Untacked fall 2014

Untacked The Chronicle of the Horse

VOL. 2, NO. 3

NYC’S

HORSE SHOW HISTORY THE CROOKS FAMILY

Saving The World, One Child At A Time

FALL FASHION PREVIEW A SUPPLEMENT TO THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE

FALL 2014

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s t n e t n Co

Untacked The C hronicle of the Horse

SPORTFOT PHOTO

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IRVING BROWNING/THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY/GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

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52 52 Urban Legends 68 Being The Change They Wish To See 80 Artful Dodgers 90 The Farm That Made Idaho Famous 96 The Lasting Legacies Of Alfred B. Maclay 106 Club Hipico Argentino 116 Seeing Sable Island ON THE COVER: Rollin McGrail Illustration

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SHAWN HAMILTON/CLIX PHOTOGR APHY

VOL. 2, NO. 3

The Winning Formula for Champions

Adrienne Lyle and Wizard placed first in the FEI Grand Prix CDI 5* Presented by Diamante Farms at the 2014 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival Adequan® IM (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan) is the only product approved by the FDA for the treatment of non-infectious degenerative and/or traumatic joint dysfunction and associated lameness in horses. To learn more, visit www.nogenericadequan.com There are no known contraindications to the use of intramuscular Adequan® i.m. brand Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan in horses. Studies have not been conducted to establish safety in breeding horses. WARNING: Do not use in horses intended for human consumption. Not for use in humans. Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children. Caution: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. Each 5 mL contains 500 mg Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan. Brief Summary Indications: For the intramuscular treatment of non-infectious degenerative and/or traumatic joint dysfunction and associated lameness of the carpal and hock joints in horses.

SEE PRODUCT PACKAGE INSERT FOR FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. Adequan® is a registered trademark of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ©LUITPOLD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., Animal Health Division, 2014 Shirley, NY 11967. Image of Adrienne Lyle and Wizard ©Susan J. Stickle is used with permission. AHD025, Iss. 5/2014

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN

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Departments 14

Publisher’s Letter

16

Contributors

22

Around The Arena

24

Editor’s Picks

26

Tech Review

30

Test Lab

36

The Clothes Horse

126 City Guide 132 Feed Room 136 Charity Spotlight 138 Best Of Web & Print 140 Parting Ways

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MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CAMP RUSK FOUNDATION

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Start Spreading The News

When it came time to lay out our editorial plan for Untacked’s Fall Issue many months ago, a look back on New York City’s equestrian history seemed like the perfect prequel to the Chronicle’s upcoming Central Park Horse Show, slated for Sept. 18-21.

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Events such as London’s Olympia Horse Show, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto and the Dublin Horse Show have set impressive examples of how to successfully combine high performance competitions with entertaining and educational acts. These events fill their start lists with the best riders in the world and their stands with local families, thrill-seekers and equestrians alike. For many, attendance becomes an annual tradition, and for some, it inspires a new hobby, a lifelong passion, or perhaps even a career.

A good horse show should position its competitors to be viewed as true athletes, representatives for their respective countries, and role models. Their careers and their horses should garner a following throughout the year leading up to the event, adding to the excitement when they enter the ring. And it should, first and foremost, be accessible. The more people we can invite into the sport, the better it will be for everyone.

As we look back on the history of our sports in this issue, we also look ahead with this objective for the future. The Central Park Horse Show’s highprofile venue alone will attract thousands, and with proper programming and an annual commitment, we hope horse sport can take a big step forward to build a broader, deeper and more passionate audience in the United States.

—Katherine Bellissimo, Publisher

MANCINI PHOTO

But as staff writer Jennifer Calder began her research for our cover story (p. 52), it became immediately evident that we’d need to narrow our focus, as an entire book could easily be written on the topic. Therefore we decided to focus on a specific slice of the city’s rich equestrian history: the days of top-level, international competition right in the center of Manhattan.

The National Horse Show called Madison Square Garden its permanent home for more than a century, and exhibition horse shows in Central Park played significant roles in its promotion over the years. But to date there has never been an actual licensed competition held in the city’s most famous open space. The Central Park Horse Show will be the beginning of that new tradition.

Central Park is an iconic jewel that’s known far and wide—no need to add “United States” or even “New York” to the identifier. Central Park evokes smiles, memories and dreams. There could be no better place to host the first primetime, live broadcast of equestrian competition in the United States. It’s long past time our athletes—both human and equine—enjoyed the same public following and promotion as those in many of our other major league U.S. sports.

In the 21st century, competitions and basic accessibility to horses is extremely limited for most Americans. Our vision for this four-day event, based at the Trump Rink in the heart of Central Park, is to create an opportunity for the general public to connect with not only the Olympic equestrian disciplines, but also the simple, wonderful grace and beauty of the horse itself. While the focus during evening sessions will be top-level competition between some of the best riders in the world, our matinees will focus on celebrating the connections between talented horses and their human partners.

CONTRIBUTORS

LIZ CALLAR PHOTO

SANDY SHARKEY PHOTO

In This Issue

Shawn Hamilton After beginning her career shooting horse shows, Shawn now focuses on documenting wild herds and unique riding vacations around the world.

Sable Island, the subject of her photographic essay in this issue, has been on her bucket list since she was a child growing up in Nova Scotia. Shawn now lives in Orono, Ontario, on a small farm with her husband Joe, four children, five horses, two cats and one Bernese Mountain dog. In the winter months she teaches skiing, and she’s currently working on presenting her photography in the fine art world.

Vicky Moon Writer and photographer Vicky Moon divides her time between her hometown of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and the village of Middleburg, Va. She has chronicled the lives of the rich, the notso-rich, the famous and the not-so-famous for more than 20 years. She is the author of several books, including A Sunday Horse, The Middleburg Mystique, The Private Passion of Jackie Kennedy Onassis: Portrait of a Rider and Equestrian Style: Home Design, Couture, and Collections from the Eclectic to the Elegant.

Tania Evans A freelance writer and editor for 40 years, Tania Evans is also a lifelong art lover and rider. She has evented through the advanced level, was a rated polo player at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic, has foxhunted in several countries and followed the hounds of the Waterloo Hunt, near her home in Ann Arbor, Mich., for years.

Tania also serves as a senior appraiser with the American Society of Equine Appraisers and enjoys biking, kayaking and golf in her spare time.

Rollin McGrail This issue’s cover artist, Rollin McGrail, hails from New York and attended art school in England before graduating from Parsons School of Design in Manhattan. Her trademark images are recognizable for both style and content, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Vogue and New York Magazine, among many others. She creates her one-of-a-kind illustrations in a whirlwind of a studio in her colorful Wellington, Fla., home.

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Copyright© 2014 by The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC. Reproduction of any material (including photographs and drawings) without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved. The Chronicle of the Horse® and the distinctive masthead that appear on the cover of the magazine are all registered trademarks of The Chronicle of the Horse, LLC and may not be used in any manner without prior written permission.

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THE CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE (ISSN 0009-5990) is published weekly except for January 6, February 3, March 3, March 24, April 28, June 2, June 30, July 21, September 8, October 6, December 8 and December 29 by The Chronicle of the Horse, Inc., 108 The Plains Road, Middleburg, Virginia. Periodicals postage paid at Middleburg, VA and additional mailing offices.

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experience dressage “time travel”

The C hronicle of the Horse

Untacked Volume 2 • Number 3 • Fall 2014

produced and published by The Chronicle of the Horse publisher

KATHERINE BELLISSIMO

president/executive editor

BETH RASIN, beth@chronofhorse.com

Editorial editor

KAT NETZLER, kat@chronofhorse.com managing editor

SARA LIESER , slieser@chronofhorse.com associate editor

MOLLY SORGE, molly@chronofhorse.com editorial staff

the new book from

anne gribbons

SHARON ROSE, sharon@chronofhorse.com MOLLIE BAILEY, mbailey@chronofhorse.com LISA SLADE, lisa@chronofhorse.com LINDSAY BERRETH, lindsay@chronofhorse.com JENNIFER CALDER, jbcalder@chronofhorse.com TAYLOR JOYCE, taylor@chronofhorse.com ALICE FELTS, alice@chronofhorse.com HALEY BURTON, haley@chronofhorse.com editorial production manager

AVAILABLE NOW Trafalgar Square Books HorseandRiderBooks.com 800.423.4525 384 pages • 20 illustrations $27.95 paperback

LAUREN MARUSKIN, lauren@chronofhorse.com editorial interns

KIMBERLY LOUSHIN, intern@chronofhorse.com ANN GLAVAN , webintern@chronofhorse.com

Design & Production art director

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Advertising

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A vastly entertaining read for anyone with an interest in dressage, its controversies, its most famous names, and its future in the United States.

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tidbits from across the industry

Aroundthe Arena r My Faves: David Ziegle Medaling at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships is a feat, but medaling in two different disciplines is a record. David Ziegler of Beiseker, Alberta, set that standard at the Adequan/ FEI NAJYRC in Lexington, Ky., this July, riding Peninsula Topman to young rider individual silver in dressage and Critical Decision to individual gold in eventing.

The 21-year-old currently resides in Unionville, Pa. and Reddick, Fla., where he’s a working student for four-star eventer Missy Ransehousen and trains in dressage with Missy’s mother Jessica.

Ziegler’s current dressage freestyle showcases songs from “The Sound of Music,” so it was easy for him to rattle off a few of his favorite things:

➜ Breeches: I’d have to say the Mark Todd Auckland breeches with the pleated front. I’ve been wearing them for the past three or four years now, and I love the fit. I think they’re a great value, because with as many horses as I ride in a day, if they rip, I’m not choked up like when it’s the $400 Pikeurs!

➜ Footwear: Vogel custom dressage boots that I’m absolutely in love with.

➜ Comfort food or drink: A good red wine.

➜ Guilty pleasure: Watching Mad Men on Netflix.

➜ App: Shazam. I’m a huge music junkie, so whenever I hear a song I like, I need to have it.

➜ Band: At the moment, The Airborne Toxic Event.

➜ Vacation destination: Banff National Park in Alberta.

I love going to the mountains and being in the woods, and it’s just a gorgeous park. ➜ City: New York City. I really like traveling up there. The food, the art—I think they have the best of everything.

➜ Place to shop: Gilt. It’s online, and they have anything

you need at a discount—higher-end things for cheaper prices.

➜ Non-horsey hobby: I go to concerts and kind of follow

different bands, but other than that, my life ends up revolving around the horses.

➜ Memory in the saddle: I’d have to say this

weekend, medaling in both [dressage and eventing at NAJYRC]!

➜ Competition venue: Campbell Valley

Horse Park in Langley, British Columbia. They have awesome trails to take the horses out on through all the forests.

➜ Type of horse: I definitely like hotter TAYLOR JOYCE PHOTO

horses. I just think I get along with them well.

I like to ride quietly, so it matches my style.

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Many a trainer occasionally wonders if there’s any Talula the marmoset monkey business going on back at the barn when was a hit at the they’re not around, but Sarah Scheiring doesn’t have Devon Horse Show on the arm of owner to. She knows it for a fact.

Sarah Scheiring.

Scheiring’s mischievous 8-month-old marmoset, Talula, is always stirring up trouble back at the Chester Riding Club in Chester, N.J. She picked up the petite primate in Florida during last winter’s circuit.

“Riley Newsome, one of the kids who rides with us, and a bunch of her friends got a wallaby, so it got us kind of on an exotic pet kick this year in Wellington,” Scheiring, 26, explained.

“We saw a picture of [Talula], and she was just so cute I had to have her.”

Talula has since wasted no time adjusting to barn life.

“I have one dog that loves her,” Scheiring said. “They play all the time, all day long, and she’s starting to ride around on enjoys it,” Scheiring said. “She’ll grab the hair on the back him. She jumps around as fast as she can, and the dog chases of my neck, and she’ll just hang on. She actually has great her with his nose, and then she’ll grab his whiskers and bop balance at the canter.” him on the nose and then run away, and he’ll chase her again.”

Talula attends shows as well, and Scheiring said she can Scheiring says Talula tries a similar move on the horses, but hardly walk 15 feet without a curious on-looker asking about they’re less appreciative of her playfulness. her monkey. Luckily Talula has a sitter who doesn’t mind the “She’ll grab at their noses, and then it scares them, and it extra attention. scares her a little,” Scheiring explained. “But she likes riding.”

“There’s a little boy who rides with us named Sam That’s right, riding. Talula the marmoset does not just sit on Ethelson, and he’s like her caretaker at every horse show,” the sidelines when her owner goes for a hack.

Scheiring said. “He’s a little 11-year-old boy, and all the little “She walk, trot, canters and jumps with me. She really girls stop him and talk to him about it. He’s milking that.”

—Ann Glavan

Get Thee To A Gallery

Equine art aficionados will want to mark their calendars for two impressive gallery exhibitions this fall.

The American Academy of Equine Art Open Juried Exhibition will begin on Sept. 13 and run through Oct. 25 at the Scott County Arts and Cultural Center in Georgetown, Ky. To learn more about the group, membership, shows and upcoming workshops, visit aaea.net, or head to the artists’ reception, which is open to the public, the

MOLLIE BAILEY PHOTO

Sarah Scheiring Has A Monkey On Her Back—Literally

evening of Sept. 12 from 6-8 p.m.

On Oct. 18, the New Jersey Equine Artists’ Association will kick off its NJEAA Art of the Horse national juried exhibit and sale. The show will take place at the Farmstead Arts Center in Basking Ridge, N.J., through Nov. 29. All are invited to the opening reception on Oct. 19 from 2-4 p.m. Contact NJEAA Director Sheila Barnes at xochitlb@comcast.net or (908) 284-9751 for more information.

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EDITOR’S PICKS

Ecogold Flip Half Pad A half pad that can transition from schooling or cross-country colors to show ring appropriate? It’s one of those concepts so simple that you think, “Why did it take so long for someone to come up with this?”

Alas, until Ecogold came out with its Flip Half Pad early this year, such a concept was missing from the horse world. But with this new invention, you can display your wild side when you want, and then you can just flip the pad to the other side if you’re entering a class or taking a lesson with a trainer who doesn’t appreciate bold colors.

This half pad is filled with high resilience foam, designed to reduce pressure points under your saddle. After my first ride in my horse’s jump saddle—which was leaving a few dry spots on her thanks to a little summer grass-induced weight gain—I noticed the distinct lack of those dry spots. This pad doesn’t feel as dense as Ecogold’s Memory Foam Triple Protection Half Pad (another favorite of mine), but it’s clearly doing its job.

My dressage saddle was more recently flocked for my mare, but the Flip Half Pad doesn’t disrupt the fit. Instead, it helps bring out that fancy, springy trot we all want. Clearly her back was happy in it.

The open center channel ensures there’s still airflow occurring, and the material is hypoallergenic for those sensitive types. The pad dries quickly even in humid weather, and it comes out of the washer looking like new.

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I tried the blue and white version, and though I worried that facing the white side down when I wanted to display the blue might end up making the white part dingy, that didn’t happen. I also worried the blue might show when the pad was flipped to the white side, but that wasn’t the case.

This pad really does take you from fun and colorful to professional in a quick flip. And though my horse doesn’t care how it looks, I definitely appreciate getting two pads for the price of one, since I’ve been known to purchase additional accessories based on the cool colors they come in alone.

Ecogold’s Flip Half Pad has slots on either side to add shims or inserts (not included), and you can wash the pad with its current inserts inside of it—no need to wrestle with foam every time you want to throw the pad in the machine.

It has no-slip material on both sides, a feature I always look for now that I’ve had to jump off and realign my saddle and pads far too many times.

The pads are sold on the Ecogold.ca website. They’re currently available in sapphire blue, emerald green, ruby red, silver and gold, with a choice of black or white for the opposite side. The pad retails for $249.

—Lisa Slade, Editorial Staff

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TECH REVIEW

The Land Rover Burghley App The event itself may come but once a year, but the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials mobile app is one of the few I refuse to cull from my iPhone even in the offseason. It ranks among just a handful of mobile platforms that I find actually more useful and dynamic than their parent websites. Whether you’re planning to attend this year’s CCI****—slated for Sept. 4-7 in Stamford, England—or not, this app is like an all-access pass to all the action.

Launched in 2011, the app has only improved in functionality and style

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since. Its creator, Weatherby’s Digital, is also responsible for the mobile designs of Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and Ascot and Doncaster Racecourses, so it has the equestrian set pegged to a T. For in-person spectators, it offers weather reports, detailed maps of the competition venues and trade fair booths, a surprisingly helpful FAQ section and a handy car-parking row reminder. For the celebrity-rider obsessed, there’s a massive treasure trove of information to be gleaned from the app’s rider bios, podcasts, Burghley.TV on-demand video service and Burghley YouTube channel, not to mention its robust newsfeed. And if you’re a world away and can’t walk the course, the app gives you multiple options for exploring the track, from an interactive overview map to sub-pages with photos and descriptions of each fence to video clips of course designer Capt. Mark Phillips explaining the theory behind each complicated question.

There’s a section for Ring 2, which encompasses other competitions like the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse classes and Pony Club Team Jumping. You can shop the official Burghley merchandise store, find TV coverage times, follow links to the event’s social media sites and, of course, stay in the thick of all the action with up-to-the-second results.

It’s hard to find a single fault with this app’s comprehensive scope and intuitive design, and it’s a super example of how

equestrian sport can be welcoming and accessible to the public at large.

I applaud the efforts of our U.S. events to create apps of their own in recent years, but Burghley’s—like the competition itself—is simply the gold standard. Horsemen everywhere, take note: I have seen the future, and it looks like this!

Available free for iPhone, iPad or Android, via the iTunes App Store or Google Play.

—Kat Netzler, Editor

tryon, north carolina

Where the mountains and the good life begin

vIRTuAL TOuR: tcmphotos.com/media/mls.php?nIdProperty=11932

clear view farm equestrian center

Impeccable Hunter-jumper facility: 2 barns totaling 16 stalls, 2 large riding rings with irrigation, 12 paddocks, and round pen. Spacious owner’s residence, second barn apt plus guest house. Miles of riding trails. Magnificent mountain views.

22+ acres. $1,999,000

times square farm

In Green Fields community —traditional 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath brick home. Open floor plan enjoys living room with fireplace, master suite with tray ceiling. 4-Stall Morton barn includes all amenities, and 3 pastures with 3-board fencing.

8.75 acres. $979,000

covered bridge at motlow creek farms

Mini-farm in the beautiful Motlow Creek Farms community. 3 BR, 4 BA home with amazing designer details. 4-Stall barn, lush pastures and immediate access to trail system and community riding arenas. Plus a guest house with separate entry.

7.97 acres. $799,000

lillie brown

town & country real estate

vIRTuAL TOuR: tcmphotos.com/media/mls.php?nIdProperty=12002

terra nova farm

In Motlow Creek Farms community, exceptional 4 bedroom, 4 full/2 half-bath estate—great room with 15' stone FP, Master suite with adobe FP, private sitting room. Custom 4-stall barn, 95'x200' irrigated ring with 66' wide mirrored wall.

13.85 acres. $1,200,000

field stone farm

Tom Hollis designed, contemporary home— floor-to-ceiling stacked stone FP, abundant windows, custom built-ins, expansive deck. 3-Stall barn with half bath, easy access to 5 paddocks, dressage arena. For guests, a charming 1830 log cabin.

22± acres. $900,000

hidden valley farm circa 1918

Historic farmhouse featuring pine floors, 10' ceilings, 3 large bedrooms, 2 baths and 4 fireplaces. 8-Stall barn plus foaling stall. Lighted riding ring, large pond, 5 pastures, 4 run-in sheds. Spacious, privately set, one bedroom guest log cabin.

20+ acres. $659,000

951 s. trade street tryon, nc 28782

tryonhorsefarms.com

In Tryon International Equestrian Center Country

wisteria cottage at derbyshire

upscale equestrian setting: 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home features meticulous custom details throughout plus high ceiling, exposed beams and mtn, lake and pastoral views. Derbyshire has a fully-loaded community barn and upscale trail systems.

1.76 acres. $650,000

mockingbird hill mini-horse farm

Stunning floor plan with cathedral ceiling, exposed beams & stone FP. This turn-key horse farm with all amenities has 3 14'x14' stalls on the lower level, 4 lush paddocks, 3-board fencing, riding ring, abuts FETA trail system. In prestigious neighborhood.

