April-May 2022 by Aiken Horse Productions

Volume 17 • Number 5 •

April-May 2022

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2022

SuzyHaslup_TAH_Sept2019.qxp_Layout 1 3/31/22 12:19 PM Page 1

AIKEN HORSE DISTRICT $1.89 MILLION

KATHRYN SIDERS MICHELE HIGGINS Licensed Assistant

Licensed Assistant

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 & 2021 RLI APEX award for top producing land real estate agents.

FOX HOLLOW LOT

WALKER AVE SE

Exceptional offering in the Horse District of Aiken with direct access to the Aiken Training Track, the clay roads and Bruce’s Field show facility. Property consists of three parcels totaling 8.24 acres, two barns (43 stalls), bunkhouse, metal breaking pen, 6 stall covered Eurociser, and six paddocks on the north and south side of Audubon Drive. Brick house built in 1968 has a two car attached garage, four bedrooms, two and one-half baths, hardwood floors, fireplace and cathedral ceilings. Property offered in its entirety but buyers could divide. Easy hack into Hitchcock Woods.

$469,000

UNDER CONTRACT!

Fox Hollow is a premier gated residential equestrian community situated perfectly for those wanting to be close to both Augusta, GA and Aiken, SC. Fox Hollow covers just under 800 acres including a trail over beautiful Johnson Lake, irrigated show rings, mirrored irrigated 20 x 60 dressage ring, cross country course and over 30 miles of fabulous trails. Available now: Lot 19/12.45 A/$168,075

CEDAR MEADOWS

SOLD

$649,000

Big Sky Acres is a turn-key horse property in Cedar Meadows Equestrian on 6.6 acres. Access to community show ring & miles of fabulous trails. 3 BR/2 BA home has 9’ ceilings, open floor plan, hardwood & luxury vinyl flooring, new appliances, fresh paint & deck. In-ground pool w/fountain & fencing. New 4 stall center aisle barn w/feed room, wash rack, climate controlled tack room w/full bath. RV hookup, 12X24 run in shed & gorgeous pastures.

Steps away from the clay roads of the Aiken Horse District off Grace Avenue is this traditional brick home ready for your updates. Formal living room with fireplace, dining room, family room & study, hardwood floors, owner suite on main level. Galley kitchen with breakfast room, laundry room & half bath on main level, four bedrooms and two baths up. Close to downtown, Hitchcock Woods and horse activities.

WOOD’S END LOTS

Priced at $275,000 and $320,000, these lots provide an exceptional opportunity to own a farm 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.

HORSE FARM

$750,000

SOLD

Recently built Mitch Johnson hardiplank house with barn, pool and new state of the art lighted pickleball court on 11 A farm in Bluffwood East. 3 stall center aisle barn w/storage above, climate controlled tack room with full bath, W/D hookups and workshop, run in sheds, automatic waterers and gorgeous board fenced pastures. Miles of trails for riding off the property.

BLUFFWOOD EAST

$199,900

Adorable recently built two bedroom one bath cottage on 2.44 acres in Bluffwood East equestrian development. Light filled with easy care flooring and all appliances. No HOA dues and access to miles of wonderful trails. In the heart of horse country. Just add fencing and a barn and bring your horses. This one won’t last long.

www.AikenHorseRealty.com (803) 215-0153 • suzy.haslup@gmail.com April-May 2022

The Aiken Horse

541 YORK STREET SE

The Hugh Beaumont House'' That's right: 541 York St was once home to Hugh Beaumont, the actor who played the father on 'Leave It To Beaver'. This is a 1-story design with 4 BR & 3 BA. The exceptional floor plan feels much larger than 2659 sq ft. The large kitchen has granite counters, newer appliances, & wood floors. The formal living & dining rooms are warm with ample natural light & handsome wood floors. Relax or entertain in the 13x27 den with custom library shelves & a pass-through window to the kitchen. Fenced back yard, landscaped grounds, mature trees, circular driveway, irrigation system. Convenient location. Furniture and stained glass windows are for sale separately. One owner is a SC licensed Realtor. $450,000

418 COLLETON AVENUE SE

A rare opportunity to own a fine residence on Colleton Avenue. Relax on the covered front porch & enjoy the view of the landscaped parkway of the Historic District from this 2 BR, 2 BA home. Inside, handsome wood floors, coffered ceilings, & a classic library enhance the home. Other delights include a chic kitchen, a spacious living room with views of a private back yard, a formal dining room with a fireplace, & a large welcoming foyer. Screen porch. The property also includes a 2-bedroom guest cottage, a swimming pool, a detached office (or workout room), & fine landscaping. $975,000 David at 803-640-0123

your best friend in real estate FINE HOMES

AIKEN TEAM

The Aiken Horse

CEDAR MEADOWS ROAD

A wonderful 10-acre retreat above Cedar Meadows equestrian community. This 5749 sqft residence offers quality craftsmanship, green amenities, & tranquil privacy in. Built to high standards, the residence blends contemporary style with hi-tech wizardry. 1st-floor Owner’s Suite w/2 walk-in closets & bathroom w/heated floor. W Features: wood & tile floors, an elevator to all 3 flrs, Pella windows, spacious Foyer, stone fireplace in Great Rm, covered deck, formal Dining Rm, ceiling speakers, &, central vacuum. Kitchen: soapstone counters, knotty alder wood cabinets, & treetop view. $1,220,000. David at 803-640-0123

803-640-0123

phone:803.640.0123 for aikenhomes@me.com estates, farms, homes & land.

April-May 2022

The Aiken Horse

uNDeR cONTRAcT

SPACIOUS HOME ON 2.39 ACRES IN FOXCHASE

EASY BUTTON, MOVE-IN READY

veRSATIle PlAN WITH 3 BR + OFFIce IN PRIMARy ReSIDeNce & 2-BR IN-lAW SuITe DIRecT AcceSS TO HITcHcOcK WOODS, HOMe TO 60+ MIleS OF WAlKING/RIDING TRAIlS, NATuRAl BeAuTy AND HABITATS

1745 cITATION DRIve | $740,000

clOSe TO AIKeN’S HORSe DISTRIcT 3 BeDROOM BRIcK HOMe, eXTeNSIvely ReNOvATeD, ReFINISHeD HARDWOOD FlOORS, GORGeOuS KITcHeN, lOvely lANDScAPe

182 DOGWOOD ROAD Se | $400,000

ARcHeR cOTTAGe, cIRcA 1910

ORIGINAlly BuIlT By W. H. PARDue. WONDeRFul SOuTHeRN PReSeNce WITH WIDe FRONT PORcH FAçADe WRAPPING AROuND THe SOuTH SIDe OF THe HOMe TO A NOW eNclOSeD GARDeN ROOM. TuScAN cOluMNS, HISTORIc cAMellIA GARDeNS

336 yORK STReeT Se | $675,000

tracey 13.28 ACRES IN TODS HILL EQUESTRIAN

MIleS OF cOMMuNITy RIDING TRAIlS & ROllING PASTuRe. MINuTeS TO STABlevIeW, AN eASy HAul TO SHOW, TRAINING & FOXHuNTING veNueS GORGeOuS HOMe & BARN SITeS WITH STuNNING WATeR & PASTORAl vIeWS. lOT NOT SuBJecT TO DevelOPeR BuIlDING TIMelINeS

ReeveS STReeT | $212,480

70+ AC. TO DESIGN FARM & OR HUNTING TRACT!

9.5 ACRES FARMFIELD ROAD

NATIONAl HISTORIc ReGISTeR OF HISTORIc PlAceS. WIllIS IRvIN TuDOR RevIvAl DeSIGN WITH STONe & STuccO clADDING IN FRONT AND ceDAR SHAKe SIDING AT BAcK 3 BR, 4BA, WAlKING DISTANce TO DOWNTOWN AIKeN & AIKeN GOlF cluB !

FARMFIelD ROAD | $195,000

557 HIGHlAND PARK | $550,000

SOlD

STABLE at the RIDGE – 5.86 AC.EQUESTRIAN FACILITY

RARE DOWNTOWN MIXED USE PROPERTY

2319 cHuKKeR cReeK ROAD | $574,000

151 lAuReNS STReeT | NOW $895,000

GReAT clOSe-IN lOcATION! HeART OF 302 HORSe cOuNTRy! 16+ AcReS IN HAy FIelDS. WOODeD BuFFeR AlONG SHAWS cReeK. HAy/equIPMeNT BARN. 2-BR MANuFAcTuReD HOMe. GOOD ROAD FRONTAGe MAKING IT eASy TO SuBDIvIDe!

19-STAllS, 2 GROOMING STAllS, 2 WASH RAcKS, HAy STORAGe, FeeD RM & lAuNDRy/BATHROOMS. PRIvATe OFFIce, lOuNGe AReA & KITcHeN. IRRIGATeD RIDING AReNA, 8 PADDOcKS & TRAIl eASeMeNT TO FReeMAN PReSeRve FOR RIDe OuT.

SOlD

uNDeR cONTRAcT

BIRD’S NEST COTTAGE, CIRCA 1940

MIDTOWN HOME CLOSE TO BRUCE’S FIELD

1735 HATcHAWAy BRIDGe ROAD | $499,000

Full OF cHARAcTeR, cHARM & PeRSONAlITy, THIS HOMe FeATuReS HARDWOOD FlOORS, GRAcIOuS lIvING ROOM & eXPANSIve TIleD SuNROOM OveRlOOKING THe SPARKlING POOl & SuRROuNDING GARDeN. 3 BeDROOMS & 3 BATHS IN PeRFecT lOcAle FOR eNJOyING AIKeN’S SHOPS, ReSTAuRANTS, ARTS & cOMMuNITy Feel.

WAlKING DISTANce TO POlO AT WHITNey FIelD & A GOlF cART RIDe TO PAlMeTTO GOlF, FeRMATA & GReeN BOuNDARy cluBS & BRuce’S FIelD. 3 BR HOMe + OFFIce, 2 BATHS, cOzy lIvING ROOM & FABulOuS GReAT ROOM. PRIvATe BAcKyARD WITH IN-GROuND POOl & PlAy/eNTeRTAINING SPAce

826 OleANDeR DRIve | $460,750

1038 HOlly lANe | $517,000

Land for Sale

BARRINGTON FARMS

TRAIl AcceSS | JuST 1 PARcel AvAIlABle 11+AcReS FOR $114,000

WeXFORD MIll WATeRFRONT .69 AcRe | $65,000

MCCARTY MEADOWS - JuST 2 PARcelS ReMAINING 6 + AcS FOR $80,990 TO 8+AcS FOR $104,000

SUNSET COTTAGE, CIRCA 1910

PeRIMeTeR-FeNceD & cleAReD AcReAGe IN eSTABlISHeD PASTuRe. IDyllIc lOcATION & eXcelleNT OPPORTuNITy TO BuIlD yOuR SeASONAl equeSTRIAN ReTReAT OR Full-TIMe ReSIDeNce. TRANSFeRABle MeMBeRSHIP TO NeW BRIDGe POlO & cOuNTRy cluB W/ AReNAS, TRAIlS, POOl, TeNNIS & cluBHOuSe.

lANe ASSOcIATION

Cissie Sullivan

2178 SF cOMMeRcIAl ReTAIl SPAce WITH ReSIDeNTIAl lIvING quARTeRS ABOve. GOOD ReNTAl POSSIBIlITy. IDeAlly SuITeD FOR lIve/WORK, 1031 eXcHANGe & SeASONAl INveSTOR

133+ ACRES WITH PONDS & HAY FIELDS

GORGeOuS, IRRIGATeD TIFTON 85 BeRMuDA HAy FIelDS AND 2 lARGe PONDS. FeNceD FRONTAGe eNHANceD By PlANTeD PAlMS. IDeAl FOR AGRIculTuRAl PuRSuITS OR DReAM BIG & cReATe yOuR PARADISe!

MOOReS ROAD IN eDGeFIelD, Sc | $750,000

WeXFORD lANDING - AvIATION lOTS 10.36 AcReS OFFeReD FOR $49,000

GRAylyN lAKeS

2 AcReS | $82,000 - SOlD

WOODSIDe - GATeD cOMMuNITy

cOuNTRy cluB AMeNITIeS ReSIDeNTIAl BuIlDING lOT ON GOlF cOuRSe 201 HeMlOcK DRIve | $29,000 | uNDeR cONTRAcT

Tracey Turner

803-998-0198 | SullivanTurnerTeam.com 6

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2022

cissie

THE HOMESTEAD AT PINE CREEK 227 COLBERT BRIDGE ROAD | WINDSOR, SC 29856

RaRe oppoRtunity to own a 977+acs w/exceptional timbeR & hunting land foR a vaRiety of RecReational, equestRian & spoRting puRsuits + a pRivate Residence fRom which to enjoy stunning views & tRanquil suRRoundings. extensive infRastRiuctuRe includes sandy Road beds, making foR easy navigation thRough multi-age timbeR stands, open fields, along cReek fRontage & ultimately to a 50+ acRe field w/pond fRontage, ideal foR youR next fishing excuRsion. abundant wildlife - deeR, tuRkeys, dove, quail & duck – thRive in this habitat. pRopeRty offeRs both stRong, ongoing income potential fRom existing timbeR & futuRe investment and/oR benefits w/conseRvation. pRopeRty includes an inviting 4 bedRoom home w/ open flooR plan, outbuilding/shop & old baRn and is located just 15 miles to histoRic downtown aiken, 40 minutes to augusta, ga’s aiRpoRt & 27 minutes to aiken’s pRivate aiRpoRt. enjoy & stewaRd this supeRb spoRting & investment pRopeRty as paRt of youR next chapteR.

offeRed foR $6,559,000 BLUE SKIES 4.5+ ACRES IN HORSE DISTRICT

142+ ACRE RANCH / COMPOUND EDGEFIELD, SOUTH CAROLINA

STATELY GEORGIAN HOME ON 7+ ACRES ON COUNTRY LANE

5+ bR, 7 1⁄2 baths Renovated & impeccably maintained histoRic home with elevatoR. expansive views acRoss bRuce’s field, guest apaRtment, fitness Room & 3-bay gaRage. home featuRes a wide veRanda, haRdwood flooRs, high ceilings and an expansive gReat Room with full baR. level land ideal foR equestRian amenities.

3 custom homes each 3bR/2ba foR owneR, guests & faRm manageR - all with goRgeous views. owneR’s home has sepaRate guest apaRtment & 1500 sf enteRtainment/hospitality aRea, ideal foR paRties, games & gatheRiings. appRoximately 125 acRes is gRaded, teRRaced & spRigged in tifton 85 beRmuda gRass & iRRigated foR ultimate foRage pRoduction.

inspiRed to evoke the feel and pResence of an old viRginia manoR home. elegant entRy with soaRing ceilings and cuRved staiRcase sets the stage. all living & enteRtaining spaces featuRe haRdwood flooRs, tall ceilings & lovely millwoRk. pRopeRty is peRimeteR fenced into the pine foRest pRopeRty which extends beyond the side lawn. 4 bR, 3.5 baths, 5 fiReplaces, 4258 sf.

