by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 27, 2024
“It’s a simple sport, but it’s hard to do,” mused Brett Parbery as he wrapped up the Jewel Court Stud USA’s Masterclass Thursday evening during Dressage at Devon, after giving short lessons to five riders involved in everything from western dressage to Grand Prix as the crowd in the grandstand watched intently.
He offered many other valuable bits of insight. Among them: noting that if you’re taking short cuts and training a horse with pressure, “the test will catch you out,” describing the way the passage in the Grand Prix test “links it all together” and noting it is better to ride toward the corner rather than the letter when stepping out on the diagonal.
Friday morning, it got more personal as Brett helped Silva Martin, the wife of eventer Boyd Martin, prepare for her Fourth Level Test 1 with Federman B. Bruno, as the horse is known, was Boyd’s mount at the Paris Olympics, where had a little kerfuffle with the flying changes in the dressage portion of the competition.
Bruno is heading for the Pau, France 5-star event next month and Silva is riding the horse in dressage shows to get him more relaxed and producing better changes.
Brett is an Australian (Boyd grew up in Australia and is a dual Australian/US. citizen) so the two not surprisingly are friends. Brett is staying at Boyd’s farm near Devon, where sleep is at a premium because Boyd and Silva have three very active young boys.
Brett Parbery and Boyd Martin. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Bruno showed a little tension when he entered the ring, but he went on to get more relaxed by the time he got to the tempi changes and finished fifth on 66.315 percent.
Silva also rode Commando 3, Boyd’s Olympic reserve horse, to fourth place on 66.942 percent. Commando will be competing with Boyd aboard at the Maryland 5-star in October
With a smile, I asked Silva whether she was getting paid extra for showing Boyd’s two event horses.
“Well, that’s the thing,” she replied with a good-natured grin, “He’s actually a bad pay.”
Bruno is staying another night so he can do the same test on Saturday.
Silva Maratin focuses on Federman B. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“In Paris, he was so good and then he just lost it a little bit we’re just get him to relax and take a breath in the ring. Doing this kind of thing is awesome for them” to steady the nerves, without having to handle a cross-country test afterwards.
Brett offered eyes on the ground in the warm-up and support from ringside.
Asked to share his impression of Dressage at Devon, which is presented by Kingsview Partners, he said, “I’m blown away.”
“This is my first American show, other than the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky (2010) and the World Equestrian Games in Tryon (2018). Its just got a great vibe, the atmosphere is great, the show organizers are great, this particular show has that heritage feel about it. I really, really enjoy it.”
He had his work cut out for him with the Masterclass, because not only did he have to deal with horses at different levels of training, he also had to click with a crowd that included experts, as well as those just getting introduced to the discipline.”
Jewel Court Stud USA’s Montenegro, by Toto Jr. and a grandson of Totilas, ridden by Kamden Perno as Brett Parbery offers pointers. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“My theory is that if I speak to the audience as if they have never seen dressage before, even the most experienced rider in the crowd will get something from it. The more experience we get, sometimes the more we forget about the basics and the fundamentals. The most difficult problems in dressage are always solved through creating better fundamentals. If you explain the fundamentals. The great rider always picks up something.
“Maybe because I’m in Australia and maybe because we’re a long way away from the action, we often try and work by ourselves. We have to break it down. That’s why you see a lot of Australians out there in the education space…we have to figure it out ourselves. To be able to be repeating it every day, I have to make every concept very simple.”
Western dressage rider Lorna Nagel, who was aboard Janine Callen’s quarter horse Nigh Deposit Nic, declared, “Brett was awesome. He’s just right on target with everything I use to train.I was glad to get the same opportunities as the other riders and be treated the same.”
Brett had a goal he wanted to reach, not only for the riders who participated, but also for his audience.
“I want everyone to walk out of here and go, `You know what? That’s actually very simple. Maybe I can do it.’ That’s what you want people to go home with, that feeling.”
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by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 27, 2024
It was going to be a second chance, of sorts. Marcus Orlob’s Olympic ride on Jane in Paris was cut short after a judge spotted a tiny scratch on her white hind leg, a trifle she sustained after spooking when the horse before her left the ring. Jane had performed well as far as she got in the test, showing off her possibilities.
