By Nancy Jaffer Dec. 25, 2018 Okay, he didn’t have eight tiny reindeer and a sleigh. His transportation was a propeller-driven airplane that landed at an airport, not on a rooftop. But Matt Kiener might as well have been Santa Claus this Christmas...

By Nancy Jaffer December 23, 2018 Too often, it seems as if issues involving the elite ranks of horse sports dominate the annual meetings of our equestrian organizations. By elite, I mean not only the high performance group that goes to...

By Nancy Jaffer December 8, 2018 While the holidays are an occasion for celebration, at the same time, they offer an opportunity to polish memories. We think of those who are no longer with us, recall cherished moments with our horses and reminisce...

By Nancy Jaffer Nov. 25, 2018 Joining the ranks of such legends as eventing stalwart Giltedge, Olympic double-gold medal show jumper Touch of Class and dressage star Brentina on the pages of history is a tall order for any horse. But joining their...

By Nancy Jaffer November 22, 2018 It was 23 degrees this morning when the Essex Fox Hounds started assembling for their Thanksgiving hunt. I expected a small field of riders and figured only a few spectators would show up. Wrong and wrong. The...

November 6, 2018 He was not only a great horseman, but racehorse trainer J. Willard Thompson also should be remembered as a great gentleman. The horse world lost a much-admired figure when he died Saturday at the age of 83 after a long illness. A...

By Nancy Jaffer October 25, 2108 It seems like common sense to acknowledge that New Jersey’s horse industry is part of the agricultural community, but everyone doesn’t see it that way. To some who raise crops, “Horse people are not farmers.  That’s...

By Nancy Jaffer October 14, 2018 The phrase “old-fashioned fun” is too seldom heard these days in connection with equestrian sports, which tend to be high stakes, played with horses bearing even higher pricetags. So it was refreshing to roll back...

By Nancy Jaffer October 7, 2018 At the end of three phases of competition, 2017 ASPCA Maclay winner Maddy Goetzmann and 2018 North American Young Rider show jumping individual gold medalist Daisy Farish were 1-2 in the Platinum Performance USEF...

By Nancy Jaffer Sept. 25, 2018 Two New Jersey horsemen carried a little extra baggage in the form of gold medals on their flights home yesterday from the FEI World Equestrian Games at the Tryon International Equestrian Center. The realization of a...

By Nancy Jaffer September 8, 2018 When Heronwood Racing Partners set out to buy a thoroughbred who would run under the stable’s colors, members of the group already were thinking of a way to make sure the horse would have a new job after he...

By Nancy Jaffer August 20, 2018 While a number of shows in its region have been scratching for participants this summer, Monmouth at the Team is so well-attended that part of the mandate for next year is figuring out a way to limit entries for...

By Nancy Jaffer August 9, 2018 Over the decades, the farm on Schooley’s Mountain has had its ups and downs. But now the 64 acres, dotted with pastures and a variety of buildings in varying states of repair, belong to an optimistic new owner. “We’re...

By Nancy Jaffer July 29, 2018 Last weekend, Devin Ryan was jumping on the U.S. Nations’ Cup team in Aachen Germany, the most prestigious horse show in the world. This weekend, he was back home in New Jersey, coaching competitors in the...

  By Nancy Jaffer July 24, 2018 The Tewksbury Trail Pace in Hunterdon County has been a favorite post-Labor Day destination for recreational riders from New Jersey and beyond since 1996, when it was introduced at Christie Hoffman Park. The...

By Nancy Jaffer July 14, 2018 It doesn’t really seem as if being held for just eight years qualifies a horse show as a tradition, but the Briarwood Derby Day is an exception to that rule. Started by N.J. Horse Shows Association President Katie...

By Nancy Jaffer July 8, 2018 On her left leg, Katie Jackson wears a sleek black Cavallo boot. On her right leg, it’s a prosthetic device and a running shoe. When she mounts Diesel, her statuesque black Oldenburg, she swings her right leg over his...

By Nancy Jaffer July 1, 2018 The Garden State Horse Show, once New Jersey’s largest hunter/jumper competition, is moving next year from the Sussex County fairgrounds to the U.S. Equestrian Federation Foundation’s historic Gladstone facility. Garden...

By Nancy Jaffer June 24, 2018 The Mars Essex Horse Trials, which finished the second year of its re-emergence today, will be making a big jump forward next year. Not only is it ready to host an Advanced division (Preliminary was the highest level...