928 two notch Road se | $2,200,000

cielo doRato – 25 mooRes Road | $1,600,000

55 sunnyside lane | $1,300,000

Cissie Sullivan

Tracey Turner

803-998-0198 | SullivanTurnerTeam.com April-May 2022

The Aiken Horse

SECTION 10 12 16 20 30

Steeplechase Returns News and Notes Steeplechase in Pictures Polo Hall Of Fame Mounted Stewards

Section One

Steeplechase action returns to the new Aiken Steeplechase track. March 26, 2022 Photography by Pam Gleason

SECTION 38 41 46 50 52 54

Missy Miller Eventing Bruno Wins GPE GPE in Pictures Paul Brown Polo Art Ask the Judge Secret Lives

Section Two

Colleen Loach (Canada) and Vermont at Grand Prix Eventing. Photography by Pam Gleason

SECTION

Section Three

Harness racing at McGhee’s Mile, March 2022. Photography by Gary Knoll

64 66 68 71 72 74 77 85 86

USC Aiken The Silent Competitor Anatomy Secrets Humble Acres Index of Advertisers Harness Racing Calendar of Events Classifieds Directory

April-May 2022

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 17 • Number 5

COVID restrictions are finally in the rearview mirror here in Aiken and equestrian life feels like it is truly back. We have had a spectacular spring season thus far, with plenty of activity in all the horse disciplines, and the return of beloved spring traditions, such as the Aiken Trials, the Aiken Horse Show in the Woods and the Aiken Steeplechase, held for the first time at its new dedicated facility on Richland Avenue. The eventing world in Aiken continues to be exciting, with numerous beautiful farms holding competitions at all levels, as well as marquee events such as Grand Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field and Four Star FEI tests at Stable View. As we move into April and May, the main disciplines in our area will shift: the polo season is officially on, starting with the first public match, Pacers and Polo on Powderhouse Field, which represents the third leg of the Aiken Triple CrownPractices are underway now and the tournament season starts closer to the end of the month. In April, May and June, Premier horse shows will be coming to Highfields Event Center and Bruce’s Field at the Aiken Horse Park, which seems to be getting better all the time. Other equestrian competitions will continue, including eventing and combined training, combined driving, dressage and more. With our perfect Aiken spring weather (we’re

counting on that) we can look forward to many weeks of horse activities, whether in or out of the competitive arena. We hope you enjoy this issue. We have coverage of the Aiken Steeplechase and images from Grand Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field, as well as the harness races at McGhee’s Mile. We have articles about the USC Aiken Hunt Seat team, which excelled at the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Zone Finals and has two members now headed to the National Finals. We have an article about Paul Brown, a prolific equestrian artist from the last century who captured the action during the America’s first “Golden Age” of American Polo, and whose drawing forms the basis for the Aiken Polo Club logo. We have a very interesting article about equine anatomy, drawn from a conversation with Dr. Sharon May-Davis, an anatomist from Australia who was in Aiken for three weeks this spring to conduct horse dissections and share her knowledge and expertise with veterinarians, equine bodyworkers and others seeking a deeper understanding of how horses work, and why, sometimes, they don’t. As ever, thank you for reading and for supporting our paper. Please let us know if there is something going on out there that we should know about, or if you have an idea for an article. We want to be your horse newspaper.

The Aiken Horse EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pam Gleason

ART DIRECTOR Gary Knoll

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jean Berko Gleason

LAYOUT & DESIGN Gary Knoll

PHOTOGRAPHERS Pam Gleason Gary Knoll

ADVERTISING

803.643.9960 theaikenhorse@gmail.com

Going Out Of Town? Don’t miss future issues of The Aiken Horse. We will send you a one year subscription (6 issues) for $24.00, 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

The

Horse

Aiken’s Horse Publication

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

April-May 2022

The Aiken Horse

Aiken Steeplechase

Community Celebrates Racing’s Return By Pam Gleason

fter a two-year hiatus, the Aiken Steeplechase was back this spring, and the event was bigger and better than ever before. The races took place on March 26 at the Aiken Steeplechase Association’s new racetrack on the corner of Richland Avenue, Old Wagener Road and Route 118, otherwise known as the bypass. The new facility is situated on a 140-acre parcel that was formerly farmland, and has now been transformed into a state-of-the-art turf track with ample space for parking, tailgating and spectating. As usual, the Aiken race meet was the first of the year on the National Steeplechase Association circuit, representing a return to competition for horses and jockeys after a four-month winter break. Horses and their entourages came from up and down the East Coast. The NSA provided the hurdles and managed the races while the Aiken Steeplechase Association administered the remainder of the event. (They had help

Cup and the $20,000 Ford D. Conger Handicap. With the exception of the Imperial Cup, the names of these races pay tribute to important figures from Aiken’s steeplechasing past. G.H. Bostwick, always known as Pete, was a polo player and a flat and steeplechasing jockey in the middle of the 20th century who was a mainstay of Aiken’s equestrian community for decades. Charles Bird and Ford Conger were avid steeplechasing enthusiasts who are credited with reviving steeplechasing in Aiken in the 1960s and setting the sport on an upward trajectory that continues today. Winners on race day included two horses sent out by Leslie Young, last year’s runner-up for leading trainer of the year. Young brought five horses to Aiken and came home with two wins (Duckett’s Grove in the Training Flat and Bee Major in the G.H. Bostwick) as well as three seconds, which was definitely a good way to kick off the 2022

from the Aiken Sertoma Club and the South Carolina Highway Patrol, whose officers assisted with traffic control outside the facility’s five entrances.) Spectators came from Aiken as well as from around the region, eager to attend an annual event that has become a South Carolina rite of spring, but which has been absent for two years due to the pandemic. Some wanted to watch the horses, while many others were attracted by the massive outdoor party that ran throughout the afternoon. This party extended from tailgating spaces railside, to open areas on the infield, to the terrace boxes and corporate and VIP tents where there was live music and catered refreshments. In addition to the races, there was also a carriage parade, a parade of foxhounds, and a Pony Club flag presentation. The infield featured a village of shops, the Budweiser Tasting tent, pony rides for kids, and dog adoptions from the Aiken County Animal Shelter, which were run by FOTAS. Between the third and fourth races, there were contests for who wore the wildest hat, and who sported the craziest pants. These contests were sponsored by Walmart and they brought out some truly unique outfits. The race card included one flat race followed by four races over NSA hurdles. These were the $25,000 G.H. Bostwick Maiden Hurdle, the $15,000 Charles S. Bird Maiden Claimer, the featured $30,000 Imperial

season. The winner of the Imperial Cup was Boulette, an Irish bred 4-year-old conditioned by Keri Brio and ridden by Paul Willis, an apprentice jockey. Criticize, trained by Neil Morris, took the Charles Bird, while Gaye Breeze, trained by Sean McDermott, galloped away with the Ford Conger Handicap. The jockeys in Aiken included last year’s NSA champion rider Graham Watters, along with Harry Beswick, who was visiting from England and piloted Bee Major to victory. Sean McDermott, trainer of Gaye Breeze, was also his rider, making the pair’s victory in the Ford Conger Handicap all the sweeter. All the races were contested at 2 1/8 miles. Steeplechasing has a long history in Aiken. In the 1920s and 1930s, some of the most successful steeplechase riders and trainers wintered in Aiken, conditioning their horses over the fences in the Hitchcock Woods. Aiken’s historic foxhunt, The Aiken Hounds, featured a first flight that was often made up of amateur steeplechasing riders mounted on Thoroughbreds, with the result that the hunts often had a distinct racing flavor. The Aiken Steeplechase Association was founded in 1930 and the first official race was a 3-mile long contest over timber in the Hitchcock Woods. The races were then moved to the Aiken Mile Track. Aiken and Camden, which formed its own steeplechase association in 1929, soon started a years-long rivalry, regularly shipping their horses to

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2022

one another’s races in a quest for steeplechasing dominance. The steeplechase disappeared from Aiken during World War II, but was revived again in 1967. Races were held across the road from Powderhouse Polo Field on a parcel that was then known as the Ambrose Clark Schooling Field. That field later became Ford Conger Field, and is now the site of Bruce’s Field at the Aiken Horse Park. Although steeplechase trainers and horses have not had much of a presence in Aiken in recent decades, the annual racing tradition steadily gained in popularity, with the result that the event, which includes meets in the spring and the fall, eventually outgrew its home at the Aiken Horse Park. After a years-long search, the Aiken Steeplechase Association found the site for the new track, purchased the land with help from the City of Aiken, and has been spending the past few years creating the new facility.

was their first steeplechase experience.” Spectators were not the only ones pleased with the new facility. The horsemen were also appreciative of the attention that the Aiken Steeplechase Association devoted to the creation of the track, ensuring that it would be as good for the horses as it is for the fans. “We had many compliments on the course, the footing and the facility,” said Jessica. “The horsemen thought it was a fantastic track and they’re excited for it to mature and get even better. They’re excited to come back.” The next event at the steeplechase facility will be a Kentucky Derby watch party on Saturday, May 7. There will be a 15-foot Jumbotron to watch the race coverage, along with Derby themed refreshments and contests. In June or July, the association will start selling tickets for the fall steeplechase which is scheduled for October 29. The next spring

“Our inaugural race was a great success and the association was very pleased with how everything went,” said Jessica Miller, who is the event manager. “We don’t have exact figures on attendance yet, but we believe we had a larger crowd this year than we have had in years past.” Some preliminary estimates have put the attendance at 20,000, making the steeplechase the largest spectator event in the Aiken area. Jessica said that all of their tickets sold out, including all the railside spaces and all the parking spaces in the second row. The association stopped selling general admission parking midweek before the races so as not to overtax the new facility, where grass is still immature and some parts of the terrain outside of the racecourse itself are not yet perfectly established. One explanation for the large crowd was that there had not been a steeplechase meet in Aiken since fall 2019, creating a pent-up demand. “There was also curiosity to see the new track, and the fact that the population of Aiken has grown over the past two years,” said Jessica, who notes that in addition to regular patrons, there were also plenty of new faces. “We had many people there who were new to Aiken, and this

steeplechase date is March 25, 2023. Other events at the facility include an oyster roast in November, and possibly some smaller happenings over the summer. Jessica said the association conducted surveys and is already working on areas that could use adjustments before the next races. Additionally, there are plans for more improvements at the facility in the future, including the construction of permanent stabling, a watch tower, a pavilion and an office. More landscaping and beautification projects will also be undertaken over time with the goal of creating a first class facility for racing as well as for other community events. “Stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates,” said Jessica, noting that those who are interested in upcoming events may also sign up for the association’s newsletter from the website. “Everything was very positive with the races this spring,” she continued. “We had a great experience. The next one will be even better.”

April-May 2022

Visit aikensteeplechase.org

The Aiken Horse

News & Notes By Pam Gleason

Return of the Spring Season

After a two year hiatus, Aiken’s traditional spring season is back, and so far it has been spectacular. March and early April saw six major weekend equestrian events in downtown Aiken, and even more further out in the county. First came the Grand Prix Eventing Festival at Bruce’s Field, bringing in top eventing riders from the U.S., Canada and even Britain. Next was a day of harness racing at McGhee’s mile, featuring horses that trained at the historic track during the winter months. Next up: the Triple Crown of Aiken: three consecutive Saturdays of sport. This started, as ever, with the Aiken Trials, a day of racing for young Thoroughbreds at the Aiken Training Track. Next came the

held the competition despite the pandemic because it was considered an important early preparatory event for horses and riders slated to compete at the Tokyo Olympics later in the year – no spectators were allowed. The harness races and the Aiken Trials also took place in 2020 because they too were on the schedule before any major shutdowns, although they definitely operated under a cloud. Steeplechase, Pacers and Polo and the Aiken Horse Show, however, had no 2020 or 2021 dates. March in Aiken is usually a beautiful month, with grass turning green, dogwoods and azaleas blooming, bluebirds singing in the trees, bright sunshine Above: Eden Ormerod at Pacers & Polo and clear, crisp air. The Above right: Tegan Price at the Aiken Horse Show crowds at Aiken’s signature events always seem infected by spring fever: Aiken Steeplechase at their new facility on it is definitely exhilarating to be outside, Richland Avenue, followed by the season and fun to participate in these annual events opener polo match, Pacers and Polo on with friends and family. This year, the pent Powderhouse Field, which is a fundraising up demand from those quiet pandemic game put on by Aiken Polo Club for the years created a heightened atmosphere and University of South Carolina Aiken’s brought huge crowds to everything. The baseball team, the Pacers. That weekend, the Aiken Trials, which featured such crowdtraditional Aiken Horse Show also returned pleasers as the first ever Aiken sidesaddle to the historic horse show ring in the middle race, was particularly well-attended. So was of the Hitchcock Woods, and that same Steeplechase, held for the first time at its new weekend, world class event riders were at purpose-designed facility. The Aiken Horse Stable View to compete at the FEI oneShow in the Woods had a record number of through-four star, an important preparation exhibitors as well as spectators, making for for the LandRover Kentucky 3-Day Event long days in the little show ring in the middle near the end of the month. of the forest. A few of these traditional events actually Spring action in Aiken has only just started did go on during the pandemic. The Grand to heat up. We will have 12 more weeks Prix Eventing Festival is the only one of of polo and horse shows, not to mention the downtown events that did not have eventing, combined driving, dressage and any actual disruption in its schedule. The pretty much anything else you can think 2020 event took place in early March just of before the summer heat comes in to before COVID-19 hit America’s shores. quiet everything down again. Until then, Last year, in 2021, the Aiken Horse Park

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Aiken’s horse people seem to be energized and enthusiastic, making for a positive atmosphere and a feeling of possibility: in Aiken, horse business is good.