Marcus; Jane’s owner, Alice Tarjan and the mare’s many fans were looking forward to seeing Jane do her entire Grand Prix Friday night at Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon in the qualifier for Saturday night’s freestyle.
But Jane was withdrawn from the competition, having slipped as she got off the van at the Devon showgrounds. She wasn’t right, Marcus said, so that was the end of her Devon before it began.
That took some of the excitement out of the Friday night class, although It drew 20 horses, a very healthy number for the show. U.S. 2024 FEI World Cup Finals rider Kevin Kohmann won on Dunensee with a score of 69.761 percent, just edging Canadian Olympian Camille Carier Bergeron on Finnlanderin (69.435). Saturday night’s freestyle is a qualifier for the 2025 FEI World Cup finals.
The Grand Prix for Special, to be contested Saturday afternoon, was won by Tina Konyot on Grover with 70.087 percent.
Dressage at Devon’s Grand Prix for Freestyle winner Kevin Kohmann on Dunensee. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
On top of the enduring disappointment of the Olympics. Jane being unable to compete at Devon was a bitter pill for Marcus and Alice. The mare will be getting a thorough veterinary examination and if she is fit, she may get a chance to finish that Grand Prix one more time before the end of the year at TerraNova in Florida.
But there was a glimmer of happiness in the afternoon at Devon, as Marcus’ wife, Shannon Stevens, won the Prix St. Georges with the appropriately named All of Harmony. He was the only horse to break 70 percent in the show’s largest class, which included 25 horses. The 10-year-old Oldenburger’s score was 71.912, but amid the joy, Shannon thought about her husband’s situation.
“It’s tragic, honestly. He’s had a rough go. This is part of the sport. But I’m going to live in the moment today and hopefully Marcus will have his moment again — and he will.”
For her part, Shannon said of her mount’s performance, “I’m over the moon excited. I couldn’t be more proud. He put his heart and soul on the line.
Shannon Stevens and All of Harmony. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
“I’m rusty for sure,” she continued.
“I’ve been out of the international ring for a little bit and he hasn’t shown in about two years. What a way to start off. I’m thrilled.”
Shannon explained the horse’s down time by saying he was working with his amateur owner, Kathryn Williams.
“He has the ability to teach somebody the movements.The owner handed over the reins to me less than three weeks ago,” Shannon recalled.
“I said, `this is a really ambitious goal. I’m going to throw him in Devon, let’s get back into it.’ He’s just so willing , he doesn’t say no–`You want more?’ He fights for you.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 20, 2024
They have been a pillar of U.S. dressage teams through more than 80 international competitions, with 59 victories over eight years. The career of Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper has included silver medals at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The horse known affectionately as Mopsie gained his greatest fame by being designated as “the Rave Horse,” after his freestyle at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics went viral. He had thousands of fans, including rapper Snoop Dogg, who made a point of meeting Suppenkasper at the Paris Olympics last month.
Steffen and Suppenkasper in Wellington. (Photo © 2020 by Nancy Jaffer)
But when Suppenkasper’s owner, Akiko Yamizaki of Four Winds Farm, on Friday announced the retirement of 16-year-old Suppenkasper, she also revealed, “As we mark 20 years together as a team, the time has come to end this amazing journey and it is with deep gratitude to Steffen, the horses and everyone that has been part of this journey that we now end this excellent adventure and long ride with this team.”
She remarked, ““Today, I look out my window to catch Ravel (the winner of the 2009 FEI World Cup Finals) and Mopsie basking in the sun, the large crowds and long airplane rides now a distant memory.”
The Dutch-bred Suppenkasper, ranked number 46 in the world, reached the peak of his career with Steffen, a six-time Olympian who just turned 60.
“With Steffen as our rider, and with a number of horses, including Lombardi, Ravel, Legolas, Rosamunde, and Suppenkasper, our team has traveled around the world and had the honor of representing the USA in multiple international championships and events,” Akiko noted.
Through their partnership with Steffen, Four Winds Farm of Woodside, Calif., has represented the U.S. on the world stage for more than 20 years, including at five Olympic Games (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024), four FEI World Championships (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), a Pan American Games (2019), and five FEI Dressage World Cup Finals.
