Category: Articles

By Jumpernation.com

Karen Healey is one of the most recognizable and iconic trainers and judges in the United States – starting out at Hunterdon learning under George Morris in the early 1970s and going on to build her own business on the west coast, where she developed riders like Mia Wood, Lauren Kay and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum. As a USEF R-rated judge, she’s pinned some of the biggest shows in the world, including Devon, the Hampton Classic, Pony Finals and more.

This past Saturday at Sonoma Horse Park, organizers decided to honor the legendary Karen Healey, and in true Karen form, she insisted the occasion was an opportunity to for riders to grow, learn, and compete by designing the course and judging the Open Equitation Challenge herself.

No small feat considering what she has been through recently: Karen underwent a back surgery in early December which had significant complications, and because of blockages in her spinal column, left one of her legs partially paralyzed.

She’s had additional surgery and extensive physical therapy and continues to fight a battle for mobility, but she has remained absolutely unwavering in her commitment to the sport. The Open Eq at Sonoma was a great opportunity for her to get back out there with the community she loves.

“First of all it was very emotional for me to do this class because (Sonoma Facility Manager) Ashley Herman has done so much to try to help me when my leg was paralyzed,” Said Karen. “She has really been trying to help and it was a huge honor for me.”

Karen used a modified version of the course she used at the USET Finals last year to fit the Sonoma ring, and was really pleased with the challenge it laid out for the riders and the ultimate result.

“For the most part they rode pretty well, the top ones were very, very good. It was tough but it was supposed to be a champions class and I kept it 3′ 3″. I don’t think anything was impossible, but it tested them. It asked them to go forward, it asked them to come back, jump off a turn, to be able to hold out and do the correct bend; so everything I teach was in the course.”

The class winners of this singular occasion were Kylee Arbuckle and Cocon 4, who happened to be making their inaugural outing at this level of competition.

“The mare I rode was actually Ned Glynn’s jumper that we are now going to turn into an equitation horse,” Kylee said. “It was her first time ever doing equitation or jumping flowers, so it was really fun. Ned let me ride her we wanted to see what she was going to be like and she was awesome! We knew she was going to be brave, and so it was just fun for me to go out and do that.”

Kylee also shared that it was a really emotional and important win to succeed in a class honoring Karen, with whom she has a history from her junior years. “It is really special to me, since I rode with Karen when I was a junior. Karen Healey is an amazing horse woman and she has always been an inspiration to me.”

Addyson Cord and Zidane took a close second place in the course with a smooth and calculated ride, followed by Alexa Leong aboard Cintas in third place, who also put in a top notch round together.

Full Results:

Kylee Arbuckle and Cocon 4
Addyson Cord and Zidane
Alexa Leong and Cintas
Anna Lisa Ericson and Bullwinkle
Ransome Rombauer and Gaston
Sophia Silveiera and Arezzo
Audrey Poole and Rivercross Nobility
Sabrina Jain and Kocu

In an effort to help Karen cover the considerable costs of her recovery, the California Professional Horsemen’s Association Foundation has established a fund to accept tax-deductible donations on her behalf, and members of the hunter/jumper world have responded generously with much-appreciated donations. For information on contributing to this fund, contact Ruth Frazier at [email protected] or visit cpha.org.

View original article here.

by Karen Healey | From Riding Magazine May 2017 Issue

A judge’s perspective on the most under-appreciated job at the horse show.

Before I talk about what I like or don’t like when I judge hunters, I want to talk a little about what the job entails. I personally think that every trainer should have their judge’s cards – it makes you a way better exhibitor!

There are several things that exhibitors should know about the most under-appreciated job at the horse show. First, we sit for sometimes 12 hours, but usually a minimum of eight, and try our best to put horses in the correct order. The judge is not your enemy. I promise you that no one is more upset when a winning round is marred at the end by a cheap rail or a cross-canter. We are rooting and sometimes praying for a great round. There will be classes when your cut-off score is an 87 and other classes when your cut-off score is a 78.

Secondly, the judge can only score what he can see. Particularly when you judge by yourself, at some point you have to look down and mark your card. If a horse spooks a little or steps off his lead at that instant – you got lucky. If a horse picks up the wrong lead in an under-saddle class in a corner of the ring that the judge is not watching – again, it’s your lucky day.

If you are sitting directly behind a jump you may not be able see if a horse hangs a leg. Years ago at a major indoor horse show, the first jump was a Riviera gate dead away from the judges. A very good horse ridden by a very good rider hung both legs straight down. There was a collective gasp from the exhibitors’ side, but the judges saw nothing that indicated a bad jump and the horse ended up being the winner.

Remember, the judge is not sitting at the in-gate and jumps can look different depending on where you’re sitting. In classes that have two or more judges sitting at different positions around the ring be prepared to have very different scores.

