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Special Thanks To Julie Young Silver Bay Stables & Jose Cervantes
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Congratulates Karen Lucian on the purchase of Capital Pinehurst.
PHOTO © ANNE GITTINS PHOTOGRAPHY.
Circuit Champion Winter Equestrian Festival 2017 Special thanks to Gonzalo Gomez for taking excellent care of Pineapple.
two goals farm, llc
Specializing in Acquisition, Sales, and Training
Located at Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex • www.twogoalsfarm.com keri kampsen (310) 909-6531 • lexy reed (724) 462-4042
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STONEWALL FARM
Congratulates Bella Griffin
on the lease of Vermont Golden Graham!
Best of Luck in the Medium Green Pony Hunters at US Equestrian Pony Finals Thank you to Liz Reilly and Makoto Farms
Emily Elek • 920-889-0028
S TO N E WA L L P O N IE S@YA H O O.CO M • IXO N IA , W I S CO N S I N PHOTO © VYLA CARTER.
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 13
STONEWALL FARM
Congratulates
TOP T H AT & LE X I M I LLE R
DE VON HOR SE SHOW 2 017 Pony Name Type of Pony
Emily Elek • 920-889-0028
S TO N E WA L L P O N IE S@YA H O O.CO M • IXO N IA , W I S CO N S I N PHOTOS © THE BOOK LLC.
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STONEWALL FARM
Congratulates Our Sales Graduates Qualified for US Equestrian Pony Finals 2017: Small Green Pony Hunter Summerwood’s Dream Come True Babybel Somermist Bellenova Champlain Golden Years Otteridge Scrumptious Tarry A Bit Prince William
Medium Green Pony Hunter Vermont Golden Graham Every Little Thing Colonel Sanders Woodland's Churchill
Large Green Pony Hunter Vermont Here’s the Gold Nautiko
Small Pony Hunter
Blueberry Hill* Clovermeade Babs Bunny* Champlain Golden Years Goldfish* Captain Jack Sparrow* Helicon Country Rose Jennifer Grey* Masterpiece Theater Prince Caspian Sir Dragon* Stonewall Last Cloud†
Pony Jumper
Miracles Happen* Cartier
Pony Medal
Alexandra Miller
Medium Pony Hunter
Blondie Celebrity Happy Days* Hillcrest Lovebug Maybelline Mr. Australia* No Drama* Northwinds Times Square* Posh Dressed to the Nines!* Rosewood* Saved by the Bella* Silly Putty Vermont Golden Graham Vermont Ruby Fox* Woodland's Churchill
Large Pony Hunter
Top That*† Dreamsicle* Hidden Springs Woodstar* Jessandi Famous Amos* Navy Blue Oliver Twist* Reservations Required* Stonewall Eleanor*† Stonewall Texas† Stonewall Top Call*† *Previous Pony Finals Ribbon Winner † by Hillcrest’s Top Hat
Best of Luck at US Equestrian Pony Finals 2017!
Always a selection of small, medium, and large pony hunters for sale and lease. S TO N E WA L L P O N IE S@YA H O O.CO M • IXO N IA , W I S CO N S I N
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FROM YOUR HORSE, TO YOUR BUSINESS, TO YOUR FARM...
HORSEWORKS HANDLES IT Dyanna Rucco and Classic Photo © Anne Gittens
HorseWorks Insurance Specialists, LLC
MORTALITY | MAJOR MEDICAL | LIABILITY | FARMS
877-636-8114 • (fax) 866-877-0921 • HorseWorksInsurance.com
THE HORSE CARE ISSUE
Publisher
PIPER KLEMM, Ph.D.
P. 20 PUBLISHER’S NOTE Piper Klemm, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief
P. 24 EQUITHRIVE Lenore Phillips
SISSY WICKES
P. 28 GGT Cynthia Brewster-Keating
Art Director
P. 32 GRAZERS Sissy Wickes
LISA DALY
P. 42 STYLED EQUESTRIAN Jennifer Sims
Web Director
BETSY KELLEY Digital Media Director
STEPHANIE ROLOFF Advertising
NANCY HALVEY LIZ DAVOLL ON THE COVER: THE BRAND NEW HITS CHICAGO AT BALMORAL PARK IN CRETE, ILLINOIS. PHOTO © ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY.
CONTACT THE PLAID HORSE
WRITE Piper Klemm, Ph.D., 14 Mechanic St, Canton, New York 13617
CALL 541-905-0192 WEB theplaidhorse.com EMAIL piper@theplaidhorse.com FACEBOOK facebook.com/theplaidhorsemag TWITTER @PlaidHorseMag
P. 48 HUNTER HAIR Sissy Wickes P. 52 GROOM PROFILE: JUAN MARTINEZ Lindsay Brock P. 56 LESSEN YOUR STRESS Dr. Jill Hechtman P. 58 LOOK GOOD. FEEL GOOD. JUMP GOOD. Elizabeth Gingras with Emily Riden P. 62 FIONA UPDATE Stephanie Roloff
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P. 64 A PARTNER FOR LIFE Betsy Kelley
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P. 67 CROSSWORD Sissy Wickes
P. 78 NAVY COMMANDER Marianne Taylor and Tim Wickes
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 19
www.fluffmonkey.com kathy@fluffmonkey.com 717.779.5438
MADE IN THE USA
20 • THE PLAID HORSE PHOTO © BYRON ROE PHOTOGRAPHY.
I didn’t think much of it, initially, as Adam spends much of his time letting me “be Piper,” as I spend much of my time letting him “be Adam.” But, after mulling on it later, I realized that this is why this partnership works. We learn from each other; we make suggestions; we help each other grow. But, most of the time, we give space to allow each other to make progress along our own paths. It’s what works for us – we’re both independent, big personality, and have the tendency toward becoming lost in our work, gathering data, evangelizing, or being generally bullish about our opinions. It’s what allows him to tolerate me spending my days as a “time anarchist” while he has this thing called a “routine.” Although I’ve studied it intently for ten years this September, I still don’t really understand its purpose. But, it’s what allows me to tolerate his stress over traveling, which includes stressing out that I’m not stressed enough. And, the often real possibility that I might be sleeping so soundly at the airport, I forget to get on my flight.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: I love my phone. As publisher of this
magazine, I am constantly keeping up with a delightfully rabid fan base, covering up to 30 different horse shows in any given summer weekend, and perpetually giving pep talks. I sleep with it under my pillow and when I awake in the night, I often pop on to answer a few nocturnal emails or post on Instagram. I think we live in the greatest time in human history, mostly because I can watch Netflix in my bathtub.
So, as we gathered for my wedding on June 10, 2017, at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon, the texts, phone calls, emails, publishing deadlines, social media questions, and minor dilemmas kept progressing as usual. One of my guests asked my husband, Adam Hill, “How will you keep Piper off her phone on your wedding day?” To which he calmly answered, “I’m planning on letting Piper be Piper.” Of course, I left my phone away for the day and only used it for as needed, day-of coordinating. But, business as usual went right down to the day before and resumed a day later. It’s a busy time of year and a lot of people are relying on me, which I never take lightly.
One of the tenants of Lean In is that the most important decision we make as women and the biggest indicator of our success is whom we marry. At the wedding, it was said that it took Adam a “few minutes” to know he was going to spend the rest of his life with me. It took me a few years; it took me until I was comfortable that we could learn to work together, to truly, deeply, and honestly look out for each other, and make each other better. For these two hot-headed youngsters, it took a few years. As I head back to horse show land this week, trekking by myself through my dream job, spending my days in the sunshine smelling horse hair, I stop to smile. It’s good being Piper. ◼ BY PIPER KLEMM, PHD
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Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, Devon, PA, May 25 – June 4 2017. 1. Claire Azar and Casares. 2. Spellbound and Stella Wasserman were champion in the Large Pony Hunters. 3. Coco Fath rode Hillside Farm LLC’s Huckleberry to the Junior Jumper championship. 4. MTM Fashion and Brian Moggre. 5. Grace Tuton rode Nicodemus Farm’s Sorbet to a win in the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 Stake and the reserve championship. PHOTO © IRENE ELISE POWLICK.
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UIT H RIV
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Equithrive® Joint is a unique resveratrol-based formula that supports healthy equine joint function during aging, training and competition. Popular with veterinarians and horsemen alike, Equithrive® Joint can be used safely on a long-term daily basis without gastrointestinal side effects and can be used routinely in conjunction with NSAIDs. Equithrive® Joint is compliant with FEI and US Equestrian regulations and can be used in all racing jurisdictions. Equithrive Joint is different from other supplements because its active ingredient, Resverasyn®, is composed of 99% pure resveratrol that has been micronized and encapsulated so it is easily absorbed by the body. Research published in multiple research journals demonstrates that Equithrive Joint is clinically proven to support soundness and a healthy inflammatory response in horses. Similarly, the company’s metabolic product (Metabarol®), which contains a higher dose of Resverasyn®, has been shown to support healthy insulin levels and a healthy inflammatory response in horses. Dr. Patrick Lawless of Biological Prospects LLC, which developed these products, has pioneered the use of resveratrol in the animal health field. “Resveratrol must be in a purified and bioavailable formulation in order to be most effective,” he explained. Without this process, it can be unstable when exposed to light or oxygen and metabolized or excreted before it can reach tissues to exert therapeutic effects.
How can Resverasyn® support both joint health and metabolic health in horses?
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 25 Inflammation is the driving factor in the development and progression of arthritis, a degenerative joint disease that affects approximately 20% of horses. Inflammation is also a contributing factor to insulin resistance or insulin dysregulation in horses, which is the leading risk factor for foundering or laminitis. Resverasyn has been proven to support healthy levels of inflammation in performance horses and in aging or geriatric horses. Equithrive Joint, which contains Resverasyn, has been proven to reduce lameness in horses in a blinded controlled clinical trial performed by researchers at Texas A&M Veterinary School (Watts et al. 2016). Metabarol®, which also contains Resverasyn, has been demonstrated to reduce insulin levels 25-30 % in horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome in research conducted at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center (study funded by AQHA) (Adams et al. 2013).
For more information, including Equithrive Joint’s new availability in Canada, please visit www.equithrive.com. When you subscribe to our informational horse health enewsletter, Sound Science, you are automatically entered to win monthly prize drawings (no purchase is necessary to win.) To learn more about scientifically proven resveratrol therapy for dogs, visit the website of our sister company, Petthrive, at www.petthrive.com.
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$25,000 Equine Insurance Grand Prix, Sonoma Horse Park, CA, May 2017. 1. Bert Mutch & Lerida flying into 5th place. 2. Junior rider Ransome Rombauer & Albertino looking for their next fence in the Wells Fargo Arena. 3. Seasoned competitors Kristin Hardin & Firestone S jumping fast and clean into first position. 4. Llora Lloret & Columbus sail over the first jump of the Grand Prix course. PHOTOS © LAUREN AUBERT.
