Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event

11/24/2022

Thank you for the memories of the Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event when this event involving hundreds of folks on the organizing team including competitors, vendors, team members, volunteers and sponsors, as well as thousands of spectators, ran during Thanksgiving week or just the week before.

The level of organization, logistics and teamwork needed to pull all that off successfully and safely still boggles my mind.

May you all have a lovely and !

01/01/2022

We are very sad to announce that Billy Turner, the trainer of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, passed away this afternoon, on New Years Eve 2021.

He was moved from the hospital to Billy and Pat’s new home on Tuesday into hospice care. Before his move, it was expected he had a few months. Yesterday, the expectations changed to days. This morning, the hospice nurse changed that to hours. His left lung was in trouble and the cancer moved quickly.

Yesterday and today, Billy’s wife Pat spent much of her time with Billy, reading him from the 18 pages of messages of support compiled for him from his GoFundMe page and our social media channels. Although Billy could no longer speak, he was fully aware of the love that you all expressed for him. He passed away peacefully. I can only believe that his final days were made better for all the love, support, memories of amazing days gone by had made his transition easier and more peaceful.

Here is a statement of gratitude from Pat to all of you: “Billy Turner passed away this afternoon peacefully at home. I want to take a moment to thank every person who contributed to his physical care and lifting him up in your thoughts and prayers. I was able to read him all the emails sharing your kindness and admiration of him. It meant a great deal to me to be able to let him know how loved he was in his last moments.
As plans develop for a memorial service I will let everyone know.”

This is a photo of Billy helping out with the award presentations of the Thoroughbred Eventing Champion division at the 2019 Ocala Jockey Club International Event. Off-track Thoroughbred careers were important to Billy throughout his career and he was thrilled to be involved. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo Team.

12/27/2021

Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown, holds a place of legends in horse racing and is one of the most well known horse names even outside of racing. We have been lucky to know and learn from Billy Turner, the trainer of Seattle Slew’s undefeated Triple Crown run.

Now Billy, at 81 years of age, is facing advanced rapidly spreading cancer and needs the help of the racing industry and Seattle Slew’s fans.

Until recently, Billy was a resident at the Ocala Jockey Club farm townhome village. He made guest appearances at the Ocala Jockey Club International 3-day Event.

As a reminder of the training feat it took to create this legend, here is a video recap from YouTube of Seattle Slew’s remarkable and dominant path to the Triple Crown: https://youtu.be/J7EFWSSPnQw

https://gofund.me/32279f47

BILLY TURNER, TRAINER OF 1977 TRIPLE CROWN WINNER SEATTLE SLEW, NEEDS HELP IN… Pavla Nygaard needs your support for Help Billy Turner, Seattle Slew's Trainer

12/24/2021

CREATE HOPE THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON

A few days ago, I listened to a segment about Gary LeBlanc, the founder of Mercy Chefs that has served more than 18 million meals to people affected by disasters, including to those impacted by the tornadoes that went through America this month.

Gary spoke about food being love, about food nourishing the soul as much as the body, about food having the power to bring community together and to give people hope. This is true at any time of the year, but perhaps even more so during the holiday season when families get together, cook meals and bake cookies, and make memories of a lifetime. It is also a reminder that, as a world affected by the pandemic over almost two years, some of these rituals over food have not been as frequent or accessible, and how important it is for us to have these shared meals together.

Food and the joy it brings is important in our family. One of our favorite travel memory was a pasta making class by an Italian couple in a small Tuscan village. We make sure to have dinner together every night, even when we may default to hotdogs or mac & cheese on busy days. Our daughter likes cooking shows, from Nailed It to Beat Bobby Flay. Our family Christmas cookie recipes have been handed down for a couple of generations at least, with Norwegian krumkake from Erik's side and chocolate-walnut mini-cupcakes called sohajky from my Czech heritage.

This segment on Mercy Chefs, aside from the overall reminder of the power and beauty of food, however, brought back a few memories from tougher times, confirming the healing power of food. When my Mom, my dog and I escaped our communist homeland and arrived in Austria after our trek down the Austrian Alps, a local pub opened their arms to us with food. We didn't understand each other much, but the meals given to us humans and a three-foot long sausage link given to my hungry Dalmatian spoke more of the hope for our future in freedom and the cheers for us by these Austrians we would never see again than any words could have said.

