by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 10, 2022
My favorite photo of the Queen is this one, where she is galloping like the wind, her scarf slipped back on her head, looking into the distance with an awareness of the moment while leaving her cares behind. She is perfectly in control of her horse, while at the same time letting him gallop on.
Away from the palace, her duties and the weight of being constantly observed, she found respite and joy in her horses. She loved them all, from those who raced in her colors to the four-in-hand pulling the carriage for her husband, Prince Philip. Her Majesty was a true horsewoman, both in and out of the saddle, with a thorough knowledge of bloodlines.
Through her family, she was connected to a variety of disciplines. Her father, King George VI, was quite a rider who enjoyed fox hunting. Prince Philip wrote the rules for combined driving and competed in that discipline.
Her son, Charles (now the King) dabbled in racing and played polo. His sister, Princess Anne, evented, becoming European Champion and went on to follow her father as president of the FEI.
The Queen’s granddaughter and Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall, also became European Champion and then World Champion as well, at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.
The Queen rode all her life, whether side-saddle in uniform, at the Trooping of the Colour aboard Burmese, the favorite black mare given to her by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or astride on casual trail rides, like those she shared with President Ronald Reagan.
The Queen and the President had a love of horses in common.
She continued hacking out until quite recently, enjoying the stout native ponies that were a bit closer to the ground than the more statuesque mounts that had been her choice in her younger days.
I hope she is with her horses again now, mounting up after patting her corgis and greeting Prince Phillip, before going for a blissful gallop into eternity.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 14, 2022
The CBS show 48 Hours, which investigates “the most intriguing crime and justice cases,” will begin its fall season with a program on the matter of dressage trainer Michael Barisone.
Set to run at 10 p.m Saturday, it will explore how a U.S. Olympic dressage team alternate came to stand trial for attempted murder and weapons charges, after a dispute with his tenants spiraled out of control. In April, Barisone was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the attempted murder of a student, Lauren Kanarek, who lived on his farm and whom he was trying to evict.
The show is called, “The Shooting of Lauren Kanarek,” and includes interviews with both Barisone and Kanarek, as well as her father; eventer Boyd Martin, a friend of Barisone’s; the prosecutor, Christopher Schellhorn, and Barisone’s lawyers, Ed Bilinkas and Chris Deininger.
Michael Barisone in court during this month’s hearing with his lawyers,, Chris Deinnger and Ed Bilinkas. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
When Kanarek was unhappy about the level of training she received, she began posting messages on Facebook branding Barisone a bully, racist and anti-Semitic. He denied the allegations, and his supporters say her postings were unfairly damaging his reputation as he worried about how it would ruin his business.
The Facebook posts seemed to rattle and unnerve Barisone to the point where he called 911 four times, telling police he “feared” for his life.
“I remember complete and total panic,” Barisone tells CBS correspondent Nikii Battiste.
“Everybody says I was unglued. I was unglued.”
Then, on August 7, 2019, he allegedly confronted Kanarek. She testified that Barisone “pulled out a gun and shot me once, twice, directly in the chest.” She called 911 and was taken from the scene to undergo emergency surgery.
Lauren Kanarek testifying in court. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Barisone tells Battiste he recalls the messages Kanarek posted on social media about him, but says he has no memory of the shooting.
“Did you shoot Lauren Kanarek?” Battiste asks Barisone.
“I’m told I did,” Barisone says.
“But I have no recollection of that event,” Barisone says. “Zero. Nothing.”
At trial, his attorney argued that Barisone was driven temporarily insane by Kanarek’s attacks and then snapped. Kanarek said during the trial that Barisone bullied her..
Kanarek and her family do not believe Barisone’s story, that he had no idea what he was doing when the trigger was pulled.
Michael Barisone as he appeared in court during his trial. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Michael Barisone should be in a state prison for the rest of his life,” says Lauren Kanarek’s father, Jonathan Kanarek.
Barisone spent four months being evaluated at the Anne Klein Forensic Center in West Trenton, N.J., until a hearing on his status earlier this month. Judge Stephen Taylor, who presided at his trial in Morristown, N.J., ruled that Barisone should be treated at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morris County, with his situation to be evaluated in six months.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 11, 2022
Hunter Holloway and Pepita con Spita. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
What does the name Pepita con Spita mean?
I’ve wondered since I started writing about the feisty show jumper a few years ago, and the question crossed my mind again today when she won the $405,300 FEI 5-star Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties with the only double-clear performance.
Hunter Holloway, who rides the gray mare, has searched the internet for an answer, with little luck.
I did some searching of my own and got one definition; a pepita is an edible pumpkin seed.