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GGT-Footing
™
Makes All Arena footing has been the hottest topic in the equestrian competition industry in recent memory. My horse got hurt because the footing was too hard. My horse got hurt because the footing was too soft. Why do they have to drag every 40 trips? Why don’t they drag more? And the ubiquitous question: How is the footing in that ring? Cynthia Brewster-Keating from GGT-Footing provides an experienced voice in the footing business. GGT is a part of Polysols, Inc., a 25-year-old German textile company. After two years of shipping from their products from Germany, Polysols opened a plant in Spartanburg, S.C. The demand for the high-quality textiles grew rapidly and currently GGT has 16 arena builders and dealers who mix and sell their products. This is unprecedented in the U.S.A. No other footing company can boost these numbers! GGT-Footing textiles are used in in most of the major venues in the United States. Horse show venues’ go-to construction team has been Equestrian Services International, spearheaded by Brett Raflowitz. ESI offers not only Brett’s experience and knowledge, but four to five road crews and a friendly, educated staff. Thanks to ESI’s leadership and personnel, they have the scope to handle multiple jobs at once, from private farms to horse facilities, from the east coast to the west.Some of their installations include but are not limited to: W.E.F, Tryon International Horse Park, Global Dressage, Spruce Meadows, Lake Placid, The Hampton Classic, as well as Devon Horse Show and, most recently, the World Cup Finals in Omaha, which was touted as one of the best shows in the country. These successful shows require successful footing, which is why they use GGT-Footing. The Colorado Horse Park is also utilizing the custom recipe of ESI-Footing with GGT textiles. This special recipe is commonly known by the nickname “Pink Footing.” GGT-Footing is proud to be the official footing sponsor at the famous Kentucky Horse Park, once home to the World Equestrian Games. In the hunter arenas,
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 29
the Difference the Butterfly Matting System was incorporated for its concussion relief underneath the GGT-Footing textiles.
county of Aiken, S.C. Joe Watkins from Longwood Farm arenas did the installation.
Princeton Horse Show in New Jersey was quick to come on board and used Drew Discount of Discount Dirtworks to install their all-weather, full-draining arenas.
Other new show venues incorporating GGT textiles are Hipico Santa Fe in New Mexico.
Fieldstone Farm in Massachusetts, under the tutelage of Scott and Shawn Clawson, have successfully installed GGT-Footing in all their arenas. This facility is home to the well-known Silver Oak Jumper tournament, which has been chosen to host this year’s Young Jumper Championships Eastern League Finals! Several years ago, GGT-Footing partnered with Dale Harvey of West Palms Event Management, with whom GGT-Footing sponsors a series of grand prix events. This grand prix is held at the Paso Robles Horse Park, Del Mar Horse Park Flintridge Riding Club, and Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center. All the footing at these shows In California are maintained by the well-liked and experienced “Tractor” Dean Hendrickson of West Coast Footings. Attwood Equestrian Services has been using our GGTFooting Butterfly matting system on top of the grass polo field at the Menlo Charity horse show for several years now with great success and putting the custom blend of GGTFooting and sand. Attwood has also provided Stableview Farm A top-notch equestrian training facility located in the heart of eventing country in Aiken S.C. with their custom recipe of GGT-Textiles. Aiken also has an equestrian horse park named after R. Bruce Duchossois who donated the land to his beloved
The newly-formed team called the Footing Firm has recently signed a contract for the Washington International Horse Show and the World Equestrian Center! We are pleased to hear that David Lauinger of DJL Equestrian services has secured a contract to redo and build arenas at Swan Lake Horse Show facility in Pennsylvania. GGT (German Geo Textile) is a superior material because of the consistent quality of geo textiles and fiber. It is comprised of non-woven, non-needle punched felt, which is stronger and more durable than any other material available. Unlike carpet matting that has a glued-on backing, GGT does not degrade into dust in a few years. It has a higher denier, (or thickness,), and higher U.V. rating than most other products available. Brewster-Keating is quick to point out that GGT never uses fiberglass which is abrasive to horses’ skin. Some show venues use fiberglass as it is much cheaper in the short term. Why does footing vary in hardness and consistency? Two answers: maintenance and sand composition. As BrewsterKeating explains, “We provide the ingredients to the arena builders and ring contractors. They mix it with high quality sands to make the footing they want. It’s like baking a cake. We provide the ingredients, but it is their recipe.” The type and amount of sand combined with GGT determines the consistency of the footing. Fine sand will make footing tighter and larger particles of sand will make it less firm.
30 THE PLAID HORSEthe best footing has been the subject of studies Just• how to create throughout the world. From racetracks to dressage arenas to showjumping rings, the search for best practices about footing and injury is ongoing. While there is no panacea at present, research continues. The FEI, international governing body of equestrian sports, included a guide to footing on their website (fei.org) called Equestrian Surfaces – A Guide. In it, they devote chapters to construction materials and the size, shape, and composition of sand. Each arena has differing needs according to geography, weather, amount of usage, and type of usage. Brewster-Keating explains that the other factor influencing footing is maintenance. “GGT is not firm or fluffy,” she states.” The quality of the sand is most important! It is the maintenance that affects the result. That includes the proper irrigation which is the number one reason for dusty or loose footing...” At a show that may have 185 horses in a class, management may water and roll the ring every 35 trips. Why? Because with that many horses over that long a period, you need a tight surface so that the 150th horse gets the same great footing as the 50th and they don’t sink into to the base.” Good ring maintenance requires the appropriate arena groomer. GGT-Footing offers arena-conditioning groomers that vary in width and weight. The five-footer is light enough to be pulled by an ATV. Constructing an excellent riding arena is an expensive proposition. As Brewster-Keating exclaims, “GGT-Footing is not the expensive part. That is a misconception; we may be the cheapest part of building a riding arena. You need to have an excavator with laser-guided equipment... that is not cheap, labor costs are high, and the cost of sand, mixing, and shipping.” GGT offers consultation to excavators, construction builders, and the private consumer. On their website, Polysols.com, they offer a detailed questionnaire for
clients to describe their footing needs. Based on the facts presented, she and her teammate, Carrie Adams, can recommend specifics about sand type, blending, and the amount of footing needed. GGTFooting also offers other arena and stable products such as Arpolith for arena dust control, Butterfly Mats, and stable stall coverings known as Stall-Ez. Polysols is a standout company because of three factors: quality, consistency, and availability. The only company in the United States capable of generating large quantities of footing quickly, GGTFooting does not sacrifice quality for speed, as every bale is produced under stringent quality control requirements. Brewster-Keating is proud of the GGT product, but also of the customer service that the company provides. She and the staff works intimately and persistently with arena builders, horse show facilities, general contractors, and consumers to ensure that GGT-Footing provides the best product outcome possible.
How’s the footing?
Let GGT-Footing answer the question...
“Great!” PHOTOS © QUINTESSENCE PHOTOGRAPHY.
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You open your trunk and stare wistfully at the outgrown bridle that your favorite pony wore. How many more months will you keep it? Your favorite show coat, the one you wore in the big class… How long has it been in your closet? Your first pair of tall boots, worn only one summer before outgrown. Where will you sell them in order to buy the next pair? The answer to all of your questions is on Grazersapp.com
School. Over their 28 years, they accumulated a plethora of
Grazers connects buyers and sellers of horse related
wanted our horse stuff cleaned out,” they explained. “We
equipment with reliability and ease of use. If you have
thought about having a yard sale or something. But, we had
something to sell, take a picture of it on your phone and list
taken such good care of our stuff, we didn’t want to just
it on the grazersapp.com website. Looking to buy equipment
dump it.”
or attire? Shop grazersapp.com for a variety of reasonably priced items. It is easy, affordable, and navigable.
equipment, all carefully stored in their parents’ basements. “We came home from school one summer, and our parents
From their attachment to well-tended equipment, an idea was born. The duo decided to create a place where horse
The founders of Grazers, Casey Norton and Jennifer Burke,
people can sell to horse people. Grazersapp.com is a peer
grew up riding together and continue to be involved in the
to peer marketplace, horseman to horseman. “We do not
equestrian world. Norton is on an academic path toward
take possession of the items,” states Norton,” the idea is
vet school while Burke is an instructor at the Dana Hall
not to store any more [stuff] in our parents’ basement!”
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34 • THE PLAID HORSE Instead, Grazers functions as a conduit, facilitating contact between seller and buyer. The website offers everything from riding apparel to blankets to tack- all in good condition. Equestrians of all levels and interests can find an item of interest on grazersapp.com. New riders, college team riders, growing riders, riders on a budget- all can find apparel for themselves as well as their horses and ponies. Parents who are just beginning to feel the financial pinch of keeping their young rider decked out will be thrilled, and as that young rider grows a place to buy also becomes a place to sell. Each month, Grazers offers a “featured product,” a piece of clothing or equipment that is accompanied by a story written by the current owner explaining the item’s history or significance. As Burke explains, “Everything you use in horseback riding has some sort of memory that is meaningful to you. You want to pass that along as well as the equipment.” A bit can remind us of the special horse that wore it. A cooler from a favorite outgrown pony is hard to part with. The founders of Grazers believe that passing that item long to another member of our close-knit horse community makes it easier to exchange. Rather than sell impersonally on a public, e-bay type format, Grazers appeals to horse lovers who may care for that special item in the same careful way. Grazersapp.com is a stellar example of young entrepreneurship. Two lifelong riders, educated and engaged, have pursued a business idea to fruition. Young riders take note. There is a way to stay involved in the equestrian world with careers that span the gamut of business, media, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Long after you graduate from the junior ranks and from college, there are sustainable careers in the horse industry. Casey Norton and Jennifer Burke have found a niche in Grazers that we can all get behind. Be sure to “graze the blog” on the grazersapp. com website for fun and informative editorial for horse lovers.
■
BY TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES
see more at grazersapp.com
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HITS on the Hudson, Saugerties, NY, May 25-28, 2017. 1. Allison Harrison and MVP fly in the $7,500 M&S TuffRider Equine Couture Jumper Classic. 2. Taylor Kraft and Cosmopolite S gallop to the final jump in $7,500 M&S TuffRider. 3. Premonition jumps knees-to-nose for rider Sarah Kessler. 4. Boca’s Unbridled Dreamer jogs in the Medium Pony Hunters. PHOTOS © IZZY FEINSTEIN.
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Maryland Summer Classic, McDonogh School, Owings Mills, MD, May 27-28, 2017. 1. James Fazekas was thrilled with this reserve championship title in the PreChildren’s Pony Hunter division on Beaudacious. 2. Caves Farm was well represented in the Younger Adult Amateurs – with champion and reserve going to Maria Caccimise and Morgan Geelhaar respectively. 3. The veteran partnership of Cindy Bridges Schmidt and Surf’s Up added the Older Adult Amateur Championship, Grand Adult Amateur and Best Adult Rider titles to their resume at the Maryland Summer Classic. 4. Gray Street received a lot of praise for his championship in the Green Hunters, from owner/rider/trainer Allie Listrani Panetta, and groom Lauren Hipps. 5. Courtney Morton and Vivid Star were crowned Older Children’s Hunter champions and Grand Children’s Hunter Champion. 6. Argento was crowned champion in the 3'3" Amateur Owner division, thanks to help from rider Mary Claire Medeiros and trainer Scotty Sherman. PHOTOS © JESSI LOHMAN.
