by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 11, 2022
The $138,000 Big Ben Challenge had an improbable winner last night, as international show jumping got under way in earnest at Toronto’s Royal Winter Fair.
The field of 24 was star-studded, including 2021 Olympic individual gold medalist Ben Maher of Great Britain; Ireland’s Conor Swail, who is leading World Cup standings for the 2023 finals and McLain Ward, the man makes a habit of winning at the Royal.
The course designed by Canadian Michel Vaillancourt was extremely tough. It was not until the tenth rider in the field, Kent Farrington on Landon, showed how it could be done that the clear rounds started coming.
Kent Farrington and Landon. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Six qualified for the jump-off, including, appropriately, Amy Millar. She is the daughter of Ian Millar, who was the rider of the class’s namesake, the iconic Big Ben—considered a Canadian equine national treasure.
Amy was getting vocal encouragement from her father in the stands, as she tried to best the fault-free trip in 34.15 seconds set by Kent, the former world number one-ranked rider who was first to go in the jump-off on his very accurate chestnut Zangersheide. Amy had a rail down with Truman however, and ditto the others in the tie-breaker with one exception—Nick Dello Joio.
He was last to go and some people already were leaving their seats, when he turned in a searing trip on Cornet’s Cambridge, a 10-year-old by Balou du Reventon. Could he beat Kent’s time? It seemed unlikely. Kent is an Olympic medalist who has won everywhere, while Nick got into the Royal only because another jumper competitor dropped out.
But a look at the clock revealed not only that Nick had taken the red ribbon (in Canada, first place is red, not blue) he did it by slicing well over a second off Kent’s clocking, finishing in 32.53.
Calling Cornet’s Cambridge “the most intelligent horse that I’ve ever been around,” Nick noted, “He knows just when to kick it into gear.”
“This is probably my favorite show that I’ve done so far and I’ve only been here for two days,” said Nick, moments after the trophy presentation.
“It’s just next level, it’s a real show. I love the size of the classes and it’s great because it’s not that it’s easier, because all 24 people that are here can win on any given night. It’s not that you feel that maybe there’s 40 and only 20 can win–everybody here earned their right to get here.”
Nick is the son of Norman Dello Joio, who was leading rider at the Royal during his spectacular career. Prior to this week, Nick had just come to the Royal once, with his father, and the only thing he remembers were the cinnamon rolls, the highlight of that trip. Now he has something else to remember from the Royal, which is marking its hundredth anniversary with the appropriate pomp and circumstance.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 6, 2022
Augusta Iwasaki came from behind in spectacular fashion today to cap her junior career with a hard-won victory in the ASPCA Maclay at the National Horse Show.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything else,” said the Californian, who rose from seventeenth place among the top 24, to fourth when the top five were asked to test, going on to ace it and finish on top aboard Izar in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Augusta Iwasaki took the Maclay title at the National Horse Show.
Gussie, who won both the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals and the Washington International equitation championship last month, made her mark at the National earlier in the week by taking the $50,000 Hunter Classic on Small Love. She is trained by Ken and Emily Smith and her parents, Liz Reilly and Chris Iwasaki.
Luke Jensen, the winner of the Dover/USEF Medal after taking second in the Talent Search, was second on Jamaica. A student of Missy Clark and John Brennan at North Run, he also earned the trophy donated by the late Wilson Dennehy as the rider who scored the most points in the Medal, Maclay and Talent Search. (Wilson is the only rider to date to have won all three in the same year; that was 1955).
A field of 220 started out in the Maclay at 7 a.m.; the ribbon presentation did not begin until 7:30 p.m. Too much. Are that many entries and such a long day for everyone really necessary?
The course included lots of unusual fences, with designer Bobby Murphy presiding over the layout. Among the more interesting obstacles was a fence from the 1993 American Invitational, a “triple bar” designed to look like steps of a historic house, wingless fences topped by pastel blocks and a panel with the word Maclay as a cut-out. It won the design prize for Madison Aguilar, a student at the Savannah School of Art & Design.
After the initial group of competitors completed their rounds, judges Michael Tokaruk and Robin Rost Brown whittled the start list down to 24 for the flat phase and the second jumping round.
The judges had quite a task.