By Nancy Jaffer June 23, 2018 After a brilliant return to the eventing calendar in 2017 following a 19-year absence, the Mars Essex Horse Trials had a hard act to follow for 2018. But today, more big names competing in the Preliminary division and...

By Nancy Jaffer June 18, 2018 The doors are locked at Beval Saddlery Ltd. in Gladstone, a fixture in the Somerset Hills for 63 years. Although a paper sign tacked up at the entrance said the store is closed “temporarily,” area equestrians are...

  By Nancy Jaffer June 5, 2018 He’s a character. He’s been a clown (literally). And now he’s a champion. Andy Kocher, a native of Pennsylvania who grew up attending the Devon Horse Show as a spectator (“I never showed”), rode into the Dixon...

By Nancy Jaffer May 20, 2018 “They’re trying their hearts out,” commented Boyd Martin, discussing improvement efforts at the Horse Park of New Jersey, where he won three of four divisions at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event presented...

By Nancy Jaffer May 9, 2018 A horse show manager’s tenure usually is measured in terms of several years—if the person in question lasts even that long. So it’s very unusual when someone manages a show for three decades, as Tim Cleary has with the...

By Nancy Jaffer April 22, 2018 Beezie Madden winning her second Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Finals in Paris last weekend? Not surprising. But Devin Ryan as the runner-up? Now there’s an unexpected result from a field that included the likes...

By Nancy Jaffer April 12, 2018 She did it again. Laura Chapot took the Equiline Overall Jumper Rider title for the 2018 Winter Equestrian Festival. The Neshanic Station resident has won that championship so many times she can’t put a number on it....

By Nancy Jaffer March 31, 2018 Four Seasons is more than just a horse show to its manager, Mason Garrity, and his wife, Alexandra “A.J.” Garrity, a freelance trainer. Once part of a series that began in 1972, Four Seasons was the pet project of...

March 26, 2018 Swimmer Michael Phelps. Track star Carl Lewis. Para-equestrian Annie Peavy? Why not? Annie is one of seven finalists for the AAU James Sullivan Award, which has been won by Phelps, Lewis and so many other top U.S. athletes—but never...

By Nancy Jaffer March 13, 2008 Spring Thaw may have started out as a troublemaker, but the Appaloosa gelding went on to be a long-serving guide and inspiration for those seeking help. Until his death in January, shortly before his 31st birthday, he...

By Nancy Jaffer March 2, 2018 While suffering through a winter of gray skies, rain and way too much mud in the paddocks and pastures up North, you doubtless have a personal understanding of why so many horse owners flee to Florida during the bleak...

By Nancy Jaffer February 20, 2018 It’s been discussed for years, but now the Horse Park of New Jersey really is on the verge of improving the grand prix arena, as well as performing deferred maintenance on its other two rings. Wisely, the park has...

By Nancy Jaffer January 30, 2018 Tom O’Mara’s equitation championship-winning children once enjoyed more name recognition than he did. But the former investment banker has become high-profile through his roles in the U.S. Equestrian Federation and...

By Nancy Jaffer January 15, 2018 Kelly DeSaye nearly hung up on the person who notified her that she had won the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s Amateur Sportsmanship award. “She said, `Hi Kelly, this is Cheryl Rubenstein from the awards...

By Nancy Jaffer January 4, 2018 It’s going to be a year with potential at the Horse Park of New Jersey. There’s quite an opportunity on the horizon because its premier competition, the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event, offers a selection...

By Nancy Jaffer December 23, 2017 She’s done it all, from winning Olympic team show jumping medals and writing a book, to victories in the world’s major grands prix, as well as earning spot in the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. Her mounts have included...

By Nancy Jaffer December 6, 2017 Donna Strait Martin personifies staying power, a virtue as important in people as it is in horses. Her lifelong dedication to equestrian sport remains productive. While there are 700 U.S. Equestrian...

By Nancy Jaffer November 23, 2017 It’s a traditionn that began when Jacqueline Kennedy, then the charismatic First Lady of the U.S., would ride out with New Jersey’s Essex Foxhounds on Thanksgiving. The interest in her and her family was intense....

By Nancy Jaffer November 16, 2017 “I’m still smiling,” said Maia Barnes, days after winning the Fourth Level Adult Amateur Championship at the U.S. Dressage Finals presented by Adequan. Maia, who rode Benvica to a score of 69.889 percent at the...

By Nancy Jaffer November 1, 2017 The horses who were part of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s development dressage training  and evaluation session in Gladstone someday may be on an American team at a major championship—or they may never rise to...