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 37
20% OFF any one item Coupon valid through July 31st, 2017. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Limit one coupon per customer. Excludes animal feed, bedding, wormers, saddles, and special orders. Other exclusions may apply. RICK’S FARM FEED PET & RICK’S HERITAGE SADDLERY www.saddlesource.com
Rick’s Farm • Feed • Pet
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Rick’s Farm • Feed • Pet
Equestrian Superstore 282 Route 539, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 609-758-7267
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Saratoga Spring Horse Show, Saratoga, NY, May 2017. 1. Nicole Peters & Irish Phantom. 2. David Raposa & Enzo. 3, 11 & 15. Lead Line, Week 3. 4. Leanne Kelly & Leander. 5. Lots of Spurs. 6. Jessica Prue & Spot Me Out. 7. Amy Haines & Pumpkin Coach. 8. Robert Lee & Williston. 9. Maggie Gillis & Valadel Plata. 10. Lincoln Russell & Gandorde Walput. 11. Michelle Kaznecki. 12. Course Walk. 13. Kit Endler & Clover Cloud. 14. A candid moment. PHOTOS © HEIDI KEENEY; PHOTOS 1, 3, 12 & 13 © LISE HAFNER.
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@styledequestrian Photos © Kristin Lee.
Who doesn’t love blue jeans? They are as much a part of Americana as Chevrolet and apple pie. We live in them… so why shouldn’t we ride in them?
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 43
Jennifer Sims is an equestrian fashion blogger on Instagram who is also an active showjumping competitor. Combining her love of fashion with her passion for all things equestrian, Jennifer has become an “It” girl for the latest must-haves for both the stable and the street!
Experience the luxur y of fine used French saddles.
WE BUY, SELL, AND CONSIGN • Love Your Saddle Guarantee • Prices 30-60%
less than new retail • 914-621-6814
www.bluesaddles.com
ANTARES • LUC CHILDERIC • HERMES • AMERIGO • TAD
COFFIN • VOLTAIRE • DELGRANGE • CWD • DEVOUCOUX • BUTET •
Shown here: Emcee Apparel show shirt. Mane Jane belt. Waldhausen denim breeches. Ariat Vortex tall boots.
ANTARES • LUC CHILDERIC • HERMES • AMERIGO • TAD
COFFIN • VOLTAIRE • DELGRANGE • CWD • DEVOUCOUX • BUTET •
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Cowboys wear denim with chaps, models wear expensive designer jeans. Styled Equestrian’s Jennifer Sims has discovered the best of both worlds: the denim breech.
Comfortable for riding in soft, malleable material, Sims finds the denim breech that transitions seamlessly from the barn to town.
Shown here: Fior Da Liso button up shirt. Equestrilifestyle white leather belt. Mastermind denim breeches.
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 45
Above: Goode Rider top, vest, and denim breeches. Noble Outfitters belt. Ariat Vortex tall boots.
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Split Rock Jumping Tour CSI 3*, Lexington, KY, May 2017. 1. Eve Jobs & Roberto Teran Jr. celebrate their wins in the $130,000 CSI 3* Grand Prix. 2. Haley Barnhill & Zephire. 3. Alex Granato & Carlchen W. 4. Taylor Land & For Edition. 5. Santiago Lambre & Ibabco. 6. Richie Moloney & Freestyle De Muze. PHOTOS © BETH JONES/GALLOPING GRAPHICS.
Polaris, A True Star theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 47
There are over 58 million horses in the world today. To find one that is truly special and unique is like a quest for the grail. When Lauren Peaslee first saw Polaris, or Paul as he is known at home, standing in the cross ties at a barn in Germany, she knew there was something special about him. “He was standing tall with his big wide-eyed expression, pawing, and neighing in the cross-ties, causing a bit of a ruckus compared to the others who were standing quiet. I remember thinking, “Wow! He is phenomenal looking with his striking white blaze and big eyes,’” she said. His behavior in the cross-ties intimidated Peaslee at first, and she was not sure they would make a good match. Her doubts were assuaged as soon as she rode him. “I was amazed with how smooth he felt and how bold he was to each jump – despite any mistakes I made,” she said. Paul, a 17 hand Westphalian gelding, had been jumping 1.50m with a young amateur rider in Germany, so she knew he could take her very far. After bringing Paul back to America, the two competed successfully in the jumpers together for many years. Paul became quite a staple in the barn. With his big personality and huge presence, he could not be missed. “Paul is incredibly intelligent, and that’s really why he demands so much attention. He knows who his rider or owner is and he knows as soon as he walks into the show ring that it’s go-time,” she said. The time came for Peaslee to sell Paul in order for her to explore new ventures in life. Kennedy Eaton, who had previously been competing in the Children’s Hunter division on her horse, Hollister, was looking for a move-up horse into the big equitation and got a leg up onto the tall horse’s back. “My parents saw how well we got along, the stars aligned, and before I knew it, he was mine,” Eaton said. Though Paul had never set foot in any other ring other than a jumper ring, Eaton planned on riding him in the equitation and hunters. “The first year, we laughed so much at his confusion and effort in learning the ropes of his job,” Eaton said with a laugh. Every time he heard a buzzer, Paul would get excited and occasionally want to take off galloping forward. In flat classes, Paul would show utter confusion as to why they were in an arena going in circles with other horses and not jumping any jumps. Despite the challenges, Eaton and Polaris became unstoppable. They would win almost every class they entered, and in February of 2013, the pair qualified for Junior Hunter Finals, a lifelong goal of Eaton. Then calamity struck. In March of 2013, Paul played too hard after a jump in training and ended up pulling his groin. Five long months of hand walking followed, but the Eaton family knew what was right and they persisted. Soon, Paul was in good shape and ready to show again. The pair went to the National Western Stock Show in January of 2014 and ended up winning almost every class and
PHOTO © HOWARD SCHOTZBERG.
came home with champion in the 3'6" Junior Hunters. Eaton’s dream was alive again. In another dark twist, Paul injured himself again. He tore his collateral ligament, relegating him to a full year off of work and the possibility of retirement. Never losing faith in their once-in-a-lifetime horse, the Eatons looked for other methods to bring Paul back to work. They knew they had to find a way as the horse was not happy with confinement. Bored and restless, he had gotten into the habit of jumping out of his fenced enclosure at a standstill, although the walls were over four feet tall. Eventually, they did the IRAP procedure twice and then turned to stem cell therapy, whereby he had to have bone marrow taken out of his sternum. Then the 2.5 million stem cells were spun and reinjected into his ligament, and 8 million stem cells were injected into his coffin joint. After lots of treatment and time, Drs. Christakos and Divine, who were his main vets during his ligament injury, were stunned to see Paul make a full recovery. Eaton then began to work Paul again, with the full intention of using him only as a flat horse, no more jumping. However, she could tell he was not happy. “One day I cantered over a pole and his expression and feeling totally changed. I just knew in my heart that he wanted, and needed, to jump,” she said. After they made sure he was completely sound and in good shape, they returned Paul back to light jumping. “Paul taught me the value of hard work, and that hard work always pays off,” Eaton said. Though the pair never went to Junior Hunter Finals, or to a Big Equitation Finals, they were forever bonded through facing the adversity of injury and rehabilitation. Now, Paul is leased to a girl from the same barn as Eaton, Sydney Zahn. Zahn came upon Paul in a situation much like Eaton did. Looking for a move-up horse from her previous mount, she had the opportunity to ride Paul a few times and the pair immediately clicked. Zahn and Paul show in the Children’s Hunters together. Although he is more horse than she was used to, they have been extremely successful in the show ring. “He has taught me to never take anything for granted,” Zahn said with a smile. Though Paul is now 22, Zahn said, “He has so much stamina and still over-jumps almost everything; he acts like a six year old!” Every time the name Polaris is announced in the show ring, heads turn. Not only has Paul become a favorite in the barn, but is also recognized at horse shows for his enduring personality, long list of quirks, and great athletic ability. When asked if the Eatons would ever sell Paul, they came back with a definitive “No! He is a miracle horse and most definitely that ‘lifetime’ horse we could never give up.”
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BY MACKENZIE SHUMAN.
48 • THE PLAID HORSE
BE SAFE. Dedicated to my friend, LeeLee Jones, My friends Evie and Phillip, fellow horsemen, had the unthinkable happen. Their daughter had a horrific accident on a mundane riding day in December. My experience is that most accidents occur doing the routine; they are rarely the result of the heroic. The worst can happen
Lee Lee had done everything right: state-of-the-art safety equipment, great skills, quality horse. And yet, it all went wrong. Armed with the knowledge that no corner had been cut, no detail overlooked, she and her parents face the hardship of a catastrophic traumatic brain injury (TBI).
As with every modern sport, concussion and TBI are hot button topics. The recuperation rate and return to competition times are constantly under scrutiny from soccer fields to hockey rinks to gymnasiums. Equestrian sport is no different as the US Equestrian continues to evaluate best practices for helmet safety and concussion protocol. Currently, rules state that a rider deemed concussed must obtain a letter of clearance from a doctor in order to return to competition.
PHOTOS © MACKENZIE SHUMAN, QUINTESSENCE PHOTOGRAPHY.
doing the thing we have all done a thousand times: walking back to the barn, jumping a small course at home, simple conditioning exercises. The fabric holding together reason and predictability frays; the world jolts on its axis; we are left with the absolute of powerlessness.
A link to Chapter 13 of the rulebook, which outlines US Equestrian return to play policies in GR1317: “Any competitor at a US Equestrian licensed competition that is deemed concussed or unconscious (by qualified medical personnel) cannot return to competition until they have been cleared by a medical professional, who will sign and submit a letter to the US Equestrian stating the rider is fit to compete.” (www.usef.org/ forms-pubs/nT3TlM3v0NA/gr13-competition-participants-and) Dr. Lola Chambless is a neurologist and a rider. Her presentations at the US Equestrian and USHJA Annual Meetings were shocking and compelling. Please take moment to listen to her. (www.usef.org/network/coverage/2017annualmeeting/)
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 49
and her amazing family. US Equestrian can only control competitors’ safety through ASTM helmet and return to play concussion rules. It is incumbent on every rider- young and old, new and seasoned, amateur and professional- to take head injury seriously. Helmets save lives. I remember the days of optional helmets in the show ring- and no helmets on the lacrosse field or on the hockey rink. We riders wore the plastic-like velvet helmets with no harness. Forever. Finally testing and technology educated us about the necessity of a harness. “But, it’s so ugly,” was the refrain. “I am not going to wear it until the top riders do.” Providing a good example, top hunter and jumper riders began to be seen in harnesses. It became the norm and then
it became the rule: ASTM helmets. Now, top dressage riders have even shattered their formal attire norms to be seen donning helmets instead of top hats. Safety is THE priority; fashion is secondary. It seems so logical and obvious. Who would be that vain? I see people who take the time to put on a hat: a baseball hat! You had the time to put on a hat advertising your farm or favorite team. But, you did not have time to put on your helmet. Hubris? Stupidity? Certainly disrespect for those whose lives have been changed by a fall. Do you ride too well? Better than Courtney King? Chiacchia? Fox-Pitt? Olympians all; TBI victims all.
Well, here we are at another crossroads: hunter hair. IS a ponytail stuffed under a helmet in the competition ring a safety hazard? Does this hair style compromise the fit and subsequent efficacy of a helmet? Are we putting ourselves and our children at undue risk? How do you want to wear your hair? If you buy a helmet fitted to wearing your hair under it, always wear your hair under it. That’s the science. Conversely, if your helmet fits best with your hair down, wear it down. That’s the science. Will contemporaries jeer? Will judges penalize? Not this judge. And others less and less as we align our priorities and begin a systemic change toward safety. It begins the minute you walk into the barn – cognizant of the fact
that anything can happen when interacting with a horse. Anything can happen. Two hearts include two minds.
