by Nancy Jaffer | Jul 1, 2023
The eventers persevered today through a reversal of fortune to finish second after a demanding cross-country test, producing the best placing of any U.S. team at the five-discipline equestrian festival in Germany.
Will Coleman, who won at Aachen two years ago, was leading for the U.S. effort until he had a run-out with Off the Record after a slip before a skinny at the Turkish Airlines complex, the 16th of 25 obstacles. That incurred 20 penalties, and he got another 20 for crossing his line as he resumed his trip, becoming the discard score for the U.S.
The errors plummeted him from fifth to 38th, but the very veteran Phillip Dutton moved up from 24th after dressage through a clear in Friday’s show jumping to wind up sixth with Z on 38 penalties.. That helped clinch the team silver medal placing, earned with a total of 108.2 penalties. Phillip had just 5.2 time penalties on cross-country, where no one made the optimum time.
Phillip Dutton and Z handled cross-country in their usual workmanlike fashion. (Photo courtesy USEF)
Tamie Smith, the 5-star Kentucky winner in April with Mai Baum, turned in an equally impressive performance from her Land Rover win with just 2.80 time penalties cross-country to wind up third. Time faults were practically a given on soft ground along Rudiger Schwarz’s cross-country course that demanded both precision and stamina. The ground got a good soaking by the end of the competition as rain fell, adding to the challenge of the equation.
Tamie had the same number of time faults as German superstar Michael Jung on fischerChipmunk, who wound up second on 27.2 penalties to lead Germany to the team gold (104.9 penalties).
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum showed their usual determination in leading the U.S. to silver in the Aachen SAP Cup. (Photo courtesy USEF)
Tamie’s teammate, Liz Halliday-Sharp came through with only 4.4 time penalties on Miks Master C to finish fifth with 36.5 penalties total and boost the USA’s fortunes. Three Americans in the top six–great effort!
Chef d’equipe Bobby Costello noted, “I’m very encouraged, because we made a plan to come here with the strongest possible team we could field just to make a statement after Pratoni last year (the world championships, where USA took silver) that that wasn’t a one-off. We came here with every expectation of a solid finish and I’m glad we could produce that result.”
Said Tamie of her mount, “He’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse. It’s a dream to be able to have a competitive score like that. Hopefully, there’s more to come.”
Will Coleman reflected, “Not the way we wanted to finish individually, but I could not be more proud of my teammates and usef eventing this weekend CHIO Aachen. They carried the day, and rode fantastic to put us on the podium.
“Timmy was his usual beastly self on the cross-country. I was going for it, but didn’t execute well enough to pull it off in the end. There will be another day. It’s always a privilege riding at this incredible horse show, and it was an honor representing our country with this fine group of riders and horses”
World Champion Yasmin Ingham of Great Britain collected a mere 1.6 time penalties on Banzai du Loir to regain the lead she held after dressage and win the competition on 27.10 penalties, making up for a refusal cross-country at Kentucky that ruined her effort there. She wouldn’t have the same mistake twice.
Yasmin Ingham, the Aachen champion of the SAP competition. (Photo courtesy CHIO Aachen)
Yasmin is never afraid to show her feelings and there were many thoughts crowding her consciousness as she contemplated the victory.
“I am pretty speechless,” she said with a smile.
“I am very glad to be here representing my country. I am very lucky to be here riding. My amazing horse did everything right. His performance in each phase was immaculate. He did brilliantly in the dressage, there are a few areas I can still polish up, a few marks to grasp, but overall he performed brilliantly.”
Yasmin added, “I could have kicked myself after the show jumping,” she said, speaking of the second phase, where she accumulated two time penalties that dropped her from the lead she held after dressage.
“I rode too slowly, didn’t canter enough, I couldn’t fault him, but I was a bit frustrated with myself. I channeled that frustration so that I would impress in the cross.” And she did.
A speedy Yasmin Ingham squeezed neatly over a corner with Banzai du Loir.
Michi Jung observed that some caution was called for on the route.
“The course was nice to ride, but the faster you ride, the more risk, you take, which can lead to mistakes.“
Ask Tom McEwen about that.
The British team wound up third. After being the overnight leader, Tom and JL Dublin had a run-out at that troublesome Turkish Airlines complex to wind up 26th, as the Brits ended on a total of 136.6 penalties for third place.
Click here to see team standings, and on this link for individual placings.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 29, 2023
Legendary Aachen has it all–pomp, an incredible sense of the occasion, an educated audience (45,000 were in the stands for the show jumping Nations Cup) that knows when to cheer and when to groan. But most important, of course, is the wide array of equestrian competition it offers–dressage, show jumping, eventing, four-in-hand driving and vaulting.
