Updated December 4, 2010 -- Eugene R. Mische, whose remarkable vision reshaped the country's hunter/jumper world, died yesterday at age 79 after a long illness.

Gene Mische wearing the silver cowboy hat symbolic of the USEF's Lifetime Achievement Award.

© 2009 by Nancy Jaffer

The founder of Stadium Jumping Inc., which ran the Winter Equestrian Festival, the American Invitational and many other landmark shows, from Lake Placid to the National and the American Gold Cup, he was an innovator who not only dared to dream, but worked hard to make those dreams reality.

Gene once said, "It distresses me when someone in my organization tells me something can't be done. I always look at, 'How can you make it happen?' That's just the way I am."

Sometimes his vision was grandiose. He was good-naturedly nicknamed "Cecil B. deMische" by the late trainer Ronnie Mutch because of his penchant for big productions. David Distler, who worked for Gene over the years as a coordinator and official, said if the showman hadn't been involved with horses, he believes he would have been a Broadway producer.

"He always saw the big picture. He made such a difference. I cannot think of anyone who comes close to affecting the sport in our country like Gene Mische did."

His approach moved the sport forward, from what was basically a rich man's hobby played for penny ante money to a much broader-based activity that offers millions of dollars in purses and found a niche with TV and spectators.

Not everything worked, of course. The 1989 World Cup finals in Tampa, for instance, had an overly ambitious line-up that ran from driving to quarter horse competition as part of the Cup week.

"It was a financial disaster," said Gene, who chuckled about it in retrospect, "but I think it was a good World Cup."

His involvement with horses began when his family moved into the Cleveland, Ohio, neighborhood where a riding club was located. Gene used to watch the activities there, and one day leaped on a horse as it was going to its stall after a lesson. Club manager Dick Lavery caught the errant 9-year-old boy, and told him if he wanted to ride, he could work for it. Gene did that, going on to manage the club when he grew up and becoming a professional rider and trainer.

Gene Mische led the parade in a Mustang at the Gene Mische American Invitational earlier this year.

© 2010 by Nancy Jaaffer

Eventually, he moved his base to Florida. His top horses included the national champion hunter mare, Let's Dance, as well as the jumpers Mighty Ruler and Houdini. He also had some blue-ribbon clients, among them longtime U.S. Equestrian Team patron Patrick Butler. As a rider, Gene called himself average, but he had a way of spotting talent, both human and equine.

Rodney Jenkins rode for Gene until he was in his early 20s, but "he was so good, everyone was after him," Gene recalled. When Jenkins left, he was succeeded in Gene's operation by Jimmy Day, who went on to join the Canadian Equestrian Team, and then by Steve Stephens. Spotted as a 15-year-old by his mentor, Steve went on to be an Olympic course designer, creator of jumps and competition manager, while serving as a partner with Gene in their Imperial Farms, located in Palmetto, Fla.

"Gene and I have never had an argument," Steve said, contending Gene's success with shows stemmed from "the nerve to go out on a limb, and then make it happen. I don't know where this industry would be if it wasn't for what he's done."

In 1967, Gene was running a Florida breeding farm and show operation when the owner of the property decided he wanted to put on a horse show in Lake City, in the central part of the state. Horses were stabled in tobacco barns and the competition was held on the local high school football field.

"I thought there were a lot of things you could do better than what we were doing," said Gene. That was when his interest in show management began. As president of the Central Florida Horseman's Association, he got more involved with management as he kept the Sunshine Circuit of shows going.

"He saw a future for these shows," said Stephens. That turned out to be an understatement.

"Show jumping was just becoming a big thing, and Jerry Baker and I were friends," said Mische. When he saw Baker put on the first U.S. grand prix in Cleveland, he said, "I was very enthused, and I told Jerry, 'It should be in a stadium.'" That was the genesis of the American Gold Cup, and Gene's proclivity for dreaming big began.

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St. Petersburg, Fla., December 11, 2009 -- Combining the words "dynamic" and "annual meeting" might seem to be as much of an oxymoron as "airline food."

Endless discussions about rule changes, the focus of such gatherings, tend to suck the air from a room while dazing many of those present.

But the energy at the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association's (USHJA) annual meeting here really was amazing, translating concepts into plans toward changes that will pay off. As I went from meeting to meeting, I found I was actually excited by all the possibilities.