Sporthorse Sale at Highfields

Buyers and sellers in the hunter/jumper market will be pleased to know that there will be a sporthorse auction at Highfields event center on Monday, May 9. The inaugural Highfields Sporthorse Sale is “set to feature elite sporthorses from the hunter/ jumper, eventing, and fox hunting industries available to new homes.” The sale will be run as an auction with in-person and online bidding. Horses entered in the sale will be welcomed at Highfields starting on Thursday, May 5, giving buyers ample opportunity to view them and try them before the actual sale, which is currently slated to start at 5 p.m. on Monday afternoon. The idea for the sporthorse sale was conceived by Rick Cram, who runs Progressive Show Jumping, in order to satisfy the demand for sales horses in the Aiken area. Aiken has quite a good record when it comes to horse sales. In the past, there was a highly anticipated annual polo pony auction here each fall, run at Highfields and then at New Bridge Polo Club. Most recently, the Best of the West horse auction came to the Aiken Training Track last fall, attracting a great deal of attention as well as a fairly astounding amount of investment in horse flesh: the top seller went for $190,000, and the top ten average price was $93,531. Although hunter/jumpers, foxhunters and event horses are the most popular horses in Aiken, there has not been an auction for them here for well over a decade – we did have the Aiken Event Horse Sale, which was started in 2008 but discontinued soon thereafter. Although the first sale was quite successful, by the following year the economy was in decline and energy for the auction petered out. Today, the market for hunter/ jumper and event horses is extremely robust Continued on Page 24

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Aiken Steeplechase 2022

Photography by Pam Gleason & Gary Knoll

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THANK YOU For Your Support of our “Make a Mark on the Park” Campaign! The Stall Plaques Look Amazing! We love to see our visitors showcased across the property! We still have stalls available. Makes a Great Gift! NAME A STALL We will provide the name plaque to honor your horse.

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Museum Of Polo Hall of Fame Aiken’s New Members By Pam Gleason

his February, two players and one horse with Aiken connections were formally inducted into the National Museum of Polo Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, Florida. Each year, the polo museum holds an awards gala to celebrate its new members; this year was special because last year’s event was canceled due to COVID-19. This meant that there would be twice the usual number of inductees In a normal year, the museum adds two players to its Hall of Fame: one goes to a living player and the other is awarded posthumously. It also names two “Horses to Remember,” one from the current era, and one from an earlier one. Finally, it gives out two Iglehart Awards to “recognize exceptional lifetime contributions to the sport of polo either on a regional or a national level.” The Iglehart award is named for Philip Iglehart (1913-1993), a Long Island based player who attended Aiken Prep and played on Aiken’s fields in his youth. Iglehart is also credited

with “taking the Museum of Polo from a dream to a reality.” The first Aiken player to be inducted this year was Julio Arellano, an Aiken resident and former 9-goal professional player who played in Aiken tournaments for decades and who was elected in 2021. Julio won the U.S. Open Polo championship three times between 1992 and 2010. He also won all of the most coveted major American tournaments including the USPA Gold Cup, the C.V. Whitney Cup, the Monty Waterbury Cup, the Silver Cup, the Northrup Knox Cup and the Butler Handicap. He represented the U.S. internationally, playing in the Coronation Cup and the Westchester Cup in England. Recent wins on Aiken’s fields include the Copper Cup, which he won in 2016 playing alongside his daughter Hope. In addition to his playing skill, Julio is known as a superb coach and mentor, especially to his children, Agustin, Lucas and Hope. Hope and Lucas are both extremely frequent participants in Aiken tournaments, where they often find themselves at the awards table. Active in all aspects of the sport, Julio has also served on the Board of Governors of the USPA and is currently a Governor at Large The 2022 Hall of Fame inductee is Tommy Biddle, a former 10 goal arena and 8 goal outdoor player who was born and raised in Aiken and learned his earliest polo lessons on Aiken fields. Tommy was a member of the “Young Aiken” team when he was in his teens, an undefeated team composed of the sons of some of Aiken’s most dedicated players in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He turned professional at 18 and played

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all over the country and the world, winning such prestigious outdoor tournaments as the U.S. Open, the Monty Waterbury and the Copper Cup, as well as the U.S. Open Arena Championship and the Townsend Cup, an arena match against Great Britain. Still an active player, Tommy is also known as a superb umpire and has recently turned his attention to coaching younger players. Finally, the horse Jacobs, owned and played by the 10-goaler Devereux Milburn, was recognized as a Horse to Remember, receiving the 2022 honor for horses from an earlier era. Devereux Milburn, who had a home on Magnolia Street in Aiken, was a prominent member of Aiken’s winter colony of polo players. Jacobs, who played in international matches against England in 1912 and 1913, was described as a big, rangy bay. Born and raised in Texas, Jacobs was assumed to be a Thoroughbred, although his exact lineage is unknown. Named after the buffalo hunter and polo pony dealer who sold him into the high goal, J.C. Jacobs of San Antonio, Jacobs was a striking presence on the polo field, not just because he was fast and powerful, but because he was bigger, much bigger, than the rest of the ponies. Before World War I, there was still a height limit on polo ponies, and at 15.3 hands, Jacobs was clearly well above that limit. However, there is no evidence anyone ever tried to keep him off the field for this reason. In fact, although oversized horses were officially disallowed, the rules were written in such a way as to make it easy for such a mount to continue to play: any member of the polo committee was allowed to issue permanent certificates of eligibility to any horse that was not his own, and these certificates were irrevocable.

April-May 2022

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April-May 2022

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News & Notes from page 12 and it would seem to be a good time to give it another go. “People trying to buy horses have been complaining that they are having a hard time because horses are selling so fast,” says Shannon Eckel of Hat Trick Sport Horses in Aiken. Shannon is in charge media and social media relations for the Highfields sale. “Lots of people are finding that horses are being sold out from underneath them; that they don’t have time to go try horses because as soon as they find one that they are interested in, it’s sold. This sale will put everyone in the same place at the same time so everyone has an equal opportunity to buy.” Shannon says that the organizers are hoping to have between 50 and 80 horses on hand, and that the price range is expected to be in the low to high five figures; though with the way the market for these horses has been going, there may be a few six figure individuals sprinkled in. Buyers and sellers are expected to come from around the region and beyond: the May 9 date was chosen to encourage participation from horsemen both inside and outside the Aiken area. “Rick Cram specifically chose that date because it is between the two weeks of the Aiken Charity Horse show at Bruce’s Field,” says Shannon. “That’s when the most people in the hunter/jumper world will be here.” The first week of the show is May 4-8, while the second is May 11-15. Monday, May 9 will be a quiet day for horse showing, but could easily be an active one for buying and selling. Although there will not be a dedicated web page for the sale itself, more information as well as entry forms for those wishing to sell horses can be found on the PSJ website: psjshows.com. There are also Facebook and Instagram pages for the sale which will highlight the horses on offer and give shoppers a chance to scope out some of the animals before the sale begins. If this first sale is successful, it is hoped to become an annual happening, helping to keep Aiken’s horsemen well stocked with new mounts, and Aiken’s professional horsemen doing some brisk business in horse trading.

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Interscholastic Polo Champions

Aiken’s girls’ interscholastic polo team continued its dominance on a national level this spring at the Brookshire Polo Club in Brookshire, Texas, where they played in, and won, the Girls’ Interscholastic Polo Championship. This was the team’s second straight national title. In the spring of 2021, the National finals were held in Aiken in the Youth Polo Arena at New Bridge Polo and Country Club. Then, the Aiken team downed defending champion Maryland to win their first title. This March, Aiken’s players drove two days to Texas for a rematch against the same team. After a hard-fought back-and-forth contest, Aiken fired on all burners in the fourth and final chukker, tallying six goals to take the game 16-10. The Aiken Interscholastic Girls’ Polo team consists of Summer Kneece, a junior, along with Robyn and Reagan Leitner, identical twins who are graduating seniors this year. The team has always included a fourth as well, with the players splitting positions from one chukker to the next. Last year, the fourth player on the team was Sophie Grant; this year it was Brianna Jordan. Both Sophie and Brianna are actually from Maryland and came to Aiken specifically to play on the Aiken team. Today, Sophie Grant, who graduated, is a member of Team USPA, which is the United States Polo Association’s training program for aspiring players. Brianna Jordan came to Aiken along with her twin sister Madison, who played on Aiken’s Open Interscholastic team. Summer Kneece, who scored nine goals in the final, was named a tournament all star. Aiken’s Open Interscholastic team also made it to the finals arena, where they fought hard, but could not overcome the strong playing of the Houston team, which won the match 10-7. Aiken’s team consisted of Josh Escapite, Aiden Meeker, Madison Jordan and Lazaro Gorosito. Both Aiken teams brought their own ponies to the match, which were played on a split string basis, playing one chukker for Aiken and one chukker for the opposing team in order to equalize playing conditions as much as possible. In the Open tournament, the Aiken ponies received the best string award, while Lazaro Gorosito’s Titona won best playing pony of the tournament. Additionally, Madison Jordan and Aiden Meeker were both named tournament all stars. Madison, who scored several goals in the championship game, was one of only a few girls in the open tournament and the only one in the final. The Aiken interscholastic programs are overseen by their coach Tiger Kneece, a former 7 goal professional player who is also the coach of the USC Aiken Intercollegiate Polo Team and the manager of Aiken Polo Club. Tiger’s junior polo program, started half a decade ago, has been extremely successful, not just in interscholastic play but also because it has brought numerous young players into the sport, bolstering local rosters and helping to solidify the future of polo in Aiken and beyond.

April-May 2022

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Golf Anyone?

in the past. The plan is to offer free access and local housing to four aspiring female professionals for one year. Schreiber will also open the course up to players from Paine and Vorhees Colleges, two Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the area, and is reportedly in talks to make Old Barnwell the host club for the HBCU National Golf Championships. Additionally, there will be a caddie program and a maintenance apprenticeship program for local youth. The Tree Farm is the brainchild of the PGA golfer Zac Blair, 31, who has been

greens and fairways. But equestrian pursuits and golf are often intertwined, both because they require the same type of terrain, and because the people who ride horses and those who play golf are often the same, or at least in the same family. An Aiken example of this is the Palmetto Golf Club which was founded by Thomas Hitchcock in 1892, in the first year that he and his new wife, Louise Eustis Hitchcock arrived in Aiken. Thomas and Louise also brought foxhunting to Aiken, and became mainstays of the fledgling Aiken Polo Club. Like Aiken Polo Club’s Whitney

traditionally been a haven for horses. Golf clubs and equestrian facilities have some commonalities. Both require a lot of open land, and both find the sandy soil of Aiken County and surrounding areas to be ideal for their purposes. Golf and equestrian entrepreneurs have another thing in common, too: both recognize that land in the Aiken area is quite a bargain compared to other parts of the country that are equally as appealing in terms of climate and terrain. The Old Barnwell Club will eventually have two courses and is being created by Nick Schreiber, a golf enthusiast and entrepreneur who lives in Charleston with his family. His goal is to create a special kind of golf club that will be more inclusive and welcoming to newcomers and to those who may have been excluded from traditional private clubs

searching for a location to build a course for several years. Blair’s concept is to create a destination golf club for people who want to go somewhere pleasant to play golf during the colder months. Proximity to Augusta is a major reason he chose the location: in addition to the golf course, plans also call for the construction of four cabins that can house up to 10 people apiece. Blair told Golf Digest that he expects these cabins to be filled with members from around the country for the ten days surrounding the Masters, giving them somewhere “cool” to stay and play while watching one of golf ’s most famous tournaments. Horses and golf courses don’t necessarily go well together – after all, most everyone has heard stories of horses getting loose on golf courses and causing hundred or thousands of dollars worth of damage to

Field, the Palmetto Club became a part of the Whitney Trust in 1901, and is leased by the club for its use. It remains to be seen what effect, if any, the new golf courses will have on Aiken’s equestrian life. What they are likely to do is create more interest in and attention to the Aiken area, and they are also likely to bring more visitors to quieter parts of the county where these new courses are located. We all know what happens when people come to visit Aiken: they don’t want to leave, and end up buying property here. This has happened when horse people come to Aiken for polo matches, eventing competitions and horse shows; it’s just as likely to happen with golfers. The real estate market in Aiken is already sizzling hot. Smart money says it will only get hotter.

With the arrival of the annual Masters tournament at the Augusta National Golf Course, the golf press is abuzz with news about two new golf courses being constructed in the Aiken area. One is Old Barnwell, which occupies 575 acres on Old Barnwell Road and is expected to open in 2023. The other is the Tree Farm, which is being built on 400 acres on Route 39 near the intersection of Old Chalkbed Road. These two major golf clubs bring that sport quite close to parts of this area that have

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Mounted Stewards From Aiken To Kentucky Land Rover 3 Day Event by Kay George

iken has always been known as an equestrian destination with elite riders, and some of the top international eventers in North America have close ties to Aiken. These eventers and other world-class competitors will be competing at the Kentucky Land Rover 3-Day Event, April 28-May 1 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. It is a five star competition, one of just two in this country, and it regularly draws many horses and riders from overseas. This year, three of Aiken’s own fox hunters have been chosen to support the Kentucky Land Rover 3-Day event as mounted stewards. These stewards are Master Sarah Wildasin, Kristy Summer, and Kay George, all three members of Aiken’s oldest hunt, the historic Aiken Hounds. They will be part of a contingent of 50 mounted stewards representing foxhunting and other disciplines from numerous states. The mounted stewards are part of the over 2,000 volunteers performing varied and necessary tasks at the competition. These volunteers will come optimistic and enthusiastic no matter what conditions they encounter, eager to make the 2022 Kentucky Land Rover 3-Day Event the best ever. So what exactly does a mounted steward do? If you have ever attended the Land Rover event you will see the mounted stewards quietly positioned at each cross country jump, blowing a whistle as soon as a competitor completes the preceding jump. The whistle alerts the ground stewards and crossing guards to stop spectators from crossing at the gallop lanes. It also signals the spectators and the jump judges that a competitor is galloping toward their jump. This system helps to insure the safety of the competitors, volunteers, and spectators. Occasionally the mounted stewards have to perform other duties,

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such as catching a competitor’s loose horse after a mishap, positioning crowds away from an incident, and requesting spectators to follow guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety and security. The rest of the time they are ambassadors, being photographed with families, toddlers, small children, and happy spectators. They give directions and tell stories about themselves, their fox hunts, and their home towns. What type of horse can perform the job for a mounted steward? Bombproof is a bit of an understatement for a mounted steward’s horse. These horses must stand quietly alone for hours in all weather, with the closest other horse maybe a football field away. They encounter horses galloping past them, whistles, announcements, jumbo TV screens, energetic spectators in chairs or on blankets, bells ringing, umbrellas opening, golf carts, bikes, scooters, porta potties, tents flapping, and now, buzzing overhead drones. A steward’s horse also must possess a kind disposition, be docile, friendly, and unusually quiet. He or she must be able to stand at attention and then be prepared to jump into action if an incident occurs. Next to the competitors’ horses, these horses may be the most photographed horses at the event. So the next time you hear a whistle blow at an International 3 Day Event think of the mounted stewards. One may be from Aiken. Pictured above: Kristy Summer on Grayson, a 22-year-old Percheron/ Thoroughbred cross who has hunted with the Aiken Hounds for 17 years and is a certified member of the Volunteer Mounted Police in Aiken. MHF (jt) of the Aiken Hounds Sarah Wildasin on Wylie, a 10-year-old American Warmblood who has competed in eventing and dressage as well as led the second flight for the Aiken Hounds. Kay George on Girl Talk, aka Reba. Reba, a 25-year-old American Warmblood, has hunted with 17 different hunts in four states and has served as a mounted steward in Kentucky for 5 consecutive years.

