US Equestrian Magazine

Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation | Fall 2021

ON THE GO

The Roadster’s Colorful History

EARN YOUR LETTER USEF’s Interscholastic Athlete Program

MEDAL-WORTHY MOMENTS from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Devoted to our equine family for 75 years and running.

After all this time, our commitment to you and your horse is as strong as ever.

We understand the irreplaceable bond you share, the instinct to know what they want with just a look and the desire to give them the health and happiness they

YEARS

deserve. Just like you, we’re here for the horse — and we always will be.

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We’re showing you our appreciation with a special 75th Anniversary Giveaway. Scan the code for your chance to win or visit farnam.com/75-giveaway. ©2021 Farnam Companies, Inc. Farnam with design and Your Partner in Horse Care are trademarks of Farnam Companies. • 21-55750

CONTENTS

FEATURES 60 MEMORIES IN SILVER

Memorable moments

from the Tokyo Olympics

70 ROADSTERS RULE

60

From country lanes to

the show ring

USEF’s Interscholastic

Athlete Program

DEPARTMENTS 6 Partners 8 Sponsors 12 Marketing/Media 14 Letter from

the President 16 Snapshot

70

18 USEF News

80

26 Seen & Heard Cover: The U.S. Dressage Team celebrate a historic silver in Tokyo.

Photo: Arnd Bronkhorst/arnd.nl

28 How it Works Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation | Fall 2021

34 Learning Center

ON THE GO

The Roadster’s Colorful History

38 I am US Equestrian 44 Juniors’ Ring EARN YOUR LETTER

USEF’s Interscholastic Athlete Program

MEDAL-WORTHY MOMENTS from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

48 Trending 52 Horse Health 84 For the Record

2 FALL ISSUE 2021

PHOTOS: SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO, HOWARD SCHATZBERG, TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

80 LETTER IN EQUESTRIAN

Official Magazine of the United States Equestrian Federation

US EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE Volume LXXXV, Fall 2021 PUBLISHED BY The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc. CHIEF MARKETING & CONTENT OFFICER Vicki Lowell | vlowell@usef.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Glenye Cain Oakford | goakford@usef.org CREATIVE DIRECTOR Candice McCown | cmccown@usef.org ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kim Russell | 859 225 6938 | krussell@usef.org DIRECTOR OF SPONSORSHIP & SALES Layson Griffin | lgriffin@usef.org ASSISTANT DESIGNER Kate Strom | kstrom@usef.org EDITORIAL STAFF Kathleen Landwehr, Leslie Potter, Kim Russell, Ashley Swift CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kayce M. Bell, Lexi Rohner Equestrian Magazine (ISSN 1548-873X) is published five times a year: Horse of the Year Special Edition, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, by the United States Equestrian Federation®, 4001 Wing Commander Way, Lexington, KY 40511; Phone: (859) 258-2472; Fax: (859) 231-6662. (ISSN:1548-873X). NOTE: Effective Spring issue of 2018, Equestrian magazine will be published and provided electronically and only four editions will have printed copies and be provided by U.S. Mail. The Winter issue will only be provided electronically. The Horse of the Year issue will be mailed only to competing members as of the date of publication and the year immediately prior to the date of publication. USEF is not responsible for the opinions and statements expressed in signed articles and paid advertisements. These opinions are not necessarily the opinions of USEF and its staff. While the Federation makes every effort to avoid errors, we assume no liability to anyone for mistakes or omissions. It is the policy of the Federation to report factually and accurately in Equestrian and to encourage and to publish corrections whenever warranted. Kindly direct any comments or inquiries regarding corrections to Glenye Cain Oakford goakford@usef.org or by direct dial 859-225-6941. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to US Equestrian, 4001 Wing Commander Way, Lexington, KY 40511. Canadian Publications Agreement No. 40845627. For Canadian returns, mail to Canada Express, 7686 #21 Kimble Street Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, L5S1E9. (905) 672-8100. Reproduction of any article, in whole or part, by written permission only of the Editor. Equestrian: Publisher, United States Equestrian Federation®, Chief Executive Officer, William J. Moroney (859) 225-6912. Director of Advertising, Kim Russell (859) 225-6938.

Copyright © 20120 Equestrian is the official publication of the United States Equestrian Federation, the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport in the USA, and is an official publication of USEF.

Published at 4001 Wing Commander Way, Lexington, Ky 40511 USequestrian.org

#JointheJoy Follow us on social media @USequestrian 4 FALL ISSUE 2021

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The United States Equestrian Federation does not endorse or recommend any commercial product or service. Therefore, designations as official suppliers of the USEF of any commercial product or service cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Equestrian Federation.

8 FALL ISSUE 2021

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The United States Equestrian Federation does not endorse or recommend any commercial product or service. Therefore, designations as official suppliers of the USEF of any commercial product or service cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Equestrian Federation.

10 FALL ISSUE 2021

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The United States Equestrian Federation does not endorse or recommend any commercial product or service. Therefore, designations as official suppliers of the USEF of any commercial product or service cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the United States Equestrian Federation.

12 FALL ISSUE 2021

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Reaping the Rewards of Equestrian Knowledge Autumn is back-to-school season for many kids around the country, whether in person or virtually. For equestrians of all ages, it’s always back-to-school season, because our horses offer opportunities for lifelong learning and engagement.

The results from those lessons can be enormously rewarding. As this magazine issue goes to press, just after the Tokyo Olympics, we are celebrating silver medal performances by our U.S. Dressage Team—the first dressage team silver for the U.S. since 1948—and by our U.S. Jumping Team, while also looking forward to the upcoming Paralympic Games. In this issue’s cover feature, we also enjoy riding along with the 2020 Olympic athletes whose tremendous skills and excellent coaching have helped them make it to the Games. As our Paralympic athletes prepare to take the stage, we’re also in awe of the courage that U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team athlete Bea de Lavalette showed in her long recovery from the 2016 Brussels terrorist attack that nearly killed her; the story of how horses helped her progress from a hospital’s intensive care unit to the Paralympics is spotlighted in this issue’s Learning Center, where she is the subject of our newest “I Am US Equestrian” video. Please take my word on this, you have to watch it as it’s such a powerful and moving story.

You don’t have to be an Olympic or Paralympic athlete to enjoy the fruits of learning.

Throughout the autumn, we enjoy seeing champions crowned at our affiliate organizations’ many national championship events after a season—indeed, often years—of hard work and training to reach that goal. And every equestrian knows the thrill of mastering a new skill, achieving a breakthrough in performance, overcoming a problem, or opening a new channel of communication with our horses.

This fall issue of our magazine keeps that tradition of equestrian learning, starting with a history lesson. In the feature “One for the Road,” author Kayce M. Bell details the colorful history of the racy roadster horses and ponies represented by our affiliates at the American 14 FALL ISSUE 2021

Road Horse and Pony Association and the American Hackney Horse Society. The tale winds through the country lanes driven by 19th century doctors and also takes us into the show ring, where we learn about what makes a good, competitive roadster now. In Juniors’ Ring, Bell also takes a look at the juniors who ride roadster ponies and horses.

Speaking of juniors and back-to-school season, US Equestrian’s Interscholastic Athlete program is a great opportunity for equestrians in grades five through 12 to earn recognition for their horse-related activities, from lessons to trail riding to showing. In the feature “Honors for Student Equestrians,” we show how the program works, how young equestrians can earn patches and letters, and how the program benefits them while also raising horse sports’ profile. I encourage all parents of junior riders (and, please, junior riders reading this, show it to your parents) to look at this, as it’s been developed to give real recognition of all you do in our sport and it fits perfectly on your college applications!

There are other chances to learn throughout the issue. In Horse Health, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute’s Dr. Luke Fallon details a deworming protocol that helps your horses and also discourages parasite resistance. And in USEF: How It Works, we take a look at the Amateur Task Force and how it’s working to make the criteria for amateur status more fair and relevant for the current era. We have appreciated the feedback and contributions to date from you, our members, in that effort. After all, that exchange of ideas is what learning is all about, and one of the best ways we can all learn is, as always, by listening to each other.

Tom O’Mara President

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

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USEF NEWS

US Equestrian Announces Community Outreach Organizations Initiative

Phase 1: USEF Community Outreach Organizations Program The first phase of this initiative is the launch of the USEF Community Outreach Organizations Program. The program offers organizations that provide equine-based learning opportunities and support the positive impact horses can have within their local communities to be featured in a directory on the USEF website and have the ability to apply for USEF Opportunity Fund grants. These organizations must meet certain standards of horse and human welfare, and they must offer their services for free or on a sliding scale of fees based on financial need. Organizations must apply and be accepted for inclusion in the USEF Community Outreach Organizations Program.

Community Outreach Organizations will gain access to numerous benefits, including free USEF Fan Memberships, access to the Interscholastic Athlete Program, and opportunities for promotion on USEF’s website and print, digital, and social media channels. USEF will also assist in connecting Community Outreach Organizations with our national network of industry professionals, officials, competition organizers, sponsors, affiliates, education partners, athletes, and members. The most notable benefit to organizations included in 18 FALL ISSUE 2021

the Program is eligibility to submit grant requests through the USEF Opportunity Fund.

Learn more about the benefits available to organizations included in the USEF Community Outreach Organizations Program.

Phase 2: USEF Opportunity Fund The USEF Opportunity Fund, the second phase of the DEI Action Plan’s Community Riding Center Grants Program and Opportunity Fund strategy, is a grant-making resource available exclusively to organizations listed on the Community Outreach Organizations Program directory. The fund was first announced in June 2021 and 100% of funds collected will be dedicated to supporting these community outreach organizations. Grants will be awarded through a competitive application process beginning in 2022. More information about this process will be announced later this year.

USEF is committed to supporting these organizations through grant opportunities because they encourage more people to get involved with horses and embody our vision of bringing the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible. In January 2021, the US Equestrian Board of Directors made a significant statement by voting to contribute $50,000 to kick-start the Opportunity Fund, with funds available beginning in 2022.

Shop USEF contributed additional funds in June, thanks to the generous contributions of profits from the Pride Collection sales. Individuals can also make online donations here.

US Equestrian will continue fundraising for the USEF Opportunity Fund through corporate sponsorships, member

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the USEF Community Outreach Organizations initiative, a new program dedicated to supporting equestrian centers and equine-based organizations.

Its mission is to increase under-represented and/or under-served communities’ access to horses and horse sports. This two-phase initiative aligns with the implementation of the Community Riding Center Grants Program and Opportunity Fund strategy outlined in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 19

USEF NEWS donations, product purchases through the upcoming Inclusion Collection on Shop USEF, and other fundraising initiatives.

For more information about USEF Opportunity Fund sponsorship opportunities, please contact Layson Griffin, Director of Sponsorship, at LGriffin@usef.org.

How to Join the USEF Community Outreach Organizations Program Interested organizations must apply to be included in the USEF Community Outreach Organizations Program using a digital application form available here beginning Thursday, July 15. Please review the eligibility requirements prior to submitting an application.

The application period will open on July 15, 2021, and close on September 15, 2021. Applications must be submitted on or before September 15, 2021. Organizations will be notified of their acceptance to the USEF Community Outreach Organizations Program by October 30, 2021.