8+ acres. $495,000

bill collins road mini-farm

4 Bedroom, 3 bath brick ranch secludedly set to savor sweeping mountain views.

Open floor plan with lower level with own entrance. Hot tub leads to a saltwater pool. 3-Stall barn, 3-board fenced pastures plus 265'x96' carriage driving ring.

6+ acres. $449,900

864-978-9465

golden road treasure in stoneybrook

Fine craftsmanship and attention to detail are hallmarks of this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home—FP, luxurious master suite. There is an airy guest apt. Outdoor venues include 2 in-ground pools, 1 indoors. Set amid carefree gardens & discreetly fenced.

7+ acres. reduced to $499,000

turner road hill’s horse farm

3 Bedroom, 3 bath serenely set home—large living room with FP, cathedral ceiling with exposed beams, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen, master suite. 2-Stall barn with tack room. Pastures with run-in shed. Separate garage/workshop w/carport.

14 acres. $489,000

springfeld north horse farm

Privately set, gated entry, state-of-the-art Monitor barn. Five 12'x12' stall barn with every amenity. 3-Board fencing of lush pastures in equestrian neighborhood.

Camper hookup, septic and well are in place. Landscape architect site plan available.

24+ acres. $325,000

864-457-3130 pm

tryonhorsefarms.com

TEST LAB Sports Bra Showdown If you’re perpetually underwhelmed by your athletic undergarments, we hear you. So three support-challenged Chronicle staffers set out in search of the perfect sports bra for riders. >> TESTER #1

Size: 38C Needs: Since I compete at the preliminary level in eventing and have recently started dabbling in second level dressage with my hard-to-sit Thoroughbred, my main priority in a sports bra is firm support, especially for the sitting trot. I also tend to sweat a lot, so a comfortable, wicking fabric is essential.

Pet Peeve: The dreaded back fat. In my search for the perfect bra, many I’ve come across have cut in across my back, creating lumps. Whether you’re showing in a coat or just a white show shirt when jackets have been waived, this never creates a flattering picture.

>> Shock Absorber Active Multi Sports This U.K.-based company has taken its product development very seriously, commissioning pioneering research on breast health during exercise, and it claims its bras can reduce breast movement by up to 78 percent compared to a normal bra.

While I can’t scientifically calculate that it works that well for me, the Shock Absorber Active Shock Absorber Active Multi Sports Bra does check off a Multi Sports Bra few of my priorities.

Made from a moisture-wicking, breathable fabric, the bra kept me cool during my rides on the hot, humid summer days in Glamorise Virginia. The straps are a little thin, but they don’t cut into Double my shoulders because of the padding. The bra features a Layer racerback design, which I like, since straps slipping off my Custom shoulders are a big pet peeve.

Control What makes this different from most racerback models is that there are two hook enclosures on the back, which create more support across a bigger area. I also like the soft cups, which help out those of us in the C-and-up category; it creates a smooth illusion in the front without the uniboob effect.

But if you’re looking for a smoothing bra, this might not be it, as the two clasps create a keyhole opening, and the band cuts relatively low under your shoulder blades in the back, which could emphasize lumps and bumps under a tight-fitting shirt. But with the adjustable straps and a correct size, it should work for most body types.

The Bottom Line: This bra ranks high in the support category, but it’s really the best fit for women blessed with little back fat.

The Details: Retails for $69. Available in white, black and black with white trim, in cup sizes A-HH. Visit TitleNine.com or other online retailers to order.

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>> Enell Sport

“Well, this kind of looks like a corset,” I thought to myself as I pulled the Enell Sport bra out of its packaging.

With multiple hook and eye closures up the front, it definitely felt like I was donning a Victorian-era costume for the first time, but once I was securely strapped in, I didn’t move an inch!

Enell’s high-impact sports bra is Enell Sport made of a Lycra-Spandex blend that feels a bit less stretchy than other athletic fabrics, but I found it pretty impressive when it came to providing full support, and it’s moisture-wicking and cool as well.

This is definitely a no-holds-barred, full-coverage bra—almost more like a tank top than what we traditionally think of as an undergarment. It has extrawide non-stretch straps that aid in support by distributing weight and reducing shoulder fatigue, plus a motion-control neckline. This comes up a bit high on me, so I make sure to button up my polo shirts so it doesn’t peek out.

The back of the bra, which features a cross-strap design built in to provide back support, also provides maximum coverage and creates a completely smooth silhouette, so I think it would be a great choice under a show shirt or jacket.

The Bottom Line: When all else fails, this baby is your answer; she’s the ultimate last resort for larger-busted women. And, like Spanx, this shapewear may not be sexy on its own, but it sure does the trick in providing that perfect silhouette we all aim for.

The Details: Retails for $64. Available in black, pink, ecru and white. Find your corresponding size for C-cup and above at Enell.com. Equestrian retailers like SmartPak.com and EquestrianCollections.com carry Enell products as well.

>> Glamorise Double Layer Custom Control

There are professionals who spend their days in sitting trot on 10 different horses before heading off to CrossFit at night, and there are amateurs who work all day, jump one horse, muck a stall and then head home to play with the kids. The perfect fit for both?

The Glamorise Double Layer Custom Control, a bra designed to adjust for every varying level of activity the busy equestrienne faces in any given day.

This model features an “under-bra” and an innovative outer mesh layer that functions—for lack of a better word—as a hammock. This sling layer can be adjusted to different levels depending on your activity and your size (smaller sizes have three notches, and the largest sizes have five).

When rid-

ing, I use the highest notch, which sits on the front of the shoulder straps, and I experienced significantly less bounce than with my normal sports bras. Then I let the straps down to their lowest notch when it’s time for barn chores, which lets me move around in comfort without being lifted up quite so firmly.

The Glamorise is extremely flattering under my shirt because of the inner bra, which looks more like a normal bra with full cups, so there’s no risk of uniboob. The band is also wide enough so that it doesn’t cut into my back, and the straps don’t slip off my shoulders.

Fair warning: Just like adjusting your stirrups when mounted, adjusting this bra can be tricky. I found that I wasn’t quite nimble enough to change its level while on my horse because the notches are small, so I’d advise doing it while on the ground for safety and ease.

The Bottom Line: This bra has something for everyone, no matter your size or activity level.

The Details:Retails for $39.99-$52.

Available in white, black or gray and in band sizes 34-46 and cup sizes A-H. Visit Glamorise.com to order.

>> TESTER #2 Size: 34DD Needs: Aside from the obvious no-bounce challenge, I need a bra with some serious elasticity around the ribcage to prevent it from riding up and exposing “underboob.” I also have the human equivalent of shortcoupled conformation, with a short torso and a high waist, so I’m drawn to any bra with significantly adjustable straps.

Pet Peeve: Uniboob—not just from an aesthetic standpoint, but also from a comfort one. Well-endowed women know it’s all too easy for a sub-par bra to create what I like to call “the sweat funnel,” and life’s just too short to put up with that.

>> Moving Comfort

Luna

Moving Comfort bills this bra as a T-shirt silhouette model, and that’s a fair description. Its smooth, wireless design makes for a super-comfy, no-show experience, and its welldefined cups definitely prevent smush-bust.

I love the Luna’s breathable panel in the décolletage area, and it boasts impressive support for being what seems a bit more like an everyday bra than a sport model. I’m confident I could sit the trot all day in this puppy (if I could sit the trot all day, period).

Luna’s only drawback is a tricky fit. The band isn’t as stretchy as that of most sports bras, and mine gaps a bit over my sternum when I’m sitting up straight. And while I got the same size in the two different Moving Comfort models I tried, I found the fit on the Luna to be oddly different from the other, the Maia.

Luna’s band was almost too big, while its DDs were definitely too small, resulting in a cup-runnethover situation up top. Consider sizing up on cup size and down on band.

The Bottom Line: The Luna is a solid citizen, especially for Cs and below, that can take you directly from work to your workout.

If you live your life at warp speed, this bra can keep up.

The Details: Retails for $32$54. Available in black, white, latte, gem and stardust, in sizes 32B-38DD. Head to Moving Comfort.com to purchase.

Moving Comfort Luna

Shock Absorber Ultimate Run

>>Shock Absorber Ultimate Run

In looking at this bra for the first time, I immediately thought of it as “fancy” and “futuristic.” But really, what does it say about the state of women’s undergarmentry when we think of common-sense design elements as “bells and whistles?” Why did it take decades for someone to finally make a bra this practical?

Now I want to wear the Ultimate Run every time I work out. It has everything I look for—first and foremost a strong elastic band and accurately sized cups (no padding, just super-strong, lightweight and silky poly blend fabric). It does, however, have padded straps and a small gel panel under the hook-and-eye closure in the back—a little hidden luxury in a decidedly utilitarian design.

The racerback keyhole structure improves my posture, and the straps are fully adjustable. Best of all, unlike normal elastic straps that you adjust by sliding up and down, these stay put once you’ve set them, thanks to actual hooks to secure them on your chosen level. It’s like an elevator bit bra.

The only drawback some might find in the Ultimate Run is its top clasp. It isn’t something most of us are used to navigating blind and backwards, but it’s not rocket science; I was able to click it into place the first time with pretty minimal effort.

Honestly, it’s hard to find a single complaint about this bra or to imagine one better suited to my personal needs. This must be love.

The Bottom Line: If proper fit has always been your major challenge, look no further. With its huge range of sizes and fully adjustable features, there’s a Shock Absorber Ultimate Run for every shape of woman.

The Details: Retails for $79. Available in sizes 30A-38F, in black, white and a variety of bright combinations. Visit ShockAbsorberUSA.com or TitleNine.com to order, or try Amazon.com, where I found mine for half-price!

>> Moving Comfort Maia

Moving Comfort Maia

This bra is so close to perfection, but for this picky Goldilocks, it just doesn’t feel quite right. It has so many things going for it: sumptuously padded straps, an inner/outer layer design similar to the Glamorise Custom Control, a wide and comfortable band, and—gods be praised— pain-free underwires! No more uniboob; no more sweat funnel!

Yet there’s a reason the Maia isn’t my first pick out of the basket after laundry day. I always find myself saying, “I just wish…” about multiple aspects of its design.

Its inner layer is just a little too padded, while its outer layer is just a little too stretchy, like a swimsuit. Its straps are just a little too long, because the adjustable section on them is just a little too short—only an inch or two. And it allows just a touch too much bounce for my taste.

The Bottom Line: This is the perfect bra for somebody. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t me. For lower-impact sports or longer-torsoed women, I think this model is a serious winner.

The Details: Retails for $33-$56. Available in black, white, gem, powerpink, velvet, stardust and mocha, in sizes 32C-44DD. Visit MovingComfort.com to purchase.

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TEST LAB

>> TESTER #3

Size: 36C Needs: As a reasonably well-endowed rider and recent convert to long(er) distance running, total bounce control is my highest priority. When I’m going out on the town, I’m happy to show off the girls, but if I’m wearing a riding coat or running tee, I want as little movement as possible in the chest area. I only draw the line when my bra makes it hard to breathe.

Pet Peeve: Bras that chafe or cause back pain. Because my extra-curricular outdoor activities take up most of my free time, I often end up wearing my sports bra for hours at a time or even all day. I’ve learned the hard way that wearing the wrong sports bra for too long can lead to painful results.

>> Moving Comfort Fiona

The Fiona is Moving Comfort’s No. 1 selling bra, and I understand why. It covers all my bases: serious control, adjustability and long-lasting comfort.

While this is absolutely a heavyduty bra, it’s lightweight, simple and goes on like normal lingerie. You just reach behind your back to close the three sets of hook-and-eye clasps, no Ph.D. in bra fastening required—although I admit it requires a bit more muscle than my normal daywear.

The wide, solid straps have Velcro tabs so you can adjust the height of the cups. At first I wondered if these might lose their “stick” over time, but I’ve run a half-marathon in this bra and ridden countless crosscountry courses and never had a strap threaten to slip or slide.

Fiona’s molded cups provide a bit of a shape; while I don’t object to smushed breasts in the name of bounce control, it’s not ideal. An interior front yoke helps prevent the dreaded and painful vertical breast movement. It’s made of DriLayer polyester and spandex, which minimizes sweating and makes it easy to care for.

The band is about an inch wide and made of ribbed material. If I have any complaints about this bra, it’s that on long runs, and I mean 10 miles plus, it does start to chafe a bit

Sporteze Minimal Bounce Zip-Front around my rib cage. This has never been an issue for me while riding or during any other activity.

The Bottom Line: I bought one in every color. If you want serious support and adjustability in a simple, lightweight bra, the Fiona is my top pick.

The Details: Retails from $28-$46.

Available in black, white and every color of the rainbow and in band sizes from 30 to 44 and cup sizes B-DD. Order online at MovingComfort.com or at a variety of other online retailers.

>> Sporteze Minimal

Bounce Zip-Front

I’m partial to bras that are easy on and off. It’s just not very pleasant to fumble behind your back and get a cramp in your shoulder as you contort your body in order to button down your bust. I’m also no fan of struggling to get that sweaty racerback off on a hot day.

So I was immediately drawn to Sporteze’s simple zip-front bra. If show shirts and tall boots come in zippered models for easy, efficient wardrobe changes, why not bras?

I also appreciated that it’s machine washable and dryable and comes in small-2X sizing. When ordering online these days— and let’s be honest, who isn’t ordering online?—it can be hard to know how a particular brand will fit.

These run a bit small, so if you’re between sizes order one size up, but there’s enough give in the material that you won’t have to buy three different sizes in order to be sure one will be the

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perfect fit.

This bra was “inspired by the sitting trot,” and when it comes to bounce-free support, you won’t be disappointed. The girls stay in place, as does the bra, leaving you free to focus on more important things, like riding your horse. This model of Sporteze is also cut long in front to provide extra protection against rolling, and extra wide straps prevent shoulder pain.

If the Sporteze Minimal Bounce Zip-Front bra has a weakness, it’s the look of the thing. This is decidedly sports wear, not lingerie. Yes, if you’re larger chested, then you’ll be displaying uniboob in the Sporteze.

It doesn’t separate and shape your breasts; it firmly keeps them in place.

You might even get a little sweat trickle down the front on a hot day, although it does feature a quick-dry material to help wick perspiration away from your body.

For me, sports bras don’t need to be sexy. They need to do their job, and this bra left me locked down and ready for action.

The Bottom Line: This is a comfortable, supportive workhorse of a sports bra that gets the job done.

The Details: Retails for $43.99.

Available in sizes S-2X (roughly suited to 32A-40DD), in colors black, white or natural. Email info@ sporteze.com to find your closest equestrian retailer.

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Less than an hour from Washington, D.C. and 35 minutes from Dulles International Airport

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THE CLOTHES HORSE

Fashion For Fall And Beyond These selections from the fall and winter fashion lines will get you ready—and perhaps even willing—to embrace the colder months ahead.

By K AT N E T Z LER

<< Le Fash

City Breech

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<<

You may already be a fan of the City Breech line from this New Yorkbased brand, but the new colors on offer for this season—a range of sumptuous jewel tones—will likely send you rushing to snag a few more pairs (FYI, they’re available for pre-order starting Sept. 1). They’ll now come in NYPD Blue (navy), The Bowery (plum), Central Park (emerald green, pictured) and NoHo (mocha brown). Available in sizes 22-34, regular and long. Retails for $318 without pocket rivets; $328 with rivets.

LeFashNY.com.

<< Noble Outfitters Legacy Coat and Balance Riding Tight

This waterproof and windresistant soft shell stretch jacket has princess seams for feminine fit and a back bi-swing vent for added mobility. Available in sizes XS-XL, colors wine (pictured) and black; $219.99. The Balance Riding Tight is perfect for long autumnal hacks, with a stash pocket on the front thigh for your phone or camera and a hidden pocket inside the waist in the back as well. Available in sizes XS-XL, in colors black and Elmwood (pictured), starting in September; $99.99. Noble Outfitters.com.

Save the Date 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival January 7 - March 29, 2015

Main Grounds at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center 3400 Equestrian Club Drive, Wellington, FL 33414 | www.equestriansport.com | 561.793.JUMP (5867)

THE CLOTHES HORSE

Asmar Paragon Quilted Jacket, Winter Tech Hoodie and Town Coat >>

<<

<<

With clean lines, interesting textures and clever features, Asmar has one of the most adaptable fall collections for stable-to-streetwear. The Paragon Quilted Jacket comes in sizes XS-XL, colors black (up to XXL), sand and plum (pictured); $228. Made with the same wind- and waterproof Dintex shell as Asmarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-selling jackets, the Winter Tech Hoodie is available in sizes XS-XL, in charcoal mix and light grey mix (pictured); $280. The Town Coat, an elegant adaptation of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature model, comes in sizes XS-XXL, in grey tweed (pictured) and black; $350. AsmarEquestrian. com.

Sinead Halpin & Manoir De Carneville “Tate”, Rolex Kentucky 2014

Celebrating the

Strength and Beauty of equestrians since 1996

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Romfh_Sinead_COH_ad_untacked.indd 1

14-07-01 1:54 PM

THE CLOTHES HORSE << Essex Performance Show Shirts

The new models from Essex Classics incorporate wicking Coolmax fabric to keep you comfy throughout even the most severe temperature swings in the changing seasons. They’re available in a wide variety of designs, including a slimming, stretchy princess-seam cut, and the cuffs come in tons of fun colors and patterns, from plaids to paisleys to eye-catching waves.

Available for ladies, men and girls, with wrap collar, choker collar or traditional men’s collar. (Pictured, from left: ladies’ Fullerton wrap collar and ladies’ La Vista wrap collar.) Be sure to check EssexClassics.com for all the options and to find your local retailer.

GhoDho Jenna Breech >>

Since launching its online store in July of this year, this company has jumped to the head of the class when it comes to high-fashion breeches. “I have always wanted to find breeches I can wear in and out of the stables,” explained Isheeta Dabawala, founder of GhoDho (the Hindi word for horse).

She’s added eye-catching seam and knee patch details to durable, machinewashable breeches, and while they’re not for everyone, they are most definitely on-trend for this fall. Available in sizes 24-32. The Jenna Breech comes only in military, but other colors like navy, pewter, shroom and beige are available in similar styles; $125.

GhoDho.com.

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THE CLOTHES HORSE TuffRider Ladies Regal Field Boot >>

These may look like high-dollar custom models, but look a little closer—at the price tag, specifically—and you’ll see they’re a surprising steal. With ultrasoft leather, extra-grippy calves, Spanish tops, a back zipper and a traditional square toe, these boots are the perfect balance of comfort and style, tradition and modernity.

Looking for something more formal? No problem; they come in a dress boot model as well.

Available in women’s sizes 6-11, including all half sizes, and in calf widths wide, regular, slim or extra slim. Retails for $289.00. Available at Breeches.com, DoverSaddlery. com and other online retailers.

<< Cavallo Carbon Tall Boot

If you’re looking for new boots with a techy look and feel, quality craftsmanship and a price under $1,000, Cavallo’s Carbon line is the answer to all your prayers.

These German-made boots have carbon-coated leather uppers that are water repellent, abrasion-resistent and easy to clean. Plus there’s a high-tech pressure distribution system in the footbed to give you comfortable support when you’re off your horse. Available in European sizes 37-42, with five different calf widths and eight different heights. Check them out at DoverSaddlery.com or EquusTack.com. Starting at $845.95. Also available in a paddock boot model.

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THE CLOTHES HORSE

Mountain Horse Wyndham 3-in-1 Coat, Polar Breech and Baily Handwarmers >>

Mountain Horse has always been a favorite for functional apparel, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find some fashion as well in its fall and winter line-up. Take the new Wyndham 3-in-1 Coat: Its tough outer shell is a no-frills waterproof layer ready to tackle any task, while its handsome quilted Thinsulate liner can zip in or go out on the town on its own. Available in sizes S-XL, only in black; $299.

The fully windproof and waterproof Polar Breech comes in unisex sizes XSXL, only in black; $159.

Keep your hands warm but your fingers free with a set of one-size-fits-all Baily Handwarmers, available in black or sunrise pink; $15.

MountainHorseUSA.com.

