spetz, they topped the combo competition with a score of 165.28. Right behind was Bram Chardon, a rival of Boyd’s and the son of another of Boyd’s great rivals, Ijsbrand Chardon (second in the marathon). Bram was teamed with show jumper Jur Vrieling and Belgian eventer Lara de Liedekerke-Meir for a score of 165.85.
Sunday is the Aachen finale, with the Grand Prix dressage freestyle and the Rolex Grand Prix. Will McLain Ward win the competition, which has long been his ambition? The pressure is on, because he took the first two legs of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, and a victory in Aachen on HH Azur would give him an extra million Euros to spread around for the feat of taking three majors in a row.
Check back Sunday evening and we’ll tell you all about it.