Applicants will need to respond to questions pertaining to horse and human welfare standards, as well as provide information explaining how their program fills a gap in the horse industry for under-represented and/or under-served people in their community. Additional information about eligibility criteria is available here.

A Review Committee comprised of USEF volunteers, executive staff, and athletes will review applications quarterly to assess whether all requirements have been met before organizations are accepted into the Program. The next application period will open on November 15, 2021.

The digital application form will be available here beginning July 15, 2021.

Please review the eligibility requirements prior to submitting an application. Screen-reader-friendly version is available here.

Please direct any questions about the Community Outreach Organizations initiative and application process to Ashley Swift, Affiliate and Communications Specialist, at ASwift@usef.org.

The USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship was held at TIEC for the first time in 2020, and competitors had high praise for the facilities at the venue and the staff’s dedication to producing a world-class event. Tryon’s White Oak cross-country course was created for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ and is known for its scenic rolling terrain in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“We are very excited to host the Tryon International ThreeDay Event CCI4*-L again this November,” said Sharon Decker, President of Tryon of Tryon Equestrian Properties, Carolinas Operations. “Our 2020 event was extraordinary, and with spectators welcomed this year, we will have the chance once again to showcase the highest levels of this sport on what many of our riders have declared one of the best cross-country courses in the world. We cannot wait!”

The 2021 Tryon International Three-Day Event is set to take place November 10-14. The event will host CCI1*-L, CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L, and CCI4*-S divisions in addition to the CCI4*-L. Additionally, the East Coast Final for the inaugural Adequan® USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge will be held in conjunction with the event, making for an exciting week of late-season eventing. For more information, visit tryon.com/eventing.

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg won the 2020 Buckeye Nutrition USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship, the first edition to take place at Tryon International Equestrian Center.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

USEF Community Outreach Organizations Program usef.org/about-us/diversity-inclusion/organizations-program

USEF Opportunity Fund

usef.org/about-us/diversity-inclusion/opportunity-fund

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan

Tryon to Host 2021-2022 USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championships US Equestrian is pleased to announce that the USEF CCI4*L Eventing National Championship will return to the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C., in 2021 and 2022. The National Championship will be held in conjunction with the Tryon International Three-Day Event.

20 FALL ISSUE 2021

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

usef.org/about-us/diversity-inclusion/action-plan

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USEF NEWS

US Equestrian is pleased to announce an update to the 2021/2022 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League schedule. The FEI has awarded Live Oak International in Ocala, Fla., as the replacement venue for the Palm Beach Masters U.S. Spring World Cup event, with Live Oak International serving as the final FEI Jumping World Cup NAL Qualifier for the 2021/2022 season.

The 2021/2022 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup North American League schedule is as follows with the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final set to be hosted in Leipzig, Germany, from April 6-10, 2022: •

•

• •

•

• •

CSI4*-W Rancho Murieta, CA | Sacramento International World Cup Week | October 6-10, 2021 CSI4*-W Tryon, NC | Washington International Horse Show | October 26-31, 2021 CSI4*-W Lexington, KY | National Horse Show | November 2-7, 2021 CSI4*-W Las Vegas, NV | The Las Vegas National | November 16-21, 2021 CSI4*-W Fort Worth, TX | Fort Worth International | December 15-19, 2021 CSI4*-W Puebla, MEX | February 23-27, 2022 CSI4*-W Ocala, FL | Live Oak International | March 3-6, 2022

For more information, visit the USEF FEI Jumping World Cup page at usef. org/compete/disciplines/jumping/ longines-fei-world-cup-jumping.

22 FALL ISSUE 2021

U.S. Young Rider Dressage Team Wins Bronze at CDIO-Y at Future Champions in Germany A trio of young riders representing the United States took third place at the CDIO-Y Nations Cup competition hosted at Future Champions in Hagen, Germany, from June 10-13, 2021. This result marked the highest finish in program history for the U.S. Young Rider Dressage Team at Future Champions. Ten countries with 25 horse-and-rider combinations competed in the CDIO-Y, which featured talented young athletes from across Europe.

Christian Simonson (Ventura, Calif.) and Christina Morgan’s nine-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, Zeaball Diawind, had the team’s top score of 72.010%, which was good enough to put the pair in second place individually overall.

Katherine Mathews (San Marcos, Calif.) posted a 66.667% with Soliëre, a 17-yearold Hanoverian stallion owned by Peridot Equestrian LLC. Melanie Doughty (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) rode to a 65.883% with Fascinata, her own 13-year-old Rhinelander mare.

Chef d’Equipe George Williams was proud of his team’s efforts in their first overseas outing and the first European competition for the Young Rider program in more than two years.

“I have been impressed with how this team has taken all the challenges in stride.

Today they all rode well, putting their hearts into their rides, with a focus and determination to do their best,” said Williams. “Christian’s ride on Zeaball was beautiful, harmonious, and mistake-free. It was very moving to see our team on the podium, receiving their bronze medal and to think that today was their first time ever competing in Europe. I couldn’t be more thrilled or more proud of them.”

PHOTO: FOTO RÜCHEL

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USEF NEWS

US Equestrian Introduces New MemberPerk Offer from MDHearingAid US Equestrian is pleased to announce a new partnership with MDHearingAid, a company dedicated to helping people with hearing loss get affordable hearing aid solutions.

US Equestrian members can take advantage of exclusive discounts, including a buy one, get one offer and an additional $50 through USEF MemberPerks.

“We’re pleased to partner with MDHearingAid to offer our members a valuable discount on their products,” said US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney.

“We encourage members to take advantage of MDHearingAid’s products and at-home services with their USEF MemberPerk.”

“At MDHearingAid, we care deeply about providing high-quality, affordable hearing aids to all Americans,” says Doug Breaker, CEO of MDHearingAid. “We are excited to be partnering with an organization like the United States Equestrian Federation and to further our mission by providing an exclusive discount to its members.”

Learn more at MDHearingAid.com/USEF. MdHearingAid makes it easy, convenient, and affordable to upgrade your hearing and your life—for thousands less than traditional clinics. With a 45-day risk-free trial, a free online hearing test, and excellent U.S.-based customer support, MDHearingAid delivers high-quality, FDA-registered hearing aids directly to you. Experience the latest hearing technology at the best price without leaving the comfort of your home.

US Equestrian Announces Mid-Year Updates to USEF Eventing High Performance Training Lists US Equestrian is pleased to announce mid-year updates to the USEF Eventing High Performance Training Lists for the 2021 competition year.

The training lists are part of U.S. Performance Director Erik Duvander’s U.S. Eventing Pathway Program, focused on developing combinations to deliver sustainable success for the USEF Eventing Program at the international championship level. The updated training lists can be viewed at usef.org/compete/disciplines/eventing/pathway-program.

“The mid-season update to the High Performance Training Lists is intended to add athlete combinations rather than remove any combinations,” said Erik Duvander, U.S. Performance Director for Eventing. “This update adds two combinations that have been named as first alternate and direct reserve to the Olympic team after a strong spring season of competition.

The Elite, Pre-Elite and Development lists will receive a full evaluation following the conclusion of the 2021 season in November.”

The mid-year updates have been approved by an Ad Hoc Group of the Eventing Sport Committee at the recommendation of Duvander, with input from Duvander’s Performance Advisory Team of Bobby Costello, Derek di Grazia, Leslie Law, Karen O’Connor, and Ian Stark. *Please note: The Performance Director may remove an athlete from the Elite and Pre-Elite programs in consultation with the Performance Advisory Team if the athlete fails to meet program criteria. Athletes/horses with a long-term injury will be removed from the Training List in consultation with the Performance Advisory Team, Team Veterinarian and/or Team Physician. Training opportunities may be limited for combinations with short-term injuries. Inclusion or exclusion on a Training List does not imply or preclude an athlete from selection for a Games and Championships. The lists will be reviewed in November 2021.

24 FALL ISSUE 2021

SmartPak Signs On as Title Sponsor of USEF Horse of the Year Awards US Equestrian is pleased to announce that SmartPak will continue its support as an Official Partner.

Additionally, beginning in 2021, SmartPak is the Title Sponsor of the USEF Horse of the Year Awards Program, one of the oldest nationally recognized multi-breed awards programs in the country.

“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with US Equestrian and become the official title sponsor of the Horse of the Year Program,” said Carma Caughlan, SmartPak’s Vice President of Consumer Marketing. “Our mission at SmartPak is to power the passion of both equine athletes and riders from the show ring to the trails. For those in contention for a Horse of the Year award, it’s an incredible honor and recognition that we’re excited to be a part of.

We’re here to support all US Equestrian members for their horse care needs.”

In addition to its sponsorship of the USEF Horse of the Year Awards, US Equestrian members save 5% at SmartPak thanks to a continued MemberPerk.

“SmartPak has been a longtime partner of US Equestrian, and we appreciate that all of our members benefit from their MemberPerk discount,” said US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney. “We’re so pleased to have them expand their support through sponsorship of our Horse of the Year Awards Program.”

From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak, a Covetrus company, was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak Supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.

With the success of this simple and convenient feeding system, SmartPak has continued to expand its offering of quality products, including its own line of supplement formulas under the SmartSupplements and Smart & Simple brands. SmartPak has grown rapidly each year and is one of the largest retailers of equestrian products in the United States. SmartPak’s success has been powered by a passion for delivering an unbeatable customer experience, and the company has been recognized with a Bizrate Circle of Excellence award 10 years in a row, as well as receiving an “Elite” rating from STELLAService.

SEEN AND HEARD

In & Around the Ring

PHOTOS: PICSOFYOU.COM, ©ANNE GITTINS (OPPOSITE TOP), HOWARD SCHATZBERG (OPPOSITE BOTTOM)

Jacob Arnold guides his pair through the marathon course at the Kentucky Classic CDE in Paris, Ky., on his way to winning the winning USEF Advanced Pair Horse Combined Driving National Championship.

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Kat Fuqua and Grand Remo win the 3’6” Overall Grand Championship title at the Adequan®/USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – East Coast in Devon, Pa. Below: Isabella Privitera pats Walterway’s Dignitary after receiving reserve-champion honors in the USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final at the Lexington Junior League Charity Horse Show in Lexington, Ky.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 27

HOW IT WORKS

Amateur status affects all segments of the industry but not always in the same ways, and the task force was intentionally populated by representatives from across breeds and disciplines to ensure a range of viewpoints.

28 FALL ISSUE 2021

by Leslie Potter

In early 2021, US Equestrian announced a new Amateur Task Force, a group brought together to review the existing rules defining amateur status for competitors at recognized shows and make recommendations on bringing the rule up to date for the current competition environment.

At the most basic level, the distinction between amateur and professional status exists to create a fair competition environment: those involved in equestrian sports as a hobby should have the opportunity to compete against other hobbyists, while those who are paid for their skill in the sport compete in a different arena. But it has never been that simple, and the potential points of disagreement have only increased as the horse industry has changed with the times.

That’s how task force member Caitlin Creel, a 24-year-old amateur who competes on the hunter jumper circuit, first got involved. Creel is active on social media, and when a rule change proposal was submitted that would have made certain social media activities off-limits for amateurs, she took notice. She was part of a group of amateurs who got together around the issue last fall, when the rule change proposal was going through the United States Hunter Jumper Association.

