The Aiken Horse April-May 2020 by Aiken Horse Productions

Volume 15 • Number 5 •

April-May 2020

Deirdre Stoker Vaillancourt, REALTOR®

803.640.4591

Aiken, South Carolina — Southern Charm and Equestrian Sport 1309 SOUTH BOUNDARY AIKEN, SC 29801

• Original Hitchcock Ceilings & Beautiful Hardwood Floors

MLS # 110747

• Brick Cottage, Fully Renovated in 2006 • Circular Driveway

• Toy Cottage • 0.26 acres • 1976 sq ft 2 BR 2 BA • $360,000

900 HORSE CREEK RD BEECH ISLAND, SC 29842

• Just Hope Farm • 46 Acres • 2500 sq ft 2 Barn Apt with 2BR 1BA each

1064 GRAND PRIX DR

• Designated Arena • Separate Dressage Arena • Center Aisle Barn with 11 Oversized Stalls

MLS # 103839

• Distinguished Turn Key Farm • 20.46 Acres • 1731 sq ft • 2 BR 2.5 BA • Gated Community • 4 Large Grass Paddocks • 8 Stall Courtyard Barn, Feed/Tack Rm, Wash Stall • $690,000

847 BOARDMAN RD

MLS # 110202

MLS # 110333

• Two Residences in 1 Cottage • Updates Completed in 2012 • New plumbing, electrical, roof, HVAC & tankless water heater • Exterior Painted in 2018 • 3 BR 2 BA • $217,000

525 LAURENS ST

MLS # 97065

• Original Family Stable Yard c. 1882 • Adjoins the Woods • 27 12x12 Stall Barn • 2 Carriage Sheds, Bunk House • 8.5 Acres Hitchcock Stables • 8 Lg Paddocks • $2,300,000

• Wash, Feed, Utility, Tack Rm Stalls • Riders Lounge • $865,000

348 MARION STREET SE MLS # 110759

• Cottage in Downtown Aiken on 0.2 acres • New Heat & Air Unit Installed in 2019 • 3 Bedrooms & 3 Full Bathrooms • $320,000

785 GRACE AVE

• For Rent or For Sale • 4BR 3BA Residence • Guest Cottage • 3,237 sqft • 10 Acres • Frontage on 3 Clay Roads • 3 Barns; 20 Stalls, 20 Paddocks • 2 Grass Training Fields

MLS # 71716

• Easy access to The Hitchcock Woods • Near Bruce’s Field • 10 Prime acres in The Historic Horse District • Across from the Aiken Training Track • $3,100,000

www.AikenSCProperties.com 2

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2020

SuzyHaslup_TAH_Sept2019.qxp_Layout 1 4/5/20 5:46 PM Page 1

MONTMORENCI HORSE FARM $799,000 Accredited Land Consultant An Accredited Land Consultant, Suzy achieved the title of Leading Sales Agent in 2013, 2015 & 2016. Her 2018 & 2019 achievements include Meybohm’s “Best of the Best” & President’s Club, as well as 2018 & 2019 RLI APEX award for top producing land real estate agents. Sligo Rose Farm, a turn key 27 A property with history of income from guest house, barn apartment & stables. Hardiplank 5 BR/3.5 BA house w/fireplace, pine floors, granite counters, new deck & 2 car garage. Updated 1 BR/1.5 BA guesthouse with garage. 8 stall barn with 12 x 12 matted stalls, wash stall, tack room with laundry & half bath, feed room & efficiency apartment. 5 grass paddocks & run-in. 13 A of trails, salt water pool with new liner & pool house.

KATYDID FARM

$1.1 MILLION

Home to one of the few international driving competitions in N.A. this farm is suitable for any equestrian. Property has over 112 A w/hay fields, pastures, 2 center aisle barns (18 stalls), 5 run-in sheds, equipment shed & hay barn. Stickbuilt home w/3 BR/2 BA, hardwood floors & fireplace. Additional contiguous 105 A with trails available.

OLD HnD BARN

$529,000

WOOD’S END WAY

$648,000

Ride into the Hitchcock Woods from your new construction light filled 3 BR/3.5 BA custom hardiplank home with 3 stall barn, wash stall, tack room, storage & fenced turnout on 3.51 A with the ability to purchase more land. Wood floors, high ceilings, gas fireplace & chef’s kitchen with granite counters. Available to rent.

FOX HOLLOW

$749,900

BUTTON DOWN FARM $749,000

Bridle Creek farm has hardiplank 3 BR /2 BA home on 12.48 A completely fenced w/no climb wire & top board, 4 paddocks, large turnout field, 4 stall barn w/tack-room, feed room, wash stall, in/out stalls & fabulous 80X200 irrigated synthetic footing dressage ring.Extensive community trails, new jump & dressage ring & recreation center.

COKER SPRINGS

$649,900

REDUCED

Aiken’s Horse District property w/20 stalls, indoor wash stall, 2 tack rooms, feed room, 6 irrigated board fenced paddocks & nice owners 2 BR/2.5 BA upstairs apartments w/downstairs office/kitchen or efficiency apartment w/full bath. Access to Aiken Training Track for thoroughbreds, hack to the polo fields, jump ring & Hitchcock Woods for the fox hunters, eventers or polo ponies.

Forever Young Farm in gated Fox Hollow w/green features & use of sustainable products.Open floor plan, gourmet kitchen w/quartzite, gas stove, pantry, dry bar, 10’ & 12’ceilings, marble foyer, office, 2 screened porches, geothermal heating/ cooling system, bamboo flooring, surround sound wifi equipment & garages for 3 cars. 4 stall barn w/tack room & storage, 8.16 A & access to 30 miles of trails, 3 rings & cross country course.

Flutterby Acre Farm is steps away from Hitchcock Woods for you, your horses and dogs! Renovated circa 1932 5 BR/3 BA cedar shake home on 1 acre w/paddocks & 4 stall barn. Random width tobacco barn heart pine floors downstairs with 9’ & 10’ ceilings, deep baseboards, fireplaces, upstairs with huge bonus/ studio with built ins & 3 additional bedrooms. Screened porch & kitchen lead to large stamped concrete patio w/waterfall feature. Prime location.

www.AikenHorseRealty.com (803) 215-0153 • suzy.haslup@gmail.com April-May 2020

The Aiken Horse

WELCOME TO THE SOUTH

YOU’VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF...

finehomesofaiken.com

PRICE REDUCED

CANARY COTTAGE is a secluded, beautiful 3.38 acre horse property snuggled into the edge of Hitchcock Woods. Delightful floor plan: open sitting room, breakfast room, & gorgeously updated kitchen. Formal dining room, wet bar, & den. Fireplaces in dining room, den, & sitting room. 3 bedrooms & 2.5 baths. Large basement apartment. 4-stall barn w/covered hay storage, tack room, utility room, & heated wash stall. Log cabin for barn help. $879,000

THE BALCONY is the most prestigious equestrian estate in Aiken, a comfortable showplace in the heart of Aiken’s “Winter Colony.” Close to all equestrian venues, the 5.85-acre compound is a peaceful sanctuary within tall masonry walls. The elegant slateroofed residence shows refined craftsmanship in every detail. Stately formal rooms. 6 ensuite bedrooms w/ fireplaces. Kitchen, laundry, & utilities are all updated. Exquisite gardens & lawns. 20-stall stable, 3-BR cottage, swimming pool, large paddocks. $2,450,000

SNIPES POND is a 4028 sf renovated historic plantation home on 46 acres of beautiful rolling farm land. The top-quality renovation by skilled craftsmen from Reynolds Co. offers modern amenities such as a granite kitchen island, French country sink, walkin closets, ceiling fans, & security system. multiple porches on both floors, and handsome wood floors. The 46.31 acres are ideal for farming, horses, other recreation or quiet enjoyment. Additional acreage available. $699,900

ROCKING HORSE: 19.5-acre horse farm with a Southern Living residence in Pacific Northwest styling. Magnificent 2-story great room is the centerpiece of this brilliant open floor plan. Vintage interior doors. Energy efficient home w/fiberglass exterior. Reclaimed heart pine floors & art deco tile. Master suite with walkin shower. Two barns w/5 stalls, tack room, wash area, & hay storage. Many more amenities. Property can be subdivided. Private equestrian community near Aiken w/riding trails, dressage ring, & jump field. $765,000

HIGH COTTON FARM This equestrian estate has a 4 BR/4 BA residence and 4 or 5 stall barn with charming apartment, all on 12.47 acres. Located close to town, the farm has 5 fenced grass paddocks and an electric gate entrance. The home has: new roof, numerous upgrades, tankless water heater, and new interior colors. Gas heat, thermal-pane windows. Extra-large master suite downstairs. $825,000

SHELBORNE FARM is a gracious 4 BR 4.5 BA custom residence on 50 acres with magnificent views. Interior features are 5 fireplaces, granite counter tops, 2nd floor observation deck, wood floors, stunning 2-story great room, and a framed-in apartment over the garage. Six-stall barn with wash rack & feed room, dressage ring, 150x300 huinter-jumper ring. Boardfenced pastures. Three-car garage. $799,900

DIBBLE ROAD Stately 1-story contemporary in Highland Park on landscaped 1-acre lot. Great value for the size and condition. Circular driveway, superb chef’s kitchen, private patio, & granite fireplace surround in living room. Home music system. Extralarge master suite with double vanity and separate shower and tub. Absolutely brilliant floor plan. Subzero refrigerator, Miele convection oven, Thermador gas range w/grill insert, Samsung washer and dryer (gas), plus refrigerator and range in garage for garage apartment. $575,000

SWALLOW DIP is a splendid historic Aiken residence on .78-acre in downtown Aiken. The property is just 1 block to The Willcox Inn, the Aiken Public Library, two blocks to the lovely trails of the 2200-acre Hitchcock Woods, & a 5 minute walk to downtown. The historic estate consists of a main residence, a swimming pool, gardens, and a pool-guest house. The 1-story residence has 2904 sq.ft. of living space: living room, library, 3 en suite bedrooms, formal dining room, & large contemporary eat-in kitchen with pantry. $595,000

SNIPES POND ROAD 16 wooded acres available for use as a residence, farm, hunting land or whatever your heart desires. Short trip to I-20, about 12 minutes to downtown Aiken, and close to Aiken’s equestrian schooling and event facilities. Beautifully forested in pines and oaks, the land is level and easy to clear for pasture. Adjacent to marvelous horse farm. No mobile homes. Motivated seller is asking $83,000

SOLD

The finest farms in Aiken, South Carolina. Call 803-640-0123 for estates, farms, homes & land.

KELLER WILLIAMS AIKEN PARTNERS

803 / 640 / 0123

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2020

The Aiken Horse

SECTION 8 9 16 23 24 26

Hold Your Horses Resources for Horsemen Aiken Trials in Pictures Ask the Judge News and Notes Your Horse and the Law

Our cover features action at the Aiken Trials on the Aiken Training Track, March 14, 2020 Photography by Gary Knoll

SECTION 37 38 40 49 52

Find Yourself In the Woods Jenny Horstman Grand Prix Eventing Secret Lives: Dream Travels of Quinn

Phillip Dutton and Z race against the clock over The Willcox at the Grand Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field Photography by Pam Gleason

SECTION

Action at the Bruce McGhee Memorial Harness Races at McGhee’s Mile.

59 60 62 64 65 68 71 78

Book Review Next Generation at Track Remembering Marjorie Classifieds Directory of Services Bruce McGhee Memorial Calendar Index of Advertisers

Photography by Gary Knoll

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2020

Aiken

The

Horse

Aiken’s Horse Publication

P.O. Box 332 • Montmorenci, SC 29839-0332 • 803.643.9960 • TheAikenHorse.com • TheAikenHorse@gmail.com Time Dated Material • Periodicals • Volume 15 • Number 5

It’s hard to believe how much everything has

changed in the Aiken horse world in a few short weeks. Just last month, we were looking forward to another fantastic spring season, full of equestrian events, beautiful weather, and the joy of being in Aiken. Spring is our most beautiful and exciting time, and we always look forward to welcoming out of town visitors who come to our horse shows, polo matches and eventing competitions. This doesn’t even count the people introduced to our unique corner of the world through the Aiken Triple Crown events. COVID-19 has, of course, disrupted many plans, including our own. Instead of enjoying an active spring season, we’re all staying home and apart, in an effort to help our community and our country keep the pandemic under control. For some, this means foregoing anticipated pleasures, while for others it is a serious blow to business and financial well-being. For all of us, it is certainly an uncertain time. It is especially uncertain here in Aiken at the beginning of April: while other parts of the country have been hit with devastating blows, South Carolina has yet to have any big wave of the disease. When it does reach us, how soon will it happen, and how serious will it be? We don’t know. We just hope that the measures we have put in place and the sacrifices we have already made will save lives and allow us to get back to normal some time relatively soon.

April-May 2020

With so much uncertainty in the air, we hope that you will enjoy reading this issue of The Aiken Horse, which has some information about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the horse community here. It also has many articles about other things in our horse world that we hope to be able to concentrate on again in the near future. At this writing, there is still some hope that life will slowly start to return to normal this spring – at any rate, many organizers still have events planned for May and beyond and we have included them in our regular calendar in Section Three. Please assume, however, that all dates and details are tentative and subject to change. One final thing: The Aiken Horse relies on its advertisers to continue to publish and to make the paper available free of charge. Please do your best to support them through this period of hardship, and as much as you can in the coming months. Some analysts have predicted that as many as 50% of small businesses could fail because of disruptions caused by the virus. We don’t want our Aiken businesses to disappear. Small businesses – retail stores, restaurants, horse farms – are what give our city its unique character. We want them back whenever we can go out again! We hope you enjoy this issue. If you want to be on the mailing list for the June-July issue and we did not mail you this one, be sure to send us your address, because we are sending out the issue free of charge to anyone who asks for it. Until then, stay home, stay safe and stay strong!

The Aiken Horse EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pam Gleason

ART DIRECTOR Gary Knoll

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jean Berko Gleason

LAYOUT & DESIGN Gary Knoll

PHOTOGRAPHERS Pam Gleason Gary Knoll

ADVERTISING

803.643.9960 editor@theaikenhorse.com

Going Out Of Town? Don’t miss future issues of The Aiken Horse. We will send you a one year subscription (6 issues) for $24.00. Send check or CC # & your mailing address: P.O. Box 332, Montmorenci, SC 29839 Or sign up on the web at www.TheAikenHorse. com

Pam Gleason Editor & Publisher

Aiken

The

Horse

Aiken’s Horse Publication

The Aiken Horse Policies: The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers, editors, or the policies of The Aiken Horse, LLC. The Aiken Horse is owned by The Aiken Horse, LLC.

