April-May 2023

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.

For twenty years Suzy has been passionate about providing an unparalleled experience for her clients looking to buy or sell in Aiken. She and her team implement cutting edge technology, effective marketing, and pride themselves on first class customer service, even after the transaction is complete.

Great move in ready open floor plan home with newer stainless steel kitchen appliances in a convenient Southside location. Living room with vaulted ceilings has a gas fireplace. Primary bedroom with large walk-in closet and bathroom. 2 additional bedrooms share a hall bath. On the other side of the home find a large sunroom with tile floors. Kitchen has 2 pantries and a breakfast bar with granite counter tops. Privacy fenced backyard with patio.

Twenty acres in the heart of horse country on a dirt road for hacking with established horse farms nearby. Recently timbered, with a little TLC this land would make a great horse farm. Survey available. Property has restrictive covenants. No subdivision of the lot allowed, no mobile homes and three or four board fencing or wire with a top board. Main residence must have at least 1800 square feet.

Recently completely renovated cottage steps from Aiken’s horse district & one block from the majestic live oaks along South Boundary Avenue. The 2BR/1 BA home has an open flow living room, kitchen w/ butcher block countertops, breakfast area, screened porch & fenced backyard. Walk or bike downtown or to the nearby clay roads of the Horse District and watch polo and horses train at the Aiken Training Track.

Well-maintained brick home located within walking distance to Hopelands Gardens, Hitchcock Woods, and Aiken’s Horse District. 5 BR/3 BA w/hardwood floors, LR, DR, eat-in kitchen with breakfast bar, den with wood burning fireplace, new windows & HVAC in past 2 years. Primary suite w/jetted, handicap-accessible tub & separate shower. 2 additional BR on the main level. Deck overlooks green space and Calico Branch.

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 & 2022 RLI APEX award for top producing land real estate agents.

KATHRYN SIDERS Licensed Assistant MICHELE HIGGINS Licensed Assistant

Whether buying or selling, we would love to hear from you.

SOUTH MEADOWS $220,000 20 ACRES RIVER RIDGE BERKLEY ST. SE $199,000

CALICO HOUSE $495,000

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Lanes End at Hopeland Farms

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1 Br 1 BatH guest aPartMent | studio | 3-Bay garage | 1-Bay equiPMent garage oFFered

Cissie Sullivan

Tracey Turner

SE AIKEN’S HISTORIC DISTRICT

SECTION 1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3

Section

Liz Halliday-Sharp flying to victory in the $50,000 Aiken Grand Prix Eventing Festival Presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services.

Photography by Pam Gleason. Story on page 14

Section Two Vanessa Stoltzfus aboard Teddy Sarco competing in March Madness at Highfields.

Photography by Gary Knoll Section Three Rick and Cathy Cram, as Snow White and her Prince, lead the seven dwarves and all the Disney princesses to win the costume class at the 108th annual Aiken Horse Show in the Woods.

Photography by Gary Knoll

It’s spring. The grass is green, the horses are getting sleek and shiny and the polo players are back in town. Aiken’s seasons are like nowhere else: other places have winter, spring, summer and fall. We have eventing, horse shows, polo and foxhunting.

Of course, horse shows and horse trials go on all year round these days, even if polo and foxhunting have their own specific seasons. But all you have to do is drive down route 302 east of town to recognize that it is polo season once again, because every third vehicle seems to be a polo trailer. No wonder polo ponies are such good travelers. They are always on the road.

We’ve had another active winter/spring season, with a plethora of competitive and learning opportunities for riders of all ages and abilities, from first time junior riders to world class superstars with their sights on the Olympics and beyond. Foremost among these prestigious competitions was the Grand Prix Eventing Festival Presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services at the Aiken Horse Park during the first weekend in March. This event, which attracted an elite field of horses and riders, was an exciting Advanced level test of skill and boldness on the part of both horses and riders. Liz Halliday-Sharp, who had her third win in this year, graces our cover aboard the winner, Miks Master C. You will find full coverage of the Grand Prix Eventing Festival as well as many more pictures in the center spread of our first section.

We have another issue full interesting stories and we hope you enjoy it. In addition to coverage of the Grand Prix, our first section also has a story about the new gateway to the Hitchcock Woods, a story about the Aiken Girls’ Interscholastic Polo team which just won its third consecutive national championship, and, of course, News and Notes. In our second section we catch up with Grant Seger, a local showjumping rider making a name for himself in Wellington; a story about an event horse who made a comeback from a devastating stable injury; and coverage of the Southern Belle Classic horse sale at Stableview. We also have an article about the Aiken Large Animal Rescue team, which is available to help anyone with a large animal emergency, free of charge. Read the article and put the number in your phone: you never know when you might need it. Finally, in our third section, read about the new polo club, La Bourgogne, which will be offering a spectator experience at their pro-am polo matches every Saturday this spring. The club is on Coleman Bridge Road just over the Aiken line and about a 20-minute drive from downtown. We also have an informative article about foal care, a report on a recent Pony Club Quiz Rally, Ask the Judge with Amy McElroy and our indispensable calendar of events. We’re getting ready for more action, especially polo and the marquee events on Aiken’s horse show calendar: the USEF Premier Aiken Spring Classics at Highfields and the Aiken Charity Horse Shows at Bruce’s Field. We hope to see you out there! As ever, if you know something we should know, drop us an email. We want to be your horse newspaper.

Pam Gleason Editor & Publisher

News and Notes

Horse Happenings

by Pam Gleason

Hope Makes Ten

The United States Polo Association (USPA) does not give out a 10-goal rating without good reason. The handicapping system runs from -2 to 10, with -2 being reserved for the least experienced players and 10 for the very best. Contrary to what some people may think, a handicap reflects how many goals you are theoretically worth to your team, not how many you might score in a game. Most players are rated below 2 goals and 10-goalers are world class superstars – think Tiger Woods or Derek Jeter.

Several years ago, the USPA instituted a separate and parallel set of ratings to be used by female players when playing in exclusively women’s tournaments. Since women usually play with and against men on mixed teams, this means that women who play polo have two ratings: their regular handicap and a women’s handicap. A typical 0-goal woman will likely have a women’s handicap of 2 or 3; a 1-goaler might be 4 or 5, and so on.

