When you think of family projects, perhaps painting the living room, cleaning the garage or planting a garden comes to mind. But for Natalee and Steve Herrig; their daughter, Hannah, and her husband, Zach Ketelboeter, the family project is being produced on a grander and altogether different scale.
It’s a state-of-the-art horse show facility, rising from an old cattle pasture similar to the properties you can still see on the drive of a half-hour or so from glamorous Sarasota on Florida’s west coast. The still-rural location offers a contrast to the busy tourist destination city with its famous Gulf beaches, high-end stores and wonderful restaurants, but it’s close enough to allow exhibitors access to those features.
When the family started its work, there was nothing on the property they had bought, just over the Sarasota County line in Manatee County. Hannah and Zach named it TerraNova after two of their horses, Terra and Nova, but the name was doubly appropriate because it means “new land” in Latin.
Eventually, the showgrounds will be surrounded by housing, estates particularly suitable for horse lovers who want to enjoy their animals in the country, while being close enough to Sarasota that it’s easy to hop over for shopping or dinner.
Steve, whose businesses include workers’ compensation insurance, handed the equestrian portion of the project over to Hannah, an eventer turned dressage rider who has a degree from the University of Florida in communications and leadership fulfillment. Her husband is experienced in construction and stable management.
Natalee is part of the effort as well, handling community outreach and charitable initiatives. Since TerraNova opened last year, it has hosted not only jumper shows, but dressage competitions and eventing as well.
Although the facility had no track record in eventing, it immediately received dates from the U.S. Equestrian Federation for those competitions, because it has not only a specialist operations team experienced in the discipline, but also demonstrated the ability to accomplish what the family set out to do.
The ambitious TerraNova endeavor continues its growth, with a permanent VIP pavilion, a new show office under construction and permanent stables for the horses shipping in to compete. The barns are state-of-the-art, with a high-ceilinged design that maximizes air circulation, as well as stall fans, LED lights and “mattresses” cushioning the stall floors to insure horses get a comfortable night’s rest.
I asked Steve how he feels now that his vision has gone from imagination to reality, and he swiftly but politely corrected me. Listen to what he and the rest of his family had to say in this video.
Florida isn’t always as balmy as it is portrayed in the commercials suggesting that you come on down. There was a recent cold snap in the Sarasota area (you can hear the wind blowing in the videos above and below) but the organizers were quick to move the VIP facility back toward the comfort zone with heaters whose flames danced as showgoers gathered around them.
Trainer Michele Grubb, who has been nominated for the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, has added TerraNova to her list of showing destinations.
“The footing is great, the management is great, the new barns are absolutely spectacular, the VIP is lovely. There’s nothing more you could ask here for the horses, exhibitors, the spectators. The only thing, it is very far from the hotels,” she said, noting that makes it difficult for people, including grooms,who are staying in motels closer to Sarasota if they need to be present at the showgrounds late at night or early in the morning. Cabins and other onsite accommodations are part of the venue’s plan, but there is no completion timeline for them as yet.
Irish rider Jonathan Corrigan, based in Wellington on the east coast of Florida, showed at TerraNova last year as well as in 2023, noting that it can hold its own among the many shows in the state.
“They were brave building this with everything else that’s going on,” he pointed out, while mentioning that Florida’s west coast has less in the way of showgrounds than the Ocala/Wellington axis.
“I know we’re planning on coming back a couple of times this year,” he said.
A Winter Equestrian Festival regular at Wellington, Jonathan commented that at TerraNova, “The classes are easier, a little bit softer, They’re still competitive enough, but there definitely is less pressure. If you want to come and bring an FEI horse or two and then bring a couple of young horses, it’s a great place to do it.”
When I wondered if he could evaluate TerraNova in relation to the lavish World Equestrian Center in Ocala, he pointed out, “WEC is pretty much finished and these guys are just getting started, so it would be hard to compare them just yet.”
Olga Zarlenga, who is going to be barn manager at TerraNova, was manager of the show jumping at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
She noted one important aspect of the new facility is that “They’re listening to the riders” about what they want,” which doesn’t always happen elsewhere.
As to its location, she said, “Everything starts from somewhere.” As an example, she mentioned that “Ocala was, okay, it’s horse country, but suddenly WEC was there and everybody wants to go there.”
The TerraNova show jumping competitions this winter, which include competitions rated 2 stars by the FEI (international equestrian federation), are being run by the Split Rock Tour. It was founded by Derek Braun, who put his riding career aside so he could focus on his efforts on advancing the sport with an updated perspective.
