Moorland Farm in Far Hills is on the brink of becoming a new center for equestrian activity, following the successful rebirth of the Mars Essex Horse Trials last weekend.
As the event concluded, “I made it very clear to everybody that this wasn’t the end, it’s just the beginning,” said Guy Torsilieri, chairman of the Far Hills Race Meeting, held every October at Moorland. He wants to see more non-racing competitions at the former estate on Route 202.
Riders such as Lynn Jones, finishing her competition with My My My Delilah, were all smiles at the revival of the Mars Essex Horse Trials. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Essex, with an organizing committee co-chaired by Ralph Jones and cross-country course designer Morgan Rowsell, drew thousands of spectators. Guy wants the other competitions staged at Moorland geared toward bringing crowds in as well. It had definite community support, including Far Hills Mayor Paul Vallone, who was seen all around the venue.
Calling Essex “a smash hit” and citing its draw to the general public, Guy said, “There were a lot of people there who knew very little about eventing.”
He was pleased that they were drawn not only by the horses, but also by the vendors, the food court, a chance to get out in the countryside and the opportunity to visit the car show staged Sunday.
There also were several exhibitions from the area; the Essex Foxhounds, the Tewksbury Foot Bassets and side-saddle riders.
The Essex Fox Hounds were among the exhibitions at the Mars Essex Horse Trials. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Looking ahead, Guy is planning for a jumping competition on the Wednesday or Thursday after Essex 2018 while the event’s infrastructure is still in place, but he’s also mulling a hunter derby and other possibilities for the Moorland calendar. That could even include an Arabian show. Meanwhile, he feels it is important to have something on the agenda at Moorland before the next renewal of Essex.
“I don’t want to wait another year,” he explained, commenting that he is “all ears” for ideas about what could be held at Moorland.
Although offering higher levels were discussed for Essex 2018, Guy feels it might be better for one more year to stick with the Beginner Novice, Novice, Training and Preliminary levels offered for 2017 as organizers work to perfect their offering.
“There were so many variables for this year that I think we’ll probably do a rerun for next year, just so we get it really right. We think Essex was a great success, a great re-start. We have a lot of work to do to make it even better for next year,” he commented.
That will include moving the dressage rings to higher ground. True, three inches of rain the night before the event began wasn’t optimum for the rings, but they were really too low in any case, and Guy would like to see them a bit closer to the action. The stables flooded because of the rain, and those might be moved too, though without the deluge they probably would have been fine.
The grass arena used for jumping was very deep for the first division on Saturday post-rain, but organizers made an effort to improve it following that.
“I’m comfortable (that) after aerating, rolling and the way we resurfaced the turf between classes at Essex, we’re ready to continue to have equestrian jumping events on turf at Moorland,” said Guy, who is not planning to go with artificial footing at this point. He said the grass in the jumping arena was relatively new without a deep root structure, but believes it will greatly improve by next year.
Essex, started in 1968 on the Haller family’s Hoopstick Farm in Bedminster, moved to the U.S. Equestrian Team headquarters in Gladstone, where it ran for the last time on its 30th anniversary in 1998 after development at Hamilton Farm involved space issues that precluded running an event there.
So many people had memories of Essex they shared during the running of the revival. Virginia Jenkins Rowsell, wife of the course designer, talked about what it was like to win at the old Essex.
Ann Haller, whose late husband, Roger, started Essex, was involved as a volunteer last weekend. The evening before the event got under way, she chatted about her thoughts on Essex.
Wendy Furlong was amateur champion in the 1-star at Essex in 1998, and decided she needed to ride in the event again with her Santa Lisa.
“When I saw this was coming, I said, `I’m going to have to go back and have a crack at Beginner Novice with a homebred horse that I hadn’t even really thought about starting to event again,’” she said.
Wendy Furlong and her homebred Santa Lisa. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
She realized, “That would be something kind of fun to aim for. It’s a fabulous facility. When you’re galloping up there on the racetrack in front of that beautiful vista, you might as well be at Badminton–that’s as close as most of us are ever going to get. It’s a beautiful piece of property to be able to enjoy,” said Wendy, fourth in the Open Beginner Novice.