“We met a couple of times and put our thoughts on paper. We wanted to see if we were seeing it from a biased view or if there was more of a general consensus among the members, so we put out a petition,” Creel said. “We didn’t know exactly what we were going to do with that, but we thought we could talk to people and open up the conversation.”

The petition did spark conversation and led members of the USHJA’s Amateur Task Force, which originally had made the rule change proposal, to reach out to Creel to find out more about her concerns.

“At first they told me the reasons why they were for the proposal, but they were really amazing and listened to my alternative opinions,” said Creel. “By the end of it, they said, ‘Oh, we never thought of it like that.’ They took that input back to the rest of the task force and then

PHOTO: HOWARD SCHATZBERG

Amateur Task Force Brings Important Topics to the Table

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unanimously decided that they needed to table the proposal so they could do more discussion and research.”

Thanks in part to her proactive work on the topic, Creel was a clear candidate for the USEF Amateur Task Force when it was created shortly after. The topic of social media influencers is part of the discussion, but the group is looking at all segments of the wideranging amateur rule, including: •

•

•

•

Top: “We’ve had a lot of fantastic discussions over the past six months,” Amateur Task Force member Caitlin Creel (back row, far left) said. “My biggest hope is that it can be something that’s really going to help the future of the sport.”

Bottom: The Amateur Task Force’s purpose is to review existing rules defining USEF amateur status to ensure that the definition is relevant to the current environment and that the rules meet the needs of USEF members, the organization, and the sport.

30 FALL ISSUE 2021

what tasks an amateur can perform and be compensated for without affecting their status the amateur age: at what age should young riders have to choose whether to declare amateur status or commit to competing as a professional? how internships and working student positions do or don’t affect amateur standing the “family rules” and the extent to which relatives of an equine professional can be involved with their business and maintain amateur status

Amateur status affects all segments of the industry but not always i n the s a me ways, and the task force was intentionally populated by representatives f ro m a c ro s s breeds and disciplines to ensure a range of viewpoints. The task force also has sought to bring more voices into the conversation through additional means: The Amateur Rule Inbox In order to facilitate member feedback, the task force set up an email account at AmateurTaskForce@usef.org. Anyone can send their suggestions to that address, and those ideas are shared with all members of the task force.

Focus Groups and Feedback During the spring and summer, US Equestrian hosted two sets of focus group sessions to review the task force’s proposed recommendations and offer their feedback. These focus groups were composed of USEF members recommended by task force members across different ages, breeds, and disciplines.

Their discussions were confidential, allowing participants to offer candid feedback on the task force’s suggestions. One group was composed entirely of amateurs, and the other was all professionals. A third feedback session is planned and will bring in representatives from the affiliate organizations with the aim of getting input from all of the breeds and disciplines at the leadership level.

“Each breed and discipline has pain points,” Creel said. “There are some that are unique.

There are many that are universal. The goal has been conversation, discussion, so that we can all see as many different situations and views as possible. It’s a nice group of us; however, we’re a small group representative of a much larger body, so we do our best to bring in the opinions and suggestions [of the USEF membership] into every meeting. We really try to keep an open mind.

“We’ve had a lot of fantastic discussions over the past six months,” Creel added, “and I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of change we can work toward. My biggest hope is that it can be something that’s really going to help the future of the sport.”

After compiling input from US Equestrian members and discussing specific components of the amateur rule, the task force will submit its recommendations to USEF’s Board of Directors later this year. The work won’t be finished; the discussion will continue with the goal of making the criteria for amateur status fair and relevant. As the work continues, Creel encourages others to get involved.

“After years of participating in the sport aspect, to be talking about these things and thinking about the greater majority and trying to help everybody, it’s really rewarding,” she said. “I really want to encourage more young people to be involved at this level. I’m the number-one fan of social media as far as conversation and community. However, it only goes so far, and a lot of people—especially people my age—are so used to sharing their opinions online. Which is great! But if you really want to do something with that, you’ve got to put in the time and turn your intention into the organization.

“I think a lot of young people can offer a lot of great perspectives and help form the sport of the future. That’s the sport we’re all going into.”

Keep your eyes open for future news on the outcomes and recommendations from the Amateur Task Force. This group is making great strides on evolving the rule for today’s environment.

PHOTOS: ©ESI PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP), PICSOFYOU.COM (BOTTOM)

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LEARNING CENTER

I Feel Free

“Having the horses around, they give me something to thrive for,” says para dressage athlete Bea de Lavalette.

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Horses have always been a mainstay of Bea de Lavalette's life. Her devotion to horses, and their importance in her life, was never more clear than in 2016. De Lavalette, then 17, was caught up in a terrorist attack at the Zaventem International Airport in Brussels, Belgium, on March 22, 2016, which resulted in the loss of her lower legs, among numerous other injuries. In the months afterwards, de Lavalette endured several surgeries and a months-long stay in an intensive care unit.

"I knew what had happened, but I couldn't fully comprehend what my life was going to look like after that point," she remembered. "My biggest thing was, was I going to be able to get back on my horse? I was severely depressed. I didn't know what life was going to look like."

Five months later, while in a rehabilitation facility at the hospital, de Lavalette hit rock bottom. That's when her mother, Elizabeth, arranged to bring Bea's beloved mare, DeeDee, for a surprise visit to the hospital.

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and has improved my work substantially in a short period of time," de Lavalette wrote on her website, beaparathlete.org.

De Lavalette made her first appearance in Wellington, Fla., during the 2019 season with DeeDee, a P.R.E. (Pure Spanish Horse) mare whose registered name is Delegada X. DeeDee is now in semi-retirement and works with other para-equestrians.

With Duna, a Dutch Warmblood mare purchased in 2019, de Lavalette made her Adequan® U.S. Para Dressage Team debut at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 3 CPEDI3* in January 2020, where she posted scores in the 70s to place second in the FEI Grade II Freestyle and help win the team competition.

In 2021, de Lavalette qualified for the U.S. Para Dressage Paralympic Team with a new horse, Clarc, a Dutch Warmblood that she owns with her family and with whom she swept the 2021 Grade II division in the CPEDI3* at Adequan Global Dressage Festival 3.

"Every time I get picked to represent the United States, it's a big moment for me," de Lavalette told the United States Equestrian Team Foundation. "It just shows me that I put the work in to get picked--and it's not just a gift--it's something that you really have to work towards. Even if it's just representing the United States for one show, that's a really special moment for me."

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U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team member Bea de Lavalette on Clarc with trainer Shayna Simon at the FEI Para Dressage Freestyle Tests at the 2021 Tryon Summer Dressage CPEDI3* in Mill Spring, N.C.

Learn More About Para Dressage Check out US Equestrian’s other para dressage resources in the online Learning Center at usef.org/learn: Para-Equestrian Dressage with Paralympians Rebecca Hart and Annie Peavy Pathway to Para-Equestrian Dressage With Paralympian Rebecca Hart, trainer Muriel Forrest of Wheatland Farm, and 2020 Paralympic Coach of the Year Michel Assouline Para Dressage 101 with Roxanne Trunnell, Kate Shoemaker, Sydney Collier, Bea de Lavalette, Cynthia Screnci, and Michel Assouline United States Para-Equestrian Association uspea.org

PHOTO: LESLIE POTTER/US EQUESTRIAN

"That was what I needed to boost me back to life," Bea said.

"Horses helped me through the accident by being there and giving me hope, which is something that I lacked a lot of. Having hope is really hard to find, and having the horses around, they give me something to thrive for."

After returning to the saddle, de Lavalette teamed up with California-based dressage trainer and Grand Prix dressage rider Shayna Simon, who had not coached a para equestrian before.

That relationship has been fruitful and helped put de Lavalette on a path to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. "Though she never has worked with a para rider before, she is a quick study

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I AM US EQUESTRIAN

“My Brain Feels Better When I’m With Horses”

by Lexi Rohner

She is a triplet, born at 28 weeks. They were considered micro-preemies. As a premature infant, Genevieve’s underdeveloped nervous system led to a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, sensory integration disorder, as well as her right leg bones being in the wrong position. Later she was also diagnosed with amblyopia. One of her brothers, Cole, had a stroke at birth, also resulting in cerebral palsy and seven other diagnoses. They spent nearly three months in two different hospitals.

In 2011, Cole participated in a 12-week hippotherapy clinical trial with Ride On Therapeutic Horsemanship, a USEF/United States Para-Equestrian Association Para Dressage Center of Excellence. Hippotherapy was so impactful for Cole that I decided to have Genevieve ride as well. Riding wasn’t their first sport, though.

I have coached figure skating for 25 years and am a former competitor. I chose to put the triplets on the 38 FALL ISSUE 2021

ice at age two, being in a unique position to aid them with a therapeutic activity. As a skating coach, I knew the special look when a little one stepped on the ice— evident that skating was in their soul.

Seeing the way that Genevieve connected with the horses was the same. It hit my gut and my heart instantly. It was a privilege watching her fall in love, immediately owning it as though she had been wandering on earth, patiently waiting for us to realize this was her place.

When she was a small child, we painfully watched her struggle to digest any and all emotions and her surroundings. With horses, she went from daily screaming fits and physical difficulties to a child who would begin to consider being social. We had tried all manner of traditional therapy (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, even sensory-specific occupational

PHOTO: DEBORAH HICKEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Lexi Rohner’s daughter Genevieve has been transformed by horses.

Now she’s determined to make it to the Paralympics.

Congratulations Glenda Monkarsh on the purchase of Speechless

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I AM US EQUESTRIAN

at Ride On’s annual show, she entered seven events and was thrilled with any and all ribbons she received. I recognized that energy and questioned where this might go.

She rode every horse in the barn while I dreaded the day she would fall off for the first time. In any sport, there is a breaking line a participant might not cross. Those who do are often proven to be committed. Would she get back on? That first fall came at a Ride On camp when she was five. They assured me she had fallen, cried, and climbed right back on.

That solidified that this was no mere hobby.

Her excitement could not be contained.

Her connection with all the horses she rode provided calmness and a freedom of movement that fed her system in a way nothing else had. It was life-changing for our family dynamic. This little girl who had once said “friends are bad” began developing into an accomplished rider.

As Genevieve progressed, we sadly moved away from Ride On and coach Megan

PHOTO: DEBORAH HICKEY PHOTOGRAPHY

“Seeing the way that Genevieve connected with the horses hit my gut and my heart instantly,” her mother, Lexi Rohner, says.

therapy), with minor results. Then, one day, this beautiful little girl we couldn’t figure out how to help, sat on a horse. At 13, she is now articulate and focused.

My husband and I were both competitive athletes and are still active in our respective sports. While we encourage our children to finish what they begin, we have never pushed competition. We were thus surprised at Genevieve’s drive for riding. At age five, we were watching the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and she suddenly stated, “Mommy, I am going to the Olympics.” I told her she would have to spend more time on the ice, miss a few parties and play dates, etc., to which she stomped her foot and emphatically declared, “No, Mommy, HORSES.” In the past nine years, she progressed from hippotherapy to therapeutic riding to para dressage, discovering not only a love of horses, but a love of competing. I understood the possibility of competition but had not considered her level of attraction to it. In her first foray

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say we are grateful for the support offered thus far is a gross understatement.

