April-May 2021 by Aiken Horse Productions

Volume 16 • Number 5 •

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

SuzyHaslup_TAH_Sept2019.qxp_Layout 1 3/25/21 4:45 PM Page 1

JOHNSTON FARM $899,000 Accredited Land Consultant An Accredited Land Consultant, Suzy achieved the title of Leading Sales Agent in 2013, 2015, 2016 & 2020. Her achievements include Meybohm “Best of the Best” & President’s Club, as well as 2018, 2019 & 2020 RLI APEX award for top producing land real estate agents. Rare opportunity to own a professional equestrian property with lush coastal turnout fields twenty minutes from Aiken. Custom 4 BR/3.5 bath light filled home with heart pine floors, cathedral ceiling, updated kitchen, fireplace, new workout room, and views of your horses grazing. This 87A property includes a pond, 14-stall training barn with storage and grooming/wash stalls, paddocks, run-ins, derby jump field, 190 x 100 sand arena, round pen, free jumping chute, large turnout fields & mobile home. 2 additional 4-stall barns. More acreage is available.

KATYDID FARM

$1.1 MILLION

KINGS RIDGE

$670,000

POWDERHOUSE ROAD $279,000

SOLD

WOOD’S END LOTS 0

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Priced at $275,000 and $320,000, these lots provide an exceptional opportunity to own a farm Parcel Map bordering the 2200-acre Hitchcock Woods offering 70 miles of riding trails open to the public year round. Lots are cleared and ready for home and barn, paved cul-de-sac, underground utilities with city services and no HOA. Possible owner financing and lots may be combined. Direct access to trails of the Woods. WO OD S

Wonderful old Aiken cottage with hardwood floors, two fireplaces, 9’ ceilings, formal living & dining room, newer HVAC & roof, Hitchcock ceilings, huge walk-in closet off master & fabulous family room with fireplace & bar perfect for entertaining. Walk on nearby clay roads in the Horse District & watch polo & horses train at the Aiken Training Track. Great curb appeal with fenced yard for the dogs.

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490

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$449,000

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AIRPORT ROAD

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Wonderful 4 BR/2 BA brick ranch adjacent to the Horse District and across from Aiken Training Track near Bruce’s Firld. Newly landscaped yard, newer roof and windows, refinished hardwood floors, renovated bathrooms and new lighting. Two car garage and circular driveway. Great curb appeal and walking distance to shows, polo and the clay roads. 088 19 01 001

$299,000

SOUTH BOUNDARY

Situated on the water in gated King’s Ridge, this 3 BR/2BA brick French Country home boasts a Stephen Fuller floor plan featured in Southern Living. Has vaulted ceilings, hardwood and porcelain floors, fireplace, attached 2+ car garage, patio, and screened porch overlooking the lake. The 7-acre property has spectacular views, 4-board fencing, wonderful plantings, and room for horses!

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Former home to international driving competitions, this farm is suitable for any equestrian. Property has over 108 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. Sellers will consider subdividing.

Aiken County IT / GeoServices

Copyright (C) Aiken County Government Aiken County makes no warranty, representation or guaranty as to the content, sequence, accuracy or timeliness of the database information provided herein. Users of this data are hereby notified that public information sources should be consulted for verification of the information contained on these maps. Aiken County assumes no liability for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the information provided regardless of how caused, OR, for any decision made or action taken or not taken by any person in reliance upon any information or data furnished herein.

Spectacular 10 acre horse property with upscale owners apartment, 4 stall center aisle barn, board fenced pasture and run-in shed. The 2800 sq. ft. custom owners apartment has 2 master suites with large walk-in closets, 3 baths, kitchen with top of the line appliances, patio & lovely porch with views of the pasture. Easy drive to downtown Aiken. More acreage is available.

www.AikenHorseRealty.com (803) 215-0153 • suzy.haslup@gmail.com April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

WELCOME TO THE SOUTH YOU’VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF...

finehomesofaiken.com

MULBERRY HILL FARM 16-acre equestrian estate in Hatchaway Bridge Farms. Gorgeous views of pond, pool, & pastures. 5 BR, 5.5BA. Magnificent formal rooms. Chef’s kitchen. Elevator. Sunroom. Gas log fireplaces. 4-stall stable w/tack room, art studio, guest apartment, & viewing tower. Community trails, arena, & jump field. $1,595,000

HIGH COTTON FARM Beautiful equestrian oasis in Aiken horse country. 12.47 AC, impressive William Poole 5 BR 4 BA home w/superb 5-stall barn. Large kitchen w/island, quartz counter-tops & bay-window seating. Owners’ suite w/2 X-large closets. $875,000

CANARY COTTAGE Secluded 3.38- acre horse property by Hitchcock Woods. Gorgeous island kitchen in open floor plan. Formal dining. Large den. 3 fireplaces. 4 BR, 3 BA , 2 1/2BA. 4-room apartment. 4-stall barn w/hay storage, tack room, & heated wash stall. $799,000

NEW LANE The Perfect Aiken Cottage! Private setting at the edge of downtown Aiken. Two handsome en suite bedrooms. Wood-paneled office with fireplace & custom bookcases. Sunken living room w/fireplace. Formal dining room. $585,000

SOLD

OAKWOOD PLANTATION: Beautiful equestrian subdivision with scenic riding trails. Stunning forests & lush meadows. HOA w/architectural review. No HOA fees now; future HOA is $300/ year. Paved roads. Montmorenci water. Cleared & wooded lots available for $16,500/acre.

DOWNTOWN AIKEN RENTAL 2 BR 1BA equestrian district rental. Fully furnished with wood floors, fenced yard, and many updates and upgrades. Beautiful granite counter tops in kitchen, plus many extras for the chef & new/newer appliance. Fenced dog yard & doggy door from laundry room. Short term or long term. Bathroom w/walk-in shower. $100/night.

your best friend in real-estate

REALTY AIKEN

803 640 0123

The Aiken Horse

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

April-May 2021

COTTAGE ON THE RAIL – HORSE DISTRICT

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

1354 audubon | $2.695 Million

142+ ACRE RANCH in EDGEFIELD, SC

SOUTHERN AMBIANCE AT FARMSTEAD | 3+ ACRES

25 MooreS road | $3.1 Million

5334 FarMStead drive | $950,000 (under aPPraiSal value)

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

2nd Floor PorcH overlookS SParking Pool, SWeePing laWn & lake oWner & gueSt SuiteS Main Floor, 6 br, 5 batHS, 2 HalF batHS, 3-car

THANK YOU

TO OUR FRIENDS & CLIENTS FOR EACH AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY IN 2020! RENOVATE & MAKE IT YOUR OWN!

BIG TREE FARM - a FARM For ANY DISCIPLINE

273 reddS brancH road | $295,000

490 big tree road | $759,900

58+ acreS, 15-Stall barn, ligHted arena, Polo or JuMP Field, PaSture 2 br, 2 batH living QuarterS, SeParate oFFice, 3+ car garage/WorkSHoP

10+ acreS cleared W/lovely oak grove 2 br, 2 batH HoMe, in-ground Pool, garage/SHoP “aS iS”

#1 teaM in aiken MlS 2020 leader in luxury SaleS 2020 HISTORIC HOME on 4½ AC. in HORSE DISTRICT vieWS acroSS bruce’S Field, gueSt HouSe, FitneSS rooM, 3-bay garage 5+ br, 7½ batHS, elevator, coMPletely renovated, iMPeccably Maintained

803-998-0198

LANE’S END in HOPELAND FARMS

Main level SoPHiSticated living: 2 br, 2½ ba W/outStanding kitcHen/

living W/FP, uPStairS cHarM: 2 br, 2 ba, Full oPen kitcHen/living rooM W/FP

203 arbor terrace | $1,195,000 Sold

928 tWo notcH road Se | $3.1M

6.3 acreS on iMPleMent road | under contract 5.7 acreS on iMPleMent road | under contract 5.63 acreS on iMPleMent road | Parcel a $197,050

AMBIANCE w/GREEN SPACE = SUPERB LIVING

133+ ACRES WitH 2 PONDS in EDGEFIELD, SC

PLEASANT ACRES | 41.5AC 9.5 MILES FROM TOWN

MooreS road in edgeField | $995,000

64 Flag lane | $950,000 under contract

irrigated Hay FieldS in eStabliSHed tiFton 85 berMuda PeriMeter Fencing, level acreage ideal For Stick & ball or JuMP Field

8+ Stall barn, 6 PriStine PaddockS W/SHelterS, Hay building, riding ring Private 3,858 SF cuStoM HoMe W/in-laW Suite, 4 br 3½ batHS, 2-car

Land for Sale barrington FarMS - ParcelS WitH trail acceSS 5+ to 24+ acreS - $57,000 - $157,000 tod’S Hill - 19 acreS - Pond & Partially Fenced - $235,000 lot 8 StorM brancH rd – lovely Pond 19.86 acreS - $198,500

Cissie Sullivan

leWiS lane aSSociation

ParcelS WitH trail & Pond acceSS

nonnie’S lot 11.02 acreS | under contract Henry’S tranQuil retreat 8.23 acreS | under contract Pond MeadoW 13.68 acreS | under contract tree toP lot under contract

tWo WaterFront lotS eacH 5+ acreS lake ForeSt drive | Fox HolloW on tHe lake $90,540 & $91,080 aviation lotS at WexFord landing 5+ acreS Start at $45,000 on runWay ¾ acre lot on burkelo road $20,700

Tracey Turner

803-998-0198 | SullivanTurnerTeam.com April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

SECTION 9 16 23 24

News & Notes Windsor trace Ask the Judge La Parisienne-

Our April-May cover shows Carl Zimmerman competing Banjo in the combined driving test at Windsor Trace. Photography by Gary Knoll

SECTION

38 41 42 48 50 54 58

Grant Seger Sporthorses Ride of Her Life Smokeway Farm Grand Prix Eventing Stable View CCI**** Secret Lives: Utah Evolution of New Bridge

Our Section Two cover shows Missy Miller riding Quinn at the Grand Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field. Photography by Pam Gleason

Our Section Three cover shows Michael Pendleton aboard Redfield Fellow, competing in the Open Preliminary division at Sporting Days Farm.

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Chain of Foals Seymour Knox Horses & the Law Linda Rooney Classifieds Directory Eventing 2021 Calendar Index of Advertisers

Photography by Gary Knoll

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

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 16 • Number 4

elcome to spring in Aiken! The grass is green, the trees are blooming and there is yellow pollen pretty much everywhere. Here in the horse world, the months of February and March were a little different than they normally are, due to the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. Many of our iconic rites of spring were canceled, including the Aiken Trials, the Aiken Steeplechase, and Pacers and Polo. There was also no Aiken Horse Show in the Woods, although the show ring will be open for schooling on April 16 and 17 (sign up at Hitchcockwoods.org.) But this is not to say that we have had a quiet spring up until now. Far from it, in fact. Our horse shows have been packed with exhibitors, Aiken’s equestrian professionals have been doing brisk business in all the disciplines, and equestrian properties are so hot right now the realtors barely have time to take breath. Aiken’s eventing world has been especially active. February and March brought us two marquee events. First there was the Grand Prix Eventing at the Aiken Horse Park. Then there was the CCI one-through-four star at Stable View. Both of these competitions drew world class talent to Aiken, including all the riders vying for a spot on this year’s Olympic team. The Olympics are slated for late July and early August in Tokyo, after being postponed from similar dates in 2020. Riders have had an extra year to prepare, but have also had to deal with disruptions in their competition and training schedules. The events in Aiken became an important stepping stone on the Olympic path, and no one wanted to miss them. Three of the top contenders for an Olympic berth (Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin and Doug Payne) make Aiken their winter home, and many others come here regularly. Aiken seems to be on the verge of becoming a true eventing Mecca.

The Aiken Horse

Now that it is April, we can look forward to the high season of horse shows, including the Aiken Spring Classics at Highfields and the Aiken Charity Horse Show at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park. Polo will also be in full swing by mid April, with the first tournaments starting up at Aiken’s three active clubs (Aiken Polo Club, New Bridge, and Wagener Polo.) Polo, unlike many of the other equestrian sports in town, has not restricted access to spectators during the pandemic. Aiken Polo Club’s first Sunday game is at 3 p.m. on April 18 and is likely to draw a large, though socially-distanced crowd. The club is enjoying something of a renaissance, with students from its youth programs maturing into strong players, and it even has a new electronic scoreboard, courtesy of Virginia Beach Polo Club and Bart and Abby Frye. Just as we were going to press with this issue, we heard the terrible news that the main barn at Equine Rescue of Aiken had caught fire and burned to the ground. Fortunately only one horse was inside at the time, a pony named Whistle who has been undergoing treatment after a severe dog bite. Whistle was evacuated with some burns and is recovering in the vet clinic, and no other horses or humans were injured. The main barn housed the office and all the computers and equipment, as well as the feed room, which was full. It is devastating news for the rescue and for the Aiken horse community. The rescue is asking for donations of various tack and equipment, as well as funds to help feed the horses and, eventually to rebuild. Find out more, and donate, on their Facebook or webpages: aikenequinerescue on Facebook and www. aikenequinerescue.com. We hope you enjoy this issue, and enjoy your spring in Aiken. If you love horses, it is surely the place to be.

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

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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, or $36 for First Class. Send check or CC # & your mailing address: P.O. Box 332, Montmorenci, SC 29839 Or sign up on the web at TheAikenHorse.com

Pam Gleason Editor & Publisher

Aiken

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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.

