by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 20, 2023
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.
Hannah Sue Hollberg was the open preliminary winner at the Essex Horse Trials in 2021. (Photo © 2021 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
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.
Essex co-chairs Ralph Jones and Morgan Rowsell. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
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.
Those interested in learning more about the camp can go to www.greaternewarklifecamp.org.
“We’re happy to schedule tours over the summer,” said Kathy, noting volunteers are also welcome.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 19, 2023
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.
Boyd on his victory gallop after winning the Maryland 5-star in 2021. (Photo © 2021 by Nancy Jaffer)
“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!”
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 13, 2023
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.
Adrienne Lyle as a working student on Miguel, the first horse show brought to Grand Prix. (Photo © 2005 by Nancy Jaffer)
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.”
Adrienne Lyle and Salvino in action. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
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.
Adrienne with a young horse during her working student days in 2006. (Photo © 2006 by Nancy Jaffer)
“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.”
Like all working students, Adrienne spent her fair share of time cleaning bridles. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
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.
Hunt Tosh and Cannon Creek. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
“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.
by Nancy Jaffer | Jan 11, 2023
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.
If you want to join in vicariously, the book can be ordered at https://www.blurb.com/b/10564104-the-outside-of-a-horse.
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.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 30, 2022
My headline, which I have always used for New Year’s stories over the decades, comes from a seldom-sung verse of a favorite carol, Deck the Halls. It is amazing how fast a year goes by, isn’t it?
Last January, we were still feeling the effects of coming out of the Covid panicdemic, so everything felt a little bit new as the year 2022 began. Remember that the 2021 Olympics and many other competitions were held without spectators. The dressage and show jumping phases of the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star three-day event were staged in an empty stadium, with only cardboard cutouts looking on from the stands.
But this year, the crowds came back, and not just in Kentucky.
The fans enjoyed seeing Doug Payne finish as the highest-placed U.S. competitor at the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Shows such as Devon, which was not held for two years, were welcomed by fans. It was good to have everything return that makes Devon, Devon, from the ladies’ hat contest to the lemons with candy sticks, the tea sandwiches and an acapella men’s chorus singing the Star-Spangled Banner before the Sapphire Grand Prix. And yes, that class ended as usual, with McLain Ward collecting the blue ribbon.
The crowds were happy to return to Devon and cheer on favorites like McLain Ward. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Another big show that came back after a two-year absence was Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, celebrating its hundredth anniversary in the same style we always loved; women in long gowns, men in tuxedoes or white tie and tails; a sold-out arena and top caliber international horses and riders to close out the North American Fall Indoor Circuit in style.
The months zipped by. One minute, we were looking forward to 2022’s world championships in the Olympic disciplines and Para; now we’re focusing on this April, when the FEI World Cup Finals in dressage and show jumping return to the U.S. for the first time since 2017. In 2023, as in 2017, it will be held in Omaha, and vaulting is joining the offerings.
The inaugural Omaha finals was the first time an international championship in the Olympic disciplines was held in that area of the country. The concept achieved its goal of boosting equestrian sports in that region. Want proof? Split Rock’s Fort Worth, Texas, show will present the finals in 2026.
The world championships were a mixed bag for the U.S. The dressage team’s sixth-place finish guaranteed the U.S. a berth for that discipline in the 2024 Olympics. The show jumping team was not so lucky, with Sweden dominating the team championship and its star, European Champion Henrik von Eckermann on the superlative King Edward, taking individual gold. He is ranked number one in the world.
World Champion Show Jumper Henrik von Eckermann gave King Edward a hug after winning his title.
The American squad finished eleventh and will have to do better at the Pan American Games to earn a place in Paris.
The U.S. para riders, however, came through with individual silver and bronze medals, and a team bronze that qualified the country for the Paralympics in Paris.
The eventers don’t have to sweat Paris; they qualified for the 2024 Games with a team silver, their first team medal at a world championships in 20 years.
There were plenty of big stories during the year. Former Winter Equestrian Festival impresario Mark Bellissimo presented a plan for developing acreage in Wellington, Fla., including the site of the Global Dressage Festival (dressage would move to a different location in the community under another facet of the complicated deal.)
Where dressage will be held during the 2024 Wellington circuit is up in the air, as the Global grounds may be developed. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
That saga will continue well into the new year, with hearings slated to start in February.
The most high-profile narrative was the trial of dressage trainer Michael Barisone, charged with attempted murder of a tenant on his property in a teacher/student relationship that went very wrong. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and remains at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital.
A lot happened on the local level in New Jersey in 2022.