Many of the biggest eventing stars, such as Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton, were missing this time around because they were riding in the upper levels at the Surefire event in Virginia last weekend. But at Essex, where Preliminary was the top level, there were a few boldface names, including Buck Davidson, who swept the first four places in the Open Prelim, and Jennie Brannigan, who won the Open Novice.
Yet one of the beauties of Essex was that it emerged as a destination event for amateurs and young people at the lower levels. Normally, they’d be riding at a no-frills venue; Essex had across-the-board panache.
“It was big atmosphere for a horse trials,” said Lauren Chumley, a professional dressage trainer who rides out of Stonebridge Farm in Pittstown.
“There’s a lot going on. This is a really cool event, because you get your horses out to see so much. In the (cross-country) water (complex), there’s bleachers, a ton of people. That doesn’t happen at the little horse trials. All these people came to watch who don’t know anything about horses. That’s fun.”
Lauren moved to New Jersey from Ohio 10 years ago, so she never attended Essex, but knew its reputation.
“I think it’s really fun to be here at its revival, and its 25 minutes from our house. It’s absolutely beautiful.”
One of the four horses Lauren rode was Avatar’s Jazzman, a Morgan owned by Melissa Dowling and Glenn Campbell, on whom she was in the ribbons at Dressage at Devon. Morgans are known for their versatility, so it wasn’t a stretch for Jazz to be eventing.
Lauren Chumley and Avatar’s Jazzman sailing along on cross-country. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“I had a blast. I think this is a really cool horse trials. I think they made a nice, straightforward Beginner Novice and Novice courses,” said Lauren.
“The Training was challenging, but I think that’s what they set out to do. The course designer didn’t just throw logs on the grass. He really thought out how that Training course ran and I thought it ran very, very well. It would have been very tough if it was a first Training for some horse, but Jazz ate it up.
“He was so fast today. He’s a Morgan, so he’s kind of roundish, so he looks a little bit like a pork chop, but he’s not. He’s fitter than you think.”
She doesn’t believe he’ll move up a division.
“He’s 14.1, and I’m a dressage rider. So 3-3 is pretty big for a dressage rider.”
She started out well in the Novice Rider section, winning the dressage phase on the 14.1-hand Nikolas. But since he was in the first show jumping group on the Saturday, the stadium phase didn’t go well.
“I’ve never jumped him in mud like that before. He just couldn’t get off the ground. We all struggled in the footing. The cross-country footing stayed solid,” she continued, noting he was fine there, and that the stadium jumping footing was better on Sunday. Lauren felt that organizers did a good job handling what came their way.
U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Deputy Executive Director Jim Wolf kept running into people he knew as he walked around the grounds, which was a big plus for him.
“Now that there’s something so close to home, all the horse people can come here and we see each other at home. We’re all so busy traveling to horse shows and being in the horse business, we never see each other at a hometown event. It’s nice to have it back.”
Guy Torsilieri and former N.J. Gov. Christie Whitman. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Former New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman was enthusiastic about the event, going on the guided course walk, where she asked insightful questions, and then attending the competition daily. She’s hoping to return in 2018 as a volunteer doing “whatever they need done. I’d be happy to judge fences, I’d be happy to pick up rails.”
As a member of the Somerset Hills Pony Club in her youth, she even competed in an event, the national Pony Club rally in Kentucky. So Essex really struck a chord with her.
“It’s been fabulous,” she said.
“It’s wonderful for the sport, but it’s wonderful for the community.” She called Moorland “a beautiful spot, even if you don’t care about horses. It’s a day you shouldn’t miss.”
Is it merely coincidence that the green hunter with whom she has been having success in the 3-foot, 3-inch division is named Master Plan?
At age 60, Robin, a native of Sussex County and a national equitation champion once best known for her riding prowess, is focusing on judging and governance–with just enough showing and training on the side.