For his part, Steffen said, “What a true honor it has been to be a part of Mopsie’s career and life. It’s hard to explain how much appreciation I have for Akiko for purchasing him eight years ago and then supporting us to compete around the world together. The historic silver medal in Tokyo was, of course, the highlight of our career together.
“For me,” the Californian continued, “it will always be one of the proudest moments of our partnership — to have Mopsie deliver for our team that night in Tokyo. The individual victories were amazing, but I always felt the proudest delivering for our team, and it meant the world when we accomplished that in Tokyo. Mopsie became the ‘Rave Horse’, that’s still special to me because he connected so many people. They recognize him and his accomplishments, and there’s really no reason to mention my name, but it’s Mopsie’s character and energy which made people gravitate to him.
A special moment for Steffen and Mopsie at the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals in Omaha. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“The journey we’ve shared together is quite hard to put into words, but thoughts of gratitude, thankfulness, and friendship come to mind, both for Mopsie and Akiko, and I’m so privileged to have been a part of this journey with them.”
Akiko emphasized, “We have been fortunate to be part of so many teams with great riders, horses and owners over the years, and as anyone knows, there are countless hours of work and multiple shows to get to these culminating events and it truly takes a village to make things happen.
“We have had the amazing support of USEF staff, including Gil Merrick, Jim Wolf, Jenny van Wieren, Will Connell, Hallye Griffin, and Laura Roberts and knowledgeable Chef d’Equipes Klaus Balkenhol, Anne Gribbons, Robert Dover, Debbie McDonald, and Christine Traurig throughout the years, as well as the tremendous commitment of the team’s veterinarians Dr. Rick Mitchell, Dr. Cricket Rusillo, Dr. Paul McClellan, and Dr. Laura Faulkner and talented staff support.
“We’ve been lucky to have so many successful horses come through the U.S. Dressage Program, and we feel indebted with the deepest gratitude to the USET Foundation, led by Bonnie Jenkins, the competition organizers, and all the excellent service providers, including Dutta Corp, Klatte, JetPets, and Rockridge, among others, who have overseen the care and transportation of Mopsie and our other horses throughout their careers.”
Steffen and Mopsie in Tokyo.
“Mopsie’s career would not have been possible without the support and dedication of our home team, which includes Dr. Rodrigo Vazquez and physiotherapist Tom Meyers who both have been on this journey with us as a team for more than 20 years; Suppenkasper’s groom Eddie Garcia, and our other staff and supports Rafael Hernandez, Dawn White O’Connor and Haley Smith; our farriers Jim Carr, Stephan Tournier, Chuck Mundo; and the many staff at Arroyo Del Mar who have been a part of taking care of our horses, as well as my incredible staff at Four Winds Farm, Merced Huerta, Humberto Bejinez, Bryant Cruz and Artemio Cruz who look after and love our horses once they’re retired at the farm, as well as Alyson Hamilton, Greg Hardester, and CFM for all of their behind the scenes work.”
Akiko concluded, “Alongside Steffen and myself, Shannon (Steffen’s wife), Jerry (Yang, Akiko’s husband), Miki, and Emi (their children) have traveled the world together and shared the deep emotions that come with the highs and lows of being part of something so extraordinary.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 5, 2024
The breed and performance competition is great during the week of Kingsview Partners Dressage at Devon, but going beyond that, this Heritage show offers a fun experience combined with the opportunity to learn. It’s really a multi-dimensional festival, unique in reaching a far wider audience than just consummate dressage fans.
But those dressage fans will have plenty to enjoy, with an impressive list of entries for a variety of competitions, particularly Friday night’s Grand Prix for Freestyle, in which 21 are scheduled to go. Marcus Orlob and Alice Tarjan’s Jane are the headliners in this group, with Saturday night’s freestyle itself a qualifier for next year’s FEI World Cup Final in Switzerland. Marcus does a great job with Jane, and what a shame it was that a tiny scratch on the mare’s white right hind leg eliminated her from the Paris Olympics in the midst of an impressive test. So now we’ll get to see the whole thing at Devon.
