The surprising cause-and-effect of COVID on ’chasing

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The surprising cause-and-effect of COVID

on ’chasing

As much as the pandemic has torn down the wider community, racing has methodically built it back up

Hear how the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup team’s weathering the storm to put on what they hope will be their most successful meet to date

By Betsy Burke Parker

A race meet lost hurts more than horsemen.

From the admittedly cloistered inside, the ripple effect is hard to see. Horses still get fed and exercised, and life continues apace out on the farms.

But there’s surprising fallout.

Farriers to food vendors, riders to real estate sales, everybody loses when sport contracts, none more than the beneficiaries of the hunt meets which have become – across the mid-Atlantic and mid-south National Steeplechase Association circuit, an enormous part of the tight charity-’chase connection.

As example, since its inception in 1921, the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup (Tod Marks photo, above) has given more than $1 million to charitable causes in southeast Pennsylvania. For the past 10 years, they’ve partnered with the Chester County Food Bank, a 501c3 providing a county-wide safety net against hunger and food insecurity in what most see as an area that this is unlikely to happen.

But even in a time and a place it’s hard to imagine anyone going to bed hungry, food bank officials caution that it’s very real.

If the 86th running of the PHC hadn’t happened, it would have been a catastrophe for the food bank, says meet co-chair Anne Moran.

“Thanks to the unwavering support of our loyal friends and sponsors, we’re able to hold the races this Sunday,” says Anne, who’s chaired the Nov. 1 event with husband Michael for some 15 years. “Current Pennsylvania guidelines limit attendance, which means we cannot allow spectators on the grounds,” only essential personnel, yet another obstacle to Hunt Cup supporting the food bank.

But obstacles are no obstacle to this formidable team.

Michael and Anne Moran

©Tod Marks

Baby Steps

The strong committee network and a year of careful planning is what’s allowing Pennsylvania Hunt Cup co-chairs Anne and Michael Moran to live-stream Sunday’s races like everybody else. They sequestered themselves to their Wyoming mountain property this summer to be near their pregnant daughter on the west coast. “We’ve stayed in quarantine this whole time,” Anne says, “in order to see our first grandchild.”

At press time, the baby remains “due any minute, literally,” Anne says, with family betting pools growing on birthdate, time and sex.

This will be the first Pennsylvania Hunt Cup either one of them has missed in more than three decades, Michael Moran says.

“We do it really well together,” Anne says. “I’ve tried to quit a few times,” Michael adds with a chuckle, and with irony. “They wouldn’t let me, of course.”

PHC’s committee conceived an innovative way to support their charity – by asking patrons to donate to the food bank the price of their race ticket. Since the races will be live-streamed, Anne says, it’s possible to be part of the action while staying safe at home under Pennsylvania state pandemic guidelines.

“This is a critical need right now, right here,” Anne says. “This is how we’re able to help.”

Anne and Michael Moran’s direct involvement with Pennsylvania Hunt Cup started when they purchased the old Choate property that was centerpiece of the expansive racecourse. The course actually crosses four other farms, but the former Choate farm is at the center.

The PA Hunt Cup course

Previously, the farm was cattle pasture most of the year, with land manager, the late Bill Teter pulling stock off weeks before the races for prep.

It wasn’t a better or worse method of management, Anne stresses, just how it worked back then.

But when the Morans bought it, they opted to take hay off the field rather than cattle. Michael and his seasonal team worked relentlessly to erase worn footpaths, natural bumps and undulations, and a dedicated racecourse emerged.

For what then was their first foray into running a race meet, Anne enlisted help from former jump rider Kathee Rengert to serve as their first race director. “Today’s (seamless) model is due to Kathee’s vision.

"We owe a lot to her,” Anne says.

Rengert died just before the 2018 meet after a short illness. (photo courtesy of PA Hunt Cup)

Rengert’s expert hand lives on, says 2020 race director Andrea Collins. The first-time race director does admit cutting her teeth this COVID year has been an eye-opener.

“It’s like catching hare with bare hands - a challenge, but hugely rewarding when you succeed,” she says. “Actually, I have never tried before (catching a rabbit with my hands or managing a race), but I imagine that’s what it’s like.

“Every time you thought you are close, it changes direction at amazing speed and you start over.

“I have the privilege to be surrounded by an amazing group of people and everybody on the team is very knowledgeable and dedicated.”