“I still want to keep my hand in teaching some people and riding, but it won’t be a priority. I don’t want to have the headache of managing my own facility,” said Robin, noting she enjoys doing clinics and teaching people who have their own crew. Also, she doesn’t want a conflict with shows she’d like to judge, which automatically cuts down on the number of people she can teach.
After a divorce from four-in-hand driver Jimmy Fairclough, her husband of 35 years, she is in a serious relationship with trainer and fellow judge Otis Brown Jr., known as Brownie, with whom she owns Master Plan.
Robin Rost and Otis Brown Jr. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
The Oldenburg, champion at his last show in Ocala, also was named after Master Dan, a blast from the past whom he resembles.
Robin isn’t planning on competing grand prix jumpers again, but she would like to do the hunter derbies. They would be a perfect match for her expertise in both hunters and jumpers with the higher fences utilized in those classes.
The mother of two grown sons, Robin also has branched out geographically. She noted that after spending most of her life in Zone 2 (New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania) she is dividing her time between winters in Ocala, where she has a farm, and summers in Kentucky, Brownie’s base. She would like to sell or lease her Ocala farm, in keeping with her more mobile lifestyle.
Her responsibilities also include work for the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, which she serves as chair of the Joint Equitation Task Force. It was announced last week that the East Coast final for the new USHJA 3-3 Jumping Seat Medal will be held at the Capital Challenge in Maryland this fall. Robin is a big fan of the new class.
“My passion is still with the equitation,” said Robin, whose victories in those classes as a teenager included the AHSA Medal Finals. While that class, and other key equitation tests have always been held over 3-foot, 6-inch fences, she feels the advent of 3-3 classes is a good innovation.
“I want equitation to flourish. We don’t want people to get discouraged and think they don’t have a place there,” she said, referring to the difficulty of the 3-6 classes.
“The 3-3 equitation classes are great events to bring new people in, and encourage people to either make it their goal or make it a step up for them.”
A 3-3 Jumping Seat Medal class will be presented the day before the formal start of the CP National Horse Show at the Alltech Arena in Kentucky, where Robin will be one of the judges.
With her move out of state, Robin has stepped back a bit from the Sussex County Horse Show, which she served last year as chairman of the show committee.
Robin Rost, second from left, with Lisa Pellow, Sue Gregorio and LeeAnn Swenson at the 2016 Sussex County Horse Show. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Her late father, Dr. Robert Rost, took Sussex from a local fixture to a major competition where stars such as Rodney Jenkins, Bernie Traurig and Michael Matz competed in its heyday during the 1970s, ’80s and early ‘90s. After his death in 2002, the Augusta fixture had some lean years, but certainly it has come back strong recently, despite increased competition from other shows, and it had a good run in 2016.
This year, Robin is vice-chairman of the Sussex show, as energetic farrier Ralph Anthony “a hands-on person” took over the lead. She said he’d like to see the $35,000 grand prix go to $50,000 in prize money at some point. Draft horses, once a great attraction at the Sussex Fairgrounds, are coming back this year for the first weekend of the Aug. 4-13 show.
“I have a great feeling about it. We’ve got a loyal following of exhibitors,” said Robin, who likely will be less involved with Sussex in the future.
Robin Rost with her father, Dr. Robert Rost, in the days before she rode jumpers.
But she does have another ambition.
“I’m working on getting my jumper (judge’s) card. I don’t think my Dad would rest in peace if I don’t get my jumper card,” she said, adding she will also get a hunter breeding card.
As Robin looks back at the way things have changed for her, she’s enjoying it and yes, she’s happy. “Life is good,” she said.
The dream is on the verge of reality. A cross-country course walk yesterday for supporters of the Mars Essex Horse Trials– being revived June 24 and 25 after an absence of 18 years– was an exciting reveal of handsome fences and the thought that went into them at Moorland Farm in Far Hills.
Course designer Morgan Rowsell gave dozens of people, including former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman, a quick and insightful education about eventing.
