The Plaid Horse - April 2017 - The Equine Business Issue

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North America’s Premier Horse Show Magazine • The Equine Business Issue • April 2017

Smallwood Mystic & Zayna Rizvi

Jane Ehrhart • Isabella Littlejohn • Live Oak Cedric’s Retirement • HQC Crossword

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KINGSTON

Giana Terranova Photography

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2017 CIRCUIT CHAMPION Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3” Winter Equestrian Festival Wellington, FL

WENDY W. NEWBY MEMORIAL TROPHY High Score Amateur Owner Hunter Winter Equestrian Festival Wellington, FL

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BRIDGEPORT FARMS

Congratulates

TOP SHELF 2017 HITS COACHELLA

Circuit Champion GREEN HUNTER 3'6 Owned by Milissa Summer

THE OAKS FARMS ~ SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA JOHN BRAGG 949.338.7095 PHOTO © PIPER KLEMM.

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BRIDGEPORT FARMS

Congratulates Brooke Morin

SEASIDE

SOCIAL HOUR

2017 HITS COACHELLA

2017 HITS COACHELLA

Circuit Champion

Circuit Reserve Champion

LARGE JUNIOR HUNTER 15&U

LARGE JUNIOR HUNTER 15&U

AUTUMN LANE

BOSS

2017 HITS COACHELLA

2017 HITS COACHELLA

SMALL JUNIOR HUNTER 15&U

MEDALS & EQUITATION

Circuit Champion

Multiple Wins in

THE OAKS FARMS ~ SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA JOHN BRAGG 949.338.7095 PHOTOS © LAURA WASSERMAN & LAILA KLINSMAN.

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BRIDGEPORT FARMS

Congratulates Kate Abajian

SEASIDE 2017 HITS COACHELLA

Circuit Champion

LARGE JUNIOR HUNTER 15&U

LAMBADA

DORIAN GRAY

2017 HITS COACHELLA

2017 HITS COACHELLA

MEDALS & EQUITATION

JUNIOR HUNTERS 3'3

Multiple Wins in

Circuit Champion

THE OAKS FARMS ~ SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA JOHN BRAGG 949.338.7095 PHOTOS © SOFIA JAIN & ESI.

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STONEWALL FARM

Congratulates

KATE NEILLY & TRAINER SHANON BEJARNO on the lease of Vermont Here’s the Gold!

Emily Elek • 920-889-0028

S TO N E WA L L P O N IE S@YA H O O.CO M • IXO N IA , W I S CO N S I N PHOTO © ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY.

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THE EQUINE BUSINESS ISSUE

Publisher

PIPER KLEMM, Ph.D.

P. 28 PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Piper Klemm, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief

P. 32 ISABELLA LITTLEJOHN

Sissy Wickes

SISSY WICKES

P. 36 JANE EHRHART

Sissy Wickes

Art Director

P. 42 WHAT YOU GET FOR 300K

Betsy Kelley & Sissy Wickes

LISA DALY

P. 44 SMALL GESTURE

Sissy Wickes

Web Director

BETSY KELLEY Digital Media Director

STEPHANIE ROLOFF Advertising

NANCY HALVEY KATIE COOK LIZ DAVOLL LIBBY SCONZO

CONTACT THE PLAID HORSE

WRITE Piper Klemm, Ph.D., 14 Mechanic St, Canton, New York 13617

CALL 541-905-0192 WEB theplaidhorse.com EMAIL piper@theplaidhorse.com FACEBOOK facebook.com/theplaidhorsemag TWITTER @PlaidHorseMag twitter.com/PlaidHorseMag INSTAGRAM @theplaidhorsemag instagram.com/theplaidhorsemag

PINTEREST pinterest.com/theplaidhorse GOOGLE + The Plaid Horse Mag TUMBLR theplaidhorsemag.tumblr.com SNAPCHAT theplaidhorse ISSUU: issuu.com/theplaidhorsemag

P. 58 STYLE NATIVE

Brandi Cyrus P. 63 HQC CROSSWORD

Sissy Wickes P. 65 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ROBIN GREENWOOD P. 68 LIVE OAK

Kristi Hopp P. 74 THE RETIREMENT OF CEDRIC

Phelps Media Group ON THE COVER: ZAYNA RIZVI AND PEACOCK RIDGE LLC’S SMALLWOOD MYSTIC IN WELLINGTON, FLORIDA. PHOTO © EMILY ALLONGO.

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ARE HUNTERS ART? PIPER AND SUNDAE IN THE DESERT ADULT HUNTERS AT HITS COACHELLA 2017. PHOTO © AMY DRAGOO.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE: I am no artist. The pen, the paintbrush, the hunk of clay – they do not take form in my hands. But, when I see art, I feel it.

At first, it was all about The Classics. I did not have the perspective to understand or to feel Modern Art. Now, I try to respond directly to what I see and not demand predictability in my reaction to the details or message in art.

My job demands a lot of travel so I try to take time when I’m on the road to explore the creative. The Legion of Honor is my favorite San Francisco excursion, complete with the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. The de Young Museum (also in San Fransico) had a mesmerizing Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit a few years ago, and I keep a print of Wayne Thiebaud’s “Three Gumball Machines” from an exhibit in my home office.

When I did the math on Van Gogh’s daily, weekly, and monthly lifetime production, it inspired productivity in me that has lasted for years!

The single most impactful artistic experience for me was Alexander McQueen’s 2011 “Savage Beauty” exhibit at the Met (NY) in 2011. It expanded my understanding of the tortured soul, the loneliness and isolation of being a peerless visionary, and – similar to the Van Gogh exhibit in Amsterdam – it showed an unfathomable volume of work.