Last year, Hope Arellano, 20, was raised to an 8-goal women’s handicap, making her America’s highest-rated female player. In March, the USPA published the new women’s handicap list, revealing that she will be going to 10 at the end of the year. This is an accomplishment achieved just once before by an American woman, the immortal Sunny Hale, long an icon of polo excellence for both men and women. There are two other women rated 10-goals in the USPA today: Hazel Jackson and Nina Clarkin, both of whom hail from England.

By all accounts, Hope had a spectacular season between Aiken’s fall and spring seasons. In November 2022, she joined her brother Agustin Arellano to represent the United States in the FIP World Cup Championships in Wellington, Florida. The FIP World Cup, organized by the Federation of International Polo, is a 10-14 goal contest that features eight teams winnowed from 25 participating countries. Hope’s father, Julio Arellano, was the team coach and Agustin was in the starting line-up, while Hope was originally an alternate. After another player was unable to participate, Hope stepped in for the semifinal and final games, becoming the first woman ever to represent her country in FIP polo. In the final, Spain ultimately defeated the U.S. in an overtime nail-biter.

Hope further burnished her credentials the following month when she went to Argentina to play on the La Irenita team in the Argentine Women’s Open. Her team made the finals, where they were overcome by the reigning champions and five-time winners, La Dolfina. Back in

the U.S., Hope’s team, La Fe, captured the U.S. Women’s Open crown, in a final game that saw her score six goals and earn the MVP title.

Hope, whose family is based in Aiken, has been playing in Aiken’s tournaments since she was a pre-teen, and can often be found at the trophy table in both women’s and open polo. She is considered by many players and polo watchers to be the best female player in the world.

Sport Horse Sale at Highfields

It’s no secret that the market for horses is hot these days. Despite what many people are calling an uncertain economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a seller’s market for horses, with prices going up and the supply of animals ready to hit the show ring, cross country course or polo field barely able to keep up with the demand.

Considering this, Rick Cram, who owns and runs the horse show company Progressive Show Jumping at Highfields Event Center in Aiken, has made plans to put on the Highfields Sport Horse sale in conjunction with the final weekend of the Aiken Spring Classic Horse Show. The Aiken Spring Classic, a USEF Premier hunter/jumper show, runs for two weeks. First comes the Aiken Masters from April 19-23, followed by the Aiken Spring Classic Finale from April 26-30. The

sport horse sale is scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 29 at 4:00 pm, following the completion of the show’s marquee event, the Carolina Company $25,000 Grand Prix.

Rick says that he already has some polo ponies and hunter/jumpers entered in the sale, and he expects to add horses from the dressage and eventing disciplines as well.

“We’re trying to cater to the four most prominent disciplines in Aiken,” Rick explained. “So we’re hoping to end up with about 10 of each – 40 is the magic number.”

With the show season in Florida wrapped up, and the polo season about to do the same, Rick says he expects some operations to be ready to sell horses this month, and having the sale at the same time as his biggest show is likely to bring in both more buyers and more sellers. Photos and descriptions will be added to the Progressive Show Jumping website near the middle of April, giving horse shoppers about two weeks to check out prospects prior to the sale. Buyers can bid in person or online.

If the reception for a sport horse sale can approach that of the recent western-type auctions we have had in Aiken, then Rick will be on to a good thing. The demand for quality horses is certain there.

“Coming out of COVID, it was amazing the number of horses that were being leased and purchased. You would think that the effect of shutting down the economy in the country and the world would have deterred people from that, but it really did not. In 2021, things went right back to normal with horse prices. The quality animals, the ones with track records that were successful, were selling for as much money, if not more than ever. Early on the younger imports were not selling as well, but now they have doubled in value because we have so few on the market – it’s supply and demand.”

If horse show entries can reveal any trends in the equestrian industry, Rick says he expects the horse market to be strong for some time to come.

“The growth in the sport since the pandemic started is amazing. If you look at the entries in the walk, trot, canter and the crossrails divisions, in the last three years we’ve had record numbers. And I think that is because we’re an outdoor, noncontact, individual participation sport. So horses are something you can still do if another pandemic happens down the road. . . they’re a home run for a pandemic activity for sure.”

To find out more about the Highfields Sport Horse Sale, peruse the listings or enter own of your own sales horse, visit the Progressive Show Jumping website (psjshows.com.) Listings will not go live until mid-April, and to view them, you will have to register on the website, which is free. Although you will have to be registered to bid and to buy, anyone is welcome to come observe the sale in person. It will take place at the Mary Ann Parmelee Pavilion at Highfields Event Center, 118 Gaston Road, Aiken. The Grand Prix is at 2:00 pm and the sale starts afterwards. Why not come for both?

Art Exhibit at TB Hall of Fame

This April, there will be a special art exhibit at the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum featuring the art of Sandy Glynn and Remi Bellocq. There will be an opening with refreshments from 1:30 to 4:30 on Sunday, April 23. Both prints and originals will be available for purchase.

Sandy Glynn is an animal artist with deep roots in the polo and horse racing communities. She is the daughter of Tommy Glynn, a recipient of the Iglehart award from the National Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame for his lifetime of contributions to the sport. These include training horses as well as teaching and coaching players. Sandy Glynn grew up surrounded by horses, riding polo ponies, show hunters and foxhunters before becoming a successful racehorse trainer. She lives in Rembert, South Carolina with her husband. (sandyglynn.com)

Remi Bellocq, a cartoonist, also has a distinguished equestrian heritage. His father, Pierre Bellocq, known by the name Peb, drew cartoons for the Daily Racing Form for decades, inspired by an intimate understanding of racing that was informed by his experiences as an amateur jockey in Europe. Remi, who lives in Lexington Kentucky, works as a racing industry executive and has drawn cartoons for the Thoroughbred Daily news and the Florida Horse for over 40 years. Find out more at Remidraws.com.