It’s fascinating how well he has utilized the terrain at the former Schley estate with its century-old turf. The venue is best known for the annual October Far Hills Steeplechase Race Meeting, chaired by Guy Torsilieri. He is also a driving force behind the revival of Essex, whose organizing committee is co-chaired by Morgan and Ralph Jones. But it looks as if Moorland Farm will be as well-suited for eventing as it is for racing; the cross-country layout and obstacles are incredibly impressive. So is the prize money, $26,800, an eye-opener for the levels that will be competing.
Guy Torsilieri, former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman and Far Hills Mayor Paul Vallone (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
There are four tracks this year: Beginner Novice, Novice, Training and Preliminary. There are two sections for every division except Novice, which has two for Novice Rider and one for Open Novice.
Oh, did I mention that the course walk was preceded and followed by a cocktail party? Drinks included the Hoopstick, named after the Haller family farm in Bedminster where the event began in 1968, and there was an amazing cake topped by, what else a jump (it was edible, of course.)
Julie Berman, who keeps everyone organized at the Essex Horse Trials, with her husband, Bill, and the wonderful cake. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Everyone attending the party gamely trouped out onto the course, abandoning drinks, sliders and salads, to follow Morgan as he made the circuit of his route.
We covered a lot of ground, and got a feel of what the horses have in store, though I hope they will be fitter than a lot of us were for such serious exercise.
Join Morgan in the following video clips as he discusses the highlights of the course.
The first stop is by the landmark race announcer’s tower, where he explains 11 A, B and C, and the challenge of eventing on a steeplechase track.
The fences are very clever. I particularly like number 12, the Moorland Barn, that’s between the tower and Ralph’s Cedar, number 13.
The Moorland Barn fence and the real thing. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Next we went to the water jump, 14ABC, the Far Hills Splash.
Then we visited the huge trakehner fence, number 15, aptly named Look and Leap.
After that it was 16AB, Life’s an Open Road, an oxer followed by a brush corner.
We finished up our tour with 18ABC, the Lazy River Bend, a giant log that horses jump before heading downhill to a ditch and then turning toward a rolltop.
Here’s a map of the preliminary course.
If you want to come out to the horse trials, you can see dressage, cross-country and show jumping either day. Times may be subject to some change, but at the moment, plans call for Novice and Preliminary to be held on Saturday, with dressage starting at 9 a.m. and running until 2:25 p.m.; Novice show jumping goes from 11:30 a.m.-1:55 p.m.; cross-country for both levels from noon to 3:50 and Preliminary show jumping is set from 5:30-6:45 p.m.
On Sunday, dressage runs from 8:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. Cross-country is 10:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., with show jumping ending the day from 12:15-3 :55 p.m.
Tickets are $10 per person if you buy them at the Essex website, www.essexhorsetrials.org . They are good for two days. Tickets at the gate are $20. Kids 14 and under get in free.
Non-equestrian attractions include activities for children, a classic car show, the vendor village and dining options.
A new venue for an equestrian competition is always exciting, especially when it’s ideal. A location doesn’t get any better than Moorland Farm in the heart of picturesque Far Hills, New Jersey, where the revival of the Mars Essex Horse Trials is set for June 24-25.
The beautiful green expanse of Moorland Farm. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Essex was an eventing fixture in the Somerset Hills for 30 years, started at Elliot and Jean Haller’s Hoopstick Farm by their son, Roger Haller (who went on to design the courses for the 1978 world championships and the 1996 Olympics). As Essex continued growing, moved it moved from Lamington Road in Bedminster to a more spacious setting at Hamilton Farm, the U.S. Equestrian Team headquarters a few miles away in Gladstone, where it was sponsored by M&M Mars.
After much of Hamilton Farm became a golf course, there wasn’t enough space to run Essex anymore, and its last edition was 1998. But the 2015 Gladstone Gathering at the USET Foundation, a party that aimed to revitalize equestrian competition in the area, achieved its goal by bringing together people with vision who could make things happen.
Roger Haller, who died last year, would be thrilled that the event he and his parents founded has been revived. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
And the most impressive thing that happened is Essex. Among the names you’ll recognize who will be competing there are Jennie Brannigan, Missy Ransehousen, Heather Gillette, Clarissa Wilmerding and Justine Dutton, among others.