Also in this class are Pan American Games medalist Sarah Tubman, who will be making RS Damon’s second international level start; Kevin Kohmann, who showed in the 2024 FEI World Cup Finals with Dunensee and a large Canadian contingent, including Paris Olympian Camille Carier Bergeron with Finnlanderin.
The list of 25 for the 1-star Prix St. Georges on Friday morning also has some recognizable names among 25 starters, including Olivia Lagoy-Weltz with Fade to Black, Silva Martin and Zaphir, Lauren Chumley (Leeloo Dallas) and Marcus’ wife, Shannon Orlob, with All in Harmony.
Marcus and Shannon Orlob at their Annandale, N..J., farm. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
In addition to competition, sessions on everything from veterinary insights to Western Dressage, and an educational Masterclass that’s also entertaining are highlights of this special show in a Philadelphia suburb. Anyone who thinks dressage is boring will enjoy having their eyes opened with the show’s variety and exciting dimensions. For detailed information about attractions and tickets, go to https://dressageatdevon.org/.
DAD, which will mark the fiftieth anniversary of its founding next year, offers enthusiasts from the Northeast a destination where they can immerse themselves in the discipline they love (or are getting to know) from Sept. 24-29. Those unfamiliar with dressage will get a feeling for what it’s about, while taking advantage of other offerings on-site. And oh yes, there’s also the chance to shop at a wide range of vendors on the historic Devon showgrounds.
DAD really offers a unique opportunity for the region.
We tend to think of Florida in the winter as the center for U.S. dressage, but DAD is a chance for Northeasterners to see some of the big names in the sport during a different season, as well as promising horseswho might well be candidates for the next world championships or FEI World Cup Finals (the show is a qualifier for the 2025 Cup in Switzerland.)
It may surprise some, but “A lot of us don’t go to Florida for the winter,” noted DAD President Anne Moss, “so it really is an inspirational show for all the spectators, whether they are owners or riders, or used to be riders. It brings the sport at the highest level to the mid-Atlantic area and inspires so many people to keep riding. I think that trickles all the way down to the grass roots.
Anne Moss, president of Dressage at Devon.
“When that happens,” she continued, “not only do the people get educated about riding and dressage and become better riders, but they also give their horses better lives.
“It does a whole lot for the welfare of the horse, for the sport to be successful all the way down to the grass roots. And then to have the opportunity to have horses at the top level of the sport brings all of us along with them in our dreams about our riding and then realities about improving. To see the breed show on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and see some of the parents of these horses competing in CDI classes Thursday through Sunday, that’s really exciting.”
The Thursday night Masterclass, which requires a separate ticket, offers the opportunity to watch riders at a variety of levels get critiqued and improve in the process. Brett Parberry, who is giving the class this year, is an Australian who was a rodeo rider before he became immersed in dressage a quarter-century ago. He’ll be working with a group of participants that includes Anna Marek, the 2023 Pan American Games individual bronze medalist.
Anne Gribbons, the former U.S. dressage chef d’equipe, said of Brett, “A more outgoing and enthusiastic person is hard to find, and yet Brett is very humble about his success in promoting dressage `Down Under.’”
U.S. Dressage Federation President George Williams called Brett “a warm, well-loved, and talented expert…who is known for his ‘horse first’ approach. Brett combines classical dressage training with a unique background that is sure to deliver inspiring educational content for all.”
The Dance-Off, a feature that made its debut last year in front of an enthusiastic crowd, will be back this year with its outrageous costumes, glitter and lively music. Break dancers are also part of the scene, courtesy of the contacts made by Steve Graham, CEO of a private equity firm.
Glitter and costumes were hallmarks of the popular Dance-Off.(Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Breaking, as it is formally known, was a 2024 Olympic sport. Its head spins and aerial moves don’t have a direct relationship to piaffe and passage (but maybe to pirouettes?) yet the joyousness it projects was inspirational for the Dance-Off, where breakers were among the judges and celebrities at the competition. Riders performed to live music produced by a quartet right in the arena.
The husband of DAD board member Christina Morin-Graham, Steve was an athlete who had been involved in ski racing, but at Williams College, he met people who told him about breaking. Curious, he decided to check it out when he moved to New York City in the early 1980s to work at Goldman Sachs, and found himself getting involved in the sport after visiting the real deal for breaking in the South Bronx.