Continued on page 28

Three Time Champion

Halliday-Sharp Wins Aiken Horse Park GPE

By Amber Heintzberger Photography by Pam Gleason

For the third time in five years, Liz Halliday-Sharp, an eventing rider based in Lexington, Kentucky, claimed victory at the $50,000 Aiken Grand Prix Eventing Festival Presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services. The Grand Prix Eventing Festival was held at the Aiken Horse Park from March 3-4. Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C, (Mighty Magic – Qui Luma CBF), owned by Deborah Palmer and Ocala Horse Properties, scored 23.8 in dressage and jumped around clear, adding just a couple of seconds of time to lay down a final score of 24.6.

Halliday-Sharp previously won on Fernhill by Night in 2019, the event’s inaugural year, and on Deniro Z in 2020. In 2021, she was second with Deniro Z, third with Fernhill by Night and fifth with her other mount, Cooley Quicksilver. Last year, she did not compete.

Miks Master C is an 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding bred in the U.S. by Laurie Cameron. He has only been in Halliday-Sharp’s string of competition horses since last year and she is aiming him at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event in April for the horse’s first crack at the five-star level. At the Eventing Festival in Aiken, he was her third ride of the day around the cross-country, and after her earlier horses were slipping a bit on the turf, she said she used her biggest studs in his shoes to give him extra traction to stay on his feet around the twists and turns of the course.

“I haven’t been with Mickey even a year yet, and he was very, very strong at Boekelo (in the Netherlands). I had a new bit that I’ve never competed him in that I rode him in today, and I sort of already decided if he felt like he was getting a bit rogue on me, I was not going to go fast at all costs, because I wanted to think about the big picture for him. But actually, he was brilliant, and really with me and I had a super, super round. I was really thrilled with him.”

Halliday-Sharp also finished fifth overall with The Monster Partnership’s Irish-bred Cooley Quicksilver, that she is preparing for the Luhmühlen CCI5* in Germany in June. Halliday-Sharp’s third mount, Deniro Z, owned by Ocala Horse Properties, finished 12th.

“I think we had a really great weekend of sport, and that’s what I think they need in these sorts of things,” she said, referring to the novel format of the eventing festival, in which the cross country phase is held in a smaller area to make the event more spectatorfriendly. “It shouldn’t be a dressage competition; it should be a fight all the way to the end, and I thought they did a great job with that.”

Second place in Aiken went to Doug Payne riding Starr Witness (Chello III VDL – Carmen), owned by Payne in partnership with Laurie McRee and Catherine Winter. At the start of the competition, the pair laid down the gauntlet with a 19.9 for their foot-perfect dressage test, including a score of 10 on one of the flying changes. But they dropped a rail in show jumping and had a few time faults on the cross country to give them a final score of 25.9. The mare was Payne’s partner on the team that won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Peru in 2019, and he is aiming her for this year’s Pan Am games in Santiago, Chile.

After thanking his partners and his wife Jess, Payne said, “[Starr Witness] couldn’t have given more and couldn’t have tried harder. I think our last run was Kentucky last spring, so it was her first time out

and she was wonderful. The time for her is a little bit harder, so I knew it was going to be a challenge, but she gave everything she could have. I just could have used that rail yesterday!”

Third place went to the defending champion Boyd Martin riding the Annie Goodwin Syndicate’s Fedarman B (Eurocommerce Washington – Paulien B). The pair were sixth after dressage, but a double clear show jumping round on Friday helped propel them up the ranks. Even though they had two seconds of time on cross country, it was good enough to make the podium finish. Martin rides in memory of Annie Goodwin, a local Aiken rider who lost her life in a riding accident and who had owned, trained and competed Fedarman B (Bruno.) Annie’s friends and family show great support for the pair and Martin said that he is proud to ride the horse and continue Goodwin’s work with him. Martin also finished eighth riding his Tokyo Olympic Games partner Tsetserleg (Thomas), owned by the Turner family.

Martin said, “I had good rides on Thomas and Bruno, but couldn’t quite get the time. It’s pretty tight here. You’ve got to really chance a few fences and gallop a lot of jumps out of stride. To be honest, I was very pleased with both my guys. It’s early in the season and they haven’t done much, so that was a good round for them, and [the competition] was very, very exciting at the end. Watching Liz go flat out and then put Doug right to the edge. . . .it came down to a very exciting finish there, just a couple of seconds in it. I think the crowd really got their money’s worth this weekend.”

The competition itself is a spectator’s dream, with VIP seating, a festive atmosphere and great visibility for the entire cross country phase. The cross country course features jumps modeled after Aiken landmarks, all constructed by Eric Bull’s ETB Equine Construction and decorated with attention to every detail. Dressage and showjumping were held on Friday, with cross country, the main event, on Saturday.

The Grand Prix Eventing Festival has become a beloved Aiken tradition in just a few short years, taking its place with the Aiken Triple Crown events (the Aiken Trials, the Aiken Steeplechase and the Pacers and Polo Match) as one of the city’s most anticipated rites of spring. Not only is it a crowd pleasing competition held in the downtown area, it also brings in some of the top eventing riders in the country and the world, giving Aiken a chance to see current and future Olympians and talented horses testing their mettle on a world class course. Preparations are already underway for next year’s event in Aiken, which is likely to be even more important as a preparatory event for riders vying for a ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The equestrian events there, scheduled for July 27 through August 6, will be held at the palace of Versailles.

Above: Boyd Martin on Tsetserleg jumps The Willcox

Right: Liz Halliday-Sharp on Miks Master C

Photography by Pam Gleason and Gary Knoll

Contact

Pond Cottage: $650,000

3 bedroom, 2 bath, newly built residence in a private and serene setting. Charming one story layout with 10 ft. ceilings, vaulted ceiling in living room, custom 8 ft doors, oversized Andersen windows and hardwood floors throughout. Mud room, kitchen with quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. Front & rear porches (fireplace on rear porch). Oversized carport. Walking distance to the clubhouse, pool and clay tennis court.

Lauren Circle: $560,000 14-acre lot in close proximity to polo field 4. Just inside the main gate to Phase 3, this lot has fourboard fencing along New Bridge Road with two ideal building sites for a house and barn. No clearing is needed, plenty of established grass for pastures, and mature trees on the western edge provide a natural buffer and privacy. Wonderful vistas of polo fields 4 and 5 to the south. One of the last cleared lots in Phase 3. Hurry and grab this gem!