"This is a turning point of the hunter jumper sport in the U.S.," declared USHJA President Bill Moroney, the man who has led the organization since its founding.

First and foremost on the USHJA agenda is restructuring the hunter division. Anything passed by the USHJA board at its meeting still must be approved by the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) board at its convention next month, but the groundwork is all done here and in most cases, it's likely the USEF will go along. There was one exception, but more on that later.

A keystone of the restructuring is a new division, the USHJA Performance Hunter, which will offer sections at 3-feet, 3-inches, 3-6 and 3-9.

I asked Bill to explain the project to me.

Listen: Bill Moroney

The convention was held at the stately 1920s vintage Renaissance Vinoy hotel on the bayfront in this west coast Florida city. I had a lovely view of the bay and its adjacent park, but I never got over there--like everyone else, I was just too busy for extracurricular activities.

USHJA President Bill Moroney was honored for his leadership, while Susie Schoellkopf won a Distinguished Service Award.

© 2009 by Nancy Jaffer

There were 300 people at the meeting, with many big names taking part. Olympic show jumping medalist Chris Kappler, president of the new North American Riders Group, was on hand making his presence felt, along with World Cup show jumping manager Robert Ridland; hunter riders extraordinaire Scott Stewart and Louise Serio; USEF President David O'Connor, stopping in at each of the various forums and HITS show impresario Tom Struzzieri, just to name a few.

But lower-profile people were well-represented, too, and they made sure their concerns were heard. The top end of the sport is always served, but in the three decades that I've been going to conventions--first the old American Horse Shows Association (AHSA), then USA Equestrian and USEF and now USHJA, there's a segment that feels (and rightly so) that the body of the sport below the top needs more attention. USHJA Director Geoff Teall organized a 7 a.m. session for them on Tuesday.

"I asked Bill if we couldn't try and put a group together at an inconvenient hour, so we'd only get the interested to talk about what I call 'the middle group' and he agreed," said Geoff, a hunter trainer who is also a rider.

"I didn't really know where it was going," Geoff conceded, but more than 100 riders, trainers, show managers and others came, ready to speak about what they thought was important.

"I was so excited to see that many people and hear that many thoughts. It felt good to include them," said Geoff. "We don't try not to include them, but they often feel they are not included enough. It was a very healthy moment for the USHJA. We have to understand better how we affect them, and I feel we're closer to a way to do that. I don't want us to be the new old boys' club."

When Geoff asked the group what they called themselves, Texas show manager/trainer/course designer Britt McCormack spoke up and said, "We're the majority"--"which I thought was awesome," Geoff commented.

I caught up with Britt later and asked for his thoughts.

Listen: Britt McCormack

Geoff told me the USHJA is forming a committee for young professionals up to the age of 35.

"We want to bring them in and teach them how to be involved, so we don't keep reliving this movie," he said.

Another key matter is show standards, with the often-controversial mileage rule wrapped up in that. While there have been calls over the years to eliminate mileage restrictions between shows to let the free market sort things out, Bill pointed out that carrots and sticks are needed to keep a system in line.

As president of the National Horse Show Association of America Ltd., and CEO of Stadium Jumping Inc., the management company of the NHS, Eugene R. Mische is credited with helping the National Horse Show stay where it has run successfully for the past six years.

Mische stated, "It has been difficult for all equestrians that either compete or are otherwise involved in the Village of Wellington. I'm happy we were finally able to work out the details and that the National Horse Show Board of Directors has voted to go ahead with the National Horse Show in 2007. It would have been tragic for this long-running and historical competition to be cancelled. We are looking forward to welcoming our exhibitors to Florida for one of the best shows ever."

The National Horse Show Association of America Ltd. has 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status, and all proceeds go toward producing and improving the horse show. Although the show is held after December 1, all points from the National Horse Show and Family Festival will count towards the 2007 USEF year-end awards.

The show will host the Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship presented by Equine Motorcoach again this year. The rated hunters have a big change to their schedule this year, and the National Horse Show Hunter Championship will offer $25,000 in prize money. Dressage at the National is scheduled again for this year, and classes for some of the best dressage horses and riders in the country will be held December 7-9. On the weekend, youngsters can enjoy the Children's Fair, and families can peruse the Wellington Chamber of Commerce's Business Expo.

For more information and the 124th National Horse Show and Family Festival prize list, please visit href="http://www.nhs.org" target="_blank">www.nhs.org.

