The Essex Horse Trials will return!

The Essex Horse Trials in New Jersey has lived several lives since its founding in the late 1960s, and now it’s about to embark on yet another.

This year, it will run on Sunday, June 1, for one day rather than two; hold everything at a single venue, Moorland Farm in Far Hills, instead of two locations and offer Starter level for the first time, while dropping Intermediate, which wasn’t well-attended at the other end of the scale. The highest level this spring will be Preliminary.

Despite the fact that the 2024 event made money, there was a question of whether Essex could be held in 2025 because the two-venue concept proved to be very difficult and a strain to organize and facilitate.

Then Marilyn Payne stepped up to become the organizer and board president, suggesting the new, more compact, concept. Few know the sport as well she does. She has ridden at Essex since its early days at the Haller family’s Hoopstick Farm in Bedminster, down the road from Moorland and the U.S. Equestrian Team.

Essex was a major fixture on the eventing circuit from the late 1960s through 1998, when it last ran at the USET in Gladstone. After some of the USET property was sold, it was no longer optimal for the cross-country phase, so the event didn’t go again for 18 years. In 2004, the Essex organization was dissolved and its funds were dispersed, “ending faint hopes that one of the country’s best-known 2-star eventing tests could make a comeback,” as I wrote in a column that year.

Roger Haller told me sorrowfully, “the countryside has been changing and there’s not the critical mass to sustain what was there before.”

But there were many who remembered Essex and missed it. An opportunity to stage all phases at Moorland, also home of the popular Far Hills Race Meeting each October, led to its revival in 2017.

Sadly, Roger had died the year before the return, which was greeted with great fanfare. However, weather problems and date changes hindered growth. A continuing difficulty was the lack of an all-weather ring at Moorland for dressage and jumping. One rainy edition of the event in which footing was far from optimal prompted a move three years ago to the USET Foundation and its all-weather arena for those segments, with cross-country the next day at Moorland.

“Having it at two sites is very, very cumbersome and very expensive,” said Guy Torsilieri, who manages Moorland with Ron Kennedy. Consolidation of the competition in one location for 2025 provided an answer to that problem.

Marilyn, twice an Olympic judge, runs her own Hunterdon County farm that offers lessons, clinics and shows, but despite the demands on her time, she felt Essex should be a priority.

“It’s so important to continue, not only for the riders and the sport, but because we’re losing events all over the country and we don’t want to lose another event,” she commented.

Discussing Moorland, she observed, “It’s a fabulous facility. It’s great for the local people, to get them more involved and let them see what eventing is all about. Let them enjoy it. You’ve got to spread the word, and the best way to spread the word is to have a competition and invite people to come. A lot of people just want to go to one place and in and out on one day.”

She emphasized, “We’re refocusing on the lower levels,” and unlike the higher levels, those participants are not as picky about footing. But Marilyn noted that while she doesn’t expect early June to see the torrential rains that caused a problem when the date was later in the month, there also is a Plan B site for show jumping and dressage at Moorland if mud becomes an issue.

A cocktail party will be held on the Friday night before the event, with cross-country course designer Morgan Rowsell giving a guided walk of his route. (He also will be designing the show jumping phase of the event.)  With the event on a Sunday, riders are able to come the day before and walk the course. There will be a vendor village offering shops and food.

With the addition of the Starter level, Marilyn expects families to turn out to watch their relatives, so there should be a good crowd, some of whom can take the opportunity to view cross-country from tailgating spots.

Amy Gregonis and Julie Berman, who both were involved previously with the event, are working with sponsors. Marilyn is looking for volunteers to work at the event. Those interested in sponsoring or volunteering may contact her at applewoodfarm@comcast.net.

The car show, held in the past at Moorland on cross-country day, is moving to a September date, which allows all the focus to be on Essex. The event’s beneficiary is the LifeCamp in Pottersville, a century-old venture that provides a day camp each summer for 300 kids ages six through 14 from the greater Newark area.

A visit to the cross-country course is an enjoyable field trip for the campers and their parents. They picnic by the water complex, really getting into watching the horses splash through.

Guy hadn’t been optimistic about the event’s future before Marilyn took over.

“I was very saddened to say it’s going to go away again, because I don’t think it would come back. I think it’s important to keep equestrian activities in the area. Ron and I are thrilled they are going to give it another whirl,” Guy commented.

“I think it’s a good plan, I think it will be successful. With the new model, the budget is less than half of what it was last year. I think they’ll get a lot of support at the lower level.”

Of Marilyn, he said, “I was amazed and impressed how dynamic she is and what she wants to do. She’s getting a lot of enthusiasm locally.”

Guy also commented on the tenacity of Ralph Jones, a former co-organizer of the event, who was an advocate for keeping it going. He remains on the board as treasurer and is looking forward to working with Marilyn.

“She’s hoping to make it more of a local effort than trying to get the big professionals. It was our best chance of keeping it alive,” Ralph pointed out.

“I give Marilyn a lot of credit. She’s good. It’s going to be more low-key this year. Riders didn’t like the two-day format.” He appreciate’s Guy’s suggestion to “make it a big backyard barbecue. We feel good about it – it’s on its third life.”