Ray Texel, chairman of the 2004 U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Olympic Selection Committee, had a fever of 101.5 degrees on the second morning of the Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show, June 16-20 in Darien, Conn.

But on Sunday, Texel, of Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y., seemed to feel just fine as he piloted Roxana 112, owned by Scott Hakim, to the win in the $50,000 Ox Ridge Grand Prix.
“Last fall was my first time showing her, and she’s come along nicely,” he said. “I used her pretty hard in Florida, so I gave her some time off before we hit the summer tour and just waited for this class.”

In just her second competition back, Roxana seemed to have benefited from the rest. “I made sure I showed her the liver-pool because going downhill into that jump made it difficult, and I wanted her to see the combination,” said Texel. “But after that, I had a lot of confidence in her. She’s a dreamboat to ride.”

Eric Hasbrouck joined Texel in the jump-off on So What, a 12-year-old, Swedish stallion. He finished just behind Texel, by .4 seconds. Ken Berkley rode Rivers Edge’s Laredo to third.
Mark Leone finished fourth on Galinska Dr Rouhet, but he didn’t get to take his third ride on Ri-Arm Farm’s Diamond Safari. The horse clipped himself in the schooling area and couldn’t make what would have been his first grand prix start of the year.

“The grand prix turned out to be a great class with a worthy winner,” said Leone. “I just didn’t go in fast enough on [Rouhet]. I’m getting old I guess.”

Leone was joined at the show by niece Callie and brother Peter, for whom Ox Ridge has been a special place since 1975, when both men showed ponies, a goal yet to be set by his year-old son, who also attended this year’s festivities.

Family Tradition
David and Emmy Tromp began riding when they were 6 and 8 years old, respectively. Now 17 and 21, they train at home in North Salem, N.Y., under the supervision of Jeffery Welles. At Ox Ridge, they took championships in the high and low junior/amateur-owner jumper divisions-David on a horse called Calvin and Emmy on her mare, Amelia.

“[It’s all about] timing a good spot, giving the horse help and hoping for the best,” said David. “Calvin likes to buck, but he’s got that heightened attitude not many horses have got. He fights for me and is naturally quick to do whatever I ask.”

Their mother, Henny Tromp, said the horses get along great, just like brother and sister. “They’re great kids. If one cannot win, they hope the other can,” she said.

Their father, Rudolph Tromp, agreed. “They are hard workers and want to win,” he said.

Michael Hughes, of Allendale, N.J., also wants to win, and his Pinto pony, Sparky, helped the 8-year-old do just that in the pony jumpers. Hughes not only earned the championship, but won the pony jumper stake and style award, too.

“[Sparky] was jumping a foot higher in Ireland and got imported at Christmas,” said Hughes’ father and trainer, Eamon Hughes. “It’s hard for me to be critical, but not anybody would ride that Sparky pony-he’s very forward going!”

Style is also something trainer Missy Clark showed off. Clark owns Otter, who Julie Welles rode to the WIEC equitation title.

“You hear about the token equitation horses-the flat jumpers-and I’ve always steered away from those, because I like good jumping horses,” said Clark, who started working with Welles this spring.

Otter, her fourth consecutive perpetual trophy recipient at Ox Ridge, was the inspiration for the name of her farm road: Otter Lane.

Welles said, “Every time I go in the ring I feel like I can do well on him. He has such a big stride, but these distances are perfect for him. Once he is pointed at a jump, he won’t take a second look at anything.”

Clark added, “If you don’t do your job properly on him, you can scare him a little bit, but he pays attention and rarely has a pole down. If you see his photographs, he could be in a working hunter class, winning with his style. He really jumps round, and you have to be a good rider to stay with that.”

Welles, of Simsbury, Conn., also won the low junior/amateur-owner jumper classic, on Sarah Willeman and Turn About Farm’s Lapeti.

Lala Land
In May, Ox Ridge welcomed trainer James Lala as general manager and director of riding, and he landed the championship in the non-Thoroughbred hunter division on Go It Aroan for Tina Duvigneaud. Martha Newbert took home the baby green hunter championship on Lala’s Lollipop, and Just Jack, another Lala entry, earned Allison Potter her first blue ribbon.

Lala said, “I just got lucky. I have this saying that I use often that, ‘We ride for you,’ meaning that I don’t care if I win the class, I just want the horse to go around well for you.”

Lala also trains Colby Billhardt of Darien, Conn., who won everything she entered-under saddle or over fences-in the large junior hunters and was named best junior rider, on Legend.

“It’s very exciting because last year in the large pony hunters I was champion as well at my hometown show,” she said. “Legend is a real show horse.”

The green hunter and grand working championships belonged to a “forgiving showman” named Nobility and Lainie Wimberly for owner Elizabeth Wintle.

“He wants to be a quiet horse, but this is his first time on an open field,” said Wimberly. “He was good about focusing on the jumps and not his surroundings.”

She added, “I believe in teamwork between the trainers, blacksmith, the vet, my junior rider, and when you have a happy horse-and a healthy horse-then you will have a winner.”

For the 14th year, Ox Ridge benefited the Center for Hope, which provides counseling and education for those coping with life-threatening illnesses. A trophy is presented each year to a junior rider who shows sportsmanship and goodwill in memory of Lauren Leslie, a young Ox Ridge rider who lost her battle with cancer after the 1994 show.

This year’s recipient was 18-year-old Jamie Barge, who started riding at Ox Ridge after the family’s move from California. This fall, she will attend the University of Georgia and ride on their equestrian team.