THE HORN OF PLENTY, A DRESS MADE OF BLACK DUCK FEATHERS IN MCQUEEN’S 2011 SAVAGE BEAUTY EXHIBIT AT THE METROPLOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NY.

“You’ve got to know the rules to Recently, I spent a wonderful break them. That’s what I’m here for, evening at the San Francisco to demolish the rules but to keep the Ballet where I saw people tradition.” – Alexander McQueen pushing their physical and artistic boundaries to new limits. The George Balanchine-choreographed ballet “Diamonds,” with music composed by Tchaikovsky, was mesmerizing. I saw people who took their natural gifts, body types, and athleticism, and stretched, strained, devoted themselves, and studied until, ultimately, they created art.

And, somewhere in the middle of this experience, I got to thinking… Are hunters art? We endeavor to take horses with natural aptitude for the sport and stretch, train, strain, and devote them, ultimately creating exquisite jumps, perfect cadence, and seamless performance.

I have never consciously considered hunters as artists or their rounds as artistic performances before. But was the ballet on stage so different from watching Louise Serio, John French, or Jenny Karazissis in the ring?

Horsemen and skeptics may say, “Those ballerinas choose that life.

They choose to practice for hours each day, to destroy their feet, to do God-knows-what to their bodies in order to stay at the top of their game. They choose their devotion.”

But as horsemen, we all know horses that want to win; the ones who like to practice, to compete and win, to inspire expression, and create perfection. These are the ones that make us gasp at the beauty of their jump. These are the ones that we clamor to watch. Catch Me clearly likes the stress, the tension, the drama, the lights, the applause – or else he wouldn’t do it. There is no forcing that performance.

Most horses, like most ballerinas, never make it to the top of their game, and in the mid-range may have less risk for injury, less stress, less investment in the outcome, and more reasonable challenges. Plenty of things can show up to sully art – money, desire, greed. The need for prestige and accolades leads many astray. Obviously, our sport contains people with flawed motives and misguided actions. But, I think that the majority of horsemen understand that a good horse wants to succeed.

And, in a beautiful performance created by the synchronicity between horse and rider and horse and trainer, we evoke emotion in the audience.

We create art.

So, are hunters art? Yes, they are.

Agreed, some art is more amateurish than others. When I ride, it is not Met-worthy, but I have a blast in the process of creating, trying, experimenting, and aspiring. Does anything embody art more that that?

◼ BY PIPER KLEMM, PHD

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WINDCREST FARM’S CLIENTS

thank trainer Teri Knowlton for her never-ending support!

TERI KNOWLTON • 720-635-2806 Hunters, Jumpers, Equitation, Training & Sales• Windcrest Farm • Elizabeth, CO • Wellington, FL Photos © C. Brave Art, Liz Davoll, & Sportfot

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FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK!

www.ggt-footing.com

Contact: Cynthia Keating

(cell) 864-804-0011 Cynthia.keating@polysols.com

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STONEWALL

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Isabella Littlejohn’s Splendid Junior Career

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Sixteen year old Isabella Littlejohn has had a red hot winter circuit at HITS Coachella on her small junior hunter, Splendid. The duo has earned top ribbons at all of their Desert Circuit outings, including a win in the Small Junior Hunter Classic and a number of Championships and Reserve Championships. At the Desert Circuit VI show, Littlejohn was awarded the Best Junior Rider title.

Born and raised in Houston, TX, the high school sophomore rides with Archie Cox while competing on the road and with Nada Wise in Texas.

Littlejohn calls the combination “the best of both worlds,” with Cox and Wise collaborating to provide an excellent training regimen for the rider and her three horses. Littlejohn has a large junior hunter, Rockaway, a new equitation horse, Miramar, and her favorite, Splendid. Splendid holds a special place for Littlejohn as she taught the horse to transition from the jumper to the hunter rings. “He was a jumper when I got him, and it has been a great experience to make him into a hunter,’” she explains. “He is bouncy, frisky, and energetic. And, sometimes, he surprises you!”

Littlejohn is supported by her parents, Erik and Nancy, whom attend every horse show possible. Nancy competes in the adult hunters, affording her insight into the rigors and complexities of the sport. As Isabella explains, “ I love having my mother at the shows. She knows how hard it is because she competes in the adults and can point out little things that help.” Nancy appreciates the discipline, commitment, and sacrifice required of her daughter. “Riding high performance horses takes an incredible skill set that comes from years of practice, hours of discipline. I explain to people,

just because you can buy a Ferrari, doesn’t mean you can drive it! I am so glad that she found her passion early, and that she is so incredibly focused.”

Currently, the mother and daughter commute from Houston to California to show at HITS Coachella. Flying from Texas on Thursday nights, Isabella is lessoning at 6AM on Friday morning. After the competition, the Littlejohns are up at 4AM on Monday morning to return to Houston for school. Isabella attends a regular day school, instead of the online or tutoring options in order to have the experience of a typical classroom and social setting. She balances the rigors of travel, schoolwork, and the occasional Texas high school football game with the demands of elite level equestrian competition.

Littlejohn’s short term plans are to continue her successful streak with Splendid and Rockaway in the Junior Hunters, including competing at the Devon Horse Show. In 2016 with Splendid, she jogged in almost every round at Indoors. In 2017, she hopes to jump into the top three ribbons over fences. Additionally, Littlejohn wants to repeat her win in the USEF Junior Hunter Finals-West in the under saddle. With her new equitation horse, she hopes to qualify again for equitation finals, but is cognizant of her horse’s lack of experience. “It will be his first finals, so I just want him to be confident and do well.

It is mainly about him being positive and happy.”