Split Rock’s event manager, Mike Belisle, was also involved in developing the TerraNova concept. He is delighted with the growth of the site and its shows. Hear what he had to say in the video below.
One innovation that gained instant popularity is Natalee’s project, Tiny Town. This miniature village complete with a child-sized veterinary clinic and market is a magnet for kids when they get tired of watching horses jump.
The vendor area is still a work in progress, with only a few tents selling vests and saddlery. There undoubtedly will be more vendors when there are more spectators.
Emilien Rieyre is based in Wellington with Voltaire Design, but wanted to come over and see what TerraNova was about. He had a conclusion about the venue that was similar to that of many other people I spoke with there.
“It’s really different but it’s beautiful,” he said.
From a stark orphanage in Ukraine, a country where trouble was brewing, to being named PATH International Youth Equestrian of the Year, Vika Christian has come a long way in a decade. And it was horses who helped her get there.
PATH leads the advancement of professional equine-assisted services to support more than 53,000 special needs individuals, like Vika, through a variety of equine-assisted services.
When Nancy Christian of Budd Lake, N.J., adopted five-and-a-half-year-old Vika, the child appeared to have a lazy eye that interfered with her vision. But after Vika got to the U.S. and underwent a brain scan, it was revealed she actually suffered from a birth defect, septo-optic dysplasia, which made her legally blind.
Horses play an important role in the lives of Nancy and Vika Christian. (Photo courtesy Centenary University)
And that wasn’t all.
“She had a speech impediment as well, and she’s hyper-active,” said Nancy.
“She had a lot of things any ordinary child would have trouble dealing with. The orphanage let her go out in the world with no diagnosis at all.”
Luckily, Vika’s new mother is a special education teacher at the Valley and Ridge School in Blairstown, so she knew how to handle a very difficult situation. Finding activities for Vika wasn’t easy at first, however, as Nancy sought opportunities that would help socialize her new daughter.
“We didn’t last long in dance class; even in day care, we didn’t last,” Nancy recalled.
But then she got some good advice.
“I had been talking to parents in special needs groups, and they suggested I check out riding,” said Nancy.
It started to look like a dead end, because insurance wouldn’t cover hippotherapy, a formal type of treatment utilizing horses and professional therapists, which was out of her price range. Even so, Nancy kept looking and met someone whose daughter participated in Centenary University’s TRAC program of therapeutic riding in Long Valley.
That was a start, but it didn’t turn out to be an instant fit. As Vika tells the story now, when she was introduced to horses, she thought, “What the heck are you doing to me? That’s way bigger than my dog and you want me to do what with it?”
When she got in the saddle, her hyper-active side came through, and it didn’t please the patient Lucy, one of the good-hearted horses in the TRAC program. The mare wasn’t retaliating, she just looked unhappy.
Then TRAC founder Octavia Brown came to the rescue of both of them.
As Octavia recalled, she saw Vika pulling on the reins and bouncing “all over the place, she was out of control. I finally got tired of it and marched over there and said, `Vika, Lucy doesn’t like it when you behave like that. If you do it again, you’re going home.’”
Vika paid attention. That was her breakthough moment.
“It was, I guess, the first time she suddenly took in that another creature could care, and she needed to care about it. And that was the first time she actually regarded the needs of another being as being important,” Octavia mused.
“She puts it as a matter of trust. From that moment, we started to be able to engage the concept of Lucy as something she needed to pay attention to. We laminated a picture of Lucy and she had it under her pillow. She’d come and talk to Lucy about her problems. And Lucy’s caring about what she did was the first real attachment she developed, as far as we can tell.”
As Vika’s mother describes her daughter today, “She is now a going concern.”
Octavia explained, “When you’re brought up in an orphanage in Ukraine and nobody really gives you love or affection, you don’t know how to relate to anyone, and she didn’t. This horse made her able to do that.”
What matters, according to Octavia, is “The fact that the horse is non-judgmental in a nonverbal sense (and) doesn’t try to control you. The fact she learned to care for that horse’s reactions shows you how powerful that silent reaction of the animal is. She didn’t need people talking to her, she just needed the sense that something accepted her for who and what she was, if she would also accept them for what they are.”