Over one Christmas years ago, I volunteered to gather meal supplies for a local women's shelter in Vancouver. My job was to go pick up cans of cranberry sauce and other Christmas meal ingredients at a few places, and whatever could go wrong, was going wrong. Bad traffic, messed up orders, getting lost and being very late bringing the supplies where they needed to be. When I finally arrived at the shelter, I was exhausted, sweaty and embarrassed about holding everyone up. And then, the doors of the shelter opened up and a wave of excited smiling women filed out to bring the ingredients to the shelter. Regardless of the delay, they were thrilled for the food that would become their Christmas meal and a celebration of hope for better futures. As Gary LeBlanc said, it wasn't just about nourishing the body, it was about nourishing the soul and giving hope. For them, as much as for me.

Create hope this holiday season. Whether eating a meal together with your own family, delivering cookies and a meal to a neighbor without a family to be with, maybe you can also create and bring hope through a shared experience with food as love, with food as hope.

Thank you for your part in our family's community. Merry Christmas to you and your families. Have a blessed holiday season!

Pavla Nygaard, President
Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event

11/25/2021

With much gratitude for our human and equine family, friends and supporters.
Happy Thanksgiving!

11/21/2021

PHOTO WALK DOWN THE OJC EVENT MEMORY LANE

The prestige of the OJC Event grew over time. In 2019, it was the only Olympic qualifying event in the Southeastern USA. Prestige is nice. But ultimately, running a horse event is about the relationship between a human and a horse.

The best wins are those that showcase the outcome of the goals, the ups and downs, and the daily practice of that partnership. The gratitude for such a partnership was evident between Arden Wildasin with Il Vici after their CCI3*-L win in the 2019 OJC Event. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo Team.

11/21/2021

PHOTO WALK DOWN THE OJC EVENT MEMORY LANE

2018 Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event Memory

One of the aspects of the OJC 3-Day Event were to bring the eventing and racing industries together. Many retired racehorses become eventing horses, and many eventers like Thoroughbred blood because of the stamina needed for cross-country.

Racing motifs were part of the event, such as this jump resembling a racetrack distance marker. Here are Katherine Coleman and Monte Classico winning the 2018 CCI3* Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo Team.

11/21/2021

PHOTO WALK DOWN THE OJC EVENT MEMORY LANE

2017 Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event Memory

There were a number of iconic spots on the Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day course. One of the top spectator attractions was the Clubhouse Pond jump with its spectacular drop. Phillip Dutton and Z, who won the 2017 CCI4*-S, showed off this jump with grace. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo Team.

11/21/2021

PHOTO WALK DOWN THE OJC EVENT MEMORY LANE

2016 Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event Memory

The inaugural year of the OJC 3-Day Event was over Thanksgiving weekend, yet it attracted top professionals. Boyd Martin, perennial top rider and the winner of this year's inaugural CCI5* Fair Hill Event, was one of the top riders who came. I ran into him at the OJC Clubhouse, his eyes wide and telling people, "wow, I was told this had hills and was beautiful, but I had no idea how beautiful."

Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo Team.

11/18/2021

In an alternate universe in which the USEF had acknowledged the 2021 competition renewal and the new farm owner wanted an event to run in 2021, the OJC Event could have been running this Thursday to Sunday.

It is not that alternative universe, however, so we can just remember many cool memories of OJC Events’ past. With an Event that brought over $1 million annually in economic impact to Ocala, was run for four straight years with a clean safety record for horses and riders, and went from zero to one of the most popular in the country in four short years, we all did good.

We are proud of what we accomplished. Most of all, we are grateful to the riders, sponsors, volunteers, vendors and loyal fans who supported four years of a somewhat crazy dream of a world class eventing competition on a traditional Thoroughbred farm.

All the best to all of us who dare to dream crazy dreams. Whether or not they work out quite to plan, we become more by the dreaming and the doing.

11/01/2021

Ask not only what you can do for an off-track Thoroughbred, but also what an off-track Thoroughbred can do for you.

This is what the Retired Racehorse Project helps with at the start of OTTB careers, and what our Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event worked to do with its Thoroughbred Eventing Champion program.

For Boyd Martin, who just won the inaugural Maryland 5*, OTTBs have shaped a big part of his own development as a rider and world-class competitor.

https://www.vrc.com.au/equine-welfare-bulletin/issue-4/post-racing-careers/boyd-martin-how-australian-thoroughbreds-helped-shape-a-us-olympian-s-career/?fbclid=IwAR15pGxWo9InUU8hhOhjmYF0-Y30NVA6N-9TWpvKDLK06Q9IJd_cdY3-lHQ

Boyd Martin may now reside and compete as a top-flight international eventing rider for the USA but at heart he is still an Aussie who attributes much of his success to Off The Track thoroughbreds.