The Plaid Horse is dedicated to best practices for horses and riders. Do not compromise safety for style. If your helmet is safer with your hair down, consider these options for competition. ◼ BY TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES.
STAY STYLISH. STAY SAFE.
50 • THE PLAID HORSE
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113th Annual Keswick Horse Show, Keswick, VA, May 16-21, 2017. 1. Leadline is a serious event at Keswick every year, including for this young rider in full sidesaddle habit. 2. View from ringside – vendors, spectators, and spectacular horse showing. 3. Each day’s festivities and events kept young riders giggling. 4. Lindsay Maxwell competing in the Amateur Owners. The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Trust was a title sponsor of this historic horse show’s 113th year. 5. This year’s Keswick Horse Show was brought to us by Keswick Hunter Jumper Foundation to benefit UVA Children’s Hospital. 6. Sunrise at horse show time. PHOTOS © KATHY RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHY.
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52 • THE PLAID HORSE
MEET OLD SALEM FARM Super Groom
JUAN MARTINEZ Juan Martinez celebrated his one-year anniversary at Old Salem Farm in June and never imagined he would be working for one of the top show jumping barns in North America. Juan was born in Sacramento, CA, but his family hails from Guadalajara, Mexico, where he worked in construction before finding horses.
JUAN MARTINEZ WITH OLD SALEM FARM HOMEBRED ROXSTAR.
“I worked with rubber and cement construction, but because I was a U.S. citizen, many of my friends told me that I should consider grooming in the States,” said Juan.
Around the barn, Juan is best known for his knack for perfect jumper braids and spotless stalls, but perhaps more importantly for an obvious dedication to all the horses under his care.
While working at his construction job Monday through Saturday each week, Juan heeded their advice and spent his Sundays exploring farms in Mexico in order to learn to care for horses. After choosing to groom full-time, Juan returned to the U.S. in 2010 in search of a work as a groom. Soon after, he found himself on the East Coast, and has since worked for the likes of Olympic bronze medalist Norman Dello Joio, Missy Clark and John Brennan’s North Run, as well as Fairfield County Hunt Club.
“Whether he is preparing a horse to show or simply keeping them turned out well at home, Juan’s work is second-tonone,” said Manship. “He is a pleasure to work with, but the most obvious testament of his hard work comes from the horses. They respond well to him, and he is dedicated to ensuring they receive the best care possible. Grooms are the backbone of Old Salem Farm, and we are lucky to have Juan as part of our team.”
Now an integral part of the Old Salem Farm team under the direction of trainers Frank Madden and Stella Manship, Juan lives in Danbury, CT, with his wife Bertha Sanchez and their three daughters Maria, Diana, and Alejandra.
HORSES CAN’T TELL TIME
“It was the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Juan of his decision to groom at Old Salem Farm, based in North Salem, NY. “Everyone is friendly around the barn, and that is my favorite part about being here. We all know our jobs and do them well. We are a good team.” Juan’s favorite part about grooming is preparing horses for competition, saying, “Presentation is so important, and getting the horses clean and shiny is what I enjoy. But also, I love seeing my horses win ribbons and their owners happy.”
We caught up with Juan at Old Salem Farm and asked him to share some of his tips and tricks to rave-worthy horse care. Here’s what he told us: Juan’s number-one rule is to be on time and to never rush the horses through their care, grooming, and horse show preparation. “It is important to take your time and be calm and quiet, so the horses are calm and quiet as well,” he said. “The horses need to trust you and when they know you are doing your best, they want to do their best. “And, always having treats with you really helps!” continued Juan. Juan learned the importance of a calm and composed routine during his first few days at Old Salem Farm when a homebred named Roxstar was placed under his care. Juan helped with Roxstar’s familiarization with the barn’s routine, introduction to tack, and start to his training.
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 53 “He was so little and green,” said Juan. “He was my first horse at Old Salem Farm, and we became friends. He knows me and I know him, and he trusts me. I feel like he is still a baby, but his body has changed so much – he is a big, muscular horse now.”
COAT CARE, COAT CARE, COAT CARE For Juan, shine is a sign of a horse that is properly groomed and cared for, and he maintains that the only true shine comes through elbow grease. Juan has a well-loved red body brush that is responsible for the head-turning shine on his horses. “Sometimes I brush them for over a half an hour,” he said. “That brush is my only secret!” To supplement his brushing practices, Juan bathes his horses after they are ridden, uses the ElectroGroom vacuum on them after they spend time in their paddocks, and maintains perfect tails thanks to a little Show Sheen from Beval Saddlery, the official tack store of Old Salem Farm. In addition, Juan dabs some baby oil on their noses, shines their hooves with Effol Hoof Ointment, and finishes with a buff from a cotton towel.
KEEPING THE GRAY HORSE GRAY An ever-present grooming dilemma is the talent most gray horses possess of adding a little color to their pristine coats. Juan always has Quic Silver shampoo and Cowboy Magic Greenspot Remover on hand, but prevention is his best tool. “A good layer of clean bedding is the only way to really keep gray horses clean,” he said. “I make sure the manure and urine is always removed quickly, and when the horses are showing, I come to the barn during the night to clean the stall and add more bedding.” While Juan has specialty shampoos in his grooming stall, for daily bathing he turns to generic Ivory dish soap.
WHEN IN DOUBT, PLEDGE IT OUT No, Juan doesn’t use Pledge on his horses. But, he does approach every day with the motto: “If you have a clean barn, you have a safe barn”. Cleanliness and organization are priorities at Old Salem Farm, and their go-to product to keep the barn spotless is Pledge. It is their secret to keeping stall bars sparkling, wood paneling gleaming, and the whole facility smelling fresh and clean. “We use it on everything except the horses,” concluded Juan with a laugh.
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STORY AND PHOTOS BY LINDSAY BROCK/JUMP MEDIA
ABOVE COUNTERCLOCKWISE: MARTINEZ BRUSHING ROXSTAR WITH HIS FAVORITE BODY BRUSH; USING THE ELECTRO-GROOM; POLISHING ROXSTAR’S HOOVES; WRAPPING HIS LEGS; MARTINEZ SHOWING OFF HIS JUMPER BRAIDS; AND TENDING TO ROXSTAR’S TAIL; TOP RIGHT: OLD SALEM FARM IN NORTH SALEM, NEW YORK; AND LEFT: TWO OLD SALEM FARM STAPLES – PLEDGE, WHICH HELPS KEEPS THE BARN CLEAN AND IVORY DISH SOAP FOR DAILY BATHING.
54 • THE PLAID HORSE From the smile in her eyes to the everpresent kindness in her speech, Taylor Valencia of Parker, Colorado, is a horse show girl who cannot be missed. You can find her at the rings, always watching and learning from everything she possibly can, or up on one of her horses, constantly working with them to improve her riding skills. Valencia became enamored of horses at an early age. “She was caught too many times trying to climb the fences into the horse pastures that were near our house, so we decided to put her in pony school at age four,” laughs her mother, Kristine Valencia. Progressing from pony school to once a month lessons, Taylor was never satisfied. She always wanted more, and soon found herself competing in small schooling shows at a family barn. That’s when Valencia found her niche. She knew she would will herself to succeed at this sport she so loved. When Valencia finally found somewhere she could ride consistently and take jumping lessons, she began to feel a little discouraged. “All of my friends were very talented and moved up much faster than I did. I was not what you would call ‘naturally talented.’ In fact, I was far from it,” Valencia explained. However, she did not let this diminish her love of horses. Valencia made up her mind to try her hardest every single day and see where things would go. This included spending as much time at the barn as possible, leaping at every opportunity to ride an extra horse, and soaking up all information offered. Now, Valencia has progressed exponentially in her riding. She owns two horses, a big equitation mount with the name of Bigote, and her Junior Hunter, Boon. “Bigote has taught me so much and I owe a lot to him,” Valencia said. Before she bought “Bigs” as she calls him, she really had not ridden a big and powerful Warmblood before, so the change was challenging at times. With hard work, the two have now become an intimidating pair in any setting. “He’s such a willing partner which is all I could ever ask for. He’s taught me that I must be confident in my skills and I can’t be afraid to tell him what I want,” Valencia said. The pair is currently competing for a place at the ASPCA Maclay Finals and at the Dover Saddlery/US Equestrian Hunt Seat Medal Finals. While Bigote has taught Valencia the ropes in the equitation ring and taken her to the top, Taylor looked for another challenge. She found a young, green hunter by the name of Only Mischief. “Boon,” as she is more commonly known as at home,
is full of spunk and sass just like any other mare. The contrast from Bigs’ steady and sane gelding personality only made Valencia fall even more in love with her. “Boon has been so essential in furthering my riding education. She has taught me to stay focused and never stop communicating with your horse. I have to ride her every step of the course and keep her tuned in or things will go downhill,” Valencia said. With the great challenges and setbacks that come along with training a green horse, there have also been important victories for the pair. Recently, Valencia and Boon earned the Reserve Championship in the 3’3” Junior Hunters at the Colorado Spring Final Horse Show in Parker, Colorado. Now qualified for Junior Hunter Finals on her once very green horse, Valencia has learned that perseverance and patience with a young horse pay off. Becoming a top competitor presents many challenges, both mentally and physically. To master the mental aspect, Valencia has grown to become a horsewoman as well as a sportswoman. “I think that horsemanship is one of the most important parts of this sport,” she said. As she is constantly with horses, learning more about them in every aspect she can, Valencia has great respect and love for the animal. “They try so hard for us and are amazing athletes, so I feel like it is my duty to provide the best care for them and treat them like top performers,” she said. Never taking horsemanship for granted and always looking for a new opportunity to learn, Valencia takes part in every horsemanship quiz she can lay her hands on, and she often wins or achieves the top score. She especially enjoys the USHJA Horsemanship Quiz Challenge, which helped her succeed and have a great time at EAP Regionals. Horsemanship comes hand-in-hand with sportsmanship, another value that Valencia takes very seriously. “I find that good sportsmanship is essential; this sport can be very challenging at times and it really helps to encourage each other,” she said. Exemplifying both sportsmanship and horsemanship, Valencia has proven to be an excellent role model for those around her. With years of learning, growing, and experiencing, she has not only become an exceptional horsewoman, but also an extraordinary rider. Though at first, Valencia had doubts and had to work twice as hard as her barn mates to succeed, she persisted and now often sits on top of the leaderboard.
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BY MACKENZIE SHUMAN
ONE TO WATCH: TAYLOR VALENCIA
ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: TAYLOR VALENCIA ON BOON IN A USHJA NATIONAL HUNTER DERBY; ON BIGOTE IN THE US EQUESTRIAN TALENT SEARCH; AND ON BIGOTE IN THE WIHS JUMPER PHASE. RIGHT PAGE: WITH BOTH HORSES, BIGOTE AND BOON. PHOTOS © QUINTESSENCE PHOTOGRAPHY.