Helping those that help the community

This year’s PHC marks a decade of partnership with the Chester County Food Bank.

The meet used to have up to four beneficiaries, evenly splitting proceeds between them each year.

About 10 years ago, Betty Moran approached Michael and Anne to take on the food bank as the sole PA Hunt Cup charity.

“It was hard to say no to Betty,” Michael maintains, explaining that his mother – who died earlier this year – thought it made more sense to donate all the funds to a single charity.

No means no

Anne Moran remembers another time Betty Moran got her way.

“Betty is really opinionated, and she’s not afraid to tell you” something, Anne says. “Michael didn’t get a chance to ask me to marry him before his mom did.

“She’d come to visit – Michael and I were working in Ireland, and we’d met at the Cheltenham Festival. We were back in London having dinner.

“We were sitting there in the restaurant – hadn’t even ordered drinks, and Betty walks in and sits down at the table. She looked at Michael. She looked at me. She said ‘Michael, don’t you think it’s about time you asked this lady to marry you?’

“I almost died.”

(NSA archives photo of Betty Moran at the races with Anne Moran and Anne's daughters)

“It’s been a great connection,” Anne adds. “This year more than ever, our goal for the race meet has been twofold. To support the horsemen who put on the show and to raise money for the food bank.”

Last year, PHC donated $45,000; their optimistic 2020 goal is $50,000.

“We called all the (race) sponsors to explain the situation,” Anne says. “We’d already cut the purses and gone to a bare-bones race meet," like others held earlier on the circuit; this year there's no carriage parade, no hound exhibition, no shopping plaza and no pony races.

To make up for it, the committee tried to contact all their prior patrons and subscribers, and previous sponsors, to donate directly to the food bank.

“During this unprecedented time, the food bank is seeing an increase over 60 percent” in need, CCFB director Larry Welsch explains, adding that the painful problem affects everyone in Chester County, directly or indirectly. “We’ve mobilized our network of vendors to maintain an average inventory of 500,000 pounds of food to meet our needs.”

Welsch maintains that even in what most see as comfortable west-Philly suburbs and prosperous farmland fringing one of the most thriving cities on the east coast, there’s desperate – if invisible – deprivation.

“The food bank is grateful to have the Moran family as our champions against hunger in the region, and to have the PHC community as a partner in our vision to create a food-secure Chester County,” Welsch says.

Another member of the Moran clan, Michael Moran’s nephew Ranney, plays an unique role at the food bank. A couple years ago, a few years into his professional cooking career after graduation from the prestigious French Culinary Institute, Ranney conceived the model for a food-service training program working with those struggling with addiction.

He kept it close to home, volunteering at CCFB and getting the green-light to launch the FRESHstart Kitchen; it stands for Focusing Resources on Employment, Self-Sufficiency and Health.

Now director of culinary programs, Ranney oversees meal production and kitchen contracts, something his uncle and aunt are justly proud of.

“This tight-knit (connection) of horses and horse sports to the wider community is critical, always, but especially in 2020,” Anne says. “It’s become even more dire a need this year with so many people without jobs.

“This is how we can help. And that’s important.”

Food for thought:

FRESHstart program grads learn many facets of food security

"Teresa" enrolled in the FRESHstart Kitchen program after relocating to Pennsylvania from New Jersey to be closer to her family.

Early on, says program founder and director Ranney Moran, Teresa shared with the team that she was having health concerns, possibly linked to diet. Moran says, like others reaching out to the food bank’s extensive support programs, she was connected to a food bank nutritionist who helped build a nutrition plan including access to real, healthy foods.

Teresa met with nutritionists while attending classes at FSK, Moran says, learning how to cook with fresh produce grown on food bank farms.

Teresa’s passion for fresh, locally-grown food blossomed as she learned about nutrition and the relationship as medicine for the body. She excelled in the FSK program, Moran says, successfully completing her internship at a nearby farm-to-table restaurant.

Teresa was hired full-time at the Downingtown Wegmans as a prep cook.

Moran says that Teresa has returned to the food bank, teaching a self-empowerment workshop to program participants – “The mindset of success.”

“The FRESHstart Kitchen provided an invaluable experience for Teresa,” Moran says. “She has become an asset to the FSK and CCFB teams.”

Food for Thought:

Sean McDermott

Jockey Sean McDermott weighs in on the importance of food banks:

I think the work of the Chester County Food Bank is fantastic with some wonderful caring people giving their time and skills to help those most in need.