Lauren Circle: $99,000

Lot 2A Lauren Circle is the perfect residential lot for a single family home. Situated on 2.5 acres, this lot is is near polo fields 4 and 5. This lot offers maximum usability with a nicely wooded rear buffer for privacy.

THE CLUBHOUSE IS OPEN

Friday Happy Hour 5-8 pm & Sunday Brunch 10-3 pm

Tommy Hitchcock Memorial 8 Goal April 21-May 7

Pete Bostwick Memorial 8 Goal

May 10-28

USPA Regional President’s Cup 8 Goal May 31-June 18

Louise Hitchcock Women’s Tournament 8-14 Goal May 28-June 11

New Entrance to Hitchcock Woods Attractive Solution to Old Problem

By Pam Gleason

The Hitchcock Woods has a new Gateway at the corner of South Boundary Avenue and Laurens Street, just across from where many people park their trailers when going to ride in the Woods. Where formerly there had been a nondescript tangle of mixed shrubs and trees, there is now an elegant park, complete with a decorative iron gate that proclaims itself the entrance to the Woods.

In addition to the gate itself, there are paved paths winding through a landscaped garden of native trees and wildflowers. Dogwoods, redbuds and magnolias have been planted and there are plots of flowers for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. There is also a special rain garden, which is an area with plantings designed to absorb runoff water and help prevent erosion. Informational kiosks that dot the paths will soon provide information about the Woods, its history, flora and fauna, and the special challenges of preserving its unique resources. One of Aiken’s iconic life-sized painted horses welcomes visitors to this new landscaped area, that promises to become another of the city’s favorite places.

Although the Gateway is an attractive asset in itself, its most significant beauty is something that you can’t see. The most important thing about the Gateway is what lies beneath: two massive vaults to retain stormwater, along with a sophisticated, computerized artificial intelligence system that will manage a slow release of water when necessary. The aim of this system is to resolve a severe stormwater issue that has plagued the woods for decades.

The stormwater problem in the Hitchcock Woods starts with the fact that the Woods is a low point in the city of Aiken watershed, and so runoff naturally flows into the forest. Beginning many decades ago, engineers took advantage of this fact to construct a drainage system that funneled the city’s excess stormwater into pipes that converged at the Woods. An immense outflow pipe, 10-feet in diameter, released the runoff from 1,100 downtown acres directly into Sand River, a normally dry bed of sand that traverses the forest. At that time, Aiken was a much smaller city than it is today. There were more trees and plants to absorb water, and far fewer impermeable paved surfaces. As Aiken grew, so did the amount of runoff that gushed into the drainage system and thus into the Woods. In recent years, stormwater discharge reached catastrophic levels. A single storm could result in 100,000 gallons an hour blasting through the pipe at high velocity, with as many as 35 million gallons of city stormwater inundating Sand River in less than a day.

Over the years, the flooding carved an ever-growing, 70-foot deep 200-foot wide canyon through the Woods. In addition, because the water was not cleaned or filtered, it also brought in trash, petroleum products, chemicals, bacteria and silt. Large swathes of trees were uprooted, damaged or killed, and 90 acres of forested wetlands have been silted in. As the city grew, the stormwater issue only got worse, threatening the delicate longleaf pine ecosystem that the Hitchcock Woods Foundation has been laboring to restore and maintain.

For many years, the foundation worked with the city of Aiken to come up with a permanent solution to the problem. Finally, in 2016,

the city hired an engineering firm, McCormick Taylor, to study the issue and to create the system that is operating today. The project was completed at the end of 2022.

Bennett Tucker, who is the woods superintendent, says that these innovative stormwater mitigation efforts have been very successful so far.

“In one of our recent storm events we had 1.68 inches of rain over the course of a night, and the vault system handled it with room to spare,” he said. “Before, there would have been a huge raging rapid coming through the pipe into the woods. But because the system was in place and it was functional, we didn’t have that.”

Bennett explains that the retention vaults have permeable bottoms, allowing the stored water to percolate slowly into the soil, filtering out impurities. There are chambers that capture any trash before it enters the vaults, and metal screens to filter out silt. The computer system monitors the National Weather Service and automatically releases controlled amounts of water in advance of significant storms to ensure that storage capacity is never overwhelmed. Although the excess water is still goes into Sand River, it is released through a valve that creates a gentle stream rather than a destructive torrent.

“It’s the best stormwater management system that is available for our unique problem,” Bennett continues. “It will have a lasting impact, not just in the Woods, but all across the watershed.”

Bennett is equally as enthusiastic about the Gateway, which he says has already begun to attract visitors. “It’s an easy getaway for folks that work downtown, a short walk on their lunch break. I think it’s amazing to see, folks just enjoying the green space – picnicking and sitting on the benches and relaxing. But the biggest thing that we’re all excited about is the connectivity it creates with downtown Aiken. It ties the Woods in with downtown, and with the museum and the library and even with the Farmer’s Market, making everything easy to walk to. We think it’s wonderful.”

Mary Katherine Philipp, who is the executive director of the Hitchcock Woods Foundation agrees.

“We envision the Gateway as not only an outdoor classroom, but an area to visit, relax and appreciate just how lucky we are to live in an amazing community like Aiken,” she says. Future exhibits will include information about the federally endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker the historic Charleston & Hamburg Railroad, and many fascinating archeological finds uncovered by stormwater erosion.

For Aiken’s riders, the most noticeable difference is probably that there is now a dedicated and marked bridlepath leading from the parking area adjacent to the Aiken County Historical Society along the side of South Boundary down to the trailhead near the Hitchcock Woods office. For many horse people, even for those who rarely or never ride in the Woods, the forest feels like the heart of the city, one of the things that makes Aiken, Aiken. The new Gateway, and the vaults beneath it, promise to help preserve and protect this precious resource for many years to come.

Champions Again

Girls Interscholastic Polo Team

By Pam Gleason

Make that three in a row for the Aiken Girls’ Interscholastic Polo Team, which captured its third consecutive national championship win in Brookshire, Texas this March. Aiken’s interscholastic teams are coached and organized by Tiger Kneece, who is the Aiken Polo Club manager, and many of the participants learned to play polo under his tutelage with Aiken Youth Polo, a division of Aiken Polo Club.