April-May 2021

News & Notes By Pam Gleason

Aiken Steeplechase

There was no Aiken Steeplechase again this spring, due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Aiken Steeplechase Association has been very busy working on its new facility and is hoping to run its first race meet there in the fall. The date has been set for October 30, making the Aiken race one of the last of the 2021 National Steeplechase Association meets. If all goes well, the races will be held on the new track, which is located at the intersection of Old Wagener Road and the Rudy Mason Parkway, convenient to downtown Aiken and to Route 20. With ample parking for spectators and a freshly designed, irrigated and grassed one-mile track, the next Aiken Steeplechase races promise to be better than ever. The steeplechase has traditionally been the largest and most popular equestrian spectator sport in the area, and the new facility promises to accommodate the crowds, when they are able to return, much more conveniently. Steeplechasing has a long history in Aiken, going back to the Aiken Hunt Races, held in the Hitchcock Woods during the 1930s. Although the steeplechasing tradition disappeared for a time because of World War II, it returned in the 1960s to a plot of land known as the Ambrose Clark Schooling grounds, later rechristened Ford Conger Field. Then Ford Conger Field became Bruce’s Field at the Aiken Horse Park, the site of premier horse shows and the Grand Prix Eventing Showcase. Although the steeplechase track was incorporated into the plans for the horse park, the event itself had really outgrown the facility, and so the association spent several years searching for a new location. It finally found one in 2019, and, with the help of the City of Aiken, purchased the property and quickly set about transforming it into a stateof-the-art facility. Today, trees and bushes on the new property have been cleared and all the grading has been completed. The next step is putting in the fencing around the racetrack and installing the irrigation system, which will run along the fences. The racing surface itself will be sprigged with a hybrid Bermuda grass (Tifton 419) which is a durable and forgiving surface favored for golf courses and polo fields. The infield and other areas will be seed drilled with a combination of common Bermuda and other, faster growing grass varieties. Paul Sauerborn, who is the president of the Aiken Steeplechase Association, explains that this is a practical matter. “The entire racing surface will be irrigated,” he says. “We would have loved to irrigate the whole facility, but that would have been prohibitive. With the sprigging, you really

April-May 2021

need to be able to water the grass consistently, or it will die. With the seeds, you can rely a little more on Mother Nature.” Construction will continue throughout the spring and summer. Sometime midsummer, a representative of the National Steeplechase Association will come out to inspect the track and make sure everything looks on schedule for a late October race meet. “This will be our first race, and we want to be sure we can pull it off in a meaningful way,” says Sauerborn. “We want our patrons to be happy and we want the horses and jockeys to be safe.” While such things as the installation of the fencing and irrigation system and the construction of the announcer’s tower can be managed and hurried along if need be, the most important element, which is the growth and development of the grass both on the track and off, is out of the association’s control. In order to have a completed facility, the Aiken Steeplechase Association is going to need some favorable weather. All told, the progress on the new facility has gone smoothly and anticipation is high. “A lot of people are looking forward to it, and we have a lot of support in the community,” says Paul. “We’re excited about it. I think a lot of other people are, too.” Stay tuned to the Aiken Steeplechase website for updates and more information: aikensteeplechase.org.

New Vocations Show

The New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Horse Show will be coming to the Highfields Event Center this September 3-5. The New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, based in Lexington, Kentucky, was founded in 1992 and bills itself as the largest racehorse adoption agency in the country. Its goal is to place retiring racehorses, both Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds, in “experienced caring homes” preferably where they will have jobs. New Vocations started running an annual Thoroughbred show back in 2001 to raise money for the organization as well as to

showcase the talents of Thoroughbred horses beyond the racetrack. For the first years, the New Vocations show was held in the infield of Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky. Then, the show moved to Ohio, before returning to Kentucky, this time to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. There, the show became more popular than ever: the last time it was held in 2019, there were 450 exhibitors. The 2020 show was canceled due to the pandemic. In terms of attracting a large number of quality competitors, the Kentucky Horse Park shows were a great success. However, the costs of running a large show at the horse park were high enough that the show was no longer achieving its primary purpose, which is to raise funds for rehabbing, retraining and rehoming retired racehorses. In 2019, Rick Cram, who owns and runs Progressive Show Jumping in Aiken helped run the show in Kentucky. He had suggested that if New Vocations was ever interested in moving the show from Kentucky, Aiken would be a good place for it. And so, after surviving the difficult pandemic year, the organization decided to take Rick up on his offer and move the show South. Anna Ford, who is the Thoroughbred Program Director at New Vocations says she expects that some regular exhibitors will not be able to come because it is just too far away. But she hopes that the Aiken location will attract new talent to make up for it. “We do have a lot of adopters in the southeast – South Carolina, Georgia, Florida – that haven’t been able to come to our shows in the past, so we hope that they will come and we will get that new demographic,” she said in a phone interview. The class list for the New Vocations All Thoroughbred show is available now on the PSJ and New Vocations websites (psjshows. com and horseadoption.com) and entries will open through horseshowsonline.com in the month of April. In order to qualify to compete, you do not need to have your

The Aiken Horse

Thoroughbred’s race records or his Jockey Club papers. He does need to have a TIP (Thoroughbred Incentive Program) number, which can be obtained, free of charge on the Jockey Club website. A TIP number is a good thing to have if you are showing a Thoroughbred in any kind of show: in addition to recognizing your Thoroughrbed’s talents, the Jockey Club has various high point and performance awards that it gives out at the end of the year. In order to obtain a TIP number, your horse must be registered with the Jockey Club, and you must know his registered name, or his dam’s name and his date of birth. If you don’t know his registered name, but he does have a tattoo inside his upper lip, you can look it up for free on the Jockey Club website. (jockeyclub.com) The Aiken show will have hunter and jumper divisions, pleasure, dressage and combined training. “We try to offer something for everybody,” said Anna. “We want to do what we have always done, which is to have a charity event that raises funds for the program, and put on a good fun show for people to come and enjoy and compete against each other all on Thoroughbreds. We’re going to have some fun networking opportunities too. There will be an exhibitor’s party on Friday, and a concert on the lawn on Saturday night with live music. . . . Our focus with this show and with the move is to create a really great, competitive experience where people can network with other Thoroughbred owners.”

Julio Arellano to Hall of Fame

Julio Arellano, a longtime Aiken player, has been inducted into the Museum of Polo Hall of Fame in Lake Worth Florida. Julio, 48, grew up in Wellington, Florida where he started playing at the age of 9. Exposed to world-class polo and mentored by the 10-goaler Memo Gracida, he rose to a 9-goal handicap in 2003 and was America’s top rated player for many years. He competed in and won all the

Julio Arellano (2) battles Adam Snow.

most coveted major American tournaments, including the US Open, the USPA Gold Cup, the C.V. Whitney Cup, the Monty Waterbury, the Silver Cup, the Northrup Knox Cup and much more. He also represented his country in international play, competing for the U.S. in the Westchester Cup and the Coronation Cup in England. In addition to his playing prowess, Julio has always been known for his fine horsemanship and the quality of his horses. His mares Mulan, Malia, and True were each awarded the Hartman Trophy for being judged the Best Playing Pony in the US Open, and his horses have always been notable for their speed, responsiveness and fluidity. Julio has served on the Board of Governors of the USPA and is currently a Governor at Large in the organization. He is generous with his time, sharing his knowledge and expertise with up-and-coming players, including his three children Hope, Lucas and Agustin, with whom he won the 12-goal Copper Cup here in Aiken in 2016. He, his wife Meghan and their family split their time between Florida and their farm in Aiken and the Arellano children are regular and sought-after players in all of Aiken’s tournaments. The Museum of Polo traditionally holds an induction ceremony for new Hall of Fame members at a gala celebration on or about Valentines Day. This year, the pandemic put that tradition on hold. Instead, the museum

plans to induct the 2021 honorees at the February 2022 gala when it inducts next year’s honorees. Julio joins a large contingent of Hall of Fame members with Aiken ties. These include the former 10-goalers and current Aiken residents Adam Snow and Owen Rinehart, as well as players from earlier generations such as Northrup Knox, Pete Bostwick, Devereux Milburn and the three Hitchcocks, Tom, Tommy and Louise. It is a testament to Aiken’s outsized importance in the world of polo that so many Hall of Fame members have been Aiken players. In fact about a quarter of all polo Hall of Famers have strong Aiken ties.

Olympic Hopefuls in Aiken

With the Tokyo Games coming up this summer, America’s top eventing horses and riders descended on Aiken for two high profile competitions this spring. The first was the $50,000 LiftMaster Grand Prix Eventing showcase at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park. The second was the CCI*-CCI**** at Stableview. Because COVID has altered the competition calendar in 2020-2021, these two events took on some added significance for athletes hoping to tune up their horses and burnish their Olympic credentials before the summer. In fact, every one of the riders on the “Elite” winter training list competed at one or both of the events. Horse and rider combinations that have been on the lists before but were not given the nod this year also showed up. Everyone was riding hard and trying to make an impression, which is not surprising. Because of pandemic related cancellations and disruptions, all CC1**** competitions held between April of last year and April 25 of this year are considered to be tryouts/ qualifying competitions for the team. Although the Grand Prix Showcase did not make that list officially, it was nonetheless a good test of a horse and rider’s ability to perform under Continued on page 26

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April-May 2021

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April-May 2021

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April-May 2021

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3/29/21 2:59 PM

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Windsor Trace Combined Test

Photography by Gary Knoll

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April-May 2021

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April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

Aiken Aviation - Aiken Educational Services - Aiken Saddlery - Altorac Farm LLC - AgSouth Farm Credit - AllStar Tents & Events - Bimeda - Amy Borun Blanchard Equipment - Dr. Stuart E. Brown - Carolina Arena Company - Christine Quinn Photography - The Chronicle of the Horse - City of Aiken - Dr. Andy Clark & Kathleen Sullivan - Sharer Dale - Phillip & Evie Dutton - Elyse Eisenberg-DeDominicis - Annie DeWitt - Craig Duchossois - Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners Equestrian Events, Inc - Eventing Nation - Fairfield Inn & Suites - Four Schools Farm - GGT Footing - Candace Garrett - Susan Haldeman - Angela Hambrick Deana Hamel - Emily Hamel - Karen & Sydney Hansen - Elisabeth Harpham - Willie & Katy Hartnett - Suzy Haslup - Nancy Hathaway Holland Eventing - Indian Creek Farm - Kevin Keane - Fernanda Retired Racehorse Project - River Edge Farm - Ruby Throated Kellogg & Kirk Henckels - John & Michelle Koppin Sparrow - Sarah Kuhn Equestrian - Shapley’s - Sidelines New England Equine Medical & Surgical Center Magazine - Southern Equine Service - Stadium Rick & Julie Krieger - LiftMaster - Majyk Horse Trucks - Sundman Stables - Tish Equipe - Major League Eventing Teeluck - Townplace Suites - Triple Helen Naylor - Dr. Rebecca T. Crown - Christine Turner - Olivia Newell & William L. Griffin Van Melle Kamp - Barb Gould Ocala Horse Properties Uskup - Deirdre Stoker Dr. Kevin Pfiester Vaillancourt - Joyce Prime Steakhouse Vettorino - Jack Amy Peloquin Wetzel - George Phillip Dutton Wintersteen Eventing

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The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

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 am an adult amateur dressage competitor and will be competing throughout the summer months at Second Level. Although I don’t mind the heat too much I am concerned about the sun on my skin and eyes. I wondered about the following dress codes. Can I warm up and compete with a wide brimmed visor attached to my helmet? Can I wear sunglasses? Can I compete in a long sleeved shirt and do I need to wear a belt when I do not wear a show jacket? Can you please confirm the protocol? I also have a question about performing my test. I am not clear when riding the shoulder-in movement in the Second Level tests when and if I am supposed to straighten my horse. I have seen this ridden many different ways. Could you please explain how this movement should be ridden?

SPF 100 Dear SPF 100,

It certainly does get warm in the summer months and the sun can be a concern especially since it really does reflect off the riding surfaces. I am happy to answer all your concerns in this column. Keep in mind that a useful source of information is the USEF rulebook. Look under the Dressage Division for Dress (DR120). It is advisable to check the rules yearly, because they may change and sometimes they are even adjusted midyear. Let’s start with the attachable sun visor for your helmet. It is permissible to wear this visor while schooling your horse in the warmup arena. Unfortunately it is currently illegal to wear this visor in the competition arena, where it is considered an “attachment/gadget.” Wearing a visor is a dress code violation, however it is up to the discretion of the judge whether or not to eliminate you for wearing it. It is, of course, most important and mandatory to wear protective headgear that is properly secured. As far as wearing sunglasses or any glasses, there currently is no ruling. You may wear your sunglasses in the warm-up as well as the competition arenas. Please make sure they are securely on your face and are not bouncing around, since this can be distracting to you and to your judge. When jackets are waived, there are many rules to follow. Currently, there are no rules about what types of shirts you may wear in the warmup. However, when you enter the competition arena, this changes. A long sleeved shirt is always permitted, whether you wear a jacket or not. If you are not wearing a jacket, remember that your shirt must have a collar – T-shirts, whether short or long sleeved, are not permitted when riding without a jacket. You should not wear any neck gear (stock ties, chokers, etc.) when not competing in your jacket. But if you do wear a jacket, neck gear is mandatory. Currently, wearing a belt is a matter of personal preference, whether

April-May 2021

you are in the warm up ring or the competition arena. There is not a USEF rule. It is advisable to look neat and always at your best, but you are free to decide if you look better with a belt or without one. If you have a question about rules while you are at your competition, you can always confer with the technical delegate (TD) to discuss the situation. Part of the TD’s job is to help you. I hope this answers all your dress code questions. Now let’s look into your questions regarding shoulder-in at Second Level. The shoulder-in is an important lateral movement that is first required in the Second Level tests. It is important to know how to ride and how to finish this movement correctly. There are three Second Level tests and the shoulder-in patterns are different in each of them so they have different endings. First, let’s look at what the rulebook has to say about the shoulder-in, and then we can discuss how these guidelines apply to the specific tests you will be riding. According to the USEF rulebook DR 111.f: “If the shoulder–in is performed on the long side or on the center line, 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. Let’s start with Second Level, test one. You start at K, which is the first letter on the long side after the corner. The movement states “K to E shoulder-in right and E turn right.” Therefore, you would NOT straighten your horse after the shoulder-in, as you would be immediately going into a turn, and your horse should be bent to the right. The next shoulder-in pattern goes “B to M shoulder-in left.” This time, since M is the last letter on the long side before the corner, you DO straighten at M before you go into the corner. In Second Level, test two, shoulder-in right is ridden from M (the first letter on the long side) to B (the middle letter on the long side.) Then, at B you make a half circle of 10 meters to the right. Since you will be riding directly into a 10-meter circle you would NOT straighten your horse. The shoulder-in left starts at F (also the first letter on the long side) and goes to B, followed directly by a half circle of 10 meters to the left. Again, since you go immediately into a half circle you do NOT straighten your horse. In Second Level, test three, the shoulder-in is ridden similarly to Second Level test two: the shoulder-in both directions goes immediately into a 10-meter circle, therefore you do NOT straighten your horse at the end of the movement. I hope this helps clarify things for you. Put on your sunscreen and sunglasses and have a wonderful ride.