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56 • THE PLAID HORSE
Lessen your stress at the ring. WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE. Ringside. Awaiting your turn to go into the ring when all of a sudden you feel a cramp and a gush. Here comes your monthly bff, at the worst time possible. Occasionally, this turns into a quick trip to the tack store for a replacement pair of breeches. Consider those feelings of anger, sadness, irritability that you share with your parents and trainers before your monthly cycle. It truly does not have to be like this. A trip to your OBGYN, family practitioner, or pediatrician can help with all of the above! For starters, having your ringside bag packed with a spare pair of underwear, and a tampon, pad or diva cup. Many women know when to expect their periods, but many do not. This leads us into the topic of “skipping” or “regulating” your period. There are now methods of birth control that can lighten and even help you skip your monthly period. For example, there are oral contraceptive pills (birth control pills), that give you your period only 4 times a year! Or the IUD that can lessen or even stop your period altogether. Birth control can, of course, prevent undesired pregnancy, but it can also help regulate your menstrual cycle. In the teen years your period can be irregular, heavy, and sometimes painful. There are different forms of birth control to alleviate and prevent these symptoms. The birth control pill for example has many positive side effects. Not only can it give you a more predictable, lighter period, but can also help with acne, prevent ovarian cancer (if used more than 7 years), prevent menstrual migraines, lighten your period, prevent mood swings (PMS), help ease symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and ease the pain of endometriosis. The new generation of birth control pills are not associated with weight gain, and, as an added bonus, can help save money on tampons and pads! Aside from the birth control pill, there are other options available...
A hormonal IUD such as the Mirena (and new ones called Skyla, Kyleena and Liletta) use small amounts of progesterone to help make your period lighter and potentially completely stop your period. An IUD is a terrific option when you want something you don’t need to worry about all the time. A small negative with the IUD is that is can be uncomfortable when being placed. It is inserted directly into your uterus at your ObGyn’s office. There are positives and negatives to all the different options out there and it is best to have a discussion with your individual doctor. The method that you choose should be easy and convenient so you can get the most out of it. When asked the question of how to prevent leaks on your breeches I recommend tampons because they are the most effective. Pads or Diva cups are also effective but truly depends on where your comfort level is. As far as tampons, there is no age in which to start using them. If you have your period, you can use them. As a backup, there is a new product on the market called the Thinx panty. It is a period panty that absorbs menstrual blood. You can use it alone, to prevent that unexpected start of your period, or use it in conjunction with your tampon or menstrual cup. I feel this is ideal for kids who may be worried about getting their period at school. It is also ideal for riders as a backup to prevent leakage on their breeches! ◼ BY DR. JILL HECHTMAN
Nuvaring is essentially like the birth control pill, except it is placed in your vagina instead of taken orally. The effects are the same.
Find the methods that work best for you and lessen your stress at the ring.
Depo Provera is an injection given every 3 months. During the first 9 months it can actually increase your bleeding and make it irregular. Eventually it will lessen your period, and may take it away completely. Negative effects from Depo Provera include weight gain and can worsen depression in patients who have it. In general, Depo is not my first choice to help control your cycle.
Dr. Jill Hechtman is the Medical Director of Tampa Obstetrics and also served as the Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida. A frequent face in local media, “Dr. Jill” is currently the obstetrics and gynecology expert for “Daytime,” a nationally syndicated talk show.
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Rated
For more information call:
(845) 564-6658 GARDNERTOWN FARM EST. 1979
822 Gardnertown Farm Rd. Newburgh, New York 12550 Two indoor arenas, lessons, and indoor arena polo
VISIT US AT:
www.gardnertownfarm.com
KYLA MAKHLOGHI GIVING EQUIFIT ZARETTA SOME LOVE AFTER A GREAT TRIP IN THE CHILDREN'S JUMPERS AT THE SPRING SARATOGA HORSE SHOW (SARATOGA, NY), MAY 2017. PHOTO © OLIVIA FERRO.
June 18 “C” June 29 “C” July 1 “C” July 7 “C” July 9 “C” July 23 “B” Aug. 10 “B” Aug.19 “B” Aug. 25 “B” Aug. 26 “C”
Schooling July 22 Hunter Derby
58 • THE PLAID HORSE
‘Look Good, Feel Good, Jump Good’ Conditioning Horses for Show Ring Success with Elizabeth Gingras
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 59 There’s a saying that if one looks good, they feel good, and if they feel good, they ‘do good.’ While the expression may be slightly lacking in grammatical correctness, it is not lacking in accuracy. In fact, the philosophy has proven itself to be correct, not only in humans, but in horses. For horses competing at any level, and in any discipline, performing their best requires feeling their best, and that includes not only their general health but also their level of conditioning, fitness, and readiness to confidently complete the job at hand. For Canadian Show Jumping Team rider Elizabeth Gingras, those elements of keeping her horses feeling good form the backbone of her entire program. Gingras’s top FEI groom, Jessica Dooley, shared some valuable insight into what that program looks like and how they are keeping horses looking good, feeling good, and ‘jumping good!’
JUMPING FITNESS STARTS WITH FLATWORK While having horses that perform well over fences is the ultimate goal for riders like Gingras, 35, that is not possible without first building their fitness on the flat. For Gingras’s mounts – Captain, Coup de Chance, Daylight VDL, Ima van d’Abdijhoeve, and Zilversprings – days spent at home between shows generally involve 45 minutes to an hour of flatwork. Gingras rides each of her horses herself and starts each flatwork session with 15-20 minutes of walking to allow their muscles to loosen up.
“Usually she likes to start everything loose and limber, not asking them to collect and package right away, just kind of getting them going,” Dooley explained. As the horses loosen up, Gingras turns the focus to dressage movements and exercises aimed at improving the horse’s muscle tone and rideability, all while also keeping the horse’s mind engaged. Gingras also spends time each week focused on building her horses’ cardiovascular fitness and caters flatwork to each horse’s specific needs. “If it’s one of the horses that she finds loses fitness quickly, like Daylight VDL because he’s a big horse, she’ll do a lot of galloping work,” Dooley said of the nine-yearold bay Dutch Warmblood gelding. “We’re always just trying to do what each horse wants individually.”
PHOTO FAR LEFT: JESSICA DOOLEY AND ZILVERSPRINGS, GINGRAS’S TOP GRAND PRIX MOUNT WHOSE EXERCISE PROGRAM INCLUDES WALKING BACKWARDS UP HILLS TO WORK HIS STIFLES. THIS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: HAVING WORKED FOR ELIZABETH GINGRAS FOR THREE YEARS, JESSICA DOOLEY HAS VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE ‘TEAM LIZZIE’ FITNESS AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM. KEEPING HER HORSES’ HEALTH AND FITNESS AT THE CORE OF HER TRAINING PROGRAM ALLOWS GINGRAS, PICTURED HERE REPRESENTING CANADA IN NATIONS’ CUP COMPETITION ABOARD COUP DE CHANCE, TO COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE SPORT. JESSICA DOOLEY TAKES DAYLIGHT VDL FOR A HAND-WALK AND GRAZING, BOTH OF WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN THE HORSES’ DAILY ROUTINES. COUP DE CHANCE IN THE HOT WALKER, WHERE THE HORSES SPEND APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES PER DAY. PHOTOS © JUMP MEDIA
60 • THE PLAID HORSE
TAKING IT OUTSIDE
BACK IN THE BARN
While each horses’ program varies slightly for their personal needs, one thing that they all share is just that: variation.
In order to keep up with their carefully planned exercise regimens, the horses are extremely well cared for back in the barn by Dooley and fellow groom Karlene Neuffer.
“Lizzie likes to keep it interesting so they’re not always in the ring – change it up a bit,” Dooley said. “In Florida, she’ll go hacking on the trails and go galloping to try to make sure that their cardiovascular fitness is there. We’ve been really lucky in Belgium too. They’ve got some trails up a hill and a little path to go out on.”
Dooley and Neuffer incorporate much of what Dooley considers “old school” methodology – keeping things like body clipping and excessive bathing to a minimum and instead allowing the horses to be horses.
Gingras tries to include an enjoyable cardio day once every week to mix things up, and Dooley and the rest of ‘Team Lizzie’ also help ensure that the horses are getting plenty of varied exercise outside of the ring through hand walking and turn out, and even through backing up hills – a special part of Zilverspring’s regime! “We have a bit of a hilly area, so we back Zilver up a hill to work on his stifles,” Dooley said. “Every day in the afternoon, he goes out for a hand walk or grass or sometimes a second flat. With him, he gets a bit sour with the flatwork, so you don’t want to make him hate his life. If he seems a bit fatigued, instead of a second ride, he’ll just go out for a hand walk.” Hand walking or time on the hot walker – usually for about 45 minutes prior to being hacked – is incorporated daily, as is turn out. If a horse is ridden by Gingras in the morning, it will spend the afternoon turned out and vice versa. In Florida, where Gingras spends the winter months, each horse spends several hours in their paddocks, and while in Europe and Canada for the summer months, their turnout time is limited to 30 to 60 minutes because of the richer grass present in both locations.
“In the summer, they might go from May to August or September without getting body clipped. I like to give a lot of Vetrolin baths and just use that to rinse them off instead of using soap,” Dooley said. “At home, they might roll in the paddock, and if they’re not grimy and gross, I’ll leave them dirty and let them be horses. I think sometimes they need to be left alone. They get so much pampering. Sometimes they just need to remember that they’re horses.” But while Dooley does utilize these perhaps more traditional methods of basic horse care, she also incorporates a number of more modern techniques and practices into the care of Gingras’s horses, including magnetic blankets, ice boots, massage, stretching, and chiropractic work. “We try and do a lot of stretches,” Dooley said. “I do some stretches before they work, but I try to do a lot more after they work; as athletes, that is when they’re cooling down, and you’re making sure that you’re doing the stretch when they’re actually loose.
“We do a lot of carrot stretches through their hips and through their shoulders, front leg stretches – pulling them out like when you put the girth on – and pulling it back because a lot of it is range of motion stretching,” Dooley said. “Same with hind legs, I get them underneath themselves and stretch out the back. It’s a bit like a farrier stretch, if you’re pulling hind leg underneath themselves. It kind of stretches the quad. It’s something that they don’t usually get to do on their own. “Essentially at home, they have three outings each day: Daylight loves those. You can pick up his back leg, and he does the hot walker or a hand walk, a ride, and the paddock,” it himself now.” Dooley said in summary of the horses’ daily schedules. In addition to routine stretching, the horses see a chiropractor roughly once a month, and while in Canada for the summer INCORPORATING OVER months, the horses will spend time with a massage therapist. FENCES WORK With a focus on flatwork and fundamental fitness, Gingras usually incorporates course jumping only once per week while at home, with another day devoted to smaller gymnastics work.
At the end of the day, each of these components of the horses’ conditioning and care comes together to achieve the same objective: keeping them looking good, feeling good, and performing at their very best! ◼ BY EMILY RIDEN/JUMP MEDIA
“She’ll throw in some exercises here and there like a little gymnastics just to work on their shape, rideability, and jumping fitness,” Dooley said.
Like ‘Elizabeth Gingras’ on Facebook to keep up with Gingras and all of her horses!
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FEI Nations Cup at Thunderbird Show Park, Langley, BC, 2017. 1. Ian Millar (CAN) and Keean White (CAN) 2. Tiffany Foster (CAN) 3. Tiffany Foster (CAN) on Brighton and Conor Swail (IRL) on Flower. 4. Foster discusses her round with Chef D’Equipe Mark Laskin. 5. Heather Caristo-Williams (USA) on Qui Vive Des Songes Z. PHOTOS © QUINN SAUNDERS.