“I thought we saw a lot of beautiful riding and incredible horses,” said Michael.
“The first round had a lot of questions. You needed to ride different canters, tracks…it came at you with plenty of things to separate the riders. I thought everybody had a little bit of something throughout the day.”
Robin noted, “I think we both wanted to see the riders be able to adjust their horses, opening and closing strides, and a nice flow and clear, concise forward riding, but the ability to shorten their horses as well.”
When the list was narrowed down, “They were very close,” Michael observed.
“Things were tight going into the test and that’s why we did test, and there was motion throughout the day. Nothing was clear-cut. Those who were ahead had things happen. Those that were behind kept fighting.”
Tessa Downey led the roster when the top five were called back for the test that involved a hand gallop to the first fence, a canter to the second, slowing to a walk and doing a turn on the haunches, then counter-cantering into the next set of four fences. Carlee McCutcheon, who had been first when the group of 24 was called back, stood second at that point, Luke third; Gussie, fourth, and Isabella David, fifth.
When it was all over, Tessa finished third, Carlee fourth and Isabella fifth.
“I can’t really believe this happened,” Gussie said.
She now heads back to school at Southern Methodist University with some fancy trophies to decorate her dorm room. Although she’s not from Texas (but does going to school there count?) Carlee’s mother, Mandy McCutcheon, pointed out that even if you don’t count Gussie, three of the top four–her daughter Luke, and Tessa–are from Texas. Got to be the first time that ever happened!
And how about a shout-out for New Jersey? Isabella is from Holmdel and trains with Stacia Madden and the team from Beacon Hill; Kate Egan of Glen Gardner finished tenth. She rides with Emil Spadone and Luke Olsen from Redfields.
Noting that she went fairly early in the morning during the first round, Gussie said, “I thought I put in a pretty solid round, but definitely not the best round we ever had.”
Yet she realized it wasn’t over; she just had to do more.
“I kept fighting all day long,” she said.
“This has been so special.”
Click here for the results of the Maclay.
by Nancy Jaffer | Nov 4, 2022
The Delaware Valley Horsemen’s Association, a grassroots show series that ran for more than seven decades in Hunterdon County, N.J., has called it quits.
Founded in 1949 by veterinarian, Dr. Welling Howell, the organization in its prime offered competitions for everything from hunters, jumpers and dressage to western, thoroughbreds, draft and driving. It became a popular destination for riders beginning their show careers or those who simply wanted to compete in a low-pressure atmosphere.
Over the years, top professionals such as Frank Chapot and George Morris found it a good place to start their green horses. Olympic double silver medal star Gem Twist even competed there at the beginning of his career.
Dr. Howell’s commitment to DVHA was carried on by his widow, Wanda Howell, who died last year. The organization, which traditionally ran its shows with volunteers, had 50 life members, some of whom no longer live in the area, according to DVHA chairperson Judith Stratton.
This year, according to former president Sue Haydu, there were 35 members, down from an all-time high of more than 300 at one point.
There were not enough members to put on the shows, Judith commented, saying it was difficult to get people to come out and help.
But Jessica Brittain, who was president of DVHA until September, said, “no one was picking up the slack, so I decided to try.”
Of the shutdown, Judith said, “We knew it was coming; we held on as long as we could. We just didn’t have the support.”
A statement from DVHA said its board “sadly came to the realization that DVHA was no longer sustainable and voted to dissolve.”
“It’s very sad, but times have changed,” commented Denise Quick, who competed at DVHA for years.
There are others besides Jessica, however, who felt it should have kept going.
“I think closing it may have been a little bit premature,” observed Penelope Jo Schell of Valley Crest Stables in Annandale, who believes the DVHA shows were making enough money to cover the bills.
She remembers DVHA from the early ‘70s and the days when her parents were officers in the club.
“I grew up there and have since taken my students there for years and years,” said the trainer.
“I think we should have given it one last try.”
There are many reasons for DVHA’s demise, but a big part of it is the way the horse industry has evolved in parts of New Jersey and elsewhere as development continues to take agricultural land.
“Little shows are not able to make enough money, there aren’t many backyard horses,” Denise said, noting that at the same time, “there are so many horse shows.”