He developed “what I called my portfolio of good, very good, athletic college white boy breaking moves. It was sort of unusual to have somebody like me” doing that, said Steve, known at the time among breakers as Vanilla Shake. Now his breaking persona is called Silverback.
Steve said the breaking connection for DAD started because his wife was interested in “creating some sort of spectacle” a fun diversion at the event, and he agreed to have some breakers there. That was the concept in its infancy, but it will be more refined this month during the Friday evening portion of the show, when such famous breakers as Ivan and Nemesis will be on hand.
Lauren Sammis, winner of the Dance-Off last year, felt it was an important innovation.
“I think we’ve got to do things to pull in the crowd, because if you pull in the crowd, we have more money for our sport,” she said.
There’s always a great audience for the big classes at Dressage at Devon. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Speakers during the week include Lynn Palm on the Thursday discussing the increasingly popular Western Dressage and two lecturers from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center on equine health issues on the Friday, when there also will be a presentation on finances for equestrian from sponsor Kingsview Partners. Shawna Karrsch lecures about positive reinforcement for dressage horses on the busy Friday as well.
Other attractions include the Grand Prix Special and musical freestyle FEI World Cup Finals qualifier on the Saturday night, and a series of freestyles in other divisions on the Sunday.
For those between the ages of 14 and 25, the U.S. Dressage Federation is joining forced with the show to offer the Youth/ Young Adult Dressage Sport Horse breeding seminar Sept. 23 and 24.
It’s an introduction to the ProElite/USDF Breeders Championship Series and to teach them safe and effective handling techniques for showing in hand. Those between the ages of 14 and 25, are invited to attend.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 16, 2024
A lack of entries has led Princeton Show Jumping to cancel its three remaining shows for the season, which would have been held this month and in October.
Andrew Philbrick, who runs the hunter/jumper venue in Montgomery Township, N.J., attributes the situation to the proliferation of new shows around his company’s dates. In particular, he mentions three FEI (international) shows geographically close to his competitions that are now on the calendar. They have drawn entries from his shows, he believes, saying in a letter to exhibitors, “Sadly, we do not have enough entries to provide real competition to you or even to pay our staff.”
He contends, “USEF (U.S. Equestrian Federation) horse show entries are down nationwide and profoundly down at many East Coast shows. This is partially due to new migration patterns that include extensive FEI International Horse Shows in Michigan, Lexington, (Ky.), and Tryon (N.C.). In addition to these substantial International Horse Shows, there are new and relatively new FEI Horse Shows at Old Salem, N.Y.; Greenwich, Conn.; Silo Ridge, N.Y., HITS, (Saugerties, N.Y.), and more.”
Unlike what was once the practice in the sport, FEI shows these days also include national level classes for a variety of riders in terms of fence heights and age levels, something that used to be the purview of smaller fixtures.
The letter added, “Princeton seeks to promote and protect a horse and rider development program at our National Shows. We will do our best to survive this new reality, but without a profound change in horse show licensing policy, the future survival of USEF National Shows on the East Coast is genuinely in doubt.”
Expressing concern for the “bottom and middle of the sport because it seems like it’s disappearing,” Philbrick said in an interview he wondered why USEF is “adding so many shows to the calendar when in fact there is no growth.”
Philbrick, a board member of USEF affiliate U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, maintained that “licensing is not transparent; it’s very hard to understand what the process is. I think we need to take a really hard look at licensing.”
Florida trainer Dianna Babington remembers the days when “New Jersey was the backbone of the horse industry, the Team (the U.S. Equestrian Team in Gladstone) was there, the horse was the state animal. There were horses everywhere.”
That abundance of horses that she experienced growing up in New Jersey is no longer the case. The shows that historically were the anchors of the state’s show industry, Middlesex at Johnson Park, Garden State, Monmouth and many others either are diminished or long gone. The void was filled by Princeton at the present-day standard with multiple rings, state-of-the art footing and a wide range of classes.
With the changing migration patterns, trainers who used to base in New Jersey and other states in the region once went to Florida to show, but returned home for the spring, summer and fall. Now if they come back up north, they may rent a few stalls for the summer; more likely, they go to HITS in New York or Traverse City (Michigan) during the summer, then head South, perhaps with stops in Kentucky and Tryon before spending the late autumn, winter and early spring in Florida.
