Nancy Jaffer
EQUESTRIAN SPORTS
NEWS AND FEATURES
FROM NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND
A special horseman has left us
George Gaston, who trained horses, instructed riders, managed major stables and was a friend to all, died in his sleep Sunday night. He was 72. "Everybody loved George," said Jimmy Herring, who knew him since they were youngsters riding together. "He always had a...
Simonson, La Placa, Holzer, Vaughn named for championships U.S. dressage team
Ashley Holzer skipped last weekend's Hagen, Germany, show, where her potential teammates for next month's world dressage championships competed, choosing instead to ride Hawtins San Floriana at Hartpury in England. It all worked out On Thursday, she was named for the...
No surprises on U.S. eventing team named for world championships
Last spring's Kentucky 5-Star winner, Will Coleman, and Diabolo, a 2012 Holsteiner gelding, were named Monday to compete for the U.S. on the Defender Eventing Team at the world championships in Germany next month. Will also has two direct reserves, in case something...
A championship has to move out of harm’s way
The upheaval in the Middle East has claimed the FEI Endurance World Championship, scheduled for November in Saudi Arabia. The organizer announced that "due to the current geopolitical situation, it was no longer in a position to organize the championship as planned."...
A show manager speaks out about the USEF leadership transition
Dale Harvey, a show manager who is a former Grand Prix rider, posted his thoughts on social media about the outlook for the U.S. Equestrian Federation as selection of a successor to CEO Bill Moroney is pending. Here is what he had to say: "The end of Bill Moroney’s...
An 8-figure entry into new show jumping league: UPDATE
The Premier Jumping League, set to debut in April 2027, has sold its first team for $50 million to race car driver Jason McCarthy and McCarthy Jumping League LLC. UPDATE: At the same time, the PJL has received FEI Series Approval that formally sanctions the rules and...
Update on how a new USEF CEO will be chosen
In the wake of news that U.S. Equestrian Federation CEO Bill Moroney will retire at the end of the year after a decade in the post, the organization stated Tuesday that it is "committed to a thorough and deliberate search" for his successor. A search committee of...
A beloved veterinarian has passed away: UPDATED with arrangements
Dr. Jack Lowe, a much-admired veterinarian who served the horse industry and Cornell University in a variety of important ways for decades, died Wednesday at age 91 after complications from a fall. "He was one of the few people I know who loved his job every single...
Making adjustments to pay off with improved horse welfare
The new FEI Horse Condition Task Force met Monday to discuss horse welfare issues, particularly the subject of blood on competition horses, for which rules differ according to discipline. "There was broad consensus across the stakeholders that Horse Welfare sits at...
A reimagined Wellington International is nearly ready for its debut
The new version of Wellington International will be as much a showcase as it is a showgrounds. The finishing touches are being put on the expanded and upgraded host of the 2027 Winter Equestrian Festival, the world's longest horse show. Dressage competition will share...
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