In the long term, Littlejohn plans to attend college in either Texas or California. “I definitely want to ride in college!” she exclaims. As to a career choice, “Horses, maybe. But, I want to have a normal life, too.” The young rider appreciates the sacrifices that her trainers, parents, and herself make to sustain an elite level of performance. Focused, grateful, humble and talented, Isabella Littlejohn is a splendid young rider.

◼

BY TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES

ABOVE: COMPETING IN THE USEF MEDAL FINALS AT THE PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL HORSE SHOW, 2016. BELOW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ISABELLA AND ROCKAWAY AT THE 2017 PNHS; WITH SPLENDID AND ARCHIE COX, SMALL JUNIOR HUNTER CLASSIC WEEK 4 HITS COACHELLA; SPLENDID AND LITTLEJOHN JUMPING TO TOP RIBBONS AT INDOORS 2016. PHOTOS © AL COOK PHOTO AND ESI.

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Jane Ehrhart

Jane Ehrhart was one of the most successful junior riders of her time, exhibiting famous horses such as Lyle, The Winning Edge, and Acarell to numerous championships. She won the USEF Junior Hunter Finals two years in a row and earned ribbons in the national finals in the equitation and junior hunters and won Ocala's George Morris Equitation challenge twice. After graduating from Lynn University, Ehrhart worked in commercial real estate for one year before following her heart back into the equestrian world.

Ehrhart has spent her entire career learning from the best in the business. Scott Stewart, Ken Berkley, Don Stewart, Andre Dignelli, Patricia Griffith- these are the experts that have educated Jane Ehrhart. In 2017, she has decided to put her experience to work and open her own business, River Hill Farm. The Plaid Horse caught up with Jane at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

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Young Trainer Spotlight TPH: Jane, why your own business now?

Jane: After 5 years of working for the Hymowitz family, managing their barn and co-training the girls, I decided that it was time to start my own business.

TPH: What makes your training system different?

Jane: My focus is entirely on teaching kids, juniors, and amateurs.

Most of my peers and colleagues are pursuing their own riding careers. Their riding is the big focus. Very few of them want to teach lessons all day and get horses ready for their riders. I am the opposite. I love to teach my clients, get their horses ready for competition, and then put them in the show ring. My system is all about getting my clients results and staying safe.

TPH: Explain some of your training methods.

Jane: I like exercises for adjustability and practicing courses like we see in the show ring. My theory is that if we can get the horses to go forward and come back in a straight line and half circle, we should be in good shape.

TPH: Who did you look up to for training early on?

Jane: All the professionals I have had the privilege of working with have taught me a lot. All of them have been so organized with a clear program. Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley have the most sustainable program that I have been a part of. Their clients are successful decade after decade. I appreciate their gimmick-less approach to training. I have continued to do a lot of business with all of the trainers with whom I have formerly worked, and I think that’s a very positive asset for me. I know them and I trust them to assist me as a young professional.

TPH: Do you prefer hunters, jumpers or equitation?

Jane: I like all of the disciplines if we can do them well. If winning the junior hunters at all the major horse shows is in the cards, I am 100% ready for that. If going to Europe to show jumpers is a goal, I’m ready to go back for that again. If getting back in the ring after a multi-year gap is a goal, then I’m absolutely on board for that as well. My goal is to make my clients the best at what they can be.

TPH: How has WEF 2017 been so far?

Jane: It has been great. I bought two young hunters that I am producing to show and be sold. My mom had a 3-year gap from showing after a big injury in 2013 and she's currently leading for circuit champion in the USHJA 2'3 hunters on Cayero. I'm so proud of her progress! I've been helping the Ingram Family this circuit a bit. They have been winning a lot of classes, so it's been really fun.

TPH: What is your show schedule for this summer?

Jane: I am based in Wellington and will be here through June 1. We will go to Devon for Senior Week, to Kentucky for the two Country Heir shows, and then to the two Brandywine Summer Series shows in Devon, PA. After that, we will probably touch base here at home and then go to Kentucky for the August summer shows and Pony Finals. We will do the Hamptons if it works into everyone’s schedule. After that, we take a few weeks to get organized and then we head north for Capital Challenge. Indoors is my favorite season, so I am hoping to have some horses and riders to take!

TPH: As a co-trainer and manager for the Hymowitz’s, what are some of your favorite career highlights?

Jane: Grand Champion at Washington, Capital Challenge and Champion at the National Horse Show were exciting wins. We were also Amateur Owner Jumper champion at Capital Challenge. Enjoy was Junior Hunter of the Year. The Hamptons has been a fun show because we were champion in the Junior Hunters and Junior Jumpers. We also won classes in Monaco, Paris, and Vienna. That was fun because those were all new shows for me!

TPH: Why Wellington?

Jane: Wellington is home. It’s nice to be able to be home during WEF. For any out-of-town clients that might come my way, it is a great base and easy to fly in and out of.

TPH: Who is your ideal client?

Jane: I welcome clients who have goals, want to have fun, and want to progress. I love to teach, train horses and riders, and am lucky that I am able to pursue this career.

Contact Jane Ehrhart for more information at ehrhart.jane@gmail.com or call 314-680-8512.

Instagram: @riverhillfarmje

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Hunters in Focus:

SMALL GESTURE

In 2015, Whitethorne LLC imported a beautiful, dark bay six year old gelding with a big star, curved stripe, and a snip on his left nostril. Athletic, quiet, and always willing to please, the hunter, now known as Small Gesture, has already had a stellar career.

Looking for the next winner in the Equitation ring, Georgy MaskreySegesman started to Americanize the young horse, affectionately know as “Nemo” around the barn.