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#TEAMFIONA
UPDATE Cincinatti Zoo’s Hippo, Baby Fiona, continues to grow and learn as the world cheers her on every step of the way. Born six weeks early, Fiona was in critical condition as a preemie. But from the beginning, Fiona has never been alone – with a team of the zoo’s staff acting as one big family, Fiona has the best chance for a happy and healthy life. Since this May, Fiona’s weight has climbed to a healthy 265 lbs and she is growing steadily. As a baby hippo in critical condition, Fiona and her parents were separated for Fiona’s protection. But as Fiona grows smarter and stronger each day, the zoo staff is slowly allowing mother and daughter to interact. The zoo is hopeful that eventually Fiona can be safely reunited with her parents. Her mother, Bibi, is becoming much more interested in her daughter and watches Fiona from an adjacent indoor space. Their interactions, including face-toface contact, have been positive and are occurring more often. The zoo staff is now focused on getting Fiona familiar with most important environment in her life – the water. Although hippos spend most of their time in the water, they actually can’t swim at all. They walk along the bottom and push themselves up to the surface when they need air. The zoo staff is working to get Fiona used to deeper water and more comfortable with having zoo divers monitoring her as she strolls along the bottom. Fiona needs to work on her swimming skills in an indoor pool before the zoo staff feels she can handle the bigger deeper outdoor pool, but she is now comfortable with the divers in 5ft deep water. Fiona is not viewable to the public yet, as the zoo staff protectively prepares her to meet her adoring fans in the coming months. Fiona’s story is an important one about the power of a strong support system that celebrates every victory. Follow Fiona’s triumphs at Cincinnatizoo.org – look for “Hippo Baby Fiona Updates” or follow the zoo on Facebook for regular updates on all things Fiona.
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BY TPH DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR STEPHANIE ROLOFF
9 AMAZING HIPPO FACTS
➊ Hippo means ‘horse’ and potamus means ‘river’… Hippopotamus – river horse! ➋ Nile hippos (also known as river hippos or river horses) are vegetarians. ➌ Hippos have dichromatic vision so they see in two colors and would not process images on a screen the way we do. ➍ Hippos are the 3rd largest land mammal (after the elephant and white rhinoceros) ➎ Hippos can’t swim. They walk on the floor of the river and pop up for air about every five minutes. ➏ Females average about 3,000 lbs while males weigh 3,500 to 9,900 lbs. ➐ Hippos are territorial and can run faster than humans – they can be dangerous! ➑ Full grown hippos are able to bite a crocodile in half if threatened. ➒ Hippos can open their mouth 150 degrees.
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AHA Region 5 Sport Horse Championships, Donida Farm Equestrian Center, Auburn, WA, June 2017. 1. Tennessee Sanders and Galihadin +/. 2. Hunter classes included over fences, hunter hack, equitation, and in-hand. 3. Cindy Tobeck and SMF Annie Get YourGun ++++//. 4. Nina ArroyoLopez and Har-Em Tutta Bella, owned by Debbie Hinds. 5. Libby Hollinger and Hucksters Elekeytra. PHOTOGRAPHY © CORAL LINK PHOTOGRAPHY SEE MORE ONLINE AT CORALLINKPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
64 • THE PLAID HORSE
a partner
for life
Betsy and Diva (28 years old) in June of 2017. Photo © Coral Link Photography SHOP THE LOOK: One K Air Defender Suede Helmet Essex Classics Talent Yarn Ladies Wrap Collar Show Shirt AA Ladies Motion Lite Jacket from EQU Lifestyle Boutique
theplaidhorse.com • July 2017 • 65 Every Every horse horse crazy crazy little little girl girl grew grew up up dreaming dreaming about about that once in a lifetime horse. The magical that once in a lifetime horse. The magical steed steed from from the the movies movies who who chooses chooses you, you, and and after after forming forming an an inseparable inseparable bond, bond, you you spend spend aa lifetime lifetime winning winning blue blue ribbons ribbons together. together. You’ll You’ll canter canter across across fields fields bareback, bareback, cross rivers, swim in lakes, defy the odds, cross rivers, swim in lakes, defy the odds, and and always always find find your your way way back back to to each each other. other. Some Some people people will will spend spend aa lifetime lifetime riding riding and and showing showing without without ever ever meeting meeting their their heart heart horse. horse. For For me, me, that that dream dream became became aa reality reality seventeen seventeen years years ago when I met Diva, and as I trotted into ago when I met Diva, and as I trotted into the the ring ring this this past past weekend weekend at at my my last last show show with with her, her, it it felt felt like like the the end end of of an an era. era. Diva Diva is is one one of of those those magical magical horses horses who who doesn’t doesn’t seem seem to to age. age. She She has has been been my my best best friend friend and and confidante for over half of my life, and you would confidante for over half of my life, and you would never never guess guess by by looking looking at at her her today today that that she she is is 28 28 years years old. old. We have done everything together, from lazy trail We have done everything together, from lazy trail loops loops to to conditioning conditioning for for endurance endurance rides, rides, chasing chasing cows, cows, swimming, and showing in a multitude swimming, and showing in a multitude of of disciplines disciplines from from in in hand hand and and hunter hunter to to dressage dressage at at nearly nearly every every level (which now includes a Championship level (which now includes a Championship and and two two Top Top Five Five awards awards from from our our breed breed level level Regional Regional Championship Championship show). show). In In her her almost almost 30 30 years, years, Diva Diva has has had exactly four owners. She is full of ego, incredibly had exactly four owners. She is full of ego, incredibly opinionated, opinionated, and and as as Type-A Type-A as as aa Fortune Fortune 500 500 executive. executive.
If you you are are not not one one of of her her chosen chosen few, few, she she is is standoffish standoffish If at best. If you are lucky enough to be considered one of of at best. If you are lucky enough to be considered one her herd, she is a total sweetheart with a goofy side. Her her herd, she is a total sweetheart with a goofy side. Her game face face for for the the show show ring ring is is hilariously hilariously terrifying. terrifying. game When a complicated horse picks you as their person, When a complicated horse picks you as their person, the the rewards are are limitless. limitless. rewards When asked, asked, she she has has crossed crossed every every stream stream and and brought brought When home every ribbon. But, the moments that matter are the home every ribbon. But, the moments that matter are the ones spent at home. When we bought our first house, we ones spent at home. When we bought our first house, we looked at the barns before we ever looked at the houses. looked at the barns before we ever looked at the houses. When we we considered considered moving moving across across the the country, country, we When we first researched the best way to move Diva. She is is aa part part first researched the best way to move Diva. She of our our family, family, and and the the end end of of her her show show career career does does not not of mean the end of her significance. Perhaps her back will mean the end of her significance. Perhaps her back will begin to to sway sway and and her her joints joints will will start start to to creak, creak, but but she begin she will always be the beautiful mare I first met all those will always be the beautiful mare I first met all those years ago. ago. At At 28 28 years years old old she she is is retiring retiring sound sound and and years healthy, because I have spent years putting her needs healthy, because I have spent years putting her needs before my my goals. goals. She She is is still still as as spicy spicy as as they they come, come, and and before loves to work. She will remain my favorite daily riding loves to work. She will remain my favorite daily riding horse until until she she tells tells me me otherwise, otherwise, because because that that is is what horse what is best for her. Diva and I will continue to care for each is best for her. Diva and I will continue to care for each other as we always have, long after our last blue ribbon. other as we always have, long after our last blue ribbon. ■ BY TPH WEB DIRECTOR BETSY KELLEY ■ BY TPH WEB DIRECTOR BETSY KELLEY
66 • THE PLAID HORSE
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Crossword inspired by the
CROSSWORD BY TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES
The Horsemanship Quiz Challenge encourages education and recognizes young equestrians who have exceptional horsemanship knowledge.
(Above) clue for 24 across, 2015 Winner Tori Colvin. (Left) clue for 8 down. Photo © Irene Elise Powlick.
(Left) clue for 12 down. Learn more at ushja.org/HQC – and be sure to register for HQC 2017! Post your completed crosswords and tag @theplaidhorsemag on Instagram for a chance to win cool prizes!
ACROSS
DOWN
3. 5. 6. 10.
1. 2. 4. 7. 8. 9. 11. 12. 13. 14. 18. 19. 22.
13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 20. 21. 23. 24.
Derby for 14.2 and under Type of martingale for WIHS Jumper Phase 2016 winner of WIHS Overall Finals Number of Medal classes a rider may complete in a single qualifying period Minimum# of judges panels for International Derby 2016 winner of USEF Talent Search Finals-West Five letters preceding Maclay State in which USEF Talent Search Finals are held Hunter class with two scored rounds Type of martingale for WIHS Hunter Phase 2017 in Saugerties and Del Mar 50% of Maclay class ___ Cup equitation class
Lead tested in USEF Talent Search flat State in which International Derby Finals are held 2016 winner of ASPCA Maclay Finals ___ B. Maclay (namesake of equitation class) 2016 winner of USEF Medal Finals Type of Derby with jump height minimum 3'6" USEF Finals held in Kentucky Horse Park City in which USEF Medal Finals held Equitation class with open water Class split into hunter and jumper phases # of points awarded for each high option in Derby 2016 winner of USEF Talent Search Finals-East Type of martingale for flat phases
See page 77 for answers!
68 • THE PLAID HORSE
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270••THE THEPLAID PLAIDHORSE HORSE
Beautiful Balmoral Pulling into the brick stantioned, wrought iron gates at Balmoral Park, you pass old train tracks that brought the well-heeled from Chicago to Crete for a family day of racing entertainment. The antique building that housed an elegant beer garden still stands just off the train platform, testimony to the open-armed welcome offered by the track. While the train tracks are rusted and the garden fallow, the heart of Balmoral beats once again thanks to the efforts of Tom Struzzieri of HITS.
Turning into the state-of-the-art horse show facility, the grandstand looms tall, surrounded by acres of blacktop parking. Permanent barns with bright, new roofs dot the perimeter of the huge tract of flat land. Pulling around the grandstand to park, the pristine white fencing and bright sand footing shine brilliantly. Within the historic, Struzzieri has created the modern. Balmoral Park is a nod to the past and gesture to the future. Featuring 10 all weather rings and 23 permanent barns over a 200 acre spread, HITS Chicago is a new jewel in the crown of Midwestern horse shows. “I was searching for a property when I came upon this. I was looking at vacant pieces of ground, which are so complicated to construct,” explains Struzzieri. The Balmoral property and equipment was scheduled for public auction- piece by pieceand he attended the preview of items the day before the sale. The horseshow manager magnate was impressed by the location, infrastructure, and potential of the storied facility. Through complicated negotiations with creditors, Struzzieri was able to forge a deal and HITS Chicago was born. A partnership between Showplace Productions’ Patrick Boyle and the HITS team has combined the best of managerial styles. Boyle is known for producing exhibitor friendly shows that prioritize an equestrian’s aesthetic experience. Struzzieri has a more nuts and bolts, utilitarian style. When asked about the mix, he explains, “Pat and I are getting to know each other and finding our way. I have a punch list and he has a punch list, and they are still pretty long. When the place is finished, my goal is to hand the shows over to Pat. He has the skills and experience to run great shows.”