The Aiken Horse

Hold Your Horses

Pandemic Disrupts Our World By Pam Gleason

t was supposed to be our best spring yet. February through May is always the most active and exciting time to be in Aiken. World class eventing professionals are here to ride, train and compete. There are horse shows, dressage competitions and driving tests. Polo season starts in April, bringing players from up and down the east coast. The Aiken Triple Crown draws spectators from near and far. Some of this year’s Aiken spring events were expected to be better than ever before. This was particularly true in the eventing world, since several of our riders were preparing for the Olympics, which were supposed to be in Tokyo this summer. Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin, both of whom train in Aiken during the winter, were pretty much assured an Olympic berth, while Doug Payne, another Aiken winter resident, had a solid chance of earning a Tokyo ticket. So did Nilson Moriera da Silva, a Brazilian national who was striving to represent his country. Aiken had some high level events on the schedule, perfect to help these riders prepare, as well as to attract other Olympic hopefuls eager to give their horses upper level mileage and prove their mettle to team selectors. These events included the Grand Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field, as well as the Designer Builders FEI CCI 1-4 star eventing competition at Stable View in March, which was to be the highest level equestrian contest ever held in Aiken. At the end of February, Grand Prix eventing went off without a hitch. Then the Olympic shoo-ins and hopefuls embarked on a series of upper level competitions around the region, tailored to prepare horses and riders for the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day CCI*****, America’s only five star competition. Aside from being prestigious in its own right, the Kentucky Three-day, originally scheduled for April 24-29, was to be an important selection trial for the Olympic team. In addition to the events for upper level riders, Aiken had a full schedule for amateurs and professionals alike. There were recognized and unrecognized horse trials, dressage shows and driving trials. Organizers at Aiken’s three active polo clubs were gearing up for a busy tournament season. The major hunter/jumpers shows were just about to start, and Bruce’s Field at the Aiken Horse Park was slated to run premier and national rated shows from April through June. Volunteers and staff at the Hitchcock Woods Foundation were preparing for the annual Aiken Horse Show in the Woods, a tradition that began in 1916. Meanwhile, trouble was brewing as the “novel corona virus” (as it was then known) started sickening people in Wuhan, a major city and commercial center in China’s Hubei Province. In intelligence circles, information about this virus started circulating back in November, but official warnings about it did not come out until after Christmas. The first known virus-related death occurred on January 11 in Wuhan, and the first cases outside of China were reported on January 20, in Thailand, Japan and South Korea. The U.S. identified its first case on January 21. The United States declared a public health emergency on January 31. Three weeks later, on February 24, the stock market tumbled as COVID-19 devastated northern Italy and the global community came to the realization that the virus was a serious threat to health and safety everywhere. Cancellations of sporting events started slowly, then rapidly accelerated. Basketball came first, then Major League baseball and hockey. The horse world was a little slower to respond. Many horse shows and events went on during the last weeks of February and the first weeks of March, with organizers and competitors unsure of the severity of the problem, especially here in the South. With rapidly worsening news, school closings and universities sending their students home for the year, event organizers in Aiken started to worry. On March 11, the WHO declared that COVID-19 was a global pandemic and on Friday, March 13, the virus was declared a national emergency, with much more

The Aiken Horse

sweeping measures than the January public health emergency. March 13 was also the day before the Aiken Trials. That morning, the Aiken Training Track held its traditional Breakfast at the Gallops. A small crowd of people gathered at the clocker’s stand to watch horses gallop and listen to commentary provided by Charlsie Cantey, a pioneering horse racing broadcaster. Later that day, the Augusta National canceled the Masters Golf Tournament. Then, organizers canceled the Windsor Trace Combined Driving Event. The Carolina Cup Steeplechase in Camden was also canceled. So were the FEI World Cup Showjumping finals in Las Vegas. On Saturday March 14, the Aiken Trials went on as usual, with an somewhat subdued attendance. Over the remainder of the weekend, everything changed. Aiken’s horse people, especially those with friends and relatives in the harderhit Northeast, started rasing the alarm about the Aiken Steeplechase scheduled for the following weekend: they didn’t want crowds of spectators from out of town to flood the city. Although the reality took a while to sink in, by Monday, March 16, the steeplechase was finally canceled. Pacers and Polo, the third leg of the Aiken Triple Crown, scheduled for March 28, followed suit. Then came a flurry of cancellations as new rules and recommendations were issued by the WHO, the CDC and local and national governments, as well as such equestrian bodies as the USEF, the FEI and the USPA. A few small unrecognized competitions still went on over the weekend of March 23, but they were run under new social distancing guidelines. There was even a hope to run the Stable View CCI****, with no spectators, as a way to help the upper level riders prepare their horses for Kentucky. But those plans were soon discarded, as the pandemic worsened and the Land Rover event was canceled. Shortly afterward, the Olympics themselves were rescheduled for 2021. Aiken’s horse world went from bustling and active to still and quiet almost overnight. Olympic hopefuls started backing off on the training of their upper level horses. Some, such as Nilson da Silva, who has several top horses in training, says he will use the extra year before the Olympics to work on any issues he may have uncovered in his prospects during the first months of 2020. Disappointments and lost opportunities are not confined to Olympic riders. For instance, Summer Kneece, a freshman at Mead Hall School, was looking forward to competing with her polo team at the USPA Interscholastic National Finals in Texas, after her Aiken-based team won their regional competition this winter. She had also been selected to fly to Argentina, where she would play in an international tournament for players under the age of 15. Now both of those activities are on hold. In other quarters, many amateur riders are taking a break from riding altogether, some because of restrictions at their stables, and others because they do not want to risk getting hurt and taking up the time and resources of doctors and hospitals dealing with COVID-19. And yet, life must go on for horse people. Horses still need to eat and to be exercised; stalls need to be cleaned and hooves need to be shod. Our local feed and tack stores have ramped up their deliveries and initiated curbside pick-up for any items horsemen might need. Riders who hope that activities will resume sometime in May are keeping their horses fit. Various event venues and polo clubs are ready to open up whenever it is safe to do so, and they are doing whatever they can to encourage participation. At Stable View, which refunded all the entry fees from the CCI 1-4 star, this means eliminating late fees to sign up for spring events, so that it is easier for people to enter at the last minute. They are hoping to be able to run their upper level event in June, in conjunction with a USEF horse trial they already had on the schedule, but of course no one knows what will happen. And just to keep everyone’s spirits up a bit, a number of places are running virtual horse shows, in which riders have someone video them, and then submit those videos online to be judged. There are even virtual dressage shows with prize money being offered by Stable View this April. The concept of an online horse show has been floating around for quite some time, but has never really taken hold. Perhaps now its time has come.

April-May 2020

Resources For Horsemen Preparing for Troubled Times By Pam Gleason

he global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus is upending plans and businesses everywhere. There are at least two looming disasters: the health crisis caused by the virus itself, and the economic crisis caused by the global shutdown of businesses. While some parts of the country are already feeling the effects of both of these things, right now in South Carolina, where the virus has not yet reached unbearable levels, the economic crisis is the most pressing problem. Depending on how well our area prepares, we may or may not be able to avert a full blown health disaster. The virus is currently spreading throughout the Central Savannah River Area, and it is projected to reach peak levels here sometime in the month of April. Things are likely to get worse before they get better, in health and in economics. Many horsemen will find themselves in need of help, whether from funding to keep a horse business afloat, from temporary assistance to continue to feed their horses, or from extra help caring for animals in case their owner is incapacitated. Fortunately, there are some new resources available, including various components of the massive CARE Act passed by Congress in March. There are also private grants and loans specifically designed for horsemen. Finally, there are many places to find information about preparing for health and economic crises, with more resources being added every day.

April-May 2020

Biosecurity

The first thing a horseperson can do is to help contain the virus itself by adhering to CDC guidelines on sanitation and social distancing. Many horse people are already introverts, and for those who have their horses at home, being asked to stay there and not go out and not come near anyone is more a relief than a burden. However, those who keep their horses at boarding stables and those who make a living dealing with the public in the horse industry donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the luxury of enjoying this kind of officially sanctioned solitude. Many horse people have never thought about biosecurity issues before, so this is an excellent time to learn something new. The first piece of good news is that, as far as anyone knows, horses cannot catch COVID-19, nor are they vectors of the disease, likely to spread it to their owners or other animals. This is a new disease of course, and information could come in that will contradict this assertion. After all, when the virus first hit our shores, experts assured the public that dogs and cats could not suffer from it either, but that has proven not to be true â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at least a few cats, two dogs, a tiger and several zoo animals have tested positive as of this writing, presumably infected by their owners and caretakers. There is indeed an equine corona virus that causes gastrointestinal issues in horses, but the equine virus is not the same as the one that is behind the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is currently no reason to worry about new horse health issues.

The Aiken Horse

However, a public stable can definitely be a place where humans can transmit respiratory viruses to one another. For this reason, stables that are frequented by more than one person need to establish strict safety and hygiene protocols that include handwashing, careful sanitation of any frequently touched surfaces or shared equipment (including halters, lead ropes and cross ties) and adequate social distancing. Many states in harder hit areas have already shut down boarding barns, allowing access solely to people who need to be there. Others have done such things as creating schedules so that boarders or caretakers do not come to the stable at the same time. There are not yet any specific recommendations for equestrian facilities from South Carolina horse groups, but equestrian organizations in other states have come up with comprehensive best practices guidelines. The Kentucky Horse Council, for instance has a document that recommends such things as ensuring that all paperwork and payments are transferred electronically, because, according to them, the virus has been shown to be present on papers. Other organizations, such as the American Association of Equine Practitioners, have drawn up recommendations for the equine industry based on those created by the CDC. (For more information: kentuckyhorse.org; aaep.org; cdc.gov.)

Financial Relief for Horse Owners

Some horse owners are already having trouble feeding their animals, and many more are worried that they will be in trouble soon. What about them? This is, of course, a difficult question. Jim Rhodes at Aiken Equine Rescue says that he has already started fielding increased calls and emails from people who are worried about being able to buy hay and supplies, either now or in the future. They need help, or they need to find someone else to take their animals. This is not, of course, a good time to rehome a horse. Especially if you are talking about a horse that is not worth a lot of money, the market is going to be extremely weak. Rescues such as Aiken Equine Rescue

Business Help

Equestrian businesses, including sole proprietorships, are eligible for government relief through the CARES Act. However, much of the paperwork that needs to be filled out in order to apply for the programs is confusing, and none of it is tailored to equestrian businesses. This does not mean that equestrian businesses will not be able to receive assistance, but it does mean that it might be more difficult to negotiate various hurdles between your business and financial relief. The main difficulty is that the equestrian industry, though often classified as agriculture, is really more like a service business. Programs created for agricultural businesses generally assume that the goal is to create something to eat, not an animal to ride, drive and compete on, so while horse businesses often don’t qualify for farm aid, they might not qualify for non farm aid either. For instance, one program that many small businesses are applying to is the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program, which provides a loan of up to $2 million for small businesses affected by the pandemic. However, this program specifically excludes agricultural operations, on the theory that the USDA already provides grants and loans to farmers during emergency situations. Some business leaders are counseling horsemen to fill out an EIDL application anyway. This is a tricky situation, since the application asks you to certify that you are not an agricultural operation, and will not let you continue the application unless you do so. Some event organizers and providers of riding lessons and training services have applied as teachers or coaches. But will the applications get automatically thrown out if you apply under your farm name, or it is revealed that you have not paid sales tax on your tractor because it is used for agriculture? No one has a definitive answer yet. Commercial equestrian operations can apply for the Paycheck Protection Program, which authorizes loans for small businesses, which may be forgivable as long as the money is used to cover payroll and certain other expenditures. Independent contractors can also apply. These loans are administered through existing Small Business Administration lenders, including our local banks such as First Citizens and Security Federal. Businesses that already have loans with an SBA accredited institution will probably find it easier to qualify for these loans than businesses that do not. The City of Aiken also has a revolving loan fund for businesses located within city limits, with up to $10,000 per business available at an interest rate of 2%. More information about this loan fund and other small business resources can be found on the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce website which has a new “COVID-19 section” linked to its front page. (aikenchamber.net)

The Aiken Horse

February 28, before social distancing. Grand Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field

are generally not going to be able to take your horse, since, in a time of plummeting donation revenue, they are concerned about feeding the animals they already have, and are not likely to take on any additional animals, even if they do have the space. One big danger for horses in times like these is that people who collect low-priced animals in order to ship them to Canada or Mexico for slaughter will be out in force, looking for people who need to rehome their horses. Few meat buyers will admit that is what they are doing, and some might even appear to be providing the perfect home, so that you happily give away your horse for free. To ensure that a horse really is going to a good home, it’s never a good idea to give him away. The selling price should be higher than a horse’s value in the meat trade, which is currently about $630 for an average 1,000 pound animal. If you do need some help to get your horse through the next months, there are various grant and loan programs for horse owners, including hay and feed assistance and funding for veterinary care. Some of these programs have been in existence for a long time, while others are being created now in response to the pandemic. There might even be local assistance available in the near future, for people who need a few weeks worth of funding to care for their animals while waiting for government grants and loans to arrive or the economic situation to improve. The American Horse Council has a new page on its website with COVID-19 resources for horsemen that includes updated information. (horsecouncil.org) The United Horse Coalition, whose mission is to “raise awareness about the issue of horses at risk and its impact on the horse industry” also has a list of resources (unitedhorsecoalition.org). Stay up-to-date on local developments on the Aiken Horse web page. (theaikenhorse.com) One thing people have been saying a lot lately is “we are all in this together.” This is definitely true of the horse world, which is looking at an uncertain few months or years, depending on how everything works out. One positive thing is that the increased connectivity of our world means that, these days, people are generally more aware of others that might need help, and often, those who are in a position to lend a hand are happy to do so. Preserving our horses’ lives and our equestrian way of life is worth it.

April-May 2020

CREATE YOUR LEGACY - 142+ ACRE RANCH in EDGEFIELD

HiStoric HoMe in HorSe diStrict locale

EQUESTRIAN PARADISE on 14 acreS in BRIDLE CREEK

25 MooreS road | $3,100,000

1354 audubon drive | $2,900,000

1050 clear creek court | now $1,495,000

PARADISE FARM - MULTI-DISCIPLINE TRAINING FACILITY

tHe Sanctuary - 12.7 ACRE eQueStrian oaSiS

big tree FarM - eSt. PaStureS & Polo Field

4069 wagener road | $998,055

185 gadwall lane | now $947,500

490 big tree road | $777,000

10-Stall Morton Stable, PeriMeter Fencing, PaSture in tiFton 85 berMuda 3 cuStoM HoMeS, 1500 SF entertainMent area, gueSt aPartMent

8.64 acreS, 8-Stall center-aiSle barn, great turnout, StePS to HorSe Park renovated HoMe & gueSt HouSe, 6 br & 4½ batHS, Saltwater gunite Pool

two barnS, 18 StallS, 109 acreS, 3 all-weatHer arenaS 2-Story, 4 br HoMe; eaSy acceSS location cloSe to town

4-Stall Stable w/waSH rack, Fenced PaSture, trail acceSS PoSSible gorgeouS 3 br, 3 1/2 batH HoMe, FabulouS kitcHen, Saltwater Pool, garage

9 Stall Stable, arena w/ProFeSSional Footing, Fenced PaddockS deSigner built-in 2009, 4 br 3.5 batH. 3 br reSidence above barn.

58+ acreS, 15-Stall center aiSle barn w/tack & Feed rooMS 2 br, 2 batH living QuarterS, SeParate oFFice, 3+ car garage/workSHoP

65 ACRES w/ FISHING POND & SWIMMING POND

GORGEOUS TUDOR INSPIRED BARN & LIVING QUARTERS

SERENITY FOUND on 50 ACRES in PEACH COUNTRY

3618 wagener road | $725,000

201 lewiS lane | $659,000

15 reynoldS drive | $590,000

SPaciouS 4 br rancH HoMe w/ good boneS; gardenS & MajeStic oakS SuPerb locale cloSe to eQueStrian venueS & 10-15 MinuteS to town

12-Stall barn w/tack rooM, 11+ acreS, trail acceSS 3 bedrooM, 2 batH living QuarterS witH incredible viewS

SPaniSH inSPired HoMe witH unForgettable viewS & aMbiance Stunning oak-lined drive, indoor Pool, 18 acre Pond & boatHouSe

HatcHaway HouSe & barn on 19 acreS

Private 48+ acre FarM witH 2 HoMeS & barn

FOXCHASE EQUESTRIAN on HITCHCOCK WOODS

1758 HatcHaway bridge road | now $479,000

1048 woodland | now $499,000

12 cozier court | $450,000

4-Stall barn, Fenced Paddock witH run-in, eStabliSHed PaSture HiStoric 4 br, 2 batH HoMe, Pond, 2-car detacHed garage

7-Stall, center-aiSle barn, Fenced PaSture, graSS juMP Field 3 br, 2 ba HoMe, Hobby building, Mobile w/incoMe Potential

3-Stall barn w/tack rooM, trail acceSS, coMMunityarena 4 bedrooM, 3 1/2 batH HoMe, large deck, convenient locale

Horse Ready Land for Sale reddS brancH road - Four 5-acre ParcelS w/live oakS Starting FroM $85,000 / Parcel HatcHaway bridge road - 11 acreS in PaSture- now $129,000 linler lane - $74,000 / 4 acreS, $92,000 / 11 acreS angela road - 12+ acreS Partially cleared - now $75,000

Cissie Sullivan

lewiS lane ParcelS witH trail acceSS 3.5 acreS w/Pond viewS - now $77,900 6+ acreS w/Pond on old dibble - now $130,000 12 Fenced acreS w/MajeStic oakS now $229,000 11 Fenced acreS – HigH Flat FarM $212,800

8 acreS in bridle creek eQueStrian - now $142,500 tod’S Hill - 19 acreS w/Pond 6 cleared acreS, Partially Fenced - $235,000 47+ acreS at 229 Fox Pond road - now $187,000 new Holland road - 19 acreS $66,500 & 20+ acreS $72,450

Tracey Turner

803-998-0198 | SullivanTurnerTeam.com April-May 2020

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2020

The Aiken Horse

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The Aiken Horse

Aiken Trials 2020

Photography by Gary Knoll

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2020

The Aiken Horse

2020 Spring Polo Season Get your teams in now!

Now Available

Offered through New Bridge Realty

Contact Raza Kazmi, 888-4NB-POLO, info@newbridgepolo.com

12-Stall Barn on 10.55 Acres © Katie Roth

Spring Classic 8 Goal April 22-May 10 Pete Bostwick Memorial 12 Goal April 29-May 17 USPA Regional President’s Cup 8 Goal May 13-31

Karna Farm: $550,000 Spectacular Views of New Bridge Fields 4 & 5 (marked in orange on map below) Rare opportunity to own a turnkey polo farm with ride in and out ability through private gate to Polo Field 4. Karna Farm is built on 10.55 acres and consists of a Heider-built, spacious, 12-stall enclosed barn with 16-foot aisleway. Indoor, heated wash rack as well as large exterior wash rack. Two bedroom, one bath attached apartment, temperature contolled tack room, feed room with roll up door provides easy access for deliveries. Detached and insultated steel storage building for equipment and hay. Brick barbecue patio or Argentine asado is the perfect place for gatherings. Entire parcel is high and dry for maximum usability.