“Karen Healey and I watched him progress quickly as an equitation horse, but it was Liz Reilly who saw his true potential as a hunter,” said Maskrey-Segesman. Nemo was then sold to Chris Iwasaki and Reilly’s Makoto Farms, where many of the most successful hunters in the country have received their start under their careful training and with John French in the irons.

Making his horse show debut in the fall of his six-year-old year, Small Gesture was shown in all three rings at his first few horse shows.

While he was happy and successful in hunter, jumper, and equitation classes, his immense talent as a hunter bubbled to the surface, and the horse found his niche in that ring. In October 2015, Augusta Iwasaki competed Small Gesture

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In 2016, French and Small Gesture won two prestigious and hotly contested World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) honors. In June, the From 2016 to the present, Small Gesture has been one of the most successful pair was victorious in the $25,000 horses on the American scene. With Augusta Iwasaki, he garnered a multitude WCHR Hunter Spectacular at the of Champion and Reserve Championships all over the country, including Blenheim June Classic (San Juan top placings at his first Devon Horse Show (Devon, PA), Capital Challenge Capistrano, CA) with an average (Upper Marlboro, MD), Pennsylvania National (Harrisburg, PA), and score of 92. In October, they won Washington International (Washington, D.C.). With French, Small Gesture was the fabled WCHR Professional victorious in numerous Second Year Green classes and International Hunter Final at the Capital Challenge Derbies, including Reserve Champion at Washington International and 13th Horse Show, a class featuring the Overall at his first USHJA International Derby Finals (Lexington, KY). best hunter riders in the world in head to head competition. Of the talented horse, French explains, “He is nice. Because he did the jumpers, you can sit on him and put leg on and not have to sit chilly. I can gallop up to a single oxer knowing that he will back himself off and jump it great. I couldn’t be happier with him.” for the first time, and a winning Junior Hunter partnership was born. In the professional divisions, John French paired with the gorgeous Holsteiner as the rider in the Second Year Green Hunter division and International Hunter Derby competitions.

From his introduction to the hunter ring, Small Gesture has answered every question asked of him and is poised to become one of the storied hunters of our time. Small Gesture has continued his winning ways in the Junior Hunter divisions with Sofia Roberts – they will certainly be the pair to watch in 2017! ◼ THE PLAID HORSE

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SMALL GESTURE Catoki x Vedua “Nemo” 2009, 15.3 7/8 Bay Holsteiner Gelding RESULTS Winner, WCHR Pro Finals 2016 John French – Capital Challenge Winner, WCHR Spectacular- West 2016 John French – Blenheim Equisports USEF Horse of the Year - Zone 10 Champion – John French, 2nd Year Green Hunter Reserve Champion – Augusta Iwasaki, Small Junior 15&U 2ND YEAR GREEN HUNTER Reserve Champion, Washington International Horse Show 2016 Reserve Champion, Kentucky Summer Classic, Champion, Showpark Racing Festival Champion, Del Mar National Champion, Blenheim Spring Classic II & III Champion, HITS Thermal III SMALL JUNIOR HUNTER 15&U Reserve Champion, HITS Thermal VII Reserve Champion, Middleburg Classic 2016 Reserve Champion, Showpark Summer Festival Champion, Central California Classic Reserve Champion, Del Mar National Champion, Blenheim Spring Classic II & IV Champion, HITS Thermal VI Reserve Champion, HITS Thermal IV, VII Champion, Autumn Jubliee, Ribbons, Devon, Harrisburg, Capital Challenge, Washington Winner, $1,000 Junior Hunter Classic, Blenheim June Classic, Central California Classic, HITS Thermal, Autumn Jubilee USHJA INTERNATIONAL DERBY 13th Overall, USHJA International Derby Finals 3rd Overall, Franktown Meadows USHJA International Derby 7th Overall, Central California Classic USHJA International Derby 8th Overall, Blenheim Spring Classic USHJA International Derby

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MCLAIN WARD AND HH AZUR WIN THE FEI WORLD CUP FINALS IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA. PHOTO © TPH INTERN IRENE ELISE POWLICK.

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HEMLOCK HILL FARM A Family-Owned Business • Established in 1972

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Choose from six standard designs or create your own custom design NOT A NEEDLEPOINTER? WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED WITH OUR IN-HOUSE STITCHERS

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Pin Oak at the end of March, Old Salem and Devon in May. Hingham Square Needlepoint • (781) 836-5200 132 North Street, 2nd Floor, Hingham, MA 02043 www.hinghamsquareneedlepoint.com

PIN OAK CHARITY HORSE SHOW 2017, KATY, TEXAS. TPH INTERN JORDAN COBB AND PARK AVENUE WINNING IN THE LARGE PONY HUNTERS. PHOTO © TPH INTERN AMY CORETZ.

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PHOTOS

BY TAUSHA DICKINSON

BRANDI CYRUS STYLE NATIVE

Spring is all about transitions. From cool mornings that turn into warm afternoons, and then back to chilly evenings, I always need layers to handle whatever the weather brings. Ever and I are loving the sunshine, and are having a blast getting to test out the latest in colorful spring fashion!

Rails Plaid Button Down Shirt Retail pick: Turner & Co, Kennet Square, PA • Instagram: @turnerandcompany

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Unicorn Rider T Shirt GPA First Lady Crystal Helmet Shop online: Riders-Boutique.myshopify.com Retail pick: Riders Boutique At HITS Balmoral and Traverse City.

GhoDho Breeches and Belt Shop online: ghodho.com

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North Face Vest Shop online: Nordstrom.com ESI Sun Shirt in Capri Shop online: Rick's Heritage Saddlery, saddlesource.com Retail pick: The Boot and Bridle, Clermont, NJ Roeckl Gloves Shop Online: Equlifestyleboutique.com

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Cavalleria Toscana Grip Breeches in Beige Shop online: Riders-Boutique.myshopify.com Retail pick: Riders Boutique At HITS Balmoral and Traverse City.