Milford, N.J., trainer Linda Sheridan, who has been competing at Philbrick’s facility for years, notes, “There are too many options now that you can go to. I think he runs a good horse show, he has great footing, he works on getting good course designers. For me, it’s a no-brainer because it’s close and cost-effective, so I don’t have to pay for hotels for grooms and myself. The people there (Princeton) will listen to you if you have something to say.”
Looking at the current show situation, she commented, “The trend is now you have Saugerties with money put into that. I think people have decided that is a popular horse show. Horse shows go in trends (people would go to shows and then stop going, moving on to another town.) HITS came back, they put some money into it. So i think that’s where a lot of people in the New York area go.
“Then Old Salem started running more than just their spring and fall horse shows. I think that took away people from Princeton. I think some of it is a location situation. FEI has become a little bit of a trendy thing; there are people who will go only to FEI shows.”
And that’s even if they are not at the level where ranking points will mean anything for them.
Interestingly, the FEI 4-star $226,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of the venerable Devon Horse Show drew only 23 entries in May, compared with 30 for the $25,000 grand prix at the Devon Fall Classic last weekend which fills a need at a lower level.
On social media, some people commenting about the cancellation said they felt Princeton was expensive in comparison with certain other shows they frequent. But it’s expensive to put on a show. Philbrick noted it takes 50 people “to open our doors” and cites such expenses $250/day for a jump crew member, excluding meals and hotel, as well as $10,000 per week for an international course designer if costs like a rental car and hotel room are included.
Others discussing the situation are choosing shows with more amenities than Princeton, and would prefer to go there even if they were further from home. But Philbrick noted that because Princeton is located on property governed by rules involving the state’s Farmland Preservation Program, use conditions bar construction of such niceties as permanent stabling and restrooms.
Asked whether his facility will hold shows in 2025, he said, “We’re going to survive, but we’re going to take a really hard look at what we’re offering and we’re going to continue to try to get the mileage protection we were originally promised when we built the facility and we’re hoping the USEF responds in kind and wants Princeton to be available to the USEF membership. If they don’t, that will make a decision for us much more clear. The federation at some point needs to work in collaboration with horse show facilities and horse show managers.”
In his letter, Philbrick stated, “Princeton seeks to promote and protect a horse and rider development program at our National Shows. We will do our best to survive this new reality, but without a profound change in horse show licensing policy, the future survival of USEF National Shows on the East Coast is genuinely in doubt.”
He maintained during the interview, “The future does not look bright unless you just think we’re going to be an entire nation of FEI horse shows, which I don’t think we will. Every one of those people who rides at FEI horse shows started at a one-day (show).
“I have pictures of Jessie Springsteen in the short-stirrup in my indoor ring at Hunter Farms from all those years ago. Where do you think she started and got herself successfully on the Olympic team (where she won the team silver medal in 2021)? You’ve got to start somewhere.”
Sheridan remembered the days of “jam-packed” B- and C-rated horse shows in New Jersey.
“That was where people learned how to horse show. You’d take a barn full of your lesson kids or people that don’t have a lot of money. It’s really gone by the wayside now,” said Sheridan.
“I’ve got some really nice young horses and I want to develop them. I want to go to some of the nice `away’ shows, but I want to have a balance and Princeton was really fulfilling that part of the balance.”
The cancelled shows would have been staged Sept. 18-22, Sept. 25-29 and Oct. 3-6. A banquet planned for the Princeton Equestrian League Sept. 21 also will not be held.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 18, 2024
Entries for U.S. Equestrian Federation-licensed shows were up 30,000 from 2022 to 2023, and figures for this year through July are on track for another projected increase, according to the federation’s CEO, Bill Moroney.
“Overall, our numbers are right where we wanted them to be at this point,” he said, noting the entries stood at 262,000 as of the end of July.
He was responding to comments made by Andrew Philbrick of Princeton Show Jumping in New Jersey, who canceled his last three shows of the season due to low entries. (Read the story about the cancellations on this link.)
