Each year we jointly write a year-end column that reflects where our sport has been over the past year and what we should be considering for the future. And this year we’d like to reflect upon individual conduct in the hunter/jumper world. We believe there are places that need improvement, including creating better horsemen and encouraging proper presentation and sportsmanship. Let’s begin with the equitation section of our sport.

Jennifer Berol Bliss wrote an extremely insightful Horseman’s Forum for the Chronicle in November (“The Equitation Finals: Keep Them In Perspective,” Nov. 3, p. 45), in which she urged us to be careful to not make the equitation division into just a singular goal, into just an end product–the same theme George Morris has trumpeted for years. It’s a must-read article for everyone involved in horse sports.

It’s disturbing to think we’re making the equitation finals the be-all and end-all of some riders’ careers. Are we really making the junior riders feel that their riding careers are over if they don’t win one of the major finals? We’ve always believed that the equitation division is a stepping-stone to riding on any level–the big-time hunters, the amateur hunters or jumpers, the national-level jumper divisions, a spot on the Olympic team, or even riding in another
discipline.

We must remember that riders should be rewarded for actually riding, especially when they’re mounted on difficult horses.

For instance, how do riders cope with situations on horseback that aren’t perfect? Can they calmly assess the situation, then be flexible and confident enough in their skills to make decisions that will result in the best performance from their horses? Or do they panic and fall apart? Riders who excel at these national championships should be well-educated horsemen who are capable of riding any horse in the class and of taking care of him when the class is over. These are the riders who will go forward to represent our country in the future or to properly train future generations.

It’s not enough to be an able rider and to have a gifted horse; you also need to be a horseman and to know your horse. Know what he eats, what kind of personality he possesses, how he’s shod, what kind of bit he prefers, the best training plan for him (for both the warm-up before a class and, especially, at home), as well as how to care for him from top to bottom. This includes being present when the veterinarian comes to evaluate and treat your horse.

Live for your horse; don’t just live to ride your horse.


Let’s Have A Dress Code
We’re falling into an alarming trend in this country. Not only are some of our trainers not teaching our junior riders to be better horsemen, but they’re also failing to teach their students to be good sports and to present themselves correctly.

Years ago, the rule at the National Horse Show in New York City’s Madison Square Garden was that you were refused entry into the ring if you weren’t properly attired–and they stuck to it! It didn’t matter if you were a rider, a trainer or even an owner. Where did that rule go? It’s time for every competition manager to bring it back, because we’re getting awfully sloppy in this country, which isn’t healthy or attractive.

Also, hunter riders almost always know by the second day if they’ve got a shot at walking into the ring for a championship presentation. So, riders, be ready and dressed properly for your awards. Again, what message are we sending to the future riders and owners if we don’t?

And what about that poor junior rider who got a ribbon in one of the equitation finals but whose trainer refused to walk out into the ring for the awards presentation? What’s the message being sent there? You didn’t win, so I don’t need to be in your photograph?

We certainly hope not–winning any ribbon in these finals is truly an accomplishment worthy of recognition, especially from every trainer.

This type of behavior is rude to the rider (the student), the parents (who are paying the bills), the officials, the competition manager, fellow exhibitors and the spectators. It’s irresponsible and unacceptable, and we cannot continue to tolerate this behavior.

Parents, riders and trainers must accept the results in these finals and in all classes. They must accept that each judge tries to do the best job he can. There should be no snarling after the class and no blaming the judges because their student or child didn’t win.

In each class, there can only be one winner. But, whether you’re the winner or not, you should be gracious and considerate because your actions represent your sport. Remember too that people form opinions based on what they observe.

When Susie interviewed Ralph Caristo and Scott Williamson (the judges for the ASPCA Maclay Finals), she was glad to hear that they felt the same way about presentation and about the equitation finals in general. Ralph said that judging with Scott was easy. They each had the same goal in mind–to determine the best rider on that day over those two courses and the flat phase.

Both judges said that Richard Jeffrey’s Maclay courses were terrific, and since the quality of the riders was good, the cream of the crop rose to the top. Ralph believes that placing in one of these finals requires more than just “getting the correct distances to each jump.” He believes it’s your position throughout the course, the way your horse is presented and the way you’re presented–perfectly polished boots, clean tack and a shiny, healthy horse.

Ralph also told Susie that he believes we’ve fallen into a trend of allowing too many different riding styles among our junior riders. He said that correct position counts the most, and if it doesn’t, then it’s not equitation.