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Feel the Difference

<< FITS Shannon Weatherproof Shell and Katelyn Sweater Jacket >> Render weather woes a thing of the past with FITS’ newest waterproof and breathable jacket. Its dirt-repellent Dintex membrane keeps you dry from the outside while its mesh interior and stretchable, vented armpits do the same from within. Available in sizes S-XL, colors autumn houndstooth and black plaid (pictured); $240. And if you need a little something extra to keep you warm on the coldest of days, consider the Katelyn Sweater Jacket, touted as “the design jewel of the FITS layering system.” Made of beautiful Italian wool blend with plaid accents, contrast piping and a polar fleece lining, the Katelyn comes in sizes S-XL and colors dapple bay with Tuscan red (pictured) and black with sable; $160. FITSRiding.com.

kasteldenmark.com C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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THE CLOTHES HORSE

<<

<<

<< Ariat Kyre Shirt, Terrace Vest and Ultimo Sweater

Ariat is the brand that always has something for everyone. The western-inspired Kyre Shirt (XS-XL, $49.95) paints a flattering picture on its own, but it also works perfectly as an under-layer for the classy merino wool blend Ultimo Sweater with faux suede elbow patches (XS-XL, $69.95). For the Anglophiles, the stain-repellent Terrace Vest boasts a vintage-inspired hound print lining.

Available in XS-XL; $89.95. Ariatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fall collection will be released in late October at Ariat.com.

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<< Kastel Denmark Charlotte Studio Krystal Crown Shirt

When Danish dressage rider Charlotte Jorst set out to make a line of riding apparel, she wanted it to reflect both her fun-loving personality and the harmful UV rays she rode under everyday at home in Reno, Nev. Her company, Kastel Denmark, now manufactures comfortable, protective tops for men, women and children in a rainbow of colors, but the Charlotte Studio Krystal Crown model is their top seller.

Whether you’re lucky enough to winter in a sunny climate or just need a practical wicking layer for steamy work in the indoor, this is the kind of shirt you’ll want to collect in multiples.

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THE CLOTHES HORSE

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<< Irideon Devonshire Carriage Coat, Himalayer Reversible Crew and Aquus Waterproof Breech

The new waterproof Devonshire coat can be adapted for any purpose by adjusting the back belt, which converts it from a roomy A-line style to a more tailored, pleated fit. The rear vent unsnaps for riding, and the adjustable, removable hood is attached via a downward-facing zipper channel so water runs off—not into—the neck seam. Available in sizes S-XL, colors black and espresso (pictured); $149.95. The stretchy and reversible Himalayer fleece top comes in sizes S-XL and colors aquamarine, emerald and pink topaz (pictured); $64.95.

Irideon’s fleece-lined Aquus waterproof breeches are perfect for rainy rides and messy barn chores. Available in sizes S-XL, only in black; $139.95. IrideonRidingWear.com.

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BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN PROTECTIVE HEADWEAR MANUFACTURERS WREXHAM

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www.charlesowen.com C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M FA LL 2014

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THE CLOTHES HORSE

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<< Horseware Elsa Winter Competition

Shirt, Nicole Cowl Neck and Kids’ Quilted Winter Coat

From cozy streetwear to kids’ apparel to competition gear, Horseware Ireland is a one-stop shop for the coming seasons. The limited edition Elsa Winter Competition Shirt from the Platinum Collection (only in white with black accents) comes in XS-XXL; $109. The new Nicole Cowl Neck sweatshirt comes in cherry or safari print (pictured), to match many other items in the brand’s Polo Collection. Available in sizes XS-XL; $85. And the Kids’ Quilted Coat, with its adorable horseshoe-floral print (and matching backpack available!), will be the envy of all your daughter’s classmates and barn buddies. Sizes 3-12 years; $95. Horseware.com.

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PHELPS IMAGES/COLLECTION POUDRET PHOTO

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Manhattan has never been the most natural setting for a hack or a handy hunter class, but this bustling New York City borough still boasts a unique and rich horse show history.

By JENNIFER B. CALDER

PHOTO COURTESY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

URBAN LEGENDS

The 131-year-old National Horse Show was synonymous with Madison Square Garden, in the heart of New York City, for more than a century. This image from the 1910 edition of the prestigious competition was taken at the second Garden, but all four iterations of the iconic Manhattan venue hosted the show at one time.

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he uninitiated clustered four and five deep along wooden sawhorses lining the makeshift show ring. They stood on tiptoes, children on shoulders, to catch a glimpse of the illustrious riders and famous horses soaring over jumps. The skyline of Manhattan stood in crisp contrast to Central Park’s Sheep Meadow, where the last brightly colored autumn leaves clung to the trees.

Bill Steinkraus, the five-time Olympian and the 1968 individual gold medalist in show jumping, had been recruited to provide commentary. He stood smiling, microphone in hand, with “The Voice of the National,” renowned announcer and trainer Victor Hugo-Vidal.

Then-captain of the U.S. Equestrian Team Frank Chapot piloted the dappled gray Good News Joe around the course as his wife, Mary, and their young daughters, Laura and Wendy, laughed and watched. Nearby Rodney Jenkins warmed up Shazzar, the mount he borrowed from Mary for the occasion, while 19-year-old Buddy

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Brown, the youngest member of the U.S. Equestrian Team, awaited his turn atop the famous Sandsablaze.

Ted Cushny, the last National Horse Show president (after his tenure the show would be run by the show committee chairman), wandered about, delighted by the large crowd.

Held for two years (1973 and 1974), the Central Park Mini-Show was the inspiration of public relations maverick Barbara Stone Halpern to promote the venerable, then-90-year-old National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden.

Moving from the dark, cavernous Garden and into the vivid outdoors, the public demonstration highlighted some of the most accomplished riders in the world and marked, surprisingly, the first ever horse show of its kind held in Central Park. It was repeated one time in 1981 on the Great Lawn (also as a preview for the NHS), but in the three decades since, Central Park never again welcomed the top horsemen in the country, nor has it ever hosted a standalone, high performance event.

Until now.

Left and center: The Central Park Mini-Shows, designed to promote the 1973 and ’74 National Horse Shows at Madison Square Garden, brought equestrian sport to the masses.

Right: Legendary horsemen Victor Hugo-Vidal (left) and William D. Steinkraus donned their dapper street wear to emcee the Central Park MiniShow on a crisp autumn day in 1974.

On Sept. 18, horses and riders from around the world will converge on the Trump Rink in New York City’s Central Park for the first annual Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex.

This four-day festival, the first of its kind held in Manhattan, will include exhibitions of various horse sports, matinee performances with ticket giveaways to local children’s groups, Sunday Polo in the Park, a live televised $200,000 grand prix show jumping feature and a “USA vs. The World” freestyle dressage competition showcasing some of the top combinations in the world, all set against the beautiful backdrop that is autumn in New York.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the event, brought to you by The Chronicle of the Horse, visit CentralParkHorseShow.com.

A Perfect Stunt, A Public Stage

Halpern had plenty of ingenious ideas to promote the National, but her Central Park Mini-Show was probably the most ambitious. Just 23 at the time, she was undaunted when tasked with reversing a trend of declining ticket sales.

The job was a natural fit for Halpern, a lifelong horse lover who as a teenager often took three buses from her home in Providence, R.I., to get to a lesson barn.

Throughout her childhood she obsessively entered the annual Kentucky Club Pipe Tobacco Derby Day Contest to name a race horse, convinced her submission would be picked and that she’d win the grand prize: her own horse.

“I always made my pediatrician buy this Kentucky Club tobacco so I could send in my entry blanks, and every year, I wouldn’t win,” recalled Halpern, who’s now 65 and an avid competitor in the adult amateur hunters.

“And I’d curse the man who ran the contest, thinking he must be terrible.”

Just a few years later, as she entered a PR office C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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Barbara Stone Halpern showing off the Courvoisier Arabian in Central Park.

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PHOTO COURTESY BARBARA STONE HALPERN

Moving from the dark, cavernous Garden and into the vivid outdoors, the public demonstration was the first ever horse show of its kind held in Central Park. on Madison Avenue for a job interview, she noticed posters advertising the Kentucky Club decorating the walls.

That “terrible” man, Ted Worner, was about to become her boss.

Worner’s firm handled promotions for many liquor companies, including Courvoisier, with its logo bearing Napoleon crossing the Alps on a white horse. So they established a contest similar to the Kentucky Club’s, giving away a white Arabian—which Halpern was tasked with finding—at the National.

“I came up with the idea to use New York City as a venue to publicize the horse show and the Arabian, and I decided a good location would be the Abercrombie & Fitch building on Madison Avenue,” she said. “It was a very fancy, elegant store at the time, different from the image it has now.

“They agreed to let me host a party on the rooftop of the building that first year,” she continued. “I brought Zora [the Arabian], trainer Ronnie Mutch and USET member Robert Ridland. We took the horse up in the elevator, and they got a lot of attention and press.”

These efforts would result in Halpern being hired as the National’s publicist. In her two years in the role, she devised numerous ways to increase patronage, setting up unprecedented partnerships and promotions with mainstream fashion labels like Gucci and Hermès as well as shopping boutiques in the plaza of the Garden with horse-oriented vendors, such as Vogel Boots.

“Hank Vogel told me he never sold more boots than he did that week,” she said with a laugh. “I asked him to give a free pair to Rodney Jenkins as a thank you to Rodney for letting me use him on a poster.”

To Jenkins and many others, the National was something magical, well worth his time in helping to promote.

“It was always my favorite time of year and my favorite show,” he said. “It was one of those shows where you kind of took it at pot and luck. There wasn’t a lot of training you could do, [the space] was so tight. I loved it, to be honest. I loved showing there.”

His memories of the Central Park Mini-Show promoting it, however, are hazy.

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The National Horse Show at the Garden was not only a thrilling competition for riders but also a highly anticipated social event every fall.

Black-tie dress was common for evening performances, such as this one by the Canadian Mounted Police in 1948.

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“I remember going there, but that’s about it! That’s awful, isn’t it?” he said. “You’re on a horse in the middle of New York City in Central Park! Maybe we should forget some horse shows, but not that.”

But those hazy recollections by riders are just fine

by Halpern, whose objective was not to create a memorable or financial opportunity for the participants, but to expose equestrian sport to a wider audience—a goal that’s as relevant today as it was back then.

“I spent a large part of my childhood visiting New York City, so it was particularly thrilling to have an opportunity to exhibit a quality show horse right in that same milieu, with the skyscrapers in the background,” she said. “Besides promoting the Garden in the media, the Mini-Show brought recognition of fine horsemanship to the many cyclists, joggers and nannies with baby carriages frequenting the park that day. Quite a few chance spectators made their way to Madison Square Garden to watch.”

GJON MILI/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

When The National Was The Garden

Today the juxtaposition of horses and New York City is such an anachronistic marvel that it’s easy to forget the integration of their histories. Long before subways rumbled beneath the streets and impatient car horns blasted, the clip-clopping of hooves provided the background noise of the city, both as methods of transport and for pleasure riding.

It is from this interdependent relationship that the National Horse Show was born in 1883, followed by the Association of American Horse Shows (later known as the American Horse Shows Association and now the U.S. Equestrian Federation) in 1918. Manhattan would play home to the former for more than a century, until 1989, and the latter for 81 years, until 1999.

Long the most prestigious (and only) indoor show in the country, the National or “the Garden” (both interchangeable shorthand for the event) was founded by a group of affluent New York sportsmen and would, within four short years, count 920 members in its directory. This list would birth the city’s first Social Register.

The Metropolitan Opera commenced that same year—1883—and every autumn the two events marked the kick-off of the opulent social season.

“The National was a special show in part due to its rich history; most people have no idea of what the horse community was like in the city before the adv-

“I RODE AT THE GARDEN” Reflections from some of the National Horse Show’s most legendary participants.

Rodney Jenkins I had a horse called Arbitrage; he was like 5 or 6 years old. I was on the USET team that year [1973], and he was my third horse. None of the team guys wanted to go in the puissance, so Bert de Némethy asked me to take him in for a couple rounds, so we participated and didn’t look bad.

Woody Johnson of Johnson & Johnson owned that horse, and [he was there and] had people up in the box with him. I thought I’d go a couple rounds—up to 6' or something. At about 6'4", I said, “Maybe we should stop,” as the horse was young, and I didn’t want to ruin him. But Bert and the Johnsons really wanted me to continue.

I said all right, as he felt good enough to do that. So I go again, and he jumps clean. Well, to make a long story short, this happened four or five times. We’re at 7'6" now, and my heart is busting out of my chest every time I run him down there. [But I go again, and as] I turn the corner, this sucker starts grabbing the bit! He’d never grabbed the bit in his life. I think, “This fool is going to try and jump it.”

I get him together and think, “There ain’t nothing I can do but go with him!” I shut my eyes! I mean, I could not tell you from the time he took off to the time he landed what happened. All I know is that he jumped it.

After that I went outside and sat down next to one of them old pillars where you warm up, and someone said, “Rodney, you got to go in for the presentation.” I said, “Man, I can’t even get off this ground!” I was so weak in the

knees, I couldn’t move.

Anyway, that horse didn’t turn out to be the greatest horse in the world in the grand prix, but he was fine. And he gave me my Garden story!

Mary Mairs Chapot It was a special thing to show at the Garden because it was in the city, and there was always a party somewhere—either a horse show party or one elsewhere afterward.

At the time we were expected to go to some of them to represent the team. That has long gone by the wayside.

In reality, you only had a couple of horses at the horse show, so you’d get up early in the morning and exercise a little bit and then could sleep the whole day if you needed to!

The after party was very, very nice, and in New York it got to be where you could go in your riding clothes, which was a lot better than going to the embassy parties in Washington [D.C., during the Washington International Horse Show], where you had to look the part!

Robert Ridland The Garden was the Garden. It was our biggest show of the year and was what we always pointed for.

The first grand prix I ever won was at the Garden, and I believe it was in 1971 on Almost Persuaded.

Wherever you win your first grand prix is always a memorable one, but to win it at the Garden makes it twice as memorable.

I rode on the team several years during the ’70s, and

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Riders and pedestrians coexisted peacefully in Central Park for decades, as seen in this photo dated May 1940.

PHOTO COURTESY DERZSI ELEKES ANDOR

ROBERT F. SISSON & DONALD MCBAIN/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC/GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

Some of the top hunters in the country showing at the Garden, circa 1954.

then after my stint on my team, when I was riding privately for Pinon Farm in Santa Fe, N.M., we came back to the Garden on the 100th anniversary [1983], and it was really cool!

I ended up being leading open rider, and that was special for me. Obviously it would be for any rider, but to do it at the centennial of the show at the Garden was really cool.

Every night after the show was over they had an exhibitor party across the street at the Statler Hilton [now the Hotel Pennsylvania]. They usually had it up on the top floor of that, and that was always fun.

Everybody always went to it. It started around midnight, and they always had breakfast. I could eat breakfast every meal of the day, so I was in heaven with scrambled eggs and whatever at midnight! I just loved it.

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Buddy Brown I grew up within an hour of New York City, and all my life, the only time I enjoyed going into the city was for the Garden.

I remember just being in awe watching the jumpers. As a kid who loved horses, it was like going to Disney World—it was cool as hell.

The Garden is a monumental place to compete or have a concert. I think any athlete in any sport that knows about the history of MSG wants to be part of it. It was a thrill for sure.

Harrisburg, Washington and Toronto were all nice, but the Garden was definitely special.

Logistically, it was a bit of a nightmare. As special as it was, you had to make a lot of sacrifices, because most of us were showing in the President’s Cup on Sunday night in Washington, D.C. The horses had to ship, all the equipment had to be taken

down and set back up. Pushing those carts up five stories worth of ramp [the ground floor of the Garden was actually the fifth] and things like that, getting stuff up and down in a timely matter and unloading the horses down there on the street one at a time, all that stuff. It was like an all-night adventure and a definite sacrifice to make it work, but showing and winning there was a big feather in your cap.

Michael Matz I enjoyed going to the Garden, and I especially enjoyed the international competition. I took a lot of pride in representing the United States, and it was nice competing against the other countries. It was different than the people you’ve been showing against all the time. It was a nice situation.

Logistically it was a little complicated. The only time you

could really get your horse out was if you got up early in the morning—that was the only time you could get in the ring to ride, so it was a lot of late nights and early mornings.

Michele McEvoy Grubb One year in the early 1970s, I was in the jump-off of the open jumper stake class. I was last to go on Mr. Muskie and clear over what my mother thought was the last fence when she stood up and screamed, “Go, Baby, Go!” to an otherwise quiet audience.

Realizing her mistake and that I had another fence to jump, she then screamed, “Oh my God, she’s going to kill me!”

The entire audience laughed loudly, and luckily I cleared the final fence and went on to win the class. Though the crowd cheered for the winner, they cheered loudest for my mother and her obvious faux pas!

IRVING BROWNING/THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY/GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

ent of the automobile,” said Steinkraus, whose involvement with the National spanned 40 years in a variety of capacities, including as preface author and editor of Kurth Sprague’s exhaustive book, The National Horse Show: A Centennial History, 1883-1983.

“The interesting thing to me was when I was young, quite a bit of that horse culture still existed in New York City,” he continued. “Saddlers, carriage-makers, horse auctions—they all still existed. Then, post-World War II, with the advent of the automobiles, everybody had cars—lots of cars. And all that disappeared in a couple of generations. I think there were five saddle makers in NYC in the ’30s, and now there is just one [see sidebar].

“The horse culture used to be more celebrated,” Steinkraus added. “The National had a real PR department, and they did a lot of promotion on Fifth Avenue, where the windows were decorated in that theme.”

After 106 years, the National’s reign at the Garden, which called several different structures home over its history, finally came to a close.

“It was all very strange—unlikely, unexpected, really—this business of holding a horse show on the fifth floor of a building put up over one of the world’s biggest railway stations,” Sprague wrote of the Garden’s final location, over Penn Station.

Eventually the effort of converting a hockey rink

Two riders ring in the New Year with a quiet hack through Central Park on Jan. 1, 1930. Stables remained plentiful in the city throughout World War II, but as automobile traffic increased, saddle horses were slowly driven out.

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he perpetually rearing wooden horse still stares out the enormous picture window oblivious to the constant bustle of New York City, just as he’s done since 1912.

All around him, the world has changed. The once plentiful shops offering equestrian accoutrements to clients with names like Rockefeller and Kennedy have disappeared, leaving Manhattan Saddlery as the sole surviving tack shop in the borough.

In the shadow of the Flatiron building, their space on East 24th Street was previously occupied by Miller’s Harness Company.

After changing hands a few times, it was eventually purchased by current owner Nick Tsang’s mother in 2002.

“My mother was a longtime customer of the store.

My parents walked by one day and noticed it looked a bit bare and were told it was being sold. On a whim,

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they bought it,” explained Tsang, 30.

For five years, the 6,000 square-foot, three-story store broke even, and when Tsang’s mother became ill in 2007, the family considered selling it.

“I’m a real estate developer and a preservationist at heart. Like so many of these old NYC landmarks, this was the only tack shop left, and if we closed, that would be it,” Tsang said. “I asked [my parents] to sell it to me and told them I would try and turn it into a viable business, or at least more than a break-even proposition.”

But Tsang had personal reasons for shouldering the responsibility as well.

“It was a sentimental thing to my mom, and I thought if I could keep it going, when she got better, she’d at least have somewhere to come and hang out,” he said. “Unfortunately, she passed away in 2012.

But from all corners, it has

PHOTOS COURTESY NICK TSANG

THE LAST SADDLERY STANDING

Manhattan Saddlery—opened in 1912 and formerly known as Miller’s—is the last surviving tack shop in the borough. Its walls and shelves are full of history, but owner Nick Tsang is also breathing new life into the store.

been a labor of love.”

Tsang said the business used to depend mostly on New Yorkers and mail orders, but it’s now developed a dedicated international following. Manhattan Saddlery recently began stocking polo equipment, and it’s the first New York retailer to carry the polo brand La Martina; they’re also the new showroom for Vogel Boots.

Creative types source material from the store as well, one of the bigger names being the Ralph Lauren company, which often buys saddles and other equestrian gear as decoration for its store windows.

“The whole ‘job’ of having a store like this is to create a riding narrative in here that is very separate from ‘out there,’ ” said Tsang.

“You walk outside, and you’re in quasi-midtown Manhattan, and in here is sort of an oasis, I’d like to think, that presents some-

thing very different.”

Tsang is interested in evolving the store to be more than just a retail endeavor, in part inspired by how his family was introduced to riding in the beginning: as a therapy for his older autistic brother.

To this end, he’s partnered with Georgina Bloomberg’s charity, The Rider’s Closet, donating more than $25,000 worth of merchandise.