This year’s team consisted of Summer Kneece, Brianna and Madison Jordan and Alea Crespo. Although this was the Aiken team’s third consecutive win, it was actually a mostly new squad – only Summer has played in all three finals. Brianna Jordan was on the team last year, but her twin sister Madison previously played on the Aiken Open Interscholastic team – this is a team with both girls and boys. Alea Crespo, who got her start playing on the grass with Aiken Youth Polo and has continued to play outdoors ever since, had never played in the arena before, much less in the interscholastics. All four young women are graduating seniors this year.

Although as two-time defending champions Aiken was on everyone’s radar as a team to beat, they almost didn’t make it to the nationals at all. This is because they suffered a 19-16 loss to Maryland in the Southeast Regional finals, which might have meant they would not punch a ticket to Texas after all. However, they earned their way there with a wildcard spot, allowing them to try to defend their title once more.

At the Nationals, both the number-one-seed Maryland and wildcard Aiken earned a bye to the semifinals, where each won convincingly to set up a repeat of that regional match. (Aiken crushed Maui 22-5, while Maryland downed Kingswood 17-6.) The Maryland team consisted of Kylie Beard, Sierra Blevins, Rory Knox and Isabelle Brockett, a strong and physical team coached by Kelly Wells, a veteran of intercollegiate polo herself, former Polo Training Foundation Intercollegiate Player of the Year as well as highly experienced and successful polo instructor.

In the championship match, Aiken was more than ready to take on Maryland again. After their regional loss, they studied game tapes, practiced in the arena and devised a disciplined strategy of getting to the wall early and backing each other up. It worked. Aiken pulled ahead in the first chukker and never looked back, emerging the winner 13-8. Summer Kneece and Madison Jordan were named tournament All Stars, and Summer won the horsemanship award.

Coach Tiger Kneece is justifiably proud of the Aiken program, which has risen to national prominence just six years from its founding. He said that winning the championship this year was particularly gratifying because of the participation of his daughter.

“It was super special to be able to do it three years in a row, especially with my daughter Summer,” he said. “This year, being her senior year was probably the most special one. Outside of that, if you look at the landscape of programs across the United States, you have to consider that Aiken Youth Polo is such a young program. It says a lot about what Aiken has to offer for us to get to that level that quick.”

Aiken Youth Polo is thriving, with Middle School, Interscholastic and Intercollegiate teams and there are many young players in the pipeline. Tiger says that he doesn’t expect to have a national championship interscholastic team next year, however.

“We’re strong and we’re reloaded, but most of our kids are at the seventh, eighth and ninth grade levels,” said Tiger. “For whatever reason, we have a gap in the age group. So we’ll compete, but our players will be super young.”

As for the current team, at least two players, Brianna Jordan and Summer Kneece, plan to enter USC Aiken and play on the intercollegiate team in the fall, with Madison Jordan possibly joining them in the spring semester. With that kind of power in the line-up, it looks like USC Aiken, which has previously had teams mostly made up of newer players, will be a bright star on the Intercollegiate polo map in the near future.

Aiken Girls Interscholastic Polo Team: Alea Crespo, Brianna Jordan, Coach Tiger Kneece, Madison Jordan, Summer Kneece

Photo by David Murrell

Steeplechase News

Horses that make the switch from flat racing to steeplechase racing often didn’t have the most stellar records on the flat track. This is not the case for Cross Border, a 9-year-old gelding (English Channel –Empress Josephine by Empire Maker) owned by Jordan Wycoff of Three Diamonds Farm and trained by Keri Brion. Cross Border broke his hurdles maiden under the young jockey Parker Hendriks in the $15,000 G. H. Bostwick Memorial hurdle at the Aiken Spring Steeplechase on March 25.

This was the gelding’s third start on a steeplechase course, after getting his feet wet last fall at Fair Hill (Maryland) and Charleston (South Carolina). Before that, Cross Border was a stakes-winning turf horse that loved long distances and amassed over $1 million in the course of his seven year career. Before switching to the hurdles, he raced 45

times on the flat track garnering 11 firsts, eight seconds and six thirds while racing in prestigious contests such as the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

Although he is stabled in Maryland, Cross Border has some solid Aiken connections. In fact, his owner’s father-in-law is Frank Mullins, an Augusta native who is currently the president of the Aiken Steeplechase Association and was recently appointed to the board of directors of the National Steeplechase Association. Frank, a polo player, also sits on the board of the Aiken Polo Club.

The featured race this year was the $35,000 Conceal Imperial Cup, carried off by The Insider, also ridden by Parker Hendriks for trainer Keri Brion. The Insider is an imported 4-year-old Irish horse owned by Hudson River Farms, LLC. He came to this country last fall after racing with some success in Ireland. In his very first start in this country, he ran wire-to-wire in the Gladstone Hurdle Stakes at Far Hill in New Jersey just a few weeks after he stepped hoof on American soil. He won the Imperial Cup in similar frontrunning style, setting a course record for 2 1/16 mile in Aiken.

With the Aiken's new steeplechase track garnering praise from horsemen and fans alike, steeplechasing seems to be on the upswing in Aiken. Shortly before the spring meet, the Aiken Steeplechase Association announced that its fall meet, typically held around Halloween, has been moved to November 18, the weekend before Thanksgiving. This will make Aiken the final meet on the National Steeplechase Association calendar, and may therefore act as the deciding meet for Rider, Trainer and Horse of the Year.

Looking forward to seeing this year’s competitors and volunteers!

Sat.

Sat.

Sat. & Sun.

Sat.

Sat.

11,

Our Schooling shows have Choice of CT, Dressage TOC, Jumper Rounds, XC (3phase) and a $150 XC Derby. Our XC Derby is a short XC course with show jumps in ring. Payout is $70, $50, $30. (If Derby has less than 5 entries, payout is less) CTs are $45, Dressage TOC are $30, Jumper Rounds are $15, XC (3 Phase) is $100, XC Derby is $60.