With the World Equestrian Games no longer on the global schedule, the German production more than fills the gap. In fact, Aachen hosted the most successful WEG in 2006, a standard to which its successors aspired but never quite were able to match.
The opening ceremonies on Tuesday served notice of the splendor that would follow, with all manner of pageantry. Each year, Aachen picks a partner nation to salute, and this year it was Britain. That meant a visit from Princess Anne and the Household Cavalry (our cover photo), as well as racing Shetland ponies. The theme song for the evening was the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.”
The setting of the main arena is a true landscape in the city, complete with hedges and a lake. The big names in every discipline wouldn’t miss Aachen. The dressage Grand Prix and the show jumping Mercedes Benz Nations Cup today involved a face-off of the biggest in those disciplines.
Buoyed by double-clears from 2012 Olympic gold medalist Steve Guerdat (Venard de Cerisy) and former European Champion Marcus Fuchs (Commissar Pezi), the Swiss took the show jumping title for the first time since 2002. The class, worth 1 million Euros, was touch and go until the end. When Martin went clear, it clinched the title for his country.
Martin Fuchs proclaims victory for Switzerland after a clear round that clinched the Cup for his homeland.
Switzerland had only 4 penalties after the two rounds. Great Britain and Belgium were tied on 8, but the British got the nod for second place because they were faster in the second round.
The U.S. was fourth of eight teams on 12 penalties. McLain Ward went double clear on Callas. All eyes will be on him Sunday as he tries to win the final leg of the Rolex Grand Slam, after taking the first two segments in Geneva and the Netherlands. His performance today qualified him to compete in the grand prix this weekend.
Second-best for the U.S. was McLain’s 2018 WEG gold medal teammate, Devin Ryan of Long Valley, N.J., who had one rail in the first round and was clean in the second on Eddie Blue. It was a triumphant return to Aachen for Devin, who missed major classes with Eddie for a long time after the horse suffered a bone bruise.
Team newcomer Natalie Dean had a rail in each round with Acota M, while Laura Kraut logged two rails in the first round and one in the second with her 2021 Olympic team silver medal mount, Baloutinue.
“We always aim for the podium, and we just barely missed it in fourth, against eight of the top teams in the world. So not disappointed,” said U.S. Coach Robert Ridland.
“McLain of course did his normal double-clean in the anchor spot. The energy and excitement here at the sold-out stadium at Aachen is, as always, the epitome of the sport, the Wimbledon of show jumping. The atmosphere actually was a bit much for Baloutinue, and he ended up being quite an uncharacteristic handful for Laura.
McLain Ward on the field at Aachen with Callas. (Photo courtesy USEF)
“Natalie in her first big-time Nations Cup was very impressive and it was great to have Devin and Eddie Blue back on our team after his absence due to injury following the world championships in 2018…also a very impressive performance.”
Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue. (Photo courtesy of USEF)
In the dressage Grand Prix, Germany’s Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, world number one and two-time World Cup winner, with TSF Dalera BB; Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin on Imhotep, a son of Everdale, a stallion who was being ridden at Aachen by another famous Brit, World Champion Lottie Fry (she won the world title on Glamourdale; like Everdale, by the stallion Lord Leatherdale).
Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Charlotte is back after having baby Isabella Rose. Jessica was absent from the world championships last year after she gave birth. It’s nice to see these women aren’t missing a beat once their babies have arrived.
Jessica, Charlotte and Lottie finished 1,2,3, with only Jessica breaking 80 percent, which she did after a slow start that she left behind with her usual verve and a strong finish to earn 82.304 percent. She got a 10 for her final halt.
In the beginning of her test, she explained In the first salute, the mare was slightly restless and lifted her left hind leg.
“That is an energy thing,” Jessica explained.“She can hardly wait for us to start.”
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and her fabulous mare. (Photo courtesy CHIO Aachen.)
Germany topped the competition with a score of 235.413, while Denmark finished second (228.608). Britain came oh-so-close behind on 228.565.
Charlotte, who warmed up Wednesday in the Prix St. Georges with a victory on her “ballerina,,” Times Kismet, earned a score of 79.782 on Imhotep in the team competition. That’s remarkable, considering her relatively brief competitive partnership with “Pete,” as the Dutchbred stallion is known. Lottie’s mark was 78.913.