Acknowledging the importance of the PATH award, for which there were nominees from all over the world, Vika said, “I am proud to accept this award, but PATH Intl. has given me more than an award. It has taught me trust—how to trust my horse, people, and myself.”
TRAC Director Karen Brittle pointed out, “Anyone who wants to know what the value of therapeutic riding is just has to watch Vika at TRAC. She has a palpable joy when she is at the barn that’s very contagious.”
It is, she said, something that has impacted not only Vika and her family, but also the instructors who have worked with her over the last 10 years.
“You can see how this person who struggles with attention (deficit) and impulse control and other behavioral challenges is incredibly motivated to demonstrate more consistent behavior for the benefit of her horse. She’s become quite a young horsewoman. She’s always thinking about the horse first instead of thinking about what she wants to do.”
Riding became the centerpiece of a life that meshes Vika’s Ukrainian heritage with becoming an American. The Ukrainian government mandates that adoptive parents ensure their child maintains a link with their culture.
Nancy and Vika are learning Ukrainian (Vika’s first language is Russian, which is widely spoken in the eastern part of the country) and they go to a Ukrainian summer camp in the Catskills. It’s been helpful for Nancy that her college roommate had a Ukrainian background, so she can offer advice about cooking and celebrating holidays.
Vika also follows what is going on in her homeland’s war, and she and Nancy write to Volodymyr, the English-speaking taxi driver (he learned the language from video games) who was so kind to them while they were in Mariupol. He is now fighting with the army.
Before adopting Vika, Nancy spent three months in Ukraine learning about the country so she would be better able to relate to her new daughter. She can really empathize with the situation facing Vika, who had been institutionalized all her life.
Her sojourn there taught her “how exhausting it is to try to fit in and learn a new culture.”
But Vika has made plenty of progress. She puts in additional riding time at Freedom Horse in Long Valley and is competing in horse shows. Originally, she was on a leadline; now she’s off the lead and on her own with a horse and a dream.
While many teenagers are saving up to buy a car, Vika’s eyesight condition means she won’t be able to drive. So she’s saving up for a horse. And there’s no question about what she wants to do for a living, something with horses.
For her, and a lot of the children we serve in the program, horses are the one thing that has really, really clicked,” said Karen.
“This is a big piece of her identity. When other kids are talking about ski trips or soccer, Vika has this to talk about. To be honored at an international level for something that drives you is an amazing experience in someone’s life.
“This is something she is good at and works hard at and now she has been recognized. It’s a life-changing moment in a positive way for anyone.”
The Essex Horse Trials is reinventing itself. Again.
For the third time since its 2019 edition, when it was staged in late June at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, N.J., it has switched its date. Organizers are hoping that positioning Essex in early June will result in favorable weather conditions. And the horse trials is adding an Intermediate division for the first time, looking down the road to the possibility of including an Advanced section at some point.
The biggest change, however, came last year, when the dressage and show jumping phases moved to the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation’s Gladstone headquarters, while cross-country continued just down the road at Moorland.
The innovation was a huge hit with competitors, who appreciated riding at the prestigious venue, with its storied history of Olympic medalists who trained there.
“Local people like to come here; it’s like getting to Yankee Stadium if you’re in Little League,” observed Ralph Jones, co-chair of the horse trials with Morgan Rowsell, who is also the cross-country course designer.
As Morgan noted, competing in the iconic main arena at Gladstone is useful for teaching young horses about dealing with atmosphere in their surroundings while competing, which will serve them well as they move up in their careers.
The Essex set-up is the same this year. A cocktail party will be held during the stadium jumping, which follows the dressage on Saturday June 3 in Gladstone. Cross-country is set for Moorland the next day, where the Peter Chesson Memorial Car Show also will be staged. Another atmosphere test for both horse and rider is the water complex at Moorland, surrounded by enthusiastic tailgaters.
The event has attracted a number of the sport’s biggest names in recent years, including Olympic individual medalist Phillip Dutton; U.S. Eventing’s Rider of the Year, Boyd Martin; Will Coleman, the top U.S. finisher at last year’s world championships and Hannah Sue Burnett Hollberg.
Essex was a major fixture on the eventing circuit from the late 1960s through 1998, when it last ran at the USET. When some of the USET property was sold, that meant it was no longer optimal for the cross-country phase, so the event didn’t go again for 18 years. But there were many who remembered Essex and missed it. An opportunity to stage all phases at Moorland, also home of the Far Hills Race Meeting, led to its revival in 2017.