Okay, and “con” means “with” in Spanish.
As for spita? It appears to be Romanian for fifth wheel. That’s all I could find, but it probably isn’t right. A hint might be that the 11-year-old German-bred Westphalian is by Con Spirit. Maybe they meant to call her Pepita Con Spirit, but someone wrote it wrong? It’s happened before; think of all the weird misspelled horse names that are out there.
So I’ve made up my own definition of spita in the way it applies to “Princess P,” as they call her around the barn. I take it to mean grit, and Hunter expanded on that.
“She’s a really catty, brave mare. She’s full of heart. She gives it her all every time she steps out in the ring and she is very fast as well.’’
And the best things about her?
“I think it’s her heart and how much she tries for her rider,” said Hunter. “Keeping her happy is our main goal.”
Hunter Holloway enjoys her victory gallop. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
There were 25 starters in the grand prix, the finale of championship week at HITS.
Will Simpson, whose unforgettable round in the 2008 Olympics assured a gold medal for the U.S. team, was the first rider to try Scottish course designer Mark McGowan’s route in the wide open space of the Grand Prix Stadium.
Will Simpson and Chacco P. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
But after he and Chacco P secured a clear, the designer had to wait nervously for the twelfth to ride, Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire on Cornwall BH, before he could be assured of a jump-off. (In 2017, with a different designer when the class was worth $1 million, victory belonged to a rider with just one time fault and nobody clear, which meant no jump-off).
“I was told this morning that two (clear) was unacceptable and if I could get more than two, the boss would be quite happy. Thankfully, I got four and now he’s happy. I was pleased with that,” Mark related.
Pepita, seventeenth in the order of go, eased the tension further with a third clear, and then Jessica Leto, going four before the end with Cinbura, turned in a fault-free trip.
Discussing his course, Mark said, “the lines were the lines,” contending, “I didn’t overcomplicate it. I was getting them to the fences,” which were “between 1.55-1.60 (meters) in places” but he handled things in such a fashion that exhibitors could “cope with the height.”
Will saw things differently.
“It was too complicated for me,” he said with a smile.
“At my age I can’t get my car out of the driveway without a GPS.”
Before the class, he told me that Chacco, a Mechlenberg by Chacco Blue, can be difficult.
“He’s best in the show ring,” said Will.
“He’s miserable to hack. I’ve started to take it personal. He’s calm and cool about everything, except when I get on him. He’s getting better. Maybe he’s a late bloomer, a lot like me.”
In the jump-off, a rail down at the ice cream soda fence, the second in the tiebreaker, left Will on four faults with a time of 55.56, which would be good enough for third and a $60,795 paycheck. Amanda had a pole at a vertical, the third-to-last, after getting a little flat while pursuing a much faster time of 51.78. It would be good enough for second, and $81,860 in prize money.
Amanda Derbyshire and Cornwall BH.( Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
After seeing her rivals have faults, Hunter didn’t rush with Pepita, but she made the most of her mare’s trip, “relying on her natural quick foot speed” while leaving all the poles in place. That gave her the lead, as the only rider to that point with a clear, even though her time of 54.42 wasn’t all that speedy. Her strategy paid off in a victory worth $133,749. Jessica, the least experienced in the group, started with a lot of pace, eyeing Hunter’s time. But she had two rails in a clocking of 59.95 to be fourth.
Show manager Rian Beals announced that there will be another 5-star at Saugerties next year. He also mentioned a big money class at the end of HITS Ocala in the winter, but did not reveal an amount.
In other action at HITS, Jimmy Torano repeated his 2021 victory in the $200,000 Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final with Laskano. They were on top with scores in the 90s in every round.
“The horse never put a foot wrong. He won every single round, which I believe he also did last year. He is just a horse that doesn’t want to let you down,” Jimmy observed.
In the $50,000 Platinum Performance Hunter Prix Finals, Kaitlin Porath took the victory on Democracy, taking home the victory by more than 20 points.
The $15,000 HITS Green Hunter Prix went to Hannah Isop and Let It B with scores in the high 80s to take the top placing.
The Blackbarn $25,000 Junior/Amateur Jumper Prix was won by Laura Sloey with Beijing LS La Silla.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 8, 2022
After more than 40 years heading HITS LLC, its founder, Tom Struzzieri will be leaving his post as chief executive officer at the end of the 2022 season, it was announced this morning.
The organization, known for its hunter/jumper shows around the country, will be led by its management team during the search for a new CEO. Traub Capital Partners became a majority partner in HITS in March.
Tom will remain a part-owner and director of the company while providing strategic consulting as well as significant involvement in the launch of the Del Mar, Calif., Showpark in 2023.