Charlotte noted, “My goal was to compete here, and here I am, I came second and am absolutely delighted with Imhotep. How he coped so well with the atmosphere here, at the biggest, best equestrian show in the world. He is an inexperienced horse, he hasn’t done many Grand Prix tests yet, he is 10 years old and it is such fun riding him! He is so full of energy and has so many highlights. He is the horse with the best piaffe I have ever sat on.”
And that’s saying something. Remember, she rode the great Valegro to her Olympic gold medals.
Lottie was enthused with her finish.
“I know what Everdale is capable of. But for everything to go right on day X and in the arena in Aachen, that is something different. So I couldn’t have been happier today. I was actually a bit emotional after the test because he felt so super and I am looking forward to the next class.”
That is Saturday’s Grand Prix Special, which will determine the final team placings.
The U.S. wound up eighth of eight teams in the Grand Prix on 213.638. Anna Buffini on FRH Davinia la Douce was last to go in the class, but led the way for America in 17th place with a score of 72.804, backed up by Alice Tarjan, 23d on the petite Serenade MF (71.087). Susie Dutta (69.739) 30th on Don Design DC also figured in the total, with Sarah Tubman 31st on First Apple having the drop score, 69.67.
Anna Buffini and Davinia La Douce. (Photo courtesy USEF)
As the anchor rider, Anna was ready to handle the pressure of her second Aachen experience.
Although her mare “was the most difficult she’s been beforehand,” Anna and trainer Guenter Seidel were “really soft with her and just waiting for her to get her legs under her again and feel good again after the travel. She had the fire in her eyes. She was excited to go.”
Driving dressage was running at the same time as ridden dressage, with the USA’s Chester Weber taking the lead on 38.85 penalties, just ahead of world number one Boyd Exell of Australia on 38.92, far past third-place Bram Chardon (48.38) from the Netherlands. Bram is ranked world number two, and Chester is world number 16.
At half-time of the show jumping,16-year-old DSP Alice was retired to the refrain of “One Moment in Time.” She was German rider Simone Blum’s partner in taking the show jumping world championships at the 2018 WEG in North Carolina. The mare wore a sheet that bore the words, “Thank you, Alice.”
Said Simone, “I wouldn’t be where I am now without Alice. She has always been my soulmate. Because she is so unique, we have a very special connection.”
Simone Blum and DSP Alice.
Check back for another update. In the meantime, get individual dressage results at this link. Find team dressage results here.
To see jumping results, click here.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 30, 2023
The U.S. team was standing second this morning after the dressage phase of eventing at the exciting Aachen competition, but the show jumping segment during the afternoon dropped the squad to fourth.
There’s still hope, however, and you know how fast things can change on cross-country. This event has the same format as a horse trials, with show jumping following dressage and ending with cross-country, rather than show jumping as the finale, the way it is in the 5-stars. So Saturday’s test will be the tale of the winner.
This Nations Cup in the quaintly picturesque German city is not part of the league in which countries are vying for a chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. And the U.S. already qualified with silver at the 2022 world championships.
Yet it’s still quite important. Many consider Aachen the best show in the world, and as I said in our previous coverage, with competition in five disciplines–vaulting, show jumping, dressage and four-in-hand driving, in addition to eventing–it’s the closest we’ll come to the defunct World Equestrian Games.
Land Rover 5-star Kentucky winner Tamie Smith on Mai Baum was the best of the Americans after dressage, fifth with 26.9 penalties, but toppling a plank on a course that asked all the right questions put her ninth with 30.90 penalties. She was among 24 riders in the field of 44 who had knockdowns.
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum on course.
Asked what she thinks about the cross-country, she said, the course is “Non-stop,” citing its technicality and noting, “you’ve got to be really smart and on your A-game.”
For dressage and jumping, she noted, the Aachen stadium is “like no other atmosphere. The first time is a little awe-inspiring. It’s a really unbelievable magical feeling to be on that grass.”
At this point, the highest-ranked U.S. rider is Will Coleman, who won Aachen two years ago, becoming the first American ever to take the title. He and Off the Record moved up to fifth with a clear round adding nothing to his dressage score of 28.10.
Asked what he thought of the show jumping course, Will said simply, “It felt like Aachen. Frank Rothenberger (the designer) is one of the greatest at putting the colored poles up. It’s such a great privilege to go into that arena; It’s a magical experience.”
Will Coleman and Off the Record. (Photo courtesy USEF)
But that’s over and it’s time to move on.
As Will put it, “Now you just forget about all of it and look forward to tomorrow.”