M Stirrups Aluminum stirrups available in custom colors Shop online: MStirrups.com Just Fur Fun Spur Straps Shop online: Justfurfunonline.com

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Crossword inspired by the

CROSSWORD BY TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES

The Horsemanship Quiz Challenge encourages education and recognizes young equestrians who have exceptional horsemanship knowledge.

Learn more at ushja.org/HQC – and be sure to register for HQC 2017! Post your completed crosswords and tag @theplaidhorsemag on Instagram for a chance to win cool prizes!

PHOTO © IRENE ELISE POWLICK.

Crossword clue for 13 down.

ACROSS

DOWN

3

1 2 4 7

5 6 8 16 17 18 19 20

American showjumping rider to compete in six Olympic Games Short multi-link chain hooked to bit under chin Blemish on the back of the hock Most severe tendon injury Rider of the winner of 2017 $100,000 WCHR Hunter Classic Shin boots preferred by jumper riders Small flap of leather below the pommel of a saddle Youngest rider in showjumping history to compete in Olympics McLain Ward’s famous chestnut mare

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

TB mare who won Gold under Joe Fargis Hard bumps on inside of cannon bone Banamine must be administered where?

The only U.S. horse to have competed in the Olympic Games in two different disciplines Strap on a bridle that buckles where the head and neck join Poisonous type of fruit tree Bottom layer of the hoof Large joint at top of the hind leg Winner of the 2017 $100,000 WCHR Hunter Classic Site of 1980 Alternate Equestrian Olympic Games Bit with a hump in the middle

76 for answers!

See page 92

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THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS. Ranch, Farm & Equine Contact: Stacey Cinquini Direct/Text: (949) 289-4722 Email: stacey@cinquiniins.net Facebook: Cinquini Insurance Services LLC Twitter & Instagram: @CinquiniIns Lic #0G96286 / 0I72676 Jett Martin of Acorn Farm.

Photo © Quintessence Photography.

COVERAGE PROVIDED BY XL CATLIN

XL Catlin and the XL Catlin logo are trademarks of XL Group Ltd companies. XL Catlin is the global brand used by XL Group Ltd’s (re)insurance subsidiaries. In the US, the insurance companies of XL Group Ltd are: Catlin Indemnity Company, Catlin Insurance Company, Inc., Catlin Specialty Insurance Company, Greenwich Insurance Company, Indian Harbor Insurance Company, XL Insurance America, Inc, and XL Specialty Insurance Company. Not all of the insurers do business in all jurisdictions nor is coverage available in all jurisdictions.

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10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT...

ROBIN GREENWOOD ❶ She has had at least one pet pig since 1992. One of them actually slept in bed with her. ❷ She was A/O Hunter Champion at Devon in 1974 on Grand Central ❸ She was 1976 USEF A/O HOTY on Twentieth Century Ltd ❹ She trained Jessica Newman (Just World), Georgina Bloomberg (USET member), Ashley Baker, Katie Jaffa, Tori Grauer, Jennifer Miller, and Caroline Passarelli ❺ Between them, they won Pony Finals, Pony Medal Finals, Washington Equitation Finals, and were Champion at Harrisburg, WIHS, Devon and The National. ❻ She currently trains Erica Felder who was 2016 Champion in the Large Pony Hunters on Timeless at Capital Challenge. ❼ She has bred, raised, or trained almost 100 ponies of her own, including Yes I Am, RosMel’s Millennium, Center Field,

By Jove, Spider-Man, Yes It’s True, RosMel’s Sun Fairy, Super Trooper and Emerson. ❽ Between them, they have been Champion or Reserve at Pony Finals, Pony Medal Finals, WIHS Pony Medal Finals, Capital Challenge, Harrisburg and WIHS. ❾ She actually does train horses, too! ❿ She loves Twizzlers and Jelly Beans.

Robin Bacon Greenwood showed hunters as a junior and amateur with Ronnie and Sue Mutch at Nimrod Farm in Weston, Conn. After turning professional in 1980, Greenwood opened Grand Central, Inc. and concentrated on children and pony hunters. In 1997, she retired to raise two daughters, Karen and Laura, during which time she turned her interest to breeding and raising pony hunters.

Greenwood returned to training in 2009. She and her family now live in Southern Pines, N.C., where she teaches children to ride and show ponies.

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A popular equine venue, Ocala, Florida is the host to many world-class horse events. When March rolls around every year, all eyes are on the much-anticipated Live Oak International. Started in 1992

by Chester Weber, who was only eighteen at the time, it began as a modest competition and has grown into an all out battle of the best of the best. Now Chester shares the co-responsibility with his sister Juliet W. Reid, and they had much to celebrate this year with the 25th anniversary of the show.

Live Oak INTERNATIONAL PHOTOS BY SCOTT TREES • WWW.TREESMEDIA.COM

theplaidhorse.com • April 2017 • 69 Live Oak Plantation is a 5,000 acre Thoroughbred farm located just outside Ocala. With its rolling green pastures and giant oak trees, branches draped with enchanting moss, it is enough to take your breath away. Arriving early with legendary photographer Scott Trees, camera equipment in hand, we were prepared to take in the sights and sounds of competitive carriage driving, a sport that might even make eventing horses gasp. On a tip from a seasoned spectator, we dashed to obstacle number one, the water and covered bridge. A perennial spectator favorite, it sure ended up being mine.