Cross Border in front. Photo by Barry Bornstein

Southern Belle Classic Horse Sale is a Hit

By Pam Gleason

The inaugural Southern Belle Classic horse sale came to the covered arena at Stableview in Aiken this March, and it was a hit. Organized by a pair of South Carolina horsewomen, Meredith Mobley and Tiffany Fuller, the sale brought close to 60 horses from across the country –Idaho to Massachusetts, Minnesota to Texas – and the vast majority were sold to new owners in similarly diverse regions of the country. There were Gypsy Vanners and Lusitanos, Friesian crosses, draft crosses, ponies, and most of all Quarter Horses, trained in everything from driving and dressage to cutting, reining and working equitation. When the final gavel dropped, the top selling horse fetched an impressive $157,000, while the sale average was $34,000 for horses and somewhat less for ponies. It was a success by all measures.

“It was great,” says Tiffany Fuller. “Better than we could have imagined.”

“The consignors all loved the venue,” added Meredith Mobley. “They said it was amazing and they were so happy with all the places to ride, which they aren’t accustomed to having. They loved the stabling, and Aiken, and they were very happy with the whole thing.”

Tiffany and Meredith (going by their company name Belles in Boots Productions) did a thorough job preparing for the auction. All the horses could be seen beforehand on their website, which also offered the chance for prospective buyers to get in contact with sellers prior to the sale. Consignors and horses arrived at Stableview on Thursday, March 23. Friday was devoted to an auction preview, additional vet checks and a sold-out dinner with live entertainment. Saturday started with a meetand-greet, followed by a trail and versatility preview in which consignors got the chance to show what their horses could do. A happy hour warmed up the crowd before the auction itself started at 6 p.m.

The Southern Belle Classic follows on two equally successful high end horse auctions that took place at the Aiken Training Track in downtown Aiken in the fall of 2021 and 2022. Those sales, the Best of the West, gave Aiken a taste for western-type horses, and introduced the concept of the luxury horse sale, a fairly new type of auction in the equestrian world. Successful consignors at these sales have horses with training that goes beyond the usual walk, trot, canter. At the Southern Belle auction, for instance, one horse in the previews trotted into the arena pulling someone on a sled. Several horses would sit or lie down on command, some were trained to tolerate dogs jumping on and off their backs, and many were happy to demonstrate their tractability by performing everything without a bridle on. In fact, horses that wore bridles during the entirety of their demonstration ride may have been in the minority.

The Southern Belle auction differed from the earlier Best of the West auctions because the horse selection was more diverse, including more horses that appeal to English riders, especially those with a penchant for dressage. There were no regular upper-level dressage horse types – no Hanoverians, Dutch Warmbloods or Westphalians – but there were several Lusitanos, some already proficient in both standard dressage and the new hot sport, working equitation, a Portuguese derived discipline that mixes elements of classical dressage with western trail and even a bit of jousting. Friesian sport horses – Friesians crossed with various other breeds – were popular and very attractive. Anyone looking for a tall, slender Thoroughbred-type horse would have been less enthusiastic about the selection, since big-bodied horses 16-hands and under (with a few slightly taller horses in the mix) seemed to be the order of the day. Draft crosses and Gypsy Vanners were plentiful, and just to underline the emphasis on bulk, most of the horse descriptions included the horse’s weight. Horses tended to sport coats in flashy, eye-catching colors (paint, appaloosa, roan, palomino and buckskin) and some were decidedly on the hairy side – not with long coats, but with full flowing manes and tails, and quite a few with abundant feathers on their legs.

The highest selling horse at $157,000 was a 9-year-old American Quarter Horse called Macho in My Dream, a 15.1 hand chestnut gelding.

Macho, consigned by Diamond K Ranch in Ohio and described in the catalog as the “kind of horse everyone loves” is a finished reining horse with a show record. According to his description, he is also great on the trails, will go anywhere you point him, and is safe and easy for anyone to ride. In the preview and in the auction ring, he wowed the crowd by performing dizzying spins, with or without a saddle. He was sold to a professional operation in Texas that plans to show him in reining, among other things.

The next highest seller went for a hardly less impressive $150,000. This was another Quarter Horse, 14.3 hand buckskin gelding named Cool Blue Whiskey, barn name Gizmo. Gizmo was consigned by McKibben Performance and Versatility Horses, an operation in Scottsdale, Arizona that is owned and run by Sarah and Mozaun McKibben. The McKibbens are familiar to anyone who attended the Best of the West auctions in Aiken, or who has gone to any of the other high end auctions that have been held across the country for the past few years. In addition to performing flawlessly under saddle, McKibben horses generally learn tricks, such as sitting down, lying down, and being ridden by the stables’ enthusiastic bandana-wearing Malinois dogs. Gizmo went to a new home in Florida.

As a sales venue, Stableview could hardly have been more ideal. Horse auctions are often held at showgrounds, but generally these are more bare-bones facilities without the world-class aura that Stableview projects. The preview was held in the huge outdoor arena and could be watched in comfort from the elegant pavilion, where prospective buyers and spectators could pop inside to cool off or find refreshments. The versatility competition took place on the cross-country course while the sale itself was in the covered arena. The horses in the sale were exceptional animals, hand-picked and selected by Belles and Boots, and would probably have sold well anywhere, but the elite atmosphere that pervades Stableview can’t have hurt their prospects.

When this type of auction first came to Aiken in 2021, it was the talk of the town. People were impressed by the things the horses could do, and astounded by the high prices that they fetched – some were purchased over the phone or the internet, while others went to local buyers who were present at the sale. Now, almost two years later, Aiken’s horse people have had their eyes opened to a different facet of the horse industry. Although the Aiken-based horses purchased at Southern Belle and Best of the West may go on to more typical English and Western disciplines and may never be asked to lie down or play with a beach ball again, they definitely came out of a very different culture. One clear indication of this is that the consignors never wore any kind of helmet at any point in time – even small children were bare-headed or wore cowboy hats as they cantered around. It is hard to imagine another kind of equestrian demonstration where this would be considered acceptable in Aiken’s English riding facilities. This is not to say it is wrong, necessarily. But it is definitely different.

If you missed the Southern Belle Classic, never fear. Plans are already underway for a repeat in 2024 on the same weekend. The Belles in Boots crew say that it will be even bigger and better next year.