(Click here to get a look at the cross-country course)
Will, who has experienced Aachen’s cross-country test four times, believes that of all of them, “This is the toughest. You have to be really precise on your lines. The speed at which you’re going to try to get close to this (optimum) time makes it really easy to make a small mistake. The course is set up that a small mistake is going to be very expensive. It builds a little bit as you go, as you’re trying to go the hardest to get the time and your horse might just be fatiguing….he (course designer Rudiger Schwarz) asks you a question literally until the last fence.
“Every time you come here even if it’s the same horse, it’s a totally new experience,” said Will. Off the Record may be “marginal” as a 5-star horse, but he noted, “this event has suited him well in the past. i just love coming to this event.”
Tom McEwen, the British star who was second at Kentucky with JL Dublin and in the same spot after dressage at Aachen, had an efficient clear today to keep his dressage score at 24.3 and move up one place to take the lead.
Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH (Photo courtesy CHIO Aachen)
But only 0.1 penalty behind is Germany’s Michael Jung, of whom you might have heard while following all the Olympic medals and world championships he has won.
He’s on the reliable fischerChipmunk FRH. I watched Michi handle the Turkish Airlines two-stride double and glimpsed the most subtle of moves that got his mount in the right place to take the second element, which had been a problem for some of the other riders. It’s exciting when you can glimpse the things that have made him a master.
World Champion Yasmin Ingham of Great Britain had two time penalties (she was one of 10 who couldn’t beat the clock) with Banzai du Loir, which dropped her from the lead to third (25.5) ahead of New Zealand’s Tim Price. The winner of last year’s Maryland 5 star with Coup de Couer Dudevin, Tim this time is on Falco (26).
Mai Baum struts in the eventing dressage at Aachen. (Photo courtesy USEF)
World Champion Yasmin Ingham of Great Britain had two time penalties (she was one of 10 who couldn’t beat the clock) with Banzai du Loir, which dropped her from the lead to third (25.5) ahead of New Zealand’s Tim Price. The winner of last year’s Maryland 5 star with Coup de Couer Dudevin, Tim this time is on Falco (26).
Another U.S. rider, Liz Halliday Sharp, third at Kentucky, was sixth in the standings with Miks Master C until she had a rail and two time penalties to wind up standing fourtheenth, four places ahead of Phillip Dutton (Z), who was double clear in show jumping and moved up six places from dressage.
For the individual standings in eventing, click here. For team standings, click this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 9, 2023
Wellington, Florida’s Equestrian Preserve Committee Thursday night unanimously rejected a proposal to change the land use and master plan on property slated for a much-needed addition to the Wellington International showgrounds, raising questions about the future of that expansion.
Wellington International is best known as the home of Global Equestrian Group’s Winter Equestrian Festival, which draws competitors from around the world and hosts 2,500 to 3,000 horses each week during its run from January through March. It also holds smaller shows in other seasons.
Will this land ever become part of the Wellington International Showgrounds?
This was the the second evening in a row that the Equestrian Preserve Committee turned down a rezoning proposal involving The Wellington, a two-segment project.
It is a major revision of a concept presented to the committee last September by entrepreneur Mark Bellissimo, managing partner of a group that owns the land involved. Bellissimo and his daughter, Paige, have since formed Wellington Lifestyle Partners with developer Nexus Luxury Collection, one of private investment firm Tavistock’s largest portfolio investments.
The Wellington South segment, where the Wellington International showgrounds expansion would be located, covers 269.39 acres at the northwest corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, east of Gene Mische Way. WLP also seeks to develop up to 197 single-family residential units on the eastern 173.46 acres of the parcel.
Wellington North, on the northeast corner of South Shore Boulevard and Pierson Road, is 101.87 acres that includes White Birch and Equestrian Village, home of the Global Dressage Festival at the Equestrian Village. That proposal calls for removing about 96 acres from the Equestrian Preserve Area and the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District, changing the land use to residential, and developing a 300-unit residential project. The committee was unanimous in its rejection of that plan on Wednesday.
Concern was expressed during the discussion that once acreage was taken from the preserve, it would be a slippery slope leading to more loss of land for equestrian purposes.
Expansion of Wellington International by another 80 contiguous acres would mean more space to spread out than is available in the current cramped layout, even as dressage is moved from the Equestrian Village to the current Wellington International grounds, which it would share with the hunters, while jumpers would be on the additional land. Expansion also would open the door to solving access problems causing current traffic woes and offer far more parking than is available on the 94 acres at the current site.
The Preserve Committee is only an advisory group. The Planning, Zoning and Adjustment Board is slated to consider the project next month, and in August, the fate of the proposals are scheduled for a vote by the Village Council.
Michael Stone.