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

Pastry and Polo

La Parisienne and La Bourgogne Story and Photography by Pam Gleason

iken is often praised as a small southern city with a cosmopolitan flair. That flair got quite a bit more French in 2020. This was when David Meunier, born in French wine country, brought his polo team, La Bourgogne, to Aiken Polo Club. Not only that, he also opened his bakery and restaurant, La Parisienne, on Chesterfield Street, a short walk from the center of Aiken. La Parisienne serves breakfast and lunch, sells French breads and pastries, brews espresso and imparts an authentic Parisian flavor to everything. “Everything here is as French as if you were in Paris,” he says, explaining that he made the restaurant more or less for himself. “There was nothing like this here. The only roots I keep of my country of origin, of France, is the food, and everywhere I go, I like to have French food. I thought, if it makes money that’s fantastic; if it loses money it’s less to pay in taxes.” La Parisienne opened in the summer of 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, not exactly an auspicious time to open a new restaurant anywhere. But despite this, the establishment has been a huge success, earning an immediate following among Aikenites who enjoy its casual atmosphere and European fare. In addition to breads and pastries, patrons can enjoy salads and soups, authentic French sandwiches (Croque Monsieur anyone?), crepes and omelettes. They can even purchase imported biscuits, jams and soft drinks from a mini French grocery. There is indoor and outdoor seating as well as a takeout area. Meunier’s equestrian connection is celebrated everywhere: a large screen television plays polo matches and the walls are decorated with action shots of local polo players and riders, many of them signed. This blends with a distinctly French atmosphere: even the radio plays a French station. David was born in Burgundy and grew up in Switzerland. As a young person, he started out on a career path to be a professional in the restaurant industry, studying to become a chef when he was just a teenager. But when he hit 18, he felt stifled by the isolation and hard work in the kitchen and craved more excitement and social stimulation. Already a rugby player and an active, athletic young man, he left the restaurant industry and became a professional racecar driver instead, competing as part of the Renault racing team and then running his own team for 10 years. His driving career exposed him to top sponsors and many business contacts and he eventually left racing to become an independent businessman. He started restaurants and invested in real estate, working hard and doing well. In the 1980s, he came to the United States, got married and started a family. Today, he has five children, a large real estate portfolio and a great deal of experience in the restaurant industry. He says that La Parisienne is the 53rd restaurant that he has started. Devoted to his businesses and his family, David did not have much time for recreation for several decades. But in 2017, his children were growing up and starting to leave home, and he once again craved excitement. This is when he decided to get seriously into polo. Back in the early 1990s, he had taken some polo lessons while living in California, so he did have a little polo background, but had not gotten seriously into the sport. Now he did: he was living in Florida, and lessons quickly turned into horse purchases and the establishment of the La Bourgogne team. Although his polo renaissance was hampered

April-May 2021

by injuries early on, he forged ahead, even considering purchasing the Sarasota Polo Club in Florida where he was playing. “I got bitten by the bug,” he says. In 2019, he came to Aiken, and right away he knew it was a place where he wanted to stay and play. His team had already established a yearly routine: in the winter, they would play in Sarasota; spring and fall they played at The Villages near Ocala; and in the summers they would relocate to the Skaneateles club in upstate New York. Luis Galvan, who is a polo professional based in Aiken but who plays in Sarasota in the winter and New York in the summer, had encouraged him to visit the city. “I came here one day in May, and I really loved it,” he says. “For a French guy who has been away for 31 years, coming here was like going home, going back to France. I liked the oak trees and the way they gather together on South Boundary, and I like the train that goes through town and blows the horn, and I love that sense of history. It felt like a French horse town, like Chantilly.” With his horses based in Sarasota, commuting back and forth to play in Aiken tournaments was out of the question. But it would make sense to buy property here and plan a longer sojourn. After staying in the city for a month or more at The Willcox (“It’s my second home,”) he bought a house in town and a large farm with a practice polo field in the 302 polo corridor. Today, his equestrian operation is based there, and his La Bourgogne team is getting ready for its second year at Aiken Polo Club. Meanwhile, David has plans to encourage his children to take up the sport so that they will all be able to play together. Ranging in age from 18 to 25, the Meunier offspring are mostly embarking on their own busy careers, but David is confident that they will join him eventually, especially since they are already riders. They just need to make the transition. One of his strategies was to build a beautiful jumping course on the Aiken farm. “I did that as a lure,” he says. “I put up the jumps so that they will come, and then once they are there I will say, come on, let’s play polo. It has already worked for one of them!” And it has. His daughter Olivia, 20, is currently a student at USC Aiken and has started playing with Tiger Kneece’s Aiken Youth Polo group. Looking to the future, David says he hopes to play in Aiken in the spring and fall, and is considering relocating here full time. He may even start another restaurant downtown, one that serves dinner with a Mediterranean influence and reasonable prices. As far as polo goes, he says he loves the sport because it is fast and gives him an adrenalin rush, but also because it is a gentleman’s game . . . and because of the horses. “I have always loved horses,” he says. “They are my friends. I buy horse cookies by the 50-pound bag. Sometimes I will go out to the field in the middle of the night, and it is dark and I can’t see anything. But I will whistle or shake the bucket of treats and I will hear them racing towards me. I love this. I love how affectionate they can be, and the way they smell. “I have friends who think that horses are like a car, and they can just show up and get on,” he continues. “But that is not how it should be. You have to be friends with them. You have to, because they can throw you out!”

The Aiken Horse

News & notes from page 10 pressure and in tight quarters. Cross country courses at both facilities were designed by Captain Mark Phillips, who is the former chef d’equipe of the eventing team; he was there and he watched each round carefully. Erik Duvander, who is the current performance director for the team, was also on hand, keeping his eagle eye on the course. This was the third annual Grand Prix Eventing Showcase held at Bruce’s Field. The first two were won by Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp riding Fernhill by Night in 2019 and Deniro Z in 2020. This year, Liz had some stiff competition from Tamie Smith, a member of the 2019 Pan Am Games gold-medal winning team. Tamie, aboard her Pan Am horse Mai Baum, had an impressive dressage score of 23.3 and jumped clear in the stadium. Liz was right behind her with 25.8 on Deniro Z and with 26.4 on Fernhill by Night. On cross country day, riders went in reverse order of standing, and Liz kept the pressure on with fast rounds on both of her horses. Tamie needed to go clear, but she could have afforded six full seconds over the time allowed and still come home with the prize. But she was in Aiken to impress, not just win. She left it all on the field, flying over the course to finish within the time and with all the honors. Halliday-Sharp was second and third with Deniro Z and Fernhill by Night respectively, as well as fifth with her third ride, Cooley Quicksilver. The Stableview CCI**** was another hotly contested competition over a big, forward-riding cross country course. Marilyn Little started the weekend on top with RF Scandalous on a superb 21.7 dressage score, maintained her lead through the stadium, and finished the cross country phase with 6.8 time faults. Phillip Dutton on Z stood in second place going into cross country, with 25.6 in dressage and a double clear in the stadium. No horse and rider combinations made it through the course without time faults, but Phillip came close with 3.2. This left him just .3 of a point behind Little, who took home the top prize. The main eventing action moves to Kentucky for the LandRover Kentucky Three Day Event, April 22-25. The short list for the Olympic team will come out directly after this, and a team of three riders and one reserve will be selected in June. (See our pictures from the Grand Prix and Stable View in section 2.)

TAH wins Maxwell Award

We are pleased to announce that The Aiken Horse was once again honored for excellence in reporting by the Dog Writers Association of America this February. Pam Gleason’s article Dog Rescue 2020: Hope in Hard Times, won the Maxwell award for the best story about dog rescue. The article described the rising popularity of rescue dogs during the height of the pandemic in the spring and summer of 2020, and how this averted an anticipated surge in shelter populations in the Southeast. The article was published in our August/September issue. 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 year, the awards were given out at a virtual banquet due to the pandemic. The Westminster Dog Show, which normally takes over Madison Square Garden on Valentine’s weekend, has been moved to Lyndhurst, a riverside estate in Westchester County, NY, which is owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The show will be held in June and the competition will be outdoors. This is the second time that the Aiken Horse has won a Maxwell award: last year, Pam’s article about the lifesaving work of Friends of the Animal Shelter Aiken (FOTAS) was also honored in the rescue category. In previous years, our sister publication The Dog and Hound (currently on publishing hiatus) won six Maxwell Awards, 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

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

YOUR EQUINE DESTINATION FOR QUALITY AND SERVICE FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS.

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The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

Selling on both sides of the Savannah River!

Gail Gingrey

/ gailgingreyteam

gailgingreyteam.com

Bethanne Farrell

Daniel Leonardi

Kessler Brassell

(803) 644-1724

a 501c3 non-proﬁt organization

Your Camden Showgrounds

Since 2009

I-20 Exit 101

288 STALLS WITH RUBBER MATS, 3 EXHIBIT RINGS WITH STATE OF THE ART FOOTING, 2 COVERED ARENAS, FANS, CATTLE PENS, GENEROUS SPACE FOR LUNGEING AND SCHOOLING, AND VENDOR AREA

Make a Mark on the Park!

We have some lofty goals for the Park and we are kicking off our “Make a Mark on the Park” campaign! We would love for you to join us. NAME A STALL We will provide the name plaque to honor your horse.

Reach out to us via PM on FB to discuss this highly affordable option. We also have tons of other options for you, like NAME A BARN. We would love to see our visitors showcased across the property! Thanks for moving the Park forward. We look forward to seeing you ringside!

April 2-4 April 9-11 April 16-18 April 23-25 Apr 30-May 2 May 21-23 May 28-30 June 4-6

SCDCTA Show Progressive Show Jumping Palmetto Paint Horse Club SC Quarter Horse Association Palmetto Paint Horse Club Camden Spring Classic H/J SC Quarter Horse Association Camden Classic H/J

Please contact your show manager with questions about their event.

For Booking Information 803-983-0366 info@scequinepark.com

Dates Subject to Change

443 Cleveland School Rd Camden SC 29020

scequinepark.com April-May 2021

Camden SC I-20 Exit 101 The Aiken Horse

Now Available

Offered through New Bridge Realty

2021 Spring Polo Schedule

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

Rare Opportunity to Own One of the Largest Barns in New Bridge Centrally Located Property in Close Proximity to Amenities Paloma Farm: $695,000 This is a rare opportunity to own one of the largest barns in New Bridge Polo Club. Situated on 28.52 acres and close to Field #3, clubhouse, swimming pool and clay tennis court. Spacious 16-stall barn with 12x12 stalls and 16-foot wide center aisle. Separate feed room with sliding door perfect for deliveries. Nicely laid out two bedroom apartment offers housing for caretakers or owners. Large, detached storage building for hay and equipment. Four generous paddocks.

Premium Location Provides Easy Access to Amenities Most Desirable Area of New Bridge

USPA Regional President’s Cup 8 Goal April 28 - May 16, 2021 Pete Bostwick Memorial 8 Goal May 19 - June 6, 2021 Tommy Hitchcock Memorial 8 Goal Single Elimination June 7 - 13, 2021

Serenity Farm: $225,000

About New Bridge UNDER CONTRACT

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

Serenity Farm is 6.85 acres located in the most desirable area of New Bridge Polo & Country Club. The parcel is perimeter fenced with well and electric. Shade trees abound, the entire parcel is high, dry and usable. The northern property line runs parallel to the exercise track. The Clubhouse, clay tennis court and pool are only a stroll away. This lot provides an easy hack for the polo ponies to the practice field.

New Bridge is an 860-acre gated equestrian community nestled among rolling pasture lands on New Bridge Road just 15 minutes from downtown Aiken, South Carolina. Born from the excitement, intensity and tradition of polo, New Bridge is the home of New Bridge Polo & Country Club and of Aiken Youth Polo. It embraces equestrians of all disciplines as well as those who simply love the outdoors.

Now booking weddings and special events at the New Bridge Clubhouse! Call Katie at (803) 341-8800

The centerpiece of New Bridge Polo & Country Club is a rustic, colonial-style clubhouse, made of century-old wood from Argentina. It is a unique special occasion rental facility available year-round for weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, parties and meetings. With both indoor and outdoor spaces, expansive front and back porches, and a second floor balcony, the clubhouse offers 1,700 square feet of flexible space, including a window-filled bar with stunning views of championship Field #1.

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The Aiken Horse

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.

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

Not our first rodeo.

BRIDLE CREEK EQUESTR I AN COMMUN I T Y

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.

Inside 38 41 42 48 50 54 58

Grant Seger Sporthorses Ride of Her Life Smokeway Farm Grand Prix Eventing Stable View CCI**** Secret Lives: Utah Evolution of New Bridge

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

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April-May 2021

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The Aiken Horse

S TA B L E V I E W HUNTER JUMPER CHALLENGE April 14-18 July 1-4

July 29-August 1

September 30-October 3 H U N T E R B R AT I N G , L E V E L 3 J U M P E R S

The 2021 Stable View Hunter/Jumper Series will offer $175,000 in prize money, and an ADDITIONAL

$100,000 in year-end bonus. This means a total of $275,000 at stake through four shows this year! Prize money will be distributed between four shows. Bonus money will be based on points earned throughout the year in Welcome, Grand Prix, Classic, Hunter Derby, and Thoroughbred divisions. Additionally, votes will be cast for Groom of the Year and Junior Sportsmanship Awards.