11.3 Acres in Prime Location

Paloma Lane Farm: $199,000 Superb Location

11.3-acres is perimeter-fenced with a well and electricity. Conveniently located within walking distance of the clubhouse, pool and clay tennis court. Fields 1 & 3 and the exercise track are just a short hack away.

Cleared and Fenced Lots on Fields 4 & 5 Horse Friendly Homesites Located on Fields 4 & 5 (marked in purple in map to left) Cleared and fenced lots perfectly suited for home, barn, and pasture. Start building your dream farm today. Sizes range from 4.0 to 5.61 acres. Prices range from $128,000 to $174,000. Some lots can be combined with additional adjacent acreage. Lots are located in a quiet corner of New Bridge, yet still provide quick access to all amenities.

The Aiken Horse

Members Cup 8 Goal June 3-14

About New Bridge (visit newbridgepolo.com or call 1-888-4NB-POLO)

New Bridge is an 860-acre gated equestrian community nestled among rolling pasture lands on New Bridge Road just 15 minutes from Pond Cottage: $445,000 downtown Aiken, South Carolina. Born from the Porch Lover’s Dream excitement, intensity and tradition of polo, Beautifully appointed, and offered turnkey. New Bridge is the home of New Bridge Polo & 3 BR/3 BA single-level living offering private Country Club and of Aiken Youth Polo. It embraces owner’s suite and office with direct access to equestrians of all disciplines as well as those who large screened-in porch. Spacious bedrooms, simply love the outdoors, with all sharing the top of the line appliances, granite countertops, essential joy of a life that celebrates horses, people and large kitchen island. Steps from Field 3. and land - in a place that connects them.

Southern Charm

Tommy Hitchcock Memorial 12 Goal May 20-June 7

Residents enjoy an array of equestrian amenities including five meticulously groomed polo fields, stick and ball areas, an exercise track, polo arena, riding trails, all-weather GGT dressage and jumping arenas, miles of groomed roads made for riding and The Stables, our full-care, premier 24-stall boarding facility. A swimming pool with lounge area, a clay tennis court, and an Argentinian colonial-style Clubhouse with restaurant/bar (open spring and fall), balcony, porch, and outdoor spaces round out the perfect setting for everyone from families to empty nesters, casual riders to competitive athletes, and those simply seeking solace from a busy world. The New Bridge world is one where all can revel in the luxury of leisure, the excitement of sport, the abiding beauty of horse country, and the deep connections of a close-knit community. New Bridge: room to play; room to ride; room to live, all in a place you will want to call home.

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aikenhorseTomMqtr2-20_aikenhorseqtr 1/31/2020 9:20 PM Page 1

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O P E N DA I LY • 1 0 0 C O L L E TO N AV E N U E S W • A I K E N , S C 8 0 3 . 6 4 8 . 1 8 9 8 • T H E W I L L C OX .C O M

April-May 2020

Ask the Judge

Questions about Dressage With Amy McElroy

Amy McElroy is an FEI competitor, and a USEF S judge. She is qualified to officiate at any USEF recognized national show at all dressage levels. She rides, trains and teaches at Fair Lane Farm in Aiken and judges between 15 and 20 dressage and eventing shows each year. In her popular Ask the Judge column, she answers readers’ questions about dressage. Do you have a question for Amy? Send her an email at McElroyDRM@aol. com, or visit her website: www.amymcelroy.com.

Dear Amy

I just made my debut at Second Level, riding Test 1. My scores for the shoulder in were quite low. I was very disappointed and surprised because I thought I was doing it correctly. Can you tell me how to ride a shoulder in that can score well?

Moving up Dear Moving Up, Advancing to the Second Level is a nice accomplishment. I would be glad to go over the shoulder in and explain how the pattern should be ridden correctly. Whenever you advance a level, as in this case from First Level to Second Level, it is important to read and understand the “purpose” of the higher level and how it differs from the previous level. The purpose of a test is clearly written on all test sheets. This purpose changes from level to level, but is the same for all the tests in a particular level. The purpose of the level is taken into consideration in all movements of your test, including the shoulder in. Let’s take a look at the purpose for Second Level. This is what is stated: “To confirm that the horse demonstrates correct basics, and having achieved the thrust required in First Level, now accepts more weight on the hindquarters (collection), moves with an uphill tendency, especially in the medium gaits, and is reliably on the bit. A greater degree of straightness, throughness, balance, and self-carriage is required than at First Level.” Another important resource when you are riding any new tests or movements is to review the “directives.” For each individual scoring box on any test, there is a clear set of directives written on the test sheet. These tell you what qualities the judge will be assessing. The directives for the shoulder in at Second Level are “angle, bend, balance, engagement and quality of trot.” Finally, it is always important to know what the USEF rulebook states about the movement. According to DR1113f Shoulder in: “This exercise is performed in collected trot. The horse is ridden with a slight but uniform bend around the inside leg of the rider, maintain cadence at a constant angle of approximately 30 degrees. The horse’s inside foreleg passes and crosses in front of the outside foreleg, with the lowering of the inside hip. The horse is bent away from the direction in which it is moving. If the shoulder in is performed on the long side or on the centerline, the horse should be straightened after the shoulder in, before going into the corner. If the movement that follows the shoulder in is a circle at any point, or a turn left or right at any point other than the four corners, the horse should not be straightened.” When riding the shoulder in patterns for Second Level Test 1, try to practice while keeping the purpose, directives, and the words of the rulebook in mind. In this test it is especially important to ride accurately, as this movement has a coefficient of two (it is worth double points) and can also positively or adversely affect the collective marks,

April-May 2020

particularly in the submission and effective use of aids scores. Second Level requires you to be riding a collected trot (think about balance and maintaining active hindquarters with the poll the highest point), with a steady and even connection (reliably on the bit.) According to the test, you ride shoulder in on the long side, from the letter K (the first letter after you come out of the corner) to the letter E at the midpoint of the long side. At E, you turn towards the letter B on the opposite side of the arena. The next movement is to turn left at B and continue in a shoulder in from the letter B to the letter M, which is the last letter on the long side before the corner. At M, you straighten out before rounding the corner onto the short side. So how do you ride this movement? Start by being ready before it starts. As you come through the corner after A on the short side, you should already be preparing for the shoulder in. When your body reaches the letter K shortly after this corner, you should be in shoulder in, not preparing for it. Make sure that the movement is clear. You should have a 30 degree angle. This means the horse’s outside shoulder comes in 30 degrees from the track, not just his head or neck. Also be careful not to allow the horse to drift away from the track. Don’t overdo the angle so that your horse’s hind legs cross as well as his front legs – that would be a leg yield, not a shoulder in. These are just a few of the common problems that can detract from a score. As you approach E, prepare for your turn to the right similar to the way you would curve onto a centerline. You should not straighten your horse after the shoulder in: the shoulder in and your turn combine to count as one score worth double points. On the line from E to B, you should have enough time to straighten your horse from nose to tail for at least one stride. Next, as you approach B, prepare for a left bend and make a curving turn onto the long side. Then, do not straighten your horse: immediately begin your shoulder in, which you should maintain until M, which is the last letter in the long side before the corner. At M, straighten your horse completely before going into the corner. These two moves will be combined for a score worth double points. The key to riding a proper shoulder in is correct bend. A good exercise is practicing riding 8- and 10-meter circles. This will help you to learn how to maintain the bend required for the shoulder in. Essentially, a shoulder in is the first step of a circle ridden on straight line. The rider’s position and aids are also similar to riding a small circle; except that the outside rein and leg aids prevent your horse from staying on a circle. The inside leg should be at the girth to help keep the horse moving forwards, stay on the track and keep the bend. It is most important to maintain a consistent angle and regularity in the trot. These little details, combined with accuracy are sure to impress your judge. Learning to ride a correct shoulder in not only gives you a better score at a show, it can also improve your horse’s obedience. Just always be careful not to exaggerate the bend; be certain the forehand and hindquarters are on different tracks, and always ride forward! I hope this gives you more insight into Second Level Test 1 and how to ride shoulder in. Wishing you much success in your Second Level journey: This is just the beginning!

The Aiken Horse

News and Notes By Pam Gleason

New Home for Steeplechase

In January of this year, the Aiken Steeplechase Association purchased a 140-acre parcel off Rudy Mason Parkway downtown. Right away, work was started on the property, clearing brush, adding fencing and irrigation and getting ready to put in grass this summer. The goal is to have the track ready for the fall of 2021. The Aiken steeplechase history goes back to 1930 when the original association was formed by members of the old Aiken Winter Colony who used to hold races in the Hitchcock Woods. Many members of the Winter Colony were amateur steeplechase trainers and jockeys, so it is not surprising that the sport was an integral part of Aiken’s equestrian life. The steeplechasing tradition died out in the city due to World War II, but was revived in 1967 and has been going strong ever since. Today the Aiken Steeplechase Association holds two race meets sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association: the Imperial Cup each March and the Holiday Cup each October. The spring event is the most popular equestrian event in Aiken, attracting an estimated 30,000 spectators. Aiken’s steeplechases have been held on Powderhouse Road downtown at the Aiken Horse Park for decades. Before the park was developed as a horse show facility, it was almost excusively a place for the steeplechase races: an oval grass track with a pair of railings that was rarely used more than twice a year. But after the Aiken Horse Park Foundation put in the arenas at Bruce’s Field and started holding shows, it became increasingly difficult for the two entities to share the same space. This led the Aiken Steeplechase Association to start a search for their own property, looking for somewhere large enough to hold the races, close enough to town to be convenient, yet priced to be

affordable. The association was able to buy the property with the help of the City of Aiken, as well as through their own fundraising efforts. The new track will be slightly larger than the old one, allowing the association to put in more railside spaces, which are always in high demand. There will also be space for more parking. The association is also looking into the possibility of accommodating other equestrian sports, and has even considered constructing a polo pitch on the infield. In any case, members of the association are excited about their new home, which will give them security and brighter prospects for the future.

Retired Racehorses Impress

This February, representatives from the Thoroughbred Makeover Retired Racehorse Project came to the Grand Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park to give a “Master Class” demonstration of what a former track horse can do. The demo took place in one of the rings at the show ground on Friday afternoon February 28, between the end of dressage and the start of stadium jumping in the Grand Prix event. The Thoroughbred Makeover is an annual competition, in which trainers have about 10 months to retrain a recently retired racehorse in one of nine disciplines, culminating in a show each October at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. For the demo at Bruce’s Field, three volunteer trainers mounted up on three recently retired racehorses provided by Equine Rescue of Aiken. The horses had been turned out on the farm at the rescue in Aiken since they left the track and had had essentially no further training or handling. The trainers didn’t know them very well either: with the exception of a brief meeting and a quick outing on the grounds the day before, they had no chance to prepare for the demonstration. With those thoughts in mind, most people would agree that the horses were outstanding. While representatives from

the Thoroughbred Makeover narrated over a loudspeaker, and the upper level eventing rider and trainer Buck Davidson offered advice from the ground, the three trainers trotted and cantered their horses around the ring. People crowded up against the fence to watch them, to listen and to ask questions. The three riders included the Aiken-based trainer Jordan Pruiksma, who has competed in the makeover several times, Brit Vegas Gengenbach, also a makeover trainer who hails from Nebraska, and the Olympic gold medal eventing rider Phillip Dutton. Jordan rode a 4-year-old mare named Flying Fireball; Brit had a 7-year-old gelding named Silver Beach, and Phillip rode a 10-year-old gelding named In the Fairway who raced 60 times

and won over half a million dollars. All three horses trotted and cantered around, almost completely unfazed by crowds and commotion. After they were all moving forward comfortably, organizers set up some trot poles for them to go over, followed by a cross rail and eventually a

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April-May 2020

vertical. Despite never having jumped before, all three horses took to it easily, proving that former racehorses are up for pretty much anything. During the question and answer period, Phillip even took the microphone and answered questions from the back of In the Fairway, who stood calmly and stock still, as though he had done it every day. “For attitude, I would give him a 10,” said Phillip. Silver Beach was also especially impressive, responding very quickly to what Brit asked him to do and showing natural ability over fences. In fact, she liked him so much, she adopted him and took him back to Nebraska, with the goal of competing him in this year’s Thoroughbred Makeover Project. For more information on the Retired Racehorse Project, visit retiredracehorse.org. For more information about Equine Rescue of Aiken, go to aikenequinerescue.org. Another Aiken Horse to Hall of Fame This February, a striking polo pony named Gargantilla was inducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in the “Horses to Remember” category. The museum traditionally honors two horses each year: one from the modern era of polo and one from an earlier time. Gargantilla played high goal international matches under the 10-goaler Devereux Milburn in the 1920s. The modern inductee this year was a 26-year-old gelding named Wembley owned by Bob Jornayvez. Wembley performed under some of the best players in the world at the highest levels. He was named Horse of the Year in 2004 and was the first recipient of the annual Wembley award, named in his honor at the International Polo Club. Gargantilla was born in Argentina in 1914. A striking paint with a bald face, high white socks and a white throat (gargantilla is the Spanish word for choker) she was a top polo pony in her native country. Owned by the great international player Alfredo Pena Unzue, she came to North America in 1922 with an Argentine national team that traveled to New York

April-May 2020

that summer. Before returning to South America, the Argentines sold their ponies at auction. Harry Payne Whitney purchased the paint mare for $5,000, the equivalent of about $77,000 today. Whitney, who was then 50, was not playing much high goal polo anymore, and Gargantilla soon joined Devereux Milburn’s string. Whitney and Milburn had played together for many years and were close friends. Although Gargantilla is always remembered as Milburn’s mount, there is no evidence that her ownership was ever officially transferred to him. Milburn played Gargantilla in important matches from 1923 through 1927. In 1923, she won the Prince Friarstown Cup, which was a trophy presented to the best playing pony in the U.S. Open. During those years, she wintered in Aiken where Milburn had a home on Magnolia Street downtown. Aside from her playing prowess, Gargantilla is best remembered for her striking looks, which doubtless contributed to her reputation on the field. When a player has a horse of an unusual color, it often attracts attention. If the horse is

unruly, everyone will notice. If it is brilliant, that brilliance shines even more brightly. It is perhaps not surprising that she was also immortalized in two paintings, one by Franklin Voss and the other by Alfred Munnings, who was on Long Island in 1924.

Gargantilla joins several other horses with Aiken connections in the Polo Hall of Fame, most of them from the 1920s and 30s. These include Tobiana, also a paint, played by the immortal Tommy Hitchcock, as well as his mounts Katrina and Ruifino. Louis Stoddard’s Belle of All was inducted in 2009, and Northrup Knox’s Ragamuffin and Rotallen were elected in 2002 and 2009 respectively.