Genevieve has never wavered from her goals, and I often ruminate about parents that push their children into a sport or activity. It’s work enough when your child is truly desirous. It seems beyond me to insist.

I have always upheld that I will not want this more than she does. My job is to open doors she is unable to and support her through them. With an overarching purpose of her own making, Genevieve is determined to become the youngest Paralympic equestrian in 2024.

Her assertion to me is always, “There’s no guarantee I’ll make the team or medal, but someone will, so why not try?”

In watching Genevieve develop into a proficient rider, passionate and intuitive with horses, we see her living her commitment and drive daily. In 2020, Genevieve was named to the USEF Para Emerging Athletes list with two horses and earned 69% at the 2020 Adequan® USEF Para Dressage National Championship at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C., on a catch ride she had spent three hours on prior to showing.

Currently the only competitive para rider in Utah, she is also usually the only child at shows. With sparse dressage in Utah and no high-level equestrian athletes, she is determined to make everyone proud and become the next one. Grateful for having horses in her life, she sums it up best with this: “My brain feels better when I’m with horses.”

To say my daughter’s life in the equestrian world has been a journey is not correct, as this implies that something has ended. In fact, the journey is just beginning to unfold.

This piece originally was published on May 29, 2021,

by The Plaid Horse at theplaidhorse.com.

Learn More United States Para-Equestrian Association uspea.org US Equestrian’s para-equestrian page usef.org/compete/disciplines/para-equestrian Genevieve Rohner on Instagram instagram.com/gr_paraequestrian/

PHOTO: DEBORAH HICKEY PHOTOGRAPHY

McQueeney, though we had clinic opportunities with her and others, including several with U.S. Para Dressage Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline, USEF’s Head of Para-Equestrian Coach Development and High-Performance Consultant.

Under the hot California sun in 2017, Genevieve dutifully performed whatever maneuvers Assouline requested of her, prompting his surprise when he assumed she was a small 14-year-old and discovered she was only nine. She was then allowed to be classified as a para-equestrian and began a more focused pursuit of her “In watching Genevieve develop into a goals. For the past four years, proficient rider, passionate and intuitive she has remained the youngest with horses, we see her living her U.S. classified para-equestrian. commitment and drive daily,” writes A year after we moved to mom Lexi Rohner.

Utah, Genevieve competed in California in her first recognized shows. She was the only para rider and two to five years younger than all her competitors. She trained on an older quarter horse in Utah and competed on a Prix St. Georges Morgan in California, qualifying for the California Junior Championships, California Dressage Society Regionals, and United States Dressage Federation Regionals at Training level. She placed fifth and sixth overall in each competition, earning a CDS Top 10 placement.

The following year, under coach Sydni Peterson, Genevieve progressed from Training to Second level, competing in her first FEI grade level para tests, and scoring a high of 69% on Chelsea Sharer’s generously donated 19-year-old Arabian/Saddlebred cross, Fame’s Rising Star. She quickly outgrew Star and moved on to Peterson’s Warmblood/Arabian mare Tamar Royal Arrival, showing at First level, test three.

Recently, we have been fortunate to find an incredible friend and mentor in fellow Grade IV para equestrian and FEI World Equestrian Games™ silver medalist (and now 2020 U.S. Para Dressage Paralympic Team member) Kate Shoemaker. Highly accomplished as well as being an equine veterinarian, Shoemaker lends to us her expertise and kindness in a way often not seen in competitive sports.

As Genevieve’s parent, I’ve learned that sticker shock is, of course, part of this equestrian world. The cost to allow her to follow her dreams prompted me to seek out appropriate sponsors where possible. To

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JUNIORS’ RING

RIDE ON, ROADSTER Roadster ponies and horses traditionally compete in driving classes, but they’re also fun for kids to show under saddle.

“I never felt pressured. I knew I was going in with my best friend,” Remi Adams said of her Hackney pony, Drum Beat, led to the ring at the World’s Championship Horse Show by trainer Chuck Herbert.

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It started when Tammy Adams of Evansville, Ind., was searching for a horse-related gift from Santa for her 12-year-old daughter, Remi. Cedarwood Farm’s owner and trainer Chuck Herbert, also of Evansville, stepped in to locate just the right-sized mount for tiny Remi: a Hackney roadster pony, but to be ridden under saddle rather than driven. The handsome Hackney pony, Drum Beat (and nicknamed Jake), was being used in a large stable’s lesson program before he landed under the Adams family’s Christmas tree.

“It’s an adrenaline rush—one of the most exciting and best feelings!” said Remi, now a teenager. Having ridden saddle seat before, Remi found she had new things to learn about showing a pony, and she had to learn quickly.

“You have to be ready and balanced and always prepared and thinking ahead.”

Tammy added, “Chuck taught her how to work the arena and do her job on the rail.

He said, ‘Have control. Don’t gallop around center ring.’”

Actually, the desired gaits are jog trot, road gait, and at speed – three distinct versions of the trot – but to be shown with manners, performance, speed, presence, quality, and conformation. Posting that trot can be a challenge aboard an animated, ears-piercing-the-air, and

very engaged Hackney pony. Danelle Howser, assistant trainer at Cedarwood, remembered, “Jake taught me so much about horse training; he was a different pony every day. Every time I thought I had him figured out, he’d show me I was wrong.”

The soon-to-be star was Howser’s first pony to work professionally and her first world’s champion.

Remi found that she could count on Jake, typically the smallest pony in the class, to teach her lots of things. “Once we clicked, we could go weeks without riding and still be ready to go to a show,” she said. “And Jake helped me become more sociable and make new friends with other girls outside of our own barn that showed road ponies. I learned that size doesn’t matter; it’s how hard you try. I found out I could do the same things others could by working a little harder at it.”

With a couple of show seasons behind them, Remi and Jake were ready for their biggest challenge: the 2016 World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Ky., where they claimed a blue ribbon on the fabled green shavings in Freedom Hall. “It was like a Cinderella story.

I never felt pressured. I knew I was going in with my best friend,” Remi recalled, smiling at the memory of friends, other horse trainers,

PHOTO: SARAH BENNETT/NATIONAL HORSEMAN

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JUNIORS’ RING

About Those Hackney Ponies …

Bebe Rexha, ridden by Alex Rudder, went from pulling a family’s buggy to winning a world’s championship under saddle.

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Sourcing winning prospects means effectively working a network of roadster horse breeders and enthusiasts, often from the Amish, who use roadsters for family transportation. “Alex had ridden a roadster at a camp, and she fell in love with it,” Bagdasarian said. “Bebe, at about 10 years old, had never been on the track but had pulled a buggy. When that mare got off the trailer at our farm, she was the slickest, fattest, most well-cared for horse that ever came in the barn. We drove her for awhile, then began riding her, and the Rudders bought her. It’s amazing … it’s the first roadster that Alex has had, and after just five or six riding sessions, Bebe was ready for finishing school as a roadster under saddle. I think that says a lot for the discipline and the way these horses are brought up and used.”

Today, Remi Adams’s former mount Jake has moved on to teach more kids how to post to a fast trot. Of her roadsterunder-saddle days, Remi mused, “I wish I could shrink my body and do it all over again. If I could wear silks and pigtails, I’d do it all the time!”

To learn more about roadster horses and ponies, visit roadster.show for more information.

What makes a good one?

“A little stout, averaging 52 inches tall.

Strong enough to push off of his hocks.

And he’s gotta be pretty, because he’s not wearing blinkers to cover his head [like a roadster to bike wears]. And, of course, a good attitude. Ponies are proud. They can sulk or get pouty if you go with anything uncomfortable for them. They can get a little chip on their shoulder if you try to force something on them. … They’re more charismatic than a horse.”

Are they harder to ride than a horse?

“Riding a pony is more like riding a cat.

The thing with ponies is that whatever they do, they do quicker. A horse does it in almost slow motion compared to a pony. Once we’ve broken a pony to ride and we know it’s safe under saddle, we don’t ride them much between the horse shows. We train and condition them by jogging to a bike or long-lining.”

What’s the training regimen like?

“Roadsters and five-gaited horses have to be the most athletic horses at a show, because their most physically demanding gaits are at the end of their performance. Their headsets and motion – that’s muscle memory, just like athletes. It’s a sculpting process. He has to be in shape, but a pony’s heart will carry him through a little fatigue.”

What’s the most suitable age for a show pony?

“Ponies live long and last long. We’ve had three ponies that were 20 or older when they won at the World’s Championship Horse Show. I have no problem with a teen-aged pony—take great care of them and they’ll give you several more years of enjoyment!”

PHOTO: SHOW HORSE MAGAZINE PHOTO BY RT HUDGINS

and all of her barn buddies wearing lime green “Jake from State Farm” attire to support her.

At Diamond View Farm in Versailles, Ky., owner/trainer Kristen Bagdasarian and trainer Shane Mullens have fielded a couple of notable roadsters under saddle – but not the pony variety. Their riders step a few hands higher when they mount; they’re typically riding horses that were harness racing before beginning their show careers. Think, oh, 16 hands or so.

And “we want a horse that can hold his own head up,” Bagdasarian said, pointing out that riders need to be able to focus on things other than setting the horse’s head. “You’ve got to be able to take a hold of these horses and balance them.

“We’re looking for a pretty horse that trots square and is smooth in the turns, one that uses his ears,” she revealed. “Lately, we’ve had World’s Champion Thunderbolt, ridden by Stevie Bagdasarian, and 2020 World’s Champion of Champions Roadster Under Saddle Bebe Rexha, ridden by Alex Rudder. Both of those riders,” Bagdasarian said, “are fearless, strong, and game. That’s important—you must be able to trust your horse going through the turns. If you’re scared and slow down, you’re asking for disaster.”

Rich Campbell, owner and trainer at Majestic Oaks Hackney Farm in Shelbyville, Ky., answers our questions about roadster ponies under saddle, a popular show-ring discipline for youngsters. Campbell’s career includes more than 300 wins at the Hackney industry’s signature show, the World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Ky.

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For those equestrians who love cowboy boots and the Western lifestyle but couldn’t wear a pull-on boot due to lower-limb injury, loss, or other challenges, there’s a new option in town, thanks to Ariat’s game-changing EZ Zip™ Entry System.

Informed by decades of research, expertise and biomechanical study, the EZ Zip Entry System was engineered to accommodate prostheses or affected lower extremities for those unable to wear a pull-on boot. The EZ Zip Entry System was inspired by stories from Ariat’s community about individuals who have had to give up their beloved cowboy boots and safety work boots due to movement complications. With the help of Ariat’s diverse customer wear-testers, EZ Zip boots went through numerous design iterations to ensure a snug and supportive fit.

And the style speaks for itself.

How It Works The EZ Zip System technology includes strategic horizontal slits that cut through the boot’s stability system in the heel to provide a new “entry system” that doesn’t require foot, ankle, or lower leg articulation to get inside the boot. The entry system features a full-length back zip, but unlike the zip common on English boots, in the EZ Zip system the zipper 48 FALL ISSUE 2021

Ariat’s EZ Zip Entry System adaptive boots, modeled here by para dressage rider Andie Sue Roth, are hardy enough to survive plenty of long days on the trail or in the barn.

closes from top to bottom. Just above the boot heel, there’s a flap with a snap, which helps maintain a snug fit and hold the boot’s shape.