April-May 2022

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AIKEN HORSE Bridle Creek 101921.qxp_Layout 1 10/19/21 1:17 PM Page 1

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 ve-acre lots and larger. Amenities include a dressage arena, jump arena, X-Country Schooling area and an activity center with meeting, social and tness 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 • 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 46 50 52 54

Missy Miller Eventing Bruno Takes GPE GPE in Pictures Paul Brown Polo Art Ask the Judge Secret Lives

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Eventing with a Global Perspective Missy Miller

By Jen Roytz, Photo By Gary Knoll

riginally from Atlanta, Georgia, Missy Miller was drawn to horses from an early age. Little did she know all of the places they would one day take her. From traveling around the world and competing at eventing’s biggest venues to building a career and a life with horses at its epicenter, Miller says it’s a combination of hard work, determination and luck that have helped her achieve the success she has enjoyed thus far. After wintering in Aiken for the past five years, she recently relocated from her base in New York to South Carolina’s equestrian hub full time. Now, the 33-year-old is looking to the future, and considering the string currently in her stable, she is excited about what it might hold.

From Celebrated Junior Rider to Accomplished Pro

Like many adults in the equestrian world, Missy started riding as a child. With a mother and an aunt who also rode in their childhood, she had plenty of family encouragement. A few years after she was born, her family moved to Gulf Shores, Alabama, which is where she first started taking lessons. “In my first lessons, I remember seeing some do a cross country course and immediately thinking ‘I want to do that,’” recalled Miller. “I was heartbroken when my trainer said that if I wanted to do that, then I had to do all of it, and took me to the dressage arena. It was not what I had envisioned.” But, as she has matured, so too has her appreciation of dressage, and equestrianism as a whole. As a young rider, Missy worked with top competitors and coaches, such as Leslie Law, Darren Chiacchia and Kyle Carter. She also took time off from college to travel abroad as a working student under William Fox-Pitt. After competing successfully in the North American Young Rider Championships as part of the gold medal-winning team in 2010 and completing her degree at Savannah College of Art and Design, Miller moved her tack to Europe to pursue a different type of education. She went to work for Dirk Schrade, an Olympic and World Equestrian Games gold medalist who specializes in buying and selling horses internationally. There, she also studied with Christoph and Jurgen Koschel and worked on deepening her foundation in dressage, before migrating to England, where she rode with Bill Levett and then Clark Montgomery the year he won the Blenheim event and was named to the Rio Olympic Team. During that time, Miller enjoyed riding a wide variety of horses, and credits those experiences for making her the rider she is today. “Every single horse has something to teach you, and I am lucky to have some special ones that stand out,” said Miller. “My first advanced horse, Leprechaun’s Rowdy Boy, instilled my love for this sport. He made me braver than I probably should have been and dream bigger than I should have. Then, after he tragically passed, TSF Amazing Gracie brought my heart back into it. She took me back to the Advanced level and made me fight for it – she taught me how important that relationship is with your horse. If she didn’t like you, it was very clear.” That depth of experiences has taught Miller what she likes, what she’s good at, and how to ride horses outside of her comfort zone effectively. “Growing up I rode little pocket rocket types. While I still like a compact, forward-thinking type, I tend to like them a bit leggier these days,” she said. “Long, uphill builds, quick-thinking, blood-types. I am lucky that all of mine move beautifully, but I prefer to look at a good gallop and have a certain lightness to them. I like their jobs to be easy on them, since what we do asks so much of them.”

April-May 2022

Making the Move to Aiken

For the past several years, Miller has been splitting her time between New York in the warmer months and Aiken in the winter, but last May, she made the decision to live and train in Aiken year-round. “There is a genuineness Aiken locals possess that has made me feel like a ‘local’ less than a year after making this my home zip code,” said Miller. Like most professional equestrians, Miller’s business model is ever-fluctuating. Her time in Europe has honed her eye for selecting the right sales prospects for her program and pairing them with their “right person.” She also has a growing group of junior equestrians and adult amateurs in training, which is an aspect of her business that she particularly enjoys. “We have a fun mix of ages and levels in the barn, which makes it a refreshing and supportive atmosphere,” she said. Currently she has an enviable lineup of horses in her stable, including Quinn (competing at the 4* level), Allegretto (2*) and Amazing Mi (a homebred that she’s hoping to bring up to Prelim this year). More recently she has ventured into the world of syndication, purchasing a 4-year-old Oldenburg from Germany named Quasi Limko, owned by the aptly named Plain Bay Syndicate. Miller says she doesn’t have any formalized goals yet for the big, leggy gelding, but would love to point him to the 4-Year-Old Young Event Horse Championships this fall. “The cornerstone of our syndicate is communication,” said Miller. “I have a former client who also worked with me to really strengthen how I structured my syndicates. You’ll never get faulted for too much information, but you sure will for not enough.” In the coming years Miller hopes to grow her base of operations in Aiken, bringing in more young horses from both the U. S. and overseas. She also hopes to compete at the 5* level in the coming year or two if everything goes according to plan. Miller also wants to find more ways to give back to the sport that has taken her so far. “Horses have allowed me to travel the world. They’ve taken me to really cool places and allowed me to meet so many incredible people. Growing up in Alabama, without horses I wouldn’t have visited half of the places I’ve gone…though my parents would have saved a lot of money,” Miller joked. “I would love to get more involved with the Young Rider program. It was such an important part of my upbringing and it’s changed so much over the years. I’d like to work to have a meaningful impact there, and in other areas where I can help to move the sport forward.”

Quick Qs with Missy M.

Favorite breeches: Samshield or Penelope 3 words that describe you: stubborn, loud, open book Last book she read: Billion Dollar Loser Skill she has yet to master: Dressage…and maybe punctuality Favorite grooming box item: Elemental Equine’s Tendon Freeze (and a good quarter marker brush) Favorite Saying: I add “-ish” to everything…is that a saying? Show she’s currently binging: Pieces of Her on Netflix Favorite horse she’s never ridden: Headley Brittania Go-to drink: soy latte in the AM, gallons of water all day, a good glass of red wine at night

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April-May 2022

Bruno at Grand Prix Eventing A Storybook Ending By Pam Gleason

motions were running high at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park on the second and final day of the $50,000 Grand Prix Eventing Festival, Saturday, March 5. On Friday, Boyd Martin had piloted his two mounts, Fedarman B and Tsetserleg, to first and second place in the standings and looked poised to win the competition. This was not especially astonishing: Boyd is an Olympic veteran and he and Tsetserleg, his 2020 Olympic mount, have individual and team Pan Am

Gold medals, making them rather obvious favorites for the win. But Fedarman B (Bruno) was a different story. The 12-year-old gelding had been purchased as an unbroken 3-year-old and produced up the levels by Annie Goodwin, an up-and-coming young professional based in Aiken. Annie rode Bruno to a top 20 finish in the same event in 2021, and had hoped to ride him there again this year. But last summer she lost her life in a tragic schooling accident that devastated the Aiken and eventing communities. Martin, who had coached Annie for years, took over Bruno’s training after the accident and rode him at the festival in her honor. “Annie really wanted to be here, every bit as much as we wish that too. So let’s make sure she is,” said her father, Putter Goodwin, in a short memorial for her held before the final cross-country competition. “Let’s remember her with a smile and all the joy she would bring. Let’s remember her with a cheer and all the encouragement she would share. Let’s remember her with inspiration. Gallop on today! This great sport is never without risk but is always about partnership and camaraderie.” Goodwin along with Annie’s fiancé Jake Padgett and a handful of her closest friends gathered in the main arena along with Bruno while her father and friends spoke. Earlier in the year, the Goodwin family had intended to put on a full memorial service for Annie at the Aiken Horse Park during Grand Prix weekend. But the early winter surge of COVID-19 infections in the country put an end to those plans: the Goodwins were reluctant to hold a large gathering when the virus was still rampant, especially since so many members of their family would be travelling to Aiken from far away. The scaled down memorial was brief and heartfelt, moving many in the assembled crowd to tears. Annie, 32, had been a well-respected member of the Aiken community, who, aside from her talent and dedication to horsemanship, was a genuine, outgoing and generous person who had friends and admirers in all sectors of the horse world. The Grand Prix Eventing Festival is a unique competition, offering

April-May 2022

two days of upper level eventing action in a format designed to appeal to spectators. On the first day, horses and riders performed a dressage test and then went into the arena for the stadium jumping phase. The second day, Saturday, featured cross country jumping over a shortened course that ran in and around three separate arenas at the Aiken Horse Park. Horses and riders negotiated massive cross country jumps that evoked recognizable Aiken landmarks: The Willcox, Saint Mary’s Church, Memorial Gate in the Hitchcock Woods and so on. In traditional eventing, the course covers a large area and there are rarely places where spectators can see more than a few jumps at a time. At this competition, however, the entire course is accessible and it is easy to follow each rider from beginning to end. Saturday’s riders went in reverse order of standing, meaning that Bruno and Martin, sitting in first, would be the final competitors of the day. The roster at the event included high profile names from the United States and abroad: Colleen Loach from Canada, William Fox-Pitt from England, Doug Payne (Martin’s Olympic and Pan Am Games teammate) from the U.S. To make the time, riders had to go fast and take some chances. There were difficult fences: a pair of offset brush jumps that made an angled in-and-out; a narrow skinny into some rather deep water, and then a brush jump back into the main arena; the massive Aiken Post Office fence directly afterward. Although two riders fell and two others withdrew on course, for the most part, the track appeared to ride well, and the horses and riders fairly flew from arena to arena in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

When it was finally time for Boyd and Bruno to jump, the competition was theirs to lose, and they had some leeway. In fact, Boyd and Bruno could have been nine seconds over the time and still come out on top. But they did not need that cushion. Bruno is a powerful athlete, and he and Boyd jumped clear and fast, making the course look effortless. As they galloped past the stands after the win, spectators cheered and clapped, hugged and cried. Annie was, as her father had wished, there that day. “What a privilege to ride this horse,” said Boyd at the awards ceremony. “Annie was so special to so many people, especially in this community, and then to bring the horse here and her fiancé and mom, dad, all her best mates are here, and the horse on top of that went like a champ…I couldn’t have hoped for better.”

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The Polo Art of Paul Brown Action, Passion & History By Pam Gleason

aul Desmond Brown (1893-1958) was probably the most important American polo artist of the twentieth century. He was certainly the most prolific. Making his living as a commercial illustrator (he drew advertisements and promotional material for Brooks Brothers and Mobil Oil among others), he also illustrated over 100 books, wrote and illustrated 31, and produced thousands of sketches, drawings, watercolors, aquatints and lithographs on sporting and animal subjects. He loved horses and was particularly fascinated by action sports, becoming especially well known for his depictions of steeplechasing, foxhunting, and especially of polo. Brown was born in Minnesota, but when he was 9 his family moved to New York, where his father became involved in the theater business. When he was about 11, he attended the National Horse Show at Madison

National, many of which appeared in his 1930 book on the subject. Brown became a fixture on Long Island polo fields, sketching the game from life, taking notes on the action and then returning home to finish his drawings. Although he is said to have sometimes referred to photographs to complete his work, his compositions were entirely his own, coming from scenes captured in his photographic memory: “Don’t copy anybody, anytime. Be yourself,” he wrote in an article to aspiring artists in the 1950s. In an age where action photography could be lacking, Paul Brown’s drawings and sketches became more or less faithful representations of a match. Starting in the mid-1920s, Brown would make his on-the-spot drawings and sketches available at a gallery in Manhattan during important

Square Garden and from that day forward, he was obsessed with drawing horses. Although he was described as an active and athletic young person who played football and tennis and boxed, drawing was his passion. He attended the High School of Commerce to learn illustration, where his instructors were impressed with his talent, but he dropped out before graduating to start his own successful illustrating business at the age of 18. After serving in the infantry in World War I, Brown was married in 1923, and he and his wife Sallie settled on Long Island at a home on the edge of a golf course in Garden City. There they raised a family, while Paul, seated at a drawing table in a corner of the living room, produced his work. Long Island was a hotbed of equestrian action, and although Brown said he never rode a horse, he became a devoted student of horsemanship. He attended polo matches and foxhunts, and was so enamored of the steeplechase that he made six trips to Aintree in England to draw scenes from the Grand

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April-May 2022

tournaments. “Paul Brown, in his crayon and colored ink sketches, has been vigorously reporting the activities of Polo Week and the walls of the Robertson Deschamps Gallery were constantly replenished with items newly coined,” noted an article in the October 7, 1928 edition of the New York Times. “Although these drawings have been turned out, necessarily, at white heat, there is no appearance of haste. They compose a most interesting polo gallery.” Brown drew the attention of the specialty book publisher Derrydale Press, and was commissioned to create illustrations for such things as the Hitchcock Edition of David Gray’s three-volume “Gallops.” He also created a series of four large aquatints for Derrydale entitled American Polo Scenes, which were produced in an edition of 175 signed and numbered sets. He helped Peter Vischer to launch the original Polo magazine and he also produced polo illustrations for Spur, The Sportsman, and the Chronicle of the Horse, among many others. His polo-themed art books include Hits and Misses, Good Luck and Bad, Ups and Downs, and Spills and Thrills, all of which contain his depictions of the action and drama of the game. In 1949, he produced a book called Polo, that was subtitled “A non-

up an important part of Aiken’s Winter Colony, so it is no surprise that the walls of the family homes of Aiken players are filled with Paul Brown prints and paintings, while their libraries are liberally seeded with his books. Paul Brown’s work is also familiar to anyone who has been to polo in Aiken for another reason, though they may not realize it. The logo for Aiken Polo Club comes from a Paul Brown drawing of William Post taking a backshot. Billy Post was an 8-goal player in the 1930s who was among America’s polo greats. His father, Fred Post, was an integral part of Aiken’s polo community starting in the 1910s, because, in addition to being a player, he was also a polo pony breeder, trainer and trader who supplied horses to Aiken’s players for many years. Although the drawing that is now the Aiken Polo Club logo was probably created in the 1930s, it does not seem to have become the Aiken Polo Club logo until three or four decades later. At around the same time, it also started appearing as the logo for St. John’s church in Aiken, as well as for Lionel Smith, the men’s clothing store on Laurens Street. Descriptions of Brown’s work often remark on his ability to capture a sense of movement in a few strokes and his realistic depictions of the scenes that unfolded before him. But the true appeal of his work comes

technical explanation of the galloping game,” and was said to be “approved by the United States Polo Association.” This book includes descriptions and illustrations of plays and of fouls, explaining the rules of polo and even providing a roster of the active clubs in the United States along with the 1949 handicap list. It ends with a collection of illustrations of some of Brown’s favorite polo moments in a chapter entitled Memories. “It is the thrilling moments in the sport which come back to mind,” he wrote. “It is split second decisions and flashing action which one recalls that make a lover of the pastime wish to see more of it . . For over twenty five years I have made notations of the sparkling plays, humorous incidents and – tragedy.” Brown was a familiar figure to the high goal players whose likenesses he captured, and many of them actively collected his work, especially depictions of themselves. Those players often wintered in Aiken and made

from the passion that he devoted to it. Although he never played polo, he understood the game; although he never owned a horse, he seemed to empathize with them, depicting them in their full athleticism, bravery and vulnerability. Never sentimental or sensationalistic, his art reflects an unflinching yet sympathetic vision of his subjects that gives it a unique emotional impact. “He worked very hard at perfecting his technique by doing drawing after drawing and by studying his subjects thoroughly,” wrote his daughter Nancy Brown Searles in the foreword to the book Paul Brown, Master of Equine Art. “As hard as he worked however, it was not work to him. He always told us kids and friends that he thought he was the luckiest man in the world, for he regarded his work as enjoyable as play – and he got paid for it!”