The show season, meanwhile, has transformed into a year-round enterprise. There was a time when few people would go south for the winter, so they trained their horses at home and took them to DVHA for an introduction to a show atmosphere before the season would start in earnest and they would go to bigger competitions. Now many competitors head for Florida as soon as the temperatures drop, while at home, several show venues keep running through the winter, but they are indoors.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation also has promoted its Outreach program for lower-level riders, which enables trainers to take their top riders to shows and also bring along beginners who they otherwise would have had to take to smaller shows or those that weren’t licensed by the federation, noted Sue Haydu.
At DVHA, “Entries were light, but I think entries are light everywhere because the pool is so diluted” with several shows to choose from on many weekends, pointed out Jen Cassidy, assistant trainer at Summerfield Farm in Pittstown.
The DVHA facility was “a little more old-fashioned” without fancy footing, she noted, “but I think the people who went this year tried to make it work.”
There were many things that led to DVHA’s demise, only some of which were unique to the organization.
In 2015, its treasurer was charged with embezzling more than $68,000, leaving the organization with only $500 to start the new season. Although the former treasurer’s sentence required her to pay back money, Sue Haydu said just $30,000 of that amount was received as the organization struggled to remain solvent.
“We owned the grounds…we needed to bring in enough money to cover taxes and insurance as well as running all the shows,” she said.
The Covid pandemic also hurt DVHA, in the same way it affected so much across the board.
Another factor in what happened to DVHA was dissension between two groups about how the association should be run.
When Jessica became president three years ago, Sue said, the approach was changed to let both members and non-members win high score awards.
With that model, Sue asked, “Why join?”
Jessica, who is the trainer at the Phoenix Rising Farm in Milford, runs schooling shows there and had experience managing the Briarwood shows, which were a popular series in Readington for years. She said she was forced to resign from DVHA in September.
Upon hearing that plans were to dissolve DVHA, her reaction was, “You can’t do that,” contending the decision was made by “this little band of older members. They decided they just wanted to close down; (they felt) it wasn’t worth trying anymore.”
Jessica saw DVHA as a place for kids to “get their feet wet” before going to bigger shows. She said at the last show, there were more than 100 entries and enough money was being made to keep the shows alive “until we made a better profit. We would have kept it going.”
The closure “wasn’t up for a true vote,” she contended.
The showgrounds of nearly 10 acres in East Amwell are for sale, and the hope is the property will go for agricultural use, rather than construction of the three houses that would be permitted on the property under the current zoning.
Proceeds will go to four beneficiaries named in a dissolution agreement, according to Judith. They include the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, a veterinary school within 50 miles, tuition for a local veterinary student and a therapeutic riding organization.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 27, 2022
After a two-year pandemic-related absence, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair finally is coming back to Toronto, where it will celebrate its hundredth anniversary in November.
The stands are always filled for show jumping at the Royal. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The finale of the North American Fall Indoor Circuit, the Royal has been a bastion of custom even as the circuit has changed.
While the Pennsylvania National remains the kick-off of the circuit at the same location in Harrisburg, the Washington International this year moved out of the nation’s capital to Maryland. The National left Madison Square Garden 21 years ago and has been in Kentucky for the last 11 years.
But the Royal is in the same place, the Royal Coliseum at Exposition Place, where it debuted a century ago.
During that time, it kept traditions that can’t be found elsewhere. Formal dress is still what’s worn in the bunting-draped box seats at ringside, with women in sparkling gowns and men in tuxedos or scarlet evening tailcoats. There’s always a full measure of pomp for the trophy presentations.
Pomp and formality are a big part of the Royal’s appeal. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The show wouldn’t be out of place in another century. The classes reflect that nostalgia, too. In addition to the usual hunters and jumpers, there’s coaching competition with magnificent four-in-hands and hitches of draft horses; Percherons, Clydesdales and Belgians.
The Royal draws a great turnout of coaches for a memorable display. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The international jumper competition, rated 5 stars this year, includes many big names from the U.S. and abroad. McLain Ward is one of the regulars, and Canadian stars include Tiffany Foster, while Great Britain’s Olympic individual gold medalist Ben Maher and world number five-ranked Conor Swail of Ireland also are set to appear,
The Royal is the largest indoor agricultural exhibition in the world. There are 6,000 animals at the fair. Although the horses are a focal point, other species on display include cattle, pigs, goats, rabbits, fowl and more. Much of the floor space is taken up by vendors of everything from saddlery to Ontario agricultural products such as fish and cheese and as you might expect, maple syrup, along with lots of related items in that category.