By Nancy Jaffer October 22, 2017 It had been years since I attended the Far Hills Race Meeting, once a “must” stop for me, but now off my calendar because it often conflicted with the Dutta Corp. Fair Hill (don’t confuse the names) International...

  By Nancy Jaffer September 28, 2017 NOTE CHANGE OF DATE DUE TO WEATHER Autumn is the busiest season for equestrians. There’s an abundance of trail and hunter paces, the indoor shows are getting under way along with regional championships, and...

By Nancy Jaffer October 8, 2017 Two of the biggest names in equitation headlined the weekend’s Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East, with Taylor St. Jacques (a star at Devon this year) leading the standings after three...

By Nancy Jaffer November 23, 2017 It’s a tradition that began when Jacqueline Kennedy, the charismatic former First Lady of the U.S., would ride out with New Jersey’s Essex Foxhounds on Thanksgiving. The interest in her and her family was intense....

By Nancy Jaffer August 30, 2017 When the applause ends, after the crowds go home, what’s next for a top horse who has retired from eventing? In the case of Ballynoe Castle RM, better known as Reggie, that question can be answered with one word:...

By Nancy Jaffer August 30, 2017 When the applause ends, after the crowds go home, what’s next for a top horse who has retired from eventing? In the case of Ballynoe Castle RM, better known as Reggie, that question can be answered with one word:...

By Nancy Jaffer Aug. 20, 2017 Monmouth at the Team may well be one of the friendliest shows you’ve ever attended—it seems as if a smile is the uniform of the day. “It’s like a neighborhood gathering, so we want to be open to everybody coming,” said...

By Nancy Jaffer August 9, 2017 Andrew Ramsay has gone to all the right places seeking help with his ambition to ride on U.S. show jumping teams. During his quest, the native of California was mentored by Alan Waldman in the Netherlands, worked with...

By Nancy Jaffer July 25, 2017 When she’s competing in the Novice or Training divisions, Marilyn Payne is far from being just another lower-level eventer. The Tewksbury resident is unique in many ways, not least because she is an internationally...

By Nancy Jaffer July 12, 2017 How many horse owners do you know who have left New Jersey for good over the past few years? What about trainers and managers who have shut down their barns? Judging from my experience, your answer probably is “Lots.”...

By Nancy Jaffer July 1, 2017 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...

By Nancy Jaffer June 25, 2017 The dream has become reality. How often do vanished equestrian competitions come back to life? That's why it was so special yesterday when the Mars Essex Horse Trials got under way for the first time since 1998....

By Nancy Jaffer June 18, 2017 Robin Rost is reinventing her life. 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...

By Nancy Jaffer June 23, 2017 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...

By Nancy Jaffer June 7, 2017 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...

By Nancy Jaffer May 24, 2017 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,...

By Nancy Jaffer May 15, 2017 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...

By Nancy Jaffer May 24, 2017 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,...

By Nancy Jaffer May 24, 2017 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,...

By Nancy Jaffer May 5, 2017 The 50th anniversary of the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association is being celebrated this weekend at its national championship show in Kentucky. IHSA, begun by Robert Cacchione at New Jersey’s Fairleigh Dickinson...

By Nancy Jaffer April 23, 2017 What type of footing should you put in your ring? The number of options is positively confusing—do you want an artificial surface? And if you choose that, will it include bits of rubber, fiber or wax? How about...

By Nancy Jaffer April 14, 2017 They saw the light. The CP National Horse Show, where the ASPCA Maclay at 3-6 has been the industry standard for generations, just scrapped plans to use the Maclay name for a new 3-3 equitation competition. In my...

By Nancy Jaffer April 14, 2017 They saw the light. The CP National Horse Show, where the ASPCA Maclay at 3-6 has been the industry standard for generations, just scrapped plans to use the Maclay name for a new 3-3 equitation competition. In my...

By Nancy Jaffer April 6, 2017 It can be argued that the CP National Horse Show’s ASPCA Maclay is the most iconic of the hunt seat equitation championships held over 3-foot 6-inch fences. Certainly, it’s the oldest. A long run at Madison Square...

By Nancy Jaffer March 21, 2017 This month’s Live Oak International driving event, which hosted four national championships, brought back memories from the era when the sport of combined driving reached its peak in the U.S. It built to a crescendo...

By Nancy Jaffer March 21, 2017 This month’s Live Oak International driving event, which hosted four national championships, brought back memories from the era when the sport of combined driving reached its peak in the U.S. It built to a crescendo...

By Nancy Jaffer March 8, 2017 The scenic Somerset Hills, once one of the horsiest areas in New Jersey, is making a big comeback in terms of equestrian activities. They had gradually tapered off over the years, until the Gladstone Gathering in 2015...