The b o o ts, wh ic h a re sold in pairs, can be worn by those with or without a prosthesis, depending on an individual’s needs.

Ariat debuted the system earlier this year in an adaptive footwear line with the men’s Ryden Ultra and WorkHog XT boots and women’s PrimeTime boot. They were quickly taken up by equestrians and Western lifestyle fans alike who previously had no good alternative to the classic pullon boot.

“With a pull-on boot, there’s no lacing system, and there’s

PHOTO: BARBIE TILDEN ROTH

Cowboy boots went from impossible pull-on to easy-zip for those with lower-limb prostheses when Ariat debuted a breakthrough design.

Transportation Company of the USEF

no system to really open up to get your foot in,” explained Lars MacLeod, Ariat’s Director of Product Creation and Special Products. “The biggest thing is ankle articulation, how to point your toes and point your ankle to make that turn in a pull-on boot. Obviously there are options out there, whether it’s a tennis shoe, a lace-up shoe, or a lace-up boot that people can get on. But when I thought about this, there are so many people who grew up wearing cowboy boots or a pull-on boot or had the Western lifestyle—that was really part of who they are as a person.”

For those folks, the Ryden Ultra and PrimeTime cowboy boots and the WorkHog XT work boot are like a warm welcome home to Western style and functionality, with all of the comfort and durability that Ariat is famous for.

A Breakthrough Boot For cowboys, cowgirls, ranchers, and riders, the cowboy-style Ryden Ultra and PrimeTime are constructed on Ariat’s lightweight, hard-wearing Bantamweight™ outsole. “It’s a very comfortable, cushioning sole,” MacLeod said.

The WorkHog XT, designed for heavyduty work performance, features the oil- and slip-resisting Duratread™ outsole, Energy Max anti-fatigue insole, mesh lining, and a non-metallic carbon safety cap to protect the wearer’s toes against falling or heavy rolling objects.

All styles offer premium full-grain leather and Ariat’s famed stability and comfort technology, plus the traditional Western stylings that have helped make American cowboy style iconic and beloved around the world.

“With so many shapes, sizes and weights of prostheses, as well as the complex range of lower-leg complic a t io ns — i nc lud i ng nu mb ne s s o r stiffness—the EZ Zip Entry System presented a unique challenge, especially as we considered the implications of selling the boots as an identical pair,” MacLeod said. “Our team drew upon decades of experience and customer feedback to rethink every element of the pull-on boot.

Despite chopping the boot straight down the heel to create an entirely new entry system that would enable a prosthesis or affected foot to easily slide in and out of the pull-on boot, it was essential for EZ 50 FALL ISSUE 2021

The women’s PrimeTime boot worn here by Brianna Pafford (@pretty. stumped) combines traditional Western styling with the innovative EZ Zip Entry System.

The top-to-bottom zip and snap closure make Ariat’s innovative EZ Zip Entry System a positive game-changer for equestrians who can’t wear pull-on Western boots due to lower-limb injury, loss, or other challenges.

“You could just tell how people gravitated toward this product and felt, ‘Wow, this is going to get me back into a pull-on boot,’” said Lars MacLeod, Ariat’s Director of Product Creation and Special Products.

Zip boots to uphold the brand’s signature fit and durability with stability and cushioning for the other foot.”

As always, Ariat’s process involved real-world testing and feedback, from equestrians to line-dancers to lovers of Western style, MacLeod said.

“We had some people come to us, and as soon as I saw the idea and thought about what this could be for many people for many different reasons, I jumped on it,” he said. “I thought this could be a lifechanging project for so many people. So I really had a lot of passion to see if we could make it work.

“I get a little emotional to watch these stories,” he added.

“Growing up, I had a friend who lost her lower leg. She was an amazing athlete. I thought about her immediately. … We had so many wear-testers.

There were tears, there was laughter. You could just tell how people gravitated toward this product and felt, ‘Wow, this is going to get me back into a pull-on boot.’”

Jack Teague, Ariat’s VicePresident of Footwear Design and product Creation, agrees.

“We are honored to introduce our next great innovation in footwear, the EZ Zip Entry System, and are thankful for the amazing advisors we’ve worked with in podiatry and prosthetics, as well as the numerous wear-testers whose feedback and guidance was invaluable to the development of this product,” Teague said.

“We have been so touched by the many heartwarming stories shared by customers who believe the EZ Zip Entry System has the potential to change their lives.”

Check out the EZ Zip Entry System cowboy and work boots at ariat.com.

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HORSE HEALTH

Smart

DEWORMING

Using fecal egg counts to assess your horse’s parasite load can help you target your deworming and discourage parasite resistance.

For centuries, horsemen have battled the scourge of worms, and one has only to crack open a horsecare manual from previous centuries and read the bizarre measures they took—including blood-letting or administering mercury, turpentine, or tobacco—to sense their desperation to get rid of parasites.

So when modern deworming drugs, or anthelmintics, hit the livestock market in 1940, they were met with enthusiasm. Between 1940 and 1970, chemical compounds like phenothiazine, piperazine, and thiabendazole revolutionized managers’ ability to treat their horses’ common and potentially fatal intestinal parasites. But the relief that greeted phenothiazine’s introduction as a livestock dewormer in 1940 only lasted a couple of decades before troubling evidence emerged that worms were developing resistance to it—and so began a cycle of innovation and resistance that continues to this day.

These days, roundworms (ascarids), large strongyles (Strongylus vulgaris), and tapeworms are largely well controlled. But more worry centers around small strongyles, whose rapid life cycle helps them develop resistance relatively quickly, even as our range of dewormers to fight them remains limited.

“As the number of horses as stock animals has decreased over the last 50 years, the investment in 52 FALL ISSUE 2021

research and development of anti-parasitic medications has dropped dramatically,” explained Dr. Luke Fallon of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky. “That’s why we have to be very careful to maintain the efficacy of the anti-parasitic medications we currently have and decrease or minimize the resistance within the parasites in the herds.”

In today’s war against equine intestinal worms, your best weapon against parasite resistance is not to deworm more; overusing dewormers can contribute to resistance.

The current best practice is to target your deworming to horses that need it when they need it, and to monitor your horse’s or herd’s parasite load by lab-testing their manure for the presence and number of parasite eggs.

“With fecal egg counts, you’re assessing your herd and determining which horses in that population tend to carry a heavier parasite load than others who typically carry a low parasite load because their own immune system is kicking the parasites out,” Fallon said. “By doing more fecal egg counts, you can assess those horses that are chronically infected with parasites and therefore need to be dewormed more frequently, versus the majority of the adult population that doesn’t need to be dewormed as frequently and can be dewormed maybe just two or three times a year.”

PHOTO: SHELLEY PAULSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Equine parasites can be resistant to dewormers, explains Hagyard Equine Medical Institute’s Dr. Luke Fallon, who outlines a strategy that can discourage resistance while managing your horses’ health.

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HORSE HEALTH Targeted Deworming Conducting fecal egg counts instead of simply deworming every horse on the property on a set schedule—the rotational worming practice that was common until the 1990s and which helped bring large strongyles under control—should not add much expense. And in the long run it can help better protect horses.

“To run a fecal egg count is typically less than $20 here in central Kentucky,” Fallon said. “It gives you not only a quantitative assessment, but also a qualitative assessment, i.e., whether they have particular parasite eggs.”

Fallon suggests that horse owners and managers, in partnership with their veterinarians, use fecal egg counts to get a good picture of their horse population that can guide their deworming program going forward.

“If your farm has 100 head of resident horses, over a period of about six months with about three rounds of fecal egg counts, I can give you with fairly strong certainty which ones are chronically infected or are reinfected quickly after being dewormed,” Fallon said. “At that point, we can deworm those horses every 60 days, and I don’t need to run fecals any more on them; I’ve determined their patient profiles.

“If the rest of the horses in that field stay negative for fecal eggs between the first and second counts, then we know they can be dewormed in the spring and fall for tapeworm and small strongyles. We don’t really have to worry about ascarids (roundworms) in the adult horse, because it’s not very common for them to have ascarids. Typically, ascarids become less of a problem once a horse becomes 20-24 months of age.”

Fallon’s suggested regimen to set your herd’s baseline is simple:

STEP 1:

“With fecal egg counts, you’re assessing your herd and determining which horses in that population tend to carry a heavier parasite load than others who typically carry a low parasite load,” said Dr. Luke Fallon of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

You want to know a count, and you want to know what kinds of eggs are being found,” Fallon said. “We’re typically looking for five different types in a routine fecal egg count: small strongyles and large strongyles; ascarids and tapeworms, which can be missed on a fecal egg count because they’re intermittently shed; and also strongyloides (Strongyloides westeri, an intestinal threadworm). Your goal isn’t necessarily a zero small strongyles parasite count; you want a horse to be exposed so they develop immunity, but you just don’t want them to be overwhelmed with parasites.”

The fecal egg count will help your veterinarian identify your herd’s low, moderate, and high shedders. As a general reference, low shedders have an egg count of less than 200 eggs; moderate shedders have 200-500; and high shedders have more than 500.

“So if I test your horse that was wormed 90 days earlier and say you have a low count of small strongyles—say, a count of 150—I’d suggest sitting tight and then running another fecal egg count in 45-60 days to see where we are, rather than just deworming the horse,” Fallon said. “If it stays at 150 next time, keep sitting tight.

“We’re not trying to get it down to zero, even though we probably could. I’m trying to practice more judicious use of the medications and use the lab result to practice good medicine.”

STEP 2:

After the first count, deworm those “high shedder” horses who showed evidence of heavy parasite load.

“Those horses are likely being turned out into paddocks that are being used by other horses and where they are going to be picking up parasite eggs,” Fallon said.

“So after the first fecal egg count, we’d deworm those horses.”

54 FALL ISSUE 2021

PHOTO: SHELLEY PAULSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Begin by conducting fecal egg counts on all resident horses’ manure.

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HORSE HEALTH

STEP 3: Thirty days after deworming the high-shedder

horses, conduct another fecal egg count on them.

This will help you identify horses who are persistently high shedders and will be candidates for deworming every 60 days to keep their parasite loads under control.

a reinfector or a low-parasite load-carrier that only needs deworming twice a year.”

In the long run, this kind of strategic deworming can help reduce the chances of parasite resistance in your operation.

That’s important: consider a world without effective deworm-

STEP 4:

At 60 and 120 days after the initial whole-herd test, conduct new fecal egg counts for the entire herd, including both dewormed high shedders and unwormed horses.

Multiple rounds of tests will provide you with a picture not only of your high, moderate, and low shedders, but also of the specific parasites that are present in the group and how well your deworming protocol is controlling them. That information can help you target your deworming more effectively to tackle both the types of worms you’re seeing evidence of and the horses who more frequently carry a high parasite load.

“You’ll know you’ve got to keep a particular horse on a regular deworming schedule every 60 days or 90 days, even if the rest of the herd doesn’t need that,” Fallon said. “Use the fecal egg count to determine if that horse needs to be wormed. If you know your horse is one that doesn’t typically carry a parasite load, then I’d be comfortable advising you to save the money on the fecal egg count and just deworm in the spring and fall.”

