Wellington, Fla., December 2, 2006 -- Sometimes it seems as if the omnipresent orange and black colors, found on everything from coolers to cocktail napkins, are the only difference between the National Horse Show and the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) that begins next month.
Oh yes, and the National is smaller than the sprawling WEF. But to me, a veteran of decades covering the National Horse Show, it is still a little startling to see such venerable silverware as the Las Marismas or the Isgilde trophies presented under the palm trees instead of in the center of Madison Square Garden.
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- Formal attire was the order of the evening even for 20-month old DeVita twins Philip and Anthony at the National Horse Show gala
- © Nancy Jaffer 2006
You know what, though? I've got to get over it. Time goes on and things change. Occasionally, however, people still show up in the traditional white tie, complete with top hat, that was de rigueur for so long at the National.
Ronnie Beard, one of the judges this year, came attired that way, despairing of those who appear in the ring for presentations wearing jeans. Luckily, there were only a few people who didn't dress for Friday night's Jumping Under the Stars gala, but the guy I saw in a hooded sweatshirt was sitting at a corner table, far from Ronnie's penetrating gaze.
Whether it was the old National or the new National, though, the competition is what the show is really about, and there was plenty to set you on the edge of your seat. In fact, so much is going on that I'm just going to give you a precis of the highlights, and continue the process with my last postcard on Monday.
That is the highlight of the show, being held here for the first time. The format consists of two $50,000 classes, one held Friday, the other set for tomorrow. Only an American can win the actual title (and share in the $25,000 bonus pool) so McLain Ward is in the lead in that respect.
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- Eric Flameng on Roxanne, winner of the first leg of the Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship
- © Nancy Jaffer 2006
However, he's in second place on Sapphire behind U.S.-based Belgian rider Eric Flameng aboard Roxanne. Flameng got the better of many of our best, and the course took care of the rest.
Molly Ashe, who won the Friday night class last year when it was the National Horse Show Grand Prix, was out early when the third element of a triple combination was dislodged by Neuville. She withdrew to save him for another day. Hidden Creek's Perin, the ride of 10-time American Grand Prix Association champ Margie Engle, had two down to stay behind when the jump-off list was compiled.
Seven of 32 starters made the tie-breaker, and Eric was first to go over a route that stumped everyone but him.
"It's always an advantage to watch the other ones," said Eric, but he played it cool and turned in a clean round in a moderate time of 37.92 seconds. McLain was faster, in 35.3, but Sapphire caught the back rail of the oxer that had messed up Molly (now part of a double) and logged 4 faults. So did the other speedster, Olinda, with Todd Minikus aboard, clocked in 35.47 seconds for third. In fact, all the other riders except Eliza Shuford had the fence down with the exception of Eliza Shuford on BCO Olymp, who dropped the first part of the double.
Having a double as the second fence on course was difficult to handle for the horses who were running against the clock.
The National Championship is missing the rider who deserves a shot at it after losing the World Championship this summer on the very last fence. But Beezie Madden doesn't have a horse ready for the class, her husband, John, explained.
The location of the championship, which is a big part of its cachet, was announced rather late in the season. The Maddens already had planned what they were doing this year.
"Our horses are resting and we have a really strict policy that every horse gets three months off without their shoes," said John, who noted that none of their horses' "on" cycles coincided with the show.
Beezie's Olympic gold medal teammate, Chris Kappler, also is missing because he didn't have a mount for the class. He used Orame in the Nations' Cup in Argentina to lead the winning U.S. team there, and his other star, Oranta, has her shoes off and is relaxing until February.