I often have to reduce weight to ride horses in races and it is truly the most difficult part of the job. Being hungry and dehydrated is not a nice feeling and many jockeys retire early as they 'lose the battle with the scales'.

But, I do this by choice to compete in my chosen sport. I can't imagine being hungry and not knowing where my next meal is coming from.

I truly admire all the people that help out in the food bank. It really is a life saver."

Tod Marks photo

Food for Thought:

Gerard Galligan

Currently vying for Champion Jockey honors, Gerard Galligan weighs in on the importance of diet to the professional athlete:

So, I used to ride on the flat in Europe. Same height as I am now – 5’8”. The lightest I did was 109 pounds.

That's where I learned my lessons about weight management and nutrition, by doing things the wrong way as a kid.

I remember this one particular time riding for Dermot Weld in Dundalk on short notice. I had 48 hours to drop 17 pounds. I collapsed getting out of the hot bath the night before, didn't eat a thing, could barely stand up in the paddock with dehydration, then dropped my rein and nearly fell off in the race.

Thankfully I discovered hurdles and higher weights not long after that.

Hurdle weights have always been easy for me compared to that. (Plus it helps that) I don't binge eat like I used to as a teenager.

This year with the lack of racing, I'm 8 pounds heavier than the last few years – around 144 everyday (weight.)

I work out everyday and am definitely stronger, and I think I'm riding better for it too. I eat good healthy regular meals, and work hard to comfortably maintain my weight.

Having to waste (to make race-weights), it's rare that I have to do it. But (trainer Jonathan) Sheppard ran a first-time-out filly in the Nashville stake three years ago – she was assigned 131 pounds.

Learning from my mistakes as a kid, I never missed a meal (to make that assignment), I just ate very healthy for two weeks – porridge, soups, salads, lean protein, fruit – and portion controlled.

I was able to tack the 131 and felt good on the day. Second on the first-timer!

I even had a bit of fruit and half a cup of tea that morning.”

Tod Marks photo

Food for thought

FRESHstart Kitchen founder Ranney Moran says chopping and shopping are just the start to the powerful program that’s helped so many grow their skills:

Since the program’s inception in 2018, the FRESHstart Kitchen has been empowering trainees with the skills necessary to be successful in the culinary field,” explains Moran, 30. “Kitchen skills are just one component of the 12-week course. We spend significant time talking about the barriers to employment and how to overcome them.

Barriers – criminal history, past addiction, access to quality education – do not define FSK graduates.

Here they’re able to reinvent themselves in a stable environment. To be a chef, you need to know more than just the basics of cooking – from savory to sweet, curing to baking.

Yet, this is only the beginning. How to work with people, how to practice self-discipline and bring it out in others, where to find the best ingredients – these are skills that have nothing to do with shaking a pan, but everything to do with whether or not you have what it takes to be a successful chef.

Job placement for our trainees (runs from) large grocery retailers such as Wegmans, senior living facilities, farm-to-table cafes, national chains and much smaller fine-dining restaurants. Several of our students are celebrating their two-year anniversaries on the job.

Graduates of the FRESHstart Kitchen program understand that they have a new family here in the Chester County Food Bank, and that we’ll continue to (provide) support. Especially now as the pandemic takes its toll, particularly for those involved in the food and beverage industry.”

History of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup

First run in 1921 over a course in Whitemarsh, the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup moved to its present location near Unionville in 1964.

Following the 1987 death of landowner Arthur Choate Jr., neighboring property owners Michael and Anne Moran purchased the 200 acres and placed it under a land conservation easement, forming the central portion of today’s racecourse on 100 acres of the original Choate property that crosses three other farms including the old Weymouth and Ledyard properties.

The eponymous feature is one of just three 4-mile steeplechase races sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association. It’s long been indirectly tied to year-end honors – winners of the Cup that went on to the timber title include Foyle 2013, Young Dubliner (champion in 2002, Cup winner in 2003), Free Throw 1993, Joe’s OK 1990, Von Csadek 1988, Redgate 1983, Sam Son of a Gun 1981, Dosdi 1979, Fort Devon 1975, Jacko 1971, ‘72 and ‘73, Boating Party 1968 and Haffaday 1967.

Billy Barton won the 1927 Pennsylvania Hunt Cup; he was second in the 1928 English Grand National.