An adult horse’s status as low, moderate, or high shedder is unlikely to change, so once you’ve established a baseline for a group of horses it should remain fairly stable, Fallon said.

“Generally, once you get beyond the juvenile period (past two years of age), horses typically will stay pretty true to form as far as how their parasite counts are maintained, unless they’re in a particularly stressful situation or have a debilitating health issue that compromises their immune system,” he explained. “Once they get beyond that juvenile period, they typically stick to that pattern, whether they’re

Symptoms of internal parasite infestation can include tail-rubbing, anemia, diarrhea, colic, weight loss, rough hair coat, and nasal discharge or cough.

ers to combat the internal parasites that can cause chronic weight loss and diarrhea, migrate into the lung and cause respiratory problems, damage or kill tissue, or cause colitis or blood clots leading to fatal colic.

“These are like antibiotics that get overused,” Fallon said.

“You will develop resistance within these parasites. The stakes are very high.”

American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Internal Parasite Control Guidelines aaep.org/documentinternal-parasite-control-guidelines Internal Parasites: Strategies for Effective Parasite Control aaep.org/issue/internal-parasites-strategies-effective-parasite-control Hagyard Equine Medical Institute hagyard.com

56 FALL ISSUE 2021

PHOTO: PAULA DA SILVA/ARND.NL

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TOKYO

U.S. Jumping Olympic Team Tokyo 2020 members (left to right) Laura Kraut, Jessica Springsteen, and McLain Ward joyously celebrate their team silver medal victory on the podium.

This is the photo caption text.

FALL ISSUE 2021

PHOTO: TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

Delayed for a year due to the pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games saw the United States Equestrian Team bring home two team silver medals and a lifetime’s worth of memories from a most unusual competition.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games took place under unprecedented circumstances.

After a year’s delay, the competition—including dressage, jumping, and eventing—took place largely without spectators and with strict COVID protocols. But this didn’t stop the United States’ equestrian athletes, grooms, and Team staff. They rose to the challenge, bringing home team silver medals for dressage and jumping, as well as a top-10 finish in eventing. The U.S. Dressage Team’s silver came with a special historic element: it was the first Olympic team silver medal in dressage since 1948. The opportunity was soon to present itself again for the U.S. Equestrian Team to fight for medals: as this issue headed to press, the U.S. Para Dressage Paralympic Team members were on their way to the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. US Equestrian will offer coverage of their experience in the all-digital winter issue of the magazine, which will post to usef.org/media/equestrian-magazine in November.

For more on the Tokyo 2020 Games, visit the Tokyo Hub at usef.org/events/olympicgames, where you can learn more about the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, watch replays of equestrian competition from NBC and NBCSN, see special USEF Network coverage, and check out US Equestrian’s social media coverage.

As the curtain prepares to fall on this unique Tokyo 2020 Games, it is clear that the most important things have not changed: our equestrian Olympians continue to inspire us, to strive for excellence, and to make memories for all of us.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 61

DRESSAGE

Above Right: Steffen Peters and his mount Suppenkasper, owned by Akiko Yamazaki and Four Winds Farm, went viral for their “dance moves” during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, drawing a new audience to their sport.

Below Right: Adrienne Lyle made a solid start for the U.S. Dressage Team in the FEI Grand Prix Special with Betsy Juliano LLC’s Salvino, setting the stage for the team silver medal.

62 FALL ISSUE 2021

PHOTOS: ARND BRONKHORST/ARND.NL, SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO, TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

Sabine Schut-Kery and Alice Womble’s Sanceo recorded their third personal best score of the week with their 84.300% in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle.

“This historic Olympic silver medal is a testament to all of the hard work everyone involved in this program has built upon over the last several years. I am thrilled with our team and the continued momentum we’ve seen year over year at this level.”

—U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald

Silver medalists Steffen Peters, Adrienne Lyle, and Sabine Schut-Kery talk about their success with (left) Al Roker and Craig Melvin of “The Today Show.”

Suppenkasper, groom Eddie Garcia, and rider Steffen Peters during the medal ceremony.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 63

Left to Right: Phillip Dutton and Z tackle the Lone Tree Moguls on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games’ crosscountry course.

Doug Payne and Vandiver gallop past the Olympic rings during the jumping phase of the eventing competition.

Eventing athlete Phillip Dutton, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games’ most seasoned competitor at 57, in the dressage ring with Z, owned by Evie Dutton, Ann Jones, Suzanne Lacy, Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt, and Thomas Tierney.

Below: The U.S. Eventing Team’s horses arrive at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics equestrian venue on July 20, led by (left) Alex Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell’s traveling reserve Mai Baum with Bridget London and

The U.S. Eventing Team poses at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics equestrian venue.

Boyd Martin and Christine, Thomas, and Tommie Turner’s Tsetserleg soar over the Mt. Fuji Drop during the cross-country phase of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics eventing competition.

This is the photo caption text.

64 FALL ISSUE 2021

PHOTOS: SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO, TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

(right) Debi Crowley, Doug Payne, and Jessica Payne’s Vandiver with Team Leader Jenni Autry.

EVENTING

“Everyone has fronted up for the U.S. team and done everything within their power to support our success. I have a great belief in the future of the U.S., as I know we are on the right track.”

—U.S. Eventing Team Chef d’Equipe Erik Duvander

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 65

Top to Bottom: Jessica Springsteen and Stone Hill Farm’s Don Juan van de Donkhoeve clear one of the jumping competition’s beautiful obstacles on their way to a U.S. team silver.

Groom Lee McKeever (left) and U.S. Jumping Team member Kent Farrington (right) congratulate McLain Ward and Beechwood Stables LLC’s Contagious as they exit the ring.

Kent Farrington on his and Robin Parsky’s Gazelle, 2020 USEF International Horse of the Year, during the individual qualifying round.

Opposite (Clockwise from Top): “It’s what you dream of,” U.S. Jumping Team Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland said of the team’s silver medal success. “We came up with a plan a long time ago and the emphasis was always going to be on the team competition.”

U.S. Jumping Team members (left to right) Jessica Springsteen, McLain Ward, and Laura Kraut were wreathed in glory after winning the team silver medal.

Laura Kraut plants a congratulatory kiss on St. Bride’s Farm’s Baloutinue’s nose.

This is the photo caption text.

66 FALL ISSUE 2021

PHOTOS: SHANNON BRINKMAN PHOTO, TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN

JUMPING

“It just became magical. It was sweet revenge for Sweden and it’s a great rivalry. They were amazing and we pushed them to the limit and that’s what has made us proud.”

—U.S. Jumping Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 67

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Background by Pieter Estersohn from his book, Kentucky: Historic Houses and Horse Farms. Summer 2014 issue.

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PHOTO: DOUG SHIFLET PHOTO BY RACHEL

This is the photo caption text.

70 ISSUE 2021 FALL, WINTER ISSUE 2017 70 FALL SPRING, SUMMER,

PHOTO: THESE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN THE GUTTER, BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS IN FEATURES TO CREATE LEGIBILITY

A top-class road horse like Karen Raque’s 2020 World’s Grand Champion Divide ’N Conquer (shown with trainer Jimmy Robertson) combines beauty, power, willingness, and quality gaits. As famed trainer Raymond Shively says, “Take that energy a roadster has and channel it in the right way, and you’ll have a safe, fast, and showy horse to enjoy.”

Today’s athletic road horses, or roadsters, thrill crowds in the show ring with their flashy speed. But they also have a long, illustrious history that winds through show rings, raceways, and the country lanes traveled by 19thcentury doctors and itinerant preachers.

BY KAYCE M. BELL

The muddy road deteriorated into a barely visible trail, the wintry night wind howling and the rain pouring in sideways sheets. The rural doctor pushed on, trusting his four-wheeled buggy to hold together and his road horse to get him to the ailing patient, whose family awaited the doctor’s arrival after nearly a full day’s travel. When he had tended to the patient—perhaps delivering a baby, setting a broken bone, or treating a contagious disease—the doctor wearily took the long reins from the buggy dashboard and gratefully praised the stamina and willingness of his horse to get them both home, again over the same rough terrain.

That scene may be fictional, but it's an entirely likely account of a road horse's critical role in helping doctors serve patients in early America. While road horses found favoritism in a society that relied on four-legged horsepower for transportation, today they are chosen for their ease of training, willingness to do what is requested of them, and stamina,

qualities that derive from generations of Americans asking the roadster to take them home.

From their early use as trusted steeds for country doctors and itinerant preachers, road horses now excel not just on the harness racing track, but in the show ring, where they excite crowds and thrill onlookers with their speed and agility. Hooked to two-wheel carts (called bikes), four-wheeled wagons, or even under English tack, roadsters are rising in popularity as the horse-version of NASCAR. A growing group of aficionados—including women, older youths, amateurs, and professional drivers—barrel down the show ring’s straightaways and slide around the turns, demonstrating various speeds of the trot: the animated and brilliant jog and road gait upon entering the ring in clockwise direction, then the jog, road gait, and speed gait after the class of entries reverses. While the jog and road gait are smart and showy, it’s the speed gait—the one for which the USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 71

announcer calls, “Drrrrrrriiiiiiiiiive on!” or even, “Go for the doctorrrrrrrrrr!”—that elicits the crowd’s verbal appreciation and the drivers’ biggest grins. Even at speed, a road horse must go in form, with straight and true action. The announcer often blows a whistle to slow things down, and the road horses dutifully trot to the line-up, ears pricked and leather lines relaxed.

“It’s electrifying to feel the lines when they call us to ‘go at speed.’ When you have a great lap, when the turn is fast and clean, and you come into the straightaway just stroking—that’s the best feeling. There really isn’t anything like it!” exclaimed Ali DeGray, of Tampa, Fla., of her experience in the bike with Kentucky State Fair World’s Champion of Champions Game Changer.

Although current show ring conditions are much superior to the miles of nearly impassable paths that roadsters were once expected to navigate at speed, it’s the road horses’ same trainability and stamina, pleasant attitude, attractive appearance, and suitability that keep them relevant to today’s equine enthusiasts.

The Long Road to the Show Ring Pointing to the years after the Civil War as the origins of the road horse, leading historian and roadster enthusiast Larry Jenkins of Suwanee, Ga., referred to the more than 1 million horses and mules that perished in service to both sides of the conflict that ended in 1865. Soon, wealthy Americans began filling their barns with road horses to be used for both transportation and sport.

“Some of the sportier trotters would be hooked and driven with great pride by men of families with surnames such as Vanderbilt, Bonner, and Stanford,” Jenkins said.

As automobiles took over transportation, harness racing and showing gained popularity, both on tracks and town roads. Many towns still have roads named Race Street, because that was the designated place for a planned or impromptu roadster contest. Standardbreds—horses that could trot or pace a mile in the standard of 2.5 minutes or less—were especially popular entries, tracing back to bloodlines gathered from Norfolk Roadster/Hackney, native North American trotting/pacing varieties, Thoroughbred, and Morgan horses. Able to trot at 30 miles per hour, Standardbreds

—driver Judy McNeish quickly became known for besting other horses’ top trotting speed of 10-12 miles per hour. “The earliest mention of a roadster winning a world’s championship was Glenbrook in 1902, in Louisville, Ky.,” Jenkins said as he pointed to official records of the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show, which takes place in Louisville.