More than two years after Lord Stirling Stable’s horses were sold as the facility was shut down during Covid, a plan to buy “a number of horses” and begin reintroducing equestrian programming before the end of the year at the Somerset County facility in Basking Ridge was announced in September. It didn’t happen.
The only specifics offered included “limited trail riding for more experienced patrons,” and providing lead-line rides for beginners. But this month, pony rides and grooming lessons for kids were halted “until better weather,” even though the stable has an indoor arena.
Lord Stirling was the venue where so many people started riding in a robust lesson program before Covid struck. There are fewer and fewer places in the state where such programs are available.
Another one that’s off the list is Essex Equestrian Center in West Orange, which closed this month. No reasons were given for the closure, but it has gotten more and more expensive to operate such facilities.
The Delaware Valley Horsemen’s Association, whose lower-level shows were popular for decades, ceased operations in the face of declining entries and a squabble between the organization’s factions.
If the entry end of the horse business goes away, it will lose its base and become a sport only for the wealthy. But in that regard, a hopeful sign is that the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Outreach programs that enable people to venture into the show scene for a reasonable price with appropriate challenges in the arena.
What lies ahead for 2023? I think a key issue will be “social license to operate.”
Don’t forget the emphasis the FEI (international equestrian federation) puts on that, as public opinion of horse sports is emphasized. Everyone has a video camera on their phone, so there’s no hiding not only abuse, but also practices that some with no horse experience would interpret as abuse.
Expect a great deal of “guidance to promote an ethical horse/human relationship” under the banner of equine welfare. Practices you take for granted now may well not pass muster in the year to come.
One more thing. As we look back over 2022, let’s recall the people who were part of the horse world that left us in the last 12 months. Read about them at this link and raise a glass to their memory.
by Nancy Jaffer | Dec 21, 2022
It’s a scene that resonates every autumn, set to the bright, beckoning notes of the huntsman’s horn and the music of hounds in full cry, played out against a backdrop of brilliantly colored leaves.
Eager riders on neatly clipped mounts with carefully braided manes gather for the excitement of the chase, galloping across the countryside and over fences as they take part in a treasured ritual. Even in New Jersey, the most densely populated state, the tradition continues with five hunt clubs.
The Monmouth County Hunt. (MegVal photography)
They are Monmouth County, the Essex Foxhounds in Somerset County, the Amwell Valley Hounds in Hunterdon County, Spring Valley Hounds in Warren and Sussex counties and the Windy Hollow Hunt, which is based in New York but does some hunting in Sussex County.
Although the traditional look may be the same as in decades past, times have changed, and the hunts have changed with them. In any area where territory is at a premium, keeping these hunts going requires a greater effort than it did when open land was more available and the march of development slower. That means reaching out beyond the sport’s usual constituency, actively recruiting members and supporters.
“All of the hunts are really doing their best to confront reality,” said David Feureisen, the New Jersey/New York District Director for the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America and a master of the Golden’s Bridge Hounds in North Salem, N.Y.
Andrew Barclay, director of hunting for MFHA, which has 144 member hunts, recalls a time when “hunting really was a fabric of the community. People who owned the land hunted, there was much more of a tie-in to the area and the hunt.”
The passing years have brought a big difference in that regard.
“Nowadays, most hunts have got people from towns and elsewhere who don’t really know what hunting’s about,” he observed. “You’ve got to educate all the new people who moved out to enjoy the countryside.”
The clubs’ masters of foxhounds, who lead the way in keeping things going, have plenty to do.
“The work of the master always has been a major job, but it’s much more complicated than it used to be,” he pointed out.
Barclay, formerly the huntsman for the Green Spring Valley Hounds in Maryland, noted it’s increasingly the practice for hunts to be headed by multiple masters.
“You don’t have the lord of the manor becoming master. It’s people who work for a living, and by dividing the workload, hopefully you’re not overworking any one master,” he explained.
All but two of the five clubs that hunt in New Jersey have more than two masters, because the job entails so much responsibility, from landowner relations to finances and conservation, along with everything in between.
“It’s too overwhelming for one person. It no longer suits to have a single master who is in charge of everything. There are so many nuanced things to be done,” said Jazz Johnson, who serves with Dennis Sargenti, Sarah Slack and Lynn Jones as a master of the Peapack-based Essex Foxhounds.
In addition to keeping landowners happy and insuring the integrity of a hunt’s territory, attracting new members and encouraging them to stay on board is a concern. The image of hunting as a sport with a touch of snobbery is outdated. Now it’s busy building a new identity.