The show runs Nov. 4-12, with a rodeo Nov. 13. This year, the big exhibition is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police drill team, appearing daily except. Nov. 7.
From the New York metropolitan area, the easiest way to get to Toronto is via Porter Airlines, which flies out of Liberty International Airport and lands on an island in Toronto, just a short bus ride from the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, where the riders and show officials stay.
Tickets for the show are available at this link
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 20, 2022
The MARS Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill went from being a novelty to a real fixture last weekend in just its second edition, with riders enthusiastic about the venue and the opportunity it provides.
Even so, as world number three-ranked eventer Oliver Townend pointed out, cross-country designer Ian Stark had “changed the course a lot, so it’s nearly like a first time again.”
No matter how you look at it, having two 5-stars in the U.S. is a benefit. Book-ending the season in the spring with the Kentucky 5-star, which runs with a 4-star, and Fair Hill in the autumn offers riders opportunities without going across the Atlantic to pursue the highest level of the sport.
“I think it’s critical for development,” Doug Payne said of the addition of Fair Hill, where he finished ninth.
“I’m lucky enough to benefit from it with Quantum Leap. He’s 11. This is his fourth five star.” Doug pointed out, however, that it only “would have been his second” if he weren’t able to participate at Fair Hill, another 5-star close to home.
Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“The financial burden to go overseas is pretty incredible,” he pointed out.
“Support from the team makes some of those trips worthwhile, but without it, we’re not in a position to do that.”
Of Fair Hill, he said, “This facility is outstanding, the courses get better and better. We couldn’t have asked for more perfect conditions.”
Cassie Sanger, the Young Rider national champion, took the title on Fernhill Zoro after finishing third in the 3-star that ran with the 5-star.
“It was my first time competing at an event of this caliber,” said the 18-year-old.
“There was a ton of atmosphere, which is super important for the sport, and our horses get experience, even at the lower level, to be here and see it all.”
Cassie Sanger and Fernhill Zoro. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Compared with the events in which she had been competing, “The crowds are a lot bigger, the whole thing is just bigger and better,” she added, noting it afforded preparation for a move up the levels.
The 5-star riders generally were complimentary about the event, but some expressed concern that the 11-minute, 30-second optimum time for Ian Stark’s cross-country course of nearly four miles was overly generous and should have been tighter.
As the 5-star winner, world number one Tim Price, said, “What Scotty (Ian’s nickname) is very good at, he sees it very much through the horse’s eyes. For example, the white ramps to the corner, they walked big, they rode big, but they were very obvious and the job to be done was very obvious to us, and the horses read it and understood it very well. It was a good course for that job of educating them, as long as you gave them a fairly decent ride.”
Tim Price at the Mane ‘n’ Tail Singerly Slide complex. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
So what was the problem?
“It just comes back to the time,” Tim said, calling it “really straightforward. “
It was “not really the way any 5-star should be approached, in my opinion. Other than that, I thought it was a brilliant track.”
Ian had said from the get-go that he expected abuse from the riders about the time, but emphasized that he’d rather see more riders finish under the time than have horses on the ground.
And indeed, there were no horse or rider falls in the 5-star, where 14 of the 22 entries that completed the cross-country were within the time.
“I was kind of a little concerned about so many getting inside the time,” Ian conceded after the competition, “but I thought there was some great riding.”
He said he was “tight” in walking the course to measure it, while two technical delegates walked it separately.
Cross-country course designer Ian Stark. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“The three of us were in 20 meters of each other–how do you walk it differently?” he asked.
“I’ve made use of the gallop stretches; maybe I can look at slowing them (riders) down a little more by putting in slightly more technical questions. That might be something I think about in the future.” But meanwhile, “I thought it was a great day and I loved watching it.”
Oliver Townend, who finished third, believes that as Ian learns about the venue, he’ll get more clever about how he’s going to slow everyone down. We’re all loving it; we’ll still be back next year. It’s all positive but still needs one big tweak.”
