Nancy Jaffer
EQUESTRIAN SPORTS
NEWS AND FEATURES
FROM NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND
Eventing great Ballaghmor Class is retiring
At age 19 after a brilliant career, Ballaghmor Class will leave the arena for good, his rider, Oliver Townend has announced. He described "Thomas" as the horse is known, "as one of the most successful event horses in history and a phenomenal partner and teammate to...
Why are showing costs so high? Here are some answers
The price of showing--and the ever-rising cost of owning horses--have been the hot topics over the last few years. For the U.S. Equestrian Federation, it came to a head with pushback when a fee increase (effective April 1) was announced last year. In an effort to find...
A new show series on the California calendar seeks to address the issues
We keep hearing the same complaints about horse showing: For all but the uber wealthy, many of the competitions have gotten too expensive -- dealing with high entry fees and add-ons, while the cost of being away from home for five or six days has skyrocketed, A new...
Orlob and Jane top 5-star Grand Prix Special
Patience and persistence paid off for Marcus Orlob with the temperamental Jane on Saturday, as they scored a personal best in the 5-star Grand Prix Special at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Fla. Exposing the mare to different showgrounds and...
Two bargain horses win big
Although seven-figure purchase prices for horses are all too common these days in both racing and showing, Saturday's Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park in Florida illustrates that it's still possible to buy a winner for a price that doesn't break the...
Recognition for a horse from the Garden State
A New Jersey thoroughbred gelding was named 2025's Champion Male Sprinter at racing's Eclipse Award ceremonies in Palm Beach this week. Book'em Danno, by Bucchero our of the Ghostzapper mare Adorabella, raced for a New Jersey-based partnership of friends and business...
The LA28 Olympics now has an equestrian manager
Caitlin Lane, who has worked in equestrian sport management everywhere from the Washington International Horse Show to the World Cup finals, the Pan American Games and the Tokyo Olympics has been named equestrian sport manger for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics in...
Returning the favor for rescuing a beloved horse
What's the best thank you for saving a life? Sally Walker, whose horse was freed from a dangerous situation by determined rescuers, decided she wanted to do something that could help many more large animals in trouble. Her gratitude is reflected in a GoFundMe she...
No Jersey City show jumping in 2026, but wait until next year
The Global Champions Tour show jumping held in Liberty State Park, with the sparkling New York City skyline as a backdrop, was a huge hit last September. It attracted an enthusiastic group of spectators, many of whom had never seen the sport before. After the final...
Good news! Liz Hallliday is home at last
Olympic eventer Liz Halliday, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a 2024 fall, has returned to her base in Lexington, Ky., after many months of working hard at rehabilitation. She posted about her progress on social media, saying, "This is the most important...