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Devon, Pa., June 1, 2007 -- Part of the Devon Horse Show's enormous charm is the way it remains essentially the same, year after year. Those who have missed a decade or two return to find it's as if time has stood still at this special enclave on Philadelphia's Main Line. The quaint tea sandwiches and fresh mint leaves for the ice tea are always available to satisfy hunger and thirst, ladies continue to wear impressively fancy straw hats, the omnipresent Devon blue and white color scheme is unchanged and the Thursday night grand prix is still a sellout.

In the venerable show's 111th edition, even the winners of the biggest prizes were no different than in 2006. McLain Ward took the $75,000 Budweiser Grand Prix of Devon for the second year in a row as he topped the class for the fifth time in his career, while Scott Stewart was Leading Hunter Rider for a record fifth time in a row. To save the engraving costs on the venerable silver trophy to which he has laid claim, they should just use ditto marks every year!

The script was certainly different, however, than it had been during 2006. While McLain triumphed last year in a rainstorm on a catch ride that he had never jumped until he entered the warm-up ring, this time he was aboard his Olympic and World Equestrian Games partner, Sapphire.

And Scott faced a new and considerable challenge from California invader John French, with each man accounting for two of the five championships in the professional division.

But let me tell you first about the grand prix. It's usually the kick-off for the Thursday night program that packs in the spectators until there's no room left to move between the grandstand, with its box seats and signature towers, and the rail where benches are claimed many hours earlier by diehard fans.

One thing that was different this year was the order of go--for the classes, that is. Instead of starting with the grand prix at 7 p.m., we were treated to the "Devon at Sunset" formula, beginning with gaited, hackney pony and coaching classes. The grand prix was supposed to start at 8:40 p.m. to give competitors an equal chance under the sometimes tricky lights in the Dixon Oval.

Most of the standing-room-only crowd did stay for the entire grand prix, even though it began after 9 p.m. and didn't finish until nearly 11 p.m. on a weeknight. There's no crowd like a Devon crowd, and that's one of the things that has helped make this a place that's important to McLain

"For some reason, things go my way here," he said after his victory gallop. "Sometimes, the stars line up for you."

The stars obviously got very strict marching orders on McLain's behalf, starting when he put in a clean round but exceeded the 80-second time allowed, giving him a single time penalty. But course designer Olaf Petersen immediately adjusted the TA, as is his right after a few have jumped, and the new standard of 83 seconds left McLain and Sapphire, who had been second to go, fault-free.

Nearly half of the 28 starters had trouble at the sixth of 13 jumping efforts, the Sea World planks, while others ran into various difficulties. Kim Prince surprised everyone, including herself, when she fell off at the first fence as the usually reliable Marlou refused.

Laura Chapot and Little Big Man

© 2007 by Nancy Jaffer

Carlos Boy, who had looked so good on Wednesday afternoon winning a class with Ken Berkley, was clean with a time penalty, as was Shandor, Patty Stovel's ride, who had won the Gold Cup when it was held here a few years ago. They wound up seventh and sixth respectively. The difficulty of the course could be measured by the fact that only one horse, Hidden Creek's Quervo Gold with Margie Engle, had a 4-fault trip in the first round, finishing eighth. The rest accumulated totals that ranged from 8 to 24, with four riders choosing to retire after racking up rails.

Only five made it into the jump-off. Three were predictable--Sapphire; Little Big Man ridden by Laura Chapot, another combination that has enjoyed much success here, and Margie Engle with the very veteran Hidden Creek's Perin. Joining them were Pato Muente, a Virginia-based Argentine who used to work with double gold Olympian Joe Fargis, and 21-year-old Michael Morrissey, the nephew of Gene Mische, who chairs Stadium Jumping Inc., producer of the Winter Equestrian Festival.

"Until we know more about this situation, and get further advice from the veterinarians and professionals that are on the scene and on top of this emergency, it would be irresponsible for us to move forward with this weekend's competition," said Stadium Jumping, Inc. President Eugene R. Mische.

"Safeguarding the horses in our community and the protection of the equestrian industry in Wellington is our utmost and primary concern. We would much prefer to err on the side of caution than to put even a single horse at risk," Mische said.

Fran Jurga keeps you updated on the outbreak in The Jurga Report: Horse Health Headlines blog.