The Aiken Horse Wins Award

We are pleased to announce that the Aiken Horse was honored by the Dog Writer’s Association of America with the prestigious Maxwell award for an article that we ran in our August-September 2019 issue about the lifesaving work of Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) Aiken. The DWAA holds an annual competition and gives out prizes in various categories. Our article was chosen as the best in the nation among articles about rescue. Written by Pam Gleason, who is the editor and publisher of this paper, the article, entitled A Decade of Lifesaving, chronicled the progress of the Aiken County Animal Shelter from being a dismal place of little hope to being a progressive and innovative no kill shelter and model for others across the country. The DWAA, established in 1935, is the most recognized professional writing association devoted to dogs. Its annual writing contest “encourages excellence in writing about dogs in all aspects of communication.” Awards are traditionally presented in New York City each February in conjunction with the Westminster Kennel Club Dog show. This is the first time that the Aiken Horse has won a Maxwell award. However, our sister publication The Dog and Hound (currently on publishing hiatus) won six Maxwell Awards over the past few years, including one for photography, one for being the best canine or all animal newspaper in the nation, and four for articles about rescue, all of them written by Pam Gleason.

The Aiken Horse

Your Horse and the Law

Why do you need an attorney? An Overview By Jim Ritchie

“Horse people are good people.”

heard that often growing up with horses in Virginia. It was reassuring and gave us the sense that folks in the equestrian community could handle business matters informally with little risk. However, the horse world has changed dramatically in recent years. For one thing, there is far more potential liability and money at stake than there was in the past. A recent study by the University of South Carolina reported that the Palmetto state is home to over 73,000 horses and ponies. The equine sector of the state’s economy supports 28,545 jobs and produces an annual economic impact of $1.9 billion. The equine community has grown up, and trainers, owners, riders, breeders, barn operators and event organizers need to handle their business and legal matters in ways that reflect this new reality. A key resource for meeting these challenges is an attorney who understands equestrian sport and business. An experienced equine law attorney can identify potential liability issues, help you limit risk, advise you on complying with state laws, guide you through complex insurance, business planning, and employment matters and provide practical advice on other important legal issues. Just as a horse and rider create a partnership to achieve success, an equine law attorney and an equestrian professional form a team to prevent legal problems and resolve disputes. Let’s take a look at some common legal issues that affect the equestrian community. • Barn operators regularly face significant business and liability issues from many sources. The first thing I recommend for my equine business clients is to establish an ownership structure that protects their assets. This usually means forming a limited liability company or corporation, or both, depending on the circumstances. Next, we develop written agreements that provide protection, clarity, and predictability when working with riders, trainers, boarders, vendors, and the public. Of course, one of the least costly and most important action items is posting proper legal notices on the property. • Most lesson barns have only riders sign a liability release. But what about spectators like the riders’ parents or siblings who are around the barn? They can be considered “participants” in an “equine activity” and, if injured on the property, could bring a lawsuit against the barn owner. Did you know that a young child who is injured in South Carolina can wait until she is 18 to assert her claim? Barn owners and trainers should obtain liability releases from adult riders, the parent or guardian of a minor student, and all others who come to the barn with them. Keeping good records of lessons and releases is essential because they provide important evidence to defend many claims. •Written boarding agreements are vital for smooth operations. Beyond the basics – boarding services, payment and duration – they should include authorizing emergency vet treatment (and payment), emergency contacts, remedies for non-payment, damage caused by the horse or his owner, medications and vaccinations, and the right to terminate the agreement for important rule violations. Anticipating serious events and putting a plan in writing may not only save a horse’s life, it can save your business. • Equestrian industry employment and immigration issues. Is a trainer based at a lesson barn an employee or an independent contractor? If considered an employee, the owner is likely liable for the trainer’s injuries, negligence, and business transactions. As a business owner, unless you want to assume those risks, you need a clear independent contractor agreement. Similarly, if you hire foreign nationals, you need to obtain proper employment documentation to protect you from potential criminal and civil liability.

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• Trainers have legal situations that need special attention. In addition to the employment issues, another risk area involving trainers is horse leasing and sales transactions. Trainers need to firmly establish who they represent in a transaction to avoid conflicts of interest and potential liability: is the trainer acting as an agent for the buyer or for the seller? No one wants to face accusations by a disgruntled buyer or seller over a lack of transparency. A trainer can protect her reputation and her business with clear agreements that anticipate conflicts, shield her from liability and provide a remedy for disputes. • Liability exposure for event organizers, managers, and sponsors. Can liability be extended to an organization’s board members, officers and owners? There are several ways to guard against claims arising from an equestrian event, but one area is often overlooked, and neglecting it can be devastating. If an organization fails to operate in compliance with state law on a day-to-day basis or ignores its internal governance documents such as bylaws, the organization and its leaders may be held personally liable for injuries and damages. You can avoid these threats by collaborating with your attorney to conduct business properly and insulate your board members, officers, and owners from “piercing the veil” lawsuits that target their personal assets. Preventive action can reduce these risks and facilitate successful events. • Horse owners using private land have some particularly tricky issues. How do you handle requests by friends or relatives to ride your horse or to keep their horse at your farm free of charge? Asking them to sign a release can be awkward, but you should do it if you want to be protected. Should you post a legal warning to protect you from liability even though you are not operating a business? Yes! Does your homeowner’s insurance cover equestrian activities? Should you form a limited liability company or corporation to better protect you from personal liability? If you plan to declare your horse farm a business, are you taking the necessary steps to enable you to deduct losses for tax purposes? These challenges require thoughtful planning and reviewing key documents to find the right answers. An equine law attorney working with your insurance and tax advisors can provide you with a good plan. • Buying, selling or leasing a horse? Get it in writing! Given the significant costs of horses involved in every discipline at virtually every level, the traditional “handshake” deal is, unfortunately, a formula for disaster. Nonetheless, I see situations where a client’s new horse is diagnosed with a serious health problem that was not disclosed by the seller/broker/trainer and there is no bill of sale or written contract. Resolving these disputes and similar situations can be expensive. You can avoid these problems and save money by using thorough written purchase or lease agreements. Essential terms include price and financing, details on the horse and her performance capability, trial period terms, transportation and the risk of loss before purchase, veterinary history, pre-purchase exams, insurance, all relevant disclosures about the horse and the parties involved, and a bill of sale. This level of detail and transparency gives the participants confidence in the process and minimizes the potential for disputes. Participation in our sport carries a certain amount of safety risk; however, you can significantly reduce your legal and financial risks by working with an experienced equine law attorney. Good planning and practical business agreements can protect your assets, limit liability, promote transparency in your dealings, and manage employment and business matters more effectively. By taking these necessary steps, “good horse people” can keep equestrian activity growing and improving in South Carolina for years to come. Jim Ritchie is head of Ritchie & Associates, LLC and an avid horseman. He represents business and equine law clients across the Carolinas. For more information visit tryonequinelaw.com or call 864.527.5955.

April-May 2020

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April-May 2020

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April-May 2020

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From the developer of Three Runs Plantation comes another wonderful equestrian neighborhood in Aiken, South Carolina. Bridle Creek meanders across 600 wooded acres, featuring ﬁve-acre lots and larger. Amenities include a dressage arena, jump arena, X-Country Schooling area and an activity center with meeting, social and ﬁtness space. All this plus miles of scenic trails. Phase One is already sold out, with more to come. Inquire today by calling 1-888-297-8881 or email info@bridlecreekaiken.com 600 Acres • Miles of groomed and marked trails • Jump arena • Dressage arena with mirrors • X-Country schooling area Activity/Fitness Center • Homesites from 5+ acres • From the developer of Three Runs Plantation HOMESITES INDIVIDUALLY PRICED • DEVELOPER FINANCING AVAILABLE • BRIDLECREEKAIKEN.COM Marketed by The Carolina Real Estate Company, Aiken, SC. Plans and prices subject to change without notice. This does not constitute an offer in any state where prohibited by law. No time requirement to begin construction.

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April-May 2020

Finding Yourself

In the Hitchcock Woods By Pam Gleason

e’ve all done it at some point. You go for a trail ride in the woods on a lovely afternoon, and it’s just too nice to stop when you should. So you keep going. And sooner or later, when your shadow stretches longer and the birds change their song, you realize it’s really time to get back. But now, you are much further out than you intended and you are not sure which trail will get you home fastest. Or worse yet, everything looks strange. You discover that you have just gone in a big circle, and you don’t know where you are. It’s getting cold and dark, and your horse is hungry and impatient. Even if you know you can’t be too far from civilization, getting lost in the woods is no fun.

Cherie and Mitch were very patient,” says Ann Kiser. “We finally signed off on it after Christmas and got it printed.” The new map is available in kiosks at several entrances to the Woods. It is also on the Hitchcock Woods Foundation website, and of course, on your mapping app. Do you feel as if you shouldn’t have to use a map? If you know the woods fairly well, you probably won’t have to for most rides or hikes. But there are reasons why the safe thing to do is to have access to a map when you go out. Owned and managed by the Hitchcock Woods Foundation, the forest spans 2,100 acres and is the largest privately owned urban forest in the United States. It has about 70 miles of trails, but most of them are quite straightforward, easy to

If you are riding in the Hitchcock Woods, however, and you have a smartphone, there is no longer any excuse to be lost. This is because there are several mapping apps that you can download that will show you where you are and what trail you are on. Two of the most popular ones are Maplets and AllTrails. Before the next time you go out, download one of these apps, and then download the Hitchcock Woods map into the app. Then, if you accidentally ride too far or get turned around, the app will show you the best route home. AllTrails is available on Google Play, and Maplets can be found on Amazon or the Apple App Store. Those who have already been using a GPS app in the Hitchcock Woods should update that app this spring if they have not already done so. This is because the Hitchcock Woods Foundation has created a new trail map that was published this winter. “It was clear that the old map needed to be updated,” says Ann Kiser, who is a trustee of the foundation and who volunteered to oversee the project. “There were some important things that were missing that needed to be added – some trail names and some place names. Making the new map was a collaborative process and it took several months.” The main people responsible for the new map were Cherie Moritz, who is the geo-services manager for Aiken County, and Mitch Ambrose, a graphic designer at Howell Printing. Cherie, who volunteers for the foundation, did all the technical work of designing the new map, as well as selecting the fonts and symbols. Then the map went to Howell Printing, where Mitch did some final tweaking to get it “over the finish line.” Everything was carefully considered and reviewed by the trustees of the foundation, which took about two months. “Fortunately, both

navigate and remember. But the Woods is also a managed longleaf pine ecosystem, and the main management tools include prescribed burns, which are conducted regularly. After a burn, a well-remembered part of the forest may suddenly seem unfamiliar. Additionally, anyone can get disoriented if it is getting late and dark, or if they are caught in unexpected bad weather. Ann Kiser says,“I use Maplets all the time.” Ann, who was trained as a forester, knows the Woods as well as anyone. In addition to coordinating the creation of the new map, she also helped the foundation do its timber survey, assists with prescribed burns, and lays the drag for the Aiken Hounds. “It’s a great tool. Everyone who visits the Woods regularly should download it.” “People do get lost,” she continues. “It’s only 2,100 acres, and if you start walking one direction you are going to hit something, but its still good to know where you are. Most of the visitors to the Woods are so kind. It’s pretty easy to recognize when you see someone looking befuddled, and you can help them. I have helped a lot of people find their way home.” Many Aikenites consider the Hitchcock Woods to be the city’s greatest treasure. The new map, and modern technology, will help visitors enjoy it even more. In addition to providing many more trail and place names, the map has a feature horse people are sure to appreciate: it includes symbols to represent all the fences used and maintained by the Aiken Hounds. So if you want to jump – there’s a map for that. Visit the Hitchcock Woods Foundation website at hitchcockwoods.org, and consider making a donation to help preserve Aiken’s most beautiful asset for generations to come.

April-May 2020

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Heart of Iron

Jenny Horstman creates sculptures from discarded metal By Nancy Johnson ost people look at a pile of discarded iron pieces and see junk. Jenny Horstman sees a horse. “I find pieces that have a great shape; that I am attracted to,” she says. “It could be a manure spreader auger, a spring, or a little drill bit. And then it just kind of happens on its own.” Perhaps her most impressive pieces are life-size sculptures crafted from reclaimed metal. “I have two horses under my apple tree on my little

want you to see the scraps. For some people it’s maybe more about the shape of the scraps, but for me, I draw with the steel. I use it as negative space and positive, but you need a lot of it. Because what isn’t there is just as important as what is there,” she explains.

farm, it’s the perfect place for them,” she says. Jenny, an amateur event rider who winters in Aiken with her horse Roan Rooster, lives most of the year in Fort Ann, New York, about 45 minutes north of Saratoga. But you don’t have to go to upstate New York to see her spectacular iron horses; just take a stroll down Hayne Avenue in Aiken, where you can’t miss one of Jenny’s majestic equine sculptures in the window of Haus Studio. “When we first opened in December we had one of Jenny’s life-size horses on the sidewalk in front of the studio,” says Christina Neuhaus Thieme, who is the owner and designer at Haus studio, a new interior design firm. “People were constantly outside admiring it, taking photos of themselves with it and quite frankly in awe of its beauty. It’s just so intricate and interesting with all of the parts and pieces within the sculpture. Most can be recognized by horse people, and for non horse people it is so much fun to explain it to them – chains from manure spreaders, horseshoes, tractor parts, farrier tools, and so on. I also will explain to admirers the years it took from concept to completion and how much love went into it. Jenny’s sculptures are like her children and she has a story to tell about each of them. I am very honored to have her work at the studio. It’s truly outstanding.” It’s true that a project like one of Jenny’s life-size horses can easily take close to a year to complete. “You have to sift through so many items to find the exact right piece because I really want you to see a horse; I don’t

Gallop Farm, a professional eventing facility in Aiken owned by Lara Anderson. “I met Lara through friends and this is the second year that my horse and I have stayed at Full Gallop Farm. When I first told her I welded and made sculpture, she immediately offered me this big, old welding shop to work in. It’s so generous of her, but I don’t want to fill it up with all the pieces I collect and sift through for my sculptures of reclaimed metal. The sheet metal ones don’t take up nearly as much space and people really like these mid-sized sculptures,” she explains. A number of the horsehead sculptures, slightly smaller than life-size and each a bit different, are mounted on metal bases in the Aiken workshop. “It’s something people can find room for somewhere in their home,” Jenny says, adding, “I price them all at the same very reasonable price. It pays for my time and material and it’s an affordable way for quite a few people to have a really nice piece of art.” Growing up in an artistic family in the Adirondacks, Jenny determined early on that she wanted to be an artist. “I always carried around a sketch book and did a lot of drawing and some painting,” she says. When she was 15, Jenny fell in love with sculpture. With support from her mother, who pushed the school to allow a female to do so, she began taking welding in vocational school and made sculptures out of sheet metal. “They looked just like these,” she says indicating several stunning horsehead pieces in her Aiken workshop.

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Winters in Aiken

Jenny has made a lot of smaller pieces as well, including many sheet metal horseheads that she crafted over the winter in a studio at Full

April-May 2020

Jenny thought she had her life planned out, and at age 19 she headed to art school in California. When she found herself in need of money, she put art school on hold and took a job as a professional welder. She quickly proved her talent, and spent two years repairing drilling rigs in the San Francisco area. Then, for almost 20 years, she worked as a member of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union in various locations including New England, Alaska, South Dakota, and New Mexico. Finally, in 2008, with vast welding experience behind her, Jenny determined it was time for her to recommit herself to sculpture. She left Alaska where she had been living, bought her small farm in Fort Ann and built her own welding studio for her art.