My second time attending this event, I learned that tailgating was a big deal. Not so much in the football meaning, but rather tents roped off for private parties. With brunch and mimosas in abundance, all were in cheerful spirits. Finally the first team arrived with the call “driver on course!” It was a pair of pure white welsh bred ponies which they executed the obstacle with absolute precision, and had an added cute factor. The next few driving duos were not so lucky, with several ponies NOT interested in entering the scary water. My hat is off to the talented drivers that convinced their equine teammates to finish the obstacle.

Wanting to experience some of the other obstacles on the Marathon part of the combined driving, we headed to obstacle number two, The Gulch. More challenging than the water, competitors had to navigate themselves up and over a significant bridge. With some close calls, I was very happy to see no overturned carriages. The remaining obstacles existed on what they call the “hill”. Starting at the bottom, the competitors worked their way to the top and finally to the finish line.

The marathon is just one part of what makes up the combined driving competition. The other two phases are dressage and obstacle driving, sometimes just referred to as the cone event. Preliminary, Intermediate

and FEI levels, the FEI is the most prestigious with many of the winning teams being considered for the U.S. Combined Driving Team. For the record breaking 14th year in a row, Chester Weber wins the Four In Hand, followed in a close second

by Misdee Wrigley- Miller. Other FEI winners included the Pony Single with Tracey Morgan, Pony Pair with Katie Whaley, Horse Single with Jennifer Hamilton and the Horse Pair with Steve Wilson.

A long day of driving ponies and horses through the marathon section did not deter anyone from attending the Competitors Party that evening, a chance for everyone to share their driving stories, successes or even near disasters.

Combined Driving is not the only event offered at the Live Oak International as Show Jumping was introduced in 2012. This year, the event featured the $100,000 Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix. Winning the grand prize was Todd Minikus riding Two Swans Farm’s 12-year-old chestnut mare, Babalou 41. With this victory in the last qualifier for the Longines FEI World Cup Finals, Minikus earned a spot in this coveted event held on March 29-April 2 in Omaha, Nebraska. Minkus was thrilled with the opportunity to compete in one of the most prestigious show jumping events in the world. “We came here hoping to accomplish this and I am really happy that it worked out this way,” the jump off specialist exudes.

With fellow American riders Laura Kraut, McLain Ward, and Audrey Coulter, Minikus will contest his sixth FEI World Cup Final. ◼ BY KRISTI HOPP

If you are in the Ocala area next March or want to mark your calendar for an Equine destination trip, the Live Oak International will not disappoint. For me, it is now a must-attend event.

See everyone in 2018!

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Zayna Rizvi

& Smallwood Mystic

A Mighty Match PHOTOS BY EMILY ALLONGO.

theplaidhorse.com • April 2017 • 71 Zayna Rizvi and Smallwood Mystic are a pair to contend with at this year’s Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. The diminutive eleven year old and her stunningly beautiful gray pony have been repeatedly and consistently victorious in the Medium Pony Hunter division. Under the tutelage of long time trainer, Christine Trigger, Rizvi and “Mystic” have won the Championship honor three times and Reserve Championship twice so far during the ultra competitive show series. During the World Championship Hunter Rider Week 6, they won every class in the division of 42 ponies, garnering the highest score in all pony divisions of 90 points. They appear to be a lock for the prestigious 2017 Wellington Equestrian Festival Circuit Championship honors.

Bought as a six year old from Bibby and Kelley Farmer, Smallwood Mystic is a sweet, eager-to-please Welsh cross. At eight years old, he is a fresh face on the scene in the Medium Pony Hunters where many of the contenders are veteran road warriors. For his young rider, he holds a special place as “one of the first ponies that was all mine, not a hand me down from one my sisters.” Zayna smiles as she talks about her relationship with her pony partner. “He got hurt after I had shown him once and had some time off. When he came back, it was fun because I got to be a part of training him and helping him grow up into a show pony.” Brave and cooperative, Mystic and his young jockey quickly ascended the ranks of the pony division.

Coach Christine Trigger has been the resident trainer for the Rizvi family for eight years.

Riding is in the blood of the Wellington, FL and Greenwich, CT based family as mother, PJ, and daughters, Yasmin, Farah, and Zayna are successful equestrians. PJ is an accomplished Grand Prix dressage rider while Yasmin and Farah have moved up from ponies to compete in the Junior Hunter, Jumper, and Equitation divisions under North Run trainers, Missy Clark and John Brennan.

At age 11, Zayna is in no rush to leave the pony ring and the training program of coach Trigger. Trigger began teaching at the family’s 20 acre property in Greenwich, CT when Zayna was three years old and the facility consisted of a two stall barn, a retired dressage stallion, and a Shetland pony. Needless to say, the facility has expanded to support the tremendous commitment the family has made to equestrian sport. Trigger remembers the first time that she lifted young Zayna onto the Shetland pony. “ She always loved riding. She was so natural and gifted right from the start. I would put her on a lunge line on the front lawn and let her trot around.

I remember that she hated riding pants, so she would show up to her lessons wearing a princess tutu and glitter!”

At five years old, there was no stopping Zayna. On her school master medium pony, Hillcrest I’m a Blue Too, she qualified as a wild card entry into the Marshall & Sterling Children’s Pony Hunter Finals, held in the big Hunter Stadium at HITS Saugerties.

The tiny girl, dressed in her mini-sized shadbelly,

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PHOTO © SPORTFOT.

theplaidhorse.com • April 2017 • 73 went in to compete over a championship hunter course of ten jumps. The crowd watched in disbelief as Zayna guided her pony around the challenging course. The pony, favoring left turns over right, got carried away and predicted a left turn that took the duo off course at the last jump. Zayna circled and finished the course triumphantly, exiting the ring with a wide grin. For the young equestrian, it was the experience that was the greatest reward.