If the rezoning for the showgrounds expansion doesn’t go through, “We have to regroup and see what our options are,” said Wellington International President Michael Stone. That would involve looking at purchasing other lots close to the show, he suggested.
Committee members expressed concern that although they saw extensive plans for development of high-end homes and recreational amenities, as well as a golf course purchased for $35 million, they hadn’t been given any details about the showgrounds expansion, beyond construction of nine rings and a stadium that could seat 7,000.
“I do recognize that Global Equestrian Group’s plans need to be clearer and more tangible,” said Doug McMahon, managing director of the Tavistock Group, co-founder of Nexus Luxury Collection and the chief executive officer of Wellington Lifestyle Partners.
Although Nexus is not involved with what will be built at the expanded showgrounds, McMahon agreed, “That’s such a critical part. We’ll try to help them (GEG) get there.”
Stone said that Global Equestrian Group has a signed agreement for purchase of the showgrounds with Wellington Equestrian Partners, also headed by Bellisimo, but no money for the property has changed hands. Asked if the developer would be funding the horse show, Stone replied it would not.
Michael Stone and Mark Bellissimo at Equestrian Village when it was under construction in 2012. (Photo © 2012 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Wellington Equestrian Partners is holding the land hostage, will sell it if all of this approved. What that has to do with this Tavistock neighborhood — nothing, except they say they may get some people in here that might go to a horse show,” said Jane Cleveland, chair of the preserve committee.
“Global Equestrian Group is not in this application at all. If the applicant was really in favor of supporting the horse show industry, they would sell you the land…but you can’t buy it unless all of this gets approved. If the applicant was truly in support of the horse industry they would sell you the land without the strings.”
That comment drew applause from the audience.
Committee member Dr. Kristy Lund observed that “if you build and build and build, you lose the character of why Wellington people come here,” another remark greeted with applause.
“I don’t want to vote on the houses when I don’t know what’s going to happen with the new equestrian center they want to build. We need to see the plans, we need to see what’s going on,” said Carlos Arellano, one of seven preserve committee members.
Earlier in the evening, he commented about Wellington’s ambience, “We don’t want to change; we want to keep it the way it is.”
Dan Rosenbaum, an attorney for Wellington Equestrian Partners, said the developer “can bring to the table the infrastructure and the hospitality that’s needed in order for you to continue to be the (winter) equestrian capital of the world. You don’t see the other side of it, which is the fact that revenues are needed are needed to support these shows.”
Discussing the overall plan, McMahon noted that a luxury community “of this magnitude and magnetism we would bring” represents an incremental $200 million investment “before we even embark on selling real estate.”
Many of those in the packed meeting room appeared to be skeptical of the plans, saying what is needed are more four-acre farms within hacking distance of the horse show, rather than luxury houses.
McMahon responded, “I do think we would attract equestrians, I do think we would attract next generation equestrians, I do think we would attract patrons and sponsors and interested people to equestrian sport here if we create our kind of community.
He noted the majority of Wellington’s housing stock predates 2005 or even 2000.
“The most beautiful architecture and the most beautiful construction I’ve seen in the community are the barns,” he mentioned.
“There’s an opportunity to create a housing product and a club community here that is at the standard of what Wellington is as the horse sport capital.”
At the same time, he cautioned, “You cannot do a community of this size and scale and quality with 100 residential homes.”
Seventeen people spoke, with most expressing concern about maintaining the equestrian lifestyle that is the reason they live in Wellington.
Lynda Sirota, president of the Equestrian Club Estates Property Owners Association, said residents moved to that development because it was close to the horse show.
If the proposal passes, she said, “We are now going to engulfed by a residential area behind us,” adding traffic already is heavy in the area without more houses.
More than 3,000 people have signed a petition against the project.
Attorney Leonard Feiwus spoke as an “interested party” representing a “united coalition of hundreds of Wellington residents who strongly object to the land use application before this committee.”
He stated, “We cannot preserve a horse-friendly bucolic landscape by permitting developers to build conventional high-density residential and commercial space in the preserve,” adding the effects would include “excessive noise and pollution,intolerable traffic congestion overcrowded public spaces.”
“To the very limited extent that the applicant has provided vague, non-binding promises to expand the current showgrounds or promote equestrian activities in the preserve, has the applicant provided sufficient detail to greenlight the radical changes to the preserve and land use regulations that are requested by these applications?” the attorney asked.
He contended such changes to the village land use laws if approved “will destroy the unique equestrian lifestyle and landscape that is and has been the defining principle of this community.”