Whimsical dinosaurs added a fantasy touch to the course. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The day after the event, I got an email from the European Equestrian Federation concerning social license, which I have written about previously.
EEF emphasized “the need for transparency and awareness of the wider society” if horse sports are to continue.
World Horse Welfare and the University of Nottingham have recently published a peer-reviewed research paper with the conclusion that public trust is essential to the future of our sport.
“Trust will only ensue if society is confident that equestrianism operates transparently, that its leaders and practitioners are credible, legitimate, and competent, and that its practice reflects society’s values.”
So if it’s a choice between having a lot of riders without time penalties, or ugly pictures of horses pushed too far, everyone should think about which is in the best interests of the sport during an era when everyone has a video camera and knows how to use it.
On the plus side, there are opportunities for eventing today that could not have been imagined in an earlier time.
Having two 5-stars in the country “can only be a positive, as long as they can stay viable and super competitive,” said Bobby Costello, the interim chef d’equipe who presided over the USA’s team silver at the FEI World Championships last month in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy.
It’s up to the riders to take advantage of it, he noted. There were only 24 starters at the Maryland 5-star, but as Bobby noted, “5-star entries were light throughout the world this autumn. Who knows if this is a one-off situation or not? There were a lot of top horses who went to Pratoni, the field was huge there. I think the jury’s out a little bit. “
He did note that with the Olympic and World Championships cross-country test at 4-star level, “the absolute need for a 5-star to qualify for these competitions isn’t the way it used to be.
I think that makes it a challenge for these organizers of the 5-stars.”
At the same time, “I still like the idea of a 5-star,” commented Bobby, who rode as an individual in the 2000 Olympics.
At Pratoni, “We had five riders who were very battle-tested at the 5-star level. It gave one a lot of confidence to know that we were sending five 5-star horses into battle on (World Championships cross-country) Saturday.”
He added, “From that standpoint, do those horses need to do a 5-star every year or keep doing 5- stars once they’ve proven themselves? Maybe not. For me, I think I’m always going to be excited when we have 5-star horses to choose from, just because we know that they’ve been there and done the most difficult test there is.”
Bobby is among those who have interviewed for the permanent chef d’equipe/technical advisor job. He noted that in the interim spot, “I only had to come up with a plan for six or seven months. This next person is going to have to have a solid plan for the next several years.”
The U.S. Equestrian Federation is looking ahead not only to the 2024 Paris Olympics, but also the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on America’s home turf.
“The program has shifted, into more decentralized coaching. It seemed to work well for Pratoni,” Bobby pointed out.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 16, 2022
There’s a reason Tim Price of New Zealand rose to the title of the world’s number one-ranked eventer this month. He’s not only a great technician, he’s also cool under immense pressure.
With the USA’s Tamie Smith and Great Britain’s Oliver Townend breathing down his neck as the show jumping finale drew to a close at the MARS Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill today, Tim stayed on the steady route that is his trademark. According to EquiRatings, he is the only current rider to win five 5-stars on five different horses.
The top three were riding 5-star first-timers, which meant the possibility of an upset was very real. Several riders mentioned that the ring feels small, which increases the buzz factor, which always has the potential to wreak havoc on inexperienced horses. (Great Britain’s Harry Meade, for example had his hands full with Superstition in the dressage when his mount lost it after the crowd started applauding during his final halt.)
But the horses in contention for the 5-star championship were unfazed, despite their inexperience in an atmosphere generated by packed stands and the enthusiasm of fans.
After his ride over the demanding course designed by Ken Krome, Oliver gave a fist pump worthy of victory as he stayed on his 29.9 penalty dressage score with a double-clear round from As Is. Only four other riders in the field of 21 could achieve the same.But it wouldn’t be enough to make him a winner.
A jubilant Oliver Townend was number one for a few minutes after jumping a double-clear on As Is. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Even so, at that point, Oliver presented a real threat to the top two. Tamie, a member of the U.S. silver medal team at the world championships, added 0.4 time penalties to her score on Danito, for a total of 29.8 penalties. That put her a mere 0.1 penalties ahead of Oliver, who was the runner-up last year at Fair Hill with a different horse.