April-May 2022

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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 have been a spectator at some of Aiken’s dressage shows over this winter. I have especially enjoyed watching all the musical freestyles. I was surprised when some of my favorite rides, with the best music, did not place very high – I thought they would win! Can you explain how these rides are judged?

Spectating Dear Spectating,

I am so glad you have been able to come out to these shows. It is especially nice you were there to support and watch the musical freestyles rides. They certainly are fun to watch, and they are fun to ride. These tests can highlight a horse’s best qualities and movements, and a lot of time and work goes into performing a competitive ride. As you have probably guessed, these tests have a different system of scoring in comparison to straight dressage tests. Let’s take a look at how judges evaluate musical freestyles. This type of ride includes two separate scoring categories per test. One is known as the technical side, which is similar to a standard dressage test. The other is called the artistic side, which you do not see in a standard dressage test. All the USDF levels (Training through Fourth Level) offer freestyle tests. There are also FEI freestyle tests at these levels: Intermediate 1, Intermediate A/B, Grand Prix, Juniors and Young Riders. For any level of test there are certain required movements that must be performed. You are allowed to perform any additional movement or transition as long as it’s not above the level you have entered. For example, if you ride a First Level freestyle, you are not allowed to perform flying changes, because they are not introduced until the Third Level. On the technical side of a freestyle, you can earn your scores in full points or in half points, just like in standard tests (For example 6.0 or 6.5.) Each time a movement is performed you will earn a score. At the end of your ride, if you have multiple marks for a movement they will all be taken into account to arrive at a final score on that movement. Let’s say you are doing a First Level freestyle. Although only one leg yield is required in each direction, if you chose to do more than one, you would earn a mark each time a leg yield is performed. You might earn a 6.5, 7.0, and a 7.5 for doing three leg yields to the left. In this case, your final mark for “leg yield left” would likely be a 7.0. The score you earn for each movement is evaluated the same way as on your regular tests, but in a freestyle there are no final collective marks. Instead there is a single scoring box on the technical side for “Rhythm, Energy, Elasticity.” Overall, the more confirmed and reliable your horse is performing at the level you are competing, the higher your technical score is likely to be. When judging the artistic side of a freestyle test there are five scoring boxes for your judge to consider. The scores for the artistic side can be considered more like the collective marks in a standard test. These scores may be given in tenths, for example 6.2, 7.7 etc. The artistic boxes for USDF freestyles are as follows: 1. Harmony between Horse and Rider, which has a coefficient of four. For example if you earn a 7.0 here, your final mark for this category would be worth 28 points. This score is based on the technical

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execution of your ride. It also takes into account the trust, confidence, calmness and attentiveness of the horse, and the ease of execution of the moves. Any tension or disobediences would be part of this score, similar to the criteria you would have for the submission score on a standard test. 2. Choreography also has a coefficient of four points. This score is mostly independent of the technical execution. Your judge is looking at the design of the test, including the use of the arena, balance and creativity. The judge would like to see you use the entire arena, while keeping it easy to recognize the individual moves and follow along. In the best tests, the horse and rider execute moves equally in both directions, and in interesting patterns, not similar to a standard test. 3. Degree of Difficulty has a coefficient of one. This score is based mostly on technical execution. The test should be advanced for the level: it should be harder than the highest test of the level you are performing. For example if you are showing First Level, your freestyle should be more difficult than First Level, test three. However, you must be careful not to include any movements that are above First Level, as these are forbidden. The more difficult the ride, the higher the mark – as long as it is successful! 4. Music has a coefficient of three. This score is mostly independent of the technical score. You want your music to be memorable. It should enhance the way your horse moves at each gait, and it should be distinctive: music for the walk should not be the same as music for the trot. In this scoring box the editing, seamlessness and cohesiveness of the music are a factor. When mixing music for a freestyle, it is also suggested to use a common genre, theme or instrumentation. 5. Interpretation has a coefficient of three. This category is mostly scored independently of technical execution. The judge will be looking for music that shows off the horse’s gaits and matches his footfall. The ride should have clear phrasing, with a suggested minimum of six variations of music per test. The scoring for FEI tests is different. In an FEI freestyle at a national show, there are also five artistic scores, but all of them have a coefficient of four points. Let’s look at these scoring boxes. 1. Rhythm, Energy, and Elasticity, which is based on the technical aspect of ride. This score takes into consideration gaits and impulsion. 2. Harmony, which takes into consideration overall submission and the relationship between the horse and rider. Judges are looking for reliability and ease. This is scored similarly to the “harmony” box of the USDF tests. 3. Choreography is scored similarly to the USDF tests. Creative use of the arena is important and interesting lines, different from standard tests, are key. For example: broken lines when doing flying changes, using quarter lines and centerlines for movements. 4. Degree of difficulty is scored similarly to the USDF tests. Here judges would like to see more calculated risks as long as you can successfully perform everything. 5. Music and interpretation is scored similarly to the USDF test. Judges are really looking for music that matches and expresses the horse’s gaits and movements. Once again, much phrasing can really highlight the horse and the test. There are many more factors and scoring details that come into arriving at a final score. When the ride is complete, the technical side and artistic side are tallied together to derive a final percentage. So in other words, freestyle is not all about the music, since you can’t get a high score without good technical marks. Music is definitely a big factor and can and should enhance the ride. You want the judge to be humming the music – some of the best freestyles I have judged, I truly wished would not end, and the music stayed with me long afterwards. This is a winning freestyle. I hope this helps you. Please support all these riders. A lot of time and work go into making a magical freestyle test, and many riders appreciate an enthusiastic audience.

April-May 2022

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Secret Lives of Horses

Bear Necessity: The Heart Horse Returns By Nancy Johnson

onya Amato has some very nice horses in her barn in Aiken, but none is more special to her than Bear Necessity, a 25-year-old mare that meanders around the farm. Tonya smiles as she recounts their history together. “I worked on the farm in Ontario, Canada where she was born,” Tonya begins. “She was fuzzy as a bear from the day she was born, so we just started calling her Bear.” Tonya had ridden and shown the filly’s sire, an off-the-track-Thoroughbred, and describes her dam as a chunky Quarter Horse/Percheron cross. “I bought her when she was 4 months old; since I worked there, she was specially priced for me at $500.” Tonya trained the filly herself and recalls, “She was so easy that I was eventing her when she was three and a half.” By the time she was 5, Bear Necessity and Tonya competed very successfully throughout Canada at the Preliminary level. She and Tonya also showed in the jumpers up to 4’3”. “She wasn’t built for speed, but she had a heart of gold and boy, could she jump!” When Bear was 8, Tonya knew that she had taken the mare about as far as she could go in the eventing world, so she decided to breed her. She chose a big Hanoverian stallion in the hope that the foal would get his size and conformation, coupled with Bear’s disposition and heart. “Shortly after I bred her, I advertised her for sale thinking that it would take a while to sell her. But I got a nice offer for her immediately,” Tonya recounts. “When I told the customers she was in foal, they said it was fine and they added $4,000 to their offer because they wanted the foal, too.” After Bear had her foal, which is still owned by the same family in Chicago, she was put back into work and soon was showing in the jumpers with their daughter. Bear proved a great partner for the young junior rider to learn the ropes. When Bear was 13, she was sold to a new owner, Gail Brandt, who took her home to Minnesota. Bear and Gail were great partners; they competed for several years, predominantly in lower-level jumpers, but also did some eventing. Gail kept in contact with Tonya throughout the years. “Gail just loved Bear and took such great care of her,” said Tonya. “When she had a suspensory injury, Gail gave it time to heal and then carefully rehabbed her and got her back to showing.” One day, Tonya was feeling melancholy. She had just tragically lost a special horse, and she started thinking about Bear. She sent an email to Gail to check in on her and an immediate response came asking if they could talk. “I was so scared to call, as I thought she was going to give me bad news about Bear,” Tonya remembers. While Gail’s news about the horse wasn’t great, it wasn’t as bad as Tonya had anticipated. Now both Bear’s hind suspensory ligaments were showing signs of deterioration. Bear was 17 and Gail knew it was time for her to retire. She asked Tonya if she would want her back. “I told her I had $10,000 in vet bills on the horse I had just lost, so basically I had no money,” Tonya recounts. “I don’t want any money for her,” Gail replied. “I can retire her here on my farm, but if you retire her, you could breed her, and she would still have a purpose in life.” Gail drove Bear over 900 miles to return her to Tonya in Alberta. “She even paid about $2,500 in duty to bring her into Canada. Gail

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wanted nothing from me; only to know that Bear would have a good home for the rest of her life,” Tonya says. The following spring Tonya bred Bear to her Connemara stallion, Get Smart. The result was a stunning buckskin colt with a blaze and two white socks. Tonya named him Smarter than the Average Bear (“Yogi”) and sold him to a woman in Ontario who is just now starting to event him. When she was 21, Bear was bred back to “Smartie”, producing another gorgeous buckskin colt, dubbed Love Potion Number Nine (“Teddy”) due to his large, perfect heart-shaped star. Shortly after Teddy was born, Tonya moved to Aiken, along with her husband Andy and daughter Addy. They made the arduous 28hour trip with seven horses, but left Bear and the foal with a friend. “I just wasn’t sure Bear could make the trip, and certainly not then with a new foal. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I might be asking my friend to keep her forever,” Tonya admits. Her hope was that after the foal was weaned, she and Andy could go to Canada and get Bear themselves, making several layovers to break up the long trip so as not to overly stress the mare’s suspensory ligaments. “But then, due to Covid, the border closed, so there was no way we could do that,” she says sadly. Tonya had just about given up on the possibility of getting Bear to Aiken when she had an idea. “I called my vet in Canada and asked what he thought about sending her with a commercial shipper, as they were permitted to cross the border,” Tonya says. When her vet said an air ride van would be the best way for Bear to travel, Tonya got to work on setting up a ride for Bear, her colt, who by then was weaned and gelded, and a pony for her daughter. She contacted the Canadian company Ecclestone Horse Transport, which she had been pleased with previously. “As it turned out, they were coming to Wellington empty to pick up horses, so they gave me a great deal and box stalls at no extra charge,” she notes. “I was a nervous wreck the whole time they were traveling. I really wasn’t confident that Bear could make the trip. As her hind end is quite weak, I told the shippers that if she went down, I needed to know that they would euthanize her because I didn’t want her to suffer.” It was July 2020 when Bear, her colt and the pony arrived in Aiken. “I felt like my whole family was reunited. It really was a miracle,” Tonya says with tears in her eyes. “I knew that if I could get her down here, it would be a much better life for her with the warmer weather for her arthritis and not having to worry about her falling on the ice.” Tonya advertised Bear’s last foal for sale when he was just coming two. A customer in New York contacted her and had Carol Koslowski, the former president of the United States Eventing Association, who was in Aiken for some shows, come see him. “Carol loved him,” Tonya says with a smile. “And she told the customers to buy him, which they did. He’s 3 now and they are just getting him started.” “I’d love to breed Bear again, but I just don’t think it’s fair with her weakness behind,” Tonya says. Nowadays Bear often can be found just wandering around the farm or out in the field babysitting the foals. “She loves the babies, and it’s perfect because she certainly can’t hurt them,” Tonya says.

April-May 2022

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April 16, 2022

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April-May 2022

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Bigger Isn’t Always Better USC Aiken’s Riders Have Proof By Nancy Johnson

lthough she’s not certain who their tagline “Small but Mighty” came from, Kerry Zemlicka believes it is very appropriate for University of South Carolina Aiken’s intercollegiate riding team. In her first year as team coach, Kerry is thrilled with the success of the team, in competition and at home. “I think the line originated with one of the team members’ parents, but it has also been used by a rider on a competitor’s team in describing us, so we kind of stuck with it,” Kerry says with a grin. “We are up against schools with 20 to 30 kids on the team as compared to our six.” The team of six women has more than held their own in intercollegiate competition, with four riders qualifying for Regionals and three of those four winning at Regionals and heading to the Zone Finals at Savannah College of Art & Design. “This year we even tied for reserve championship team a couple of times, and we don’t even have

riders in every division,” she says. A rider qualifies for regionals by accruing 36 points at regular Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) shows throughout the season. This is known as “pointing out” as they also move up to the next division. Winning a first or second place ribbon at the Regional show then qualifies a rider to compete at the next level up, which is the zone. Molly McLaughlin, a senior, qualified for the Intermediate Over Fences class in which the jumps are 2’6”-2’9”. Alexis Rohrer, also a senior, qualified for the Intermediate on the Flat class. A junior, Anne Russo qualified for Limit Over Fences (2’3”) and Intermediate on the Flat classes. What really sets intercollegiate horse shows apart from a traditional horse show is that the riders’ mounts for each class are determined by a draw. They basically get on a horse that they have never ridden and go right into the ring to compete. Kerry notes, “Overall, they are pretty quality horses. But some are definitely easier than others, so it’s a bit of luck of the draw.” Kerry praises the group for their dedication. “It’s nice to have a small group because we get together a lot outside of riding and do things that build comaraderie, like having dinner together and painting jumps.” “The girls have held their own all season and while I am sure there’s a little bit of nerves going into the zones, I don’t feel they are a bit intimidated,” Kerry emphasizes. “They are all excited, have been working hard and have been taking extra lessons the past few weeks to prepare.” Just two horses in Kerry’s barn serve as the team’s lesson horses. Kerry describes them as two very different types. “Edling is a lovely, big