“As a sport, [equestrianism] has the reputation for not being the most accessible, so I think anything that can help shift that narrative a little bit is good,” he said.

And Tsang is committed to ensuring that this monument to New York equestrian history, complete with its wooden horse in the window, never disappears.

“I could never let it go,” he said. “It’s just too sentimental. I’m tethered to this place!”

The Big Apple On Horseback

But Manhattan has still provided a rich backdrop for a variety of other equestrian endeavors over the years. In 1914, a 12-mile endurance race began in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, wound through Central Park and ended in the show ring of Madison Square Garden, then located at 26th Street and Madison Square Park.

In 1997, Rockefeller Plaza hosted an “Equine Extravaganza” to promote the National Horse Show, and in 2012, eventer Buck Davidson and his four-star mount My Boy Bobby made an appearance in Times Square to promote equestrian

THE HORSE SHOW IN HARLEM

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hile the 1973 Central Park Mini-Show was the first of its kind in that location, it wasn’t a first for the borough. Three-quarters of a century earlier, in 1899, Manhattan Field in Harlem mounted a weeklong competition.

Originally a home for the displaced New York Giants (then a baseball team), Manhattan Field was known colloquially as “the Polo Grounds,” a reference to the earlier ballpark, converted—as the name would imply—from a polo field. After development forced the closing of the original Polo Grounds, located in the northeast corner of Central Park, the stadium moved to 155th Street and Eighth Avenue.

Besides jumping and breeding classes, the horse show at the Polo Grounds included special exhibitions of foxhunting (a scent was laid, the horn sounded, and the hounds were off, trailed by a set of huntsmen) and carriage driving.

Initially conceived to be an annual event, the show began and ended that same year. A headline from the May 16, 1899, New York Times may provide a hint: “A RUNAWAY ON THE TRACK: Mr. Hoffman’s Team, Driven by John Skellington, Unmanageable—Driver Hurled From His Wagon.”

The short-lived horse show on Manhattan Field in Harlem, circa 1899. While the stands were mostly empty, spectators can be seen lining Coogan’s Bluff, which loomed over the venue and afforded a free vantage point for the masses.

MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK/BYRON CO. COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

and basketball court to a show ring, combined with other logistics like shipping and unloading horses, unions, constructing temporary stalls, and leading horses up and down flights of ramps, became too burdensome and too expensive.

Practicality prevailed over tradition in 1989, when the National moved to the Meadowlands in New Jersey. It returned to the Garden for a brief time, from 1996-2001, then for a six-year period its prestigious equitation final, the ASPCA Maclay [see p. 96], split from the show. In 2002, the class was staged at the Washington International Horse Show (D.C.), and in 2003 and 2004 it was held at New York’s Pier 94, at what was dubbed “The Metropolitan National Horse Show,” while the National itself moved to Wellington, Fla. In 2008 the NHS reunited with the Maclay in Syracuse, N.Y., and they moved to Lexington, Ky., three years later.

“In the new Millennium, the National has been obliged to become an itinerant—a victim of Madison Square Garden’s bottom-line priorities and the horse’s declining role in our thoroughly mechanized culture,” said Steinkraus. “Today the National and the Maclay are both ensconced at the Kentucky Horse Park, where they stubbornly cling to a considerable measure of their traditional prestige in the equestrian world. The National may not be ‘the Garden’ anymore, but it still ranks high among the survivors of a very challenging era for equestrian sport.”

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Spanish Riding School performer Victor Pozzo shows off his Lipizzaner stallion during a press call in Central Park to promote the 37th anniversary “Dancing White Stallions” show at Madison Square Garden in 2007.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

COVER STORY

events at the Olympic Games.

In 2010, Britain’s Prince Harry played a charity polo match on Governors Island, the Financial District’s skyline towering in the background. And the dazzling white Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna have visited Manhattan many times, performing for delighted fans on bustling city streets and in Central Park.

In addition to the famous equestrians who converged on Manhattan for a week every autumn, the city had an equally dynamic relationship with a contingency of pleasure riders who cantered along Central Park’s groomed bridle paths for generations.

Stables were plentiful in the city prior to WWII, but as automobile traffic increased, saddle horses were slowly driven out of the city until one lone stable remained: Claremont Riding Academy.

Located at 175 West 89th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam, and less than two blocks from Central Park, Claremont started as a riding school in 1927 and was housed in a funky, multi-story building constructed in 1892 as a public livery stable.

Looking more like a tenement building than a riding school, Claremont kept its horses both upstairs and down, navigating wooden ramps between floors. There was a small indoor ring on the ground floor—its paneled walls painted green and white—punctuated by closely spaced columns supporting the upper floors.

As treacherous as this ring could feel to the beginner, the real adventure started when a rider guided her horse out the stable doors and onto West 89th Street, heading toward the park. The horses that waited patiently at the light to cross Central Park West and shared the street with buses and taxis gave new definition to the term “bomb-proof ” [see sidebar].

Claremont’s tradition continued until 2007, when, due to financial constraints and the degradation of the six miles of bridle paths weaving through the park (once reserved strictly for horses, they’d transitioned to running, biking and dog-walking trails), the stable finally closed its doors.

In April of 2007, the stunning news of Claremont’s closing prompted dozens of Chronicle Forums readers to post a mixture of sentimental and humorous recollections of their experiences at the city’s oldest continuously operated riding stable. You can read their memories at tinyurl.com/ChronicleClaremont.

AMONG THE LUCKY ONES: NEW YORK CITY ON HORSEBACK

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he monster-sized garbage truck was headed straight for the horse I was riding down busy Columbus Avenue, at the height of evening rush hour on New York City’s Upper West Side.

Gears grinding loudly, the vehicle kept chugging toward us as I maneuvered my horse as close as possible to the parked cars along the curb in an attempt to avoid a truck-horse-human collision.

With non-stop traffic whizzing by just inches away, I couldn’t detour across the street, nor could I back up and turn around.

The increasing chaos finally became too

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much for my mount, one of a normally bomb-proof string owned by the nearby Claremont Riding Academy. The frightened gelding started skittering sideways into the street. Certain death seemed imminent.

Suddenly, the truck stopped and cut its engine. Two sanitation workers hopped off to empty a line of trashcans, and I seized the opportunity to hustle on past—calling to my 10-year-old daughter Amy, who was riding behind me, to stay close and move quickly. At the next corner, we turned into a blissfully quiet neighborhood whose streets would take us the remaining block

or two to the stable.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I glanced back at Amy. “Well, that was exciting,” I said with a wry grin. “So, what’s next?”

Amy smiled back knowingly, because the garbage truck encounter hadn’t been our first taste of drama on our afternoon riding adventure.

During that six-day New York trip in May of 2000, Amy and I attended a niece’s college graduation, saw several Broadway shows, and dined at restaurants throughout Manhattan. But more than anything, we’d wanted to explore Central Park aboard

Claremont Riding Academy horses, so I booked a ride for our second day in the city.

Fortunately for Amy and me, Claremont’s closing was still seven years in the future (and the park’s bridle paths still up to par) when we took our ride. Actually, we took a couple of rides that week. The first one went along without a hitch, and we enjoyed it so much that we booked another a few days later.

As we were leaving the stable that second time out, one of the instructors cautioned Amy that the little Quarter Horse she was riding had “a tendency to put his head down.” Translated, of course, that meant he might buck. But my unflappable daughter just sat up straight and sank a bit deeper into her heels as we headed toward the park.

The first part of our ride was similar to the one we’d taken earlier in the week: glorious scenery, warbling birds and wellbehaved horses. It wasn’t until we were on the final stretch of bridle path that I made a decision I would later regret.

“Hey Mom,” Amy said as we ambled toward the Central Park West exit, “could we canter just one more time?”

My first inclination was to say no.

Everything had been going so smoothly; why tempt fate? Horses cantering toward home in any situation often doesn’t end well, as we all know. But my daughter persisted.

“Please? Just, like, for one minute?”

CHRIS HONDROS/GETTY IMAGES PHOTO

For 115 years, riders from around the world traveled a familiar route on horseback—out the doors of Claremont Riding Academy, across Central Park West and into the park—but in April of 2007 the last remaining public stable in Manhattan closed.

Amy’s face was so hopeful that I finally sighed and gave in, on the condition that we’d keep our horses at a very controlled speed (as we’d done all along). I eased into a sedate canter, listening closely for the reassuring hoof beats of Amy’s horse behind me.

Then suddenly, there was silence.

I pulled up my horse, knowing instinctively what had happened even before I turned around. Sure enough, there was Amy sitting on the ground, looking sheepish. Her horse had finally seized the opportunity to crow-hop, and Amy slid off.

Immediately, my mom side kicked in.

“Amy, are you hurt?”

“No,” she mumbled.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” came the reply. Having ridden since age 5, Amy wasn’t short on experiences, including the occasional tumble. She was a pretty tough kid.

Next, I quickly assessed the situation.

Being as close as we were to Claremont and the horses’ suppertime, it seemed logical that Amy’s horse would have simply bolted on home. But here he was, standing just a few feet from Amy and gobbling grass like there was no tomorrow. A shrewd opportunist, that one. However, not knowing if I were to dismount and help Amy that my horse wouldn’t be the one to break free and run home (through all that scary traffic), I chose to remain in the saddle.

“OK, here’s the plan,” I said. “Walk

over to your horse, lower the stirrup leather and slowly step back on.” Amy stood up, moved cautiously toward her horse and picked up the trailing reins. The little chestnut allowed her to remount, although he was clearly unhappy about having his hors d’oeuvre course terminated.

It wasn’t until Amy was safely back in the irons that I noticed a young couple standing nearby with a baby in a stroller.

Their jaws were practically hitting the ground, and I could see that the husband had been poised to dial 911 on his phone.

I’m sure they viewed me as an incredibly negligent and uncaring mother, since I hadn’t rushed screaming to my daughter’s side and called the EMTs myself. Nonhorse people; what can you do? Sometimes it’s worth pausing to explain, and sometimes it isn’t. I chose the latter, gaily waving to the couple as Amy and I headed off again. When I looked back a few minutes later, the two were still standing there— staring after us in utter shock.

Amy and I shared a laugh about the whole incident, confident that our excitement was over for the day. Little did we know that a certain garbage truck was waiting for us just a few blocks west…

News of the Central Park Horse Show that’s scheduled to take place Sept. 18-21 stirred my memories of those two long-ago days spent riding in that fabulous place, on horses from such an extraordinary stable.

The upcoming event is destined to be a thrilling one, drawing spectators from near and far and once again bringing riding horses to the jewel at the heart of the borough.

No doubt many of Claremont’s former students will be there, juggling a broad range of emotions and memories far more abundant than Amy’s and mine. The closing of any equestrian facility evokes sorrow among its riders and staff that can last a lifetime. But surely, as long as the memories of Claremont exist in people’s hearts, minds and photo albums, the spirit of that particular academy can never truly die.

—Anne Lang C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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Tryon, North Carolina Horse Country

RONALD PICCARI

e s tat e prope rt i e s & hor se fa r ms

Lakes, Hills and Horses

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PROFILE

BEING THE

By LISA SLADE

CHA NGE

THEY WISH TO SEE 68

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I TAMARA DE MELLO PHOTO

Grand prix show jumper Jennifer and trainer Mike Crooks pictured in 2012 with 10 of their 13 children. (From left): Kai, Sophie, Ciara, Ruby, Jonah, Millie, Mahlia, Holly, Hunter and Catherine.

t was a little more than 10 years ago that Jennifer Crooks first stepped foot inside a Chinese orphanage.

As she stood there with her husband Mike, dumbstruck, literally a world away from the charming Washington State farm they called home, the grand prix show jumper felt an immediate and irreversible priority shift.

“I started to struggle with being in the horse world,” Jennifer, now 41, recalled. “I thought, ‘Children are dying here, and I’m jumping horses over sticks. How can I make this work?’ ” When the Crookses returned home from that trip with Ruby, their first adopted child, Jennifer was still shaken by her new perspective and unsure of whether she wanted to keep competing. But when she spoke with a close friend about her dilemma, “She said, ‘If you make it to the top level of the sport, you can use that to draw people into what your real passion is in life—and that’s helping orphans,’ ” Jennifer said.

When you put it that way, it seemed so simple.

The Crookses, who also have a biological son and daughter, two children from Mike’s

previous marriage and an adopted niece, went on to adopt four more children from China—Kai, Sophie, Jade and Holly—and then three—Millie, Jonah and Mahlia— from Ethiopia as well. But they haven’t stopped there.

“This year I thought, ‘OK, I’ve made it where I wanted in the sport, and I have the support I need,’ ” said Jennifer, who’s competed for Ireland at several FEI Nations Cups and in major grand prix classes. “‘It’s time to spin off this nonprofit.’ ” Their newly formed organization, named Uryadi’s Village after Jennifer’s top grand prix mount S.F. Uryadi, will provide financial support for orphanages in Ethiopia, working to improve access to clean water, food, education and medical services in both the orphanages and their surrounding villages.

“We’re going to take it one village and one orphanage at a time,” said Jennifer.

“Right now the orphanages are a financial drain on their villages. When we adopted Millie, she was 7, and her mother couldn’t afford to keep her because of finances. It costs $6 a month to keep a child in Ethiopia; I really want the women to be able to keep

A LOVE OF HORSES INITIALLY UNITED MIKE AND JENNIFER CROOKS, BUT TODAY THIS HUSBAND AND WIFE SHARE AN EVEN GREATER PASSION: HELPING CHILDREN IN NEED AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH ADOPTION, ADVOCACY AND ACTION.

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COURTESY OF THE CROOKS FAMILY

PROFILE

“They just have this ability to love openly,” said Janet Fall of longtime friends Mike and Jennifer Crooks, who’ve created a huge and diverse family since they married in 1997.

their children.”

Jennifer will be making her first Uryadi’s Village trip to Ethiopia in October, and she and Mike continue raising their 13 children and running Stella Farm out of its new base in Sandpoint, Idaho, all with the help of their own little village.

“I always wanted to adopt, and I thought it was the way to help kids,” said Jennifer. “For sure it helped my kids, but it’s not enough. Ethiopia has 5 million orphans, and they’re not getting adopted. They need to break out of that cycle and have a chance.”

ONE LIKE THAT

Jennifer never planned on adopting quite so many children, but she was drawn to the idea of a diverse family from a young age. Born to Irish parents in New York City, she spent six years of her childhood living in Hong Kong, where her mom and dad had started a business.

“I remember seeing this Benetton advertisement, and on their fliers were pictures of kids of all different races,” she recalled. “I was a little kid, and I thought, ‘I want that family.’ ” Things weren’t quite so diverse when her family returned Stateside to Princeton, N.J., but the move allowed Jennifer to take up riding at age 8. One of her first trainers was Maxine Best, 70

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mother of Olympic show jumping silver medalist Greg Best.

“She was my hero,” said Jennifer. “She said to me at 12 or 13, ‘You really have the eye to do this professionally. You should do it.’ At the time, I was sort of like, ‘Yeah, OK,’ but now I really appreciate she said that. She was my rock in the horse world when I was a teenager. She died when I was 17 of a brain tumor, but she was a huge influence on my riding career.”

Jennifer followed the path from the pony hunters to the juniors, and then she attended Seattle University, planning to become a psychologist and leave the horses behind. But she realized her senior year that she wanted to get back to riding, and so she eventually teamed up with Mike, whom she met through friends in a Seattle-area barn.

“I’d seen her at a few horse shows and had noticed her,” Mike recalled. “She rode at a barn around the corner, and a good friend of mine was her trainer. One day I rode a young horse up to his barn, just to ride it in a different ring, and Jennifer got out of her car there wearing this beautiful, flowing red dress, and she had this red Saab.

“I was single at the time, and I said to my friend after she left, ‘I want one like that,’ ” Mike continued. “It’s maybe not the most elegant thing to say, but those were my exact words.”

Jennifer was married at the time, but after she and her first husband divorced, a friend set her up.

“I was talking to a friend, and she said, ‘Wait until Mike Crooks finds out you’re single!’ ” Jennifer said.

“When I met him, I was an amateur doing the 1.10-meter classes, and he was a grand prix rider. Our big joke was that he was like, ‘You can come and be the bookkeeper, and I’ll do the bigger jumps,’ ” she continued. “Then he was like, ‘OK, you’re the better rider.’ ”

STELLAAAAAA

Mike and Jennifer married in 1997 and established their training business out of Evergreen

COURTESY OF THE CROOKS FAMILY

“I THOUGHT, ‘CHILDREN ARE DYING HERE, AND I’M JUMPING HORSES OVER STICKS. HOW CAN I MAKE THIS WORK?’ ” —Jennifer Crooks Equestrian Center in Kirkland, Wash. Mike’s mother, Phyllis, had built the facility in 1969, and Mike began riding there at age 10.

“She had always ridden dressage and jumped a little, and when she was in her early 40s, after she’d already raised us kids, she had the bright idea to start an equestrian center,” he said of his mother, from whom he purchased the property in 1995.

When he was younger, Mike trained students for the major equitation classes, and he even hosted Andre Dignelli, now head trainer of Heritage Farm, as a working student for a year.

He grew up riding alongside Rich Fellers, Jeff Campf and Mark Laskin.

“By the age of 15, I knew I was going to be a trainer,” said Mike, 54. “When Jennifer and I met, I was competing in some national-level grand prix classes. I was at that level, but I wasn’t ever going to be an international rider. I didn’t have the talent, and we were a low-budget operation. There wasn’t full grooming or anything like that. The customers did everything on their own, and they brought their own horses to the ring.”

But one of Mike’s hidden talents—matching horse and rider—became quickly apparent

“It’s hard to stop adopting,” said Mike Crooks (center), with (from left) Millie, Sophie, Ruby, Mahlia, Kai, Ciara, Jade, Holly, Jonah and Hunter.

“I can’t put it into words, really. I just love every child that we have.”

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PROFILE

Even in her youth, Jennifer Crooks—with daughters (from left) Mahlia, Holly, Ruby, Sophie, Millie, Jade and Ciara—knew she wanted to adopt children someday. “I remember seeing this Benetton advertisement, and on their fliers were pictures of kids of all different races,” she said. “I was a little kid, and I thought, ‘I want that family.’ ”

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to Jennifer. He helped find her inexpensive Thoroughbreds that could jump to the high amateurowner level, and then when she was ready to enter the professional ranks and contest smaller grand prix classes, he helped her find her 1.50-meter mount Stella.

“She was my first international horse, and she was amazing. She taught me a lot, and I loved her to death,” Jennifer said of the mare, who came to the Crookses by way of Antonio Chedraui in Mexico.

But Stella and Jennifer’s partnership didn’t last as long as the rider had hoped.

“I’d only had her three years, and we were overseas trying horses, and [Irish show jumper] Eddie Macken called and said, ‘Princess Haya is having a fire sale, and there’s this horse you have

to come try.’ I said, ‘I can’t afford that horse.’ But then I went and tried her anyway. She was a nice horse, but we really didn’t have the money,” Jennifer recalled.

That same night, while the Crookses were still in Europe, one of the Evergreen grooms called to say Stella was colicking. The veterinarian had palpated her and found a large mass, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Powerless to help, Mike tried to encourage Jennifer to plan ahead.

“He was like, ‘We have to go try that horse again, because Stella is insured,’ ” said Jennifer. “I went to try her, and I was a mess. I just wanted to get home to see Stella.”

Surgery soon revealed that the mare had a 40-pound kidney tumor, and it was attached to her renal artery. They had little choice but to put

her down.

“It was just horrible,” said Jennifer. “On the drive home [from the veterinary clinic], I was talking to Mike about how every time we went in the ring, the announcer would yell, ‘Stellaaaa!’ like in A Streetcar Named Desire. I said I was so sad I wouldn’t hear that anymore, and Mike said, ‘You will. We’re going to rename the farm Stella Farm so you can still hear it every time you go in the ring.’ ” The Crookses bought the horse Jennifer had tried in Europe, and that mare, S.F. Cassandra, a Holsteiner by Capitol out of a Sacramento Song mare, took Jennifer to her first FEI Nations Cup appearances for Ireland.

“She was the next steppingstone for me in the ring,” said Jennifer. “I really believe Stella replaced herself.”

SHOSHANA ROSENBERG PHOTO

THE NORMAL WAY

Jennifer found her current top horse, S. F. Uryadi, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Guidam—Nitchy, Amaretto I), at Emile Hendrix’s Dutch Sport Horse sale in 2005.