A mid-July date in 2021 (2020 was cancelled due to Covid) wasn’t great weatherwise, and a continuing problem was the lack of all-weather ring at Moorland for dressage and jumping. Then last year’s switch to the fourth of July weekend was a problem for volunteers and sponsors who had other plans for the holiday, so an alternative was needed.
“It’s difficult to get a date,” said Morgan, citing the crowded eventing calendar.
He negotiated on behalf of Essex with Chris Donovan of the Maryland Combined Training Association, which has an event on the same June dates. He noted she was gracious about giving permission for Essex to run on the first weekend in June. There really isn’t a conflict, he pointed out.
While the Maryland event gets most of its participants from that state and southern Pennsylvania, Essex tends to draw from New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and U.S. Eventing’s Area I, Morgan explained. He noted that Area I has lost a good number of events over the past few years, which means Essex is an important and convenient stop for riders from New York and New England.
The lowest level division offered at Essex is Beginner Novice, with Intermediate the highest. Morgan explained that while the cross-country fences have a maximum height two inches higher than Preliminary, “the show jumping is significantly higher” than Prelim at 3-feet, 11 inches and more technical. Chris Barnard, a popular eventing show jumping course designer, will be handling those duties at Essex again.
Essex is always looking for people who would like to be patrons of the event to help keep it going. Those who are interested can contact Ralph at ralph@essexhorsetrials.org. The Essex website is www.essexhorsetrials.org.
The event’s beneficiary is the LifeCamp in Pottersville, a century-old venture that provides a day camp each summer for 300 kids ages six through 14 from the greater Newark area.
Last year, a visit to cross-country day was an enjoyable field trip for the campers and their parents. They had a picnic by the water complex for a memorable afternoon, really getting into watching the horses splash into the water.
Campers had a chance to brush a pony during the horse trials. (Photo by Hillary Murphy)
“It was super exciting,” said Kathy Cree, the camp’s director, who also noted about the setting “Moorland Farm is a beautiful place by any standard.”
The kids, most of whom had never been close to a horse, were thrilled to be able to brush and pet a pony that was brought to the horse trials. They also learned about what the pony eats and how to take care of it.
“This pony was just the best, sweet and calm. Six kids at a time were brushing the pony. It was great,” commented Kathy.
She expects 150 to 175 kids with their parents and grandparents to attend the horse trials this year, though there could be more.
The camp has a link with Essex through James Cox Brady, who founded it a century ago and also built the imposing stables at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation on what was once his farm.
“The support of the horse trials has been amazing for us and we are incredibly grateful for it,” said Kathy.
“Beyond the financial piece of it, it helps get our name out in the community with people who may not be familiar with what we do. All the money that comes in goes to our programs, so we don’t really spend a lot of money on marketing” But with the publicity for the horse trials, she commented, “People say, `Oh, we saw your name around town.’”
Programs provided by the camp include swimming, with every child getting a swim lesson daily.
“It’s a lifetime skill that is portable,” Kathy pointed out.
Boyd Martin has never been shy about advising people what he’s up to, but he reached a new pinnacle in that regard with his new year letter (complete with photos) to friends, owners, supporters and sponsors.
He touches on everything he’s been up to, including his quest to be the number one-ranked eventer in the world, giving up drinking alcohol in his eternal quest for fitness; managing to stay out of the hospital for awhile despite being accident prone and what’s going on with his wife, Silva, and their irrepressible children, Nox and Leo. Boyd also generously thanked the people who work for him and his wife, from the nanny to the stable help.
Boyd and Silva Martin with their children, Nox and Leo (Photo courtesy Boyd Martin)
I think his letter offers a real insight into the thinking and life of a top rider. You’ll find it interesting. Here are some edited excerpts from what he had to say:
“In the first week of January, the bulk of the eventing horses moved to our winter training base in Aiken, S.C. For many years we have been training out of a beautiful facility named Stable View. A lot of the other top professionals have now chosen Ocala, Fla., over Aiken for their winter base.
“I personally still feel Aiken is the perfect spot for my horses and team. Firstly, the month of January is really about getting the horses fit and build up their condition. Stable View is perfect for that. It is a 2,000-acre property with superb facilities to get the horses built up for the up coming year. I believe it’s important not to to rush the horses to competition too soon.
“With our group of horses, it is a very detailed slow progression of work.
