Despite being unexpectedly left off the U.S. Olympic team, Pittstown rider details what happened and looks toward her next eventing goals
Sinead Hapin and Manoir de Carneville
Halpin, who operates out of a farm in Pittstown, is trying to keep on kicking and figure out what she'll do after competing in the Festival of British Eventing, scheduled for next weekend at Princess Anne's Gatcombe estate.
"I'm still just wrapping my head around things and trying to make plans for whatever I need to do this fall, with the next goal being Normandy" (France's 2014 World Equestrian Games), she said after her high hopes for making the squad (she had been on the "A" training list since November) were dashed following last weekend's U.S. final outing at Barbury in England.
The others on the list, Boyd Martin (Otis Barbotiere) and Phillip Dutton (Mystery Whisper) were named to the team of five, along with Will Coleman (Twizzel) Karen O'Connor (Mr. Medicott) and Tiana Coudray (Ringwood Magister).
Halpin had numerous supporters who helped her pursue her dreams, and two New Jersey fundraisers for her were well-attended. Many had thought Halpin seemed like nearly a sure thing for the team, but when it comes to the Olympics, there are no sure things. Her mount, Manoir de Carneville, nicknamed Tate, now has joined nine other horses on the unranked list of alternates for the London Games, where eventing begins July 28.
"They've (the selectors) picked who they want and I'm disappointed for sure," she said, but added, "I'm not sitting here and hoping I get called up as an alternate, because that means somebody else has had something go wrong. I'm just going to focus on Gatcombe. I'll run him fast on the cross-country at Gatcombe and that should restore some faith. If it happens that I have a good go at Gatcombe and they feel comfortable and want to use me if they need an alternate at the Olympics, it's not going to change what I do now," Halpin continued.
She might face a glitch, however, if Britain's continuing rain puts Gatcombe among the legions of eventing competitions that have been canceled this year because of the weather. If she is not called up for the Olympics, she hasn't decided whether to try Britain's September 4-star, Burghley, where she finished 15th last year.
Several factors at Barbury, where she was 36th of 82 finishers, apparently played into her Frenchbred chestnut not being chosen for the team. Following cross-country, Tate had blood in his nose. Blood on competition horses has been a concern, whether the cause is major or minor, and it's especially important for the sport's image when a worldwide audience is watching and the spectators are as close to the horses as they will be at Greenwich Park in London, where the course is hilly and will require great effort from the horses.
"Everybody's obviously real sensitive about that. I guess that's what it was,'' she said.
"If they really wanted me," she pointed out, however, "I feel like it's an easily fixed situation. With everything being so sensitive lately, I guess it just scared them enough. I didn't win the event; I gave them a reason not to take me."
While the horse has had nosebleeds several times in the last few years after cross-country, it was not a problem recently, so he wasn't being treated with inhalers for the dust allergies that she believes cause the problem.
"He's real sensitive and gets a little inflamed when he has a hard run. In hindsight," Halpin conceded, "we need to treat him every run. He has that issue, but it hasn't happened in so long and he hasn't given any indication that he was not well."
However, her dressage at Barbury also was not her best, due to warm-up problems. But with a clean show jumping performance there, she felt as if she were back on track, and didn't think she had to go like the wind on the cross-country test that followed it.
She had no definite orders on how to run cross-country at Barbury.
"They told us we could do what we wanted, just try to have a smooth round. I just wanted to get my horse home safe and sound in preparation for London. I thought the place to prove him was not on cross-country.
"When I went in the (start) box, nobody had come home yet. Boyd had fallen off (Neville Bardos). I went out of the box quickly, I felt it was a priority to get him home in a reasonable amount of time," she said, explaining why she didn't push and had 13.2 time penalties.
"He has never had a cross-country (jumping) penalty yet. He's a fast, good cross-country horse, that's never been a question for him.
"I made that gamble," said Halpin, who now can chalk it up to a learning experience.
``I guess when you're trying to get your spot in the Olympics, you don't take anything for granted. I made the judgment call that the horse didn't have so much to prove on cross-country, but when it came down to it, I guess he did. I don't envy the selectors' job. I understand they're trying to put together a winning team. everyone has the same goal in mind.''