“Our budget when we bought her was a hardearned $25,000, and the first night we had her, Mike went in her stall and said, ‘If you will take my wife to the top of this sport, you’ll never be sold,’ ” Jennifer said. “In 2011 we had some crazy offers for her, but Mike was like, ‘She did what we asked her to do. It’s not her fault she’s worth all this money now.’ She’s just the sweetest, coolest horse in the world.”

Together Jennifer and Uryadi jumped for Ireland in Nations Cups at Spruce Meadows (Alberta), Wellington, Fla., Dublin, St. Gallen (Switzerland) and Hickstead (Great Britain).

“For a while we thought she would be too big for me to ride; she’s 17.2,” said Jennifer, who trains with her husband and Macken. “But then she changed and became a woman’s horse. She’s like Stella; she tries hard every time she goes in the ring.”

“The peak of my equestrian experience in

SPORTFOT PHOTO

Jennifer Crooks has represented Ireland in FEI Nations Cups in Canada, Florida and across Europe aboard her lionhearted mare S. F. Uryadi, the namesake of her new Ethiopian nonprofit.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

When Mike and Jennifer Crooks are at home in Idaho, their days follow a familiar pattern.

Mike, who does the majority of the cooking for the family, heads downstairs around 7 a.m. and turns on the news.

The two youngest children, Mahlia and Jade, come down when they hear Mike in the kitchen, and then everyone else slowly follows.

“I make them watch the news for 30 minutes, and then they turn on PBS after that,” said Mike. “We start the bacon and the sausage on the stove, and between 7:30 and 8, we’re just making sure everyone is up and eating.”

By 8:30 Mike is cleaning up. The Crookses’ nanny, April Woelk, and teacher, Mary Cunning, both arrive at 9, and the children all head downstairs to the basement, which has been turned into a schoolroom.

Jennifer and Mike then head to the barn, and Hunter will often ride in the morning as well. Jennifer is usually done riding by 11:30 a.m. The family breaks for lunch, and then the girls who want to ride do that around 2 p.m., under the tutelage of Mike.

“I’m usually done around 5, and then we make a grocery run if we need to. One of us is back in the house by 4, because that’s when our nanny is off,” Mike explained.

It takes about four pounds of meat, a pound of vegetables and four cups of dry rice to feed the entire group, but Mike isn’t alone in doing the cooking.

“The kids help,” he said. “They’ll butter bread, make muffins, and Kai’s even been making ice cream lately.”

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PROFILE

show jumping was when Jennifer jumped clear rounds at Hickstead and Spruce Meadows in the Nations Cups,” said Mike, who stopped competing in 2000 but still rides daily. “I’m just a normal horse trainer, and it’s nice to realize that if you do things in a classical, normal way—and not that fancy—it actually can take you to the highest levels and work out.”

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profit organization, Uryadi’s Village was the obvious choice.

“That horse has the heart of a lion, and she is the most incredible animal,” said Jennifer. “She helped me achieve my dreams in the equestrian world. But I found out after we decided to name the nonprofit that that Uriyadi is also a festival in India that brings everyone together for the children. I was like, ‘Of course it is.’ ”

“IT’S AMAZINGLY EASY TO HAVE A BIG FAMILY. PEOPLE THINK IT’S HARD, BUT IT’S NOT, REALLY. YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A BIGGER STOVE.” —Mike Crooks

SHOSHANA ROSENBERG PHOTO

WE CAN HANDLE THIS

Their days may be busy, but quality time spent with one another— whether around the breakfast table, at the barn, or just before bedtime—is the top priority for the Crooks family.

The Crookses have a winter base in Wellington, but the family spends most of their time on the West Coast, and by 2008, “With all the kids, it was time to slow down,” said Mike.

That’s when they relocated Stella Farm from Washington to Idaho. These days they don’t teach lessons to outside clients or have boarders at home, and Mike flies to Washington to teach just one day a week. They’re plenty busy caring for the 10 children who still live at home.

Their two eldest (Mike’s from his previous marriage to Cathy Langston), Lauren Crooks, 26, and Sean Crooks, 28, run Crooks Show Jumping out of Clearview Inc. in Snohomish, Wash., and Evergreen Equestrian Center. Catherine, the niece they adopted, is now 21 and lives in Laramie, Wyo. That leaves biological daughter Ciara, 16, and son Hunter, 15, still in their parents’ care, along with adopted Ruby, 13; Kai and Millie, both 12; Sophie, 11; Holly, 10; Jade and Jonah, 6; and Mahlia, 5.

“When we first started adopting, we were scared of special needs, but now we’ve adopted kids with cleft palates and missing limbs,” Jennifer said. “Jade was supposed to just have cerebral palsy, but she’s also vision-impaired and was basically just locked in a room for five years. When we went to get her, we were walking out of the hotel room, and she was having a massive fit— scratching at her face and pulling her hair out.

“My two biological kids were walking in front of me, and I said, ‘Can we handle this?’ ” she continued. “They just looked at me like, ‘Duh, of course we can handle this.’ ” After nine months with her new family, Jade has made a dramatic turnaround.

“She’s the most incredible child,” said Jennifer. “She was probably months away from dying, but she’s amazing and very bright and strong-willed. She’s developmentally behind and

will take some time to catch up, but she rides her pony, and Hunter carries her around on his shoulders all the time.”

The Crooks family gets plenty of support from the equestrian community as well. Janet Fall, who works at the in-gate during the HITS Thermal Desert Circuit (Calif.), has known the couple for years and has become a close family friend. She’s now Jonah’s godmother, and she went along to China when the family adopted Jade.

“When they adopted Kai, he had some terrors, so he’d just be standing by the ring, screaming,” said Fall. “Jennifer would be like, ‘I can’t leave him!’ And I’d be like, ‘It’s fine. Just go warm up, and I’ll stay with him.’

“They’re just such a cool family,” she continued. “Mike is probably the most patient person I’ve ever met, and they just have this ability to love openly.”

When they’re heading to horse shows, the Crookses travel together in two RVs. They started homeschooling in 2008 with the help of teacher Mary Cunning, and they also have a nanny, April Woelk, who travels with them and helps at home.

“The kids go everywhere with us,” said Jennifer. “We’re like a caravan going down the road with the two RVs and the horses. It’s like a circus act, but we have it down to a pretty good science.

“In 2011 we went to Europe for 12 weeks, and we were basically moving around every week. It was just a riot,” she continued. “Mary would pack the kids up and take them to a castle while we were at the horse show. They got to do so much fun stuff.”

While both Jennifer and Mike admit there are times when sibling rivalry comes into play, the children generally get along beautifully.

“It’s amazingly easy to have a big family,” said Mike. “People think it’s hard, but it’s not, really.

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PROFILE

Ruby Crooks, 13, whom Mike and Jennifer adopted from China 10 years ago, competes in the jumpers. A birth defect left her with only two fingers on each hand, “but she has just sheer determination, and she works hard,” said Jennifer. “She’s also so observant with the horses.

She’ll walk by one and be like, ‘That leg wasn’t like that yesterday.’ ”

are so helpful, and they play together. The nice thing about more kids is that if two aren’t getting along, then they can split and will go with other kids. We have enough where you can have three or four different groups of kids at a time.”

And while they don’t all share the same genes, many of the Crooks children seem to have inherited their parents’ interest in riding. Hunter competes in the 1.20-meter jumpers and spends a large portion of his time in the barn. Ruby, who has only two small fingers on each hand, also started competing in the jumpers, and she’ll soon move up to the 1.00-meters.

“We thought she might not be able to ride, but she has just sheer determination, and she works hard,” said Jennifer. “She’s also so observant with the horses. She’ll walk by one and be like, ‘That leg wasn’t like that yesterday.’ Hunter is also very dedicated, and he wants to be a pro-

fessional.”

Sophie enjoys equitation and will likely compete in that soon, while Ciara and Millie ride western. Jade and Mahlia have just started learning to ride.

But it’s not all horses all the time, and if the kids want to take up other sports, they’re welcome to do so; four of the children play tennis seriously.

“It’s fun to share your passions with your children,” said Mike. “The homeschooling has also been fantastic because when we’re home, I can say, ‘It’s going to be 95 today, so everyone is riding in the morning!’ During horse shows they do more school, but when we’re home, we can cut out and go to Yellowstone or the lake.

“Andre asked me a few weeks ago what it was like having so many kids,” Mike added. “I asked him, ‘How many horses do you have?’ He said, ‘Maybe 100?’ And I said, ‘Well, we just have eight horses and 10 kids, so it’s not any different.’

“It’s hard to stop adopting,” he continued.

“I can’t put it into words, really. I just love every child that we have.”

HELPING MORE THAN THEIR OWN

Now the Crookses are trying to apply that love in new directions. The last time they went through the process of deciding whether to adopt another child, they’d been considering taking two baby girls from an orphanage in Ethiopia.

“A woman who was a missionary in Ethiopia called the next day and said, ‘One of those girls died.’ So the next day I spent $540 to FedEx formula to Ethiopia for [the baby who turned out to be] Mahlia,” Jennifer recalled. “We adopted her at 9 months, and she did live. They thought

“ALL TRAINERS AND RIDERS HAVE A SORT OF INNATE SENSE THAT THEY WANT TO FIX THINGS. IT’S JUST WITH MIKE AND JENNIFER, IT DIDN’T STOP WITH THE HORSES.” —Janet Fall 76

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Winter Equestrian Capital of the World

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PROFILE

COURTESY OF THE CROOKS FAMILY

she was neurologically impaired, but she’s fine—she was just starving to death.

“All of my children were full of giardia,” she continued.

“The orphanages are such a drain on the villages, and the villages are resentful, and the children get the lowest of everything.”

As Jennifer shifts her focus to tackling these issues via Uryadi’s Village, Mike will continue bringing along horses, selling them and teaching.

Jennifer’s selling some of her younger horses, though she’ll still ride in some bigger classes, and she’ll be doing a lot of fundraising in addition to traveling to Ethiopia.

She recently took a Permaculture Design Course in international development and social entrepreneurship to get certification for her new job.

“Mike was like, ‘OK, you go save the world,’ ” Jennifer said. “He’s very supportive, and he’s working on fundraising for us, but he’s going to keep doing the horse thing, because one of us has to keep making money!”

And he’s not alone. Gail Greenough, who rode for Canada as a top show jumper and won the 1986 World Show Jumping Championships, is a close friend of the Crooks family, and she’s coming on as a member of the board of directors. Macken, who is Mahlia’s godfather, is helping too, as is Canadian show jumping legend Ian Millar.

“We tended to travel to the same events, and because of that you gravitate toward people you like,” Greenough said. “I love how Mike and Jennifer work together as a team, and they incorpo-

Sophie and Hunter helping their sister Jade, who just began riding lessons this year.

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rate their family in everything. So many people get caught up in going from one show to another, and we forget about the personal sides of their lives.”

Greenough is organizing some upcoming live and silent auctions for Uryadi’s Village, and Jennifer is scheduling benefit clinics with riders.

Will Simpson kicked off that series on Aug. 18 at Thunderbird Show Park in British Columbia.

During the initial trip to Ethiopia in October, Jennifer and other team members will meet with three orphanages. The organization’s ultimate goal is to create “self-sustainable educational and medical facilities by creating an orphanage which is an income-producing school, offering primary and agricultural vocational education, in an environment which offers clean water, good nutrition and medical services to its orphans and some paying students to offset operational cost.”

“Our vision is to make fundamental change at the source,” the group’s operational plan states, “by switching the current paradigm of a struggling third world orphanage, which can be a drain on the village, into a community resource and provider of needed products and services for the community.”

Jennifer and Mike haven’t ruled out adding to their own large family yet again, though Jennifer believes they’re done adopting. Now they’re applying their energy, experience and talents toward an even loftier goal.

“I’ve said that they think outside of the box, but really there is no box,” said Fall. “They’re not afraid of any situation. All trainers and riders have a sort of innate sense that they want to fix things. It’s just with Mike and Jennifer, it didn’t stop with the horses. There’s so much more out there in the world, and they recognize that.”

LEARN MORE To find out more about Uryadi’s Village or contribute to the cause, visit Facebook.com/UryadisVillage.

THE HORSE IN ART

Many of the world’s most famous pieces of equine art were lost or stolen during World War II, and even if they’re recovered, their provenance and fate are still shrouded in mystery.

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Artful Dodgers

O

nce it finally broke, more than a year after the fact, the news of the stunning discovery swept across the globe in a manner of minutes: an art cache of nearly 1,300 missing masterworks worth more than a billion dollars in the Munich apartment of an elderly recluse named Cornelius Gurlitt.

The son of art historian and NaziTwo Riders on approved (despite being deemed a the Beach by Max quarter Jewish) art dealer Hildebrand Liebermann had been missing for more Gurlitt, the octogenarian Cornelius than 70 years when it was unearthed in Gurlitt had long been rumored in the 2012, along with art community to be hiding a stash of nearly 1,300 other works of art, in the paintings looted by the Nazis during Munich apartment World War II. But authorities never of Cornelius Gurlitt.

Many of the pieces took note of Gurlitt until 2010, when in Gurlitt’s cache are his nervous behavior during a routine believed to have been stolen by the Nazis security check on a train from Zurich during World War to Munich constituted a search that II, and David Toren, the great nephew revealed 9,000 euros (about $12,000) in of this painting’s original owner, is now cash on his person. suing Germany for its The amount was within legal limreturn. its for transport across the border, so Gurlitt wasn’t detained. But his suspicious behavior that day set his eventual downfall in motion. German authorities later discovered, on inquiry into his records, that he’d paid no taxes, held no social security records, owned no bank accounts and had never worked. How could an elderly man with so little backing have lived for years in a million-dollar apartment in Schwabing, one of the city’s most expensive neighborhoods?

Surreptitious painting sales, it turned out, were Gurlitt’s sustaining income. But when he quietly sold The Lion Tamer by Max Beckmann through an auction house for $1.17 million in December of 2011, the authorities noticed. On Feb. 8, 2012, police finally

raided his flat and began cataloging the stash of 1,280 works of art, which included pieces by Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, Chagall and Franz Marc. Another 238 works were found in a second house of Gurlitt’s in Salzburg, Austria.

Since then, countless complex questions have continued to arise over the works’ provenance and future fate. And Gurlitt’s death at the age of 81 in May of this year, just six months after the revelations came to light, has complicated matters even more.

“Mr. Gurlitt died without known heirs,” the New York Times noted in his May 6 obituary, “leaving behind a tangle of questions about what will become of the art, some of it in the custody of the German government, some of it still in his possession and some of it subject to restitution claims.”

Deemed Degenerate

Among the few photographs provided to the public in the wake of the discovery were three equine works by modernist painters Max Liebermann, Marc Chagall and Franz Marc.

The eye-catching Marc painting was the watercolor Landscape with Horses, a charismatic piece in the German expressionist’s quintessential style. The horses featured in it are rounded, gray masses full of energy, posed in a composition quite similar to two of Marc’s other paintings, Little Yellow Horses and The Large Blue Horses.

Marc was an avid horseman who painted equines often. A cavalryman in WWI, he and his horse were both killed when they were struck by shrapnel while on a reconnaissance mission in 1916.

Oddly, Landscape with Horses wasn’t the only missing equine painting by Marc; his 6'7" x 4'3" Tower of Blue Horses hung for years in Germany’s National Gallery but hasn’t been seen since 1945. More Cubist in style, its equines stare eye-to-eye with the viewer

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THE HORSE IN ART

and invite a melding with their animalistic essence.

Before it disappeared, Tower (and the Landscape watercolor as well) was displayed in Hitler’s “Degenerate Art” exhibition of 1937 in Munich, designed to scare and incite the public against modernist work.

An amateur artist himself, Hitler considered the expressionist, neo-realist and Dadaist styles to be perverse, and he meant to rid the world of their influence. That didn’t mean, however, that he ordered the immediate destruction of its examples. A law passed in 1938 allowed the Nazis to confiscate any art deemed degenerate, and as such the administration was able to sell this art “legally” on the open market, with the funds going to the German war effort. But first, Hitler mounted the Degenerate Art exhibition, with works displayed in disturbing arrangements and accompanied by derisive descriptions.

When the public saw Marc’s art in the Degener-

Above: A projection of painter Franz Marc’s Landscape with Horses was showcased during a November 2013 news conference in Augsburg, Germany, following the discovery of Gurlitt’s cache.

The piece is a more muted rendition of Marc’s famous Big Blue Horses (right).

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ate Art shows, they protested enough that his work was moved out of that category officially. Nevertheless, Landscape with Horses mysteriously ended up in Gurlitt’s collection, and Tower of Blue Horses was last seen in 1945 in the possession of Hermann Goering.

Goering was a Nazi military leader, commander of the Luftwaffe, president of the Reichstag, prime minister of Prussia and, at one time, Hitler’s designated successor. An avid art collector, Goering controlled the Netherlands occupation and gobbled up art at confiscation rates. He loved the work of Rembrandt, Vermeer and other Dutch masters, and he absorbed collections put together by Dutch merchants over the centuries.

Goering scoured for art throughout Europe, as did Hitler, who wanted to create a massive art exhibition at his planned Führermuseum in Linz, Austria.

In France, for example, 36,000 paintings were stolen from both institutions and individuals.

“The Monuments Men recovered and returned the majority of those,” explained Lucian Simmons, Sotheby’s head of restitution. (The 2014 film “The Monu-

Will Riders Be Returned?

But some of those restored artworks went back to Hildebrand Gurlitt, not their pre-war owners. Among these was the Liebermann oil painting Two Riders on the Beach (also sometimes referred to as Rider on the Beach, Riders on the Beach or Two Riders at the Sea), which was first exhibited in Berlin in 1901.

After its showing, Paul Cassirer, a Berlin gallery owner, acted as intermediary in l905 and bought it for David Friedmann, a very wealthy sugar refiner from Breslau (modern-day Wrocław, Poland) with a lot of art and at least four houses. During WWII, the Nazis confiscated all his possessions and sold them at auction, with proceeds going to the Reich.

Friedmann died in 1942, and his daughter Char-

lotte was deported to an SS death camp a year later and died there. The Liebermann painting then went to Hildebrand Gurlitt, obtained for him by the Nazi called Muller Hofstede, who had been appointed by the Reich to appraise the collections owned by Jews that would then sell on the open market.

The Monuments Men confiscated the Liebermann from Gurlitt in 1946 but returned it in 1950, and Friedmann’s descendants have been searching for it ever since. Now found, they want it back.

“Our Liebermann…used to hang in Uncle David’s house, in the room in front of the winter garden,” said Friedmann’s great nephew, David Toren, who managed to immigrate to New York City in 1939 at the age of 14—orphaned after his parents were killed in Auschwitz. Now 88, Toren has filed a civil suit against the Free State of Bavaria and the Federal Republic of Germany seeking the painting’s return.

“Two Riders apparently hung on [Gurlitt’s] apartC H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

THE YORCK PROJECT/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PHOTO

ments Men,” written and directed by its star George Clooney, immortalizes the work of these Allied soldiers.)

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THE HORSE IN ART

ment wall for decades,” Toren’s filing with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia states. “In the fall of 2011… Cornelius admits that he attempted to sell Two Riders, but he resorted to selling a different painting instead because he physically could not get Two Riders off the wall.”

But there’s no real precedent for such a complicated dispute. Statutes of limitation on any wrongdoing could be expired, and though Friedmann heirs exist, Gurlitt may have—in the eyes of the law— rightfully inherited the art. Provenance can be tricky.

The Horses of St. Mark’s Basilica are a quintessential example. These four bronze statues (actually

The Horses of St. Mark’s, also known as the Triumphal Quadriga, date back to 300 BC and have been plundered as spoils of war countless times throughout history.

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96 percent copper) are near-life size, athletic, aggressive, confident and stunningly beautiful examples of ancient art. Also known as the Triumphal Quadriga, they were sculpted around 300 BC, but evidence is inconclusive as to whether their origin is Greek or Roman.

Captured by the Turks in the 9th century, they went to the Hippodrome in Constantinople (now Istanbul), a giant stage for chariot races. In the 13th century during the Fourth Crusade, the conquering Venetians carted the horses off to Venice to St. Mark’s. More than 500 years later, when Napoleon conquered Italy, these “Venetian” horses traveled to Paris and stood regally atop Napoleon’s Arc de Triomphe.

THE HORSE IN ART

ice. Today, their replicas stand on top of the Basilica, and the originals, threatened by pollution, can be seen inside the Saint Mark’s Basilica museum.