Tamie Smith was the national champion at Fair Hill as the top-placed U.S. rider on Danito. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
It was all or nothing for Tim, last to go as befitting the first-place standing, he achieved with a fault-free cross-country trip, after dressage leader Woods Baughman sank to nineteenth with a cross-country runout.
Tim was awake last night, not knowing whether his mount, Coup de Coeur Dudevin (Top Gun Semilly X LePrince de Bois), would be up to the task he faced after a taxing cross-country day.
“It’s been so tight at the top through the week,” explained Tim, reflecting on his thought process before the show jumping.
“So I knew there could be some faultless rounds at the top of the table. That was kind of what kept me from falling asleep.”
But Joker, as his Selle Francais mount is known, was up to the task despite his inexperience, accruing just 0.8 time penalties that made his final score 28.2 penalties, 1.6 ahead of Tamie.
Tim Price jumps into glory at Fair Hill. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“He dug deep for me,” said Tim, who came to Maryland merely hoping for a top five finish and didn’t count on collecting the $100,000 winner’s prize on a mount with so little mileage at the top of the game.
At the presentation ceremony, Tim had a bit of trouble hefting the weighty Fair Hill bronze trophy, but he got it done with an enormous smile as Joker’s breeder and owner, Jean-Louis Stauffer, stood by beaming with pride and dreaming of the Paris Olympics 2024.
Tim Price hoists the Fair Hill bronze as his horse’s owner, Jean-Louis Stauffer, raises a hand in salute. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I’ve had some fun days at the office, but I think this beats them all,” said Tim. It’s the last event of the year for him.
“What a great way to put myself on the beach for a few months,” he said.
For Tamie, as the top U.S. finisher, the season was ending in a way she never thought it could. In January, Danito was spooked in the barn and fell, breaking his wither. Tamie also had her own accident, breaking an ankle and tearing ligaments. When Equine Herpes Virus broke out in her home state of California, she headed east to avoid being trapped and set out to pursue her seemingly impossible dream of making the world championships team with Mai Baum.
Now Danito, a Hanoverian by Dancier out of a Wolkenstein II mare, is no longer in Mai Baum’s shadow.
“I think he’s just jumped out of his skin. I think he wanted this moment,” said Tamie.
“I’m so happy for him.”
The 5-star was the last of 12 events at that level for 19-year-old Harbour Pilot, who finished tenth with longtime rider Hannah Sue Hollberg in the saddle. The Irish sporthorse, a son of the great Cruising, dropped two rails, but Hannah Sue didn’t care. As far as she was concerned, her veteran performed like the star he always has been.
Hannah Sue Hollberg takes her last 5-star ride on Harbour Pilot. Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I just love him, and he was awesome as usual,” said an emotional Hannah Sue, noting how much she will miss riding him in events, though he will stay close to her as the pasturemate of her 3-star horse, Capitol HIM.
The day had its rocky moments, starting with the 5-star horse inspection. Harbour Pilot was sent to the holding box, but unfazed, Hannah Sue just decided she had to present him better, and he passed the ground jury.
She was determined he would not go back to the barn.
“This is not how this is going to end,” she insisted, and so it wasn’t.
Then Capitol HIM, who was leading the 3-star standings after cross-country, had three rails and a 0.8 time penalty to wind up eighteenth.
“That horse has more wins in his future,” she said, noting the mishap “doesn’t even register.”
Hannah Sue wasn’t the only rider shedding some tears. Elisa Wallace, the 3-star division winner on Renkum Corsair, cried as she recalled the loss of her beloved horse, Riot Gear, who broke his neck in a pasture accident last year.
But she brightened as she talked about Corsair, who had experience as a 1.45 meter jumper when he was seven. It stood him in good stead today, turning in a double clear that moved him up from second place to first.
Elisa Wallace, the 3-star Long winner on Renkum Corsair. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I feel there is a lot more to come from him,” she said.
Elisa is a mustang trainer in addition to her eventing, and gave a presentation at Fair Hill with the formerly wild horses she has trained. Her father, Rick, noted that the freestyle that won her the Extreme Mustang Makeover when she rode Fledge bareback and bridleless in 2012 was done to the tune, “One Moment in Time.” That is what was playing this afternoon when she entered the ring for the 3-star show jumping. Coincidence?
click here for 3-star results Click here for 5-star results