“I truly think that this prepares them for the upcoming year. It’s very easy to get overly excited early in the year and I truly believe a lot of the injuries occur when the base fitness is missed in the early stages of their preparation for the competition season.
“We start competing in February as we start preparing for the big events this spring. With all of the horses in training, we have major goals marked throughout the year. Make no mistake, we want to win these major goals and be at the top. A lot of the competitions leading up to these major goals and events are the contests that lead to this ultimate success. I believe it’s important to understand that it’s not that productive long-term for us to try to win every start. This is a long journey.
“Silva’s team of dressage horses are braving the cold in Pennsylvania for January and February. The new indoor arena at Windurra (the Martins’ farm) is superb. Having this new world class indoor means that the training of the horses in the winter is unaffected due to the weather. The cost of building it was crippling, but we are thrilled with it. McComsey Builders have done a superb job of exceeding our expectations with this building.
“Silva will take a top group of horses to Wellington in March to compete and train. At the moment, Silva has the most exciting group of horses that she has ever had. Her group of owners are top-class, and the quality of horses is outstanding. (Here is a link to the story I wrote last September about Silva and her career prospects.) Silva had a bit of a blip in her career with a brain injury and two pregnancies. It’s not until now I that she she is now in a place to really crack on with her equestrian career. I think the next years in Silva’s riding carrier could be some of her best.
“Family life is absolutely full-on. Nox has started his new schooling life at the Upland School where he has entered the 1st grade, whilst Leo is continuing his studies at the magnificent London Grove Pre-School. In the last 12 months Nox has started to understand the fierce enjoyment of competition. Leo still sees his sports as a great opportunity to chat and play with the other children. Sport seems to be more of a social event for him at the moment. Ice hockey is definitely the winter choice of sports, and swimming, soccer, and lacrosse for the rest of the year.
Boyd with his future ice hockey stars, Leo and Nox. (Photo courtesy of Boyd Martin)
“Both boys are enjoying jumping on the horses after school. After many attempts, both Silva and I realize that they both don’t think we know what we are talking about with horses and that we pay for riding lessons at the local riding school up the road each week. I actually think it’s better if I don’t try to help them with the art of riding a horse, but just have fun when we ride together.
“We are slowly getting through the projects into developing Windurra into the ultimate training facility. Currently the farm is a mixture of being very Australian with electric tape paddocks and some very workmanlike stables, with the other half looking very German (Silva is a native of Germany) with beautiful arenas and attractive landscaping.
“For me, it was a mixture of results last year with the event horses. I was a little short of top, top horses with a number of my superstars sidelined with injuries and the next generation about to pop through to the 5-star ranks.
“I finally won a medal at the World Championships after 12 years of attempts, and was lucky enough to win Rider of the Year in the U.S. 2023 looks very exciting for me. Some of my faithful soldiers are back in action, and we have purchased a couple of very exciting new horses. The younger group of horses coming through also look amazing. If all goes to plan this upcoming year, I have a real chance of being number one in the world.
“Obviously, this all revolves around finding the best horses, and more importantly having a loyal, generous group of supporters behind us. Starting the sport from the bottom makes me realize how much we appreciate the support. We never feel entitled when it comes to people stepping up and sponsoring horses, and we also completely understand how much of a financial commitment it is. The reality is that the horse sports at the top level is getting more and more competitive.
“To win the big ones, you need the best quality horse you can get your hands on. This type of horse is getting harder and harder to find. It’s also getting more and more expensive to buy the best ones. This is the name of the game. We have all of the other parts in place. Work ethic, top staff, brilliant coaches, perfect training facilities and experience and mileage at the top end of competition.
“I also achieved another personal goal of giving up the demon drink for the last 12 months. Over the years, I have had a love/hate relationship with alcohol. To be honest, I love a cold beer at the end of the day, but it slowly evolved into a daily extremity. I have always struggled with moderation in all areas of my life, and at the moment, I need to be at my best with all of the balls I am juggling.
“Eventually I would like to try to revisit having a social cocktail, but for now I will continue living the life as a monk. The other major change moving forward will be to cut back on teaching so many lessons in a day at the farm. I have often found it hard to say no to things, but I believe to be the best.
“I need to focus more on my riding and training at home, rather than to zoom through my list of horses so I can start teaching at 2pm. I will still help a handful of the top professionals on occasions and still teach clinics at quieter times of the year but am planning to just slow right down on the ship-in lessons from local riders. I have a lot of top horses now, and I need to give them as much time as I can. Sometimes my biggest enemy in life are the distractions and it’s important for me to focus on keeping the main thing, the main thing!