Marilyn Payne, head of the ground jury at the Rio Olympics last year, will be taking part as will her daughter, Holly Payne Caravella. Those who follow dressage have seen trainer Lauren Chumley ride, but she has another life as an eventer with the Morgan, Avatar’s Jazzman, who also has shown successfully at Dressage at Devon.
You know the name Moorland because it’s where the Far Hills Steeplechase Races are held every October. A former estate, it has deep-rooted turf that is more than a century old, all irrigated and beautifully maintained by the race association.
A course has been laid out and built by Morgan Rowsell, a Long Valley resident with extensive experience who is co-chair of the Essex organizing committee with Ralph Jones. Morgan is the one who constructed the fences at the Horse Park of New Jersey for the Jersey Fresh International and additional competitions at that facility in Monmouth County, as well as at Rocking Horse, Seneca Valley and others on the East Coast.
Morgan and Ralph gave me a tour of the property. Here’s a video:
The Moorland floorplan includes routes for Beginner Novice, Novice, Training and Preliminary levels, with two separate sections in each division. Expect to see higher levels competing in the future as this event continues to develop.
Holly Payne Caravella competing at the 2016 Essex Preview event. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Everything is laid out so that tailgaters at the top of the hill can have a birds-eye view of the action, while those down below at the Hoopstick Club (named as a homage to the Hallers’ farm) will be close to the show jumping area and the water obstacle that is at the heart of the course.
Morgan has made good use of the racetrack where the steeplechase horses run in the autumn, incorporating it into overall use of the property, which also will host a vendor village and a car show.
Horses appreciate natural footing, if it’s good, and the painstaking maintenance at Moorland assures that. The routes have a flow, rather than twisting in on themselves as is the case at some events. Morgan put it this way: “Horses feel like they’re going somewhere.”
A handsome old barn at Moorland will be replicated in a fence on the cross-country course. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
The cross-country starts at the first bend of the racetrack, and then competitors will circumnavigate the track. Morgan cited the commitment of the race meeting to insure the footing is ideal.
Guy Torsilieri, chairman of Far Hills Race Meeting Association and a past chairman of the Essex Horse Trials stepped up to help make the revitalized event happen.
The kidney-shaped water complex promises to be spectacular. It’s in a wide-open area, with a view unhindered by trees, a plus for spectators and lower- evel horses as well, so they know what’s next and won’t be surprised. It’s 10 strides across and about eight strides wide.
It’s more of a challenge for the horses competing at a higher level, who will have a log on the lip of the water that they clear on their way in.
The preliminary level course is a little less than two miles, at 2,800 meters, which should have an optimum time around 5 minutes, 30 seconds. The other divisions have shorter courses, down to 2,000 meters for beginner novice.
Although to the untrained eye much of the course seems flat, it actually has “a soft roll to it, and a significant amount of terrain,” Morgan said. Riders need to be careful in how they expend their horses’ energy, or they’ll be left with time penalties and a tired mount.
The show jumping course also has a little bit of terrain because it’s on the grass, not the all-weather footing that is practically ubiquitous these days.
“We’re doing it old school,” said Morgan. The show jumping course designer will be Chris Barnard (Plantation Field, Heart of the Carolinas), who will be using fences that have sponsor logos. Presenting sponsors include Open Road Auto Group, Peapack-Gladstone Bank, RWJ Barnabas Health and Running ‘S’ Equine Veterinary Services.
The Preliminary show jumping will be going on at the same time as an early evening Saturday cocktail party at the Hoopstick Club. After all, Essex always had a social aspect as well as a being an important sporting event.
The Essex Horse Trials trophy was gathering dust for nearly two decades until it was decided to revive the popular event and get this bronze out in the spotlight again. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
At the other end of the scale, the area reserved for dressage will be “quiet and out of the way,” enabling horses and riders to do their best in that segment.
Essex is a boon not only for the sport, but also for the Somerset Hills.
“This whole area was thick with horses for a long time and it’s taken a hiatus,” said Morgan.