Scott also believes that position and style are crucial in the equitation finals. And he and Ralph insist that if a junior rider doesn’t win on that day, it doesn’t mean that he or she’s a poor trainer or rider. Many of our top riders, past and present, didn’t win the finals–Beezie Madden, Scott Stewart, John French, Margie Engle, Jimmy Torano, Jennifer Alfano, Peter Pletcher, Holly Orlando, Michael Matz and Rodney Jenkins, to name just a few. Some of these riders used the equitation division as a stepping-stone. That’s why riders and trainers should feel privileged to have participated at the national equitation finals–no matter if they won, placed in the top ribbons, or not.


More Than Megabucks
As our sport grows in numbers, so does its exposure to the outside world. This is the world that we need to cultivate to put people in the stands and to bring our sport into the mainstream.

Unfortunately, though, the American public doesn’t give equestrian sports the consideration and importance that they receive in Europe. While there isn’t any chance that equestrian sports are going to replace football and baseball as the national sports pastimes, there are millions of horse enthusiasts with whom we don’t currently have a connection. This connection could, and should, continue to be developed through avenues such as TV, the Internet and good old print media. We must make sure that horse sports aren’t identified as unattainable unless you’re among the very wealthy.

To do this, we must continue to highlight the people who are reaching the top of this sport because of their sacrifice, hard work and dedication to their passion–horses–not because of their financial assets. The bottom line is that, wealthy or not, to succeed in this sport you need to be dedicated. And that commitment is what we need to emphasize to connect to the outside world.

In order to reach any goal, you have to make sacrifices in your life. Whatever sacrifices they have to make, our best riders know that to get to the top, you have to be willing to be hungry and to channel that hunger into hard work.

Even Olympians and World Champions have off days, and when that happens, watch what they do. They go back and assess what went wrong, and then they go to work to make it better. You need to have patience with horses, and that patience is a sign of maturity and another attribute that true horsemen must possess to excel.

Although everyone seems to be living a faster, more hectic life these days, our juniors and young riders need to take advantage of an opportunity that is, quite literally, under their noses. Trainers need to encourage riders to watch the very best in our sport, in both the hunter and jumper rings.

This doesn’t mean sitting ringside in your golf cart while you’re talking on your cell phone. It means observing (carefully) what these athletes do to prepare their horses in the warm-up area before they enter the ring to show. It means going out back to the schooling areas (especially the FEI schooling area) to watch what they do to prepare their horses for competition. And it means taking part in clinics by top professionals and trainers, or taking part in the trainers’ symposiums that have started in our country.

No one knows it all–and the minute you stop wanting to learn is the minute you make yourself obsolete. And so much can be gained by observation.


Where’s The Spice?
In April, the FEI World Cup Finals will return to Las Vegas, and luckily enough, a special international hunter competition will also return, which will be a great chance to observe. Louise Serio, Peter Pletcher, Scott Stewart and John French will represent us in this class again, just as they did in 2005.

We only wish this class weren’t going to be just a rematch of the 2005 class (which the European riders won so handily). Instead, we wish that the management had planned something new and different. Maybe have the hunter riders do a jumper round, or have four of our jumper riders do a hunter round? Maybe have all eight riders do an equitation class? After all, variety is the spice of life. I think to get the American audience as tuned in (and turned on) as the European audience, we just have to mix it up a little.

At the Washington (D.C.) International in October, the American Hunter Jumper Foundation held an interesting classic. In a new and exciting class, the top five junior hunter riders from the WIEC hunter phase were paired with five Olympic jumper riders. It gave the juniors a chance to be part of a team with an Olympic mentor. All of the riders were given the same amount of time to warm up on the mounts that other exhibitors graciously donated for this class.

An incredible amount of time and effort goes into producing this type of event, whether it’s in Las Vegas or in Washington. Everyone involved in these events–competition management, exhibitors, volunteers, ring crew, and many more–deserve congratulations for giving us these marvelous chances to showcase the hunter division.

In Las Vegas, our hunter riders will have the opportunity to show the world that you can compete with a strong determination to do your best while displaying exemplary sportsmanship and horsemanship.

Let’s all join them in making 2007 a year we can look back on proudly, a year in which we return to a tradition of better sportsmanship, horsemanship and presentation.


Susie Schoellkopf and Bill Moroney