The Jersey Fresh International three-day event was staged for the last time in 2021, after the U.S. Equestrian Federation did not grant the Horse Park of New Jersey event its usual 3- and 4-Star Long and 4-Star Short designations for 2023-2027.
The Tryon, N.C., Spring International, one of only six events in the U.S. to be awarded a 4-star Long, got Jersey Fresh’s traditional mid-May weekend.
Despite the loss of the FEI event, horse trials are held regularly at the park, but last weekend, it got a big vote of confidence, as several members of the U.S. team for next month’s eventing world championships took their final run there before heading to Germany.
Rather than holding a mandatory outing in one location for all team members, the riders were allowed to choose where they wanted to go for their pre-championships prep.
“We feel it was best for the riders to prep their horses with what they felt would be the best run,” said US Eventing Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law.
“I think we’ve got a great team. We’ve got some really good, experienced riders there now, we’ve got good horses. I’m looking forward to it.”
The arena footing at the facility in Allentown, N.J., is not the artificial material that is found at the “name” facilities, and the stabling isn’t fancy. But a footing expert was hired for Jersey Fresh to show how to maintain the rings with the footing they have.
Carol Kozlowski, a former president of the U.S. Eventing Association, observed after the Horse Park was dissed five years ago, “these riders get so wrapped up in footing and then go to Europe and you’re competing on grass.”
So to that end, Chris Barnard designed a show jumping course on grass for the weekend event, because at the world championships, show jumping will be on the turf. The cross-country was laid out by Morgan Rowsell, with Levi Ryckewaert, and David Taylor on his team.
“I thought they did a good job at the Horse Park,” commented Phillip Dutton, who won the Advanced Intermediate with his championships reserve horse, Denim, and was second on his team ride, Possante.
Phillip Dutton and Possante prepping for the world championships at the Horse Park of New Jersey. (Amy Dragoo photo)
“The footing was really good, and the course was not overly strong, but it (had) good little questions to practice on,” he commented.
“Generally, I feel the ground there is pretty good. It’s got a component of sand in it as well. I thought that it was pretty good conditions to have a last run.”
Dutton’s U.S. teammates, Caroline Pamukcu with HSH Blake and reserve rider Jennie Brannigan with FE Lifestyle also competed in the Advanced Intermediate. Additional participants included Australian squad member Sophia Hill with Humble Glory (in the Open Intermediate) and New Zealand’s Monica Spencer and Artist, who were members of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2022 FEI Eventing World Championships in Pratoni, Italy.
U.S. team member Boyd Martin was on hand, riding his Shanroe Cooley, an alternate for the squad. The horse competed in the Open Intermediate, but withdrew after dressage and stadium jumping, before cross-country.
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