“We’re going to launch this beautiful horse trials and hopefully other disciplines will follow suit.”
Tickets are a bargain at $10 in advance (covering both days) with children 14 and under free. Tickets are $20 at the gate, so go to www.essexhorsetrials.org to order the $10 tickets and get more information on the event.
Essex benefits LifeCamp in Pottersville. It offers an enriching summer day camp experience for 300 Newark area youths between the ages of six and 13 daily during six weeks in the summer.
The mission of LifeCamp Inc. is to empower youth to succeed and excel by developing life skills, character and leadership through a program outside of an urban environment.
Can you imagine taking a sample of feed every time you open a new bag, keeping it in a baggie marked with the date the feed bag was opened and the lot numbers? Oh, and writing all the information in a log book, including where and when the feed was purchased. How about testing the supplements you give your horse, to see if they show evidence of substances that are prohibited in competition?
That’s now the routine at the barns where horses are being trained by Adrienne Lyle and her mentor, Debbie McDonald. Adrienne and one of her mounts, Horizon, were suspended from competition by the FEI (international equestrian federation) after a drug test taken at a Feb. 10 show revealed a trace of ractopamine.
Adrienne Lyle was all smiles after Horizon won the national Intermediaire I championship following a long battle to make it to the Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions. (Photo by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The substance, forbidden by the FEI, was not named on the ingredient list of Cargill’s Progressive Nutrition® Soothing Pink™, a gastric nutritional supplement administered to Horizon, but it was in there. The same thing happened to Young Rider Kaitlin Blythe and her mount, Don Principe. The only link between Adrienne and Kaitlin was the fact that they were using Soothing Pink.
The suspensions of Adrienne and Kaitlin were lifted after Cargill admitted responsibility for the presence of ractopamine and took the supplement off the market, but the FEI still insisted on its policy of suspending the horses for two months—even though they were not harmed and the substance had cleared their systems within five days.
It took intrepid lawyer Sam Silver bringing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to get the horses’ suspension lifted so Adrienne and Kaitlin could take Horizon and Don Principe to last weekend’s Dutta Corp. U.S. dressage national championships in Gladstone.
It was worth the trouble. Each won the national title in their divisions; the Intermediaire I and Brentina Cup respectively.
Fighting the FEI is expensive, and the total bill hasn’t been tallied. The case has yet to be fully adjudicated by CAS, which will require a trip to Switzerland, according to Horizon’s owner, Betsy Juliano. What the FEI will do subsequently is uncertain.
Why shouldn’t the whole matter have been dropped once Cargill took responsibility?
A statement from the FEI said it is “not challenging the suspensions at CAS, but only defending its paramount interests; to safeguard the welfare of our equine athletes and the level playing field.” The FEI deferred further comment “until the final CAS decision is received.”
Betsy noted, “It’s not as if we disregarded an ingredient on the label.” She added that the horses have been tested before on the same regimen with no negative results.
Betsy stated that the U.S. Equestrian Federation has been a strong support, going to CAS on the horses’ behalf. If not for that, she said, Adrienne and Kaitlin would not have been able to compete in Gladstone after a long and thorough preparation of their horses.
“There was a real discouraging period of time after the FEI refused to lift the horses’ suspensions after all this time preparing the horses, the effort and the heart that goes into it. And then to have her not be able to go down centerline here was really sad to me,” she said, recalling her emotions about Horizon’s situation before the situation was resolved.
The USEF’s help sends “a positive message to the membership, especially the membership who competes, that our federation is fair and will stand behind us when it is necessary,” said Betsy. She had an unusual advantage in this instance, because her company is involved in providing legal services.
As she noted, “by lucky happenstance, this situation falls smack into my line of work. The method of proceeding through a situation like this is something that is every day for me.”
Betsy also praised Cargill and said she will still use their products. “I now know that if I get in trouble,” she said, Cargill will step up. “This company raced to our aid,” she pointed out.
The situation was a learning experience for all involved, but Adrienne—whom I’ve known and respected since 2005, when she started as a working student with Debbie—has a reputation for being aboveboard and meticulous.