117 Stable Drive • Aiken S H O W P R I Z E L I S T S A R E A V A I L A B L E : www.stableviewfarm.com

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

DFG STABLES AIKEN, SC - OCALA, FL

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April-May 2021

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The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

Grant Seger Sport Horses

Bringing Top Jumper Business to Aiken By Nancy Johnson. Photography by Gary Knoll

ow does a young couple balance caring for their two pre-school children with managing a busy stable of competitive show jumpers along with frequent horse buying trips to Europe? Grant Seger, 29, replies, “Horses and kids are both 24/7. So, really, we just go from one to the other as needed.” The boys go along with their mom and dad to all the horse shows. “We just pack them up and go. They don’t know any different.” Rebekah Seger smiles at Grant’s description of their hectic, but happy lifestyle. The mother of Mason, 4, and Henry, 1, explains, “We work well together – in the barn and with the kids. It’s the only way we can do it.” Grant and Rebekah own and operate Grant Seger Sport Horses, a successful training and importing business that focuses on show jumpers. The business got started in Corpus Christi, Texas, the Segers’ home town. In 2020, Grant and Rebekah relocated their home and their business to Aiken and have been establishing a niche for themselves in Aiken’s vibrant equestrian world ever since.

Reunited by Horses

Grant and Rebekah met briefly as children when they rode at the same barn. Years later, Rebekah ran into Grant’s father, Bernard, a competitive amateur owner jumper rider. “He told me ‘Choo Choo,’ which was Grant’s nickname as a kid, was coming home for the summer. I pictured the cute little boy I knew when he was 10 and I was 12,” she reminisces with a grin. By this time, Grant was a junior in college, and quite grown up. “His dad basically fixed us up.” After Grant and Rebekah reunited, Grant got back into horses in a big way. “I was studying business with an entrepreneurial focus, not knowing what I really wanted to do,” Grant says. His rekindled love of horses showed him a clear path, and in 2014, he and Rebekah set out to establish a hunter/jumper stable in Corpus Christi. “It’s not easy to start in the horse business,” Grant emphasizes. At the beginning, he did everything from cleaning the stalls to teaching lessons. “We worked so hard to bankroll this whole thing,” Grant says. “We saved every penny; even sold Rebekah’s car to have enough money so I could go to Europe and buy one horse. . . We just built it from there.” Along with training clients at their farm, Grant and Rebekah, who married in 2015, began buying more sales horses, predominantly in Europe. Their client base expanded quickly as it became apparent Grant not only could find, but also train young jumpers from Europe. He took that first horse he bought, Cantucchini, from a hot 4-year-old that had never been to a show, to being a solid competitor in FEI two-stars. “We call him Leo,” Grant says fondly. “I sold him to a client, but he’s still in our barn and is one of my best buddies.” Although Grant and Rebekah built a solid business in Corpus Christi, they determined that to keep the business and family in balance, a change would be necessary. “We always knew we would eventually need to move; even though we loved Texas and had built a great business there,” Grant says. “It was just so much traveling to the shows. It really took a toll on me as well as the horses.” And so they began to look for a new location for Grant Seger Sport Horses.

Aiken’s Allure

“I happened to see some photos on Facebook of the Aiken Spring Charity Show at Bruce’s Field and was very intrigued,” Grant says. “We were familiar with Aiken, but had no idea there was such a great facility right there.” They flew up to see the area within a week. “We just fell in love with it, so we added some Aiken shows to our schedule,” Rebekah says. “We wound up spending about three weeks here getting to know the town, the restaurants and shops as well as the horse facilities. It just solidified everything and made our decision easy.”

April-May 2021

In January of 2020, they moved into a stately home situated on 50 acres about 15 minutes from downtown. There are currently 14 stalls, with construction of a new 16-stall barn to begin soon. Numerous paddocks and a large outdoor arena complete the training facility. Grant relies on Rebekah as his ground person at home and as well as at the big shows. “She knows the horses as good as anyone,” he says. “She is also a beautiful rider and will be competing again when the kids are just a little bit older.” Most of their owners and sponsors from Texas have sent their horses to Aiken with Grant and Rebekah and some have even moved to Aiken themselves. “We’ve added some local clients that we train and it’s really a nice tight-knit group,” Grant says. Since moving to Aiken, Grant has been showing several very promising jumpers. “Dr. J is probably my best horse at the moment,” he says. He recently finished 12th in a $75,000 Grand Prix in Ocala and was 11th in the recent $100,000 Split Rock Grand Prix here in Aiken. Cantucchini has also begun competing in Grand Prixes.

The Business of Buying

Grant admits that while his favorite aspect of their business is showing, importing horses is paramount to Grant Seger Sport Horses. “We take the buying part of our business very seriously and treat everyone’s money like it is our own. It’s not so stressful for the client, but it is for us.” Over the years, Grant and Rebekah have developed excellent contacts in Europe, particularly one close friend who is constantly looking for them. Their buying trips vary depending on their customers’ needs. “There have been years when I went over five or six times and other years I only went once. Obviously, with COVID, I wasn’t able to go at all this past year,” he explains. However, that didn’t deter them. “We imported six or seven horses this past year,” Grant begins, “But to buy them without trying them, you have to really stay inside your comfort zone.” Typically, when Grant goes to Europe, he will try horses at farms in some remote places. “You can find some really good horses like that,” he says. But recently without being able to ride the horses himself, Grant has relied on connections that he knows and trusts. “It’s harder, but we’ve been able to make it work.” The vast majority of horses they import are from Germany, primarily because Germany has an easily accessible database of horses’ records and videos. “Amazing horses come from Holland and other places, but it’s a lot easier and safer for us to do our homework on the German horses,” he says. While they do still look for horses in the United States, Grant believes that they can do better importing. “I call it wholesale as opposed to retail. For some people importing is overwhelming, but we’ve done it so much.” The whole process of buying a horse overseas and having it delivered stateside usually takes less than a month, including quarantine. Grant says that a good mind is the most important quality he looks for in any horse. “Whether it’s for me or a client, without a good mind, at some point it will catch up with you.” He typically buys horses that are around 7. “We find that we get so much more bang for our buck going a little bit younger.” Grant prides himself on his patience with the horses. “There’s no time frame on the horses; they decide that themselves. There is no comparing one horse and how it develops, to another,” he explains, adding, “Owners need an ongoing reminder of that!” “Grant really loves what he does. He loves riding and he loves the horses,” Rebekah says. “He is intrigued with their individual personalities and figuring out how to keep each horse happy. He will always choose the horse over his ego.” “I always say horses don’t have to do this,” Grant adds. “All of my horses love to jump, but they have to continue to love it. That’s my job.” Find more information see the website, grantsegersporthorses.com, Facebook, and Instagram or call 361-249-1606.

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April-May 2021

The Ride of Her Life A True Story of Endurance By Pam Gleason

n the fall of 1954, Annie Wilkins, a small-time farmer in Minot, Maine, seemed to have nowhere to go. She was 63 years old and had no family. She owed back taxes on her farm, and she was so sick with an unidentified recurring lung complaint that the doctor had given her at most two years to live and had advised her to “live restfully.” He suggested that she move into the county poor house for her remaining days. But Annie was not ready to give up. Instead, she sold the family farm to pay the back taxes, purchased a middle aged former camp horse, loaded him with what remained of her possessions and rode West on horseback. Her goal was to escape the Maine winters, go to California and live out her mother’s fantasy of seeing the Pacific Ocean. Although this may have seemed like an unlikely quest, it is exactly what she did: She, her horse Tarzan and her dog Depeche Toi made it across the state line into California not much more than a year later. In April, 1956, they arrived in Los Angeles where they appeared on the Art Linkletter show. Not only did she manage to get to California, Annie had become a minor celebrity along the way. She was featured in newspapers and on television, and she became a hero in her hometown of Minot. In addition, she emphatically did not have just two years to live. In fact, she lived to see her 88th birthday. The Ride of Her Life is the story of Annie’s journey across America: where she went, what she saw along the way, and what she overcame. It was written by Elizabeth Letts, the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Eighty Dollar Champion (about the showjumper Snowman) and The Perfect Horse (about the rescue of the Lipizzaners at the Spanish Riding School during World War II.) Like Elizabeth’s earlier books, this is a story with horses at its center, and a fair amount of social history woven throughout. It follows Annie through a changing America, from small towns to big cities, where technology is rapidly advancing, and yet there is still much that has remained the same. “I was really interested in long distance riding in general,” said Elizabeth when asked why she decided to write about Annie. “Originally I had thought I might want to do a story about an endurance race, but I came across Annie’s story, and she just struck my fancy. There was something about who she was: in her 60s, working class, not very well educated, and never really having done anything too bold in her life. And then, off she went. There have been times in my life I thought about doing something like that, but didn’t. I first read about her years ago, and I couldn’t get her story out of my mind. So I set out to see if there was more I could find out about her journey.” It turned out that there was quite a bit more material out there. First, there was Annie’s memoir, called The Last of the Saddle Tramps, which she wrote with the help

April-May 2021

of Mina Titus Sawyer in 1967. Then there were scores of articles published in small and large newspapers across the country – when Annie arrived somewhere, it was news. There were postcards that she sent home to people in Maine and to those she met on her journey. Finally there were people who remembered her staying with them along her way, though fewer of those than Elizabeth had hoped – and most of the ones she found were children when Annie rode through. Annie also kept copious diaries, but unfortunately none of those survived. Some of the main sources for the story turned out to be less reliable than they had seemed at first. For instance, in some cases the people Annie mentioned in her book were real, but in other cases, she must have changed their names, or made them up entirely. And yet, using the book and newspaper articles as a guide, Elizabeth was able to retrace Annie’s steps. To get a better idea of what the journey was like, she went on EBay and purchased period road maps, which were all Annie had to guide her. She traveled much of Annie’s route by car, not all at once, but in chunks. Elizabeth said that there were a few things that stuck out to her when writing the book. One was the relationship that that Annie had with her horses, which was purely intuitive and not mediated by training or instruction. “My other two horse-related books were both written about highly skilled equestrians. Annie had a really different relationship with her horses, one I feel maybe is a little more typical of the way a lot of people experience their animals. She came at this relationship purely as a lay person. She had no specialized knowledge about horses – what you should do, how you should handle them, load them up, or how far they could go. I was interested in how she managed. You would think that a lot of what she did wouldn’t work, or not according to the Pony Club manual that I was trained in.” Another thing was how much the world was changing during the year of Annie’s ride, and how much of that change was tied to the development of the highway system across America. The Federal Highway Act was in the offing (it passed in 1956), and the creation of the interstate system marked the end of an era. “The highway now is a permanent fixture,” said Elizabeth. “I didn’t appreciate before that the highway system was a change force. Annie was on the cusp of change, and she passed through the world just before it became something else. Being rural and limited to the small confines of where she lived, she was still a part of an earlier time. This was at the end of an America made of small towns connected by rural roads that took you from one small town to the next small town. She didn’t know that. When she decided to ride a horse from Maine to California, she didn’t know how improbable it was.” The Ride of Her Life is a story about adventure and about America in the 1950s. It is also a story of endurance, though not the kind of endurance that Elizabeth had initially planned to write about. “Annie’s father’s motto was keep on going until you get there,” said Elizabeth. “What I drew from her story was, here’s this women who seemed to have no possibilities in her life, and yet she seemed to somehow just keep going. This ability to endure was very meaningful to me. She was an ordinary person whose story would not normally be told, but she does teach this lesson of faithfulness and perseverance. She had a life that would not have been special, except for the way that she conducted herself, and for her ability to endure and to just keep going.” The Ride of Her Life is published by Ballantine Books and will be available in June 2021.