But have these four equines found their rightful resting place? What about Istanbul’s claim to them? To this date, no one has offered the Turks recompense, replicas or, history forbid, the originals.

At the 1998 Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art, 44 countries agreed to return looted art or at least seek “fair solutions.” In other words, they considered compensation to the heirs of the original owners.

But actual laws differ in countries such as Germany, France, Switzerland and the United States. In fact, that 1938 degenerate art Franz Marc’s Tower of Blue Horses law remains in effect today in hung for the first half of the 20th century in Germany.

Germany’s National Curator Wolfgang Büche Gallery, but it’s been missing since 1945. It of the Moritzburg Founwas last known to be dation, from which Marc’s in the possession of Nazi leader Hermann Landscape with Horses was Goering, who originally seized by the Nazis, committed suicide in 1946 after being says that while previous indiconvicted of war vidual owners may have legal crimes and crimes against humanity at and moral rights to recovery, the Nuremberg Trials. museums are forced to buy back their confiscated art.

And museums like his, he says, cannot compete with the big bidders.

Oddly, there’s at least more hope of art being recovered after the war—as opposed to after random robberies by thieves who may slash canvases or cause other damage—because much of it was taken carefully and stored safely.

Gurlitt had cared for many such classical pieces for THE YORCK PROJECT/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PHOTO

Life in Paris was short-lived. In 1814, following Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo and the restoration of the Bourbon Monarchy, the horses traveled to the Austrian Empire, which returned them to Ven86

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The Way Forward

Save the Date Adequan Global Dressage Festival January 8 - March 29, 2015 The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center 13500 South Shore Blvd. | Wellington, FL 33414 | www.globaldressagefestival.com | 561.793.5867 All photos ŠElena Lusenti

THE HORSE IN ART

decades. His cache also includes other equine paintings by Daumier, Delacroix and Vernet, but the full list of items still has not been widely released.

Gurlitt’s final surprise came to light after his death in May: He’d named the Kunstmuseum Bern in Switzerland—with which he’d had no previous relationship at all—his sole heir. Unless the descendants of previous owners can prove their family’s works were stolen, Gurlitt’s entire collection will be gifted to the museum.

“The Board of Trustees and directors of Kunstmuseum Bern are surprised and delighted,” the museum announced in a statement, “but at the same time do not wish to conceal the fact that this magnificent bequest brings with it a considerable burden of responsibility and a wealth of questions of the most difficult and sensitive kind, and questions in particular of a legal and ethical nature.”

In July, Kunstmuseum Bern’s board of directors voted to hire a legal team to assess their options going

forward—a process they expect to take at least six months.

“The relevant authorities in Munich and Berlin have been informed and contacts established,” the board announced in their last public statement, on July 4. “The goal of current investigation is to establish a solid basis for making a decision on whether the Kunstmuseum Bern will accept or waive the contents of the estate.”

And so, despite all the mysteries solved and questions answered, a conclusion seems no more imminent. Perhaps Marc’s Tower of Blue Horses will emerge one day via a ransom call from an anonymous merchant’s lawyer. And maybe David Toren will one day get to enjoy Two Riders on the Beach with his family after its 75-year absence. Wolfgang Büche may even get to return the little Marc watercolor to his museum three-quarters of a century after it was stolen.

Only time will tell. Even after it’s been recovered, vanished art surfaces slowly.

AN AMERICAN UNSOLVED MYSTERY It seemed no mental alarms went off for staff of the Rolling Rock Hunt Club in western Pennsylvania when, one evening in January of 2006, two service workers trundled past with rolled-up carpets and loaded them into their van. By the time anyone noticed the two Franklin B. Voss paintings missing from the clubhouse and put together that the club’s Persian rugs hadn’t, in fact, been scheduled to be cleaned, it was far too late.

The estimated value of the entire haul was nearly $70,000, and among several heisted items were two Voss foxhunting paintings that had hung in the Club for 70 years. They have never been recovered—or if they have been, it’s been handled quietly, just as the news of the theft itself was.

Rolling Rock’s management did not respond to interview requests for this story, and the club didn’t provide information

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when the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review published a follow-up piece on the unsolved theft in 2011.

The newspaper’s reporter, Paul Peirce, noted that police reports indicated members of the Mellon family [today Sophie Mellon serves as one of Rolling Rock’s masters] had commissioned Voss directly to paint the two missing works sometime in the 1930s. Paul Mellon, a contemporary and friend of Voss’, also received a portrait of his horse, entitled Dublin, as a gift from his mother in 1937; it sold at auction for $28,200 in 2000. “[Township police Chief Michael] Matrunics and county Detective Will Brown said the FBI’s special unit on art theft was called in from Washington at the outset, but the lack of photographs and information on the missing pieces hindered the search,” Peirce wrote.

Police reports also noted that just weeks before the theft, RRHC had invited Peter Winants, a former Chronicle editor and publisher, art expert and member of the National Sporting Library and Museum’s board of directors, to speak at the club about his book, The Sporting Art of Franklin B. Voss.

“It’s our understanding that everyone at Mr. Winants’ presentation, including Mr. Winants, was pretty excited when he said no one ever knew the two Franklin B. Voss paintings displayed at the club even existed,” Brown told the Tribune-Review.

Little more than a month later, the pieces were gone, and they haven’t been seen since.

The case remains open. If you have any information, call Ligonier Township, Pa., police at 724-238-5105 or Westmoreland County detectives at 724-830-3287.

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HORSE & HOME The flowerbed-bordered Brentina Arena is River Grove’s crown jewel, ringed by cottonwood trees. Inset right: “I really get quite emotional when I make that turn into the driveway,” said Debbie McDonald. “It’s a little piece of heaven.”

Inset below: “It’s a park-like setting, and the doors are always open,” said Bob McDonald of River Grove, which draws between 15 and 30 visitors per day in the summer.

The Farm That Made Idaho Famous Story by KIM F. MILLER Photos by KAT SMITH

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The “Zen-like oasis” that is River Grove Farm serves as the touchstone for a once-in-a-lifetime partnership and remarkable international dressage success.

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Above: Peggy and Parry Thomas live in a stunning home right near the barn. Below: River Grove’s four arenas, including this one for Bob McDonald’s hunter and jumper prospects, feature a combination of GGT footing additive, sand and ground-up Nike shoes.

B

Bob McDonald had carte blanche when, in 1980, Peggy and Parry Thomas asked the California horseman and his wife Debbie to move to their 65-acre estate along the Big Wood River in Hailey, Idaho.

The McDonalds were training the Thomases’ horses in Southern California at the time, but they knew the Sun Valley area resort from vacation visits with their clients, who would go on to become some of the biggest supporters of U.S. dressage in history.

But at the time, the fantastic foursome were still many years from their famous 1994 trip to Verden, Germany, where they would purchase the then-3-year-old Brentina, the supermare who still draws between 15 and 30 visitors to River Grove’s always-open gates on a typical summer day.

In those days, nearly 35 years ago, the McDonald/Thomas partnership was still evolving. The Thomases baited the hook by offering free rein in creating a training facility just to their liking.

Debbie and Bob were up “for something a little different,” Bob

recalled, so they said yes.

Bob, being Bob, went for a very workmanlike barn.

“It had to be really practical,” he recalls of the initial centeraisle, 28-stall main barn, the first new structure on what had been a llama farm—basically raw land with a small barn and a house.

“We wanted something that would not be so fancy in the sense of requiring a lot of maintenance,” he explained.

And unlike Southern California, Hailey had serious weather.

The Sun Valley suburb earned its name for warm, sunny summer days, but it is primarily a ski resort town. Winters average between 25 and 40 degrees, with a week or so of sub-zero to lowteens in January.

In anticipation of keeping the barn closed most of the winter, they went with a heavy cobblestone foundation with big footings for beams to support the metal roof under heavy snow loads. The cobblestone foundation kept things warmer than concrete and, equally important, allowed waste to percolate down through the C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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Creeks and wooded trails run throughout the property, part of which is beautifully manicured and much of which has been left to nature’s wild design—both to great effect.

Left: Since her retirement, dressage supermare Brentina has happily taken to the resort atmosphere of the Sun Valley.

She winters in Santa Barbara, Calif., but come summer, she holds court over River Grove. Right: A bronze sculpture of Brentina by artist Stephen Weiss greets guests at the entrance to River Grove.

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The “birdhouse garden” and its antique gate lead to the home of Jane Thomas, whose riding career as a child initially brought her parents together with the McDonalds in the 1970s.

Left: Bob McDonald’s lab, Shooter, hams it up in the barn. Right: Memorabilia on display in the trophy room.

coarse rock and soil, minimizing odors.

“At the time we were still planning to develop and sell a lot of young horses,” Bob said, referring to what had, up until that point, been the meat and potatoes of the McDonalds’ training business.

But the couples’ priorities would eventually shift to representing the United States on the international stage. Debbie and Brentina made their mark with individual and team gold at the 1999 Pan Am Games, team silver at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games (Spain) and team bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the mare became the first U.S. horse in history to win the FEI Dressage World Cup Final in 2003. Their many achievements between and after those milestones were critical in establishing the U.S. Equestrian Team as a force to be reckoned with at the highest levels of the sport.

Many of those moments are captured in large framed photos of Debbie and Brentina and other River Grove stars that line the wooden walls facing the barn’s open grooming area. The gallery also includes pictures of Debbie in her hunter/jumper heyday before a bad fall turned her, at Bob’s suggestion, toward dressage.

All are illuminated by light flooding into the airy environment, thanks to the raised roof design.

With increasing show ring success, River Grove Farm underwent some appropriate “gussying up,” Bob explained. They added river rock to the barn’s exterior and hung gold chandeliers in the indoor arena, the latter specifically installed for the 2003 Sun Valley Symphony Benefit, in which Debbie and Brentina performed their Olympic freestyle accompanied by the live orchestra. The indoor was converted into an elegant dining area from which the equally elegant guests watched the pair’s delightful dance.

The McDonalds rearranged their interiors to accomodate fewer horses and more equipment to support their elite equine athletes; ten stalls were converted to a solarium, an icing area,

a Thermaplate vibrating floor, a farrier workspace, storage and a crosstie area devoted to showcasing horses for visitors.

More recently, River Grove’s arena footing underwent a major upgrade. Premier Equestrian took on the task of refreshing the facility’s four rings last fall. These include the flowerbedbordered Brentina Arena that’s nestled in a grove of cottonwood trees, another dressage ring, a jumping ring for Bob’s prospects, and the indoor. A combination of GGT footing additive, sand matched to the base’s existing sand, and ground-up Nike tennis shoes resulted in a riding surface the team considers ideal.

A Setting For Snowbirds

For most of River Grove’s last two decades, the barn’s been a little lonely through the winter. Debbie and her riding successor, 2012 Olympian Adrienne Lyle, head to Florida for the season, while Bob has taken his hunters and jumpers to Thermal, Calif.

But come April, the grass is greening; impatiens, sunflowers and daisies are blooming; the river is roaring; and the barn is full.

The Thomases’ horses live alongside Bob’s prospects and those owned by the McDonalds’ handful of training clients. There’s also a regular stream of visitors in town to work with Debbie, who became the U.S. Developing Dressage coach after retiring from competitive riding in 2009.

Creeks and wooded trails run throughout the property, part of which is beautifully manicured and much of which has been left to nature’s wild design—both to great effect. You might find a student taking a cool-down hack or see Debbie or Adrienne putting their horses through piaffe or passage in a different setting, just to keep things fresh.

“We use the trails for everything,” Bob said.

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Above: Gold chandeliers, originally added for the 2003 Sun Valley Symphony Benefit, lend a touch of glamour to the indoor environment.

Clockwise from left: “We’re at 5,000 feet,” Bob McDonald explained of the farm. “It’s open and fresh and clear, and the horses know they’re home.” Right: The viewing area overlooking the indoor arena. Below right: Farrier Jace Abatti working in River Grove’s dedicated shoeing area. Below left: Photos lining the wooden walls in the open grooming area recall River Grove riders’ greatest moments.

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Above: The 28-stall main barn had to be “workmanlike” and cope with Idaho’s heavy snowfalls and cold temperatures. Below: Peggy and Parry Thomas in their element.

there was much of that this summer, with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (France) looming.

“I think Adrienne and I both feel the same way in that we want to go as far as we can this year, but if fate has it that the WEG doesn’t happen, I don’t think we would cry too long because of where we have to go back to,” said Debbie. “That’s the nice thing about loving where you live.”

Adrienne describes River Grove as “a Zen-like oasis” where efficiency and beauty are perfectly balanced, thanks to a carefully planned layout in the barn and the arenas’ and trails’ location in such a stunning natural environment. “It’s a magical place,” she said.

“I really get quite emotional when I make that turn into the driveway,” Debbie added. “It’s a little piece of heaven. It’s comfort, peace, tranquility—everything you want in your life. And even though we know we can only have it for a few months, we cherish it.”

The Queen In Her Castle

Since her retirement, Brentina has happily taken to the resort atmosphere of the Sun Valley. She winters in Santa Barbara, but come summer, she’s the queen of River Grove. Nights are spent in her beloved stall, followed by a grooming session with her longtime caretaker, Ruben Palomera, then 45 minutes on the walker and four hours out in her paddock. Almost always, there are visitors to greet.

“It’s a park-like setting, and the doors are always open,” said Bob. Adrienne’s top mount, Wizard, also owned by the Thomases, is gaining his own following as well. So is Dillinger, Brentina’s first foal (via embryo transfer), by Leatherdale Farm’s Damsey.

Now 3, Dillinger took his first trip to Florida this past winter to start learning about the show scene.

“Big Mama” may have her challengers for attention, but her status is clearly set forth at the River Grove entrance. There, a

modern bronze by the late Stephen Weiss stands guard. A duplicate of this Brentina bronze greets guests at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas; as is detailed in the book “The Quiet Kingmaker of Las Vegas,” Parry Thomas played a huge role in that city’s development. One of his many legacies is the Thomas and Mack Arena, where Brentina and Debbie debuted their famous freestyle set to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” and it was also where the mare retired during an unforgettable ceremony at the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Finals.

The Thomases settled in Hailey in the early 1960s. Their family of five children includes Jane, the now-accomplished amateur equestrian who instigated the remarkable partnership between the Thomases and the McDonalds when she began training with Bob as a pre-teen in Southern California.

Today, Peggy and Parry live in a home right near the barn, and Debbie and Bob live on their own property adjacent to the farm.

Coming home to River Grove Farm after a winter circuit anywhere is literally a “breath of fresh air,” Bob said with a laugh.

“We’re at 5,000 feet. It’s open and fresh and clear, and the horses know they’re home,” he said. “It does take us all a few days to acclimate, when we leave and when we come back.”

But a few days of adjustment seems a small price to pay for the privilege of coming home to this haven, built on the solid foundation of an equestrian friendship that has changed the face of American dressage.

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Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park is a now haven for all Floridians, just as it was for its namesake in the early 20th century.

VICKY MOON PHOTO

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Left: (From left) Alfred B. Maclay, Louise Maclay and their Dandie Dinmont Terrier host an unidentified guest at their home, Killearn Gardens, in Tallahassee, Fla., circa 1928. Right: The main house at Killearn Gardens, now a Florida State Park, as it looks today.

The Lasting Legacies Of

Alfred B. Maclay

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His name is synonymous with excellence in horsemanship, but behind the coveted trophy was a man of many talents.

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By VICKY MOON

It is known simply as “The Maclay”—the ultra-prestigious equitation final for junior riders that’s considered a pivotal stepping-stone to professional success in the hunter ring or international show jumping. Olympians like George H. Morris, William Steinkraus, Conrad Homfeld, Frank Chapot, Mary Mairs-Chapot, J. Michael Plumb, Leslie Burr Howard and Peter Wylde all won the coveted title in their formative years.

And yet, few equestrians are familiar with the history of the annual competition or its founder, Alfred Barmore Maclay: a distinguished sporting gentleman, horseman, bibliophile and garden aficionado.

From 1926-1936, Maclay served as president of the American Horse Shows Association, now know known as the United States Equestrian Federation. And in 1933, while also serving as a board member of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, he instituted the ASPCA Maclay Championship as part of the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The competition, which placed equal importance on jumping and flatwork, was designed to reward “responsible horsemanship” by challenging children to develop compassionate partnerships with C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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Several of Alfred B. Maclayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trophies are displayed in the main house at Killearn Gardens, including a replica of the modest ASPCA Maclay award for the equitation final he founded in 1933.

The Maclaysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Killearn estate in Millbrook, N.Y., gave Alfred his first taste of rural life and gardening in the 1910s. The circa 1832 home and surrounding 68 acres are currently on the market for $11.5 million.

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their mounts. learn, after the birthplace of his paternal greatEven before he decided to foster talent in grandfather, a small village in west-central young, up-and-coming riders, Maclay had Scotland. Killearn Magic, Killearn Magician long been a passionate believer in competiand Killearn Jest and Jazz were among his tion. favorites.

“The horse show is unquestionably the In addition to horses, Maclay was keenly greatest of all educators,” he told The New interested in breeding and showing dogs. He York Times for a story that appeared in its pages was a dog show judge and bred greyhounds —ALFRED B. MACLAY on Nov. 26, 1916, following that year’s National and dalmatians, but the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Horse Show at the Garden. “Those who are intelpredominantly captivated his attention, and his Killigent and progressive have an opportunity to see what learn Scotty Jim was a champion in 1912. He was fond others are producing, and they can learn to avoid not only their of the low-slung dog with large, soulful eyes and admired its own errors, but those of their fellows as well. The horse show, “hunting ability and faithful nature.” which is now a feature of social life everywhere in the United “Dandies, of course, were his first love,” his wife, Louise, States and Canada, has done more to develop certain types of once wrote. “We always had a Dandie in the house.” horses than any other influence that can be named. This is parWealth And Privilege ticularly true of the saddle horse, hunter, and harness horse of Maclay was born into a distinguished and privileged New York every type.” family on June 3, 1871. He was educated at the tony private And in case anyone was in doubt of Maclay’s credentials, the Charlier Institute, founded by Frenchman Elie Charlier, and Times writer assured them, “The fact that Mr. Maclay has served as a judge of hunters, saddle, and light harness horses at nearly every show of prominence in the East, and that he has visited and made observations on horse breeding in practically every country in Continental Europe should render him specially competent to pass on horse conditions in the United States.”

Maclay served as president of the National Horse Show from 1922-1925, where the ASPCA Maclay Finals are still held every November, and as a member of the show committee for 30 years.

An avid foxhunter and member of the Millbrook Hunt (N.Y.), he suffered a debilitating knee injury when he was knocked off his horse by a low hanging tree branch while riding to hounds in England, but he later turned to driving hackney and fine harness horses and competed them at the National.

His numerous winners were all named with the prefix Kil-

PHOTOS COURTESY HOULIHAN LAWRENCE REAL ESTATE

“The horse show is unquestionably the greatest of all educators.”

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located at 108 West 59th Street overlooking Central Park. But, like many young men of the time, he owed much of his equestrian education to the armed forces.

At age 16, Maclay joined the fledgling Squadron A Cavalry troop of the New York National Guard, and he and his fellow riders were soon sent to Puerto Rico to serve in the SpanishAmerican War. He ended his 10-year service as a 2nd Lieutenant and then went to work for his father, Robert Maclay, as assistant treasurer at the family-owned, Manhattan-based Knickerbocker Trust Company. A few years later, the company would earn infamy as a key player in “the Panic of 1907,” a major financial crisis, but both father and son had left the corporation before its downfall.

In fact, Maclay departed Knickerbocker at age 30 to embark on a mega-version of the classic European “grand tour,” a rite of passage for wealthy and educated young men. While most trips of that nature spanned about three months, Maclay spent two full years abroad. He was enthralled with Paris and its art museums, but he also traveled far beyond France, to Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Egypt, India, Java, Russia, China and Japan.

Above: Florida governor LeRoy Collins, Mary Call Collins (left) and Louise Maclay at Killearn Gardens in 1955.

Opposite: With an extensive horticultural library in place upon purchasing his winter estate in the 1920s, Alfred B. Maclay dug right in. The camellia served as one of his favorites, along with rhododendron, sago palms, wisteria, cherry trees, redbuds, oriental magnolias, dogwoods and azaleas. He even lectured the local garden club on the history and care of the azalea.