Looking past the Winter Equestrian Festival, Christine and Zayna hope that Smallwood Mystic accumulates enough points to get into the Devon Horse Show. The indoor circuit is a definite goal as the dynamic duo continues their domination of the division. Ever the competitor, Zayna is looking forward to the challenge. “He has never been to Indoors before, but I think he will love the excitement!” It is a sure bet that this precocious pair will rise to the challenge.

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A full time student at St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, FL, Rizvi enjoys dance as well as riding. She trains in Wellington after school under the careful eye of Trigger. The program includes concentration on the basic skills of riding with a lot of work without stirrups and over cavalettis. Trigger believes in keeping her methods simple with minimal equipment. “I make the kids work things out on their horses. They learn to figure things out if they are not going well, and have the skill to think independently. After all, [Zayna] is the one on the pony and she can feel how to work it out. And, with her natural instincts, she is usually correct.”

As for her partner, Smallwood Mystic, Zayna seems to be working their relationship to a fine tune. “He is always good,” she beams, “He’s right there. You don’t have to push or pull; he’s an easy ride.”

Asked about advice from her successful older sisters, Zayna praises them. “Sometimes if Yasmin watches me, she will give me some tips, which is great. She rides so well.” Zayna plans to continue in the pony divisions for the near future. She also enjoys competing on her two Children’s Jumpers, as she “loves to go fast.”

BY TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES

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CHERRY KNOLL FARM ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST

Cedric

Wellington, Florida: On February 28, 2017 Olympian Laura Kraut and Margaret Duprey of Cherry Knoll Farm, announced the retirement of Cedric, Kraut’s Olympic partner. The 19-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Chambertin 3-Cortina, Carolus LL) is owned by Cherry Knoll Farm.

Kraut and Cedric were one of the most dynamic and successful show jumping combinations in American history.

Cedric made his FEI debut in 2006 as an 8-year- old, and his partnership with Kraut has been nothing short of incredible.

Kraut and Cedric were key members of the United States show jumping team that claimed the gold medal in 2008 at the summer Olympics in Beijing.

“Cedric has been the horse of a lifetime for me,” Kraut said. “He has been incredible and I’ve learned not to give up and to persevere. It took a long time as he was a little bit slower to develop than your normal grand prix horse. He’s been amazing, and I think I’ll never have another horse like him.”

The pair made numerous Nations Cup appearances around the world, including Rotterdam, La Baule, Rome, St. Gallen, Aachen, Wellington, Dublin and Barcelona on multiple occasions. Kraut and Cedric have also been successful players on the Global Champions Tour and to this date are the only horse and rider combination to win back to back Global Champions Tour events, winning in Chantilly, France, and then just two weeks later at Valkenswaard, the Netherlands.

“For me, one of the biggest career highlights with Cedric was him winning multiple Global Champions Tour grand prix events,” Kraut said. “For him to win back-to-back huge grand prix competitions like that was a tribute to just how great he is.”

Cedric, one of the nation’s leading money winners, amassed well over $2 million in prize money won and, in major competitions of $100,000 or more, produced 81 clear and 45 double-clear rounds.

In 2010, Cedric was named The Chronicle of the Horse’s Show Jumping Horse of the Year. Throughout her career Kraut has achieved great success with many different horses, yet none of those were more exciting than the partnership she developed with Cedric. He has been an absolutely world-class competitor and representative of the United States Equestrian Team.

U.S. chef d’équipe and legendary horseman, George H. Morris, coached Kraut and Cedric to a team gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Morris was a huge supporter of the pair from the start, and was confident in their abilities to rise to the occasion in Beijing for Team USA. “I wanted to go with [Cedric] because he was a careful and competitive horse,” said Morris, regarding selecting Cedric for the 2008 Olympic Games. “I never underestimate a little horse, and the rider – nobody rides better than Laura.

He is an absolute blood horse. With all of that Thoroughbred blood in his veins, there is no bottom to Cedric. Careful, clever as a cat, so handy, so fast – all of the qualities that really make a superb show jumper.

“He’s what I call a darling horse,” continued Morris.

“That of course was a great asset for the team. He had many, many wins in Nations Cups around the world representing Team USA. Besides the Olympic Games, he’s a horse you won’t forget. You won’t forget Cedric.”

Prior to Cherry Knoll Farm stepping in as owner in 2012, Cedric was owned by Happy Hill Farm and Peter Wetherill, one of Duprey’s childhood friends. In addition to owning Cedric, Duprey, a Grand Prix dressage rider and philanthropist, also owns decorated grand prix show jumper Constable and Rio Paralympic mount Schroeter’s Romani ridden by Rebecca Hart. Duprey is also a partner in a syndication for Andretti S, who is ridden by Kraut.

“I thought owning Cedric would be a great opportunity to become involved in the jumping world with one of the best,” Duprey said about her decision to purchase the grey gelding in 2012. “To be able to carry on Peter’s love of this horse and his love of Laura, makes it very special.

“It has been a privilege to own a horse like Cedric,” Duprey continued. “Because of him, I have experienced international show jumping at the highest level around the world. I am so thankful for everyone who has played a role in his life, from the farriers, grooms, veterinarians – it truly takes a village. There will only be one Cedric and I am honored to have been a part of his journey.”

Cedric and his standout career will be recognized at the Winter Equestrian Festival on Friday, March 3, in a retirement ceremony prior to the start of the $150,000 Nations Cup CSIO4* ◼ PHELPS MEDIA GROUP .

LEFT: LAURA KRAUT, CEDRIC, AND TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES AT CEDRIC’S RETIREMENT PARTY, PHOTO © PHELPS MEDIA GROUP. RIGHT: KRAUT AND CEDRIC WINNING THE $150,000 FEI OCALA GRAND PRIX, HITS OCALA CSIO 2015, PHOTO © REBECCA WALTON.

