Book & DVD Reviews

Jeff Papows, PhD

Acanthus Publishing

Hardcover, 2011, $29.95

ISBN: 978-0-9842173-7-3

Available at www.unbridledpassion.net

www.facebook.com/UnbridledPassion

Reviewed by Elise DeVoe

“The medal presentations and the playing of the national anthem were the country’s moments … the quiet time spent with Sapphire, Lee, Erica, and the team – those were the special moments for me.” ~ McLain Ward

Jeff Papows’ Unbridled Passion is a behind-the-scenes look at what makes the world of show jumping so captivating – the partnership between horse and rider. Each chapter is a heartfelt, and sometimes heartbreaking, story of one of North America’s greatest horse-and-rider teams. From Ian Miller and Big Ben to Beezie Madden and Authentic, the pages of Unbridled Passion include widely unknown anecdotes about some of North America’s most beloved equestrian teams. Did you know that Nona Garson’s Rhythmical was originally bartered from Russia for 150 used washing machines? Or that Authentic nearly missed the jog at the 2004 Olympics?

Papows successfully illustrates the deep bond between horse and rider that only comes from unconditional love and trust. His love for horses, as well as for the sport of show jumping, comes through on every page. “What we ask of the horses in this sport is extreme. How they respond is magical,” he writes. Not what you’d expect from a software industry executive, his writing is warm and deeply committed.

Written to appeal to both riders and non-equestrians alike, Unbridled Passion contains a chapter on the fundamentals of show jumping and offers explanations of terms such as “scope.” On their own, the horses and riders included in the book are enough to catch any equestrian’s interest. The book includes 20 great teams of present (or very recent past), many of whom we, as riders, idolize – Joe Fargis and Touch of Class, Margie Goldstein Engle and Perin, and the unrivaled team of McLain Ward and Sapphire.

Papows also added a chapter aimed to encourage the youths of today and their parents, titled “The Amateur Equestrians.” This chapter touches on the equestrian careers of Victoria Birdsall, Alexandra Cherubini, and Paige Johnson, and their once-in-a-lifetime equine partners.

As an equestrian, what I found interesting about the book was how it, perhaps unintentionally, highlighted how intertwined the horse world can be – from riders to trainers to owners, many at the top of the sport have worked with each other. From stories of riders poised for the 2012 Olympics to Papows’ opening chapter about his relationship with Roxett, Unbridled Passion illustrates how show jumping is so much more than what happens in the ring on any given Sunday.

[Author info taken from JWM press release:] Jeff Papows, known in the show jumping world for his successful equestrian career as well as for his involvement with the Fidelity Investments Jumper Classic, is also highly respected as a software industry executive and has written two widely popular books in the field. He now resides in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with his wife, Patricia, and is the proud father of three grown children.