Asked what he thought about the tone of the evening, McMahon said, “I expected it to be charged and emotional, and it was more challenging than I expected. I think we did a better job communicating the second night, because we had a better understanding of the complexity of the environment. We are respectful of the process, and I tried to communicate that we’re listening and will continue to listen.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 19, 2023
Buying a weanling as a sport horse prospect is a long road. But the trip has been worth it so far for eventer Arielle Aharoni, who earned the best placing of her career with the multi-talented Dutch Times at the MARS Equestrian Bromont 4-Star Long in Canada this month.
She finished second, just a little more than a rail behind eternal Olympic medalist Phillip Dutton and the exciting Azure, as that mare logged her first FEI victory.
“I definitely had a couple of tears in my eyes,” Arielle remembered about her reaction to a very special accomplishment.
“I was a little bit in disbelief of how well we did. It definitely didn’t feel real. I knew it was in there, but I definitely didn’t think it was all going to be put together,” commented the recipient of a Bromont Rising Under 25 development grant in 2019.
Her mother, Christina Barna Aharoni, said, “We were thrilled. It will put her on the map a little bit. Sometimes you have to wait for the stars to align for that perfect result. And you know what, how do you beat Phillip? But we’ll take it.”
Christina and Arielle Aharoni with Dutch Times at home. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
While Dutch’s Bromont ribbon was a milestone for Arielle, who finished 10th in that event last year, the 23-year-old Bedminster, N.J., resident is a long way from the finish line. The professional trainer is hoping to take her 15-year-old son of Good Times (by Nimmerdor) to the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star next year, and eventually ride on Nations Cup teams for the U.S.
That’s plural for a reason — “I have ambitions to make multiple teams,” said Arielle, referencing the inspiration of German superstar Michael Jung, who does it all. Dutch is a powerful show jumper, as well as an eventer.
Arielle and Dutch in May’s $50,000 Devon Arena Eventing competition, where they finished third. (Photo courtesy of Christina Aharoni)
Eventing and show jumping are in her sights at the moment. She admits, “dressage is not quite there yet but I’m thinking one day…”
Then she conceded with a smile, “We have to get a little bit more training in us.”
Arielle began sharpening that discipline this spring with respected trainer Heather Mason, who said, “I have been very impressed with her dedication to improving her dressage. It’s clear she works hard between lessons, and the hard work paid off at Bromont.” (Arielle was eighth in that phase.)
“She has a great relationship with her very talented Dutch. It’s nice to see a young professional training and riding their own horses up the levels.”
Erik Duvander, who is involved in training such top riders as Boyd Martin and Liz Halliday-Sharp, watched Arielle at Bromont.
“I am always talent scouting, and Arielle caught my eye a few years ago,” he said.
“The girl has grit! And you can’t teach that. With a decent horse and perseverance, you can learn the rest. This is Arielle,” he said, and at Bromont, “she did a super job.”
Arielle focuses on getting around the cross-country courses safely when she events, and that’s how she handled the Bromont route laid out by Olympic course designer Derek Di Grazia.
Arielle going cross-country on Dutch Times at Bromont. (Photo XO Girl Productions)
“I never really go for time, I never really pushed the envelope,” she said, explaining her priority is getting around safely, while she knows exactly where she could have made up time if that had been her plan.
Based at Aharoni Equestrian on a scenic Branchburg, N.J., farm, where she oversees care of 14 horses, Arielle works closely with her mother, who selected Dutch as a brash weanling out of the glamorous palomino Alino Queen (by Michellino) at Lauren Efford’s Goldhope Farm in Pennsylvania.
“He was just full of himself,” recalled Christina, “and I said, `This horse is going to be a star’.”
Arielle chuckled as she remembered the reaction of her eight-year-old self when Christina got Dutch.
“I did every sport under the sun except for riding,” she reminisced, citing ice skating, taekwondo and playing soccer.
“I didn’t want to do the same sport as my mom. And then she bought Dutch and I was upset she didn’t buy me a horse and that’s how I got started. (Toby, her first pony, still lives in the Branchburg barn.)
Christina began riding at the old Claremont stable in New York City, where she was born the year after her parents emigrated from Ukraine. She continued riding on Long Island before she wound up teaching at Winterbrook in Montville, N.J. and evented a bit, even competing at the Essex Horse Trials in its heyday. She had some lessons with Marilyn Payne and knew Denny Emerson, Bobby Costello and others still prominent in the eventing world.
Christina broke Dutch, and then turned him over to Tik Maynard, who went on to ride him in FEI competition in 2014 and 2015, before Arielle took over.