ON THE RAIL -- Most countries have named their Olympic teams, but the drama continues. Totilas the dressage wonder horse won't be going to the Olympics. The black stallion, who raked in European and world championship gold medals with Edward Gal of the Netherlands riding, has had a series of problems since he was sold in 2010 to Germany for millions (no one knows for sure how many). There have been several cancellations of show appearances and now his rider, Matthias Rath of Germany, is ill with mononucleosis and will not be well enough to compete in the Olympics. Germany still won the Nations' Cup dressage at Aachen without him last week, and has a very strong team.
Another German, Olympic show jumping multi-medalist Ludger Beerbaum, last week said he would not ride on his country's team, because his mare, Gotha, was ``not in top form.'' The German show jumpers also are a threat even without Beerbaum.
The Friends of the Horse Park of New Jersey are hosting a lecture on equine law issues with attorney Dana Bowling on Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. at the NorthStar Vets Conference Room, 315 Robbinsville-Allentown Road, Robbinsville. The session will include information on everything from liability to stable liens. Those wishing to attend must RSVP by tomorrow to kathyculler@intothewoodsfarm.com. Admission is free.
The Amwell Valley Hounds are holding a foxhunting clinic Saturday at Plum Broke Farm, 12 Seabrook Road, Stockton, at 8 a.m. It offers the opportunity to school horses around hounds in a controlled setting. Registration is $25 for adults; those under 18 may ride free of charge, but must be accompanied by an adult.
For information, or to register, call (908) 328-1017.
ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
Today: Princeton Show Jumping, Hunter Farms, 1315 The Great Road, Princeton; Delaware Valley Horsemen's Association Driving Show, DVHA Showgrounds, 299 Ringoes-Rosemont Road, Sergeantsville; Dressage at the Park, Horse Park of N.J., Route 524, Allentown; Gladstone Horse Driving Trials, Hamilton Farm, Pottersville Road, Gladstone; High Point Equestrian Center Dressage Show, Combined Test and Horse Trials, 20 Birchtree Road, Montague; Palermo Championship Series Jumper Show, 1555A Burnt Mills Road, Bedminster; The Monmouth Group Local Show Series, East Freehold Showgrounds, Kozloski Road, Freehold; Fidler Run Dressage Show, 456 Fidler Road, Woodbine.
Tuesday: Briarwood Farm Derby Day, Pleasant Run Road, Readington.
Wednesday: Duncraven Back-to-Back ``A'' Shows, 1300 Trenton-Harbourton Road, Titusville (through July 16); Equine Law Issues Lecture with Dana Bowling, NorthStar Veterans Conference Room, 315 Robbinsville-Allentown Road, Robbinsville (RSVP by tomorrow, kathyculler@intothewoodsfarm.com, 6-8 p.m.)
Friday: West Milford Equestrian Center Show, 367 Union Valley Road, Newfoundland; Delaware Valley Horsemen's Association Beginner/Camp Show, DVHA Showgrounds, 299 Ringoes-Rosemont Road, Sergeantsville; Eastern Pennsylvania Reining Association Show, Gloucester County Dream Park, 400 Route 130 South, Logan Township (through next Sunday).
Saturday: Sussex County Benefit Show, Sussex County Fairgrounds, Plains Road, Readington; Blue Spruce Farm Dressage Show, 5 Stanley Pl., Jackson; Tinicum Park Polo, Tinicum Park, 974 River Road/ Route 32, Erwinna, Pa. (one mile south of the Frenchtown, N.J. Bridge, 2-4 p.m., tinicumpolo.org).
Next Sunday: Delaware Valley Horsemen's Association Western and Draft Show, DVHA Showgrounds, 299 Ringoes-Rosemont Road, Sergeantsville; Oxbow Stables Combined Test and Horse Trials, 39 Orts Road, Hamburg; Suddenly Farm Dressage Show, 325 Main St., Lumberton.
Nancy Jaffer may be reached at nancyjaffer@att.net.