Grant Seger is on the Move Success for Showjumping Rider

By Sarah Eakin

For the Seger family – which includes the Grand Prix rider Grant Seger, his wife Rebekah and their two sons Mason, 6, and Henry, 3, life is on the road. This winter, the family left their Aiken home for a full four months in the Florida sunshine at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at the Wellington International showground, the leading winter equestrian venue worldwide.

“I come here every year,” said Grant, 32. “But this is the first time that we’ve stayed down for the full four months. We love it. It allows you to kind of work to the horse’s schedule, not so much our own. Sometimes when you are hauling for two weeks to a show it’s tough because you are trying to make everything work the way you planned it, and that’s not how it works really.

“This way you can move a horse up when you really feel like it’s ready or you can take it a little bit easy, so it’s nice for sure. The really big plus is you can pick and choose the weeks you want to take them out.”

The commitment paid off. “It’s tough and competitive but I’m really pleased with my top horses,” Grant said. Frieda, his up-and-coming 11-year-old Oldenburg superstar who claimed seventh in her first 5-star grand prix in Toronto last fall, was also in his top string at WEF. His horse Cantuccini (aka ‘Leo’) went to Europe with Grant last year, and showed well at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Grant was recently third in the 1.50 meter Grand Prix in Wellington aboard the horse Yoghi, finishing just behind the Olympic veteran McClain Ward and another South Carolina-based rider, Jack Towell. His successful performances have been catching the attention of the United States Equestrian Federation Showjumping team selectors, who chose him to represent his country at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup in Spain and Portugal last fall. His career seems to be on an upward trajectory.

But as in any professional sport, there is no time to rest on your laurels, and in show jumping that means looking to the next young horses in your string. Grant is excited about the understudies that he has waiting in the wings.

“I have a really good group of 9-year-olds coming on that have really impressed me over the winter,” he said. “I have three: Istina van de Kapel FL and Varus – a spectacular gelding who I’m pretty excited about – and Tailormade Chussuri FLP who is pretty new to my string but she’s been unbelievable.” Fox Lair Sport Horses, a Maryland- and Aiken-based breeding and training farm, has been paramount in Grant’s career. Fox Lair owns both Yoghi and Istina, and the Segers credit them with much of Grant’s success. “They are very important to us and have been extremely supportive,” said Rebekah. “They are dedicated to breeding top sport athletes. And we find great horses for them in Europe.”

The Segers moved to Aiken just over three years ago, after an

introduction to the town by a friend and the subsequent realization of how affordable it was compared to equestrian hubs like Wellington.

“We love it,” Grant said. “It’s really home.”

Rebekah is instrumental to the business. While she does not compete, with two young children to bring up, she does ride. “Rebekah rides my whole string,” Grant said. “She rides the horses so well and she can say this one needs a little more of this or that…”

The boys have ridden when there is an opportunity. “They had a little bit of riding here and there,” said Grant. “We’ve been slacking on that a little bit. We need to get them a pony. It’s hard to find the time.”

With WEF 2023 over, the family heads back to Aiken, but not for long. “When I’m at home, I love being home,” said Rebekah. “But after two weeks, I’m like where are we going now…”

As with many equestrian families, the boys are home schooled. “I feel that we get to see them more than the average 9-to-5 parent,” said Rebekah. “We hope that we are giving them cultural experiences. We took them to Portugal for the Nations Cup and we snuck away to Morocco to give them that experience. It’s a privileged sport but you can spin it out the other way by showing them parts of the world that gives them a broader understanding.”

The Segers are about to tour North America with a menagerie. “I just joined the Major League Show Jumping Team so the top string [Leo and Yoghi] are going to do that,” Grant said. Major League Showjumping, entering its third year, is a new concept in the showjumping world. It consists of eight teams of riders that compete against one another at the five-star level at various top facilities across North and South America. Grant will be on Team Helios, which is the defending champion in the series. The contest offers a total of $8.5 million in prize money, and has 10 venues across the continent.

“It has the team feel of the Nations Cup,” said Rebekah. “We’re excited. It’s a huge commitment and you have to get qualified, approved and get asked to be on a team. When he got asked, we jumped on it.”

“And the boys come with us,” Grant added. “We all travel as a family. Last year we did Toronto and Ottawa and the boys drove up with us in the truck and the trailer – road trip. This year there will be a little bit of flying and a little bit of driving - the two boys, four dogs, three guinea pigs and 17 horses. . .

First stop is Thunderbird Horse Park, Vancouver, then Traverse City, Michigan followed by Angelstone, Toronto, Wesley Clover Parks, Ottawa and back to Traverse City. It’s a life on the road, but it is exciting and challenging. The Segers wouldn’t have it any other way.

Above: Grant at the Aiken Charity Horse Show, May 2022. (Pam Gleason photo) Left: Grant competes in Wellington, Spring 2023. (Ann Gittins photo)

A Special Sort of Horse Chip Returns to Preliminary

Amber Heintzberger

Mikki Kuchta, a 5-star eventing rider, started 2023 with Special Reserve, her Off-The-Track-Thoroughbred, at the top of the U.S. Eventing Association’s Preliminary Horse Leaderboard. But a couple of years ago, she wasn’t sure if the handsome dapple grey would ever compete again. The 10-year-old gelding, affectionately known as “Chip”, was in a stable accident at Kuchta’s farm in Putnam County, New York in November of 2020.

Special Reserve was on the cross ties when something happened –perhaps he was stung by a wasp – and he pulled back. When he did, he hit his left eye on a piece of plastic gutter. “It was a very traumatic injury . . . initially I was assuming he was going to lose the eye. But the vet told us that the most common eye injury is a detached retina, and she could see that that was not what had happened. We were elated that he would probably be fine.”

Over time, Kuchta said that Chip seemed to improve, although he still could not see out of the injured eye. When Kuchta moved her operation to her farm in Aiken for the winter season, she had him examined by Dr. Lauren Ray at Southern Equine Service. “She thought he looked okay. But his vision wasn’t improving, so we brought in an equine ophthalmologist. It turned out the lens had been fractured and he would never get his vision back.”