Struzzieri bought the shuttered racetrack in late 2015 and reopened it as HITS Chicago in the spring of 2017, a herculean turn around. Grading for rings, obtaining permits, importing footing, renovating barns, improving infrastructure, all were accomplished quickly and efficiently. After all, Tom has done this before. Facilities in Culpeper, VA, Thermal, CA, Saugerties, NY, and Ocala, FL attest to his skill in constructing the modern “box” horse show, permanent show facilities hosting multiple week horse shows. While the “box” shows have been criticized for their lack of personality and for the demise of smaller, more localized shows, they generally provide a better place to show a horse. Permanent fixtures and stalls, all weather footing, and a predictable, consistent experience are the plus side of the “box” show.
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72 • THE PLAID HORSE Struzzieri is keenly aware of competition for the horse show dollar and of the changing consumer landscape. Horse shows must offer more than jumps and an in gate. Consumers are looking for a more complete, comprehensive experience, one that transcends the few hours spent in the saddle. Leisure activities for exhibitors and their families must be considered, as well as accessibility and atmosphere. “Clients are looking for the best possible experience, ‘box’ show or not. It is about who can offer a product that stands out uniquely. Unique is the key now, “ explains Struzzieri. Enter Balmoral Park. In the grandstand, you can hear the murmurs of elegantly clad racegoers from the 1930’s. Long gone, forever part of the room. The lengthy, mahogany bar gleams as multi colored bottles reflect in the mirrored backdrop. Have a drink, have a meal, and watch a Grand Prix. Air-conditioned, comfortable, spectator friendly: a unique experience in horseshowing. Balmoral is geared toward the equestrian consumer to a greater extent than the other HITS venues. While providing all of the requisites for premier showing- large rings, beautiful jumps, great footing, ample stabling options- Balmoral offers the next factor: recreation. HITS Chicago owns the adjacent golf course, open to the public and free to those buying a VIP table. Downtown Chicago with all of its tourist attractions is an easy day trip. Come one, come all to Balmoral Park. It has something for every member of the equestrian family. Struzzieri is positive about the future of horseshowing in the United States. “I am optimistic about the sport, but I think we need to get people working together to promote it, “ he explains. According to the American Horse Council, the horse industry contributes $39 billion to our economy with 9.2 million horses in the United States. The challenge is to communicate to the larger equestrian population that horseshowing is fun by expanding presence and visibility throughout the country. Struzzieri cites the Nations Cup competitions as a great example. Hosted over the years by both HITS Ocala and WEF in Wellington, FL, Struzzieri comments on expanding the geographical parameters. “Shouldn’t we bring an event like that to another part of the country? Look at what Omaha did,” referring to the success of the 2017 World Cup Finals in Omaha, NE. At this year’s USHJA Annual Meeting, he proposed a National Championship Horse Show that has since
gained traction with members. The qualifying show would each year showcase the best vying against the best in many divisions and at different locations throughout the U.S. In the meantime, Struzzieri is committed to improving the four existing HITS sites on each coast. “I am receptive to my clients and the professionals that speak to me. I answer every single email that is addressed to me.” While cognizant of the extensive list of suggestions, he stresses that his shows have to make financial sense. “Lots of events in this country pay no heed to how they pay their bills; they don’t have to make financial sense. So, when some of your main competition doesn’t have a profit motive, you can’t follow that same path.” He is committed to improving his facilities within a sustainable economic model. Ultimately, the success of the HITS shows depends on customer satisfaction and repeat clients. “Each show has a set of different challenges; each show has different answers,” he explains. “People think that we start with a clean slate at these places. Although it looks like a blank canvas, it’s a canvas that was manipulated before I got there.” He cites the wetlands of Saugerties and the airport in Thermal as restrictive attributes. HITS Ocala is located on a former training track which determined its layout and HITS Culpeper was in need of extensive renovation when acquired. Yet, their challenges are offset by positive characteristics for exhibitors. Thermal has near perfect weather and a huge site with abundant stabling, numerous riding areas, and private barns. Saugerties is centrally located on the east coast and the site of the biggest horse shows in the U.S. with 1900 stalls
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PHOTOS © ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY.
in the summer. Struzzieri proudly calls it a “pass through show” with sometime turnovers of 600 stalls from week to week. Ocala is one of Struzzieri’s favorite locations in the winter, as it is for many horsemen. Culpeper has benefitted from facility improvements and will continue to reap improvements from the expertise of the HITS grounds staff.
The “HITS Triple Crown” of $1million dollar purses is offered at Saugerties, Ocala, and Coachella (Thermal). “We are why McLain Ward can be number one in the world rankings without having to leave the U.S. We have tried to do the right thing. Three of the biggest Grand Prix’s and they are two times as big as the next biggest in the U.S. We offer the biggest hunter purses- one more “Footing is always a challenge,” he admits. “Some days, I get it right than twice as big as the next one. Our Junior/AO class and some days I don’t. But it is not for lack of effort or expense.” is ten times as big as the next one.” There is no question Struzzieri remains committed to providing a good product for his that HITS has put money back into the pockets of the clients. After all, if managers do not attract entries, they are not doing exhibitor by offering big money classes. By restricting their jobs. He is sensitive to the feedback from exhibitors and trainers. entries, Struzzieri is able to make the classes American “We will solve the issues on our customers’ minds,” he pledges. and HITS-exhibitor-centric. Under the new regime, USEF has created a Compliance Department What’s the next frontier for Struzzieri? “Right now, it to enforce previously overlooked competition standards, to is time to work hard on the places we have. Once the investigate incidents at licensed competitions, and to monitor business gets rolling again, who knows? I have a couple internal compliance with USEF policies and procedures. Of of ideas, but I am not going to share them,” he says compliance enforcement, Struzzieri states, “USEF should raise the smiling. “There are still a few fun things left.” In the bar and make us all jump over [it]. I am fine with that!” He supports meantime, Tom Struzzieri is usually the first person the USEF’s efforts to improve the exhibitors’ experience and to on the grounds on show day and the last one to leave safeguard the welfare of horses. “There are a lot of good things at night. A tri-athlete by avocation, he welcomes the about all of our (HITS) properties. I don’t make excuses for any of physical toil of staging a horse show. As the sun sets them. I work hard and try to give a good product.” over the tote board at Balmoral Park, the manager of the largest horse show company in the United States was on Struzzieri is quick to point out that HITS is the standard bearer in America for prize money. HITS offers three $1million Jumper Prix’s his tractor dragging the hunter ring. with entries restricted to those who patronize the HITS circuits. ◼ BY TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES.
74 • THE PLAID HORSE
“ALONE WE ARE A WHISPER BUT TOGETHER WE ARE A CYCLONE,” SAID KATHERINE STEINER AFTER A BRILLIANT SERIES OF RIDES LED TO CROWNING THE CENTENARY UNIVERSITY EQUINE STUDIES MAJOR – IN HER FIRST TRIP TO NATIONALS -- THE US EQUESTRIAN CACCHIONE CUP TITLIST FOR 2017 DURING THE INTERCOLLEGIATE HORSE SHOWS ASSOCIATION (IHSA) NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, MAY 3-7, AT THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK IN LEXINGTON.
RESERVE CHAMPION TEAM CENTENARY COLLEGE.
THE SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN (SCAD) BEES AND COACH ASHLEY HENRY DELIVERED THE ULTIMATE HAT TRICK, WINNING A THIRD CONSECUTIVE COLLEGIATE CUP AS HIGH POINT HUNT SEAT TEAM.
AN EQUESTRIANCOACH.COM ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE AWARD WENT TO CLAUDIA FREEMAN (ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY), WHO CLINCHED AN INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE FIRST MORNING OF COMPETITION IN OPEN EQUITATION OVER FENCES. FREEMAN GETS A SIX-DAY APPRENTICESHIP AND $500 STIPEND WITH 2005 COTH SHOW HUNTER HORSEMAN OF THE YEAR, STACIA KLEIN MADDEN, OF BEACON HILL STABLES.
IHSA Nationals
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the IHSA, founded in 1967 by then-Fairleigh Dickinson freshman Bob Cacchione, the show hosted 25 Hunt Seat and Western teams and more than 400 individual qualifying riders to vie for the most coveted titles in collegiate equestrian sport. The Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) Bees and coach Ashley Henry delivered the ultimate hat trick, winning a third consecutive Collegiate Cup as high point Hunt Seat team; St. Andrews University (SAU) Knights and coach Carla Wennberg clinched their own AQHA Trophy for high point Western team (having shared 2016 honors with Berry College) and Brittany Abernathy made history as the first-ever AQHA Trophy high point Western rider for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M University. Under the keen observance of hunt seat judges Linda Andrisani and Stephen Wall, and in front of US Equestrian president Murray Kessler, Steiner topped a field of 38 qualifiers from across 8 IHSA Zones competing on the flat and over Johnson & Wales University alum Tom Hern’s jump courses. “This is one of the best arenas to work in,” said Hern, referring to the indoor Alltech Arena. “Since intercollegiate riding is based on the draw, I built courses that incorporated options and encouraged horses and riders to keep striding straight and forward.” “Solid, safe choices are their own reward,” said Wall, who was judging Nationals for the first time, but had competed as a rider in the 1970s. “I’ve been impressed by the high quality horses and level of riding. This show lives up to its billing. Linda and I enjoy seeing how kids from all over have qualified and won.” Andrisani, who last judged in 2006 when Sarah Willeman (Stanford) won the Cacchione Cup said, “You can’t lose perspective that these are riders just getting to know their horse.” Good scores come from “nice style combined with good choices.” Steiner, and reserve national champion Lauren Henry (University of Rhode Island), shared their choices in the press conference following the awards. “My goal,” said Henry, “was to make the top three.” The Entrepreneurial Business Management major said her inspiration comes from the number one ranked show jumper in the world, Kent Farrington. “The horses were amazing. Riding flat isn’t my strong suit so my coach and I worked hard on dropping stirrups and trotting fences. I watch a lot of Kent videos. My friends call it my ‘Farrington effect.’” “This was Katie’s first Nationals and last show,” said Centenary coach Michael Dowling about the graduating senior. “It’s a Cinderella story. She invested herself all year for this one moment and was the most driven and dedicated of riders.” “Going last in the work-off was nerve-wracking,” said Steiner, who joined the program as a freshman Intermediate rider. “It was the best and worst place to be. I drew a horse I knew could pull a rider over the pommel if you let him, so I wanted to deliver a calm, cool and accurate ride.” And cool she was, despite riding with taped ribs that Steiner, who lives with asthma, bruised in an allergic coughing fit the night before. After graduation, she plans to move to California and continue competing. An EquestrianCoach.com Achievement of Excellence Award went to Claudia Freeman (Rochester Institute of Technology), who clinched an individual National Championship on the first morning of competition in Open Equitation Over Fences. Freeman gets a six-day apprenticeship and $500 stipend with 2005 COTH Show Hunter Horseman of the Year, Stacia Klein Madden, of Beacon Hill Stables. Focus was the key to the SCAD Bees and hunt seat coach Ashley Henry’s third consecutive Collegiate Cup. “We tried not to think about it and practiced like we’d never won it before. My riders are amazing. It took everybody to make this happen,”including a 90-point winning score in Open Equitation Over Fences (Team) for Tatum Tatreau on the 16.3 grey, James (Centenary).