By Nancy Jaffer February 28, 2017 He’s got a list of international contacts that ranges from royalty to captains of industry and star athletes. Jim Wolf, a go-getter who has experience in both administration of equestrian sport and finding...

By Nancy Jaffer Feb. 14, 2017 It wasn’t just an ordinary announcement. Word that former U.S. eventing coach and Olympic medalist Mark Phillips will be the new cross-country course designer for the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event looks...

By Nancy Jaffer January 28, 2017 It comes across as the type of meet-cute, made-for-TV movie that you’d see on the Lifetime channel. Jolene Alala, a “Jersey girl” working at her family’s small Passaic County stable, traveled to Ireland to help a...

By Nancy Jaffer February 7, 2017 Wellington, Fla.’s designation as “The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World” is no exaggeration. On Sunday, two $216,000 show jumping grands prix were held at different locations about a mile apart. That’s...

By Nancy Jaffer January 21, 2017 It’s always nice to get a trophy. But it’s even better when the honor comes in memory of a mentor. Endurance rider Meg Sleeper of Kingwood Township proudly stepped up to accept the Maggy Price Endurance Excellence...

By Nancy Jaffer January 14, 2017 The U.S. Equestrian Federation has been relaunched enthusiastically at its annual convention, with a “major makeover” geared to bringing “the joy of horse sports” to more people at all levels. “I cannot and will not...

By Nancy Jaffer December 31, 2016 What will you remember about the equestrian year gone by, and what do you hope for in the equestrian year to come? As 2016 takes its place in history and 2017 gets a turn on the calendar, let’s enjoy a break in the...

By Nancy Jaffer December 20, 2016 The enterprising artist juggles a lot of ventures, including wildly ambitious sculpting for charity, making carousels out of hobby horses, blogging and bringing together other artists at #equinearthour on Twitter....

By Nancy Jaffer December 14, 2016 He is, without a doubt, the best dressage horse in history—owning every world record and a slew of gold medals from the European Championships to the World Championships, the World Cup and the Olympics. So it is...

 By Nancy Jaffer December 9, 2016 He was the superstar of American three-day eventing after making history by winning the individual gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. From there, he assured the end of a disruptive governance battle by...

By Nancy Jaffer December 2, 2016 The last 18 months or so have been full of good news for equestrian fans and participants in New Jersey’s Somerset Hills, an area that is revving up to once again be a center of multi-discipline horse sports—which...

By Nancy Jaffer November 24, 2016 Note: Click here to read the column posted earlier this month about the 2020 Olympics and the FEI meeting. It's a Thanksgiving tradition in New Jersey's Somerset Hills--going to the Essex Foxhounds meet before...

By Nancy Jaffer November 22, 2016 Those who dream about riding in the Olympics will need to temper their plans (real or fantasy) following the International Equestrian Federation’s (FEI) decision yesterday to cut teams from four to three in each of...

By Nancy Jaffer November 15, 2016 The historic Gladstone headquarters of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation will be hosting the U.S. Equestrian Federation's FEI dressage championships May 18-21 2017, bringing them back to New Jersey after a...

By Nancy Jaffer November 4, 2016 They finally got it right. Less than two years before the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, the FEI has chosen the Tryon, N.C. International Equestrian Center as the venue for the quadrennial eight-discipline...

By Nancy Jaffer October 28, 2016 As you may have heard, there's an election on Tuesday, November 8. But more than the presidential race is on the ballot in New Jersey. In effect, it's the future of the state's horse industry. Question 1 asks...

By Nancy Jaffer October 12, 2016 Persistence paid off last weekend for T.J. O’Mara of Rumson, who set a goal and returned year after year to the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone attempting to realize it. On his fifth try, he finally won...

By Nancy Jaffer October 6, 2016 Who needs a groom when you've got a friend? Bridget Hay of East Amwell and Kim Herslow of Stockton were rooming together, stabled their horses side-by-side and shared a tack room during an often-rainy Dressage at...

By Nancy Jaffer Sept. 29, 2016 Our equestrian history keeps moving on, but Ron Davis doesn't want to let it get away. His documentary, “Harry and Snowman,” recounts one of the great horse stories of our time in the words of Harry de Leyer, the man...

By Nancy Jaffer Sept. 20, 2016 A generation-spanning who's who of American show jumping gathered yesterday at the Gladstone headquarters of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation for a smile- and tear-filled tribute to Olympian and coach Frank Chapot....