A Different Kind of Model Horse

Although Jenny rode as a child, she emphasizes that it was strictly for fun and she never had any lessons. When she found herself drawn to creating sculptures of horses, she needed a way to study the animals. “I had been going out and drawing various horses, but I really needed more time alone with a horse; a live model,” she says. So she went to the racetrack, where she found and purchased Roan Rooster, a Thoroughbred who had just retired from racing. He hangs out in a two-acre paddock adjacent to Jenny’s art studio and is her model and companion. “I’m with him all the time. He puts his head in the window to see what I’m doing; he’s quite a character,” she says with a smile. “It’s especially good to see all of his emotions,” she continues,

indicating four striking life-sized horseheads of reclaimed metal. “These are all his emotions, and actually I could make 10 more with the moods he has. It is just amazing how expressive he is.” When all lined up together, the sculptures are similar to a piece she created entitled, “Starting Gate.” In 2012, that sculpture of Thoroughbreds about to break from the gate was awarded sixth place at the international Equine Expressions Art Contest, among top artworks from around the world. The sculpture was then sold to a gallery. Initially Jenny had no plans to ride Roan Rooster very much if at all, but that has all changed in the past few years. “Shortly after I got him, I started meeting people with horses and I learned from them. We do a lot of trail riding and belong to a club, the Adirondack Trail Riders,” Jenny says. “I began doing ground rails, then cross rails, and it’s just progressed from there,” she adds. In fact, she and Roan Rooster won their first blue ribbon together in the Beginner Novice division at Stable View in February. “I didn’t get him to compete, so this is just a bonus. I would never sell him to get a horse with more experience or one who is better at dressage. I am never going to part with him,” she confirms.

April-May 2020

Crazy About the Cow

Although horses are one of Jenny’s favorite subjects and certainly those sculptures sell well, her work has also featured other animals including dogs, moose, cows, and mules. In fact, when asked if she had an all-time favorite piece, Jenny shows no hesitation as she responds, “The cow.” In preparation for creating this life-size work, officially known as “A Cow Named Elsie”, Jenny spent several weeks at a neighbor’s farm sketching cows and familiarizing herself with their anatomy. “I used two huge pipe cutters for the hips and these long springs that I stretched out so when she was done, the cow really looked like she was bones with fabric hanging over her. The springs create a type of passive tension,” she says. “Physically, it was so challenging. I was so wrapped up in it. I worked on it all day, every day. I couldn’t stop because I had never made a cow before and it was exciting!” She finished the entire project in just a couple of weeks and then set it up on the side of a road. “I like them to go outside where everybody can experience them,” she says. “People would stop and take photographs with her all the time.” One day an art collector drove by and saw the cow, and she soon became a part of his collection in Hudson, New York. Although she sells some pieces through a gallery, she says that much of her art is purchased by people who don’t go to art galleries. Jenny rarely does commissions and prefers working for herself as it gives her more creative freedom. “I like to create what inspires me and

I don’t control my creativity at all because it just happens.” A sculpture she made of a canal mule is an example of this freedom. One day while driving behind the Champlain Canal Locks in Upstate New York, Jenny noticed where rope ties had been for mules that were used in the canals many years ago. She was immediately inspired to recognize the historical role of these animals with a sculpture. The New York Arts Council helped her write a grant proposal and she received a grant for the project from the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council. “Part of the grant was that people from the community would bring me parts and pieces to donate for the mule, which was really cool,” she says. The “Canal Tow Mule” was purchased by the New York State Canal System and is displayed in their new building with a backdrop of mules working on the canal. Jenny, who is now back in New York, is already making plans for her and Roan Rooster’s return to Aiken in the fall. Despite keeping a low profile here in regards to her sculptures, word of her amazing artwork is definitely getting out. See some of Jenny’s work on Facebook, Jenny Horstman Metal Sculpture.

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Grand Prix Eventing 2020 Liz Halliday-Sharp Wins Again

By Pam Gleason, Photography by Pam Gleason and Gary Knoll

iz Halliday-Sharp was primed and ready for the second annual $50,000 LiftMaster Grand Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park. The event ran from February 2829, with dressage and showjumping on Friday and cross country on Saturday. Liz won the showcase in 2019, its inaugural year, aboard Fernhill by Night. This year, she came to Aiken with three horses: Cooley Quicksilver, Carpe Diem IV and Deniro Z. There were a total of 37 entries, including most of North America’s top names in the sport. World class riders such as Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin, Doug Payne, Buck Davidson, Lauren Nicholson and Allison Springer all descended on the Aiken Horse Park, where the course was set with spectacular jumps inspired by Aiken landmarks.

The victory gallop: Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z

The showcase has a hybrid format that is designed to make the competition both more accessible to spectators and a good training exercise for an upper level horse. The main difference between the showcase and a regular horse trial is that the cross country course is shortened and run in a smaller area, with a track that requires riders to cross their own paths as they gallop from one fence to the next. Because of this, there are never two riders on the course at the same time. At the Aiken Horse Park, some fences are set on the grass, while others are in one of the manicured arenas that normally hold hunter-jumper and dressage shows. It is easy for spectators to follow the action, especially because the final fences are placed in the main arena in front of the VIP tent. The jumping phases are set at the Advanced level, and all of the horses are elite athletes, making for an exciting and impressive show. For training purposes, jumping a shorter track in tight quarters is a good way to accustom horses to performing close to crowds such as those that throng to major international events. The shorter course is also a little easier, causing less wear and tear on athletes preparing for big things in the season to come. On Friday, competitors started the morning with dressage, performing a five star test, the same level as the one that was scheduled to be at the LandRover Kentucky Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park in April. Lauren Nicolson (formerly

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Kieffer) had the best score aboard Veronica, an 18-year-old Dutch warmblood mare. Buck Davidson and Carlevo earned the second spot, a bit less than a point back. Boyd Martin and his Pan American and World Equestrian Games mount Tsetserleg tied for third with Liz Halliday-Sharp on Deniro Z. In the afternoon, a tough stadium course set by Aiken’s own Michel Vaillancourt scrambled the leaderboard. Lauren Nicholson and Veronica had a rail, knocking them back to a tie for fifth place with Will Faudree on Caeleste, who moved up from the 11th spot by jumping double clear. Buck Davidson and Carlevo dropped a rail and had time faults to finish the day in ninth place. Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z jumped clean, but a few time faults put them in second place behind Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg who went double clear. Meanwhile, Phillip Dutton, who was seventh and eighth after dressage aboard Z and Fernhill Singapore respectively, put in his usual professional performance, leaving all the rails up and moving into third and fourth place. It was clear at the end of the day that anything could happen on cross country, and there were several contenders for the Grand Prix crown and the generous prize money. On Saturday, horses jumped in reverse order of standing to heighten the drama. Although only two horses had jumping faults, it was immediately obvious that the time allowed of four minutes and three seconds was challenging. To make the time, horses would really have to run between fences, a lesson that riders who went later in the program took especially to heart. The jumps themselves were, if possible, even more spectacular than they were last year. Crowd pleasers included scaled down models of the Willcox hotel, the Palmetto Golf Club, and a new fence this year, Memorial Gate in the Hitchcock Woods. A few things had changed overnight. Boyd Martin, sitting in first place, had withdrawn Tsetserleg in order to keep him fresh for the upcoming Pine Top Spring Horse Trials two weeks later. Twelve other horses were also withdrawn before cross country day, mostly by riders who considered the event an excellent schooling opportunity and did not have much chance of earning a check. This left Liz-Halliay Sharp in first, Phillip Dutton in second and third, and Will Faudree and Lauren Nicholson tied for fourth. By the time the leaders were ready to go, everyone knew that they needed to have the same strategy “Go fast and jump all the fences well,” as Liz-Halliday Sharp said afterwards. Of the top five, only Lauren Nicholson and Veronica had time faults, putting them in fifth place. Will Faudree sped around the course in 3:53 to notch the second fastest time so far, behind Doug Payne with Vandiver (3:49.) Then Phillip Dutton put in two excellent rounds, just a few seconds slower than Will. And then it was all up to Liz Halliday-Sharp. And she flew. Deniro Z, his bay coat glistening in the sunshine, devoured the earth like a racehorse, leaping each fence with room to spare. Stopping the clock at 3:48, he and Liz garnered the fastest time of the day as well as the championship title and the winner’s share of the $50,000 purse. “Deniro Z and I have a great partnership,” Liz Halliday-Sharp said after her win. “He’s a very good friend of mine, and he was just magic. This horse just keeps getting better and better.” Asked about how the course rode, Liz said that she thought it was more challenging this year than it was last year and that she knew that she would really have to push to make the time. “But I didn’t feel like I was going crazy. I galloped fast in between fences, but I never felt like I was taking a risk.” “It’s a lot of fun to be here,” she continued. “The course was a bit stronger than it was last year, and certainly the showjumping was really tough. That’s excellent. It’s what we all need, to be put out of our comfort zone and be put under pressure. It’s why we come to these things: to get better.”

April-May 2020

Boyd Martin on Tsetserleg

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Arden Wildasin on Il Vici

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April-May 2020

Nilson Moreira da Silva on Rock Phantom

April-May 2020

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SCQHA

South Carolina Quarter Horse Association scquarterhorse.com

2020 SHOW DATES

March 6-8 • SC Equine Park, Camden, SC April 24-26 • SC Equine Park, Camden, SC May 22-24 • SC Equine Park, Camden, SC June 19-21 • SC Equine Park, Camden, SC September 4-6 • SC Equine Park, Camden, SC October 23-25 • SC Equine Park, Camden, SC

“The Fun and Friendly Horse Show Association” For More Information contact Show Manager: Billy Prather (803) 669-1325 or Email Billy at bpquarterhorses@bellsouth.net

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April-May 2020

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secret lives color picture

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April-May 2020

Secret Lives: Dancer’s Dream The Horse of Her Dreams By Nancy Johnson

“He has been my best friend for the past 32 years. Dream was there for me through all of my life events – my marriage, my career, the birth of my daughter, when my best friend died of brain cancer, numerous pet deaths, my retirement, and last year when my mom passed away,” Therese Marymee-Walker begins. Born July 16, 1988, Dancer’s Dream, Dream for short, was the only foal of Therese’s mustang mare, Sundance. She had adopted the mare at just six months of age, from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Susanville, California. Sundance, barely 15 hands, was bred to a Thoroughbred stallion, Grasshopper, that stood 16.1; yet Dream matured to an imposing 17 hands. “When he was nine months old, he started jumping the fence repeatedly,” she says with a laugh. “I remember my neighbor telling me, ‘You’ve got a hunter or maybe a jumper there! You need to find a trainer.’ I rode Western and didn’t even know what a hunter or a jumper was.” But Therese contacted the best known professional rider in the vicinity of her Oregon home; Rich Fellers. She laughs when she recalls the scenario. “Can you imagine me calling [a later] member of the Olympic Show Jumping team to train this horse that I said was a great jumper because he was jumping out of the paddock?” Feller’s barn manager politely told Therese that he was probably too busy to take it on, but suggested she try a young professional couple, Jeff and Shelly Campf. Dream was 4 years old when Jeff Campf started him. It was obvious quite quickly that the horse was talented and before long Jeff was winning with him consistently in the hunters. Therese then showed him some, beginning in the pre-adults and moving up to the adult amateur hunters. “His athleticism way surpassed mine, so I soon decided to have Jeff keep training and showing him,” she says. With Jeff riding, the chestnut gelding made the move into the jumpers and moved up the ranks all the way to competing in Grand Prix events. For several years he won at major shows on the West Coast including Pebble Beach; the California Hunter/ Jumper Classic; Bend, Oregon; J Bar J High Desert Classic; Milner Downs Classic; Langley British Columbia; Monroe, Washington; Spring National; Hood River; Oregon Summer Classic; Seattle, Washington; Evergreen Classic; and Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta Canada. After Dream had been with the Campfs for five years, Jeff ’s successful career was taking him on the road too frequently for Therese’s schedule. So, in 1997, Therese moved Dream to Megan and Leslie Bierly’s Tile Valley Farm in Beaverton, Oregon, where he continued to compete in the jumpers for another five years. It was there that Dream formed another great partnership. A police officer named Jeanne Stevenson had been shot in the line of duty, and needed a horse to ride while she was in rehabilitation. “She was a great rider, so I leased Dream to her for a year,” Therese says. “She showed him in the Amateur Owner Jumpers and the Modified Jumpers and was champion just about every time out.” By that time Dream was 14 and he had been showing for 10 years. “He was just so great and had done everything that had ever been asked of him,” Therese recalls. “I didn’t want to break him down, and we had just bought a small farm in Oregon, which we named Dream Acres in his honor, so we decided to bring him home and retire him from showing.” He may have retired from showing, but Therese soon found Dream a second career. “I had been a juvenile counselor for 30 years and had always wanted to do equine psychotherapy,” she explains. After she received her training from the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning

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Association, Therese contracted with residential treatment centers in the summers for the next seven years, using her own horses at home. She then was awarded a grant to bring her equine psychotherapy program into the Marion County MacLaren Youth Juvenile Justice Correctional Facility in Woodburn, Oregon. “Dream was the first horse to ever go into a juvenile prison in Oregon to do treatment in the mental health unit,” Therese says. She explains that the program uses an experiential model in which the therapists set up personally tailored exercises for the inmates. Each session included herself as an equine therapist, as well as a licensed therapist, horses and clients. “The horse kind of mirrors what’s going on with the client,” Therese says. “It is so powerful. Because so many people cannot just go into talk therapy; they need another outlet. As the equine specialist, I would be the voice of the horse – express how they are feeling. It is a great treatment modality – especially for children or abuse victims who have a hard time sitting down and talking about their feelings; using the horse helps to get that out.” “Dream always did great with the kids and families,” Therese continues. “We let the clients choose from several horses and he was the most frequently chosen. I think it was because he is so big that many of the clients were drawn to him and wanted to work with him.” Therese relays the story of one particularly troubled teenager who had picked out Dream as his therapy horse. “The boy was very invasive to Dream and the horse kept pinning his ears. I had never seen him act so cantankerous; he even went so far as to lift a leg as if he were going to kick him,” she recalls. The therapists talked with the boy, attempting to get him to process what the horse was trying to tell him. At first the boy made excuses, saying that flies must have been bothering Dream, but eventually he admitted that he thought he was too “in that horse’s face and he didn’t appreciate it.” Therese says it was rewarding to hear. “This opened the door for the therapist to talk to the boy about his lack of perception of others’ feelings and space,” she says. Another powerful moment took place at the correctional facility when a guard asked if, after the regular group sessions, he could bring a youth out by himself. The guard expressed great concern for the boy, who was on suicide watch. The boy, who had never been around a horse before, was drawn to Dream and asked if he could walk him. “I’m looking at this kid with his feet in sandals and I’m worried to death,” Therese says. “But we didn’t want to say ‘no’, so we let him do it. He spent about half an hour, walking him, petting him, brushing him, smiling the whole time. The guard had tears in his eyes when he told me he had never seen the boy smile in the four months he had been there.” When Therese, her husband, and daughter moved across the country to Aiken in 2018, Dream, at age 30, retired from his second career as a therapy horse. He is currently happily turned out with three of the family’s other horses, and Therese says he is the herd leader. She brings him in twice a day to make sure he eats all of his beet pulp – He gets a huge amount because, like many older horses, he has some issues with teeth and only eats a small amount of hay. “He is just an amazing horse,” Therese says. “He carried me around in the adult hunters, although I had a hard time staying in the tack as he had such a powerful jump. Then he was so successful in the jumpers with professionals and then with Jeanne in the amateurs.” She pauses and adds: “But his real gift was to all the kids and families that did equine therapy with him. He was just so big, yet gentle when he needed to be and even assertive when he needed to be, too. He just has great perception about people.”