Quality Jump

There has been quite a bit of talk recently that judges are partially to blame for the use of calming and relaxing drugs. The thinking seems to be that if the judges would penalize the “slow” horses it would help to deter people from using these medications.

Let’s get one thing straight – I can’t think of a single top judge who doesn’t appreciate a great jumping horse that’s ridden with pace. Think Brunello and Liza Towell. But we have to judge what’s in front of us. In that class there is no way that a horse that is ridden with pace but jumps poorly is going to beat one that is high and slow off the ground. Judging is a matter of comparison – is that horse better or worse than the one before it?

That being said, it’s a good start on what I’m looking for in a hunter round. First and foremost for me is the quality of the horse’s jump. I love pace, but out of pace the horse should get to the jump and rock back on his hocks and jump up in a beautiful bascule with his shoulders up and a descent of the head and neck. I will forgive a lead swap off the ground or even a light rub if the horse jumps with these qualities.

A great expression – the horse’s ears up looking through the bridle to the next jump – is a great plus. They should look happy to be doing their job. Along with that is a round that does not look manufactured every step of the way. I don’t want to see a dressage clinic on the ends of the ring. I don’t like martingales that are so tight they look like you could play a tune on them. On the other hand, some martingales are so long they are distracting to the round. I go back to learning from George Morris: if you notice something, it’s probably wrong.

In a nutshell, my ideal round is a beautiful horse, impeccably turned out, walks into the ring, picks up a gallop and gets to the first jump, explodes off the ground and proceeds to jump every jump the same way. Can I tell you how seldom that happens?

Again, the judge’s job is to score the first round against that ideal and then place each horse above or below. Most of the time, even at top shows, we rarely see that ideal round, particularly when judging some of the 3’ and below classes. But every class has to have a winner and I know that every person I’ve had the privilege of judging with is trying their best to come up with the right one.

Karen Healey has given a lifetime of expertise and volunteer work to the hunter/jumper industry. Complications from a recent back surgery have left her in and out of the hospital and a physical rehab center. In an effort to help Karen cover those considerable costs, the California Professional Horsemen’s Association Foundation has established a fund to accept tax-deductible donations on her behalf, and members of the hunter/jumper world have responded generously with much-appreciated donations. For information on contributing to this fund, contact Ruth Frazier at [email protected] or visit cpha.org.

Original article posted here.

by Karen Healey | From Riding Magazine March 2017 Issue

Will the Federation’s stiffer drug penalties curtain the cheaters?

“Who knows?”

That’s my answer to the question a lot of people have been asking about whether the United States Equestrian Federation’s aggressive stance on medication abuses will make a difference.

As most everybody knows, two prominent and very successful East Coast trainers received $24,000 and $12,000 fines in January, and were suspended from USEF competition for two years and one year, respectively. They were busted for using “GABA,” a calming agent that is on the Federation’s list of forbidden substances, on a top horse competing in Kentucky last summer.

The size and severity of the fines were definitely done to make a statement. The Federation issued news of the suspension on Jan. 11, in the middle of their annual meeting, and I must say it was the first time ever in my life that I have received an email about that kind of news. I’m not so sure that part of it was correct. It should have been published in Equestrian Magazine, where hearing committee decisions are normally published. The way they did that was really to make an example out of them.

As to whether it will help reduce the amount of medication abuses, I really don’t know. The cheaters are always two steps ahead and there are always people who will do anything and everything to try to get an edge over other competitors. You know, the trainer who did it is a good enough horseman to win without cheating. It’s just that this is the way he’s always done it.

I did like the advance notice the Federation put out regarding GABA, which is found in the product Carolina Gold. Some time ago, the Federation made it known that they were testing for it and that abusers would get nailed. At least that helps some from a deterrent standpoint.

There were some interesting discussions about other methods of curbing drug abuse during the USHJA Annual Meeting. Trying to reduce the incentives for cheating was one idea. The USHJA’s new task force on this issue will first look at what the incentives for cheating are – beyond the obvious desire to win.

Some have asked if changing judging standards might help, but I think that would be totally wrong. Nobody who is a good judge will penalize a horse that jumps a phenomenal jump, lands and plays a little bit on the landing side. If a horse looks a little in the corner, you do have to make note of it, but, as a judge, I’m not going to kill the round for it.

I think that any horseman capable of seeing what’s good in a horse’s round would say the same. Unfortunately, there are many people with a judge’s card who can only see what’s wrong, not what’s right. Either way, I don’t think that changing the standards we are looking for in a beautiful hunter will help. There’s this idea that a horse can’t take a breath out there on course and win, and I don’t think that’s true. A horse is certainly allowed to have a pulse!

Owner Awareness

There was also a lot of talk about horse owners having little idea what medications their horse is getting and I think that is a widespread reality. Owners have a voice, for sure, both with their trainers and within the industry. I think if the owners had any idea their horses were getting illegal medications, I think 98% would say no to it, so that would help.