“My body has held up very well in the last year. After having a never ending run of surgeries and injuries in my early 40’s, I believe I have found a good system of staying healthy. I continue working with my physio Andrew Russell, my yoga instructor Biz Magarity, and my personal fitness trainer Kenny Ray. Doing a series of stretch’s and exercises each day along with a healthy diet has improved me as an athlete. I feel better in my body and I also think it has helped my mental health. I feel better and am generally more happy in life.
“I have kept the circle of coaches the same with Silva doing most of the dressage, Peter Wylde the show jumping and Erik Duvander overseeing all of the training. In my opinion, these three coaches are the best in the business. I still believe that I am improving. I also think it’s important to keep wanting to get better, even after all of these years.
“This time last year, I spoke about the transition of the USEF team. I didn’t know what to expect. Honestly, after the last year, I think it’s been great for me. I have had more opportunity to work with the coaches I believe suit me and my horses the most.
“I am still unsure if this way is good for the whole country, but for me personally, it’s been great. It seems a lot of the countries around the world are heading in this direction. The new Chef d’Equipe, Bobby Costello, has had a bit more of a managing role and has had a lot of success in his first year. To keep going forward, I believe we should back him and the team and keep trying to win medals at every level!”
Take heart, working students. It is possible to make it to the top of the game with a lot of effort. A case in point is Adrienne Lyle, who began her rise as a working student for Debbie McDonald in 2005.
Last night, she won the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s International Equestrian of the Year honors, presented at the organization’s annual meeting in Kentucky. It only took 18 years for her to get there.
The trophy was awarded based on a popular vote, and Adrienne acknowledged her supporters, saying, “I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote in the USEF Equestrian of the Year awards. I’m very humbled to receive this award.”
A 2021 Tokyo Olympic team silver medalist, Adrienne went on to comment, “One of my favorite sayings is that when a rider stands on a podium, they never stand alone. It is incredible how many people’s dreams are intertwined in this sport of ours, and just what a huge village it takes to help make these dreams come true.
“I’m thankful to all the amazing people in my life who have supported me and helped shape me into the rider and horsewoman I am today. I want to say a special thank you to my long-time coach, Debbie McDonald; Salvino’s owner, Betsy Juliano; and my whole team of fabulous grooms at home, who are such an integral part of any success our team has.
“Last, but certainly not least, thank you to these horses—these amazing animals who allow us to be part of their journey and bring so much joy to so many lives.”
A veteran of two Olympics, Adrienne also was on the 2022 world championships team that clinched a berth for the U.S. in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now she is working toward qualifying with Salvino for the FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha this April.
Friday night Jan. 13 moved her closer to that goal, as she won the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 83.540 percent. Second went to Sarah Tubman on First Apple (78.250). It was Adrienne’s second freestyle victory this season as she accumulated points for Omaha.
But it all began where she grew up, on Whidbey Island in Washington State.
“We had cows and a couple of ponies,” Adrienne recalls of her life on her parents’ small farm. “I started hacking around, riding Western and bareback—I never had formal lessons then. I joined the U.S. Pony Club when I was nine years old because some of my friends joined.”
She went to her first Pony Club dressage lesson with a Western saddle on a $200 pony named Salsa. From there, she rode in Pony Club Games and started eventing.
She began to develop a small business at her parents’ farm, both bringing horses in to train and managing the barn. “I was mucking and grooming. I learned how to write down all my income and expenses–what you can write off and what you can’t–and how to keep track of everything.”
Adrienne found herself most interested in the dressage aspect of eventing.
“I’d get problem horses and spend so much time in dressage work that when I finally put a jump in front of them, it wasn’t a big deal anymore,” she says. “I just loved the training process.”
With Miguel, a Swedish warmblood gelding, she earned a team silver medal at the 2002 Cosequin Junior Dressage Team Championship at Dressage at Devonwood in Portland, Oregon. It would be the first of many medals for her.
In 2004, competing in the North American Young Riders’ Championships, she and Miguel contributed to a team bronze medal for Region 6.
The next year, Adrienne began working on a plan to take some lessons with dressage icon Debbie McDonald. She arranged to stay at the farm of a family friend in Hailey, Idaho, Debbie’s hometown, doing chores in exchange for Miguel’s board–so she could trailer to Debbie’s base at River Grove, for training.