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New Book By Aiken Author Sasscer Hill’s Travels of Quinn By Pam Gleason

asscer Hill, an Aiken author who writes mysteries, has a new book called The Travels of Quinn. Like her previous books, this one is a murder mystery. Unlike them, it is not set on the racetrack. Instead, the story is centered on a 19-year-old woman named Quinn O’Neill. Abandoned by her intelligent and educated mother, Quinn was raised by her father and a clan of Irish American Travellers who make their living as con artists. Although Quinn herself is adept at every trick in the book, she is also a voracious reader, and yearns for a different way of life. As the book begins, she is arrested and jailed for theft. As restitution, she is sent to work at an Aiken estate that raises Gypsy Vanner horses. Then a murder is committed at the estate and Quinn becomes the prime suspect. She must find the real killer before she is imprisoned again, or the killer comes for her. “Having lived in Aiken for eight years, I’ve grown to love the area and wanted to use Aiken as the setting for this novel,” said Sasscer. She said she also became fascinated by the culture of the Irish American Travellers who live in North Augusta, and this book was a way to learn more about them. Before sitting down to write, she spent a great deal of time researching Traveller culture. “While writing this murder mystery, I was lucky to have terrific support from Aiken law enforcement, including Aiken criminal defense attorney, P. Andrew Anderson, Judge Jack Early, Judge for the Second Judicial Circuit in South Carolina, and Captain Nick Gallam, Jail Administrator with the Aiken County Sheriff ’s Office Detention Division,” she said. “They and others were incredibly helpful.” Sasscer’s previous books include two separate series of horse racing murder mysteries that recall Dick Francis. One series follows Nikki Latrelle, a Baltimore jockey; the other is about the adventures of Fia McKee, a Baltimore policewoman who becomes an agent for the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau. Sasscer herself is from Maryland, where she owned and bred racehorses for many decades. Her racetrack experience included working on the backside as well as riding as an amateur steeplechase jockey. A fascination with horses and with equestrian life permeates Sasscer’s previous books and the Adventures of Quinn is no exception. This is her first book with a heroine who does not start out as a horse person: in fact, before she is brought to the Aiken estate, Quinn had never been around horses before. But, instinctively, she loves them. “Like so many people in trouble, she finds that horses ground her and give her hope for a better life,” says Sasscer. Quinn’s unfamiliarity with horses gives Sasscer the opportunity to express her own love for horses as though she were encountering them for the first time. It also gives her the chance to write about Aiken’s unique equestrian community. Here is Quinn’s first glimpse of Aiken as her lawyer drives her up to the estate:

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Curious, I glanced at Sanders. “This is a wealthy neighborhood. Why would these people settle for a dirt road?” “So they can ride their horses and drive their carriages.” “Seriously?” When he nodded, I said, “But we are in the middle of the city. They allow it?” “It’s Aiken,” he said, as if that explained everything. I stopped talking, and stared at what I could see of the homes around us. Huge live oaks spread graceful branches above ancient trunks. Evergreen hedges and bushes formed visually impenetrable fences. Only through leaves, or a gate set in a stone or brick wall was I allowed an occasional glimpse of a hidden, stately home. I’d never seen anything like it. Then at the estate, Ballymoor, Quinn has her first introduction to horses: Black manes on cream bodies, white manes on black coats, and dark grays with dapples like silver coins. Their manes and forelocks were so long the horses appeared to have sprouted wings. I could feel the earth tremble beneath my feet as they pounded past again. I could sense their movement in the air currents around me. I could smell them. In awe, I stared at a palomino that flew past. The bright dapples on his coat resembled a floating treasure of gold doubloons. When Quinn meets horses, it is, in Sasscer’s words. “Love at first sight. Her daily routine taking care of them brings her a physical and mental strength she wouldn’t have believed possible.” And of course, like Sasscer’s other two heroines, Quinn is smart, tough, courageous and resourceful. “Now that this mystery-thriller of deceit, murder, greed and hope is published, I’m working on a fifth “Nikki Latrelle” horse racing novel,” Sasscer said. The first chapter of the new book is included at the end of Travels of Quinn. Find all of Sasscer Hill’s books at https://www.sasscerhill.com/books

April-May 2020

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April-May 2020

Book Review

Know Better to Do Better Mistakes I made with horses so you don’t have to By Denny Emerson Trafalgar Square Press North Pomfret, Vermont. 2019. 234 pages, illustrated. $29.95 Hardback. $11.99 Kindle Edition. Reviewed by Pam Gleason

f you have ever thought it would be interesting to sit down with an “old-time” horseman and have a wide ranging discussion about riding and training, then Denny Emerson’s latest book should be in your library. Know Better to Do Better purports to be a book about Emerson’s equestrian education, in which he shares mistakes he made along the way so that “you don’t have to.” But the book is really much more than that. As a sequel, of sorts, to his earlier title How Good Riders Get Good, it takes the reader on Emerson’s own personal journey, showing how a horse crazy kid transformed himself into an Olympic three day event rider, as well as a champion endurance rider. Part memoir, part history and part howto, the book is told in an engaging and conversational style that allows Emerson’s dry humor and no-nonsense philosophy to shine through. Although in some places (especially the first chapters), Emerson seems to be trying to address beginning riders, this is really a book tailored to people who are already horsemen, and want to be better at it. Emerson himself describes it as a “toolbox of ideas that a reader can refer to when in need of solutions or ideas, sort of the way people have cookbooks in their kitchens.” Denny Emerson was born in 1941 and grew up in western Massachusetts and Vermont. Starting out as a backyard rider on his trusty pony Paint, he says he learned about horses by watching cowboy movies, and absorbing information as a “barn rat” in the stables at Stoneleigh-Prospect Hill School in Greenfield, Massachusetts, where his father was headmaster. But from the beginning, he was ambitious. At 13, he read an article about the 100-mile endurance ride at the Green Mountain Horse Association in Vermont, and was inspired. So over the next year, he conditioned his new horse, Bonfire, to compete in the race and completed it when he was just 15. Shortly afterwards, his riding career shifted to saddleseat riding on Morgan horses. Everything changed again in 1961 when he drove down to South Hamilton, Mass. to watch the Wofford Cup, his first three day event. Knowing this was the sport for him, he then taught himself eventing. Within a little more than a decade, he was named the United States Eventing Association Rider of the Year. In 1974, he helped the United States win team gold at the World Championships at Burghley in England, jumping double clear on his gelding Victor Dakin. Emerson’s eventing career included 29 years of riding at the Advanced level, as well as 50 consecutive seasons of competing at Preliminary or above. He has trained and campaigned 14 horses to Advanced, and is the only rider to have won a world championship in eventing and to have completed the 100-mile Tevis Cup endurance race. Still riding and training today as he approaches 80, he certainly has a wealth of experience. In this book, which is more a smorgasbord than cookbook, he shares plenty of practical advice with readers, along with anecdotes about various horses he has owned or known through the years. Certain themes stand out. Emerson’s own career is a testament to fact that if you want to do something in the horse world, jumping in with both feet is a good way to go, and he is impatient with people who make excuses. “Forever I listen to people talking and lamenting about how they ‘want to do this,’ ‘hope to do that,’ ‘wish to do the other,’ never managing to commit themselves to taking that critical first step. . . . . If I could advise only one thing in this entire book, it would be something I figured out for myself. ‘Take the first step.’” He writes.

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When it comes to things that he had wished he had done better with horses that he owned, the overriding theme is that, if he could do it again, he would take more time and be more sensitive to them. With Cat, the horse on which he did his first long-form three day event, he wished he had worked harder to gain the horse’s trust. “I would do groundwork, I would do lots of walking under saddle. I would try to get him to stretch, to gently bend, to get him over the idea that a human was an adversary.” With Victor Dakin, the horse he rode to victory at Burghley, he says he wished he had recognized that the horse’s persistent difficulties in dressage stemmed from fear. If he could do it over again, he would have tried “all sorts of strategies to try to win his confidence and alleviate his almost claustrophobic fear of being placed between the driving aids and the restraining aids.” Other main points include the importance of fitness for both horse and rider, and recognizing that most people expect too much out of each training session. “When training horses, ‘pretty good’ needs to be seen as ‘good’ and ‘quit while you’re ahead should be everyone’s motto.” Emerson is a believer in patience, consistency and hard work. When it comes to horse training, he is also a big believer in walking to condition the horse and to establish and develop the horse and rider relationship. Finally, although a certain amount of arrogance certainly propelled Emerson’s own career, he recognizes and celebrates the importance of humility, and of learning from mistakes, both your own and other people’s. “I look back at pictures from the 1960s and 1970s. . . when I thought I had a clue, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that much of what I thought then was not only wrong, it was based on bad horsemanship . . if you are unwilling to accept that you can change and learn and grow, if you are too arrogant, too sure that what you think is right just because you think it, you will probably stay inept and incompetent,” he writes. But he ends the book with the caveat that looking back and saying “I wish I had known then what I know now,” should be an optimistic statement, because it shows how much you can improve. “If I were to rewrite this book some years from now, I hope that I’d need to rewrite it because I would have kept on learning better ways. That’s why I won’t conclude with ‘The End.’” He writes. “These two words presume that my learning is over, but tomorrow I’ll climb on some horse who will show me I’ve still got lots to learn.”

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Justin Rivera and Logan Bearden The Aiken Training Track’s Next Generation By Mary Jane Howell, photography by Barry Bornstein

ustin Rivera and Logan Bearden were two horse crazy kids growing up in northern California, who met by chance on the racetrack, fell in love and ended up settling in Aiken. Well, perhaps it was not that simple or easy, but the end result is the same: Today Justin and Logan are the operators of their own racing stable, drawing on a deep well of personal experience and surviving in an industry where surviving is not easy, especially in these uncertain times. Justin quite literally grew up on the backstretch of Golden Gate Fields, a racetrack with a spectacular view of the San Francisco Bay. His mother, Beth, was a groom for such luminaries as the late Hall of Fame

trainer Bobby Frankel, while his father, Tirso, was an exercise rider, assistant trainer, blacksmith and a Jack of all trades at the track. “My parents would bring me to the track each day before dawn, and I would sleep on the straw. When it was time for breakfast, we would go to the track kitchen,” explained Justin. As he grew older, Justin would walk hots before going to school, and when he graduated from high school in 2009 he went straight to work at the starting gate. “I was a big, burly guy because I had played football, so being part of the gate crew was a good job for me,” he explained. Crammed into the close quarters of the starting gate with an adrenaline-pumped Thoroughbred is not for the faint of heart, but Justin thrived in the environment. He eventually moved to New

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Mexico, working the circuit of Sunland Park, Ruidoso Downs and Zia Park. “I liked the horses and the people in New Mexico,” Justin recalled. “The level of horsemanship was amazing. Many of those riders and trainers had this incredible feel for a horse – and that is something that just can’t be taught. You either have it or you don’t: it is the basis of real horsemanship. You can learn the technical stuff but that innate feel for a horse is something altogether different.” Justin worked in New Mexico for a couple of years, but went home to California in 2016 after injuring his hand in a starting gate accident. His first job was working on a ranch in the hills outside of San Francisco. “I ponied horses for a couple of months and my dad said that if I wanted to gallop, I would need to lose weight – and if I did then I could gallop for him at the track.” Justin credits his dad for putting him on nice horses – and in turn those horses taught him to be a better rider. In 2017 Justin was

galloping not just for Tirso, but for Jamey Thomas and Tim McCanna, both regulars atop the training standings at Golden Gate. While Justin was growing up on the track, Logan was riding horses from the time she could walk. Her parents – Chris and Carol Bearden – were eventing trainers operating out of their facility in Martinez, a town in the East Bay region of San Francisco. Chris had trained with the United States Equestrian Team from 1980-1984 and ten years later he purchased a farm that would be known as Poplar Place Stables. With three barns, two arenas, a gallop track and miles of trails, Poplar Place was heaven for young Logan. “My parents gave lessons, trained, ran clinics, had summer camps and Pony Club – really a little bit of everything,” Logan said.

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When Logan was 14, her mother was diagnosed with brain cancer. The “big” horse in the barn at the time was a gray Thoroughbred gelding named Catch of the Day (Marlin for short). Logan’s parents decided that she was ready to compete Marlin, and so a long-term relationship began. Carol was able to watch her daughter compete on Marlin several times before she passed away. Logan graduated from high school in 2014 and needed to make some money as she continued to compete Marlin. One day she took a client’s

horse to the racetrack at Golden Gate Park and was intrigued by that unknown world. The trainer offered her $50 a day to walk hots, an opportunity she couldn’t refuse. “One day I showed this trainer a video of me going cross country and he said I should be galloping racehorses, not hot walking them!” Logan would spend the mornings at Golden Gate, then return to Poplar Place to teach lessons and help her father and farm manager Trish MacDonald run the farm. In 2016, when Justin was making his return to the track, Logan was already a regular there in the mornings, but the two kept missing one another. In 2017, Logan made her first trip to Aiken, giving herself six months to compete on the eventing circuit. When she returned to California, Aiken and all its possibilities were still on her mind. Her father had retired to Hawaii, so Logan and Trish were trying to build the family business back up. It was an uphill battle. “Trish had found this farm in Williston (South Carolina) and I thought that perhaps California might not be my future after all.” Justin and Logan finally met at a “Friendsgiving” dinner in California in 2018, and the pair’s official first date was Justin helping to pack up Logan’s car for her move from California to South Carolina. Justin flew to Aiken a month later to spend Christmas with Logan,

April-May 2020

and by the end of January he left California as well, settling in with Logan and making connections within Aiken’s Thoroughbred community. “I started working for Brad Stauffer and Ron Stevens in February and in October I got some horses on my own,” explained Logan, referring to the trainers who run Legacy Stables at the Aiken Training Track. Today, Justin and Logan operate their own racing sable under the name of Poplar Place, a nod to Logan’s roots. The top horse in the stable today is a 3-year-old gelding named My Boy Paddy, owned by Ron Madden. Paddy was second in his race at the recent Aiken Trials, the Iselin Hall of Fame Trophy, which was won by Calibogee, a horse owned by the local veterinarian Jamie Carter. “Paddy saw the rear-end of a horse for the first time in that race,” said Justin. “I was very pleased with the race – he was in it to gain experience and he certainly got that.” Paddy was Logan’s third mount of the day and she was thrilled with the race. “He was full of excitement and just really loved running. The four and a half furlongs was not his ideal distance – he is not a sprinter – but he did well despite that.” Logan was already a known entity to Paddy’s owner – she had ridden his filly Gallanor to victory at the Trials in 2018. “I thought at the time that Logan was an excellent rider in that she had an immediate rapport with the filly,” explained Ron Madden. “When Logan and Justin started their operation in Aiken, I was very comfortable giving them some of my young horses to break and ride in preparation for training at the track.” Ron Madden has plenty of racetrack experience. He bred, owned and raced horses in his native England before moving to Kentucky and then to Aiken in 2006. He races under the name of Jellicoe Creek Farm and, in his mind, the way Justin and Logan operate their racing stable is similar to the way European trainers run their operations. “In Europe a trainer has his own yard – his own pastures, stables, gallops and training facilities. A trainer has a horse from a very young age and therefore, throughout every step of raising this horse, the trainer gets to know his or her foibles, idiosyncrasies and capabilities. Every horse is different and in order to get the best out of the horse you need somebody who recognizes that fact and adjusts the training accordingly. I believe this is what Justin and Logan do so well,” explained Ron. Although COVID-19 has delayed their plans, Justin and Logan are still intent on moving their racing operation from Aiken to the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland for the summer. Ron is perhaps their biggest supporter in this venture. “By getting Justin and Logan to continue working with my young horses at the race track, all the knowledge gained from the months working on their early education is not lost,” Ron said. “The symbiotic partnership of Justin’s experience as an assistant trainer and Logan’s experience in riding will result, I am sure, in a successful racing career for them and my young horses.” This winter, Poplar Place Racing operated out of one of the Whitney Barns at the Aiken Training Track. There were racehorses, Logan’s eventing prospects, a goat named Sherman and a scruffy three-legged dog named Mr. Peabody. Juan Nolasco and Melchor Moreno groomed, Lola Keene was the working student, Kathleen Wilson was a second exercise rider, and Dana Digeralmo did everything from being the pony rider to putting on ice boots. Trish MacDonald, who has watched Logan grow up, is the glue that binds the operation together. “I think it is hard to match Aiken as far as training horses,” said Justin. “The track, the dirt roads and hacking into Hitchcock Woods. How can you beat it?” Although Justin and Logan are excited about the prospect of training at Fair Hill – they are just as excited to return to Aiken next fall. “We hope that we can make this a steady routine and eventually have more young horses to train as well as older horses that need time off or some rehab work, which I love doing,” said Logan.

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Remembering Aiken’s Horsemen Marjorie LeBoutillier, Polo Player By Pam Gleason

f players and spectators at Aiken polo matches have learned anything in recent years, it is not to discount young female players. The rise in youth polo, especially at Aiken Polo Club, has meant that many more young women are getting into the game. Despite their generally smaller size, many of these players have proven themselves on the field, besting teams of older, larger and stronger riders. At first glance this seems like it must be a new phenomenon in the city, where just a few decades ago there were few women players. But if you go back and read the newspapers from the 1920s and 1930s, you will discover that it is not.