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ANSWERS FOR CROSSWORD PUZZLE ON PAGE 63: ACROSS: 3. CHAPOT 5. CURBCHAIN 6. CURB 8. BOWED 16. SCOTT STEWART 17. OPEN FRONT 18. SKIRT 19. REED KESSLER 20. SAPPHIRE DOWN: 1. TOUCH OF CLASS 2. SPLINTS 4. INTRAVENOUS 7. BOLD MINSTREL 9. THROATLATCH 10. APPLE 11. SOLE 12. STIFLE 13. CATCH ME 14. ROTTERDAM 15. PORT

www.streamhorsetv.com

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MATZ ON JET RUN, 1978 AMERICAN GOLD CUP

MATZ ON RHUM, 1996 OLYMPICS

BARBARO, 2006 KENTUCKY DERBY

Michael Matz: Success Through Decades

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DECADE MAKES. Michael Matz, reluctant hero of the horse world, stood upon the 1996 Olympic podium as part of the underdog U.S. Show Jumping Silver Medal Team. Fast forward to May, 2006, and the same Matz stood upon the Kentucky Derby stand as the winning trainer of the great Barbaro.

Iconic in both form and function, riding nationally and internationally, Matz rose to the pinnacle of showjumping success. Three Olympic Games, four Pan American Games, three World Championships, and countless World Cups, Michael retired in 2000 as the all time money winning show jumper in U.S. history. A scant six years later, he experienced the thrill of ascending to the top of the mountain and then excruciating loss two weeks later with the now legendary Barbaro.

It all began so humbly, with young Michael’s do-whatever-is-asked attitude.

During the summers while growing up he worked with his plumber father and helped a neighbor mow lawns on weekends. Then, the neighbor bought a few horses and Michael started to ride on weekends, eventually teaching the horses to jump over some repurposed telephone poles. Pony Club rally and local horse shows were soon to follow. Smitten by the horse bug, a star was born.

Upon high school graduation, Michael went to work for Bernie Traurig at Bloodstock Farm in nearby New Hope, PA. Feeding and grooming at first, eventually Traurig gave him the nod to ride a few with some instruction. “One thing led to another and we got to show at a few little shows. Everything started there, “ Matz explains. The young rider worked his way around the country, rapidly rising up the show jumping ranks. By the age of 21, he had made a name for himself both at home and abroad. Ten years after that first summer with his neighbor’s horses, Michael Matz made his Olympic debut in Montreal. What a difference a decade makes.

Pan American Games Gold with Mighty Ruler in 1975 and Jet Run in 1979, World Cup Gold with Jet Run in 1981, Pan American Gold with Chef in 1983, World Championships Gold with Chef in 1986, Pan American Gold with The General in 1995, and Olympic Team Silver with The General in 1996- a legend is born. “Winning a Gold Medal in Aachen was a highlight because the team was a good mixture of both experienced and green riders- and everybody made a good contribution for the team. We all worked so well together.” Matz was referring to team members Conrad Homfeld, Katie Monahan, and Katherine Burdsall.

Continuing in a soft spoken voice, Matz recalls, “ The Silver Medal in Atlanta, in our own country when we weren’t expected to get a medal, was another top moment.” That year he was chosen to carry the American flag in the closing ceremonies at the Games. It was a nod to his heroism outside of horse sports when he and his then fiancée, D.D. Alexander, survived a devastating plane crash in 1989 outside of Sioux City, Iowa. Risking is own life, Michael returned to the plane twice and saved the lives of four children who had flown alone that day. Poignantly, two out of the four children he saved attended Barbaro’s Kentucky Derby triumph.

In twenty five plus years as an international competitor of the highest caliber, Michael Matz did it all: more Grand Prix wins than any other American of his generation, twenty consecutive years with at least one Grand Prix win, six U.S. National Show Jumping Championships, and too many medals to list. But, he was more than the sum of his accomplishments. Boots shining like new pennies, two inches of toe in his stirrup, the most perfect form on a horse of anyone on the show grounds, he was the guy who never looked like he was in a hurry, but no one could catch. He was the poster on the wall of a generation of young equestrians. Yet, as the twentieth century came to a close, Michael was ready for a change.

As a person who always dabbled with an inexpensive racehorse here and there and a wife whose family was legendary in the Thoroughbred world, the leap from one horse world to another was vast, but within Matz’ scope.

Blessed with great knowledge of horses and a tireless work ethic, Michael put his heart and soul into the challenge.

With characteristic modesty, he says, “It’s basically the same situation. Good horses make good riders and good horses make good trainers.”

Now on the sidelines of the jumper ring, Matz enjoys watching his daughter, Lucy, and his sons, Alex and Robert, compete. Youngest son, Arthur, prefers to ride western and spends his time in other sporting pursuits such as fishing. Michael says he helps his equestrian kids when asked, but his wife D.D. is their day-to-day coach along with other professionals at the shows. Asked how things have changed since he last competed, Matz responds, “The horses are a lot more expensive, that’s for sure! The fences look awfully big and the material is a lot more delicate now.”

Today Michael Matz is almost as revered on the racetrack as he was in the show ring, and still getting the best out of his horses. So far, he has found Triple Crown glory twice – Barbaro in the 2006 Kentucky Derby and Union Rags in the 2012 Belmont. Now in his sixties, winning is still a part of Matz’ everyday vernacular. From the oval of the show ring to the oval of the racetrack, Michael Matz gets there first.

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BY PRUE DRAPER OSBORN & TPH EDITOR SISSY WICKES

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