“I’m always so paranoid. That’s the irony in all this,” Adrienne said wryly, referring to all the precautions she takes.
“The CDI horses (those in international competition) have their own grain room and only one person is allowed to make their grain.”
The situation affected her preparation with her horses, causing her to miss an important show at the Tryon, N.C., International Equestrian Center.
It “would have been key, especially for the stallion (Salvino) who’s only done one CDI. We applied for a wild card, and luckily they gave us a wild card,” said Adrienne, who was reserve in the Grand Prix championship with Salvino, noted the suspension didn’t affect training for Gladstone.
“We kept training as if we were going to come here,” she said.
Kaitlin, whom I did not know before meeting her at Gladstone, said, “The biggest thing for me is how vulnerable we all are without really knowing that we are. We all consult the best vets and nutritionists and you think you’re dotting all your I’s and crossing all your T’s; it came as such a surprise to us.”
Brentina Cup champion Kaitlin Blythe with Debbie McDonald, Betsy Juliano and Debbie McDonald. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
She noted it was lucky the horses weren’t harmed by the ractopamine, noting that in other instances around the country, there are horses that have been sickened or died after consuming contaminated feed.
Like Adrienne, she’s keeping a log and going through the baggie procedure.
“It’s been an educational experience,” said Kaitlin. “It’s going to be a bit of an eye opener for everyone as to what can happen when you think nothing can happen.”
We’ve seen this before. For instance, New Zealand eventer Jock Paget lost his 2013 Burghley 4-star title when his winning mount tested positive for the tranquilizer reserpine, determined to have been in a supplement. He was suspended for months, until it was found that he was not to blame.
Show jumper Margie Engle lost the 1999 American Invitational title when reserpine turned up in a supplement she used that had been guaranteed to test clean.
As Steve Schumacher, director of the USEF’s equine drugs and medication program warns, “Caution is urged if one is using so-called herbal or natural products, since plants are commonly the source for pharmacologically potent, forbidden substances such as cocaine, reserpine, and marijuana.”
Forget the rain. Things are looking brighter for the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event, which has had its ups and downs over the years. So give the dedicated workers and organizers applause for their efforts at the 15th renewal last weekend at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown.
“They really stepped up this year and put a lot of work into the cross-country,” said U.S. Equestrian Federation Director of Sport Will Connell.
Despite that torrential downpour and chilly temperatures on cross-country day, riders were complimentary of the event, and the hardy tailgaters who came out equipped with umbrellas, tents and lots of hot coffee appreciated seeing the way athletes handled the considerable challenge.
This photo of a soaked Ashley McVaugh and Latino H gives a good idea of what it was like competing on cross-country in a rainstorm at Jersey Fresh. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Unlike last year, when competitors weren’t happy with the CCI cross-country courses (which are longer than CIC courses), there was universal praise for routes laid out by the new designer, Mark Phillips, who had the advantage of being able to use more land than was available in 2016. That made the layouts more flowing than they had been in the past.
The featured Jersey Shore water complex surrounded by tailgaters was completely re-designed to have a more user-friendly island than it did in the past, making it suitable for combined driving as well as eventing.
Californian Tamie Smith, who rode Dempsey in the CIC 3-star as a prep for the upcoming CCI 3-star in Bromont, Quebec, noted, “You can tell how hard they are trying to make it so much better and they’re listening to the competitors and making changes. It’s a testament to the organizers and people involved.”
She also cited Mark’s work, saying, “I think it has made all the difference, having him be a part of Jersey Fresh. He’s done a remarkable job. The courses were just enough to have some problems, but not overly tricky.
“Mark’s one of the best course designers in the world and he did such a phenomenal job with the terrain and the design,” commented Tamie, noting Jersey is an ideal spot for a green 3-star horse like hers to have a run.
The footing for cross-country has been considered a strong point of the venue in Monmouth County, where much of the soil has a natural sand element, and it held up well enough with concerted attention from a dedicated grounds crew. Mark did note, however, that by mid-afternoon when the Saturday competition wrapped up, the ground couldn’t have taken too many more hooves. But a less-forgiving surface would have deteriorated long before that.