The Essex Foxhounds Thanksgiving hunt is a time for a meet-and-greet with the community. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“There’s a much more awareness toward proactiveness on the part of hunts and I think that’s a good thing,” said Barclay, noting, “There is a lot of interest in hunting. Covid actually increased the interest, as people could not do things they wanted to do or go to the horse shows. and they ended up coming back to hunting. Almost to a hunt, they say their membership and capping (riding as a paid guest) picked up during Covid.”
Meg Valnoski, who serves as one of the masters of the Monmouth County Hunt with Jen Donaldson and Doug Raynor, observed about hunting that “In the past, it was far more social.”
There was a time when some people equated being in a hunt club as similar to joining a golf club, and they remained a part of it longer, she commented.
“Now there’s more rotation of membership, so we have to keep working on it,” said Valnoski.
You don’t have to ride to be associated with a hunt, though.
“We try to go at it from multiple angles,” she mentioned.
“We urge people to get involved however they would like; as volunteers, car followers, patrons–what gives them a comfort level. People can be around the hunt club without immediate pressure of signing up for a big membership. It gives them time to process.”
When it comes to following the hounds on horseback, though, she noted that “the fear factor” can dissuade people from actually mounting up and joining the field.
But not to worry.
What’s different today is “what you see on TV and the way it used to be when I started hunting. It’s a little bit tamer, to be honest,” Valnoski said.
Although the “first flight” includes experienced riders who can keep up with the huntsman and hounds, jumping every fence along the way, there’s also a tamer second flight that likely won’t jump at all. And gaining popularity among hunts is a third, or walking, flight.
At Monmouth, that started with a September introductory clinic on hunting at the club’s Allentown base. Other hunts offer similar clinics to give people a quick course, complete with tips on hunt etiquette, on what to expect when they’re out hunting, as well as what is expected of them.
Riders and hounds from Monmouth gather before the start of the hunt. (MegVal Photo)
MFH Donaldson mentioned that people would say, “I’d like to try this sport, but I’m nervous to try it.”
The walking flight led by a Pony Club member proved to be the answer; it was so popular it was added every Sunday in October. Hosting it, however, “is not easy,” Donaldson advised, “because you get everything from very green horses to very timid riders, who have either never been out of the ring or never been on a trail ride.”
Yet it’s worth the extra effort.
“For us, it’s a way to give more people access to the sport. There was a ton of interest because it provided them (the riders) a great way to see hounds work at a pace they were comfortable with. We’ve had riders in it every single week coming to cap, including two who have joined as members. We did it at our 137th opening day with the blessing of hounds and breakfast under a tent.”
Once riders gain confidence, some move to second flight, where they can trot and canter up hills, said Donaldson.
Valnoski noted Monmouth also uses social media and stays in touch with local barns and trainers. The suggestion is that instead of going to a show every weekend, trainers can pursue an income alternative in leasing horses to those who want to try hunting, while picking up trailering and training fees along the way.
“It has to be a constant effort and integrated approach to reaching out to new membership,” said Valnoski.
In that regard, Essex promotes its Friends program.
“We’re trying to reach out to a broader group of people…and be a little more like a community organization and not such a closed club. We’re very approachable,” said Essex MFH Dennis Sargenti.
“We’re going to have days when people can follow on foot, with a fieldmaster. It’s weather-dependent. I think all the clubs are facing dwindling memberships, so it’s another way of getting people involved.”
In a unique approach, Windy Hollow offers a series of well-subscribed dressage shows at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, N.J.
A beautiful view of the Windy Hollow Hunt’ s country. (Photo courtesy of Windy Hollow)
“The shows are a major fundraiser, so we can keep our dues low,” said Lindie Scorsone, a joint master of Windy Hollow with senior MFH Ed Wiley, Emily Wiley, Shane Haslim and Dale Roberts.
A broader base is key for clubs’ survival, and preservation of the countryside is a watchword for all the hunts. It’s also an important element in appealing to a new constituency. Essex, for instance, is very involved with the Countryside Alliance of Somerset Hills.
“We would like people to know that Essex Fox Hounds is about more than the fox hunting, it’s about supporting the community and keeping the country open. We’re involved with many other organizations in the area, the Pony Club, the puppy show and lots of local businesses. It’s important that if you are out here, there’s so much else going on you can be a part of,” said Jeanne Clarke, who was handing out the red-jacketed Essex Almanac during the gathering for the Thanksgiving hunt, where hundreds turn out to send off the riders and perhaps even enjoy a stirrup cup.
PART TWO, out next week, will deal with the future of hunting in New Jersey and include comments from masters of the other hunts.