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April-May 2021

Smokeway Farm

Breeding Amateur Friendly Horses

By Nancy Johnson, Photography by Gary Knoll “Lots of people have seen horses I’ve bred, but no one knows me,” Lisa Lutz says. “I like being a background player and am much more comfortable with horses than people.” Lisa, who is the owner of Smokeway Farm and Horse Motel in Santee, S.C., specializes in breeding draft crosses as riding horses. “Draft crosses are very useful. People can have fun on them, and they can still go in the show ring,” she says. She explains that her goal is to produce amateurfriendly youngsters as opposed to upper-level horses. “There are a whole lot more amateurs out there than professionals. We want our horses to have the brains, but still be athletic enough to be competitive for an amateur. “I have to sell what I breed, so I am very picky about my mares,” she continues. Her current band of broodmares includes a 3-year-old purebred Percheron filly that will be bred this year for her first time, two Percheron/Thoroughbred mares, a Belgian/Thoroughbred mare, and a Holsteiner mare. Lisa is expecting five foals this year; a bit more than her typical two or three. She’s excited to see these babies, which will be the third crop for her current stallion Arnold. He is three quarters Thoroughbred and one quarter Oldenberg, and his first two crops are very impressive. “They are all super movers and have easy-going dispositions,” she says, explaining that the stallion has an excellent pedigree. “He’s a great grandson of the renowned stallion Rainbow and people keep telling me he should have a fancier name, but he’s just Arnold! “I like to have enough time to play with the babies and put a foundation on them,” Lisa says. “I don’t mess with them a lot when they are being raised by their moms – I figure that’s probably the only four months of their lives when they can just be horses. If they come over to me in the field and want to be scratched, that is fine, but I am not going to force it.” Once they are weaned, Lisa puts her foals through what she calls “baby boot camp” where they are halter broken, learn to tie, are vacuumed and clipped. “I usually wean them when it starts to get hot and begins to bother the mares, about four and a half months,” she says. Lisa has a long background breeding and raising young horses. Her stepfather started the original Smokeway Farm in Maryland many years ago. She begins her description of the business by explaining the origin of the name. “My stepfather’s nickname was ‘Smoke’ and he always said he did things his way or no way – so logically, he named it Smokeway,” she says. “We did Quarter Horses for years and years,” she says. They mostly sold moderately priced family horses for trail riding and local shows. When the Quarter Horse market crashed, Smoke saw another opportunity with draft crosses, so he began breeding and selling them instead. “My stepfather was very good at following the money trail,” she says with a laugh. Smoke, Lisa, and her mother moved to Santee in 1997 where they continued breeding and raising horses. When Smoke passed away in 2009, he was just about to get out of the horse business completely. His new plan was to raise beefalo, a cross between an American bison and a domestic cow. He had made a deal to buy a small herd to start his breeding program, but after his death, the seller allowed Lisa and her mother to cancel the agreement. Lisa always wanted to stay in the horse business, and to continue concentrating on draft crosses. “That’s all I knew,” she says. Over the years, she added some new broodmares and tried different stallions, producing horses that are a bit more refined than those that Smokeway bred in the beginning. “It’s just me and mom doing everything on the farm; and some very good neighbors if I need a hand with something like holding a mare to breed,” Lisa says. “Mom is 78 and refers to herself as the barn crew. She doesn’t handle the horses anymore, but is a great help scrubbing water

April-May 2021

buckets and cleaning stalls.” Lisa says that two Aiken professionals are intrinsic to producing and selling the nice young draft crosses from Smokeway. “Sara Hansel starts the babies for me. She takes one at a time and just does a super job with them.” Sara, whose talents also include riding racehorses, is a big fan of the horses Lisa produces. “Lisa breeds big, attractive horses, but honestly the best part about them are their amazing brains,” she says. Sara also praises the groundwork Lisa does with the young horses. “She does an incredible job with them as youngsters and exposes them to so much that by the time they come to me, backing them is usually a non-event.” The other important professional relationship Lisa has is with the trainer Sarah Morris. Sarah has been selling horses for Smokeway Farm for 30 years. Sarah relays the story of how she met Smoke and Lisa. “Daniel Geitner [now a local professional] was my student, and he was showing at Devon in the Junior Jumpers. His mother mentioned she was looking for a draft cross for herself. I picked up a flyer advertising one that looked cute. Since there was a long break between classes, we all piled in the car and drove to Maryland. She bought the horse; as well as a few more from Smoke over the years.” Sarah sold many horses for Smoke and Lisa, both from her farm in Connecticut and later here in Aiken after she moved South. She recalls several that went on to big careers. Bermuda’s Gold, a mare that was ridden by MJ Tumbridge of the Bermuda eventing team, won the Pan Am Games and also contested at the Olympics. Another was Bruce Davidson’s Young Lad that he competed through Preliminary. “Lisa is big on movement, nice heads, and straight legs,” Sarah notes, adding, “She handles the horses well and the groundwork is solid. I always know that they will stand to clip, stand to shoe, and load in the trailer. These horses are pleasant to have. It’s been a long, fun relationship and my clients have reaped the benefits by getting these nice horses.” Lisa is the first to admit that breeding and raising young horses is a tough business. “You don’t do it for the money,” she says. “I just love seeing my babies go on and become productive. It’s important that they have a job and are successful at it.” She says most of her customers stay in contact with her and she always looks forward to getting updates. Contact Lisa at 803-759-0331 to discuss available young draft crosses or to arrange a visit to Smokeway Farm.

Horse Motel for Overnight Accommodations

The horse motel has been part of Smokeway Farm for years, though it has always been low key and is very seasonal. “We are in what is considered the ‘golden triangle’ of the state. Right in between Routes 95, 26, and 301, so we can pull off both interstates that head towards Florida,” Lisa explains. “Right now, we are getting a lot of polo teams as we are about halfway between their summer homes and Wellington. They often bring 14 or 15 horses at a time.” Lisa gets a lot of repeat business – some have been coming regularly for 10 years or more. “We have a big field where we can park tractor trailers, so we get the Wells Fargo horse teams. Some, like the polo people, just want paddocks and will turn five out together. Horse show people, of course, want stalls. We are able to accommodate both types of equine guests.”

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Grand Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park

Photography by Pam Gleason & Gary Knoll

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Secret Lives of Horses Utah – Loving his Low-Key Life

By Nancy Johnson, photography by Gary Knoll

eeing the horse Utah out in the big pasture at Jane McDonald and Cameron MacLeod’s Kinova Farm in Aiken, you might think how nice it is that he and his buddies are enjoying their golden years. You would probably never guess that he earned over $400,000 as a Grand Prix show jumper with the Olympic gold medalist Leslie Burr Howard in the irons. A 2001 bay gelding, Utah was imported from Europe by the Canadian rider Mac Cone and shortly thereafter Leslie Burr Howard and her husband Peter bought him. According to Leslie, his sire was the renowned Dutch stallion Andiamo, so obviously he was bred for a showjumping career. Leslie thinks he most likely showed at the lower levels a bit in Europe before he came to America, but Leslie was the only one to compete him in FEI classes. Some of his Grand Prix wins over an 8-year career include the $31,000 McDaniel & Associates Cup, the $60,000 Great-West Life Cup in Canada, the $50,000 Boston Equestrian Cup, and the $75,000 HORZE Grand Prix. Leslie believes one of her biggest accomplishments with Utah was finishing fourth in the 2012 Spruce Meadows Masters Nations Cup. “It’s the richest Grand Prix in the World!” she says. That fourthplace ribbon carried a $99,946 purse. “Utah was always very quirky, both to ride and work around,” says Leslie. “You never knew what he would do next, but he was always very sweet.” Utah’s career in the jumper ring began with the Seven-Year- Old Jumper classes in 2008 and then quickly progressed to Grand Prix Jumpers, where he continued to compete through 2016. In his final year of showing, Utah won the $75,000 HORZE Equestrian Grand Prix at HITS on the Hudson (NY) as well as the $25,000 Grand Prix of Princeton (NJ.) Utah probably could have gone on showing, but Leslie and Peter decided he had had a long, successful career and did right by the horse, retiring him at the end of 2016. He had no soundness issues, but because of his quirkiness, Leslie did not feel he would be suited to step down to be an amateur or junior mount. Utah came to Aiken because of Jane McDonald’s relationship with Leslie Burr Howard. “I knew Jane very well, as she managed my barn, Burr Associates, and ever since she and Cam went out on their own, I have been sending my retirees to them as I trust the expert care they both give them,” says Leslie. Jane McDonald laughs when she talks about the 20-year-old Dutch Warmblood and the others in the big pasture. “Along with Utah, we’ve got Moondoggie, another of Leslie’s former Grand Prix horses, McLain Ward’s Cloudy, and Neiman who was an event horse. Can you imagine the conversations between them?” Jane says that she did not know Utah while he was competing because she had moved to Aiken in 2006, before he came into Leslie’s stable. “I didn’t know him in his showing days, but I do know he was a bit of a favorite of Leslie’s and I’m glad she entrusted us with Utah’s retirement care.” At their farm in Oakwood Plantation just outside of Aiken, Jane and Cameron break and train young horses, do sales, have some hunt horses, and compete in both jumpers and eventing. They both say they enjoy having the retirees there as well. “You can tell that Utah is happy in his retirement with his best friend Moondoggie,” Cameron says. “On a quiet day we’ll go out to their big field and just hang out a bit with Utah and his friends. He always comes right over to visit and have treats. “He loves peppermints and carrots, but he’ll eat anything when it

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comes to treats!” Jane adds. “Utah has been with us almost four years,” she continues. “When Moondoggie came, about a year after Utah, they immediately became besties. I am quite sure they remembered one another.” Jane recalls that when Utah first came to them directly from showing in Wellington, he went through a bit of an adjustment period. They kept him in a stall at night and turned him out during the day for about a month to ease him into a new lifestyle. “Now if he has to be in the barn for any period of time, he makes it clear that he definitely misses his friends,” she explains. “He screams like he’s saying, ‘Let me out!’ which is funny because he was such a show horse when he came and not used to being out a lot, but now he hates being in.” Jane says Utah is easy-going in the field, enjoys hanging out with his friends, yet still loves attention and to be groomed. “In the summer months he is content to be out of the sun in his run-out shed; in fact, he’ll stay in there all day and come out in the evening when it gets cool. If he’s not in the shed, you will find him with three quarters of his head stuck into a big bale of orchard-alfalfa hay.” A few years ago, Leslie did a clinic in Aiken, and of course, she came to see Utah and Moondoggie. They have also had visits from Ashley Partow, who up until recently was Leslie’s barn manager and cared for the horses when they were competing. “It’s fun having a horse like Utah retired with us,” says Jane. “He so deserves this nice, easy life in his senior years.”

April-May 2021

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April-May 2021

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April-May 2021

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The Evolution of New Bridge From Turnout Pasture to New Bridge Life By Katie Roth, Photos by Shelley Schmidt & Gary Knoll

iken is an equestrian wonderland. Horses are, literally, everywhere here. Racehorses, foxhunters, polo ponies, show jumpers, carriage horses – all have had a steady presence as a part of life in Aiken, each enjoying their time in the limelight as one discipline enjoys popularity among the others over the years. And recently, some new disciplines have joined the list, cementing Aiken’s status as a horse town. Just as Aiken has grown and evolved, the residential communities within Aiken have also progressed to keep up with the changing times. Most notable are the equestrian residential communities. These communities are popular because they allow their members to enjoy the benefits of living in a neighborhood with fellow equestrians and they come with communal equestrian amenities. It’s often said that equestrian community buyers are not only buying a home, they’re buying a lifestyle. At one time, there were over 40 equestrian communities in Aiken. Some flourished and some closed down. They’ve come in all shapes and sizes, either catering to one specific discipline or to them all. A community that has adapted its master plan to align with the changing equestrian trends in Aiken is New Bridge Polo & Country Club, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. The story behind this community is that the original intent was not to build a community at all. Russ McCall, a Long Island native and Atlanta businessman, began his polo career later in life at the age of 52. He credits the widely known Jack Cashin of Chukkar Farm in Alpharetta, Georgia with his initial introduction to the sport. Before long, McCall outgrew his Atlanta polo roots to seek higher goal polo in Aiken. McCall began growing his string of polo ponies, triggering the need to search for turnout pasture. In a few short years, the land he and his teammate and partner Matias Magrini settled on for this simple purpose would become New Bridge Polo Club, one of the most prominent polo clubs on the East Coast. The tract they bought on New Bridge Road was wooded, mostly with pine trees. Along with turnout, Russ also decided he would like to build polo fields for practice. “Magrini and I had some areas of small pines timbered to build fields 1, 2 and 3. I wanted these fields to be everything I had ever dreamed of; consistent footing across every inch, wide open spaces on the sides and endzones, the best turf to play on and the most beautiful fields anyone had seen,” said McCall. “Magrini took me to Argentina, where I saw that polo clubs are gated for security and residents live fieldside, experiencing the polo lifestyle daily, including post-match asados [barbecues]. It was different than anything I had seen in the United States,” said McCall. This is where the concept for New Bridge was born. “I wanted to emulate the camaraderie, the organic, holistic environment, the lifestyle, love of sport and the safety and security I felt while inside the gated clubs in Argentina.” Like the clubs in Argentina, New Bridge is also protected for the privacy and security of its residents and their horses. Fencing provides protection on New Bridge Road along with entrance gates. Shaw’s Creek borders the back of the property, and Joyce Branch and Clearwater Branch provide natural borders along the other two sides. New Bridge began as a residential equestrian community for polo. Cottage-style bungalows were situated on residential lots lining Field 1, and larger estate lots were available for custom homes and horse friendly estates. The majority of the first residents were polo players. With five polo fields and spring and fall tournament seasons, the polo club quickly began building a strong reputation, hosting numerous prestigious tournaments over the years, such as the USPA Gold Cup® in 2005 and 2006, as well as the USPA Monty Waterbury Cup from 2008-

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2010, and the prestigious USPA Silver Cup. Some of the best players in the world galloped over its fields in those high-flying days when medium and high goal polo were common in Aiken. During the polo off-season in the winter and summer months, riders from other disciplines slowly began to claim their own little piece of New Bridge life. Three day eventers discovered New Bridge and many of them rented barns within the community during the winter season; so did showjumping riders. In the summer, Aiken Driving Club held drives on the dirt roads. Like Aiken itself, New Bridge evolved to accommodate horsemen of all types, always retaining its own, Argentine-inspired ambiance. The past five years have seen a shift in equestrian activities in Aiken. Eventers and foxhunters who came for the winter began staying into the spring and summer. More dressage riders moved to town. With the addition of top-notch facilities such as Stable View and the Aiken Horse Park, there are more recognized and schooling three-day and dressage shows available on a regular basis. The complexion of disciplines that make up Aiken’s equestrian society has broadened. And there is more and more crossover of equestrians riding in more than one discipline. Russ McCall recognized this trend and expanded New Bridge amenities to accommodate more riding disciplines. The main barn, which was originally his own polo barn, was renovated into The Stables, a multi-discipline, 24-stall, full-service boarding facility. He also added a 30,000 square foot all-weather GGT jumping arena, a regulation size allweather GGT dressage arena, and individual turnout paddocks – show horses, unlike polo ponies, don’t generally live together. “We have horses of all breeds and disciplines here,” said Amanda Wilson who is the manager of The Stables. “What they do in the arenas may differ, but everyone enjoys hacking around the neighborhood together. They have horses in common, and they all just want to enjoy them.” Although high goal polo has transitioned to medium goal polo in recent years, the sport has seen new growth at New Bridge. In 2018, an arena was constructed as part of a partnership with Aiken Youth Polo (AYP) to support and promote the growth of interscholastic and intercollegiate polo in the Southeast region. AYP has had a full slate of tournament and practice games, as well as youth instruction at its new home base. The arena is also home to the University of South Carolina Aiken Pacers men’s and women’s intercollegiate teams. It provides an opportunity for people of all ages to learn to play polo in a safe environment. The residents who call New Bridge home are still often polo players, but now there are also dressage riders, three-day eventers, retirees, young families and non-horse owners. It is a community that spans diverse ages and nationalities. “I am very pleased with the way we have grown over the past 20 years. Our evolution has been a gradual maturation, much like a fine wine. New Bridge continues to get better and better with age,” said Russ McCall. Katie Roth handles PR and sponsorship at New Bridge Polo and Country Club and is the editor of their annual magazine.

