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When you think of a must-have piece of equipment for show jumping, what comes to mind? Saddle? Helmet? Bridle? Jeff Papows would like to add one more thing to that list: an air vest.
“I wear it every time I get on a horse. I’m 71 now. I don’t bounce like I used to,” Papows said at a recent Plaidcast In Person event.
Papows isn’t just any rider. He’s the chairman of the Kevin Babington Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting equestrians with life-altering spinal cord injuries and advancing research and safety initiatives to help prevent these injuries in the first place. Since its inception, the foundation has supported seven riders in recovery, three of whom are walking again. But Papows and the foundation don’t just want to help after the fact. They want to change the game entirely.
A Beautiful But Dangerous Sport
“The reality is, this is one of the most beautiful sports in the world, but it’s also one of the most dangerous,” Papows said. He would know. He’s the man who gets the phone calls no one wants to receive saying that a rider has gone down and might not get back up.
In 2019, Grand Prix rider Kevin Babington suffered a catastrophic fall at the Hampton Classic that left him paralyzed from the neck down. The foundation created in his name now helps support not only his 24/7 care, but also recovery efforts for other riders, as well as research into breakthrough therapies.
One of those areas? Prevention.
The Investment That Could Save a Life
“There’s nothing else we can do today, scientifically, that may have a bigger preventative impact than wearing an air vest,” Papows said. “You barely know you have it on.”
To help drive awareness, the foundation launched a social media initiative encouraging riders to share why they wear their vests. The campaign kicked off with support from top names in the sport, including Laura Kraut, and continues with weekly posts leading up to the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament.
As of now, roughly 14% of FEI-level riders wear vests. But that number is growing. The more they appear in the international ring, the more likely they are to trickle down to juniors, amateurs, and weekend warriors.
“When riders like Shane Sweetnam and Jimmy Torano wear vests, juniors watching them start to think, ‘Maybe I should too,’” Papows said. “It’s monkey-see, monkey-do, but in the best way.”
Caring for the Whole Family
Spinal injuries don’t just impact the rider. They change the lives of entire families.
Papows described the immense financial cost of providing care. It’s hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for each affected rider, often for the rest of their life. That includes full-time aides, medical equipment, house renovations, and specialized therapy. The Kevin Babington Foundation raises funds to help families manage those overwhelming costs so they’re not alone in the process.
“We rebuilt Kevin’s entire house so it could be accessible for him,” Papows said. “His wife Diana and daughters Gwyneth and Marielle are still very much part of the sport. But without support, their entire world would have changed.”
A Teacher Who Never Left the Sport
What makes Kevin’s story even more incredible is what he’s done since the fall. Thanks to creative engineering and a fierce will to stay involved, he teaches an average of four virtual lessons per day from his farm in Florida. With a tripod, saddle pad tracking tag, and earpiece, riders around the world can receive real-time feedback from Babington as he watches their ride remotely.
“This keeps him immersed in the sport, and I think that’s had a huge impact on his health and mindset,” Papows said. “Every time I talk to Kevin, he’s not asking for anything. He’s asking what we’re doing for other people.”
That humility and purpose drives the foundation forward every day.
Fundraising That Feels Like Family
Raising money for difficult topics like injury and trauma isn’t easy, but the Babington Foundation has created something rare: an atmosphere of joy, camaraderie, and purpose. One of their most popular events is Kevin’s Rockstars, a lip sync fundraiser held annually at WEF that routinely raises more than $500,000.
“There are hundreds of people in the audience, and they’re not just watching—they’re performing,” Papows said. “The pros get up there and let loose. One year, Beezie Madden was part of a Madonna tribute group.”
That sense of community is what keeps the foundation strong.
We Can’t Afford to Ignore It
No one wants to think about catastrophic injuries. But ignoring them doesn’t make them go away. Talking about safety isn’t always fun. Wearing an air vest might feel like an inconvenience. But in a sport where everything can change in one jump, prevention isn’t just important. It’s essential.
As Papows put it: “The biggest fear I have is getting the call that we’re not ready for. That we didn’t do enough. That we could have prevented it.”
Let’s not wait for that call. Let’s normalize safety before it’s too late.
For more insights and conversation, listen to the full Plaidcast 443: Plaidcast in Person with Jeff Papows, Geoff Case and Philip Richter. Subscribe to The Plaidcast on your favorite podcast platform for conversations with the most influential voices in the equestrian world.