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Above: While Killearn Gardens was Alfred B. Maclayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winter home away from his main farm in New York, he was never far from at least a few of his horses. His simple stable in Florida is tucked away behind the house.

VICKY MOON PHOTO (2)

Below: Maclayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quirky umbrella stand still adds an equestrian touch to the main house at Killearn Gardens, which is open to the public.

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After completing his horizon-expanding trip in 1903, Maclay couldn’t fathom returning to the confining marble halls of the family bank and was instead determined to spend his days in wide-open spaces, enjoying his horses and dogs.

He soon purchased a 973-acre farm in posh, horsey Millbrook, N.Y. He named this summer home Killearn and set to work buying what he called “horses in the rough” for very little money. He then re-trained these hackney horses and showed them.

Those were heady days in the pastoral New York countryside, and Maclay—and horses—were at the center of it all.

“There is no more stirring spectacle, aside from the economic principle involved, than a rousing contest between well-matched horses which are trained to the minute,” he told the Times in November of 1916. “We had such a race in our point-to-point steeplechase at Millbrook last Saturday. Such men as Ambrose Clark, Bryce Wing, Harry Smith, and Skiddy von Stade took part. The course was over natural country that is as beautiful as anything in Leicestershire, and there was a thrill for the thousands who watched it every foot of the four and a half miles.”

When he wasn’t occupied with a social or equestrian event, Maclay focused on creating an appropriate landscape for Killearn, collecting books on gardening and planting.

The house, a circa-1832 center hall colonial in Dutchess County, has six bedrooms and six baths (Maclay commissioned significant additions and a magnificent walled and sunken gardens after his purchase) and was built by the well-known New England architect Tristram Coffin. The dignified white structure has nine fireplaces, a gauge by which value and wealth was once calculated. The interior architectural elements for which Coffin is celebrated include leaded fan lights and plaster rosettes.

And of course, the now 68-acre compound includes stables and also a caretaker cottage and Italianate grotto. Modern renovations such as an elevator, pool and security system have been added to the 13,600-sq. ft. mansion, which is currently listed for sale at $11.5 million.

Maclay was just getting started in the 1910s, though; his real estate purchases also involved adding to the family’s holdings of more than 70 years in Greenwich Village in Manhattan.

In December of 1916 he made headlines by buying a three-story house at 124 Washington Pl., adjacent to two other houses he owned at 126 and 128, once the home of his physician grandfather, Dr. Robert H. Maclay. A small structure in the back once served as the doctor’s stables.

“Mr. Maclay is one of those citizens, unfortunately grow-

ing less in number, whose family associations

Maclay was are closely linked with Greenwich Village and to his credit, has not forgotten that fact,” determined to spend who, the Times reported at the time. his days in wideBecoming A Southern open spaces, enjoying Gentleman his horses In May of 1919, Maclay married Louise Fleisand dogs. chmann, a member of the Fleischmann clan of yeast

and margarine fame and a graduate of the elite Pennsylvania Main Line Bryn Mawr College for women. The couple’s small family wedding was held at the home of Louise’s mother, Mrs. Maximilian (Sarah) Fleischmann, at 32 East 64th Street, and breakfast followed, the Times recorded.

In 1923, the new couple made its first visit to the peaceful patrician winter enclave known as the Red Hills, which stretch from Tallahassee, Fla., north to Thomasville, Ga. Today an eponymous international horse trial and CIC are held there every March.

Mrs. Maclay’s brother, Udo Fleischmann, welcomed the couple to his Welaunee Plantation, situated near the winter estates of other well-to-do sporting gentlemen like Harry Payne Whitney and John Hay Whitney. The area was considered to be a haven for quail hunting.

The antebellum southern plantation-style homes were tended by many servants, some of whom drove the mule wagons for the quail hunters. In fact, when the Maclays decided to purchase their own 307-acre plantation there (which, of course, they named Killearn), sharecropper families still lived on the property and paid their rent in crops. Servants were abundant and attentive, and Mr. Maclay’s notes reveal they were “well read with a sense of humor and involved with people.”

The landscape of the Maclays’ Florida home transformed when plants bloomed during the winter. With an extensive horticultural library in place, Mr. Maclay dug right in. The camellia served as one of his favorites, along with rhododendron, sago palms, wisteria, cherry trees, redbuds, oriental magnolias, dogwoods and azaleas. He even lectured the local garden club on the history and care of the azalea.

A brick-paved drive shaded with a canopy of trees dripping in Spanish moss leads to the main house. There are several garden “rooms” in the Maclays’ walled garden, and the old stables still stand behind the house. Many family pieces and memorabilia of the history of “the Maclay” are on display in the mansion today.

Some of Mr. Maclay’s books even remain on the shelves.

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The ASPCA Maclay Final

Throughout the annual horse show circuit, 1,100 junior riders now participate in this equitation event at 900 locations in 48 states and Canada. At the end of the season, eight regional qualifiers are followed by the championship, held each November at the National Horse Show.

Above: Louise Maclay (far left) with friends in Killearn’s secret garden in 1953, around the time she donated the 307-acre sanctuary to the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials as a memorial to her late husband, Alfred B. Maclay. Left: The same hidden nook, more than 60 year later.

in the summer of 1946. It gave him “untold enjoyment and contacts of great interest with other collectors at home and abroad.”

He was a member of the Grolier Club, a private New York society for bibliophiles. His rarefied collection spanned five centuries and included The Book of Saint Albans, written by Dame Juliana Berners in 1486 on hawking, hunting, heraldry and angling.

A large portion of his notable collection of sporting books was sold at auction in New York by Parke-Bernet Galleries in 1945 and 1956.

According to Richard Hooper, an antiquarian book expert based in Middleburg, Va., “One of the remarkable items in the 1956 sale was the 1820 folio first issue of The National Sports of Great Britain by Henry Alken. It contains 50 hand-colored plates and was in contemporary leather binding by Thomas Gosden.

Selling at $475, it was the second most expensive item in an auction of 575 lots. Today, it would fetch more than $25,000.”

Several books from Maclay’s collection are now at the National Sporting Library in Middleburg.

Two years after Maclay died, in 1944, his widow opened the Killearn gardens in Tallahassee to the public. The estate, now known as the Maclay Gardens, was gifted to the state of Florida on March 31, 1953, and is now managed by the Florida Park Service. Louise Maclay died in September of 1973.

After the National Horse Show left Madison Square Garden, its home of 105 years, in 1989, the class was held at several other locations. Since 2011, the National and the event known simply as “The Maclay” have been staged at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. It will be held this year on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Previous winners of the Maclay

1974 Alex Dunaif

1933 Audrey Hasler Chesney

1975 Katharine Burdsall

1934 Elizabeth Hyland Molony

1976 Collette Lozins

1935 Lillian M. Chambers Lindemann

1977 Francie Steinwedell

1936 Ellie Wood P.K. Baxter

1978 Michael Sasso

1937 Walton Perry Davis Jr.

1979 Gary Young

1938 Archie Dean Jr.

1980 Laura Tidball

1939 Hugh Dean

1981 Lisa Castellucci

1940 James Thomas Jr.

1982 Peter Wylde

1941 William C. Steinkraus

1983 Linda Kossick

1942 William P. Dunn III

1984 Francesca Mazella

1943 Anne Morningstar

1985 Steve Heinecke

1944 Alice Babcock

1986 Scott Hofstetter

1945 Nancy Dean

1987 Stacia Klein

1946 Elaine Moore

1988 Christy Conard

1947 Frank Chapot

1989 Raymond Texel

1948 Charlotte Hanlon

1990 Lauren Kay

1949 Myrna Jackson Felvy

1991 Peter Lutz

1950 Mary Gay Huffard

1992 Nicole Shahinian

1951 G. Baker Schroeder Jr.

1993 Kelley Farmer

1952 George H. Morris

1994 Leslie Fishback

1953 Glenna Lee Maduro

1995 Megan Johnstone

1954 Ronnie Martini

1996 Lauren Bass

1955 Wilson Dennehy

1997 Keri Kampsen

1956 Barbara Friedemann

1998 Erynn Ballard

1957 J. Michael Plumb

1999 Emily Williams

1958 Wendy Hanson

2000 Avery Dimmig

1959 Hank Minchin

2001 Brian Walker

1960 Mary Mairs

2002 Erin Stewart

1961 Bernie Traurig

2003 Matthew Sereni

1962 Carol Altman

2004 Megan Young

1963 Wendy Mairs

2005 Brianne Goutal

1964 Lane Schultz

2006 Maggie McAlary

1965 Chrystine Jones

2007 Kimberly McCormack

1966 Debbie Wilson Jenkins

2008 Jessica Springsteen

1967 Conrad Homfeld

2009 Zazou Hoffman

1968 Brooke Hodgson

2010 Hayley Barnhill

1969 Katie Monahan

2011 Sarah Milliren

1970 Fred Bauer

2012 Jacob Pope

1971 Anna Jane White

2013 Lillie Keenan

1972 Leslie Burr 1973 Michael Patrick C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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Club Hipico Argentino IN SUNNY BUENOS AIRES, BEHIND THE LUSH GREENERY LINING THE AVENIDA FIGUEROA ALCORTA NEAR THE NUÑEZ DISTRICT, THE 105-YEAR-OLD CLUB HIPICO ARGENTINO STILL FUNCTIONS AS THE CRADLE OF ARGENTINE EQUITATION. Story by BY CAT ER I NA VAGNOZZ I Photos by JAV IER H EI NZ M A N N

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This story is presented in partnership with EQUESTRIO MAGAZINE Published in six countries and on three continents, EQUESTRIO provides informed sporting editorial, fine art, luxury travel and lifestyle features to a global equestrian audience.

View the latest issue at EQUESTRIO.COM or via the EQUESTRIO app.

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he club was established on Aug. 14, 1909, when the founding members met together in the offices of La Prensa, the city’s daily newspaper, and unanimously elected Bernardo Meyer

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Pellegrini as their first president. Later that same year, the club organized its first international equestrian competition—a celebration of the nation’s 100 years of independence, hosted by the Argentinean president himself,

José Figueroa Alcorta.

The opening ceremony of the Concurso Hipico Internacional was a great festival with fireworks, and it was, by all accounts, the talk of the town. Illustrious guests including the

A white Marwari is bathed and groomed until he’s white as snow prior to performing in a religious ceremony.

Members are renowned for their elegance, aristocratic air and their passion for highly polished boots; there are even full-time staff members on hand in the changing rooms to grease and polish footwear.

Infanta of Spain, Isabel of Bourbon, came from all over the world and crowded around the Pabellón de las Rosas, right opposite the Los Españoles monument.

With its unique activities and lav-

ish celebrations, the club soon became a jewel in the capital city’s crown and a frequent destination for delegations of foreign VIPs. A grand equestrian competition was organized there in 1914 to celebrate a visit by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.

Two years later, the club purchased its first plot of land for the construction of various primary facilities: a modest stable for 35 horses, a small

indoor riding school and administration offices. But the club’s membership grew quickly, and by 1922 its roster included 400 members, necessitating a larger base. The new area chosen in 1925 was near what are now Avenida Libertador, Migueletes and Arce, and was an almost uninhabited, completely abandoned terrain at the time.

But that didn’t last long. Huge investments in the club saw to quick C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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construction of stables for 120 horses, grandstands, an indoor riding school and training and competition grounds.

In 1959, under the presidency of Major Oscar Goulu, the club made its final move, to its current location.

Apart from the Club Hipico Argentino, the city has two other riding groups—Club Aleman and Club Hipico de Buenos Aires—but the CHA certainly has the best facilities.

Today it boasts two indoor arenas, a large sand show jumping arena and a lovely turf grand prix field, as well as a training arena, a large clubhouse with a restaurant that offers al fresco dining, a children’s play area, a huge open-air swimming pool, a gym, showers, and a store selling equestrian products.

Members are renowned for their elegance, aristocratic air and their passion for highly polished boots; there are even full-time staff members on hand in the changing rooms to grease and polish footwear.

During the 1960s, Argentina’s sporting standards ranked among the best in worldwide equitation, thanks to the interest aroused in the country when Carlos Delia began his successful ventures in competitions around Europe. The champion Argentine horseman was a leading figure in the international scene of the decade.

Like all riders of that time, Delia was a military horseman, and at one time he was ranked as the country’s second-highest general. But show jumping seemed his true calling, and in 1960 he was runner-up to Italian Raimondo D’Inzeo at the World Championships in Venice.

At that time, the Fédération Equestre Internationale would award

the hosting rights to the subsequent championship to the nation of that year’s winning rider. But as D’Inzeo won on his home soil, the FEI decided to forego a second consecutive championship in Italy, instead awarding the Games to the homeland of the second-ranked rider.

So it was that in 1966, the best horses and riders of the time from around the world arrived in Buenos Aires. The competition—which even then featured the thrilling format of a four-rider finale with an exchange of horses—was an enormous success.

Frenchman Pierre Jonqueres d’Oriola led the victory gallop and received

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Club Hipico Argentino has always been South Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most elite setting for equestrian sports.

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in partnership with EQUESTRIO Magazine his prize from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was president of the FEI at that time.

Delia represented Argentina in five Olympic Games: 1956 in Stockholm, 1960 in Rome, 1964 in Tokyo, 1968 in Mexico City and 1972 in Munich.

It was actually during the inaugural 1951 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, for which the equestrian events were held at Club Hipico Argentino, that Delia made his team debut, earning individual silver.

Hugo Miguel Arrambide, one of the nation’s best in the 1960s and ’70s, was the first Argentine show jumping professional and won the national championship four times, competed in three Olympic Games and won 38 international grand prix. But Argentine riding is by no means limited to merely show jumping; Carlos Moratorio, also a military man, took part in three Olympic Games (Rome, Tokyo, where he won individual silver, and Mexico City) and won the Land Rover Burghley CCI**** (England)—and the world championship title along with it—with Chalan in 1966.

The CHA hosted the 1974 South American show jumping championships, a competition honoring the fifth centennial of the discovery of the Americas. And in 1995, the Pan American Games returned once more.

Today around 1,500 saddle horses are born every year in Argentina, and the country has a constant presence in the Olympic Games and in intercontinental championships, thanks in large part to the foundation Club Hipico Argentino has given generations of horsemen and women.

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TRAVEL

SEEING SABLE ISLAND Story and photos by SHAW N HA MILTON/CLiX PHOTOGR APHY

AFTER MORE THAN TWO CENTURIES OF INACCESSIBILITY, THIS REMOTE CANADIAN HABITAT FOR HORSES HAS FINALLY BECOME THE NATION’S NEWEST NATIONAL PARK.

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A Sable Island stallion watches his family band on the beach.

The horse population on the island varies from less than 200â&#x20AC;&#x201D;especially after severe winters, which take their toll on the unmanaged herdâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to nearly 400. Stallions like this one lead small groups of mares and youngsters, usually numbering between four and 12.

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TRAVEL

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he mystique of Sable Island, a 26-mile long, crescent-shaped sandbar about 110 miles off the shores of Nova Scotia, has always intrigued me. It was a childhood dream of mine to visit the island’s wild horses, which have thrived there for hundreds of years in numbers varying from 350 to 500. Yet up until now, tourism on the island was extremely difficult to arrange and prohibitively expensive.

In June of 2013, however, the Canadian Coast Guard transferred the management of Sable Island (also known as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic” after more than 350 shipwrecks on its shores) to Parks Canada, and it became the nation’s 43rd National Park. While it’s still not easy to access, things are looking up for people like me who’ve always dreamed of visiting this remote island.

When I learned that the expedition company Adventure Canada, which had been working closely with Parks Canada, was planning

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Left: Between 40 and 50 family bands exist on the island, with just a handful of horses in each.

The island has several fresh water ponds that provide drinking water, but if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not near one, the horses are also known to paw down into the sand to reach underground springs.

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Left: A Sable Island stallion checks us out as we float by in our Zodiac. Younger stallions that don’t have their own small herds often band together with other colts or wander the island in solitary.

a new excursion to Sable Island for more than 100 passengers, I knew I had to be one of them. It was a dream come true when I felt the island’s sand move between my toes and watched the wild horses graze comfortably on the marram beach grass in front of me.

On my visit, I met Zoe Lucas, who originally arrived at the island as a field camp assistant more than 38 years ago and has been observing its horses ever since. She’s one of approximately five human inhabitants of the island today. In addition to tracking the horses’ numbers, 120

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Right: Evidence of the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equine population is everywhere.

Left: Zoe Lucas has observed the horses and performed research on Sable Island for nearly 40 years.

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Find Out More Adventure Canada’s next planned excursion to Sable Island will be in 2016. You can learn more about Adventure Canada and their tours at adventurecanada.com.

For more information on Sable Island, check out Parks Canada’s website at pc.gc.ca or the Sable Island Green Horse Society at greenhorsesociety.com.

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condition and behavior, she’s also researched shark predation of seals and marine litter and worked with the gas and oil industry to monitor its environmental impact.

From 1801 to 1958, before modern navigational systems, the island’s human population was higher, thanks to its lifesaving station for shipwrecks. During this time, the horses—which are not technically wild, rather feral descendants of equines turned loose there in the 18th century—were ridden and used for farming. But they were also periodically rounded up and auctioned off for use as pit ponies in the coal mines or slaughtered for dog food, so much so that by the late 1950s they were nearing

extinction.

In response, children from across the country banded together to form a campaign to save the horses, sending drawings and letters to Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker and asking him to protect the herd. In 1960, the federal government officially declared the horses protected and outlawed roundups and sales as part of the Canadian Shipping Act. Today, the herd is completely unmanaged, and Parks Canada has mandated a 65-foot buffer between visiting humans and equines to allow the horses to maintain the “wild” instincts that have allowed them to thrive on this sandy, salty island.

This piece of driftwood on the beach gets a lot of scratching action.

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TRAVEL Zoe pointed out the numerous fresh water ponds scattered about on Sable that provide drinking water, for instance. But where ponds are not available, she explained, the horses dig in the sand to reveal an underground reservoir of fresh water.

The equines also share the island with one of the world’s largest colonies of grey seals, as well as harbor seals and a vast number of birds, including the Ipswich sparrow, which makes Sable its only breeding ground in the world.

For Zoe, who loves the island’s peace and solitude, observing these species is still a thrill, even after almost 40 years. “If you could tell the world any one thing about what you’ve learned here, what would it be?” I asked her.

“To be aware of what is going on around you,” she answered simply. “The horses of Sable Island will be fine for now, but there are so many other wild places out there that also need our help.”

Left: A curious foal watches us as her mom picks up a few bites on the beach. Right: Sable Island horses graze on tough marram grass, their main sustenance, against the background of the dunes.

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CITY GUIDE

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, the quaint village of Tryon is a haven for equestrians of all stripes.

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Top Tips For Visiting Tryon Since plans for the Tryon International Equestrian Center were announced earlier this year, the city of Tryon, N.C., is quickly becoming the newest hunter/jumper hotspot. But as the local riders from many disciplines already know, the Tryon and Landrum, S.C., areas have long harbored an equestrian tradition.

“Morris the Horse,” a colorful wooden statue, has welcomed visitors to Tryon at the intersection of Trade and Pacolet streets since 1928, and many roads in the area remain gravel and dirt—perfect for hacking.

The Tryon Riding and Hunt Club, founded in 1925, has hosted shows, first at Harmon Field and now at the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, since 1929. The Block House Races are also held at FENCE every spring.

The area is home to hunters, jumpers, eventers, dressage riders, foxhunters and plenty of pleasure riders who enjoy Tryon’s extensive system of trails.

The best restaurants can be hard to find— nestled around winding turns with modest signs—but they’re there if you know where to look or who to ask.

COURTESY OF THE HARE AND HOUND

By LISA SLADE

The Hare And Hound

The Hare & Hound

Ask any Tryonarea resident or visitor about their preferred local watering hole, and The Hare And Hound in Landrum comes up immediately. Riders like that they can head to the casual establishment still dressed in boots and breeches, and the beer and spirits list is also a favorite among patrons.

The restaurant offers pub classics like fish and chips, Guinness beef pie, sandwiches and burgers. The fried pickle chips are recommended as an appetizer and the meatloaf for a main course.

“The bar atmosphere is great, and the service is wonderful,” said Tryon-based jumper trainer Vick Russell.

101 East Rutherford St.,

Landrum, S.C. 864-457-3232.

TheHareandHound.com.

