Although the state's largest horse show had to be canceled because of freakish weather, plans call for it to be back with an even greater presence next year
An act of nature that scuttled the state's largest horse show last weekend has not deterred its organizers, who are hoping to double down next year with even more days of competition.
The eight-ring Garden State Horse Show had to be cancel
ed after 2 p.m. last Saturday, as freakishly high winds tore through the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, causing the collapse of one tent and threatening others, while rails blew out of the jump cups just hours before the $50,000 grand prix was scheduled.But no horses or people were hurt, despite the desperate weather conditions.
"What more could you ask for?" said a grateful show manager, Tim Cleary of Port Murray.
All 70 or so horses in the compromised tent were evacuated without a problem, he reported.
"Everybody was beautiful. They were courageous and heroic. They made a trying situation pretty easy. It came across the radio, everybody ran down there, our crew...exhibitors," he recalled.
"You just can't give enough credit to everybody there. You know horse people, they're going to do whatever it takes for those horses."
Added Cleary,"Everyone performed just courageously and admirably. A situation that could have been much worse was diverted."
Sussex County emergency management personnel "came down in droves" and fairgrounds staff also pitched in, but it was decided to cancel the rest of the hunter/jumper show, which was supposed to run through last Sunday. Weather forecasts weren't favorable and Cleary said it would have been unfair to run the show when so many people had left.
Not everyone could leave, however. The winds had closed bridges, including the Tappan Zee and George Washington, to high-profile vehicles such as horse trailers. Show officials put up horses who had to remain in the fairgrounds' permanent stalls, a solid frame tent and in other buildings around the facility.
"It was a tough choice to cancel, but we thought it was in the best interest of everybody. The wind was still kicking pretty good on Sunday and it was brutally cold. I can't imagine how many people might have gotten bucked off that day," Cleary observed.
He figured there were about 1,100 horses on the grounds, with 500 staying overnight.
The show is run by former members of the Junior Essex Troop, a defunct military riding organization. The loyal alumni have grown their show _ which doubles as an annual reunion _ to be a five-day, eight-ring competition.
Until the winds hit, "It was our smoothest show. It was clockwork. this one was going off without a hitch. It was our best show ever," said Cleary.
Even so, he said, "We learned some things. You have emergency plans for horses hurt and people hurt, but we'll have a thoroughly planned evacuation for the whole system in the future."
It will take a while until the show committee can figure out how big a financial hit the fixture took. Exhibitors who did not show are entitled to refunds, but some may donate their entry fees. Cleary also noted some officials took a pass on their fees and "a lot of people have offered fund raisers."
The New Jersey Horse Shows Association is giving a $1,000 grant, according to the group's president, Katie Benson of Readington, who said NJHSA wanted to make sure "they have their start-up money for next year and they can cover their expenses."
She praised the way the situation was handled by organizers.
"They paid attention first and foremost to the safety of the animals and also to the fairness of the competition, that they didn't just horse show without the people who had to evacuate," she said.
The disaster won't mar plans for the 2011 show. GSHS Chairman Rodney Seelig of New York said "We do have hopes of having a second week next year," speculating that one three-day show might be unrecognized by the U.S. Equestrian Federation, while the following week would be recognized and maintain its AA status. If dates are available, Seelig said the idea eventually would be to have two weeks of recognized competition.
He explained that the show has "so much invested in set-up, having it for two weeks would decrease the cost. It's a waste to tear it down after one week."
ON THE RAIL -- One of the most charismatic show jumpers of the 1980s and early 1990s, Tim Grubb, died last week at the age of 55, apparently of congestive heart failure as he was preparing to get on a horse.
A member of Great Britain's silver medal teams in the 1980 Alternate Olympics and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Grubb eventually became an American citizen and represented the USA in the 1994 World Equestrian Games.
Grubb, 55, was based for years in New Jersey, working out of High Hope Farms in Readington with his wife, the former Michele McEvoy. After the couple was divorced, he lived on the Lebanon farm of Ira Kapp, who owned several of his most successful horses, including 1993 American Grand Prix Association Horse of the Year Denizen.
"My situation with Tim was always the best. I thought he was a terrific guy; he taught me a great deal about horses," said Kapp.
"He brought together the British side as well as the American approach."
Known as "Grubby," the rider who won some of the country's bigget competition was anything but; he always was beautifully turned out. He never really took himself, seriously, though, perpetually joking and discussing his career in a modest manner.
Grubb was adept at passing on his knowledge to others. He taught many top riders, including Kent Farrington and Gaby Salick.
"He was a great catalyst for me when I was starting in the grands prix; he helped me a lot," said Olympic veteran Nona Garson of Lebanon. "He was a great guy and we were on a lot of teams together. This is so heartbreaking."
Several years ago, Grubb stopped riding competitively and was buying and selling horses. He had fallen on hard times and gone through rehab, but found hope in a new home with trainers Anne Madej of Illinois and Josie Howard and Scott Gentry in nearby Wisconsin.
Grubb was working with them for a month and things were going well when he died.
"I feel like he was happy here, and that was the most we could have asked for," said Madej.
Although Michele and Tim Grubb were divorced, the couple remained close. They had two children, Christopher (Topher) and Dorothy (Dottie) Grubb.