I’ve seen owners take extreme positions and that can backfire. I’m talking about legal medications here: NSAIDs like bute and banamine, for example. I had a customer years ago who said, “I don’t want my horse to have anything.” And I said, “Fine,” but explained to them that you are going to be at a disadvantage because every horse in the ring is getting something. I’ve seen horses whose owners have taken the no medications stance and, at the end of the day, you see that horse and my feeling is, “I think he really would like a gram of bute!”

Small NSAID doses are done for the horse’s sake: to keep him comfortable and alleviate inflammation at the end of the day. It’s no different than people taking Tylenol at the end of the day. It’s an analgesic that helps the horse feel better, but in too small a dose to mask an injury.

My thinking on some parts of this discussion have changed. Over the years, there’s been a lot of talk about legalizing small doses of the tranquilizer, acepromazine. At one point many years ago, I was all for that. I believed that a quarter CC of “ace” was better than “LTD,” “lunge ‘til dead,” on the basis that it’s kinder to the horse. But, I’ve since grown to believe that that levels the sport’s playing field in a bad way. It allows non-trainers and non-horsemen to be on the same level as those of us who learned to train horses without that. There are people who could never do that. By using illegal meds, someone who’s not a very good trainer can win and move up in the sport.

I don’t know if anything is going to curb abuse by certain professionals. I think there are certain people who are arrogant and think they are above the law or that it doesn’t apply to them. I am fully in favor of anything and everything that makes the sport more transparent and if these stiffer fines and public “shaming” serve that end, then I’m behind them.

Original article posted here.

“…As often happens in challenging, high-pressure competition, the leader board changed a bit after Round 2. The best rides were executed by Gross, with a 90, and Rombauer with an 88. They entered the work-off with only 1.25 points separating their averages of 89 and 87.75. Eight more riders earned a spot in the top ten work-off, with scores averaging at 80 or above.

The work-off required a demonstration of two figure eights around specific markers, one at the sitting trot and one at the counter-canter with a flying change, followed by a hand gallop to fence 7. Requiring skill and balance from both horse and rider, five of the ten returning competitors scored 80 or above.

Suspenseful until the final announcements, the work-off scores were announced at the same time as the top ten ribbon winners, in reverse order. Sydney Hutchins, who rides with Elvenstar, jumped from seventh to third with her work-off score of 90 and final total of 170.75. Gross and Rombauer held their top two spots, with work-off scores of 86 and 85, finishing with final totals of 175 and 172.75.”

To read full press release click here.

CPHA Foundation Equitation Championship Final, 21 & Under
Place – Entry – Name – Trainer
1. 382 – Miela Gross – Emily Esau Williams
2. 248 – Ransome Rombauer – Daniel Ighani and Karen Healey Stables
3. 788 – Sydney Hutchins – Elvenstar
4. 760 – Emily Maclean – Devon Gibson and Karen Healey Stables
5. 178 – Mitchell Endicott – Pegasus Show Stable
6. 448 – Nina Vogel – Far West Farms
7. 443 – Cayley Boyd – Far West Farms
8. 719 – Peyton Warren – Jill Humphrey
9. 484 – Gracie Marlowe – Leslie Steele
10. 331 – Jacqueline Vail – Kelly Van Vleck

“San Juan Capistrano, CA – Medal Finals season kicked off this week at the Blenheim Summer Classic with the California Professional Horsemen’s Association (CPHA) Junior and Amateur Hunt Seat Medal Finals. Judged by John Roper, Tony Sgarlata, and Scott Hofstetter, the three round competition ended with flair in the indoor ring adjacent to the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park at San Juan Capistrano.

After two rounds, one on Friday and the second on Saturday afternoon, the top ten-scoring Juniors and Amateurs returned to compete for the top prize on Saturday evening. Jayme Omand of Sacramento aboard Pumpkin Ridge Equestrian Center’s Zilveren earned the top call in the Amateur Division and Grady Lyman of Rancho Santa Fe, riding Christy Clarkson’s Sinatra’s Ruhm, brought home the blue in the Juniors…”

Click here to read full press release from Blenheim Equisports.

Results:

CPHA Junior Hunt Seat Medal Final
Place – Entry – Name – Trainer – Final Score
1 – 551 – Grady Lyman – Bridgeport Farms and Karen Healey Stables – 771.00
2 – 377 – Nina Vogel – Far West Farms – 750.00
3 – 584 – Kayla Lott – Elvenstar – 746.25
4 – 218 – Emma Marlowe – Leslie Steele – 717.50
5 – 220 – Haley Giddings – Richard Slocum – 676.25
6 – 509 – Madison Myro – Judy Nielson – 654.50
7 – 160 – Morgan Dickerson – Karen Healey Stables – 647.00
8 – 456 – Mimi Kelly – Matthew Sereni – 641.00
9 – 321 – Natalie Templeton – Robyn Stiegler – 569.50
10 – 244 – Michael Williamson – Patty Ball – 476.50