During the initial lesson she gave Adrienne, Debbie recalls, “The first thing I noticed was her natural ability and the feel she has for riding. I was impressed with the training she had done and how far she had brought this horse.”
The bonus was Adrienne’s attitude (are you paying attention, working students?)
“She’s a joy to be around,” said Debbie. “She gets along with anybody.”
Adrienne’s workday started at 7 or 8 a.m. In addition to riding, she groomed, wrapped and iced the horses’ legs when needed. She cleaned tack, laundered blankets and bandages, fed, watered, turned out horses and helped manage the veterinary care and shoeing schedules. And if sweeping and vacuuming were necessary, she did those chores, too.
“Most kids today just want to ride,” Debbie once observed. Adrienne was different.
“She knows there’s a lot of work involved in horses. You don’t look at the watch when you’re working with horses and she’s willing to do all that. She accepts all aspects of the business. If it means cleaning a bathroom or a stall, she is up for it.”
Everyone at the USEF dinner could see how that turned out.
The National Equestrian of the Year title for the second time went to hunter rider Hunt Tosh. In 2022, he was a winner everywhere, from Devon to the 2022 Platinum Performance/USHJA International Hunter Derby Championships in August, There, he took two of the top three spots: the champion title with Wheeler family’s Cannon Creek and third place with Ceil Wheeler’s 2013 warmblood gelding, Autograph.
“One definition of ‘horseman’ is one whose skill with horses is exceptional,” said Hunt. “Although I do not consider myself exceptional, I’m fortunate to be surrounded by those who are: a group of people that includes my family, friends, vets, farriers, grooms, breeders, farm manager, and owners who I am lucky enough to call my friends. I learn something from these exceptional people every day. But we all owe the most to the horses. To be able to spend my life caring for these animals is a privilege.”
In addition to Adrienne, eventer Will Coleman and para dressage rider Kate Shoemaker were nominated for the international rider title.
Those in addition to Tosh who were nominated for national titles included Janae Griffin (Friesian),James Hitt (Arabian), Wendy Potts (Arabian), Jim B. Robertson II (Roadster) and
Matt Siemon (Arabian).
The 2022 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award was presented posthumously to Hope Hand, a leader who helped develop paralympic competition for equestrians.
Hope, who died last year, began riding at age 10. She discovered para dressage as an adult, when her daughter, Amy, learned about the sport as part of a school project on the Paralympics. That opened the door to Hope’s life work and lasting legacy in equestrian sport, as both an elite athlete and as a sport leader.
She was first alternate to the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Team and competed at the British Invitational in 1997, earning gold, silver, and bronze. As a member of the U.S. team at the 1999 World Dressage Championships, she won a bronze medal. She also competed at the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, Australia, finishing fifth in the overall standings.
In addition to serving on the USEF board and on numerous committees, Hand also was president of the U.S. Para-Equestrian Association. She was instrumental in transitioning para dressage into an FEI and USEF sport, and never missed an opportunity to educate, recruit, or mentor participants, from the grassroots to the elite level.
Her tireless support for para dressage and its athletes contributed to the growth of the sport and the success of the U.S. program, including the U.S. Para Dressage Team’s outstanding results at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Other USEF award winners were USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year: Skylar Wireman; Sallie Busch Wheeler Trophy for Distinguished Service to Equestrian Sport: Elisabeth Goth;
Ellen Scripps Davis Memorial Breeders’ Award: Eleanor Hamilton and Maryanna Haymon;
Kip Rosenthal Memorial High Score Equitation Award: Augusta Iwasaki; Pegasus Medal of Honor: Jan Decker, Sally McClure Jackson and John R. “Doc” Steele.
Also: Richard E. McDevitt Award of Merit: William “Bill” Ellis, John King, Antonio “Pusito” Lopez, Richard Picken, Nancy Turrill; USEF/EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Award: Meris Bickford; USEF Youth Sportsman’s Award: Ryder Richardson and Walter B. Devereux Sportsmanship Award: Charlotte Skinner-Robson.
As much as a new year is a time for looking ahead, it also is an opportunity to look back and enjoy a bit of nostalgia.
For me, what filled the bill on the latter perspective was “The Outside of a Horse,” a book of recollections by Steven D. Price.