10/18/2021

The 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover Silent Auction, sponsored by the Ocala Jockey Club, concluded on Saturday. It raised $34,527 to support the mission of the Retired Racehorse Project to promote the benefits and versatility of off-Track Thoroughbreds as sport horses.

Thank you to everyone who participated in making this auction and the Thoroughbred Makeover a success! https://www.tbmakeover.org

Silent auction '2021 Thoroughbred Makeover Silent Auction' hosted online at 32auctions.

10/14/2021

The Ocala Jockey Club and the Nygaard family are supporting Thoroughbred aftercare this week with the sponsorship of this week's Thoroughbred Makeover's Silent Auction. The Thoroughbred Makeover, representing both the class of 2020 and 2021 off-track retrained Thoroughbreds, runs October 12-17, 2021. The Silent Auction has already raised $24,378.50 for this worthwhile organization, and there is room for more to be raised before it closes on Saturday. So hurry over and check out the amazing racing and equestrian items on offer!

Supporting Thoroughbreds at the end of their racing careers supports the entire industry. American-bred, American-produced, American-proud. Each racehorse touches about 25 different professions in their racing career, from breeder to farrier, grooms, trainers, farm staff, racing officials, betting staff, veterinarians, racing media staff, and many more. Doing right at the end of the racing career supports not just the industry’s financial aspects but how racing’s stakeholders feel about being involved.

Shop the Thoroughbred Makeover Silent Auction today!

https://www.32auctions.com/tbmakeover2021

07/04/2021

Happy July 4th! Along with the celebration of family, fun and the freedom that the signing of the Declaration of Independence gave America, we also celebrate the contributions of horses that helped in the many months before the signing of the document that cemented America’s independence.

Beyond Paul Revere, learn about the other four midnight riders who set out to warn the colonies about the British Army, such as one whose journey ended by being thrown in a farm yard and a 16-year old girl sneaking out for the night. https://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-declaration-of-independence/the-five-riders/

Happy July 4th, everyone!

04/22/2021

OJC Eventing Clients off to 5* Kentucky

Over the next four days, from Thursday April 22nd to April 25th, the world-renowned Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event attracts 5* riders from the US and from around the world. OJC boarding clients will be there as well: the CCI5*-L Event will see Zoe Crawford with K.E.C. Zara, Kurt Martin with Delux Z, and Tamie Smith with Mai Baum. The newly added CCI4*-S will also see Tamie Smith riding three horses: Danito, Passepartout and Envogue. In addition, clients utilizing our conditioning tracks and past riders at the Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event will be well represented at both the 5* and 4* Events. We wish everyone a successful and safe rides!

It bears mentioning that it is a near-miracle that this year's landmark Kentucky Event is on at all. In a regular, non-Covid year, the Event attracts over 80,000 spectators over the weekend. With governing body mandated Covid-19 rules forcing the Event to run without spectators after being cancelled in 2020 altogether, the loss of spectator revenue caused the cancellation of the 2021 Event as well. Until the grassroots fans, competitors and owners rose up from the ashes and organized a successful fundraising drive which gave the organizer and committed sponsors the needed faith that the Event could be funded and run. And here it is, on for the most important weekend of elite eventing sport in America. Special kudos go to Sara Kozumplik-Murphy, a rider based in Ocala for the winter seasons, who single-handedly organized a large portion of the fundraising drive. At the 2019 OJC 3-Day Event, we presented Sara with a special "Test of Adversity Champion" award, in recognition of her tenacity of bringing herself and her white unicorn Rubens D'Ysieux (photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo Team) respective surgeries back to top level competition. Her fundraising efforts for the Kentucky Event again showed that tenacity and overcoming adversity then wasn't an accident. Sara did it again. The pair is in the CCI4*-S Event at Kentucky, and we wish them special good luck there.

The livestream for this year's Land Rover Kentucky Event will be available for free. Look up the details on the event website, http:///www.kentuckythreedayevent.com for ride times and how to tune in!

The Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event dates are set for November 18-21, 2021, pending USEF/FEI approval. For questions, please either email OJC management or contact your USEA or USEF representative.

02/06/2021

The Land Rover Kentucky 5* 3-Day Event is running a fundraising drive to be able to stage the April 23-25, 2021 Event. Here’s OJC management’s take on why and how to help by Sunday: https://eventingnation.com/big-event-economics-101-and-why-eventers-should-chip-in-for-kentucky-before-sunday/

I am not qualified to speak for the management team of the five-star Kentucky Event or why $750,000 is the number chosen as part of the fundraising drive to allow for the cancelled 5* to