April-May 2021

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Chain of Foals

Raising Racehorses for the Rest of Us By Pam Gleason

f you have ever dreamed of breeding your own racehorse, then Chain of Foals is a book you should read. The book is Susan Walsh’s first person account of how she and her husband Jim started their own racehorse breeding program on a whim, and ended up producing a chain of 15 foals over almost three decades. Although Susan and Jim did not win the Kentucky Derby, or make a million dollars, all of the horses they bred got to the racetrack, eleven started in a race and several were quite successful, including one stakes-winner that was voted the best 3-year-old in New England by the New England Turf Writer’s Association. The book tells the story of the horses that Susan and Jim raised, chronicling their lives from foaling to the racetrack and beyond. It is not a how-to or a cautionary tale. Rather, it is an example of how ordinary horse people can get involved in the glamorous world of horse racing and hold their own. Why did Susan Walsh decide to write this book? “I thought it would be an interesting story,” she said in a phone interview. “Especially for people who thought it would be fun to raise a racehorse, because we didn’t just raise them, we had one of everything possible that could have gone wrong or right.” In the grand scheme of things, Susan and Jim’s racing story sounds a bit unlikely. Susan grew up in Andover, Massachusetts as one of three horse-crazy girls in a five-sister family. She and her other horsy siblings used to ride their bicycles to the Andover Riding Academy where you could rent a horse for 75 cents for half an hour. “You didn’t need any fancy equipment, or any permission,” she said. “We would just show up, give them the 75 cents and go riding. My father was very nice: he made sure that my allowance was the same as renting a horse.” When Susan was 15, she saw the Kentucky Derby on television, which sparked her interest in racing. Soon she was cutting the racing articles out of her father’s Sports Illustrated magazines. One day, her sister smuggled her into the racetrack at Rockingham, not far away over the New Hampshire line, and she was hooked for good. Horses took a back seat to education, and Susan went on to college at Wellesley and then to Harvard for graduate school. She got a job teaching Latin at a small private elementary-middle school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the summers, she worked at a girls’ riding camp in Vermont. The summer between Wellesley and Harvard, she met her husband Jim, who was a lawyer born and raised in a Cambridge. “I don’t think he had ever used the word ‘horse’ in a sentence,” said Susan. Nevertheless, after they were married they moved to North Andover, where they rented a cottage on a small horse farm. Susan had her own horse, an OTTB, and she soon realized that she need to get her husband interested in some aspect of equestrianism. Taking him to the races at Rockingham was a start. Then, she happened to hear about a pregnant Thoroughbred mare that was for sale, and she thought raising a racehorse together would be the next logical step. “I didn’t know what I didn’t know,” she said. “I didn’t know how tricky it was, and that millionaires have tried doing it and failed.” And so they bought the mare, an unraced but beautiful creature named Tenny Peche, who was in foal to a stallion named Millstone. For the second part of the adventure, Susan took a summer job as a hotwalker, and then later as a groom at Rockingham so that she could learn more about the racing industry. Their first filly, Sin Mill, was healthy and correct, and

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Susan did all her early breaking and training herself. Jim constructed a mock starting gate on the farm. When the time came, Sin Mill went to Rockingham where she was trained by Susan’s boss, and Susan herself was the groom. Although this first filly did not become a champion racehorse, she raced, and she even won in her third start. “Seeing our little homebred filly racing down the stretch in the lead and crossing the wire a winner was one of the highlights of our lives,” she wrote. “If people could know that euphoric feeling, everyone in America would own part of a racehorse; there is no feeling like it.” And so began the Walsh’s adventure in racing. Susan eventually got her trainer’s license, and trained her own horses, while still teaching Latin in Cambridge. They had horses with long careers and with short ones; stakes winners and horses that had no interest in racing. They had easy horses and quirky ones, including a stakes winner with a reputation as the greatest stall walker of all time. They bred multiple generations from their own mares, and even their own stallion. And they did all of this without being wealthy, and without even owning their own farm. In the final years of their breeding operation, Susan had become a racetrack steward, and so could no longer train horses at the tracks where she presided. Today, all the racetracks in New England have closed, and so it doesn’t make sense to keep breeding racehorses. But Susan says that she treasures her memories. “I can’t even describe how wonderful it was,” she said, giving the highest praise to the professionals at every level that she met on the racetrack. “One of the horses I have now is about to turn 30, and I have had that horse every single day of her life. The first thing that she saw when she opened her eyes was me. She’s 30 years old now, and she had a nice little career, and now she’s retired. Money can’t buy that; you can’t replace that. “The best thing about racing is seeing your horse win,” she continued. “The horses know when they’ve won, and they’re so proud. It’s just wonderful. It’s a wonderful sport. Every spring at about this time, I get the urge to breed somebody!” Chain of Foals, published by Pear Tree Publishing, is available in Amazon.com

The Aiken Horse

Remembering Aiken’s Horsemen Seymour Knox, Passionate Sportsman

By Pam Gleason, Photos Courtesy of Linda Knox Mclean & The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame

eymour Knox II first encountered polo in the summer of 1921 when a college friend lent him a horse to stick and ball at the Lake Shore Hunt Club in Derby, New York. He was 22 years old at the time and a recent graduate of Yale, where he had been the captain of the squash team. Athletic, competitive, and a horse lover, he was instantly bitten by the bug and decided “to give it a good try and find out if I could play,” according to one of his memoirs. It turned out that he certainly could play. In a polo career that spanned half a century, he played in many of the most prestigious tournaments in the United States, including the US Open, in which his Aurora team made the finals three times and won once. He also played internationally in England and in Argentina. He was a small man, coming by his nickname “Shorty” quite appropriately – various accounts put his height at 5’4”, but this was definitely a generous interpretation. (In some of his pictures at various trophy tables, the difference between his height and that of his teammates in very striking.) “Shorty” was also strictly an amateur player. His real job was with the Midland National Bank, where he was a director, and then vice president and chairman. But he had immense energy and passion for the game. He also treated his polo hobby seriously, studying the game assiduously, practicing often, and making sure his horses were well trained and looked after. Playing with the best talents of America’s Golden Age of polo, he rose to 7 goals, holding his own in world-class company. He also left an important legacy to the sport in his sons Seymour III and Northrup (known as Norty) who both became serious players. Norty, the only post World War II amateur to reach 8 goals, served as the chairman of the USPA and was inducted into the Museum of Polo Hall of Fame in 1994. Seymour Knox II grew up in Buffalo, New York, where his family was well established. His father, also named Seymour Knox, was one of the founders of the F.W. Woolworth Company and was the first director of Midland National Bank. A horse lover, he was passionate about harness racing horses and bred some of the top trotters and pacers in the country at a large farm that he bought in East Aurora, New York. The farm was called Ideal Stock Farm, after his first stallion Prince Ideal. There were two training tracks on the property, and room for about 40 horses. Seymour senior died in 1915 when he was just 54, leaving the property to his widow Grace, along with 16-year-old Seymour II and his two sisters, Dorothy and Marjorie. In 1922, a few months after Seymour II was introduced to polo, he

Aurora in England at the Coronation Cup: H. E. Talbott, Seymour Knox, Elmer Boeseke, William Post. There was a reason for the nickname “Shorty.” 1934

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Seymour with Jimmy Mills on the sidelines. USPA Press Photo, circa 1934.

made his way to Aiken. He and a college friend had repaired there for the winter to recuperate – from an appendectomy in his case, and his friend, from an operation. It was the roaring 20s and the Aiken Winter Colony was in full swing. Seymour and his friend stayed at the gracious Highland Park Hotel and attended polo matches, or drove their rented horse and buggy to the hunt meets every day. Even though the hotel caught fire and burned, which cut their season short, they had a wonderful time and loved Aiken. Seymour felt so much a part of the Aiken polo scene that he bought a horse named Spider from the polo pony trainer and dealer Fred Post, “Even though I couldn’t ride at the time, indicating what a good salesman he was,” he recalled. “This started me in polo.” It was also the start of his involvement in the Aiken Winter Colony. He returned the next year to stay with his sister Dorothy who had rented the Winter Colony cottage Whitehall. The year after that, he spent a month in Aiken as part of his honeymoon with his new bride Helen Northrup Knox. The Knox newlyweds rented the cottage Rye Patch that year, and then, in 1928, purchased the land on Whiskey Road that they would transform into The Balcony, one of the most iconic of Aiken winter residences. They had polo ponies and hunters, and they were ideally situated to ride to Whitney Field or to the Hitchcock Woods. The Balcony became their winter home, and they raised their two sons, both students at Aiken Prep, to follow Aiken sporting traditions. In addition to playing polo, Seymour joined his wife Helen on the hunt field. Mrs. Knox, always mounted sidesaddle, was the MFH of the Aiken Hounds, as well as of the East Aurora Hunt. The horses that the Knoxes purchased were top notch, and were also often trained in more than one sport. For instance, Vanity Fair, one of Seymour’s favorite mounts from the late 1920s and early 1930s, was an exceptional playing pony who competed in the U.S. Open and won several polo pony races and championships at polo pony shows. She also carried Seymour on the hunt field and was so beautiful he commissioned a portrait of her

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anniversary game in 1957, on a team with his two sons and Lewis Smith, a 9-goal player who worked for the Knox family for decades. Seymour’s second passion after polo was art. This he also inherited from his father, who established a foundation for the Buffalo museum, now called the Albright Knox Art Gallery. The Seymour H. Knox Foundation donated millions to the museum, constructing additions and filling them with art. Seymour II’s special interest was modern art, and he has often been cited as modern art pioneer, recognizing and collecting now-celebrated artists before they became famous, including Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. He was involved with the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy from 1926 onwards, becoming its chairman in 1977 and working with the director of the Albright Knox Art Gallery to scout out and acquire new and interesting works from around the world, many of which he purchased and donated to the museum. Named the Buffalo Citizen of the Year in 1952 and again in 1987, he was also awarded the National Medal of the Arts Seymour on one of his favorite ponies from the 1920s, Vanity Fair, in Aiken. Circa 1929. Photo by Freudy. by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, among his many other honors. from the famous equine artist George Ford Morris. Another polo pony, Seymour Knox II died in 1990 at the age of 92. One of the highest War Crest, was a granddaughter of Man o’War. When her playing days rated amateur players in polo history and an enthusiast in everything were over she became a foxhunter for Seymour III, competed in the he did, he was a unique and many-sided individual. He was also, Aiken Horse Show and even pulled a buggy to the Aiken Post Office to incidentally, the subject of a portrait by Andy Warhol, done as part of a get the mail “during gas rationing days.” series of celebrity paintings in 1985. The painting, showing five versions Seymour played polo in Aiken during the winter and was based at his of his face in an array of typical Warhol colors, currently resides in the East Aurora farm, rechristened Ess Kay Farm during the summer. He Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo. played in Buffalo, in Toronto, on Long Island, and anywhere else there was a good tournament. Building his own fields at Ess Kay Farm, he was able to organize practices, and to invite his high goal friends to come over for polo weekends with their wives. Given his deep dedication, perhaps it is not that surprising that he rose quickly in polo. In 1928 he was already 4 goals. In 1931, he was invited to play in the U.S. Open for the first time, on the Sands Point Polo team. Then that winter, he was asked to bring a team to play in the Argentine Open, which he did, traveling to Buenos Aires by boat with Helen, his horses and his team. In 1932, he entered his own team, Aurora, in the U.S. Open. Defeated in the semifinals that year, Aurora returned in 1933 with a new lineup and came out the winners. In the 1934 Blue Book, Seymour was raised to a 7-goal handicap, which he held for three years. In addition to playing in the U.S. and Argentina, Seymour took his team to England at the invitation of the Hurlingham Polo Association, the first time in 1934. “Win or lose, the trip was to be a sporting adventure with one of the chief purposes the renewing of friendly polo relations and getting better acquainted with our English polo friends,” he wrote. His teams did extremely well, winning such tournaments as the Champion Cup and the Roehampton Cup. In later years, when Seymour had retired from high goal play himself, Aurora continued to compete nationally and internationally, this time with Seymour III and/or Norty swinging the mallet. After he stopped playing the high goal, Seymour continued to be deeply involved in his sons’ polo, as well as to stick and ball and to play himself – he was still registered as a 4-goal player in 1967, the year he turned 69. His influence on Aiken Polo Club can hardly be overestimated, and he was a Seymour with his mare Strumma, a winner of many polo pony championships and Best prominent player on Whitney Field for decades. He played Playing Pony awards in the high goal. in the 50th anniversary game in 1932, and then in the 75th