The subtitle is, “MyLlife On, Off and Around Horses,” which covers a lot of ground for this retired book editor/author, who enjoyed more than the horses during his involvement in the equestrian world for nearly 70 years. The characters he met, the places he visited, all come alive with his winning writing style. If you didn’t know them before, you will after you read the book.
Steve was someone I often would see at the National Horse Show or in Wellington, Fla., the “Winter Equestrian Capital of the World.” A keen observer of the equestrian vista and the people he met around horses, Steve always had a reminiscence or a tale to tell.
Steve cubbing in Virginia.
I suggested he should write them all down at the very least, or better yet, compile a book. That’s what he did, and I have been remiss in not doing a story about it until now, because it wears so well that there did not appear to be any urgency in telling my readers about it.
But finally, with my new year’s resolution not to procrastinate, I have gotten around to it.
The volume is peppered with names you’ll recognize, even though many have moved into the mists of history. Steve mentions his encounters with Gordon Wright, the great trainer who was an icon of the sport in the mid-Twentieth Century; former U.S. Equestrian Team show jumping captain Bill Steinkraus, a close friend; Alexander Mackay-Smith, the longtime editor of the Chronicle of the Horse as well as a founder of the U.S. Pony Club and the U.S. Combined Training Association; Triple Crown winner Secretariat and Joy Slater, the steeplechase jockey/jumper rider with whom he wrote a book.
Among the others who will ring a bell with my older audience, and perhaps a few of the younger readers, too, are Victor Hugo-Vidal, whose resonant voice echoed through Madison Square Garden in the days when he announced the National Horse Show there, “bon vivant” Mason Phelps, founder of the International Jumping Derby, and the toast of the show jumping scene, Rodney Jenkins, with whom Steve was supposed to write a book, but it didn’t work out. Ditto trainer/artist Ronnie Mutch, whose illustration graces the cover of the volume.
Steve noted there are those who have called him “the Zelig of the horse world.” Zelig, as portrayed in Woody Allen’s 1983 movie of that name, was an “ever-present and often inconspicuous figure” at major historic events.
For his part, Steve was apt to turn up anywhere on the equestrian landscape, from the National (at several different venues), chatting at the ingate with Harry DeLeyer of Snowman fame and being on hand for the 1978 World Three-Day Eventing Championships, which made the new Kentucky Horse Park a destination.
Steve was an amateur rider. Not amateur, as in amateur-owner hunters, but a hobby horseman. He started riding, the same way so many others have, at camp. In the 1950s, that was a whole different experience. Seat-of-the-pants sums it up. No one bothered with a hard hat (helmets were not in the picture until years later) and lace-up shoes with heels sufficed for those who didn’t have boots.
But the joy of those days, even with the difficulties of learning to post in a western saddle, left Steve with a lifelong love of horses and riding. It was the seed for moving on, to training with Kip Rosenthal, as well as adventures that included bit of low-key showing, and fox hunting in Ireland. Then there was the time that he almost ran into Great Britain’s Prince Phillip on the dance floor during at party at the 1983 FEI World Cup Finals in Vienna. What could be more Zelig?
Steve in a lesson with Kip Rosenthal.
His first book, in 1972, was “Teaching Riding at Summer Camp,” even though he was far from an expert. That set the stage for the dozens of volumes he would produce, from a hunter/jumper manual with Anthony D’Ambrosio, now best known as a course designer, to the story of the Budweiser Clydesdales and “Riding for a Fall,” a polo primer.
He was involved in the production of “Thou Shalt Fly Without Wings,” the welcoming video that greeted visitors to the new Kentucky Horse Park’s museum, which opened after the 1978 championships.
Steve also produced an equestrian mystery, a la Dick Francis, but set in the horse show milieu rather than racing.
Have a good time sharing Steve’s adventures, including his involvement with a Japanese businessman’s Arabian operation at a Kentucky farm, where several Mongolians who didn’t speak English came to check out the horses. Hilarious.
He also fulfilled a lifelong dream by riding in the Grand Entry at a Texas rodeo, 65 years after he first clambered on a horse at camp. His life reads like a great fun ride.
Fulfilling a dream in the Grand Entry at a Texas rodeo.
Oh, and about the title: It’s from a famous quote, attributed to Churchill and others: “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
A 2021 Tokyo Olympic team silver medalist, Adrienne went on to comment, “One of my favorite sayings is that when a rider stands on a podium, they never stand alone. It is incredible how many people’s dreams are intertwined in this sport of ours, and just what a huge village it takes to help make these dreams come true.