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Belgian warmblood and Snitch is a palomino Quarter Horse mare that is great for beginners, and she can jump around a 2’3” course very nicely with a lead change.” She adds, “They are both good horses to practice on and aren’t pushbutton.” Sometimes one of Kerry’s friends will bring a horse or two over to give the team members something different to ride. Some of Kerry’s boarders also lend their horses to the program occasionally. “In preparation for the zone finals, we have been buckling down and focusing, of course, on their equitation, but also on being solid mentally and physically. I emphasize that they have to trust in themselves, put their best foot forward and ride like they have been all season,” Kerry says. In addition to help from Kerry and their teammates, the intercollegiate riders have great support and some financial assistance from the team’s families. “All the parents, even those of the two team members who live up north, have attended shows this season,” Kerry says. “They have been super supportive and helpful, bringing tents, tables, food and just being there to cheer the girls on.” About a year and a half ago, Kerry moved to Aiken from Wisconsin where she had her own hunter/jumper business for 12 years. While planning to move, she talked to her friend Megan Martin who was, at that time, the coach of USC Aiken’s intercollegiate riding team. “Megan told me that she was looking for someone to take over coaching duties, so the position basically fell in my lap.” Kerry recalls. In addition to coaching the team, Kerry has boarders, works with young horses, and trains students showing in hunters and equitation at various levels. “I love coaching the team and my goal is to grow it within reason. Right now, it is a club sport, so we only get a small amount of financial support from the university,” she explains. Kerry and the girls raised some money running a schooling show and are planning to do some more fundraisers in the future. “We haven’t been able to host an IHSA show simply because we don’t have the horsepower,” Kerry says. However, they are planning to co-host a show with Wofford, a college in Spartanburg, SC. “Rick and Cathy Cram are helping us out by holding the show at Highfields and some of the other schools have offered to bring horses to use in the competition. I’m excited to bring an IHSA show to Aiken, October 1 and 2.” “While we are very thankful for the community support that the team has received, I would love to get more people involved, not only with donations and sponsorships, but just in general. Surprisingly, I come across a lot of people that don’t even know we have a team!” Kerry notes that the university also has opportunities for students to compete on eventing, dressage, western and polo teams. USC Aiken may be a small university in a small city, but when it comes to horses, it can be as mighty as any major academic hub. Editor’s note: At press time, we received the news that two members of the USC team qualified for the Nationals: Molly McLaughlin, who won the individual intermediate over fences, and Ann Russo who was second in the intermediate limit over fences and on the flat. The IHSA Nationals will be held May 5-8 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Kerry is hoping to organize a fundraiser to help out with the expenses of the upcoming trip. To make a donation for the girls’ trip to the nationals, or to learn more about USC Aiken’s IHSA team, contact Kerry at kzride77@yahoo.com or Michelle Hodge at USC Aiken, michelleh@usca.edu. Right: Abigail Sigwald, Anne Russo, Alexis Rohrer, Molly McLaughlin, Mariah Midyette, Angela Johnson. Above left: Anne Russo

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Riding with a Silent Competitor Sophia Morse Perseveres By Nancy Johnson

n her first year of competing, Sophia Morse guided James Bond, a mustang pony, to a year-end overall award at Stable View’s Eventing Academy and the year-end starter award at The Vista Combined Test series. Quite impressive for a 12-year-old competing against all age riders. It was all new to Sophia and there was a lot to manage; like memorizing dressage tests, leaving the rails up in stadium, and galloping cross country. But she has one more thing to consider that most of the other riders never had to think about – her blood sugar level. As a Type One diabetic, Sophia must manage this chronic disease in every aspect of her daily life. Her mother, Stephanie, describes her daughter’s blood sugar as “the silent competitor” at her events. “It’s gotten a bit easier in the last couple of years,” Sophia says. “I used to have to use a finger pricker to check my blood sugar level all the time.” Now, she has a monitor that sends readings directly to her mom’s phone.

Stephanie recalls the scare she and her husband had when their daughter was diagnosed with diabetes in 2017. “We didn’t know Sophia had diabetes for a long time. There was no family history of the disease. She just kept losing weight and was always tired.” They were living in Virginia at the time and Sophia had been to numerous specialists trying to find the cause of her weight loss and fatigue. “Surprisingly, during all those doctors’ visits no one bothered to check her blood sugar,” Stephanie says. “Finally, it was the nurse practitioner at our family doctor’s who thought to do so. It was so high that they sent her right into the children’s intensive care unit at Walter Reed Hospital where the attending doctor told us he wasn’t sure she would survive the night.” Fortunately, once they got Sophia on insulin and monitored her blood sugar, she came around quite quickly and has

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learned to live with the condition. Once she was feeling stronger, Sophia started taking riding lessons at a hunter/jumper farm. She had just started jumping before they moved to Martinez, Georgia. Soon after settling into their new home, her parents bought a pony for Sophia, but unfortunately, he was a bit too much for her. Having a horse background herself, Stephanie was not deterred; she set about finding a more suitable pony for Sophia. She came across one advertised for lease that sounded like it might suit. They wasted no time in heading to Tonya Amato’s Jump-4-Joy Training Centre in Aiken to try James Bond. “They were a perfect match,” Stephanie says. Tonya bought the now 22-year-old pinto pony as an 8-year-old from a working ranch in Alberta, Canada. “I named him James Bond because he has two matching circles on either side – the double 0s of 007,” Tonya says with a smile. After training him a bit herself, Tonya started putting students on him. She then leased James to a child and realized this was his calling. “He’s just an amazing pony, a real packer and is a winner in any ring,” she says. Sophia began leasing James in January 2021. Tonya worked diligently with the pair and Sophia rode at her first event in February. “I had never even jumped a log before – only jumps with standards – it was kind of scary,” Sophia says with a laugh. But today, Sophia has complete confidence in James on the cross country course. “He definitely knows his job and loves to gallop!” Stadium is Sophia’s least favorite phase. “I think I just have it in my mind because the only bad rides I’ve ever had have been in stadium; it’s also the only phase where I have fallen.” Where the pair really excels is in dressage. “It’s definitely my favorite phase,” Sophia says. “And I think James likes it too. He goes into the ring and just puffs up like a 17hand warmblood.” Tonya says, “On her last dressage test, Sophia scored a 20. I wish I could get a 20! And that wasn’t a fluke – all year she had scores in the low to mid 20s. She’s a beautiful rider and just lets James do his stuff – he’s a real showman.” Sophia, Stephanie, and Tonya all work together to manage her diabetes when she rides. Adrenalin affects her blood sugar, so when she is competing, they watch her levels very carefully using the monitor. “We give Sophia a lot of responsibility in letting us know how she feels,” Tonya notes. “We’ve had a couple situations where she’s about to go in the ring and we have to get her some juice or need 10 minutes more before she rides.” Both Sophia and Stephanie think that James can sense when Sophia’s levels are not normal. “We’ve had a couple of times when my blood sugar was out of whack and he won’t jump,” Sophia says. Sophia and James plan to continue eventing at the various Aiken venues in 2022 and will be moving up to the Beginner Novice. Sophia says it will be challenging because not only are the fences higher, but combinations and small tables will be included in the courses. She is also looking forward to competing at Pony Club’s dressage and eventing rallies. SAiken Pony Club has also been a great experience for Sophia. “I like learning with the other kids at meets and cheering for one another at shows,” she says, adding, “We also do fun things like the Hoofbeats Christmas Parade and trick or treating on horseback. James does everything I’m up for; that’s what is so great about having a pony that has been around and done so much.”

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What Lies Beneath

Equine Dissection Reveals All By Pam Gleason

oon after the Australian equine anatomist Dr. Sharon May-Davis first started conducting horse dissections as part of her scientific research, she had a revelation: the equine anatomy books were wrong. Although veterinary texts had certainly been updated and rewritten in recent times, the anatomy charts in those books still appeared to be based on early drawings and texts, such as Andrew Snape’s Anatomy of an Horse (1683) or the artist George Stubbs’s Anatomy of the Horse (1775.) In the centuries between the publication of these works and the modern era of horsemanship, what horses were bred and trained to do changed dramatically. So too did their underlying structures. What may have been typical anatomy for a horse in 1700 was decidedly not so by the latter half of the 20th century. And yet, the anatomy texts had not kept up. The main discrepancy she saw was in the nuchal ligament, which is a structure that runs from the withers to the horse’s skull. It has two parts, the funicular that runs along the top of the neck, which is described as “cordlike” and a lamellar part, which is flat and sheet like, and extends down from the funicular part to attach to vertebrae in the horse’s neck. A horse, like a human, has seven vertebrae in his neck, which are numbered 1-7, from the top down (C1-C7.) According to the anatomy books, the lamellar part of the nuchal ligament is supposed to extend down from the funicular part and attach to vertebrae C2 through C7, making the structure a very good stabilizer of the horse’s spinal column in his neck (the cervical vertebrae.) In a research study in which she dissected 35 horses of different ages and breeds, Dr. May-Davis did not find a single case where the

ligament attached to all six of these vertebrae. Instead, all 35 horses had attachments from C2 through C5, and in about a quarter of these, the attachments at C5 were extremely weak. Dr. May-Davis did further research and discovered some interesting things. First, records of horse dissections from George Stubb’s 18th century work up to the modern day seemed to indicate that the lamellar attachments have been growing weaker over time, with horses from a century ago occasionally showing full attachment of the ligament, and occasionally showing lesser attachments. Second, primitive horses that have not been bred and used for riding such as the Przewalski horse and the horse’s cousin the zebra still show a full connection of the nuchal ligament lamella from C2 through C7. Dr. May-Davis and her colleagues published this research in the peer reviewed Journal of Equine Veterinary Science in 2014 and in 2018. Their findings suggest that the lamellar part of the nuchal ligament began to disappear when horses were domesticated, and that about a hundred years ago that process accelerated dramatically. What exactly does that mean? “We have lost the attachment to C6 and C7, and this is a very controversial area, because that is where we have a high incidence of osteoarthritis of the neck,” said Dr. May-Davis. “And my question is, is the decrease in the lamella a precursor to the increase in osteoarthritis?” Why would domestication have caused the nuchal ligament lamella to start to disappear? One reason could be that it might be easier to pull a horse’s neck around if the ligament structure were not so strong. “An animal with a full nuchal ligament lamella would be better able to brace against you.” On the other hand, that full nuchal ligament would provide stability to the horse’s neck, perhaps protecting the vertebrae from arthritic changes. “It’s the way we have bred them,” said Dr. May-Davis. “It’s like with anything we fiddle with in the breeding program. If you target a fashionable or desirous goal, there are possibly other consequences.” Before Sharon May-Davis was an equine anatomy expert, she was a horseman who rode to the royal and national level in Australia. Her passion for horses and her interest in equine biomechanics led her to therapy work for problem horses as well as for top performers who needed help overcoming various physical ailments. Today, 35 years after her first dissection, she says she has dissected over 500 horses in at least 10 different countries. She conducts these dissections as part of her own research and in anatomy clinics that she gives for equine bodyworkers, veterinarians, trainers and students of horsemanship worldwide. This winter, Dr. May-Davis came to Aiken for three weeks to work with Pamela Eckelbarger and Diane Dzingle, both equine bodyworkers and anatomy students, who have been conducting their own research at Equus Soma Osteology and Anatomy Learning Center at Pamela’s home in Aiken County. The Learning Center, otherwise known as the Bone Room, is a museum of sorts, containing full and partial skeletons of a number of different horses. Some of these horses, after their deaths, turned out to have had serious and severe skeletal abnormalities that could have explained performance, health, or behavioral problems that they exhibited in life. Others are remarkable examples of the structure, beauty and strength of a horse’s skeleton.

Cervical vertebrae: from Andrew Snape’s Anatomy of an Horse, 1683.

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April-May 2022

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Pamela and Diane had originally intended to travel overseas to attend one of the dissection clinics that Dr. May-Davis offers, but COVID restrictions altered that plan. Instead, they brought her to Aiken, where they arranged for three weekend dissection clinics, each devoted to one horse that was being euthanized because of severe behavioral or physical issues that were causing the animal to be a danger to himself or to those around him. The three clinics were rapidly filled with veterinarians, bodyworkers and others, all ready to learn more about the inner workings of a horse’s bones, muscles and ligaments. There is a vast difference between learning anatomy and biomechanics by reading about it in a book and actually being able to see and touch the hidden inner structures of a horse and feeling how they work together. This is especially true since anatomy books and charts do not necessarily represent real world horses. “Every horse is an individual,” said Dr. May-Davis. “There is no horse that will have the same anatomy of what you see in a textbook. The goal of these clinics is to show people who want to join us the internal workings of a horse, what isn’t in a textbook.” One other goal that the three women share is to learn more about a skeletal malformation of the vertebrae that commonly occurs in the necks of Thoroughbreds and warmbloods. This malformation is called ECVM for Equine Complex Vertebral Malformation, and Dr. MayDavis was the first to examine it in the scientific literature. Horses with ECVM have vertebrae in their neck (usually C6 and sometimes also C7) that are missing certain parts that normally provide stability to the spinal column. Sometimes there are missing parts on both sides; sometimes just on one. Although this particular malformation has been seen occasionally and noted in dissections going back to George Stubbs, Dr. May-Davis was the first to recognize it as a potential root cause of a whole host of serious problems in the horse, from poor performance to dangerous and aggressive behavior to ataxia and incoordination. ECVM tends to bring with it a number of other anatomical changes. For instance, horses with ECVM may have poorly formed ribs, muscles, ligaments and tendons that attach in the wrong places, and spinal cords that are pinched or impinged upon. One thing that Dr. May-Davis’s research has indicated is that the worst effects that appear to stem from ECVM don’t usually

manifest themselves until the horse is 5 years old. “The average age of the horses that I see on the table with ECVM is 10,” she said. She went on to say that, of the horses she has examined, close to 40% of Thoroughbreds and 30% of Warmbloods have this malformation. Although it is certainly true that there are horses with ECVM that have been able to perform well, she herself would not want to ride one, both because of their propensity to fall, and because ECVM seems to lead to sudden and inexplicable bad behavior, particularly bucking and rearing. “When these horses get onto my table, they come with a history,” she said. “It’s not just a history of lameness or bad behavior. There is a history of people that they have hurt – broken pelvis, broken back. One of the horses that we had, he had been a racehorse and he had 26 starts. Then one day he came out of the gate and he fell right on his nose. You have got to ask yourself: is this the kind of horse you want to be riding?” Pamela Eckelbarger has been particularly interested ECVM, which is present from birth and appears to run in families. She has been working with the veterinarians at Southern Equine Services, who have been x-raying the necks of horses for her to identify those that have the malformation. Pamela is collecting the DNA of these horses and is working with a genetics laboratory in California to try to identify a genetic marker for this defect. Theoretically, if a marker can be found, this can be used to try to eliminate ECVM from the gene pool. All three women say that the three weekend dissections went extraordinarily well, and that the participants came away from them saying that they had had a life-changing experience. Inside all three horses, they discovered anatomical anomalies and chronic injuries that must have caused the horses intractable pain. One horse had ECVM, one mare had ovarian cysts, one horse had kissing spines and a broken pelvis. All three horses had torn spleens, indicating trauma, probably from falling. One of them had a torn diaphragm. “When we do the dissections, we are always very respectful of the horse,” said Dr. May-Davis. “The horse has a story to tell. I was predominantly the lecturer, but in actual fact I wasn’t. It was really the horse. I am just the translator. The horse gave us all the details we needed to see and understand.”