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The Aiken Horse

Horses and the Law Equine Syndication By Jim Ritchie

ast year when Authentic crossed the finish line at Churchill Downs to win the 146th Run for the Roses, he set a new Kentucky Derby record. No, he did not post the fastest time or overcome the longest odds. His record was in the size of his ownership syndicate. Authentic’s victory meant that more than 4,500 people can now brag “I am an owner of a Kentucky Derby winner!” While increasingly popular because of high profile horses like Authentic, co-ownership of horses through syndication is not a new phenomenon. It has been used in Thoroughbred racing and breeding for decades. Today, the strong growth of syndicates is not limited to Thoroughbred racehorses. Syndication is becoming increasingly used with sporthorses due to the ever-increasing financial investments required to be competitive in top level eventing, show jumping and other disciplines. Syndication makes it possible for more equine enthusiasts to become part of the horse world, and that is creating opportunities to expand equine sport. By sharing the risk and cost of ownership, participants in amateur and professional equestrian disciplines can build a more stable operating model. However, syndicates are sophisticated legal entities. If not formed and managed correctly, the syndicate’s leaders can face significant liability and financial risks, and the co-owners may incur unexpected losses as well. It is important that all parties understand the requirements of the applicable federal and state laws, potential tax matters, and the practical aspects of achieving financial and operational success with a syndication program. Before we dive into the deep end, let’s review the basics. What is a syndicate in the equine world? Whether the syndication is for a broodmare, stallion, racehorse, or sporthorse, the concept is essentially the same. A group of investors comes together for joint ownership of one or more horses with a contract. The contract – the syndication agreement – establishes the terms and conditions, duties, rights and responsibilities of the co-owners and the syndicate’s manager. The co-owners’ interests are known as “fractional interests” in the horse. An ownership interest in the syndicate generally stays with the horse through thick and thin until the horse is sold or the syndication entity is dissolved. Equine syndication first gained popularity in the 1970s as a tax shelter vehicle for racehorse ownership and breeding rights. The high-profile syndication of that era was Secretariat’s breeding syndication for a record $6.08 million dollars (well over $35 million today). Its purpose was to help the Chenery family address a serious estate tax problem. Since then, the federal tax laws have changed significantly in favor of investors, and there are more flexible ways to own assets and operate businesses, such as limited liability companies (LLC). Today, a syndicate is generally set up as an LLC with a manager handling the day-to-day operations supported by a team of professionals. The other co-owner participants are members of the LLC and they have a limited role. The usual LLC “operating agreement” that governs the rules, policies and procedures for the company is the modern syndication contract. While the broad contours of syndicated co-ownership are straightforward, the details of putting a successful syndication together can be complex. The legal issues at the forefront are federal and state securities laws. If the parties want to avoid registering the syndication LLC with the Securities and Exchange Commission and regulation under the Securities Act of 1933 and state securities laws, the syndicate must be structured to meet an established exemption or other accepted standard. The key organizing principles include having co-owners participate in some fashion with the business; making sure the coowners share a common purpose; and, treating all fractional owners alike in the syndication agreement.

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Syndication is common in racehorse ownership, and becoming the norm for sport horses as well. Cot Campbell, President of Dogwood Stable, with Palace Malice.

By contrast, when people buy stock in a corporation, they generally expect the stock’s value to rise or fall based on the actions of others; not on their own participation in the company. That is the basic legal definition of a security. Investments in securities are highly regulated to protect investors from fraud and abuse by promoters and distant corporations. If a large company plans to issue stock or any security, it must follow complicated and expensive legal requirements or face serious criminal and civil liability. The same liability exposure can arise for equine syndicates if they do not follow state and federal legal requirements. For investors who only wish to own a fractional interest in a racehorse with the singular goal of collecting a share of the winnings, there are several companies that sell shares in racehorse syndicates as securities. Authentic’s syndication company, myracehorse. com, is a good example of a securities model for fractional ownership of racehorses. Fortunately, there are established ways to create a syndicate and not run afoul of the Securities and Exchange Commission or state regulators. The overarching theme in setting up the structure is that the more connected the co-owners are to the business, the better. Examples of meaningful involvement include participating in owners’ meetings, opportunities to visit the horse at events, exercising voting control over naming or retaining the manager, continual and regular contributions to the costs of training and care of the horse, and other relevant experiences. There are many other issues to address, such as managing investor expectations, financial transparency, and qualifying potential co-owners prior to starting the syndication. Working with an experienced attorney, the syndicate’s leadership can put a plan together to address these issues effectively. If you are exploring an investment in a syndicate for a racehorse or sporthorse, it is vital that you obtain a copy of the syndication agreement and have it reviewed by a competent attorney. You should also obtain a written explanation of all of the financial requirements for long-term participation and learn the exit process in case you need to withdraw from the company. Lastly, as with most such things in the horse world, you should accept the reality that investing in

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equine syndications is more suited for enjoying the experience than to making lots of money. It is the thrill of being part of an equine athlete’s competitive journey that makes co-ownership in a syndicate so attractive for most investors. If you are considering syndicating your competition horse, there are important points to address in the planning. At the outset, you need to understand how much money you need to get started and the annual cost to operate the business. The costs include acquisition of the horse, compensation to professionals, care and travel of the horse, entry fees, taxes, registrations, and the normal costs of operating any business. As you build your business plan, factor in your goals and purposes for creating a syndicate – e.g., paying off debt, generating income, future breeding rights, purses, risk and cost sharing – and how syndication can achieve those goals. The next step is calculating the number of potential co-owners you need and the cost for each unit of fractional interest. This will determine the number of investors needed to launch the syndicate. When you are ready to market the syndicate and talk with potential investors, you need to understand the legal guardrails when making representations and warranties regarding co-ownership and the potential performance of the company. In addition, although not required, I recommend that syndication clients have their fractional co-owners affirm that they are “Accredited Investors.” Accredited investors are people who meet the standards outlined in Regulation D, Rule 506, promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. That is a mouthful of legalese, but it is important. Essentially, if a person is an accredited investor, it indicates a certain level of financial sophistication and that helps protect the company in many ways from claims by a disgruntled fractional coowner. Other important planning matters include the disclosures and disclaimers for the company’s website and marketing materials, and in its governance documents. Finally, as noted above, make sure all coowners have common rights and interests in the company. The leader of a syndicate needs to consider several operational

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matters at the beginning to better assure long-term success. If he is not experienced in operating a syndicate or is not a qualified equine professional, he should hire an experienced and trustworthy person to be the manager and lead the organization. A manager needs wide latitude in the day-to-day operations coupled with strong accountability to the co-owners on major issues. He needs to be able to hire trainers, riders, vets, and make important business decisions without being micro-managed. That being said, the manager should provide regular updates on progress with the horse and be transparent regarding the finances with the co-owners. A good practice for large syndicates is to have an advisory committee made up of fractional owners to keep regular contact with the manager and act as the liaison to the larger membership to keep everyone up to speed. Some syndicates and managers are moving to a “club” model that focuses on the horse ownership experience and equestrian lifestyle as a central part of being a co-owner. A club syndication often organizes trips for the co-owners to travel to training sessions and competitions, and hosts owner social events. As a result, the co-owners build relationships and become more connected to the horse and the horse world. The marriage of equine investment and hospitality is a compelling approach to small group syndication. It is a good model to generate repeat business from people who want more from their equine investment experience. Modern syndicate structures can present good solutions for owners who want to share the costs and risks of campaigning a racehorse or sporthorse and for horse enthusiasts who want to be part of the equestrian world. With proper legal planning and good business practices, the experience can be rewarding for everyone involved. And, you never know, your horse could be the next great one…. 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. © Ritchie & Associates LLC

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Linda Rooney of Linda’s Bistro In Remembrance By Mary Jane Howell

hefs come to their kitchens by many routes, but for the horsewoman Linda Armstrong Rooney it was only after she hung up her tack that she began to create the exceptional dishes that made her small bistrostyle restaurant so popular in Aiken. Linda owned and ran Linda’s Bistro in downtown Aiken, an establishment that was renowned for the quality of its meats and desserts and attracted a devoted following in the city. Linda grew up outside of Montreal, but came to the United States in 1971 to work in Southern Pines, North Carolina as both a groom and rider on the horse show circuit. She groomed for Patty Heuckeroth and Joey Darby and managed the show barn of Dr. Russell Tate. It was the racing scene, however, that captured her imagination more than the hunter/jumper world ever did. While in Southern Pines, Linda met and started a racehorse business with Michael Adams, who hailed from a long line of horsemen. (His father was the famed steeplechase rider Dooley Adams). The pair had both flat runners and steeplechase horses, and for three years they trained and sold Thoroughbreds with varying degrees of success. In 1977 Linda ventured to Aiken for the first time and soon found a job as an exercise rider in Aiken’s Claiborne stable, which was run by Bill Stephens. Bill oversaw the early education of royally bred yearlings for his brother Woody Stephens, who trained for Claiborne at Belmont Park in New York, occasionally visiting Aiken with Claiborne’s owner, Seth Hancock. The Aiken Training Track was in full bloom back then, with upwards of 300 horses in residence. During her time in Aiken as an exercise rider, Linda also worked for Bruce Johnstone, who trained for the powerful Phipps Stable, and John and Nancy Ellis’ Arrowhead Farm. While riding a youngster for Arrowhead in December of 1981, Linda had an accident that put an end to her track career for several years. There was a silver lining to the story, however: the following spring Linda got herself to Saratoga, that most wonderful of racetrack towns in upstate New York. Saratoga is also the longtime home of Mrs. London’s, an exquisite café and bakery where Linda took a job, trading the odor of horses and leather for the aromas of vanilla bean, almond paste and warm bread. Learning how to make brioche, scones, croissants and apple tarts would stand her in good stead a few years later when she began her own pastry business. Although Linda went back to riding in the mid-1980s, by 1987 she decided to call it quits for good. She had a small apartment in New York City and she began baking shortbread from her grandmother’s recipe. Soon specialty food shops such as Dean & DeLuca were purchasing the

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Racetrack days: with Michael Adams shortbread and her pastry items as fast as she could make them. Even though her pastry business was a success, New York was an incredibly expensive city to live in. Linda decided to move back to Aiken in the summer of 1988. She started her culinary adventures with a small food cart in The Alley, which she named “A La Carte.” At the same time, Janny Bijas, the co-owner of the restaurant Up Your Alley, asked her to supply his restaurant with cheesecakes, and her praline cheesecake is still fondly remembered there today. It wasn’t long before she opened the original Linda’s Bistro in The Alley with help from her old racetrack employers, John and Nancy Ellis, and with a customer base already in place because of her popular food cart. Linda eventually moved her restaurant to a charming location on York Street, where she only had to walk up a flight of stairs to be in her home. She stressed that hers was not a fancy dining establishment – rather one that welcomed horsemen and women in their riding clothes. She loved collecting art, and several of Peter Howell’s oil paintings hung on the restaurant’s walls, alongside various paintings of donkeys, an animal she found both amusing and lovable Herk Johnessee and Jeff Krohn were house hunting in Aiken in 1998 when they first spied Linda’s Bistro. “We were eating in the beautiful garden area at the Bowery and we could see across to Linda’s,” recalled Herk. “We went there for our next meal, which was wonderful. We ended up buying a home in Aiken and becoming regulars at Linda’s Bistro for many years.” Herk and Jeff have memories of their favorite meals – including the sea bass, and lemon tarts for dessert. Longtime Aiken horseman George Thomas and his wife Jeanie celebrated every anniversary there, ordering the same dinner each time: liver and onions. George had trained the Arrowhead Stable horses in Aiken back when Linda was riding, so he had known her for decades. “She was a lovely, kind person and a joy to have in the barn. I was happy to see that she made such a success out of her culinary career as well,” said George. “It is just sad that she did not live long enough to enjoy her retirement years.” It is remarkable that Linda could turn out the meals she did in the tiny kitchen at her restaurant. She had a small TV that was always tuned to one of the racing channels, and a radio that broadcast news and music from Quebec. Whether it was one of her popular wine dinners, a corporate lunch for 50 or a quiet night with only a handful of diners, her food was impeccably plated and delicious. Linda passed away on February 2 after a long battle with COPD. She was 74. Private memorial services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Aiken Equine Rescue, 532 Glenwood Drive, Aiken, SC 29803 or to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Post Office Box 834, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

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Classifieds Very nice retired polo pony mare. 12 years old; 16 hands. Nice on trails; no spook. Has an old injury but sound and nice enough to pursue low levels of a different career. $2,500. Call for more details. 803-295-8687.

BOARDING/TURNOUT/ TRAINING Chime Ridge Stables. Pasture Board available. 803-508-3760. Heart Horse Stables has roomy individual pasture boarding with 12 x 12 run-in shelters. Owners on site. Just over the Aiken line in Windsor. Arena, round pen, trails. $350/mo 704-288-7385 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 boarding 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 2021. sportingdaysfarmcom sdaikenht@ aol.com 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 414-4779419 FARM SERVICES Southern Ridge Excavation. Drainage, grading, small clearing, pad prep, utility ditching, pond mowing. Third generation family

operated; Licensed & insured. Member Aiken Chamber of Commerce. Call Alex Koegel. 803522-5752. southernridgex@gmail. com. G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 54 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. Roll-off containers and manure removal available. (803) 663-3715. Certified DBE. WOSB. www. glwdtrucking.com 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 Moorefield Farms. Premium Ohio Hay. Now in Aiken! Regularly scheduled reliable delivery direct from our farm to you. Large or small quantities, no middleman. Consistent quality. Alfalfa, timothy, orchard and mixes. Quality guaranteed. MoorefieldHayFarms.com. 330201-1700. HELP WANTED Part-time work on horse farm. Includes horse care, mowing, painting and tractor work. Ideal for semi retired. Apply by email to: jobs@theaikenhorse.com. HORSES/PETS & SERVICES Trinity Farms Terriers: Irish Russell Terriers & Norfolk Terriers. Old World, Healthy 100 year old Bloodlines with proven calmer dispositions. Health & Dispositions guaranteed. Preservation breeders for 48 years. Donna Fitzpatrick 803-648-3137 easyjacks.com, trinityfarmskennel. 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 Equestrian Farm close to Aiken has 3 bedrooms, 2 bath. For Rent 6 months or year round. Rent with stalls if needed. Contact: classifieds@theaikenhorse.com. TACK & APPAREL Aiken Horse Blanket Couture. Creative coolers; your colors. Creative equine-ware. Tack covers/carry bags Saddle pad enhancements. Blanket wash/ waterproof . Blanket repair. AikenHorseBlanket.com. Elisa Denaburg. 803-640-3211 The Saddle Doctor. Saddlery and harness repair. 544 Two Notch Rd. at the Aiken Training Track. HollyMacSpencer@aol.com. 803.642.5166.