The sporty and durable horses weren’t the exclusive domain of the wealthy, however. “In the 1950s, 1960s, you could go to most any little town, and there would be a big crowd to watch the roadster horses at a show,” Jenkins recalled of his younger years in the Atlanta, Ga., area; his father Carl Jenkins drove roadsters, too. Trainers such as R.C. “Doc” Flanery (whose Illinois farm was where the trotting legend Greyhound lived out his post-racing days), David Neil, and Lloyd Teater were known for refining the horses and the show conditions, circumstances that later resulted in the appearance of women drivers, amateur drivers, and even older teen-aged drivers and riders in the show ring. Teater campaigned the horse Bombsight, said to have won more than 250 classes at horse shows.

“Bombsight was the fastest in the ring on the straightaways,” said Raymond Shively, 85, of Danville, Ky., who was dubbed by horse show announcer Peter Doubleday as

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE HARNESS RACING MUSEUM & HALL OF FAME, GOSHEN, N.Y., HOWARD SCHATZBERG

“When I’m driving a roadster, I feel like I can fly.”

Once favored (and essential) for transportation, then revered as harness racing horses, road horses today are selected for their ease of training, willingness to do what is requested of them, and stamina—qualities that derive from generations of Americans asking the roadster to take them home.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 73

“It’s electrifying.

…There really isn’t anything like —driver Ali DeGray

Greyhound, foaled in 1932, is considered the greatest trotter of all time. This iconic gelding lived out his retirement at the Illinois farm owned by famed road horse and harness racing trainer R.C. “Doc” Flanery, shown here driving Greyhound at Hollywood Park.

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The Master of Faster, and who still trains and shows successfully today.

“But you could catch him in the turns. As soon as he came out of the turn, he was gone again.”

it!”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE HARNESS RACING MUSEUM & HALL OF FAME, GOSHEN, N.Y.

Pretty and Powerful Shively’s first go in the road bike was at the Tennessee State Fair, when he was 18 or 19 years old. He remembers a packed class of roadsters in the ring.

In the last few decades, Shively has “owned the roadster division,” according to Jenkins. Shively sped his way to the winner’s circle of the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show Roadster to Bike Championship an incredible 23 times since 1982, with horses that quickly found their way into the fondest memories of onlookers: NonStop, The Natural, When & Where, Power Ranger, Invincible Summer, Big Red, and the aptly named six-time winner Emerson (after Shively’s roadster friend Emerson Wallingford).

Shively shared his thoughts about the changes he’s seen in the roadster show world since the days of a rowdier set of drivers. “The horses are nicer, the show conditions are much improved, and the announcers do a great job of helping everyone stay safe. And, most importantly, the trainers are teaching safety first to their drivers,” he nodded approvingly. “It’s about the quality of the gaits and the quality of the horse—not just the speed—just like it’s written in the USEF Rulebook. People shouldn’t have to worry about safety when they go in the show ring.”

There’s an art to transforming a race horse to a show horse, and Shively is credited as holding an important paintbrush. “First thing a roadster horse has to be is pretty. He’s gotta be high-headed. And how he moves off of his back end—the way he puts his rear leg up under him—is so important,” he advised. “The Natural couldn’t step over a corncob when I got him, but, boy, could he work from behind.”

“Nat,” the horse that remains fabled in any roadster discussion, won the bike stake at Louisville’s World’s Championship Horse Show three times with Raymond at the lines, and twice more with amateur owner Shane Chancellor as driver. (The Natural continued to win under Kim Crumpler’s stable banner.)

The worst mistake one could make with a roadster is to work him too long, too hard, or too often in show tack, Shively opined. “It’s all in the attitude to make good show horses,” he said. “If you can get the roadster to walk and relax, then you can do a lot of things with him. I let them put their heads down and jog around the track, consistently.

Just stay on the rail. Take that energy a roadster has and channel it in the right way, and you’ll have a safe, fast, and showy horse to enjoy.”

New Traditions The Master of Faster’s record at setting new benchmarks supports his comments. Judy McNeish of Denver, Colo., who has driven under Shively’s tutelage for 37 years, was the first woman to win a World’s Champion of Champions title driving a four-wheeled wagon to a roadster in competition. “Raymond was concerned that it wouldn’t look ladylike, back then, for me to hang my foot outside of the wagon, like the men drivers do for balance around the turns. So I braced my feet as gracefully as I could inside the wagon,” she said. “We didn’t want to give anyone a reason to think women couldn’t compete just as capably as the men drivers in a wagon class,” she said with a smile.

It obviously worked: McNeish has brought home a whopping 27 roadster blue ribbons from the World’s Championship Horse Show, many of them catch-drives for other owners. Her beloved Invincible USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 75

and what makes you unique as an exhibitor.

It’s easy to identify a roadster exhibitor in the ring by the silks they’re wearing.”

No t al l ro ads ter exhibitors wear silks, however. The roadster-to-wagon classes typically find the drivers wearing business attire, including the obligatory hat. In the once-popular wagon appointments class, the driver parked the horse at the line-up and a helper displayed their appointments kit on the back of the wago n — a l a t c he d, wooden box containing tools and replacement items to get the rig back on the road in case of a breakdown.

“The horses had to be well-mannered enough to stand through that whole, lengthy, line-up process,” Parkinson pointed out, “just as they would if Roadster Ponies they were stranded on the roadside.” Judges were And it wasn’t just women responsible for proving all necessary items were who were looking to fly, either. present, and “proof” they did, particularly from As early as the 1940s, youngthe silver flask that contained bracing libations in sters were putting on the case the driver, or his passenger, needed a little racing silks and heading medicinal help. “I always put Jack Daniel’s in my Roadsters are renowned for their speed. But to for the in-gate—most often, flask,” Shively grinned. “Back when there were insiders, “it’s about the quality of the gaits and behind roadster ponies.

16 or 19 wagon horses in the line-up, that must’ve the quality of the horse—not just the speed,” says “Back then, Shetlands were been a popular time to be a judge!” longtime trainer Raymond Shively. used as often as anything And then there’s the discussion of preferred else for kids’ roadsters,” said show rings or tracks. Just ask any roadster exhibiParkinson. “Then the Hackney ponies arrived on the scene, and tor about their favorite: Illinois State Fairgrounds, Harrodsburg, that changed everything. The adults wanted to show them, too!” Ky., Lawrenceburg, Ky., or even the Red Mile? Opinions are Juvenile exhibitors are eligible to ride Hackney roadster divided as cleanly as the three variations of the trot should be, ponies in competition—which Parkinson likens to “riding a and the conversation will be as spirited as the ones to determine greased pig”—while the adults are relegated to driving them whether Doc Flanery’s Senator Crawford was better than Lloyd to bikes, but that doesn’t seem to be a deterrent. After show Teater’s Bombsight. ring officials, owners, and trainers figured out how to better This you can depend on, though: when the bugle sounds prepare a Hackney pony for under-saddle or bike classes, the for the gate to open for the roadster class, everyone in the audisport again became tamer, Parkinson reported. Hackney pony ence leans forward in their seats. You just can’t help it when roadster classes are now among the most populated at a horse the roadsters hit the ring. The excitement is about to begin! show, and younger exhibitors seem especially well-matched in their teams. There’s apparently something about those racing silks, fashioned in bright farm colors with contrasting trim, that brings out the most competitive edge in exhibitors of any age.

American Road Horse and Pony Association “Roadster show exhibitors adopted the silks from the harroadster.show ness racing track,” Jenkins said. “We wear jacket lengths to below the waist and soft caps as head gear [juvenile exhibitors American Hackney Horse Society are required to wear approved helmets]. When you get your hackneysociety.com This is the photo caption text. silks made, you’re making a big statement about tradition

Learn More About Roadsters

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PHOTOS: (TOP) HOWARD SCHATZBERG, (BOTTOM) JANE JACOBS

Summer won two world’s grand championships, three world’s champion of champions titles, and 10 world’s championships. “To our knowledge, Summer won the most victory passes at Louisville of any road horse, and he was 17 at his last win,” she said, adding, “When I’m driving a roadster, I feel like I can fly.”

Before McNeish burst through the gate, Audrey Pugh Gutridge was the woman who pierced the glass ceiling of the male-dominated sport, even driving the legendary Bombsight at a show or two in the early ’60s. “At Louisville, the guys were grumbling ‘Yeah, we’ll have to watch out for her [in the show ring],’” chuckled Shirley Simcox Parkinson of Decatur, Ill. At 92, Parkinson has watched “lots of experimentation and refinement occur” in the roadster ranks, such as wider road bikes, more patent leather and more brass fittings on the show harness, and even breeding expansion that includes American Saddlebreds, Dutch Harness Horses, or Morgan horses represented in the pedigrees (although most roadsters are full or half-Standardbred or full or half-Hackney pony).

It wasn’t until 1994, though, when a woman driver first won the roadster world’s grand championship—“the bike stake”: Marilyn Macfarlane, with Shining Brightly.

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 77

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HONORS FOR

STUDENT EQUESTRIANS US Equestrian’s Interscholastic Athlete Program lets young equestrians letter in the sport to which they devote so much time and effort.

Equestrians know they are athletes: working with horses takes dedication, discipline, and physical effort, just like any other sport. But horse sports often can be individual, and at schools that don’t have equestrian programs, equestrian athletes’ achievements can sometimes get overshadowed by the exploits of school teams in sports like soccer, basketball, or football. That’s where US Equestrian’s Interscholastic Athlete Program can help. You don’t have to be a record-setting quarterback, point guard, or track star to letter in junior-high or high-school sports anymore. The Interscholastic Athlete Program, which is open to students in grades five through 12, awards letters and more to US Equestrian members who have earned them through their equestrian activities. The program isn’t only about honoring riders, drivers, and vaulters as athletes; it’s also helping to raise school administrators’ awareness that equestrian sport is a serious athletic endeavor.

“For equestrian athletes, there are many challenges and benefits that sometimes go unrecognized,” US Equestrian President Tom O’Mara writes in an open letter that program participants can share with school administrators. “Like all athletes, equestrians must follow a personal training regime that ensures they are ‘fit to train and compete.’ While the training needs of equestrians differ from those of a marathon runner

or football athlete, they are most certainly athletes. Symmetry, balance, agility, flexibility, strength, endurance, motor ability, nutrition, and injury prevention are all physiological aspects an equestrian athlete must address.

“Equestrian athletes can spend all day, every day, training and competing in one form or another. On average, an equestrian athlete will spend at least 25 hours per week training at the barn.

The hours spent training are purely dedicated to time spent in the saddle in preparation for competitions. Similar to other Olympic-recognized sports, equestrian sport helps to develop our youth into productive members of society. Our athletes are building confidence and leadership skills and developing a drive for success, and to do so, they must have an unwavering dedication and commitment to the sport—all of which are key assets when entering the work force.”

Interscholastic Athlete Program participants and parents agree.