A member of the Amwell Valley Pony Club, Arielle got her A ratings in dressage and eventing. She has taught at Pony Club camp as a give-back, under the theory, “they gave you a start, you have to give them a start.”
Arielle graduated from Bernardsville, N.J., High School in three years by filling in blank spaces in her schedule with courses. She immediately got a Young Rider grant to work with Phillip Dutton for a month, then moved on to a working student job with Boyd Martin for two years before starting her own business.
Although Arielle is definitely in charge, her mother plays a major role, even though she works as a visiting nurse.
“She cleans, she organizes, she yells at me when I’m on my horse to put my heels down,” said Arielle.
“If there’s a horse with a cut, she tells us how to deal with it. She’s like a vet who hasn’t gone to vet school. Usually she’s right. She knows way more than I do, so it’s, `Yes, mother’.”
While it was a big decision to leave Boyd and go out on her own, Arielle reflected, “I’m glad I took the opportunity. It’s a long process building your own business. I’m glad I did it young, so could rely on my mom a little bit.”
She noted her mother handled the situation in such a way that “I didn’t notice I was taking over.”
Arielle’s father, Yuval, who emigrated from Israel, works for Torsilieri Inc. in Gladstone, N.J. That’s the company for which he has cut the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and put it up in New York City. But Arielle notes he pitches in with the horses, doing a bit of everything: “He knows how to groom, tack up a horse; he will feed, he’s quite handy, he fixes the fencing.”
Christina likes the fact that Arielle is involved with three disciplines, thinking that what she learns in each makes the others stronger.
Arielle hacking Dutch Times at home. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“On a whim,” as Christina put it, after Arielle got more into her relationship with Dutch, they went to Andrew Philbrick for lessons a year ago. Though these days he’s best known as the impresario of Princeton Show Jumping, Andrew also has been a rider and trainer.
Christina called that relationship, “The best thing that ever happened. That accuracy in show jumping pays huge rewards on cross-country. Dutch literally skips around the 4-star now like it’s a gymnastic. Andrew is very positive and that helps the rider’s confidence, which makes them ride better.”
Andrew called Arielle “a worker. She is not a dilettante of any kind and will get on a 3-year-old or just about anything that needs a ride.”
He mentioned she has ridden in FEI show jumping classes at Princeton. Her talent has been noticed in the right places and he thought there was a possibility the eventing team for this autumn’s Pan American Games could be on her horizon.
Christina noted the Aharonis have had offers for Dutch “that would make us financially solvent. And the answer is, ‘No thank you,’ because he’s a family member. All of our horses become family members.”
While Dutch is the lead player in Arielle’s band of horses, she has others who are coming along. A pair of 5-year-olds also came from Lauren. Notorious, a buckskin, is Dutch’s full brother. Veni Vidi Vici, also known as Pickle, is by Valentino out of Dutch’s half-sister. She hopes to get them to their first events by the end of the season.
Arielle with Notorious and Pickle. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Lauren believes in breeding all-around horses: “They can jump, they can think, they can move. And that’s what I think is so important.”
Then there’s Chumley, bought as a hunting horse for dressage rider Alice Tarjan, who named him after her friend, eventer and dressage rider Lauren Chumley. Arielle has evented Chumley, but feels his real strength is show jumping.
Arielle on Chumley at the 2022 Essex Horse Trials. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
She also is involved with Fantom, who came to her from Andrew. She is looking for sponsorship to help support her relationship with that horse, a show jumper.
Andrew calls Arielle, “Extremely talented. She has determination and real talent and all I really needed to do was take someone that was really concentrating on cross-country and try to then educate her in the mind of a show jumper. She has the potential to ride for both teams. It’s not very usual, but she absolutely could do this.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jun 16, 2023
How many times have you heard complaints about issues in the sport and what equestrian governance organizations are doing — or not doing — about them? But if all the conversations go nowhere, it’s frustrating. And that applies not only to those who raise the issues, but also to the organizations involved.
The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, however, has come up with a Town Hall concept that enables members to air their concerns on a regular basis. The series began in April and originally was to end in July, but USHJA President Mary Knowlton said in an interview this week the initiative has been so successful that the forums will continue in August and then monthly through November.
The discussions range along a variety of topics, from the number of jumping classes a horse should be allowed to enter at a show, to how long a horse should be longed, judging concerns, and of course, the cost of showing.
Mary explains one of the reasons for holding the Town Halls by saying, “We need more connections.”
There are matters that must be dealt with. As she points out about one key subject that has been aired at Town Halls, “Social license is an uphill battle. People just don’t understand it. They’re struggling with it.”
USHJA President Mary Knowlton.