“I have been extremely fortunate over the four decades of running HITS to have a terrific group of employees who have been by my side through some very hard climbs as we together have grown the company,” Tom said.
“I remain committed to those people and will be in constant touch as a consultant as we face the next challenges together. On a parallel course, I have also been blessed to have very loyal clients and because of that loyalty, they too can continue to count on me as a liaison to all things HITS-related. The future of HITS is bright and I plan on doing what I can behind the scenes to help it shine.”
The move will enable Tom to pursue his life-long goal of cycling across the U.S. as he supports the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) with Team Alpha.
“It has been a pleasure to witness the industry through Tom’s eyes. He has been, and will continue to be, a guide and advisor to us all.” said Mortimer Singer, managing partner of Traub Capital Partners.
“Tom has built a great business and we look forward to continuing our work together as partners.”
With venues in New York, Florida, Vermont, Illinois, Virginia and California, “HITS will continue its mission of providing top quality competitions for riders at every level, while improving its facilities, technology and overall customer experience,” according to a statement from the company, which also offers dressage shows.
New developments are promised at the beginning of 2023 as the HITS Ocala Winter Show Series kicks off at Post Time Farm, as well as at Del Mar Showpark, where teams are already in place to begin renovations.
Those who want to donate to the organization Tom will be supporting with his bicycle trek may do so at https://www.alphabikeride.com/team.
Traub Capital Partners is a New York-based strategic private equity firm specializing in building value in consumer companies using its unique combination of investment, strategic and operational expertise. The fund targets investments in companies with revenue between $50 and $250 million. To learn more about Traub Capital Partners, visit www.traubcapitalpartners.com
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 7, 2022
It was quite a different Michael Barisone who came back to the Morristown, N.J., courtroom where he was tried for attempted murder last spring.
Michael Barisone in court Wednesday with attorney Chris Deininger. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
The dressage trainer appeared today for a hearing that would determine whether he could be freed after serving nearly four months in a psychiatric hospital. He was neatly dressed, a contrast to his disheveled look during the trial.
He has been in a psychiatric facility since shortly after a jury returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity in connection with the shooting of his student, Lauren Kanarek.
It was up to the same judge who presided at his trial to decide the next step for the 2008 U.S. Olympic dressage team alternate. Want to know how he ruled?
To read the story, click here.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 4, 2022
There were so many remarkable stories out of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in England, which ended today. It has certainly lived up to its reputation as the toughest of all the 5-stars (including Kentucky and Maryland in the U.S.) under its new cross-country course designer, Derek di Grazia, who also laid out the route for the Olympics last year. (He designs Kentucky as well).
Of the 51 entries who started cross-country, 31 completed that phase. Three of those, however, did not go on to show jumping.
Britain’s Piggy March, rated number four in the world, was the winner on Vanir Kamira with 27 penalties, which included four for a show jumping knockdown (but her margin was such that she even had another rail in hand). Meanwhile, another Brit, world number one Oliver Townend, was eliminated on cross-country after falls with two separate horses.
The USA’s Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8 made the biggest leap that wasn’t on the cross-country course by finishing 10th after standing 50th of 52 starters in the dressage phase. She was clean in cross-country except for 8.4 time penalties, and fault-free in show jumping. A star is born!
The other U.S. riders who finished were Emily Hamel (Corvett) 20th and Meghan O’Donoghue (Palm Crescent), 24th. Wood Baughman was eliminated for three refusals on cross-country with C’est la Vie 135.
To me, the most amazing result was a fourth-place finish for Jonelle Price of New Zealand on the 19-year-old Classic Moet, the only horse to complete cross-country without time penalties. Don’t know how she did it; the battery on Jonelle’s watch died while she was riding, which means she has a very accurate clock inside her head.
Her achievement earned the new Avebury Trophy for the best cross-country round of the day, judged by former Burghley course designer Mark Philliips.
It was donated by Rosemary and Mark Barlow, owners of three-time Burghley winner Avebury, bred by New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson. Their first Burghley win came in 2012. The horse retired in 2016 and was put down that year due to a malignant tumor. He is buried at the Nicholsons’ home at Westwood Stud in England.
Jonelle Price and Classic Moet. (Photo courtesy Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials)
What spoils Jonelle’s story a little bit is the fact that she dropped two rails in show jumping, without which she would have been second. But fourth place on 40.2 penalties is still pretty terrific under the circumstances.
She finished just behind her husband, Tim on Vitali (38.5), who was back of runner-up Tom Jackson, another British rider. He collected 32.5 penalties on Capel’s Hollow Drift.