Advertising in The Aiken Horse 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. Add $5 for blind classified. BUSINESS CARDS: $65 per issue or $280 PHOTO CLASSIFIEDS for horses: $35; for the year (6 issues.) 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

April-May 2021

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

Advertise in the June-July issue! Deadline May 20, 2021 Publication date June 3, 2021

The Aiken Horse

Directory of Services 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. Pasture board available. Convenient to town, South Aiken 803-508-3760. Heart Horse Stables has roomy individual pasture boarding with 12 x 12 run-in shelters. Owners on site. Just over the Aiken line in Windsor. Arena, round pen, trails. $350/mo 704-288-7385 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 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 2021. sdaikenht@ aol.com 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: Irish Russell Terriers & Norfolk Terriers. Old World, Healthy 100 year old Bloodlines with proven calmer dispositions. Health & Dispositions guaranteed. Preservation breeders for 48 years. Donna Fitzpatrick 803-648-3137 easyjacks. com, trinityfarmskennel.com CONSTRUCTION & GRADING G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 54 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. Roll-off containers and manure removal available. (803) 663-3715. Certified DBE. WOSB. www. glwdtrucking.com Southern Ridge Excavation. Drainage, grading, small clearing, pad prep, utility ditching, pond mowing. Third generation family operated; Licensed & insured. Member Aiken Chamber of Commerce. Call Alex Koegel. 803-522-5752. southernridgex@ gmail.com. DENTISTRY MidAtlantic Equine Dentistry: Mike Cissell DVM, MS, DACVS-LA: Excellence in equine oral health. midatlanticequinedentistry.com; maed.aiken@gmail.com. (928) 458-4529. 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

The Aiken Horse

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. Moorefield Farms. Premium Ohio Hay. Now in Aiken! Regularly scheduled reliable delivery direct from our farm to you. Large or small quantities, no middleman. Consistent quality. Alfalfa, timothy, orchard and mixes. Quality guaranteed. MoorefieldHayFarms.com. 330-201-1700. INSURANCE Betsy Minton, Sterling Thompson Equine, 803-617-8353. Now writing homeowners insurance for private residences. No horses required but certainly welcomed. Access to top-notch underwriters 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 803-220-1768. 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 REAL ESTATE/ RENTALS Aiken Fine Homes and Land. Specializing in selling or renting homes, farms, land & barns for short or long term leases. 29 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. 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 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. 544 Two Notch Rd. HollyMacSpencer@aol.com. 803.642.5166.

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

Eventing 2021: Paradise Farm and Sporting Days

Photography by Gary Knoll & Pam Gleason

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

Aiken Area Calendar of Events

APRIL

Mar 31-4 Tryon Welcome II. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 2-4 The Fork at TIEC Horse Trials. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 2-4 SCDCTA Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 2-5 Georgia on My Mind Stock Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 3 Spring Hunter Pace. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 3 Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 3-4 Springtime Dressage Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 3-4 Apple Tree 3-Phase with Jumping Branch Farm. Apple Tree Farm, 1530 Oak Ridge Club Road, Windsor, SC. 603.345.0382, apltrefarm@aol.com, appletreefarm.homestead. com 4 CT. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, Fullgallopfarm.com 4 Paradise Farm HT, CT, Dressage Show. Paradise Farm, 4069 Wagener Road, Aiken. Lellie Ward: 803.640.4918, paradisefarmaiken@gmail.com. paradisefarmaiken.com 8-11 Tryon Welcome III. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 8-11 Georgia on My Mind Pro-AM. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 8-11 Southern Pines CDE & CT. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 9-11 Eventing. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 10-11 PSJ Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

April-May 2021

10 10-11 10-11 11 13-25 14-18 14-18 16-17 16-18 17 17 17-18 17-18 17-18

17-18 17-18

Toopler Branch CEC HJ Show. Toopler Branch, 1035 Lee Lane, Lugoff, SC. Rebecca Hudson: 803.699.2282, Tooplerbranch@hotmail.com USEF/USDF “Spring Fever” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Cheryl & Co. HJ Horse Show. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm. com Southeastern Regional Championship Series Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Jake Kneece Memorial 4 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece: 803.646.3301. Hotline: 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub. org HJ Spring Classic. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tryon Welcome IV. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com Sorting. BSC Arena, 3976 Highway 24 South, Waynesboro, GA. Cliff Chancey, 706.840.3971. Rsnc.us PPHC Horse Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com Radway Show. Radway Eventing, 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. Kim Davies: 803.998.6059, radwayeventing@yahoo.com, radwayeventing.com Georgia Horse Fair and Expo. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Highway, Aiken. Text Only: 803.226.2024 Dressage Spring Series I and II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm. 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 Longleaf Pine HT. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com Aiken Carriage Classic Pleasure Driving Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. aikendrivingclub. com

The Aiken Horse

21-25 Highfields Spring Classic Masters USEF Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 21-25 Katydid CDE CAI2*. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 21-May 2 Wagener 4 Goal. Wagener Polo Club, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab: 561.719.3318. wagenerpolo.com 22-25 Tryon Spring Dressage I. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 23-25 SCQHA Horse Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 23-25 National Youth Tournament Series. Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece: 803.646.3301. Hotline: 803.643.3611. Aikenpoloclub.org 24 USEF/USEA Stable View “Spring” Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@ stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 24 Spring Classic Show. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 24 Atlanta Youth Dressage Challenge. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 24-25 Primetime Dressage Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 24-25 HJ Fox Spring Classic I & II. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 24-May 9 USPA Sportsmanship 6 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece: 803.646.3301. Hotline: 803.643.3611. Aikenpoloclub.org 28-May 2 Highfields Spring Classic Finale USEF Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 28-May 16 USPA Regional Presidents Cup. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan: 803.215.3577, hbryan2485@gmail.com. Newbridgepolo.com 30 Sedgefield at The Park Early Spring “C” H/J Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 30-May 2 PPHC Horse Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

MAY 1 1 1 1-2 1-2 1-2

5 5-9

Aiken Symphony Guild “Harmony and Horse.” Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@ stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com CEC HJ Show at Tally Ho. Tally Ho Farm, 3962 Lawson Grove Road, Timmonsville, SC. Katrina Hutto: 843-319-9286, Katstallyho@yahoo.com CT and Dressage Show. The Vista Schooling and Event Center, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, schoolthevista.com GHF/Massey Ferguson Dressage at the Horse Park. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Newton County Saddle Club Open Horse Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Mounted Games. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com Schooling HJ Show. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tryon Spring I. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com

The Aiken Horse

Aiken Charity Horse Show. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark. org 5-16 Aiken Saddlery 6 Goal. Wagener Polo Club, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab: 561.719.3318. wagenerpolo.com 6-8 Dixie Cup Spring Classic. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 6-9 The 86th Annual Sedgefield Horse Show USEF National May “A” Horse Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 8 Schooling Eventing and 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 8-9 Tryon Spring Dressage II. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 8-9 USEA/USEF Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 9-16 Aiken Spring Women’s Challenge Cup. Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece: 803.646.3301. Hotline: 803.643.3611. Aikenpoloclub.org 11-23 USPA Constitution Cup 6 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece: 803.646.3301. Hotline: 803.643.3611. Aikenpoloclub.org 12 Schooling Dressage Show. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 12-16 Aiken Charity Horse Show. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark. org 13 Sunset Jumpers #1. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 13-16 Tryon Spring II. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 14-23 Polo Pony 4 Goal. Wagener Polo Club, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab: 561.719.3318. wagenerpolo.com 14-15 Sorting. BSC Arena, 3976 Highway 24 South, Waynesboro, GA. Cliff Chancey, 706.840.3971. Rsnc.us 15 Working Equitation Fun Show. Looking Glass Farm, 289 Daytona Rd. Wagener. kellsigler.com, 15 May Day Classic Dressage, CT, 3-Phase. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 15 Radway Show. Radway Eventing, 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. Kim Davies: 803.998.6059, radwayeventing@yahoo.com, radwayeventing.com 15-16 Highfields PSJ Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 15-16 Greater Atlanta Dressage Southern I/II. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 15-16 WHES May Horse Trials, CT, and Dressage. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 19-23 Tryon Spring III. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 19-Jun 6 Pete Bostwick Memorial. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan: 803.215.3577, hbryan2485@gmail.com. Newbridgepolo.com 20-23 Triangle Sandhills Spring Classic “A” Horse Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 20-30 USPA Congressional 6 Goal. Wagener Polo Club, Wagener, SC. Billy Raab: 561.719.3318. wagenerpolo.com 21-23 GQHA Summer Kickoff and Novice Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.co 21-23 Camden Spring Classic HJ Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 5-9

April-May 2021

Atlanta Youth Dressage Challenge. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 22 Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 22-23 Dressage in the Spring. Aiken Horse Park, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.226.0121, aikenhorsepark.org 22-23 Eventing Academy Schooling Day and Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@ stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 22-23 Eventing. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 22-Jun 6 USPA Players Cup 4 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Aiken. Tiger Kneece: 803.646.3301. Hotline: 803.643.3611. Aikenpoloclub. org 26-30 Tryon Spring IV. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 28-30 SCQHA Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 28-30 Sedgefield at the Park Memorial Day Classic NCHJA “C” Horse Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 29-30 Horse Show Ventures - The Southeastern Hunter/ Jumper Series. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 29-30 Dressage. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 22

JUNE

Tryon Spring V. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 2 Schooling HJ Show. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 3-6 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 4-6 Camden Classic HJ Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 5 CT and Dressage Show. The Vista Schooling and Event Center, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, schoolthevista.com 5-6 USEA/USEF Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 7-13 Tommy Hitchcock Memorial Single Elimination. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Road, Aiken. Haley Bryan: 803.215.3577, hbryan2485@gmail.com. Newbridgepolo.com 8-13 Tryon Spring VI. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 9 Twilight Jumpers. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 9 CEC HJ Show. Springdale at Pine Tree Stables, 1265 Sanders Creek Road, Camden, SC. Candi Cocks: 803.243.4417, springdale47@gmail.com, camdenequinecircuit.com 12 Schooling Eventing and Dressage. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 12-13 WHES June Schooling and Horse Trials, CT, & Dressage. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 1-6

April-May 2021

12-13 Mullet Hall PSJ Show. Mullet Hall, Johns Island, SC. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 12-13 GHF/Massey Ferguson Annual Dressage Show. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 12-13 Horse Show Ventures - The Southeastern Hunter/ Jumper Series. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 16 Twilight Hunters. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 17 Sunset Jumpers #2. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 17-20 Tryon Summer Dressage I&II. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 18-20 Sedgefield at the Park Memorial Day Classic NCHJA “C” Horse Show. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 18-20 SCQHA Show. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 18-20 Tryon Summer I. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 19 USEF/USDF “Summer Solstice” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com 19 Summer Solstice Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 19 Radway Show. Radway Eventing, 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. Kim Davies: 803.998.6059, radwayeventing@yahoo.com, radwayeventing.com 19-20 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 23 Twilight Hunters. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 24-27 Stars & Stripes Circuit (GQHA). Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 25 USEF/USEF Summer Horse Trials and Area III Championship. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 25-27 Tryon Summer II. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com 25-27 SCDCTA Youth Dressage Clinic. South Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 26-27 Dressage at the Park I&II. Carolina Horse Park, 2814 Montrose Road, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2074, carolinahorsepark.com 26-27 Dressage. Chattahoochee Hills Eventing - Hosted at the Bouckaert Farm, 9445 Browns Lake Road, Chattahoochee Hills, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, Chatthillseventing.com 26-27 Highfields PSJ Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 28-30 GQHA Big A Circuit. Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 30-Jul 4 Tryon Summer III. Tryon International Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. tryon.coth.com

The Aiken Horse

Business Cards

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

Outﬁtting Southeastern Farriers for Over 30 years

GREAT SERVICE AND QUALITY FARRIER SUPPLIES ARE OUR PRIORITY

Aiken, SC

803.685.5101

Columbus, NC 828.894.0280

www.monettafarrier.com

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse

Index of Advertisers Advertiser

Section

Page

Advertiser

Section

Page

Aiken County Farm Supply

Keller Williams- Gutierrez

Aiken Fine Homes and Land

La Parisienne

Aiken Horse Park Foundation

Lightning Protection Systems

Aiken Horsemanship Academy

LOC Equestrian

Aiken Luxury Rentals

Mark Lexton

Aiken Polo Club

Meybohm RE (Sullivan/Turner)

Aiken Saddlery, Inc.

Meybohm RE Gingrey

American Glory Style

Meybohm RE Haslup

American National Insurance

Meybohm RE Taylor

Auto Tech

Meybohm RE Vaillancourt

Banixx

Meybohm RE Vaillancourt

Barnware

Moorefield Farm

Be Fly Free

New Bridge Polo Club

Biddle Realty

New Vocations TB Show

Bridle Creek

NibbleNet

Carolina Company RE

Oak Manor Saddlery

Carolina Company RE

Paradise Farm

Carolina Company RE (Uskup)

Patty Merli Saddles

Carolina Pet Portraits

Progressive Show Jumping, Inc

CHAPS

Redman Int. Horse Transport

D & M Partners

Retired Racehorse Project

DFG Stables

Shane Doyle

Epona

Smokeway Farm

Equine Divine

South Carolina Equine Park

Equine Rescue Help

Southern Equine Service

Equine Rescue of Aiken

Southern Ridge Excavation

Estrella Equine

SPCA Albrecht Center

FITS Equestrian

Stable View, LLC

FOTAS Aiken

G L Williams and Daughter

Teddi Ismond

Gary Knoll Photography

The Kneaded Edge

Greystone Properties

The Kneaded Edge

Greystone Properties

The Tack Room

Highfields

The Willcox

Jack Groover

TRF

Jill Diaz Polo

Triple Crown Feeds/Pait QH

Keller Williams Stinson

Tryon Equine Law

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2021

The Aiken Horse