Nancy Jaffer
EQUESTRIAN SPORTS
NEWS AND FEATURES
FROM NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND
A victory, then farewell
Cashew CR, the reliable mount of U.S. rider Alex Matz, delivered one final win Friday night at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair as he took his last bow before retirement. The 17-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Cassini II x Quinar Z) is owned by Alex’s mother, D.D....
Another strong reaction against the new FEI show jumping blood rule
The president of the Austrian Equestrian Federation (OEPS) called the change in the blood rule for show jumping enacted by the FEI last week "a clear step backwards. Elisabeth Max-Theurer, who won Olympic dressage gold in 1980, stated that "blood -- especially in the...
One sophisticated stop for vital horse info
Going beyond equine microchips for horse ID, Equipass addresses the need for accurate health records, regulatory compliance and improved disease control with a streamlined approach. Its first phase will roll out beginning Jan. 26, 2026, according to the FEI (the...
A well-deserved honor for a skilled and humble horseman
The world number one dressage rider Justin Verboomen of Belgium received the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Award at the FEI General Assembly Friday for his training and competition success with the lovely Zonik Plus. As the rider from Belgium pointed out, it's...
Want to be part of the LA ’28 Olympics? Raise your hand
There will never be an opportunity like this again in the foreseeable future. Be part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles by volunteering. The program, presented by Delta Air Lines, offers an opportunity for everyone to take a role. The 1984 Los Angeles...
Hitting the high notes with horses
The Hunterdon Symphony is opening its 2025-26 season with Equestrian Orchestrations, a concert keyed to a theme of horses. It's set for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Raritan Township, N.J. The symphony's concerts often are performed...
More honors delivered at U.S. Dressage Finals: UPDATE
Kristin Wasemiller-Knutson and Vashti, the combination that won the Open Grand Prix Freestyle at the U.S. Dressage Finals in 2021, did it again on Saturday night during the show at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio. “I could not have been happier with my...
Some key rules are up for consideration by USHJA (including one about mules)
There were several hot-button topics during the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association's rule change webinar Monday, with more than 200 people on line during the three-and-a-half hour session. But one of the most intense reactions was to a proposal involving a 60-day...
Titleists named at U.S. Dressage Finals
Two New Jersey riders, who often have been winners at the U.S. Dressage Finals, continued their success as the competition moved its full schedule to a new venue, the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio. Since the competition there this week is in several...
Dressage world number one does it again
It wasn't a personal best, but Belgium's Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus kept a narrow margin over Becky Moody and Jagerbomb from Great Britain to take the dressage freestyle at the Equita Lyon show in France on Friday. The class is a qualifier for the FEI Dressage...
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