Left: a vertebra showing classic unilateral ECVM. You can clearly see the asymmetrical shape of the bone. Compare this to the normal vertebra above, where the structure is the same on both sides.

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April-May 2022

‘Humble’ Help for Pastures Local Company; Treasured Product By Nancy Johnson

ne of the many things horse people like about Aiken is its soil. It provides great drainage, so arenas and jump fields dry out quickly after rain; plus, many horses can go barefoot on the forgiving footing. However, Aiken’s sandy soil is not quite so advantageous when it comes to establishing and maintaining good pastures.

As a third-generation row crop grower and poultry breeder at Humble Acres Farm in nearby Blackville, Tim McCormick sought a solution to the poor soil while finding a use for something he had quite a lot of – chicken manure. And so Tim started Humble Acres Organics, which sells compost products for flowers, vegetables, pastures and lawns. Margo Huggins, who is the Humble Acres Organics sales and marketing manager, dispels a major misconception about their compost products, “If you didn’t know there was chicken manure in it, you would have no idea. It just smells like dirt.” Margo explains that unlike raw chicken manure, composted chicken manure does not smell. As administrator of the Humble Acres Facebook page, she is tasked with reconfirming this fact constantly. “The best thing is word of mouth advertising,” she says. “People like to hear from those who have used the product that it absolutely does not smell or burn plants. Chicken manure is considered a ‘hot’ manure, meaning you can’t put it straight onto plants or it will burn them up. It must be aged to not burn plants.” Humble Acres maintains four commercial chicken houses for fertilized egg production, each with approximately 50,000 chickens, yielding a continuous supply of vitamin and mineral rich manure. When Tim started the composting branch of Humble Acres, his son, Kevin, took numerous courses to learn how to create compost from this plentiful byproduct. “There is a lot involved with getting the USDA blessing,” Margo explains. “Because it is organic, you aren’t getting weed seed in our products – it is heated, windrowed, turned a specific

April-May 2022

number of times and the internal temperature must reach 135 degrees to kill all of the antagonistic microbes and weed seed.” “Manure-based compost, especially chicken manure, is superior to food or vegetable-based compost, as far as available nutrients go. It not only supplies nutrients to your land, but it also adds carbon and beneficial soil microbes back into the soil profile, and this in turn aids in soil moisture retention,” Margo emphasizes. The carbon sources added to the chicken manure include wood ash, decomposed wood, sanders dust and coffee grounds. These components generally come from other local companies around Barnwell County. “We are recycling waste products into beautifully rich compost, making us a full-circle operation,” Margo says proudly Humble Acres Organics’ bagged products are composted from three to six months before being packaged and sent to retailers throughout South Carolina and parts of North Carolina and Georgia. Lawn and garden centers carry “I Can’t Believe It’s Chicken Manure Compost” in 50-pound bags. “Bloomin’ EZ Organic Compost,” is the same product but in a 40-pound bag, for the nursery center market. “Bloomin’ EZ Potting Soil,” which is a blend of their compost with perlite and wood fines, is also carried by local nurseries. In the Aiken area you can find Humble Acres Organics at Aiken County Farm Supply, Carolina Fresh Farms, Cold Creek Nursery, Weeks Farm & Garden Supply, Grassroots Yard Supply, Trusty Farms, Nurseries Caroliniana, and Wagener Milling Company LLC. Bulk orders of compost can be delivered in either 16 or 40 cubic yard loads. Delivery radius is up to 175 miles from the farm’s Blackville location. Margo notes that customers can also arrange to pick up smaller loads themselves. For horse pastures, the compost can be spread with a small manure spreader as long as the product is dry. Or, Humble Acres will spread the product at a reasonable cost. For pastures, Margo recommends using two tons of compost per acre and suggests pulling a soil sample to determine the exact needs of your pasture. Spring and/or fall treatments are most effective. Although it is safe for horses to go right back out on a treated pasture, it is best to first get a good rainfall or irrigate the pasture after applying the compost. “We really are a local, family-owned business. And we want to help the Aiken horse community with the beautification and regeneration of their pastures and polo fields,” Margo says. See the website, humbleacresorganics.com, visit their Facebook page, or call 803-259-8633.

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Index of Advertisers Advertiser Aiken County Farm Supply Aiken Fine Homes and Land Aiken Horse Park Foundation Aiken Horsemanship Academy Aiken Luxury Rentals Aiken Pest Control Aiken Polo Club Aiken Saddlery, Inc. Aiken Tack Exchange American National Insurance Auto Tech Balanced Sport Horse Banixx Barnware Be Fly Free Blue Ribbon Trailer Wash Bridle Creek Burgard Tractor Carolina Company RE CHAPS Dancing Horses Equestrian Center DFG Stables Engineered Equine Performance Epona Equine Divine Equine Expressions Equine Rescue of Aiken Fields Sawmill FITS Equestrian FOTAS Aiken Fox Services G L Williams and Daughter Greystone Properties Greystone Properties Greystone Properties Highfields Highfields Sporthorse Sale Horses and Harmony Humble Acres Organics

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Advertiser J. D. Gaskins Construction Janice Holmes Jill Diaz Polo Keller Williams Stinson Lightning Protection Systems LOC Equestrian Mark Lexton Meybohm RE (Sullivan/Turner) Meybohm RE (Sullivan/Turner) Meybohm RE Haslup Meybohm RE Vaillancourt Meybohm Realtors (Denehy) Missy Miller Equestrian New Bridge Polo Club NibbleNet Oak Manor Saddlery Pait Show Horses Performance Equine Vets Progressive Show Jumping, Inc RE/MAX Tattersall Group Redman Int. Horse Transport Retired Racehorse Project Shane Doyle South Carolina Equine Park Southern Equine Service Southern Ridge Excavation Southland Hay SPCA SPCA Albrecht Center Stable View, LLC Teddi Ismond The Kneaded Edge The Kneaded Edge The Tack Room The Vista The Willcox Tryon Equine Law USC Aiken Equestrian Woods Market

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Harness Racing at McGhee’s Mile

Photography by Gary Knoll

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April-May 2022

Aiken Area Calendar of Events April 2022 1 1-3 1-3 2 2 2 2 2-3 7-10 7-10 8-10 8-10 9 9 9

Forevermore Farm Florals Grand Opening at TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Spring FEI CCI-S 2/3/4* & USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 106th Annual Aiken Horse Show in the Woods. 2200 Dibble Rd, Aiken. Dana Massey: 803.599.0400. aikenhorseshow.org Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Buckle Series - Sorting, BSC Arena Waynesboro GA Johnny Lovett 706-551-2190 or Cliff Chancey 706-840-3971 Carolina Horseman’s Connection Horse Auction. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Carolina Cup Steeplechase. 200 Knights Hill Road, Camden, 29020. (803) 432-6513, (800) 780-8117, jena@carolinacup.org South Carolina Dressage & Combined Training Assoc. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com. Tryon Welcome 3, TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com The Fork at Tryon, TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Progressive Show Jumping. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com Recognized Horse Trials at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com Radway Eventing Pony Club Show. 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. radwayeventing.com CT & Dressage at The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com Dancing Horses Working Equitation. Dancing Horses Equestrian Center, 149 Moseley Rd, Williston. 207-210-7900 dancinghorses@rocketmail.com.

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Second Saturday at Woods Farm Market. 7000 Woodside Executive Court, Aiken. 803.226.0895, woodssecondsaturday@ gmail.com, www.facebook.com/woodssecondsaturday Hunter/Jumper Show. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Spring Fever Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Aiken Local Social Event. Aiken. Chris Butler: 843.957.9074, www.facebook.com/groups/608942250243293 Tryon Welcome 4, TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com USEF/USHJA $50,000 Hunter/Jumper Spring Classic. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Canter Masterclass. Aiken. Kendra DeKay: 803.443.4755, kendradekay@gmail.com, equestrianethos.com Spring Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 74th Tryon Block House Steeplechase Race, TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Combined Test & Dressage. Jumping Branch Farm 179 Fox Pond Road, Aiken 240-460-1094 timshaw628@gmail.com Aiken Carriage Classic. Highfield’s Event Center, 198 Gaston Rd., Aiken, SC 29801. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@ gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org Palmetto Paint Horse Club. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, SC. 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com Jake Kneece Memorial 4 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org Wagener 4 Goal. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com Highfields USEF Premier Jumping. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

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20-24 Katydid CDE at Tryon. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com 22-24 Tryon Spring Dressage I. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com 22-23 RSNC BSC Arena Waynesboro GA Johnny Lovett 706-5512190 or Cliff Chancey 706-840-3971 22-8 USPA Regional President’s Cup 8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com 23 Spring Hunter Pace. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 23-24 USEF/USEA Horse Trials/Schooling, Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood (410) 726 8926 cindy@firefoxfarm.com SportingDaysFarm. com 23-24 USEF/USDF Dressage Spring Series I & II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 27-1 Highfields USEF Premier. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 29-1 National Youth Tournament Series. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org 30 Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com 30 Unstoppable Obstacles Workshop. Aiken. Kendra DeKay: 803.443.4755, kendradekay@gmail.com, equestrianethos.com 30 Schooling Show at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com 30 USEF/USEA Spring Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 30 Fun Drive - Aiken Driving Club. Three Wishes Farm State Park, Windsor. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail. com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org

May 1 1 4 4-8 4-15 4-15 4-15 7

7 7-8 7-8 8-14 9 11 11-15 11-15 11-29 13-15 13-27 14 14 18-22 18-29 19 20-22

Hunter Pace @ Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com USEF/USEA Spring Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Schooling Jumpers. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tryon Spring I. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Aiken Charity Horse Show I & II. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@ aikenhorsepark.org, aikenhorsepark.org Aiken Saddlery 6 Goal.Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo. com USPA Sportsmanship Cup 6 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org. Aiken Spring Symphony - Horses & Harmony III. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@ stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

The Aiken Horse

20-29 21 21 21 21-22 21-22 22

Dancing Horses Working Equitation. Dancing Horses Equestrian Center, 149 Moseley Rd, Williston. 207-210-7900 dancinghorses@rocketmail.com. Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Tryon Spring Dressage 2. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Women’s Spring Challenge Cup Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@ gmail.com, aikenpolo.org Highfields Sporthorse Sale. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Schooling Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tryon Spring 2. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Tryon CCI 4*-L Eventing. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Pete Bostwick Memorial 8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com Progressive Show Jumping - C- Series. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Polo Pony 4 Goal. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com Dressage & CT. Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood (410) 726 8926 cindy@firefoxfarm. com, SportingDaysFarm.com Second Saturday at Woods Farm Market. 7000 Woodside Executive Court, Aiken. 803.226.0895, woodssecondsaturday@ gmail.com, www.facebook.com/woodssecondsaturday Tryon Spring 3. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com USPA Constitution Cup 6 Goal.Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org Eventing Academy Horse X-Country and Schooling Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Spring Mixed Cup 10-14 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org USPA Congressional Cup.Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo. com Eventing Academy Schooling Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Dressage & Combined Training at FENCE. Tryon. frcshows@gmail.com, fence.org Dressage in the Spring. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org Camden Spring Classic Hunter Jumper. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com

April-May 2022

Schooling Combined Tests. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@ yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com 25-29 Tryon Spring 4. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com 25-5 Aiken Polo Club Spring 4 Goal.Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org 27-29 South Carolina Quarter Horse Association. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 28 CT & Dressage at The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com 28-29 USEF/USDF Dressage Show. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com 29 Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo. com, fullgallopfarm.com 29 Dancing Horses Horse Trial. Pre-elementary (18” Intro a test), elementary (2’ Intro b test), starter (2’3” usea starter test) and beginner novice (2’6” beg novice b test). Dancing Horses Equestrian Center, 149 Moseley Rd, Williston. 207-210-7900 dancinghorses@rocketmail.com. 31-5 Tryon Spring 5. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com 22

June

Tommy Hitchcock Memorial 8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol. com, newbridgepolo.com 2-5 USEF/USHJA B-Rated Hunter/Jumper Summer Classic I. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 4-5 Camden Classic Hunter Jumper. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 4-5 Ag & Art Tour Equine Park. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 4-5 Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 3-5 New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 7-12 Tryon Spring 6/Tryon Riding &Hunt Club Charity Horse Show. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon. com, tryon.com 8 Twilight Jumpers. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing. com 11 Eventing & Dressage Schooling Shows at Chatt Hills.9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com 11 Dressage & CT. Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood (410) 726 8926 cindy@firefoxfarm.com, SportingDaysFarm.com 11 Dancing Horses Working Equitation. Dancing Horses Equestrian Center, 149 Moseley Rd, Williston. 207-210-7900 dancinghorses@rocketmail.com. 1-12

April-May 2022

11 11-12 12 12 15 15-19 17-19 18 18-19 19 21-22 22 22-26 24-26 24-26 24-26 24-26 25-26 26

29 30-1

Second Saturday at Woods Farm Market. 7000 Woodside Executive Court, Aiken. 803.226.0895, woodssecondsaturday@ gmail.com, www.facebook.com/woodssecondsaturday USEF/USDF Dressage Summer Series I & II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo. com, fullgallopfarm.com Hunter Pace @ Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com Twilight Jumpers.9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing. com USEF Summer Classic I. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org Tryon Summer 1. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Dressage TOC. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com USEF/USDF “Summer Solstice” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com Recognized Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo. com, fullgallopfarm.com Intercollegiate Championships 2022 @ Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117,info@ chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com Twilight Jumpers. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing. com USEF Summer Classic II. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org USEF/USEA Mid-Summer Horse Trials & Area III Championships. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tryon Summer 2. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com Progressive Show Jumping C-Series. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com South Carolina Quarter Horse Association. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com USEF/USDF Dressage Show. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com Dancing Horses Horse Trial. Pre-elementary (18” Intro a test), elementary (2’ Intro b test), starter (2’3” usea starter test) and beginner novice (2’6” beg novice b test). Dancing Horses Equestrian Center, 149 Moseley Rd, Williston. 207-210-7900 dancinghorses@rocketmail.com. Twilight Jumpers. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing. com USEF/USHJA B-Rated Hunter/Jumper Summer Classic II. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