Dr. Brendan Furlong, whose B.W. Furlong & Associates veterinary practice was the presenting sponsor, naturally would have preferred sunshine but noted, “under the circumstances, it was as good as it could possibly could be. We got very positive feedback on the course. I think it’s the most positive feedback we’ve had in many years.”
He added, “From the effort that the grounds crew went to, to keep it as safe as possible, and also from the design of the course from Mark’s perspective, it was a huge coup, making that happen. We came out of it with a good positive feeling this year and hopefully we can carry on with that.”
Debbie Adams, a founder of the event who is no longer associated with the organization, said she was “really impressed with Mark Phillips and what he did to make a nice galloping course, because then the horses get encouraged. Once they had a question, it was something they could easily see and understand. It wasn’t a blind approach and it made sense to them.
“It’s a struggle for any competition to keep going and make ends meet and keep everybody happy, and they’ve had some rough patches. But when they pulled it out (on cross-country) and made it right for the riders and horses, that’s a big statement for them.”
Debbie, whose DA Duras was ridden to first place in the CIC 2-star by Lauren Kieffer observed, “It’s almost better than if they had run in the sunshine. The competitors know what they put out, and it worked.”
Phillip Dutton, the 2016 Olympic individual bronze eventing medalist, is a Jersey Fresh regular. He won the featured CCI 3-star with Mr. Candyman, and said he’d come back next year.
“It sounds very simple, but if you’ve got a good cross-country course, everyone usually goes home happy. I thought, considering the conditions and the amount of rain, the course rode really well. I think it was a good education for horses and riders, and that’s basically what it’s about.”
Will Connell noted that “people need to learn to ride in the rain as well as in the sun. I was pleased. There were a lot of riders who would have come away having learned a lot about how to ride in difficult conditions.”
Marilyn Little, who won the CIC 3-star on RF Scandalous, considered it a good opportunity to practice for what she may encounter at the Luhmuhlen, Germany, 4-star, which is her next stop with the mare.
Marilyn Little was glad for a chance to practice riding RF Scandalous in rainy conditions at Jersey Fresh. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
“I have a lot more confidence going into Germany, where it can also pour,” Marilyn said.
Buck Davidson had been critical about the CCI courses in 2016, even wondering whether Jersey Fresh should offer CCIs, but he liked what happened this year.
“I think it’s better. They’ve definitely opened it up with that front field (the extra land) a bit.”
He would, however, like to see some of the jumps changed.
“They’re a little boxy and not as horse friendly,” said Buck, who is in favor of more permanent fences, rather than those that are movable.
“The big oxer in the CIC over the ditch was a great jump, it makes the horses really get up in the air. Some of these corners are so vertical they just kind of push against them a little bit and the horses don’t seem to respect them as well.”
He was pleased to see improvements, however.
“It’s all small steps,” he said.
“Hopefully, they’re going to get these arenas better. Spend some money and get some good footing. Make this place awesome There’s so much potential here.”
Jennie Brannigan had her game face and her raincoat on as she finished her trip in the CIC 3-star on Cool as Ice. (Photo by Nancy Jaffer)
Rob Burk, CEO of the U.S. Eventing Association, was impressed with what he saw at Jersey Fresh.
“I think this was an amazing weekend. The staff, the volunteers and organizers went over and above to make sure this was a safe and great experience. I think it will only build from this going forward.”
He commented, “I think a lot of good things have come out of this. We’ve already got some ideas on what can be done at the Horse Park to continue to improve the facilities, to improve the arenas, to bring them up to the point to where this continues and grows into one of the premier events in the country.”
Footing in the arenas is a key issue, and an effort by those connected with the horse park to raise money for a new surface in the grand prix ring hasn’t gotten very far. Rob said the USEA can help.
“I think we’ve already been connecting a lot of the right people with the leadership,” said Rob.
He noted that Jersey Fresh has “a pivotal date. There is a reason why people in the sport care about what happens here.”