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50 Years, One Collegiate Spirit SCAD co-captains, Mariel Cooper and Meredith Denny, (known as ‘the M&Ms’) were also proud. Cooper, a senior heading to law school, “couldn’t be more ecstatic,” to have won a third title, and Denny, a sophomore, called it “icing on our cake.” Proving they would have their cake and eat it too were coach Carla Wennberg and the St. Andrews University (SAU) Knights, sole winners of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Trophy for high point Western team, having shared last year’s title with Berry College in one of only five such ties since IHSA began recognizing high point Western teams in 1979. “It felt nice to pull ahead. It came down to the last class,” said Wennberg. “We needed a win in Open (Western Horsemanship AQHA Trophy) by Mark (Mowbray). If Black Hawk’s Kinsey Ayres (who finished second) had won it would have led to a tie (between teams SAU and Black Hawk College). We needed an Open win if we were going to win the team trophy.” The 2008 AQHA Horseman of the Year and 2012 IHSA Sportsmanship Coach of the Year concluded, “This team truly works together. That’s why we did it. You’ve got to help each other win.” The AQHA Trophy reserve high point team was Black Hawk College, coached by Donna Irvin and capping a 26-year career as coach and professor of equine studies at BHC for the AQHA Professional Horseman and barrel racing clinician. “They never gave up,” she said. “This is one of the hardest working student teams I know. We’ve been third three times. This is our first reserve national title.” Under Irvin, the two-year college has qualified teams for the Nationals every year since 2002. Another two-year program that wrote its first historic chapter this year was Northeastern Oklahoma A&M University, which produced 2017 AQHA Trophy High Point Rider, Britney Abernathy. The sophomore Agricultural Business major said, “I felt like I had a chance after I won my western horsemanship (AQHA Trophy – Rail Phase A). I didn’t expect as high a score in reining but I’m thrilled! I couldn’t be on this journey without my coaches. They brought me all this way.” “This is huge for our four-year-old program,” said NOAMU coach, Amanda Burrows. “She’s our first National Champion. I’m so proud. Last year Britney just missed advancing to Finals. That’s when she said she would ‘not let that happen again.’ Next year, she told me, we were going ‘all the way.’” Also making her first trip to Nationals was AQHA Trophy Reserve Champion Hayley Ruffner, 19, (Alfred University). “I’m beyond excited. I drew Danny Boy for my reining pattern and he was perfect. Good broke and gave his all. I just listened to my coach, who says ‘ride to win don’t ride to not get beat.’” “She’s a young rider with an old cowboy heart. That’s not a bad thing,” said AU western coach, Harry Hurd. The English/Business sophomore also earned an EquestrianCoach.com Achievement of Excellence Award that includes a six-day apprenticeship and $500 stipend with 2000 NRHA Hall of Fame inductee and 2010 World Equestrian Games Reining Team Gold medalist, Tim McQuay.
For Kristen Wesoja, 22, her inaugural trip to Nationals was the slide of the Cazenovia College student’s life. She rode “honest” Luke, provided by University of Findlay, to an NRHA Lawson Bronze in the NRHA Open Reining Pattern Championship: “My horse was amazing. I couldn’t have done it without him. This was a great experience, especially getting the feel of different horses.” “This is a show that brings good horses and good riders together,” said AQHA World and Congress judge, Mike Carter, who joined Deborah Kail (who has produced more AQHA Youth Champions than any other Quarter Horse showman) in judging IHSA Western Horsemanship and Reining classes. “This is the fourth time I’ve judged Nationals,” said Kail, who first did so in 1996 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. “IHSA continues to advance. Its horses and riders get more talented every year.” Triple Crown High Point Hunt Seat Horse was Maverick (SCAD); Danny Boy and Addie(University of Findlay) tied as Triple Crown High Point Western Horses; Sunny Banks (Randolph College) as SmartPak Most Popular Hunt Seat Horse; Luke (University of Findlay) as National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Horse of Show; SmartPak Most Popular Western Horse was Colonel (Morehead State) and Centenary College American Thoroughbred, Turk Alert (aka Turkey) who received The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP) award. IHSA Sportsmanship Awards for Hunt Seat Rider, Coach, and Volunteer went respectively to Bridget Finnerty (Mount Holyoke College), Sarah Younger (University of Louisiana) and Joyce Northrup. IHSA Sportsmanship Awards also went respectively to Western Rider, Coach and Volunteer, Kimberly King Storey (U of Tennessee alum), Anne Brzezicki (MTSU), John Finegan (U Cincinnati). On Friday night, the North Hall of the Alltech Arena saw the IHSA at 50 Committee host an anniversary banquet of more than 1200 alumni, families, and friends with special guest speakers representing US Equestrian, USHJA and IEA. In keeping with the traditional IHSA ‘esprit de corps,’ Team Spirit awards went to West Texas A&M University (Best 50th Theme); St. Andrews University (Best School Spirit); Mount Holyoke College (Best Team Cheer); and Penn State (Most Spirited). “Fifty years is not that long a time but when it comes to college riding and the opportunities it has offered in conjunction with the impact it has played on student lives, half a century of intercollegiate horse shows has made a world of difference,” said founder and executive director, Robert E. ‘Bob’ Cacchione. “It was my love for the horse that drove the vision of providing riders, regardless of skill or finances, to compete on animals with such big hearts. I am humbled when I step back and think of what these amazing partners have provided IHSA for generations.”
The 2018 IHSA National Championships will be held May 3-6 in Harrisburg, PA. For complete results and news see
www.IHSAinc.com
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Colorado Spring Preview Horse Show, Colorado Horse Park, Parker, CO, May 11-14, 2017. 1. Jaden Olson on Dominic Gibbs’ Limitless. 2. Ava Nunn gives her horse Trubbels a pat. 3. Michael Dennehey & Jennifer Singer’s Watermark in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby. 4. Susan Winston pats her horse Quite Nice after a nice round in the derby. 5. Golden Girl gives Olivia Stordahl a good effort over a fence. 6. Sydney Zahn pats Polaris after a great round. 7. Madison Mitchell & Quintessence. 8. Pixie Alfond & Liberty’s Fire and Ice had great rounds in the Green Ponies. 9. Grace McReynolds & Kabaltic. PHOTOS © MACKENZIE SHUMAN, QUINTESSENCE PHOTOGRAPHY.
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ANSWERS FOR CROSSWORD ON PG 67 – ACROSS: 3. PONY. 5. RUNNING 6. HOLLOWAY 10. FOURTEEN 13. TWO 14. WARREN 15. ASPCA 16. NEW JERSEY 17. CLASSIC 20. STANDING 21. JR HUNTER FINALS 23. FLAT 24. HUNTERDON DOWN: 1. COUNTER 2. KENTUCKY 4. HOLLOWAY 7. ALFRED 8. OMARA 9. INTERNATIONAL 11. PONY FINALS 12. HARRISBURG 13. TALENT SEARCH 14. WIHS 18. ONE 19. OMARA 22. NONE
swankysaddle.com Taking the first verse to create a cherished keepsake for every equestrian. read the Rider’s Prayer in it's entirety at ~Author Unknown Give me strength to guide my horse. Make my hands soft and my head clear. Let my horse understand me and I him.
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National Show Hunter Hall of Fame
1. BETTY REYNOLDS OARE ON NAVY COMMANDER AT THE ROYAL WINTER FAIR IN TORONTO IN 1962. PHOTO BY FREUDY. 2. BETTY REYNOLDS OARE ON NAVY COMMANDER AT FAIRFIELD IN 1962. PHOTO © BUDD. 3. RODNEY JENKINS ON BLUE PLUM, OWNED BY BERT FIRESTONE, AND BETTY REYNOLDS OARE ON NAVY COMMANDER IN THE OPENING PARADE AT THE CLEVELAND GRAND PRIX IN 1965. PHOTO © MARSHALL HAWKINS. 4. BETTY REYNOLDS OARE ON NAVY COMMANDER AT THE CLEVELAND GRAND PRIX IN 1965. PHOTO © MARSHALL HAWKINS.
IT’S A LOVELY DAY IN 1963 AND THE GREAT Working Hunter, Navy Commander, and young Ernie Oare have had a fall in the Amateur To Ride class at the Oak Brook Horse Show. Betty Reynolds, the future Mrs. Oare, sees poor Ernie flat out in the middle of the ring, leaps the rail, and runs straight to…the horse. Of course. Navy Commander was that good. Dial back the clock a bit further to the mid 1950’s. Betty and her brothers, Bucky and Bobby, are growing up on their parents’ farm in Tryon, NC. The parents in question, legendary horseman J. Arthur Reynolds and wife Edna, operated a show and foxhunting stable. When a man named Dr. Oliver Carmichael, President of Converse College, bought the famous Block House Farm next door, the wheels of history were pushed into motion. For his up and coming show horse stable, Dr. Carmichael hired J. Arthur protégé Earl “Red” Frazier, and Red promptly went to work putting together a top class show stable. Once again, fate waved its wand. In March, 1960, Dr. Carmichael was forced to move back to his home in South Bend, Indiana, to run the family bank due to the death in a plane crash of his brother-in-law, Robert Oare. Red Frazier and the horses went with him. But, after that first Northern Indiana winter, Red had Carolina on his mind, and back he moved. All of a sudden, Dr. Carmichael needed a new trainer and J. Arthur Reynolds was the man for the job. Putting Tryon in the rear view mirror, the Reynolds family headed north to South Bend, the Carmichael’s new farm “Laughin’ Place,” and the horse of Betty Reynolds’ lifetime. A few years earlier, Red Frazier had found a nice, young grandson son of Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. Frazier trained him up, and started to show the horse called Navy Commander while still in Tryon and that first summer in
South Bend. He was a nice horse, very nice, but not a superstar until Betty arrived. Although Bucky Reynolds was the Laughin’ Place rider, Navy Commander preferred Betty. And, like Fred and Ginger, Bogey and Bacall, a team was born. Although Navy Commander was a big, galloping horse that loved Derby-like outside courses, he and Betty had their first huge win at Madison Square Garden in the $2500 (think $50,000 today) Working Hunter Stake class. The East Coasters knew that there was a new sheriff in town. They returned to be Working Hunter Champion in 1962 and 1964, and lost to the legendary Hall of Famer Isgilde in a hack off in 1963. In 1962, the pair was AHSA Working Hunter Horse of the Year after being Champion at Harrisburg, The Garden, and The Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. For four years in a row, they were Circuit Champions of the Virginia summer circuit. Four horse shows, four weeks in a row in the dog days of August, Glenmoore Hunt, Bath County, Deep Run, and finally Warrenton on Labor Day weekend. All of the big guns showed up, but Navy Commander and his faultless little pilot ruled the roost. All of this brings us back to 1963 and Ernie Oare laid out in the middle of the Oak Brook ring with his sweetheart running past him to get to Navy Commander. Somehow, Ernie took this as a good sign, and the following spring, he and Betty were married, a position they still hold today. Ernie did not get around to Betty’s wedding present until the end of that summer in 1964 where, at the Warrenton Horse Show and with the blessing of his uncle, Dr. Carmichael, he gave Betty Navy Commander. J. Arthur Reynolds, Bucky Reynolds, and Betty Reynolds Oare are all in the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame. And, right there with them is Navy Commander, one of the greatest Working Hunters of all time. To Betty Reynolds Oare, he was her horse of a lifetime. ◼ BY TIM WICKES
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