In fact, Aiken Polo Club has a long history as a hotbed of women players. Most Aiken equestrians know of Louise (Lulie) Hitchcock, one of the founders of the Aiken Winter Colony. She is best known as the longtime Master of the Aiken Hounds, but she was also a polo player, as well as the wife and mother of two 10-goal players (Thomas and Tommy Hitchcock.) Her biggest influence on the game was as a coach,

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teacher and organizer of polo for young people. There were youth teams that played at Aiken Prep School (for boys) and the Fermata School (for girls.) Players included the future stars of the Golden Age of American polo: 10-goalers Tommy Hitchcock and Stewart Iglehart among others. There was also an enthusiastic and dedicated contingent of young women who played. The standout among these was Marjorie LeBoutillier. Marjorie, born in 1916, was the younger daughter of Thomas LeBoutillier, Jr. and Florence Stevenson LeBoutillier. Like many members of the Aiken Winter Colony, the LeBoutilliers were New Yorkers with a home on Long Island. They spent their winters in Aiken, indulging in all sorts of outdoor activities. The LeBoutilliers were all gifted athletes. Thomas LeBoutillier, a Yale graduate who competed as a sports shooter at the 1908 London Olympics, was an avid polo player. Florence LeBoutillier, whose father founded a brewery in New York and made a fortune, grew up around horses. Although she did not appear to play polo herself, both her brothers did – one of them was the 10-goaler Malcolm Stevenson, a member of the renowned “Big Four” polo team that dominated the international polo scene in the early part of the 20th century. Both LeBoutillier daughters, Marjorie and her older sister Florence, attended the Fermata school in Aiken. Natural athletes like their parents, they were talented at racket sports such as tennis and squash, and these skills easily transferred to polo when they picked up the sport. In fact, Marjorie, who was playing polo before she reached her teen years, was a standout from the start. In 1928, a society writer named Grace Robinson wrote a story about the equestrian scene in Aiken for Liberty magazine. She was greatly impressed by all the horse activities, but most especially by the polo players. “Girls’ polo is one of the usual features of Aiken,” she wrote. “Marjorie LeBoutillier, only eleven years old, is one of the fastest players.” Marjorie and other young women used to play two or three times a week in Aiken, sometimes in all female games, and sometimes on mixed teams. In addition to Mrs. Hitchcock, their coaches included the well-known umpire and instructor Captain Gaylard, as well as the brilliant international 10-goaler, Devereux Milburn. In the summers, they played at the Meadowbrook Club on Long Island and at the Point Judith Polo Club on Narragansett Pier in Rhode Island. The majority of the young women who played

April-May 2020

in the late 1920s and early 1930s in Aiken eventually gave up the sport, many of them hanging up their mallets after getting married. But this was not the case with Marjorie LeBoutillier. Throughout her teen years and into her early 20s, her name appears with some regularity in the newspapers, which covered polo as a society sport. She played in all women’s games, and, when those were hard to come by, she joined the men in high goal practices. “Gals Too Soft to Go for Polo So “Little Boot” Plays it Solo,” declared a 1935 headline above an article about Marjorie’s polo exploits. “Little Boot has made the grade. She’s now allowed – even invited – to play with men,” started the article, which went on to describe her athletic prowess, and included a photo of her smiling as she enters a polo clubhouse, dressed in a long coat over boots and spurs. “Men only,” is painted clearly on the door. Marjorie played cut-in games with the ten-goalers – Cecil Smith, Louis Stoddard, Stewart Iglehart – and was known as the Tommy Hitchcock of women’s polo. She didn’t have her own horses, but used to borrow them from her uncle Malcolm Stevenson or from Stoddard and Iglehart. In the summer of 1935, she was a surprise participant in an otherwise all male polo match, playing with the Lawrence team at the Woodmere Club on Long Island: it had been rumored that the opposing team had been planning to recruit her, too, but Lawrence had beaten them to it. It would not be the last time that she was invited to play in otherwise all-male matches, at which she acquitted herself brilliantly, scoring goals and propelling her teams to the trophy table. Contemporary newspaper articles about these matches often noted that she played and scored, but did not, for the most part, make any comment about a woman playing in a sport that was officially reserved for men. She seems to have been widely accepted. Meanwhile, organized women’s polo was growing rapidly, especially in California and Texas, where there were many women’s teams. In 1934, a group of clubs in California formed the Pacific Coast Women’s Polo Association, which later became the United States Women’s Polo Association. The California women did quite a lot of traveling, playing against women’s clubs in Texas, and eventually coming East to challenge the New York women. By the summer of 1937, there were enough women playing on Long Island to make up a good squad. Marjorie, who was rated 8 goals in the USWPA book, was the captain of the Long Island Freebooters, while Ann Jackson, who was the president of the USWPA, captained the California Ramblers. The teams met on the field at Bethpage State Park, where Marjorie’s

April-May 2020

team won three straight matches. The final game was a squeaker with the Freebooters tallying in overtime, 7-6. “A crowd of 6,000, the largest of the season for Bethpage State Park witnessed the game,” according to an article in the New York Times. ( July 12, 1937.) “Marjorie LeBoutillier was outstanding.” A small photograph of Miss LeBoutillier and Mrs. Jackson shaking hands before the match hit the wire services and appeared in daily newspapers around the country. In 1938, Marjorie married the 10-goaler Stewart Iglehart. Iglehart, who had played with and against her since childhood and often lent her horses, was very accustomed to women players. In fact, his mother, Aida E.M. Birrell Iglehart, who was born in Chile, was also a polo player. According to an announcement in the New York Times, the couple were married in Marjorie’s mother’s home on Long Island. (Her father had died of a cerebral hemorrhage while playing polo in 1929.) “Both are polo players” read the subhead to the announcement, going on to explain that after the ceremony the couple were on their way to California. Why? To play polo of course. Both of them. After her wedding, Marjorie continued to reign as the foremost

At Bostwick Field, 1935 woman player on the East Coast. Her marriage to Iglehart did not last, however. They had a son, Stewart Jr., and then were divorced in 1946. Two years later she married again, this time to Daniel McElroy, an assistant vice president of J.P. Morgan & Co. Daniel, like Marjorie, was a champion amateur squash player. And what about polo? World War II disrupted the sport everywhere, and many of the old clubs were never revived. The ones that did come back after the war were generally quieter. Times changed. Within a short period, most people seemed to forget the long history of women polo players, and most clubs did not allow women to play: if Marjorie was on the field in the post-war period, there is no official record of it. It wasn’t until 1973 that the United States Polo Association finally admitted women as members, and it wasn’t until the late 1980s that many clubs in the country would let them play. Marjorie, whose other sports included golf and ice hockey, died in 1997 at the age of 80. Today, women are the fastest growing segment of the United States Polo Association, and here in Aiken, there is a new crop of accomplished young women on the field. Like Marjorie LeBoutillier, these women were practically born with a mallet in their hands and they have an inborn passion for the game. They seem destined to carry on her forgotten legacy.

The Aiken Horse

Classifieds Spunky Registered Paint

Polo pony repurposing project!

15 hand mare. Fearless and great on trails. Will go anywhere! 15 years old & sound. $2,500 obo 803-295-8687

Several nice prospects for trail riding and light work. Older, quiet bombproof types with nice personalities. Call for more info: 803-295-8687

Talented TB Cross Gelding. Solid basics on the flat and schooling well over fences; transitioning to a new career as eventer or hunt horse. One year intensive training: allaround good citizen has gone camping & trail riding. Sound and sensible. A competitively priced, nice prospect for amateur or young rider.

Mill Race Farm, Aiken. Warm weather luxury horse retirement, breaking, training, layups. 803-640-1818

803-295-8687

BOARDING/TURNOUT/ TRAINING Chime Ridge Stables. Chime Ridge Stables. 1 stall with turnout, DIY or partial and 1 pasture spot for gelding available 803-5083760 please leave message. www.Sporting Days Farm.com. 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken, SC 29801 - 5.5 miles from Aiken By-Pass. Offers year round, seasonal or short term board as well as dry stalls. 150 acres with trails and practice areas. USEF/ USEA Horse Trials in the winter, schooling shows. Visit our website to see all that it offers in 2020. sdaikenht@aol.com - 610 613 2010 The Stable On The Woods: Elite boarding & training facility and home to trainers Darrell and Melissa Vaughn. With access to Hitchcock Woods, our barn sits on 70 acres and boasts a full size dressage arena with mirrors, show jumping arena and highquality grass pastures making this the ideal place for you and your horse. Training program to meet your needs, whether your

discipline is Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers or Foxhunting. thestableonthewoods.com 603.785.0435 HAY Hoss Luva Hay. Exceptional quality local Coastal Bermuda Hay and Alfalfa mix from out of state. Competitively priced. Will deliver state-wide. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Jim McClain: 803.247.4803 Round and Square Bales. Oakwood Farms: 3593 Silver Bluff Road, Aiken SC 29803. $60 per bale round hay bales. $70 per bale round bales kept inside. Square bales at $7.00 per bale. Will deliver for a small fee. Please call 706-830-2600 or 803-8270864. email garymcelmurray@ glmconstruction.net HORSES/PETS & SERVICES Trinity Farms Terriers: Norfolk Terriers & Russell Terriers. Quality family dogs with proven calmer dispositions. Generations of great temperaments. Health/ dispositions guaranteed.

Breeder of terriers for 40+ years. Donna Fitzpatrick. 803.648.3137. easyjacks.com & trinityfarmskennel.com & trinitynorfolkterriers.com. LESSONS The Riding School: Private, semi private or group lessons Children a specialty. Beginners on up; excellent lesson horses. Unmounted programs available for children; birthday parties and camps. Barn and stall rental also available. Convenient Aiken location close to town. Chan Carman: 803-845-5102. Chan@ theridingschoolaiken.com;. theridingschoolaiken.com. RENTALS Cozy, cute carriage house for rent on Hitchcock Woods on iconic equestrian estate. 1BR/1BA. Sleeps 4. $125/night. European style barn with soaring ceilings. 3 stalls available (self care) $20/night per horse. 5 min to downtown Aiken and close to all horse venues. Perfect for female solo travelers. Monthly discounts avail. www.StayAiken.com

Small efficiency cottage & stable. Large stalls, rolling pasture & paddocks, 300 acres of trails, Xcountry course, stadium area, hot and cold water wash stall, nestled in horse subdivision. 15 min north from downtown Aiken. Cottage $600 per month, stall $185 per month. 262-844-8734 Horse boarding in Windsor, SC carriage driving community. Lovely, low country setting. 12x12 stalls connected to 2 acre fields and a short term paddock with shelter available. Jogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;lin Board Farm Contact Lisa Whitcomb 414-477-9419 SHAVINGS Shaving Saver: Delivering you bulk shavings the economical & convenient way! Large, durable bags (950 lbs.) of pine shavings delivered to your stable. Reusable, eco-friendly bags make storage neat and simple; bulk pricing makes your bedding affordable. Quality blended easy sift & large flake shavings that your horse will love. Claudia White 410-3034617. scshavingsaver@gmail.com

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DIRECTORY LISTING ADS: $25 per issue CLASSIFIED ADS are $25 for the first 30 words & 40 cents for every word or $90 for the year (6 issues.) thereafter. BUSINESS CARDS: $65 per issue or $280 for the year (6 issues.) PHOTO CLASSIFIEDS for horses: $35; Limit 30 words & one picture DISPLAY ADS are available in a range of PHOTO CLASSIFIEDS for real estate, etc. sizes. For a detailed rate sheet and $45; Limit 60 words & one picture. publication schedule, visit our website: BOXED CLASSIFIEDS: add $5 to your total TheAikenHorse.com

The Aiken Horse

MAILING ADDRESS: The Aiken Horse, P.O. Box 332, Montmorenci, SC 29839 EMAIL: theAikenHorse@gmail.com We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.

Pay online: TheAikenHorse.com or call us: 803.643.9960

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April-May 2020

Directory of Services BARNS,CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 52 years. Specializing in hauling, grading, clearing, property maintenance, and excavation.We provide everything from several types of fill dirt, top soil,compost, mortar sands, crushed asphalt/concrete, to screenings and a variety of rocks.Free Estimates Available (803)6633715 Certified DBE.WOSB. www.glwilliamstrucking.com BLANKET CLEANING & REPAIR Aiken Horse Blanket Couture. Please see our business card ad on page 81. Elisa: 803-640-3211; elisa@aikenhorseblanket.com BOARDING/TURNOUT/TRAINING/SALES Chime Ridge Stables. Stalls available, partial or self care. Fun, friendly, adult atmosphere. Convenient to town, South Aiken 803-5083760. www.Sporting Days Farm.com. 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken, SC 29801 - 5.5 miles from Aiken By-Pass. Offers year round, seasonal or short term board as well as dry stalls. 150 acres with trails and practice areas. USEF/USEA Horse Trials in the winter, schooling shows. Visit our website to see all that it offers in 2020. sdaikenht@ aol.com - 610 613 2010 The Stable On The Woods: Elite boarding & training facility and home to trainers Darrell and Melissa Vaughn. With access to Hitchcock Woods, our barn sits on 70 acres and boasts a full size dressage arena with mirrors, show jumping arena and highquality grass pastures making this the ideal place for you and your horse. Training program to meet your needs, whether your discipline is Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers or Foxhunting. thestableonthewoods.com 603.785.0435 Vaughn Equestrian: offering training, sales, and boarding. Professionalism is the guiding principle of owners Darrell and Melissa Vaughn in shaping every component of Vaughn Equestrian. Dressage, Jumpers, Eventing & Young Horses. training and sales. vaughnequestrian.com (603)-785-0435 COMPANION ANIMALS, CARE & SERVICES Trinity Farms Terriers: Norfolk Terriers & Russell Terriers. Quality family dogs with proven calmer dispositions. Generations of great temperaments. Health/dispositions guaranteed. Breeder of terriers for 40+ years. Donna Fitzpatrick. 803.648.3137. easyjacks.com & trinityfarmskennel.com & trinitynorfolkterriers.com. EQUINE THERAPY/MASSAGE Mikaela Engert: Holistica PEMF Therapy & Equine Bodywork Certified Practitioner providing equine massage & PEMF Therapy in Aiken & the CSRA. PEMF helps to relieve pain and inflammation, improves performance, range of motion, speed and strength, while providing many other wellness benefits for you, your horse, your dog, or your other favorite four-legged friends! Call/Text: +1.603.748.4325; holisticaEQ@gmail.com; www.holisticaeq.com FEED, SUPPLEMENTS & SUPPLIES Aiken County Farm Supply. 1933 Park Ave., Aiken. 803.649.2987. Aiken Saddlery & Supply. Full service tack & feed store. 1044 E. Pine Log Rd., Aiken. 803.649.6583. aikensaddlery.com HAY Hoss Luva Hay! Exceptional quality Coastal Bermuda. Real fertilizer and lime to Clemson specs, not chicken litter. Never rained on. Square and round bales. Competitively priced. Can deliver statewide. Fully enclosed truck. Satisfaction guaranteed. Jim McClain. 803.247.4803.

required but certainly welcomed. Access to top-notch unerwriters offering customized, affordable coverage. Still delivering excellent competitive insurance options for your horses and farms. betsyminton@sterlingthompson.com. Sterling Thompson Equine: 800 942 4258 Hutson-Etherredge Company. Insuring Aiken farms since 1876. Your hometown independent insurance agency can customize your equine property coverage by choosing the best company to fit your needs. We are a full service insurance agency. Call Sandi Vogus for a quote! 803-649-5141 INSTRUCTION/LESSONS Amy McElroy. USDF Gold Medalist and USEF S judge. Instruction and training at all levels. Visit amymcelroy.com or call 803.6404207. Aiken Horsemanship Academy. Your naturally inspired adult learning resource! Offering Clinics, Courses, Starting Young Horses, Evaluations, and Lessons. JulieRobins.com 803-641-4715. Jodi Hemry Eventing. Three-Star Eventer offering professional training, sales, boarding, instruction, horse shows, located in the heart of Aiken. 803-640-6691 JodiHemryEventing@gmail.com JodiHemryEventing.com The Riding School: Private, semi private or group lessons. Children a specialty. Beginners on up; excellent lesson horses. Unmounted programs available for children; birthday parties and camps. Barn and stall rental also available. Convenient Aiken location close to town. Chan Carman: 803-845-5102. Chan@theridingschoolaiken. com; www.theridingschoolaiken.com. REAL ESTATE/ RENTALS Aiken Fine Homes and Land. Specializing in selling or renting homes, farms, land & barns for short or long term leases. 28 years experience in helping people find the property of their dreams, even if it takes building it! Call Barbara Lawrence, 803-439-0778 for honest & realistic answers to your real estate questions. Aiken Luxury Rentals. Distinctive accommodations for horse & rider in beautiful Aiken. Downtown fully furnished cottages, historic stables. Executive relocation; corporate housing. Short & long term. aikenluxuryrentals.com; info@aikenluxuryrentals.com. 803.648.2804. Carolina Real Estate Company. Fine homes, estates and horse properties in Aiken, South Carolina. Let us welcome you home to AIKEN, Home of Horses, History & Hospitality! carolinahorseproperties.com. (803) 648-8660 Horse boarding in Windsor, SC carriage driving community. Lovely, low country setting. 12x12 stalls connected to 2 acre fields and a short term paddock with shelter available. Jog’lin Board Farm Contact Lisa Whitcomb 414-477-9419 Sharer Dale, Meybohm. “Where town meets country.” sharerdale@ gmail.com. 803.522.3648. Suzy Haslup, Meybohm. “Your Aiken Horse Real Estate Specialist.” Buying or selling in the most celebrated equine community in the South. ww.aikenhorserealty.com; 803-215-0153 Tracey Kenworthy Turner, Meybohm. Specializing in marketing & selling Aiken’s horse country properties for 15+ years. southernhorsefarms.com. 803-215-4734. TACK & TACK CLEANING/REPAIR The Saddle Doctor. Saddlery and harness repair. 538 Two Notch Rd. HollyMacSpencer@aol.com. 803.642.5166.