“USEF horse show entries are down nationwide and profoundly down at many East Coast shows,” Philbrick contended as he announced the cancellations. He maintained that show “licensing is not transparent; it’s very hard to understand what the process is. I think we need to take a really hard look at licensing.”
He mentioned mileage exemptions given to shows in his region that are running against Princeton, but some of his shows also have needed and received exemptions because they are within the 125-mile limit of HITS in Saugerties, N.Y., and Old Salem in Westchester County, N.Y.
Moroney noted licensing procedures are spelled out in Chapter Three of the USEF rulebook.
“We follow the rules,” he maintained
Philbrick, a board member of USEF affiliate U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, had served on the USEF competition management committee at one time.
Part of the current situation on which Moroney and Philbrick agree is that competitors’ migration patterns have changed.
Philbrick cited FEI (international) shows in Michigan (Traverse City), Lexington, (Ky.), and Tryon (N.C.). drawing away customers from the Northeast, even though they are not within the mileage limits. He also mentioned “new and relatively new” FEI shows closer to New Jersey at Old Salem; Greenwich, Conn., and Silo Ridge in New York, in addition to HITS. as a factor in who attends his shows.
Andrew Philbrick of Princeton Show Jumping.
A change of management and investment that has led to major improvements in arenas and barns at HITS, about a 2-and-one-half hour drive from Princeton’s venue in Montgomery Township, for instance, has led to a slight disruption in the Northeast by drawing exhibitors who previously might have stayed closer to home or gone elsewhere.
The demand for FEI shows has grown exponentially, which also figures into the equation. The number of FEI shows in the U.S. is second only to the number held in France.
Princeton licenses between 18 and 20 national shows a year from April through October, according to USEF.
Riders and owners now are willing to travel further for a show that may have different offerings or atmosphere than where they usually compete.
“Value propositions speak to them,” said Katlynn Wilbers, USEF’s director of competition operations.
“The (customer) experience the trainers and the riders and everybody is getting is way more important now than it’s probably ever been in the past,” said Moroney, mentioning that also applies to the situations in which the grooms are working.
USEF CEO Bill Moroney.
“It’s a lot easier to write a check when you’re getting good value for your money,” he commented.
The stable of Olympic show jumping medalist Chris Kappler usually shows at Princeton, which he praised for good footing, fences and course designers.
“We haven’t been there this year because our shows have taken us further away,” Kappler said, but added about Princeton, “every time I’ve been, I’ve seen them as successful and doing well. So when I learned this (about the cancellations) I was a little bit surprised. The show has always been a very solid regional show.”
Another factor is that exhibitors are tending to change the dates they would normally show; they are willing to compete on weeks other than their usual pattern if it enables them to go to certain venues.
At the same time, people on social media are complaining that the costs of showing mean they can’t compete as often as they once did, or mentioning they prefer to save up for the experience of a special show, rather than going to certain other shows regularly as they once did. The one- and two-day shows in New Jersey that once were staged by boarding or lesson stables have diminished greatly as development has made incursions on the state’s equestrian scene and hurt the lower and middle end of the sport there..
The trend today, which has threatened one-week boutique shows, is toward multi-week shows where people can stay in a place for awhile instead of picking up and moving every week. That takes less effort and saves on horse transportation costs.
There are many more competitors today than there were at the time when USEF licenses were held by shows for three years. Now license renewal is annual, giving USEF an opportunity to judge the impact of exemptions.
Mileage between shows is not set in stone. USEF sees a greater need for diverse offerings to meet competitors’ needs. The mileage exemption process for shows applying for dates, on which the USHJA weighs in, was created to address density or lack of offerings in certain areas. Existing shows can offer input along with the affiliates and the USEF staff.
“People shop differently all the time,” Moroney observed.
In an era of change, he suggested that shows should survey their clients to see what they like and don’t like about a show, as well as what they are looking for when they decide where to compete, so adjustments can be made if necessary.
“If your business is dropping off, you try to find out why it it is,” he said.
“Our job in responsibly managing the calendar is making an effort to insure that our members have the diversity of venues they need and the diversity of offerings to develop their own skills as a rider and also to develop their horses’ skills That means sort of a mix of different levels of competitions,” Moroney explained.