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CITY GUIDE Located in Asheville, N.C., the Omni Grove Park Inn is about a 45-minute commute to the horse shows at either the Tryon International Equestrian Center or FENCE, but many showgoers enjoy the atmosphere of the luxurious mountain resort so much that they don’t mind the extra drive time.

The 100-year-old Grove Park Inn features suites and themed rooms, as well as a full spa, 18-hole golf course and numerous restaurants and drinking lounges.

Much of the property was renovated in 2013, which means you can enjoy history along with modern comfort.

290 Macon Ave., Asheville, N.C. 828-2522711. GroveParkInn.com.

COURTESY OF THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN

The Omni Grove Park Inn

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10 North Trade Café and Café At The Mall

As local residents, equestrians and members of the Tryon Equestrian 10 North Partners, Roger and Jennifer Trade Café Smith are regulars at both the 10 North Trade Café in Tryon and and Café At The Mall its sister restaurant, the Café At The Mall in Forest City, N.C. “They’re run by the same folks, and I like that they support local farmers,” said Jennifer. “It’s all farm fresh should eat,” says the company’s website. eggs, and you can’t get sliced tomatoes on Both locations offer an array of salads a sandwich unless they’re in season. Roger and sandwiches, as well as a daily quiche eats gluten free, and they do a great glutenand soup. All foods offered—including salad free turkey reuben.” dressings and breads—are made in-house.

Proprietor Liz Rose is also a registered 10 N Trade St., Tryon, N.C. 828-859-3010; dietician. “The Café was born out of a 2270 Hwy 74 Business, Forest City, N.C. desire to show people how to eat healthier 828-245-3615. CafeattheMall.com. rather than just telling people what they

COURTESY OF CAFÉ AT THE MALL

The Omni Grove Park Inn

Lavender Bistro

Another of Vick Russell’s favorite places, Lavender Bistro, is known for its fresh bread, seasonal daily specials and a comfortable but elegant atmosphere. Chef and co-owner Jean-Pierre Debeuf also offers an extensive wine list with recommended food pairings.

Lavender “Jean-Pierre is a great resBistro taurateur,” said Russell. “The turnout of the food is great, and it’s always good, fresh food. He knows how to do it.”

Debeuf, who has a stable full of Icelandic horses at his own barn in Tryon, recommends the bouillabaisse, a fish stew, for first-time visitors to the restaurant.

Lavender-Bistro.net.

Giardini Trattoria

Tryon-based eventer Eric Dierks often heads to nearby Columbus, N.C., for Giardini Trattoria’s fresh Italian food.

“I really like that place because it’s all organic, and Giardini there’s a good atmosphere,” Trattoria said Dierks. “My favorite thing

COURTESY OF GIARDINI TRATTORIA

>>

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82 N. Trade St., Tryon. 828-440-1140.

on the menu is the lasagna, but there’s also a really good wine selection.”

Giardini’s proprietors Joe Laudisio and Mary Lyth are originally from Buffalo, N.Y., and they change their menus with the seasons. The establishment even has its own garden where many of the vegetables, fruits and herbs served in the restaurant are grown, and patrons are welcome to visit.

The wood-fired pizzas are popular items, as are the pastas and raviolis of the day.

2411 NC 108E, Columbus.

828-894-0234. Giardini

Gardens.com.

The Orchard Inn

If you’re looking for something a little different than a chain hotel, The Orchard Inn in Saluda, N.C., offers a unique bed and breakfast just about 20 minutes from the horse show grounds.

Co-owner Marc Lazar noted that horse show competitors frequent his establishment when they’re in the area.

“All of our amenities are very luxurious—the sheets, beds and towels are wonderful,” said Lazar. “It’s a very intimate and romantic location. It’s convenient to the show grounds, but it offers very personable service at the same time.”

The Inn has nine rooms and five cottages. Rooms tend to sell out quickly in the fall season, so advanced bookings are recommended. Chef Marianne Lazar, originally from Vienna, offers dining C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M

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CITY GUIDE The Drake House

1-800-581-3800. OrchardInn.com

2533. Facebook.com/TheDrakeHouse.

The Orchard Inn

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clients elegant dinners and Saturday and Sunday brunches that feature many local and seasonal ingredients. The restaurant also offers views of the neighboring Blue Ridge Mountains.

Are you a visitor from a northern state seeking for some traditional southern cooking: black-eyed peas, fried chicken, okra, mashed potatoes and gravy? If so, you’ll want to head into Landrum for lunch at The Drake House. The buffetstyle restaurant offers patrons a large patio for outdoor seating as well as plenty of comfort food.

It’s the perfect place to replenish all those calories you burned showing seven horses in the morning. Make sure to check the restaurant’s Facebook page or call before you go for daily specials and hours. The business also hosts charity lunches—days when part of their proceeds go to local organizations—and those are also listed on Facebook.

100 Orchard Inn Ln., Saluda.

511 N. Howard Ave., Landrum. 864-457-

Stone Soup

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Stone Soup

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If you’re looking for a more upscale lunch or dinner—but still a place you can go

in your show clothes—look no further than Stone Soup in Landrum. The varied lunch menu includes everything from a roasted beet and arugula salad with locally sourced goat cheese to a ground lamb burger with baby spinach, feta and red onion. For dinner, popular menu items include the crab cakes and the house-cured duck confit.

“We go there quite a bit when we’re showing in Tryon,” said Aiken, S.C., hunter/jumper trainer Daniel Geitner.

“There are pictures of horses everywhere. They try and use local meats and vegetables; their local trout is really good. You can sit outside if the weather is nice.”

As an added bonus, Stone Soup hosts a “paws on the patio” event every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. You can take your dog, sit outside, and a portion of proceeds from the evening go to the Foothills Humane Society.

1522 E. Rutherford St., Landrum. 864-

457-5255. StoneSoupofLandrum.com.

Studio di Luce

CHANGING THE LIVES OF NEW YORKERS WITH DISABILITIES GallopNYC uses therapeutic horsemanship to help riders walk, talk, connect, focus, behave and learn, inspiring each one to live life as fully, productively and independently as possible.

GallopNYC serves 300 riders every week at three NYC locations.

We subsidize the fees of two thirds of our riders – if you’d like to help support these riders, please go to www.GallopNYC.org

GallopNYC welcomes the Central Park Horse Show presented by Rolex to New York City.

We are honored to be a named charity of the Show!

FEED ROOM

Horse Treats 101 Most tack and feed stores carry an overwhelming variety of horse treats in every shape, color and size these days, but making your own at home is simple and affordable.

By COR EE R EU T ER-MCNA M A R A

YZ

Creating your own horse treats is as easy as whipping up a batch of cookies. You ISTOCK.COM PHOTO

don’t have to be skilled in the kitchen—horses don’t mind if your morsels are a tad misshapen or a little overcooked. Plus, you don’t need any special ingredients; a few cups of grain combined with flour and molasses make a quick, easy treat.

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Where Do I Start?

The first step is determining what your particular horse enjoys eating. Most horses will snack on apples and carrots, but there’s no reason to limit yourself in the kitchen. Here are some suggestions: n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Dried fruit (pitted dates, raisins, etc.)

Sugar cubes Apples Carrots Peppermints Sunflower seeds Grapes Bananas Peas Green beans Lettuce Celery Watermelon rinds Squash Mango (not the pit) Breads/bagels Molasses Honey

Follow Directions Or Wing It? While there are dozens of treat recipes available online, it’s quite easy to experiment on your own. In order to create a tasty treat, you need to have a solid (grain, oatmeal), a filler (bran, flour), a “glue” (molasses, corn syrup, honey), a liquid (water, juice, beer), and, if desired, a garnish (carrot, apple, peppermint, sugar, salt).

Here’s a recipe modified from a simpler version found online:

By comparison, you should avoid feeding your horse: n n n n n n

n n

Garlic or onions Turnips Radishes Avocado Cabbage/kale/chard/collard greens/brussels sprouts Broccoli Tomato and potato plants and any member of the nightshade family, including peppers, should be avoided at all costs Rhubarb, especially its toxic leaves and roots Pits of peaches or cherries

And finally, these things may cause positive drug tests: n Tobacco (consumed, not inhaled) n Carrots in very large quantities (over 5 lbs. per day) n Persimmons n Chocolate n Licorice n Cinnamon n Nutmeg n Hot pepper/chili flavored products (chips, etc.) n Caffeinated tea, coffee or soda n Alcohol

15-MINUTE HORSE TREATS Ingredients: 4-5 cups oatmeal 2 cups molasses 3 cups grain 2-3 cups flour Splash oil (I used olive, but corn would probably be better) 1 cup water Salt for garnish Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together and then add the liquid ingredients. Mix thoroughly until the entire mixture is coated and moist. Add either liquid or solid until you’re able to form the mixture into small balls. Roll balls lightly in salt then press onto a cookie sheet, or you can spread a layer of the mixture on the cookie sheet to cut later into bars. Bake for 15 minutes.

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n

FEED ROOM Reader Favorite Recipes HORSICLES

From Chronicle Forums member MistyBlue Ingredients: Any type of juice or Gatorade or melted molasses Water Medium-sized plastic containers with lids Chunks of carrot, apple, etc. (optional) Directions: Fill containers half or 2/3 full with liquid of choice, then top off with water. (If you’re using molasses, you’ll want to be sure to use warm water.) Close lid, shake well, then place in freezer.

On a hot day, pop the now-frozen treat out of the container and into your horses’ feed trough or water buckets. You can also put several of them into the water trough itself to cool and flavor the water.

If you have a chest freezer, use the same recipe in a two-gallon bucket for more fun.

BEER BRAN MASH

From Chronicle Forums member OMalley Cat Ingredients: 8 cups bran 8 cups oats Pinch of salt Hot water 1 can beer

Directions: Add enough hot water to moisten ingredients, add your pinch of salt, mix, and then let steep for 30 minutes or until cool enough to feed. Add a can of beer moments before feeding.

HORSE CANDY

From Chronicle Forums member PaintedBones Ingredients: 2 cups corn syrup 1 1/3 cups sugar 2 cups corn meal 2 cups sweet feed Peppermint or other flavoring (optional) Directions: Combine corn syrup and sugar on the stove over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, then uncover and cook until 300 degrees or hard crack stage. Turn off heat. Add corn meal and sweet feed alternately and stir until combined and well coated.

Pour into well-greased bundt pan and allow to harden. Then remove candy from pan and run a string through the middle. Hang within reach of your horses, and watch them enjoy!

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NEW ENGLAND VALKYRIES VAULTING HORSE COOKIES

From vaulting club president Mari Badger

Ingredients: 1½ cups rolled oats 1½ cups Cheerios ½ cup flax seed ½ cup other grain (we use psyllium, you can use cornmeal, Grape Nuts, wheat cereal, etc.) ¾ cup whole wheat flour ¼ cup water ½ cup corn or light olive oil 1 tbsp. salt 1 cup applesauce 1 cup grated carrots or apples 2/3 cup molasses (You may also need some white flour) Directions: Mix these ingredients together with your hands. Really mix. Whole grains vary widely in their abilty to hold/absorb water, so the dough varies too. Some get stickier as they absorb liquid.

If it doesn’t hold a nice ball easily after a while, add some regular white flour, which acts as glue. If too stiff, add just a little more water.

Oil a cookie sheet. Do not preheat your oven— it’s not necessary. Drop spoon-size balls onto the well-oiled cookie sheet and press flat until they’re about 1/3 inch thick.

Set oven to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn. If the cookies are not crisp on the outside, flip them at this point and cook for 3 more minutes. Flip again for 3 minutes more if you want an even tougher cookie. With subsequent batches, flip half-way through and reduce total time by 1 minute (oven loses heat when you open it).

The goal is crunchy on the outside, a little chewy inside—but if your horse likes a really hard, crunchy cookie, lower the temperature to 250 and bake your finished cookies for 10 more minutes.

Cool completely, then store in airtight container.

Makes five to six dozen, depending on the size.

If your horse has been especially good, you may want to try an icing. Combine 2 cups confectioner’s sugar (sift after measuring), 2 tablespoons milk, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, ½ teaspoon salt and a handful of crushed peppermints, then mix with a hand-mixer until smooth.

Drizzle on cookies (or brush on or dip) and sprinkle with more crushed peppermints, which will stick to the icing. Allow to set for two hours in a cool place.

CHARITY SPOTLIGHT

A

“Camp Rusk provides a place where a horse may be kept affordably for an extended period of time, an option many horse owners prefer rather than having to sell a beloved equine partner,” explains Foundation president Robin Shearer.

>> WHAT IT IS: The Camp Rusk Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing safe and affordable horse retirement through land conservation, curbing horse abandonment and preventing overpopulation.

A CLOSER LOOK AT:

Camp Rusk Foundation

In an age of urban sprawl and disposable culture, this organization works to provide affordable, high-quality care for retired horses.

By MEGAN BRINCKS Photos courtesy of THE CAMP RUSK FOUNDATION

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sk Camp Rusk Foundation president Robin Shearer about her goals for the fledgling nonprofit, and she’ll tell you her ambitions in no uncertain terms. The group was established to solve three major problems in the equine industry: lack of affordable retirement, abandonment and overpopulation.

“There are times when life transitions make it difficult, if not impossible, to care for our horses ourselves—like a move, a job change, military duties, going to college or having a baby,” Shearer acknowledges. “Camp Rusk provides a place where a horse may be kept affordably for an extended period of time, an option many horse owners prefer rather than having to sell a beloved equine partner.”

The Camp Rusk Foundation’s objective is to establish retirement ranches around the country, the first of which is already hosting a few horses on the Texas-Louisiana border. These ranches follow the model of the private Camp Rusk, a retirement facility also in Texas.

The Foundation’s ranches will focus on sustainable, natural horse and land care. In addition to the Texas location, Shearer says they’re aiming to plant a facility on each coast and the center of the country. Each location’s system will be adapted for the weather patterns and ecosystems.

Shearer first got involved with the organization when she sent two horses to retirement at the private Camp Rusk ranch, founded 15 years ago. There, about 100 horses of a wide range of breeds from an even wider range of locations around the country are retired in a natural setting.

“I was so thrilled to see my horses happy, healthy, running with friends, on

pastures with ponds, woods and areas to graze, and first-rate care at a reasonable cost,” she says. “This was quite a unique experience for a Southern California gal!”

She soon began volunteering, and she then became president of the Foundation (which was founded in 2008) in August of 2013.

“The ranch brought together a collective of horsemen and women who wanted to make the dream they had for their horses a reality,” she says. “They wanted their horses to have a place to run and ‘just be horses’ in a natural environment.”

And while the horses benefit from the land, Shearer says the land also benefits from the horses by being open range without the stresses of work, chemicals or other artificial practices that affect the ecosystem.

While the horses are free to roam— with control over herd size and with appropriate veterinarian and farrier care and regular observations—they also provide a unique opportunity for research on horse behavior. Camp Rusk is currently hosting ongoing observational research about transitioning horses from stalls to pastures, behavioral research about herd dynamics, grouping horses by personality, using natural parasite control, and transitioning horses from shoes to bare feet, among others.

“Through the process of developing ‘the Camp Rusk system,’ much has been discovered about caring for horses in a natural setting,” Shearer says. “This continues to be a learning process. The groundwork has been laid for more formal observational research.”

Once a land endowment is completed, more formal research will begin.

“This is important, as we’re responsible for the care and well-being of live

animals, and we’re setting this up for perpetuity,” she explains.

The Foundation also focuses efforts on providing education about equine abandonment and reducing overbreeding and indiscriminate breeding. As part of their commitment to the organization, Foundation members often present lessons on these topics at clinics, seminars, riding club meetings and competitions.

In order to accomplish so much, Shearer says the Foundation needs the support of generous donors to complete the land endowment so the space can’t be sold in the future for urban or suburban development. (They estimate land is being lost at a rate of 4,000 acres per day in the United States.) The group asks donors to provide the support for a single acre once in their lifetime through their “Acres That Make A Difference” program.

“If there is adequate land, retirement needs can be met economically, and land will also be available for affordable horse rescue, trail systems and equestrian sports,” Shearer says. “We need to provide the land horses need. This is a big commitment, and it’s the commitment that the Camp Rusk Foundation most needs.”

While the horses benefit from the land, the land also benefits from the horses by being open range without the stresses of work, chemicals or other artificial practices that affect the ecosystem.

>> LEARN MORE: Visit the Camp Rusk Foundation website at campruskfoundation.org. >> GET IN TOUCH: Email Robin Shearer at robin@camprusk foundation.org or call (412) 2677875. >> GET INVOLVED: Step 1 on the Camp Rusk Foundation’s list of goals is completing their first land endowment, so the organization is seeking commitments to support parcels as small as just 1 acre. Visit their website for more information about how to donate to the “Acres That Make A Difference” program.

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BEST OF WEB & PRINT

What’s Hot On The Web u 77 Years

Worth Of Throwback Thursday Fodder

HOWARD ALLEN PHOTO

One of the best parts of being a Chronicle staffer is having access to seven decades worth of backissue bound volumes, and every week we share some of our favorite finds at coth. com/category/tags/ throwback-thursday.

Whether it’s a great photo gallery, a prophetic Between Rounds column or a hilarious or heartfelt personal story, each Throwback Thursday gem is a post worth sharing.

Two grande dames of the hunter history, Sallie B. Wheeler and Isgilde, pictured at the Upperville Colt and Horse Show in 1964.

u Your One-Stop Shop For The World

Equestrian Games

They’re finally here: The 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games kicked off on Aug. 23, and the Chronicle’s Sara Lieser, Mollie Bailey and Lisa Slade are on hand in Normandy, France, to cover these long-awaited world championships from top to bottom. Keep your browser locked to chronofhorse.com for the next two weeks for the industry’s best reporting on all the action in eight sports. Plus we’ll have inside scoops, interesting features, behind-the-scenes blogs and all the stunning photos you could ever want. Don’t miss a minute!

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u Ringside Chats That Keep You In The Loop We may have more options for communication than ever before, but finding time to stay truly connected seems to only grow more difficult. That’s why we’ve developed the Ringside Chat series at coth.com/category/tags/ringside-chat. Think of it as that 10-minute catch-up call to your best friend that you’ve been meaning to make for weeks… if that friend were Georgina Bloomberg, and she just had a baby and scored a top finish in the Global Champions Tour in Paris, or Silva Martin, and she just returned to competition after her life-threatening fall. It’s the perfect way to keep your finger on the true pulse of the horse world.

EHRLIF/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM PHOTO

Don’t Miss In The Magazine u Equestrian Faces Of The Immigration Debate

Over the past year, many equestrians have noticed a change in immigration policies for riders, grooms, and other foreign professionals—even for those who’ve lived and worked legally in the United States for years. Writer Jennifer Keeler explores this alarming trend in our Aug. 4 issue, and it’s a thought-provoking story you won’t want to miss. “I work hard, pay taxes, have a truck loan—all my money is spent here in the U.S. I’ve done everything by the book,” one source told Keeler.

“There are so many people here illegally, and they seem to be fine. You’re trying to do things the right way, and this shouldn’t be so hard. I thought we were the good guys, but the government doesn’t seem to want people like me here anymore.”

u To Pat Or Not To Pat? Are some equitation judges penalizing riders who let go of a rein to pat their horse following a round? Trainer and R-rated judge Ellen Shevella says yes in writer Ann Glavan’s recent story, “Penalized For Patting.”

Should young riders be docked points for rewarding their horses if it technically constitutes a “loss of rein,” as stated in the U.S. Equestrian Federation Rulebook? You’ll find our timely piece on this controversial topic and much more in the July 28 Equitation Issue of the Chronicle. u Emerson’s Words Of Wisdom “I have a friend who is a logger. He has a saying about those who work all day in the woods with chain saws: ‘It’s not a question of whether you’ll get cut, but when, and how badly,’ ” writes eventer Denny Emerson in the Chronicle’s Aug. 4 issue. “It’s the same truth about horses.” With the perfect balance of his classic wit and wisdom, Emerson tackles the touchy issue of how to return to riding after a serious injury in his latest Between Rounds column, “Getting Hurt: How Not To And (If That Fails) How To Recover.” For anyone who’s ever been physically hurt or experienced fear or anxiety about riding, this piece is a must-read.

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FREDERIC CHEHU/ARND.NL PHOTO

PARTING WAYS

Kannanball Photographer Frederic Chehu captured this image of the Dutch Warmblood stallion Kannan cheerfully dropping French rider Michel Hecart in his wake at the 2003 La Baule CSI in France.

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