INSURANCE Betsy Minton, Sterling Thompson Equine, 803-617-8353. Now writing homeowners insurance for private residences. No horses

April-May 2020

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2020

The Aiken Horse

Bruce McGhee Memorial Harness Races

Photography by Gary Knoll and Pam Gleason

Aiken Area Calendar of Events Please note! All dates are tentative! All April dates have been canceled! Please check individual websites for updates.

MAY 1-3 1-3 1-17 2 2 3 6-17 8-10 8-9 9 9-10 9-10 13 13-17 13-31 14-17 15-16 15-16 15-17 15-31 16 16-17

SC Equestrian Special Olympics State Games. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark.org 16-17 Dressage in the Spring- USEF/USDF. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark.org 16-17 Carolina Carriage Club DT & CT. Windridge Farms, 3323 Chimney Rock Road, Hendersonville, NC. Alicia Henderson, 828.595.3950, windridgeservices@gmail.com 16-17 Chatt Hills Horse Trial. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 19-30 Polo Pony 4 Goal Tournament. Wagener Polo Club, 5720 Wagener Road, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab, 561.719.3318; Hotline, 803.566.8610. wagenerpolo.com 20-23 High School Rodeo. T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena, 1101 West Queen Street, Pendleton, SC. clemson.edu/extension/garrison 20-24 Tryon Spring IV. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 20-Jun 7 Tommy Hitchcock Memorial 12-Goal Tournament. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan, 803.215.3577, HBryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com 21-31 USPA Congressional Cup 6 Goal Tournament. Wagener Polo Club, 5720 Wagener Road, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab, 561.719.3318; Hotline, 803.566.8610. wagenerpolo.com 22-24 SCQHA. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 23 MINI Horse Trials, Combined Test and Dressage Show. The Vista Schooling and Event Center, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, schoolthevista.com 23-24 Paradise Farm Schooling HT, CT & Dressage Show. Paradise Farm, 4069 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lellie Ward, 803.640.4918, paradisefarmaiken.com 23-24 Dressage Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 23-24 Horse Show Ventures HJ Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 23-24 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm. com 26-31 Tryon Spring V. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 28-Jun 7 USPA Museum Cup (4 Goal). Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece, 803.646.3301, tigerkneece@bellsouth.net, aikenpolo.org 29-31 HJ Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 29-31 Summer Kickoff GQHA Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 29-31 USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 16-17

Palmetto Paint Horse Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com National Youth Tournament Series (NYTS). Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece, 803.646.3301, tigerkneece@bellsouth.net, aikenpolo.org USPA Sportsmanship Cup (6 Goal). Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece, 803.646.3301, tigerkneece@bellsouth.net, aikenpolo.org Tally Ho CEC HJ Show. 3962 Lawson Grove Road, Timmonsville, SC. Katrina Hutto, 843.319.9286, Katstallyho@yahoo.com Tough Mudder Atlanta. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com FENCE Hunter Pace. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org Aiken Saddlery Cup 6 Goal Tournament. Wagener Polo Club, 5720 Wagener Road, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab, 561.719.3318; Hotline, 803.566.8610. wagenerpolo.com HJ Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com Ranch Sorting. BSC Arena, 3976 Highway 24 South, Waynesboro, GA. rsnc.us FENCE Open Horse Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org Ride Better Clinic. Paradise Farm, 4069 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lellie Ward, 803.640.4918, paradisefarmaiken.com PSJ Highfields Mother’s Day Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Schooling Dressage Show. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tryon Spring III. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule USPA Regional President’s Cup 8-Goal Tournament. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan, 803.215.3577, HBryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com Southern Pines ‘A’ Triangle Sandhills Spring Classic USEF ‘A’ Rated Hunters Level 1* Jumpers. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. 11th Annual Pickens County Pro Rodeo. Sacketts Arena, 100 Shelby Lane, Jasper, GA. ipra-rodeo.com River Oaks Arena Annual IPRA Rodeo. River Oaks Arena Nation Road, Hadges, SC. ipra-rodeo.com Camden Spring Classic I. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com USPA Congressional Cup (6 Goal). Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece, 803.646.3301, tigerkneece@bellsouth.net, aikenpolo.org PSJ Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com FENCE Horse Trials. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org

April-May 2020

The Aiken Horse

Camden Spring Classic II. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 30 Pups ‘n Suds. Dog wash: 9-12pm. SPCA Albrecht Center’ s Marr Education Center, 199 Willow Run Road, Aiken. letlovelive.org 30 Schooling HJ Show. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 30-31 Ride Better Clinic. Stono River Stables, Charleston, SC. Laura Quarles, 843.813.5506, paradisefarmaiken.com 29-31

JUNE 2-7

Tryon Spring VI/TR & HC Charity Horse Show. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competition-schedule 3 Twilight #1. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 3-13 Member’s Cup 8-Goal Tournament. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan, 803.215.3577, HBryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com 4-7 Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show – Saddlebred Show. Broyhill Preserve, 1500 Laurel Lane, Blowing Rock, NC. brchs.org 5-6 10th Annual Kiwanis Rodeo. Kiwanis Fairgrounds 16942 Hwy 67, Statesboro, GA. ipra-rodeo.org 5-7 Palmetto Sport Horse Spring Classic. T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena, 1101 West Queen Street, Pendleton, SC. clemson.edu/extension/garrison 5-14 Aiken Polo Club Pro Am Invitational. Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece, 803.646.3301, tigerkneece@bellsouth.net, aikenpolo.org 6 Combined Test and Dressage Show. The Vista Schooling and Event Center, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, schoolthevista.com 6 Pine Tree CEC HJ Show. Pine Tree Stables, 1265 Sanders Creek Road, Camden, SC. Lynn Conto, 803.424.1952, conto@bellsouth.net 6-7 PSJ Mullet Summer Series Show. Mullet Hall Equestrian Center, Johns Island, SC. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 6-7 HJ Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 6-7 FENCE Dressage Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org 6-7 USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 6-8 NSBA Boot Camp. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 10 Twilight #2. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 10-14 Aiken Summer Classic I- USEF Premier. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark.org 11-14 Harmon Classics HJ Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org 12-14 Tryon Summer Dressage I & II. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/ competition-schedule 12-14 Tryon Summer I. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 13-14 USEF/USDF “Summer Solstice” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 13-14 SCDCTA Clinic. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 13-14 WHES Horse Trials, CT & Dressage. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. 13-14 HJ Fox HJ Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 17-20 SC 4-H Horse Show. T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena, 1101 West Queen Street, Pendleton, SC. clemson.edu/extension/garrison 17-21 Aiken Summer Classic II- USEF Premier. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark.org 17 Twilight #3. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 18 Sunset Jumpers I. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 19-20 Carl Black Classic IPRA Rodeo. Jim Miller Park, Marietta, GA. ipra-rodeo. org 19-21 USEF/USEA “Summer” Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 19-21 Tryon Summer II. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 19-21 SCQHA. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 19-21 Summer Fox Summer Classic HJ Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

The Aiken Horse

Painted Ponies Auction. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. 20 Button Baker Horse Clinic. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org 20 Summer Solstice Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 20-21 Dressage Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 20-21 PSJ Highfields Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 24 Twilight #4. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 24-28 Tryon Summer III. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 26-27 FENCE Rodeo. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org 26-28 Feathered Horse Summer Classic. T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena, 1101 West Queen Street, Pendleton, SC. clemson.edu/extension/garrison 26-28 Stars and Stripes GQHA Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 27 Pups ‘n Suds. Dog wash: 9-12pm. SPCA Albrecht Center’ s Marr Education Center, 199 Willow Run Road, Aiken. letlovelive.org 27-28 Dressage at the Park. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. 27-28 Chatt Hills Horse Trial. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 27-28 Dressage Summer Series I & II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 28-29 Ride Better Clinic. Stono River Stables, Charleston, SC. Laura Quarles, 843.813.5506, paradisefarmaiken.com 30-Jul 5 Tryon Summer IV. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 30-Jul 5 Big A GQHA Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 20

JULY 1

4-5 7-12 8 8-12 11 11-12 11-12 11-12 14-18 14-19 16 18 18 18 18-19 18-19 18-19

Twilight #5. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com Chatt Hills Horse Trials. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com Tryon Summer V. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule Twilight #6. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com Youth Jamboree. T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena, 1101 West Queen Street, Pendleton, SC. clemson.edu/extension/garrison Voxton Farm CEC HJ Show. Voxton Farm, 226 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. Linda Klein, 803.425.4795, voxtonfarm@aol.com PSJ Highfields Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com USEF/USDF “Only in America” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com WHES Horse Trials, CT & Dressage. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. SC 4-H Horse Camp. T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena, 1101 West Queen Street, Pendleton, SC. clemson.edu/extension/garrison Tryon Summer VI. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule Sunset Jumpers II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com FENCE Dressage Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org Cats on the Mat (cat yoga). $10, 11-12pm. SPCA Albrecht Center’ s Marr Education Center, 199 Willow Run Road, Aiken. letlovelive.org Freedom Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tall Boots July HJ Schooling Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. HJ Fox HJ Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

April-May 2020

NBHA Youth World Championships. Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, 401 Larry Walker Pkwy, Perry, GA. 478.987.3247, gnfa.com 21-26 Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show – HJ Division Week #2. Broyhill Preserve, 1500 Laurel Lane, Blowing Rock, NC. brchs.org 24-25 South Congaree Championship Rodeo. South Congaree Arena 395 Oak St W. Columbia, SC. ipra-rodeo-org 24-26 Working Equitation. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org 24-26 Camden Summer Classic. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 25 HJ Schooling Show. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 25-26 Dressage Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 25-26 Novice GQHA Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 26 Clear Round Jumper Day. The Vista Schooling and Event Center, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, schoolthevista.com 29-Aug.2 Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show – HJ Division Week #2. Broyhill Preserve, 1500 Laurel Lane, Blowing Rock, NC. brchs.org 18-25

AUGUST 1

1-2 7-23 8 8-9 8-9 8-9 12-13 14-15 15 15 15-16 15-16 16-17 22 22-23 22-23 22-23 29 29 29-30

Chatt Hills Schooling Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com PSJ Back to School Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Equus Events HJ Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com Pine Tree CEC HJ Show. Pine Tree Stables, 1265 Sanders Creek Road, Camden, SC. Lynn Conto, 803.424.1952, conto@bellsouth.net Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tall Boots August HJ Schooling Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. Tryon Summer Dressage 3 & 4 Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/ competition-schedule USEF/USDF “Too Hot To Trot I” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Ranch Sorting. BSC Arena, 3976 Highway 24 South, Waynesboro, GA. rsnc.us Carolina Paint Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org PSJ Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com USEF/USDF “Too Hot To Trot II” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Made in the Shade Performance and Breed Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. Windridge Farms DT & CT. Windridge Farms, 3323 Chimney Rock Road, Hendersonville, NC. Alicia Henderson, 828.595.3950, windridgeservices@ gmail.com CT and Dressage Show. The Vista Schooling and Event Center, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, schoolthevista.com PSJ Mullet Hall Classic. Mullet Hall Equestrian Center, Johns Island, SC. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com WHES Horse Trials, CT & Dressage. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. GHF/Massey Ferguson Summer Dressage Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com JTO HOrse Clinic. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org HJ Schooling Show. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Chatt Hills Horse Trials. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com

SEPTEMBER 2-12 4-6 4-6 5

Aiken Fall Festival I - USEF Premier. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark.org HJ Show. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com SCQHA. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com FRC CT & Dressage Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org

April-May 2020

Five Points Horse Trials. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. 5-6 USEF/USDF Dressage Fall Series I & II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 9 Schooling Dressage Show. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 9-13 Aiken Fall Festival II - USEF Premier. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark.org 10-27 USPA Northrup Knox Cup 12-Goal Tournament. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan, 803.215.3577, HBryan2485@ aol.com, newbridgepolo.com 11-13 Timberland HDT &CT. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com. 11-13 Camden Fall Classic. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 11-13 Mustang Challenge. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 11-13 Tryon Fall Dressage 1 & 2. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/ competition-schedule 12 Derby Cross and Clear Round Jumper Day. The Vista Schooling and Event Center, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, schoolthevista.com 12-13 USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Us Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 12-13 GHF/Massey Ferguson Fall Dressage Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 12-13 HJ Fox HJ Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 12-13 Blue Ridge Mountain Horse Trials. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/ page/competition-schedule 16-20 Stable View Fall Hunter Jumper Classic. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 16-27 USPA Master Cup 6 Goal Tournament. Wagener Polo Club, 5720 Wagener Road, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab, 561.719.3318; Hotline, 803.566.8610. wagenerpolo.com 16-Oct 3 USPA National President’s Cup 8-Goal Tournament. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan, 803.215.3577, HBryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com 18-19 Ranch Sorting. BSC Arena, 3976 Highway 24 South, Waynesboro, GA. rsnc.us 18-20 Tryon Fall I. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 18-20 Southeastern Reining Assc. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 19 Tally Ho CEC HJ Show. 3962 Lawson Grove Road, Timmonsville, SC. Katrina Hutto, 843.319.9286, Katstallyho@yahoo.com 19 Fall Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 US Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 19-20 PSJ Aiken Fall Festival Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 19-20 TRHC XC Schooling. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org 23-27 Tryon Fall II. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 25 SC NBHA State Show. T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena, 1101 West Queen Street, Pendleton, SC. clemson.edu/extension/garrison 25-27 104th Aiken Horse Show. Hitchcock Woods, Aiken. hitchcockwoods.org 25-27 USEF/USEA/FEI CCI-S 1/2/3/4* Oktoberfest Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com 26 FENCE Open Horse Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon, NC. 828.859.9021, horseshow@fence.org, fence.org 26 PSJ Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 29-Oct 11 Wagener 4 Goal Tournament. Wagener Polo Club, 5720 Wagener Road, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab, 561.719.3318; Hotline, 803.566.8610. wagenerpolo.com 30 Twilight #7. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 30-Oct 4 Tryon Fall III. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 4066 Pea Ridge Road, Mill Spring, NC, 828.863.1000, tryon.com/page/competitionschedule 30-Oct 18 USPA National Copper Cup 12-Goal Tournament. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan, 803.215.3577, HBryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com 5-6

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L & N Equestrian

Aiken Polo Club

Lightning Protection Systems

Aiken Saddlery, Inc.

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The Aiken Horse April-May 2020

Articles inside

Resources for Horsemen

Remembering Marjorie Le Boutillier

Book Review

Travels of Quinn

Jenny Horstman

News and Notes

Find Yourself In the Woods

Ask the Judge

Grand Prix Eventing

Hold Your Horses