It’s a big issue for the FEI (International Equestrian Federation), which is making much of its Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission, using the slogan, “Horse First.”
The bottom line is that if the public thinks horses are being mistreated in some way, whether it’s not getting enough turnout, being overused or any other thing they see (even if it’s misinterpreted) they can make trouble for the sport.
Adam Cromarty, an announcer at many equestrian competitions, wrote an article in Horse & Hound predicting that within 10 years, use of spurs and crops will be banned as part of the social license movement. He added he couldn’t vouch for his timeline on such a ban, and I’d guess it will be much, much sooner than he predicted.
As Mary noted, everyone is a cell phone photo or video away from fame on the internet–and that’s not a good thing. Remember the outrage when a coach punched a horse who refused a fence in the jumping phase of the Modern Pentathlon? The outcry led to the equestrian segment of the sport being removed after the Paris 2024 Olympics in favor of an obstacles (on foot) phase, and there is a real question of whether the sport will even be part of the 2028 Olympics.
Many people don’t know the difference between the Olympic horse sports (eventing, show jumping, dressage) and the equestrian part of the pentathlon (an event that also includes running, fencing, shooting and swimming).
The subject of social license is world-wide. Francois Mathy Jr., the vice president of the International Jumper Riders Club, recently addressed the European Parliament’s horse group to explain the high standard of care for competition horses and emphasize their welfare.
He explained, “The reason the human started creating a bond with horses: transport, labor, war; these
reasons are obsolete: the sport and the leisure around the sport are now the only purposes
for the modern horse. Without the sport, his existence would even be threatened.”
Although there have been approximately 90 people participating in the last two USHJA Town Halls, Mary noted that for the most part, “they don’t want to bring up anything; it’s me who brings it up.” At the same time, she pointed out, “This is their meeting. This is not me talking at them, but I find it becomes up to me to choose subjects.”
She added, “I try to keep my ear to the ground as much as I can. It (the Town Hall) connects to our members and makes members realize we are listening to them. We’re open to having conversations.”
At this week’s Town Hall, Florida trainer Don Stewart did raise some issues, including: “Why are the 3-6 divisions continually declining?”
To that, Mary replied, “In general, people seem to want to jump lower and owners seem to want to jump their own horses, rather than having professionals developing them. So it seems to be a continual downslide into 3-3 and 3-foot and lower and lower.”
Don also asked, “Why are the hunter courses getting more and more watered down? ”
Mary addressed that by noting, “There is a huge shortage of hunter course designers right now. Part of this could be just getting more course designers licensed and teaching them what (you) are…expecting from a hunter course?”
At the same time, Don wondered, “Why are we competing for the same prize money as we did in the ’70s?”
Mary said, “The rulebook speaks to how much the minimum prize money can be for all these hunter sections. Finding prize money is not that easy.” On the other hand, she noted the Green Hunter Incentive program and the International Hunter Derby offer a great deal of prize money (as opposed to the regular sections).
One comment came from an anonymous attendee who said riding as an amateur-owner and having her horse showing in a professional division as well “is too costly to do it all.”
That’s an example of the way the cost of horsekeeping and showing often comes up.
“It’s getting more and more expensive for the people who run shows, and of course, that trickles down onto the exhibitor,” Mary said.
“It is crazy how much it costs right now. It’s insanity when a bag of grain is $30.” Not to mention the price of manure removal
Mary noted when those attending the Town Hall don’t come up with topics, it is up to her to choose subjects.
In that regard, she said, “I try to keep my ear to the ground as much as I can” to determine what interests members.
She added one consistent topic is generated by “people who don’t think (hunter) judges are doing a good job.” At this week’s Town Hall, there was discussion of having judges use scribes, so they don’t glance down at their clipboard and miss what’s happening in the ring. However, unlike the situation in dressage, where it is primarily volunteers who are used as scribes, the number of scribes who would be required for multi-ring hunter shows would be cost-prohibitive. A comment from one judge at the Town Hall noted that it would be impossible to use her scoring system if the numbers and notes were entered by someone other than herself.
An exciting development involves the initiative between USHJA and the U.S. Eventing Association to hold their 2025 annual meetings in the same location, so they can share thoughts about common concerns on at least one day of their sessions.
The next Town Hall, June 26 at 7 p.m., will address the base of the sport. Click here to register for the online meeting.
“People asked for it to be called a Grassroots Town Hall,” Mary said.
While there are those who scorn the “lower level,” Mary asks, “Really? Those are people who are fueling our industry. Not everyone is going to be a megamillionaire showing at a really high level.”
