If anyone had the pedigree to win the Open Preliminary section at the Essex Horse Trials, it was Isabelle Bosley. She knows Moorland Farm, where the Essex cross-country was held today, after dressage and show jumping were staged yesterday at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, just down the road in Gladstone, N.J.
Moorland, in Far Hills, is also the site of October’s Far Hills Race Meeting, and Isabelle’s father, Lewis Bosley, is a former steeplechase trainer. Her uncle, Johnny Bosley, was a jockey, and Isabelle even did some steeplechasing before deciding to focus on eventing.
Isabelle, 25, works for top-level rider Lillian Heard. It is her third season on Karen Martin’s homebred Hanoverian, Paper Doll. The mare is only 15.1 hands while Bosley stands 5-10, but the combo has been working over the last three years as the horse has developed into a “cross-country machine.”
Isabelle Bosley was cheered by tailgaters as she was on the way to winning the Open Prelim at Essex. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The rider had extra motivation after competing her own horse, the Irishbred Night Quality, on the U.S. Under 25 Nations Cup Team at Houghton Hall in England last spring. That didn’t go as well as she hoped, but the native of Maryland said “it definitely put a fire in my belly a little bit,” calling the trip a great learning experience as she continues to aim for the top of the sport.
She noted both Night Quality and Paper Doll foxhunted and show jumped, which prepared them to do well on cross-country, giving them a natural feel. Third to last in the jump order, Isabelle knew the course designed by Essex co-organizer Morgan Rowsell was a challenge. Five riders in Open Prelim fell, retired or were eliminated. All three entries in the Preliminary Rider section who went out on cross-country failed to finish. Yet Isabelle had faith in her mount.
“Everything on the course was things I’ve seen before with her. So I knew as long as I stuck to my plan with the ride, everything should be all right. I thought she’d be a little spooky at that jump into the water,” said Isabelle, noting that was the biggest drop in water she’s done.
“But she jumped it really big and really carefully. I was thrilled with how she took it on, especially with the heat,” said Isabelle who had been concerned that temps in the high 80s might have tired her mount.
She finished on her dressage score of 22.1 penalties, going from second to first as she claimed the lion’s share of the $10,000 purse for the division.
Things didn’t go as well at the water for the overnight leader, Hannah Sue Hollberg on Stakkato Bronx, who had a refusal at the first element. Ironically, the entry to the complex was over a log with Mars carved into it. Mars Equestrian is a sponsor and Hannah Sue’s gelding is co-owned by Jacqueline Mars, who often attends Essex but was not on hand this time.
Hannah Sue Hollberg and Stakkato Bronx led the Open Prelim division through dressage and show jumping, but a refusal cross-country dropped them to sixth. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Hannah Sue, who won the Essex Open Prelim last year with Wacko Jacko, went to the top in dressage with a 20-penalty score and stayed there after going clean over Sally Ike’s well-planned show jumping course last night.
But the refusal and time faults put the Pan American Games medalist sixth on a score of 46 after being penalized for the stop and going over the 5-minute, 47-second optimum time.
Sara Kozumplik Murphy, a two-time winner of the Devon, Pa., eventing derby, moved up to second from third on her 25.9-penalty dressage score after going clear on cross-country with Devil Munchkin.
The horse is owned by Sable Geisler, who names all her horses Munchkin with a different prefix.
“She has one named Evil Munchkin that is also a lovely horse,” said Sara. To each his own…
Sara noted most of her horses don’t event in the summer, but she called Essex “a good opportunity to come here to a special venue. I knew the ground would be great.”
And, she pointed out, “You get to ride at Gladstone, they’ve got prize money. It’s pretty special.”
Open Prelim runner-up Sara Kozumplik Murphy with Devil Munchkin. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
She also noted it was an opportunity for her groom, Sara Kelson, to compete her horses.
The runner-up said it was good for her groom to “practice under pressure,” with the atmosphere and the VIP tent next to the show jumping ring, which is something you don’t normally find at Preliminary. She also cited the “beautiful old turf” at Moorland which offers a good surface when other courses may get hard in the summer heat.
Watching the action in the VIP tent were Essex co-organizer Ralph Jones and his wife, Lynn (right) and the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation’s Maureen Pethick. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Sara praised Sally Ike’s show jumping course, saying “it wasn’t a big show jumping, but she was smart, because of the atmosphere, she made it a little more technical but nothing was massive.”
For his part, Morgan didn’t want the Preliminary cross-country to be too easy, noting it was a prize money division.
“I think people came away with some education” and a real idea of where their horses were in terms of their development.
“You have to be scopey to do this course, forward and balanced.”
He was concerned that the riding was “a little suspect” in the show jumping phase in some instances, and you could see that there might be trouble ahead on cross-country.
But as Morgan noted, “If we give them an easy go at this level, then they get to a level where they can really get themselves into trouble.”
Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Isabelle Bosley with Morgan Rowsell at the prize-giving. The division’s $10,000 prize money was courtesy of Running S Veterinary Services. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
This was the first year for the two-venue approach, conceived because Moorland doesn’t have all-weather footing for dressage and show jumping, while the USET Foundation doesn’t have room for a cross-country course.
The riders loved it, and he expects the same approach will be used next year.
“It’s nice because you get a bit more atmosphere,” said Isabelle, noting it’s nice to have “crowds all around…so they’re (the horses) not shocked when they get to a big venue. You get the best of every phase.
“The footing for dressage, the nice fancy show jumping ring and then you get the awesome cross-country course the next day.”
Spectators swarmed the cross-country course, with private parties in tents around the water obstacle.The heat offered an opportunity for dogs to cool off in the water between horses. But several riders got dunked involuntarily.
Meg Kepferle got an unwanted shower when she fell from Cooley Renegade, but she was a good sport and took a bow when she got up. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Alicia Hitpass with Duke, her Bernadoodle and Kim Horn with Ginny the Labrador cool off in the water obstacle. (Photo © 2022 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
There also was a car show in memory of Peter Chesson. It featured scores of special vehicles, antique and otherwise, all as well-groomed as the horses.
Amy Anderson and her stylish saddle. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Shopping was a feature as well. One of the more unusual boutiques featured the clothing that was hand-painted by Amy Anderson. A special item was a saddle that had suffered dry rot. But after Amy’s attention, it is now a thing of beauty.
As Morgan noted, “it does take an army to pull this off,” citing among others, Guy Torsilieri and Ron Kennedy of the Far Hills race meeting organization. He also mentioned that “the volunteers are amazing and really make this event what it is.”
Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association President Holly Cornell observed, “This is quite a big deal to the region.” She likes the addition of Gladstone to the Essex equation.
“I think it was a great idea, because the rings here are beautiful and everybody likes to ride at the U.S. Equestrian Team (Foundation) headquarters.”
For complete Essex results, click on this link