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Business Cards

Laura O’Connor Equestrian Ventures

Rider ~ Trainer ~ Coach

• USEF Licensed ‘R’ Judge • National Snaffle Bit Association Judge • Experienced Clinician • International US Rep. in Showjumping • Jumpers, Equitation & Hunters

Mobile: 561-252-4992

Web: Locequestrianventures.com Email: Locequestrian@gmail.com

Aiken Vacation Rentals Thanks for a great ﬁrst year! Our cozy furnished downtown pet-friendly rentals are fully booked for the 2021 - 2022 winter season! Now accepting bookings beginning April 2022. On Facebook @AikenVacationRentals AirBnB SUPERHOST KendraDeKay@gmail.com (803) 443-4755

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2022

The Aiken Horse 81

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2022

CAS Equestrian 1450 Richland Ave. E, Aiken, SC

M & W: 11 -1 pm, Th & Sat. 4 - 6 pm or by appointment

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

DocScott’s Equine Top Dress Hydrate • Recover • Energize Nitric Oxide Boost Samples available at

Aiken Saddlery

1044 East Pine Log Rd, Aiken

803-649-6583

docscottselectrolytes.com April-May 2022

The Aiken Horse 83

Advertise! Business cards are $70 per issue or $290 for the year. Add a yearly directory listing for $45 (regular price $95). Reach your next customer through The Aiken Horse! Visit our website for complete rate cards and information. TheAikenHorse.com 803-643-9960 theaikenhorse@gmail.com

The Aiken Horse

April-May 2022

Classifieds For Friendship VDL x Quitender x Milano de Flore 2022 foal For Friendship VDL (For Pleasure x Stakkato Gold) Premium Hannoveran Verband Stallion X . Quitendra, a bold, flashy, modern type mare competed up to the 1.20’s with an amateur. Foal due early June. Available low five figures, discount if bought in utero. Located in Ontario, Canada. Shipping easily arranged anywhere in NA Sophie Potvin-Begin: 807-276-4109 soph_pb@hotmail.com

Stray Cat Outreach has a Barn Cat Placement Program and we are looking for cat lovers who have a barn or other secure outdoor structure and are interested in adopting cats not suitable for life inside a house. Cat temperaments range from feral to friendly. This program is designed to find homes for cats that have traditionally been deemed unadoptable through our adoption efforts. As a no-kill group we want to work with you to ensure one of their nine lives! For information please contact straycatoutreach@gmail.com or call 864 602 1549

Dream temperament, dream horse. 3 year old Andalusian started under saddle. Amateur friendly with competitive gaits. Text 607-743-1309 for more information or visit our website for video. www.lanecovedressage.com

BOARDING/TURNOUT/ TRAINING Chime Ridge Stables. South Aiken. 803-508-3760 phone or text. Dry stalls and full care available at Sporting Days Farm 150 acres with practice areas. Great for green horses. 803-226-2024 text preferred 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

Blue Ribbon Trailer Wash Trucks, boats, barns, decks, patios, houses & more. “For a winning shine every time.” Call Pete 561-313-2339

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, Alfalfa mix and Canadian Timothy. 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

HOUSE/HORSE SITTING Away Days Farm Services: Lifelong horseman w/ racetrack, polo and show facility experience available for farm sitting, allanimal care, fence mending and farm and landscape maintenance with your equipment. Jon Ruedisueli (603)322-3019, captjon@hotmail.com Trinity Farms Terriers: Irish Russell Terriers & Norfolk Terriers. Old World, Healthy 100 year old. Bloodlines w/ proven calmer dispositions. Health & Dispositions guaranteed. Preservation breeders for 48 years. Donna Fitzpatrick 803-648-3137 easyjacks.com, trinityfarmskennel. com RENTALS/HOME SHARES Aiken Luxury Rentals. Fully furnished cottages; walk to downtown. Perfect for temporary assignments, or housing while you build. Work-from-home ready;

high speed internet. Antique finishes & modern convenience. info@aikenluxuryrentals.com. aikenluxuryrentals.com. 803-6482804. New Zilco Cob Harness For Sale: Includes optional side check and Saddle Pad. Harness was purchased new in 2001 and never used. Stored indoors. Paid $1250.00 . Asking $1150.00. redpony7250@gmail.com for measurements/pictures. TACK & EQUIPMENT New Zilco Cob Harness For Sale: Includes optional side check and Saddle Pad. Harness was purchased new in 2001 and never used. Stored indoors. Paid $1250.00 . Asking $1150.00. redpony7250@gmail.com for measurements/pictures.

Advertising in The Aiken Horse CLASSIFIED ADS are $25 for the first 30 DIRECTORY LISTING ADS: $25 per issue words & 40 cents for every word or $90 for the year (6 issues.) thereafter. Add $5 for blind classified. BUSINESS CARDS: $70 per issue or $290 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 2022

MAILING ADDRESS: The Aiken Horse, P.O. Box 332, Montmorenci, SC 29839 EMAIL: theAikenHorse@gmail.com

Pay online: TheAikenHorse.com or call us: 803.643.9960

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.

Advertise in the June-July issue! Deadline May 22, 2022 Publication date June 10, 2022

The Aiken Horse 85

Directory of Services ANIMAL CARE/HOUSESITTING Away Days Farm Services: Lifelong horseman with race track, polo and show facility experience available for farm sitting, all-animal care, fence mending and farm and landscape maintenance with your equipment. Jon Ruedisueli (603)322-3019, captjon@hotmail.com BLANKET CLEANING & REPAIR 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

GROOMING & PERSONAL PRODUCTS All natural goats milk soaps, lotions, hair bars, and candles, as well as horse whitening shampoo, spot remover, saddle bar and more!Find us on Etsy and Facebook!

BOARDING/TURNOUT/TRAINING/SALES Chime Ridge Stables. Stalls and pasture available. 803-508-3760 Sporting Days Farm. 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken, SC 29801. 5.5 miles from Aiken byoass. 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 we offer in 2022. www.sportingdaysfarm.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

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

COMPANION ANIMALS 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 & FARM SERVICES BM Maintenance and More LLC. Allow us to do that honey do list. BBB accredited. Free estimates within Aiken County. (864) 2757180 billymathis@billymathis-maintenance.com or bmmaint21@ gmail.com; 17166 Atomic Rd, Aiken SC 29803(803) 257-1202 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. FINANCE/MORTGAGE Tessa Thompson: Loan officer for New American Funding, local to the CSRA. I am licensed in GA, FL, SC, TN, and AL. I love to help others achieve homeownership and I answer any questions throughout the process. My direct number is 678.665.7916 and my email is Tessa.thompson@nafinc.com. Call me today to get preapproved!

The Aiken Horse

HAY 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 803-827-0864. email garymcelmurray@glmconstruction.net

INSTRUCTION/LESSONS Amy McElroy. USDF Gold Medalist and USEF S judge. Instruction and training at all levels. Visit amymcelroy.com or call 803.640-4207. 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 HORSE SHOWS VirtualHorseSport.com. Online Horse Shows & Coaching. Prizes; Privacy! All licensed judges. 2022 Championships! Try it today!-

LAWN CARE/LANDSCAPING Patterson’s Lawn Care services the Aiken area with irrigation, french drains, and routine lawn maintenance. If we start a job we finish it. Text or call for service: 803.840.7765. 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. TRAILERS C&D Mobile Trailer Repair: We repair all trailers and campers. Wiring, lighting, wheel bearings packed, axel work, trailer brakes. Portable welder available to fix repairs on-site. Text: 712.621.6252.

April-May 2022

The Aiken Horse 87

A I K E N, S O U T H C A R O L I N A

HOMES | HORSES | HISTORY | HOSPITALITY

C ome

Home to Greener Pastures

www.CarolinaCompany.com | 803.648.8660

Historic Horse District COURTNEY CONGER 803.645.3308 . $1,425,000

The Paddocks

Buckland Barn, an historic training facility in Aiken’s downtown Horse District, has spacious 2,787 square foot main residence, combining 2 original cottages with central great room. Cottage is delightfully renovated with wood floors, granite counter tops and all appliances. Two converted race barns have 15 expanded stalls, board fenced paddocks, grooms’ loft apartment, dressage arena with mirror. Easy access on sandy clay roads to downtown dining and shopping, equestrian venues and Hitchcock Woods, Aiken’s 2,200 acre riding reserve with over 60 miles of sandy trails.

MIKE HOSANG 803.270.6358

Equestrian lots now available in popular south side horse country — build a home for you and your horses in this friendly community! The 21 lots offered in Section One range from 5.34 acres to 13.83 acres. Community amenities include arena and miles of perimeter riding trails. Wooded lots start at just $16,000 per acre, cleared lots are $18,500 per acre.

Three Runs Plantation JACK ROTH 803.341.8787

Latigo Ranch

BARB GOULD USKUP 803.295.3199 . $829,000

Modern rustic log home with over 3300 feet of living space situated on 50 glorious acres features an open floor plan with cozy wood burning stove in front of soaring windows with panoramic views. Main level includes custom kitchen with granite counter tops & stainless appliances open to tmain living/dining area, spacious primary bedroom with en-suite bath and 2 walk-in closets, laundry, and an additional bedroom and bath. A newly built contemporary staircase provides access to the loft, 2 additional bedrooms, and an additional bath. Large yard fenced with no-climb for furry friends. For horses, there are 2 large pastures, 4 ample paddocks (each with its own large run-in shed), round pen and wide open spaces to ride. Large covered open pole barn for farm equipment and parking, and 2 additional storage sheds plus storage area in carport.

. $899,900

Wonderful equestrian property in coveted Three Runs Plantation. This home has everything that an equestrian needs and wants including over 5 acres of fenced pastures (with no climb wire on the entire perimeter), 3 stalls, heated water wash bay, air conditioned and heated tack and feed rooms and workshop. The home is 2185 square feet and has 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms plus powder room. Master bath has walk in whirlpool tub, kitchen has new gas cooktop/oven with warming drawer. Newly completed all-season room is 30x14 with vaulted ceiling and spectacular views of the rear pastures, barn and horses. Family room has new stone wall around the natural gas fireplace. Included is a Generac 15KW generator for well and home emergency back-up.

Bridle Creek JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 . Phase 3B $22,500 per acre

From the developer of Three Runs Plantation, Bridle Creek meanders across 600 wooded acres of Aiken’s horse country, featuring equestrian homesites of 5 acres or more. Community amenities include dressage & jump arenas, cross-country schooling, and NEW activity center with fitness equipment and kitchen. Financing available!

Three Runs Plantation JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 . $725,000

Beautiful 1860 sq ft home on 4 acres in desirable Three Runs Plantation Phase 3 on Quarry Pass. Three bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, master on the main floor with large family room, dining area and powder room, 2 bedrooms with media room, full bath and office upstairs, 2 car garage and large storage room in basement. Very large 10' x 41' screened porch overlooking rear pastures and 2 stall barn and hay building. House is located equally between the north arenas and clubhouse with swimming pool, and to the south arenasand activity center with workout room. High speed fiber optic internet, natural gas to every lot and underground electricity.

Photo representative of similar home

The Jockey’s Cottage . $725,000

RANDY WOLCOTT 803.507.1142

East Side Horse Country

Historic Aiken cottage on corner lot just off the Coker Spring entrance to the Hitchcock Woods with direct access to the trails has 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and an adjacent 2-stall barn with paddock. Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity for a historic home with horses right on the Woods!

MIKE HOSANG 803.270.6358 . $616,220

A rare opportunity in the heart of Aiken’s east side equestrian corridor offering approximately 29 acres of fully established lush pasture, plus over 3 wooded acres for a wonderful home and barn site with a breathtaking lake view. Price includes a new gated entrance from Wagener Road to be installed by the seller.

Bridle Creek New Construction JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 . $801,500

Construction is starting for this beautiful home on a great lot in Phase 3A. Comfortable split floor plan with quality construction by Sean Wolf Homes. Main floor has 3 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, including spacious master suite, great room with gas fireplace, dining room, mud room, and chef's kitchen. Upstairs has bedroom/bonus room with full bath, covered rear porch also has a gas fireplace. Property has 5.86 acres and three car garage. Entire house is either oak wood floors, ceramic tile or carpet in bedrooms. Community amenities include miles of trails, dressage & jump arenas, and fitness center.

Rendering from plans

The Pottery Barn

COURTNEY CONGER 803.645.3308 . $450,000

Charming Hardie Plank hunt box with shed row barn is now under construction on 10 cleared and fenced acres. The cottage will feature 1311 square feet with split floor plan, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and wood floors throughout. The 3stall barn will have clay floored stalls with mats, and finished tack room with electricity, hot/cold water and washer & dryer hook ups. Located in Timshel Gardens equestrian community, with miles of protected riding trails.

Solstice Meadow RANDY WOLCOTT 803.507.1142

Large residential building lot available in this quiet little equestrian neighborhood just south of town. Enjoy miles of riding and walking trails, including the 62-acre Freeman preserve. Ask about future development! Tract 3-C is 9.59 acres, offered at $17,000 per acre.

Heritage Farm

RANDY WOLCOTT 803.507.1142

. $450,000

Exceptional renovated historic farmhouse situated on 5.55 acres in Aiken County has all the amenities for 2-legged AND 4-legged family! Historic home has 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, spacious living areas, front porch, and deck for entertaining which overlooks in ground pool and stables. For horses, there are 6 pastures, 7-stall barn with tack room, separate hay storage building & workshop.

Fox Hollow on the Lake MIKE HOSANG 803.270.6358

One of Aiken's premier equestrian communities, Fox Hollow on the Lake is private, gated and conveniently located between Aiken and Augusta. Fox Hollow offers wonderful equestrian amenities including community riding/walking trails, dressage arena, jumping arena and cross-country course. Great opportunity to build! Enjoy privacy & convenience. Lot 64 has 17.16 acres, partially cleared, and is offered at just $165,000 Lot 59 has 7.66 acres and is offered at $111,070 | $14,500 per acre

COURTNEY CONGER 803-645-3308

RANDY WOLCOTT 803-507-1142

JACK ROTH 803-341-8787

TOM MURRAY 626-644-3008

MIKE HOSANG 803-270-6358

THOMAS BOSSARD 803-640-2845

BARB GOULD USKUP 803-295-3199 JANE PAGE THOMPSON 803-215-8232

ALEX TYRTEOS 203-249-3071

DONNITA HARMON 803-508-1936 DANA MASSEY 803-599-0400

BRIAN CAVANAUGH 803-624-6072 BETTINA RUCKELSHAUS 803-640-1625 LEE HEDLUND 803-221-6831

SHELLEY FARQUHAR 561-267-9514

Office: 803.648.8660 | www.CarolinaCompany.com