Alexis Halbert’s Journey
Nothing short of a miracle! Alexis’s story of recovery (be sure to expand).
Big thanks to Samantha McKenzie for putting this video together.
The foundation gave Alexis the ability to have the best chance of gaining her life and independence back. This board without hesitation knew what was best for her before I did and stepped in to make that happen. Words cannot describe how grateful we are to the Kevin Babington Foundation.
~ The Halbert Family – Liz, David and Alexis
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Babington Benefit Class at The Silver Oak Jumper Tournament September 4, 2020
Babington Benefit Class at The Silver Oak Jumper Tournament September 4, 2020
Author: Silver Oak Jumper Tournament
That’s a wrap for the third day of world class competition at Silver Oak in Traverse City’s Flintfields Horse Park. The first feature event from today actually took place just before the Welcome Stakes, and it was the Rood&Riddle 1.30m Open class. Rood&Riddle Equine Hospital has been a phenomenal sponsor for Silver Oak, we love when they help us create purse classes for all our riders, professional or amateur. Elise Oken aboard her mount Iraola del Maset strode into victory with an impressive ride leading by several seconds after a speedy jump off.
The next class of the morning we really kicked off the first of our big prize classes with the $36,600 GGT Welcome Stakes, which boasted an incredible one hundred and seven riders!! Of course the class was so large that the judges and coordinators ran a California split and thus we had two winners and double the purse! Shane Sweetnam strode to victory for his section while Natalie Dean and her mount Don’s Diamant also took home the blue for her respective section. There’s hardly a better example of horses as the great equalizers of our sport than Sweetnam this win we saw today! Of course the GGT footing used in the International arena, and all of the arenas at Flintfields, held up with ease and provided the perfect environment for a truly gasp-worthy number of competitors to test their skill.
Today we have seen some invigorating competition, and the momentum was far from letting up after the Welcome Stakes. This held especially true for one of our featured classes today, the Low Amateur Owners, which was sponsored by one of our fantastic partners Horseworks Insurance Specialists. As real horse people, familiar with the industry, they are an excellent choice to help find coverage that protect and best fits the needs of you, your dogs and horses, and your business. The winner, Jorge Gomez aboard Kyrol was understandably over the moon with their victory and had nothing but great things to say about the excitement of a great sponsored event. We are so grateful to Horseworks for their continued support to help create classes like this for riders to participate in, they have been supporters of Silver Oak for the last several years now as well, and we look forward to continue that relationship for years to come.
This jumper tournament is so fortunate for all of the sponsors we partner with to help bring this show to the highest tier for all levels of riding in the sport of showjumping. We plan to continue to deliver just that for the rest of the weekend, with several more feature classes including the Babington Benefit Classic and the $75,000 Agero Grand Prix.
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Kevin Babington Update March 2020
Kevin Babington Update March 2020
Author: Silver Oak Jumper Tournament
For the many of you who contact me regularly and are aware of Silver Oak’s involvement in Kevin’s recovery I’m sending this, another update, to be transparent and efficient. I must start by telling you the patience, valor, kindness to all around him, and outright tenacity Kevin exhibits every day is beyond inspiring. He is concerned about everybody other than himself. In short, it’s the Kevin we always knew albeit dealing with an extraordinary challenge.
Kevin and Diana remain very much immersed in this sport in every way caring for clients, growing their sales and training business and lending their considerable expertise everywhere in the sport possible. You can see them both daily at the WEF facilities in Wellington engaged with clients and the many supporters.
Kevin continues to make physical progress and in fact Diana and Kevin just returned from the Mayo clinic. Based on his considerable progress and overall health he has been entered into a very limited stem cell trial for the month of April at the Mayo clinic, one of a dozen such individuals. The first such trial saw a shocking percentage of the participants regain considerable mobility.
Through all this nobody has heard Kevin complain, his continual comments to me amplify his concern for everybody around him never speaking a word about his discomfort which is considerable. The monumental patience, focus, and aptitude to see the big longer-term picture is staggering. His dedication to his physical therapy has mystified his doctors.
Our community has continued to come forward financially supporting the considerable cost of his care. The trial at the Mayo clinic will not be covered by insurance and continued donations to one of either the Babington Family Trust or the Babington Foundation are still very much needed. Even small donations help.
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Kevin Babington Update June 9, 2020
Kevin Babington Update June 9, 2020
Author: Silver Oak Jumper Tournament
Gang, about every six weeks my phone starts blowing up and or I get a lot of emails with people inquiring about Kevin’s progress. I’m at that point now so I’m going to provide you an update and some creative content so you can help yourself and barns and Kevin simultaneously.
First Kevin continues to work incredibly hard on his recovery, which has been challenging with the pandemic. He has been utilizing the hyperbaric chamber time which increases his voice and lung capacity, his stem therapy bike, and grueling physical therapy sessions which is hours of work every single day. Hopefully he will go to the Mayo clinic in late July or early August for some more surgical intervention which was of great help the last trip. Kevin now has more fine motor control of his right hand, feeling in his left foot, less consistent muscle spasms and more balance in his core. It’s step by step but way ahead of the expected schedule diagnosis after his accident. What amazes me most is his positive, patient, caring attitude during this entire ordeal.
Babington Sales and Training at full Strength Now
Both Kevin and Dianna have begun teaching, in fact Dianna was in Boston this week helping me and others and I must tell you it was once again fantastic. Dianna is traveling to barns for lesson days, clinics and the like. Kevin plays a role in planning as well, but it should be no surprise to anybody, though she has lived in his shadow, Dianna is amazing. We are planning on offering training with Kevin and Dianna virtually.
Warmest Regards,
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Winners of the Jump for Kevin Auction
Winners of the Jump for Kevin Auction
Author: The Babington Foundation
Winners of the Jump for Kevin Auction at the National Horse Show in November receiving their winning lessons for those trainers who donated their time! Well over $100,000 was raised. Here are just a few of the winning bidders: Lacey Gilbertson with Beezie, Amber Broder with Shane and Liv Sweetnam with Missy.