“Constantly working with horses—cleaning, riding, general care—is a lot of work, and so is showing, practicing and preparing, as well as actually riding in the shows,” said Will Jones, who is now a freshman studying mechanical engineering at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala. Jones participated in the Interscholastic Athlete program for five years as a student in McDonough, Ga. “Constantly doing something and learning to USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 81

get better has definitely helped me always want to improve in everything, not just riding.”

“I feel like his whole involvement in equestrian sport has given him greater perseverance in everything he does,” said Jennifer Jones, Will’s mother. “It’s also made him a better competitor. If he loses or doesn’t get a first-place ribbon, he never stresses about it. He just knows, ‘I need to work on this, and I need to work on that.’ He’s doesn’t let it get him down; he just knows what he’s going to work on. I think that’s prepared him for what he will face at Auburn.”

How It Works

82 82 FALL FALLISSUE 2021 2021

The Awards Students who successfully complete their first year in the Interscholastic Athlete Program receive an Interscholastic Athlete patch and pin. For every subsequent year completed, participants receive an Interscholastic Athlete pin and an award letter. Student equestrian athletes also can purchase additional programrelated merchandise—including hats, shirts, backpacks, and more— at shopusef. org/athlete-program.html.

Win-Win for Students and Schools For student equestrians, one big lesson from the Interscholastic Athlete program is much the same as the lesson inherent in horse sports more generally. As middleschool teacher Jennifer Jones—mother of program graduate Will Jones—puts it, “You’ve got to work to earn something. It’s not just going to be given to you.”

Will and his mom became interested in the Interscholastic Athlete program when he was a child.

“I’d already been riding for a while, and so I just wanted to join,” Will said of the program. Jones didn’t participate in any other sports at his school. “I was recognized by the teachers in a similar way to other athletes, but not by the other students, really, because they didn’t ride and they didn’t understand.”

Will, who initially rode Western before switching to compete in saddle seat at age

Clockwise from left: Young equestrian Will Jones, now a freshman at Auburn University, receives his scholarship from the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Georgia’s Judy Sanders.

Equestrian athletes are building confidence and leadership skills and developing a drive for success, and to do so, they must have an unwavering dedication and commitment to the sport.

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): JENNIFER BARR | BARR STUDIOS,

The Interscholastic Athlete Program is open to equestrian athletes from grades five through 12 who participate in any breed or discipline and who are fan or competing members of US Equestrian. The program, which runs from June 1 to May 31 of the following year, honors students whose documented participation in riding, driving, training, or competing horses meets the level the program requires.

There are two ways a student can complete the program requirements: • Time log: by recording a minimum of 100 hours of riding, driving, or training • Competition: by participating in at least three competitions (both USEF-licensed competitions and non-USEF-licensed competitions are acceptable) Students can document their hours and/or competitions in hard copy or online via an Interscholastic Athlete dashboard, and a student can apply their equestrian time retroactively to earlier years, provided they can provide evidence for their activities during that time. There is a participation fee of $20 per year.

For more details and answers to frequently asked questions, visit usef.org/ learning-center/youth-programs/lettering and scroll down to the downloadable FAQs and Requirements document.

TAYLOR PENCE/US EQUESTRIAN, TERRY YOUNG PHOTO, DON STINE

Will Jones, shown competing his American Saddlebred Red Wing’s Divine Waltz at the 2020 Alabama Charity Horse Show, participated in the Interscholastic Athlete Program for five years before graduating from Union Grove High School in McDonough, Ga. The Interscholastic Athlete Program is open to US Equestrian fan members and competing members in grades five through 12 who participate in any breed or discipline.

eight, was already a show ring veteran when he joined the Interscholastic Athlete program. Over the next five years he rode in country pleasure under-saddle and show pleasure classes before turning to country pleasure driving.

“First and foremost, I met a lot of great people: friends, mentors, role models,” Will said of his time as an Interscholastic Athlete. “I definitely gained patience, because obviously horses require the patience of Gandhi! But my work ethic definitely changed for the better, and overall I think I’ve become a better person.”

Having to log his equestrian activities and seeing his progress strengthened his work ethic and sense of accomplishment, too, Will said. And as he worked toward his goal of lettering in his sport, he also found that the Interscholastic Athlete program helped him embed more deeply in the equestrian community around him.

“Being around horses and good people, having good mentors and good friends, and surrounding myself with people that could help me was great,” he said. “And being around horses is such great medicine.

“I got my letter considerably earlier than most everyone in the school, except for the marching band kids, because they started earlier,” he added. “I got it in 10th grade, and I think most of our football players and soccer players got theirs junior year. So I was one of the

first people from among our athletes to have a jacket, and that felt pretty good. It help me gain a willingness to improve.

Once you see something you’re working toward or get a reward for all your work, it’s a great motivation. You realize that improvement takes patience, but you still have that motivation—it really teaches you lot.”

Will’s involvement in the equestrian community also paid off in another way: he earned a scholarship from the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Georgia to help fun this studies at Auburn.

Speaking as both a teacher and a mother, Jennifer says she thinks it also helped Will stand out a little more from other college applicants, too.

“I strongly believe that kids need to have something outside the box,” Jennifer explained. “Everybody applying to these big colleges has a 4.0. Will was accepted at the University of Georgia, too, and they had 40,000 applicants and 1,900 wait-listed, and they only pulled about 190 off the wait-list. I really think having equestrian—being part of the Interscholastic Athlete program and being part of equestrian sport—really helped him.”

Will’s lettering in equestrian sport also was beneficial to his high school, Union Grove High School, Will recalled.

“Our head of the athletic department at the school was very happy to have a different sport added to the school’s records and to have someone from our school letter in something different that not many other schools had,” he said. “He had a general understanding of equestrian sport but didn’t know the extent of it until I lettered.”

FIND OUT MORE ONLINE Interscholastic Athlete Program usef.org/learning-center/ youth-programs/lettering Letter from USEF President Tom O’Mara on Equestrian Athletes usef.org/forms-pubs/eYF_ OcJmeaQ/letter-frompresident-scholastic

USEQUESTRIAN.ORG 83

FOR THE RECORD

Penalties for Rule Violations OFFICIAL NOTICES Contributed by the Regulation Department unless otherwise indicated. The following official notices are only intended to give penalty information for a given case and not to disclose the factual basis for each violation or penalty. For matters heard by the Hearing Committee, a Hearing Panel decides each case based on the evidence presented at the hearing and takes into account many factors that may raise or lower a given penalty. For example, the Hearing Committee takes into account such things as whether the violation was intentional or unintentional, the nature of the violation, the credibility of witnesses, Penalty Guidelines, penalties in similar cases, past violations of Federation rules by a respondent, and many other mitigating factors.

US Equestrian members can access and search the United States Equestrian Federation Suspension List online at USequestrian.org. Hover over the Compete tab on the homepage. In the menu that appears, click Ineligibility List under Rules, Regulations, and Grievances.

JACQUELYN FINLAYSON, of Newberry, Fla., violated Chapter 7, GR702.1d, of this Federation, in that she was criminally charged in the state of Florida with a thirddegree felony of Fraud-Swindle: Obtain Property under 20K Dols (Florida Statute 817.034(4)(A) (3)) and a third-degree felony of Crimes Against Person: Exploitation Of Elderly Less Than 10K Dol (Florida Statute 825.103(3)(C).

It was reported to the authorities that for close to 11 months, Finlayson falsely represented the welfare and livelihood of a horse in her care and continued to accept remuneration for the horse although the horse had been euthanized. Such actions are in contravention of Federation rules in that they are improper, unethical, dishonest, and prejudicial to the best interest of the sport.

(3) from holding or exercising office in the Federation or in any Licensed Competition; and (4) from attending, observing, or participating in any event, forum, meeting, program, clinic, task force, or committee of the Federation, sponsored by or conducted by the Federation, or held in connection with the Federation and any of its activities.

In determining the proper penalty, the Federation took into consideration the fact that Finlayson paid full restitution plus interest to the victim, has taken responsibility for her actions, and has no prior violations of Federation rules. Accordingly, the Federation and Finlayson. with approval of the Federation Hearing Committee, agreed to the following Informal Resolution of this matter.

It was further directed that JACQUELYN FINLAYSON be fined $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

For this violation of Federation Rules, it was determined that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, JACQUELYN FINLAYSON shall be found not in good standing, suspended from membership. and forbidden from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition for two months, and is excluded from all competition grounds during Licensed Competitions for that period: (1) as an exhibitor, participant, or spectator; (2) from participating in all Federation affairs and activities; 84 FALL ISSUE 2021

The two-month suspension shall begin on August 1, 2021, and end on September 30, 2021, at midnight. Any horse or horses, completely or in part owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation, or stable of hers, or shown in her name or for her reputation (whether such interest was held at the time of the alleged violation or acquired thereafter), shall also be suspended pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1c, for the same time period.

In connection with the Desert Circuit II Horse Show held January 27-31, 2021, KEVIN LEMKE, of West Hollywood, Calif., violated Chapter 7, GR702.1d, of this Federation, in that on or about January 30, 2021, while competing in class 464 ($25,000 Open Classic 1.40m 2.a), he exhibited the horse GOOD LUCK (currently recorded with the Federation as WEDNESDAY) in contravention of Federation rules, specifically, Chapter 7, GR702.1d, in that he engaged in unsportsmanlike conduct using excessive force with a horse.

Following review of a video excerpt of the subject ride; interviews of officials, witnesses, and Lemke; as well as the fact that Lemke has no prior violations of Federation rules, the Federation,

with the approval of a Hearing Committee Panel, agreed to the following Informal Resolution of this matter.

For this violation of Federation Rules, it was determined that pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1b and GR703.1f, KEVIN LEMKE shall be found not in good standing, suspended from membership, and forbidden from the privilege of taking any part whatsoever in any Licensed Competition for four months, and is excluded from all competition grounds during Licensed Competitions for that period: (1) as an exhibitor, participant, or spectator; (2) from participating in all Federation affairs and activities; (3) from holding or exercising office in the Federation or in any Licensed Competition; and (4) from attending, observing, or participating in any event, forum, meeting, program, clinic, task force, or committee of the Federation, sponsored by or conducted by the Federation, or held in connection with the Federation and any of its activities.

Due to Lemke’s voluntary non-participation in Federation activities since the incident occurred, he shall be given credit for time served since February 8, 2021. As such, the four-month suspension shall commence on February 8, 2021, and terminate at midnight on June 8, 2021. Any horse or horses, completely or in part owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation, or stable of his, or shown in his name or for his reputation (whether such interest was held at the time of the alleged violation or acquired thereafter), shall also be suspended pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1c, for the same time period.

It was further directed that KEVIN LEMKE be fined $4,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

ANNA VANCURA of Wrightsville Beach, N.C., violated Chapter 4, GR410, of this Federation, in connection with the 38th Annual CBLM Championships and NCDCTA Harvest Moon Dressage held on October 23-25, 2020, in that she, as trainer, exhibited the horse DONNERTANZER after it had been administered and/ or contained in its body flunixin and phenylbutazone in a plasma concentration exceeding the maximum permitted level.

For these two violations and the lack of information provided, it was determined that ANNA VANCURA be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a, and fined $1,500 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j. It was further directed that for this violation of the rules, all trophies, prizes, ribbons, and monies, if any, won by DONNERTANZER at said competition must be redistributed pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1g.

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