Arrangements weren't final last week, but as condolences came in from all over the world, Michele Grubb thought there would be a gathering at the Hampton Classic to toast her ex-husband and share stories about him.
"He was a wonderful person; his horsemanship and his love of horses and his love of competition -- that's the way he'd love to be remembered," she said.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Equestrian Aid Foundation, 228 Phillips Terrace, Union, NJ 07083; online at www.equestrianaidfoundation.org or by calling 1-800-792-6068.
Courtney King Dye, the dressage Olympian who was unconscious for weeks after a fall in March during a training session, has recuperated sufficiently to write a note of gratitude on her website, courtneykingdressage.com.
"Thank you for your cards, goodies, flowers, and emails! I’m sorry I can’t respond to them all, but please know I am getting and appreciating all of them," she wrote.
Cards may be sent to her at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation,
1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052. Direct e-mails to comebackcourt@gmail.com.
Those who wish to contribute to a fund that is helping defray her expenses can write check to the Courtney King Dye Trust, Law Office of Elizabeth Clarke, Equine Business Institute, P.O. Box 286
South Deerfield, MA 01373.
Centenary College of Hackettstown tied with Findlay College of Ohio, in the runner-up spot to Skidmore College in the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association's national finals in Lexington, Ky., last weekend. Centenary was the 2009 champion.
Lindsay Mohr of Long Valley was fifth in the individual hunt seat championship, the Cacchione Cup, and won the open horsemanship over fences title.
Phillip Dutton, who won the CIC 3-star on Tru Luck at the Jersey Fresh eventing competition last weekend, was named to the partial short list for the U.S. eventing team, which will ride at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games this fall. Jersey Fresh was a WEG selection trial. Dutton also was named with Woodburn, second at Rolex Kentucky last month, and The Foreman, sixth at Rolex.
Two horses owned by Carl and Cassandra Segal of Tewksbury, My Boy Bobby and Ballynoecastle RM, were selected as well. They are both ridden by Buck Davidson.
Tiana Coudray, victorious on Ringwood Magister in the Jersey Fresh CCI 3-star and Jennie Brannigan, the winner of the CCI 2-star, both are considered developing talents who will be aiming for the Pan American Games next year with an eye toward the 2012 Olympics if all goes well.
Eventer Steuart Pittman is giving the second day of a clinic on retraining throughbred ed-racehorses Sunday May 16 at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown. Auditors are welcome at $10 each. Proceeds go to the horses for which ReRun is hoping to find adoptive homes.
The N.J. Equine Artists Association is holding its annual "Art of the Horse" national juried exhibit starting Thursday through June 19 at the Somerset Art Association, 2020 Burnt Mills Rd., Bedminster. The exhibit, always a treat, includes both painting and sculpture. The public reception for the show is next Sunday from 2-4 p.m. For information about the exhibit and extended hours, go to somersetart.org or call (908) 234-2345.
ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
Sunday: Delaware Valley Horsemen's Association Western and Draft Show, DVHA Showgrounds Route 604, Sergeantsville; Windy Hollow Hunt Dressage Show, Sussex County Fairgrounds, Plains Road, Augusta; Monmouth County Hunt Hunter Pace, Hunt Kennels, East Branch Road, Allentown; Fidler Run Farm Dressage Show, 456 Fidler Rd., Woodbine; Colts Neck Polo, Buck Mills Park, Buck Mills Road, Colts Neck (3 p.m. start, www.coltsneckpolo.com); Oxbow Stables Dressage Show, Combined Test and Schooling Horse Trials, 39 Orts Rd., Hamburg; Suddenly Farm Dressage Show, 325 Main St., Lumberton.
Monday: N.J Quarter Horse Association Open Meeting on Barn Fires, Millstone Community Center, 463 Stagecoach Rd., Clarksburg (7 p.m. start).
Wednesday: Hawk Hollow Ranch Dressage Show, 100 River Rd. West, Bedminster.
Thursday: Delaware Valley Horsemen's Association Thursday Night Dressage Show, DVHA Showgrounds Route 604, Sergeantsville.
Friday: Half-Arabian Show, Horse Park of N.J., Route 524, Allentown (through next Sunday).
Saturday: Briarwood Farm Show, Pleasant Run Road, Readington; Gypsy Vanner Show, Gloucester County Dream Park, 460 Route 130 South, Logan Township (through next Sunday); Tinicum Park Polo, 963 River Rd., Erwinna, Pa.(1 mile from New Jersey over the Frenchtown bridge, 2 p.m. start, www.tinicumpolo.org);
Next Sunday: Reception for ``Art of the Horse'' Exhibit, Somerset County Art Center, 2020 Burnt Mills Rd., Bedminster (2-4 p.m.); Delaware Valley Horsemen's Association Jumper Show, DVHA Showgrounds Route 604, Sergeantsville; Arabian Horse Society of New Jersey All-Breed Dressage Schooling Show, Sussex County Fairgrounds, Plains Road, Augusta; Snowbird Acres Show, 204 Schooley's Mountain Rd., Long Valley; Woodedge Stables Hunter Horse Show,116A Borton Landing Rd., Moorestown; Colts Neck Polo, Buck Mills Park, Buck Mills Road, Colts Neck (3 p.m. start, www.coltsneckpolo.com)
Nancy Jaffer may be reached at nancyjaffer@att.net.