At the time, she wondered if he’d just be a pasture ornament, but the ophthalmologist was encouraging and pointed out that there are plenty of one-eyed horses doing just fine. There was even a oneeyed eventing horse, Viscera, who competed with Therese Viklund for Sweden at the Tokyo Olympics.

Mikki had bought Chip as a 5-year-old in 2018 from a jockey in Oklahoma and she had already brought him up to the Preliminary Level when the accident happened. After the initial injury healed, she started him back in work, and evented him about five months later, dropping down to Novice Level. She moved him back to Training and then Modified, and in early 2023 he won his first few events at Preliminary, making him the top horse of that level in the country.

Kuchta said that she was surprised to discover how well her horse adapted to his limited vision. “I started riding him and tried poles to test his depth perception and he felt like the same horse to me. It was really incredible.”

She noted that his other senses are definitely more heightened. “He hears me from a mile away. If I’m talking in the barn aisle he’ll prick his ears and look at me. We do carrot stretches on both sides and teaching

him that was a little tricky – he could sort of follow the scent and try to grab blindly. I just kept the carrot closer to his nose and he discovered his range of motion. We try to trailer him with the other horse on his right side, but overall he functions like any other horse.”

In the saddle, Kuchta said that the only thing she’s had a little trepidation about as they have moved back up the levels is making lefthand turns. “The higher the level, the shorter the distance, and if you have a corner four strides away on a left hand turn, there’s a reaction when a horse sees a jump – they lock on and you can feel it. My only adaptation was to really make sure I turned him in time. He’s never tilted his head or turned his head; he keeps his head very level.”

She added, “Funny enough, the only time he runs into things is when someone is leading him . . We’ll make sure to turn wide, and I tell all my working students they have to be responsible for what’s on his left side. One time getting into the trailer, he bumped into the divider. But as soon as you’re on his back, that goes away. I don’t know what the difference is.”

As Chip has returned to FEI competitions, where a soundness jog is part of the competition, Kuchta knew she had to give her horse a little extra help to compensate for not being able to see his handler out of his left eye. She taught him voice commands for things like “halt” and “trot,” as well as the word “watch” to signal that the trail is getting rough.

Kuchta said that for about a year, she wouldn’t let anyone else ride Chip because she didn’t want to put that responsibility on anyone.

“Now my daughter, Bridgette Miller, who’s my assistant trainer, rides him, too. My working students are great and know him and ride him. I also had a client whose horse got hurt and I gave her some lessons on him because he’s really lovely on the flat.”

Though the gelding is brave and talented enough for higher levels, Kuchta plans to keep him at Preliminary. “He’s capable of going higher, but for me it’s enough just keeping him at the level he was at before. Trying to teach him new skills would worry me, even though he’s very brave. We’ll probably try some Second and Third Level dressage, and we’ve done some show jumping to jump some bigger jumps. I wouldn’t go skidding around a high-speed jumpoff with him though!”

For Kuchta, it is enough just to have Chip happy and healthy. “We weren’t sure if he would ever be able to do any competing again, and we were fine with that. He would have a wonderful life with us forever, no matter what. But he is amazing and we’ve had the most wonderful journey to where we are now.”

Secret Lives: Brighton Heartbreak Run

Champion, Teacher, Mom

By Nancy Johnson

At age 32, Brighton Heartbreak Run, a Welsh/Thoroughbred pony owned by the Holik family, loves her life of leisure in Aiken. Katie Cardalico Bailey, who cares for the pony at her farm, Silver Bluff Equestrian, has known “Louise” since she was a youngster just starting a show career.

Eric Caleca, who bred Louise at his renowned Brighton Stud in New Jersey, relays her early background. “I saw her sire, Colwyn Llewelyn, as a weanling at the Royal Winter Fair show. [Toronto] He was spectacular, so I went back to Canada and bought him as a yearling,” Eric begins. Eric bred Colwyn Llewelyn, a registered Welsh stallion, to a Thoroughbred mare named A Bit Quiet, and their filly, Louise, became one of Colwyn Llewelyn’s first foals to hit the ground. “We always called him ‘Louie’, so ‘Louise’ seemed logical for his daughter,” Eric says.

Louise’s registered name also has an interesting story. “I incorporated the words ‘a bit’ into the names of all A Bit Quiet’s foals, so I named her Brighton Brag a Bit,” Eric explains. But when the Fiorentino family bought her for their daughter Logan, they changed her name.

“I was 13 when I got Louise as a 6-year-old green pony,” says Logan Fiorentino, who is currently the head coach of Texas Christian University’s equestrian team. “Our farm was called Runaway Farm and we used the word ‘run’ in our ponies’ names. She has a white heart on her right hind gaskin, so my mom came up with Brighton Heartbreak Run.”

Logan was a bit unsure when she tried the pony, but Ross Reisner and Sharon Cole, two well-respected professionals, believed they were a great match, and they were right. Logan showed Louise lightly in 1997 in the Medium Green Ponies. “But 1998 was our big year,” Logan says. On their way to finishing third in the USEF National Standings in the Medium Pony Hunters, the pair was Champion in Zone 2 (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) and collected ribbons at many prestigious shows including Devon and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. It was during this time that Katie Cardalico Bailey came to know and love Louise, which turned into a lifelong relationship between the two.

“Katie groomed for us a lot when I showed Louise,” says Logan Fiorentino. “We had some crazy stories from the horse shows. Like the time when Louise had a 6-inch construction nail in her foot at Devon. We pulled it out, doused it with Betadine, packed it, and went in the ring. She never took a bad step!

“Louise was always really brave, had a huge stride and so much scope, and was just a really good jumper,” Logan says. “But she wasn’t without her quirks. I was the only one who could touch her ears. She didn’t like my dad or my trainer, Ross Reisner. And she was funny when you got on her – she didn’t want to stand at the mounting block, you had to get on

her when she was moving.”

After 1998, the pony was leased out to other young riders in the area and then sold to Erin Duddy who showed her successfully as well. “Erin rode with Sharon Cole which was great because Sharon was the one who had turned us on to Louise,” Logan says.

Logan and Katie Cardalico Bailey always kept in touch with where Louise was. When Erin Duddy outgrew her, Katie recommended the pony to her friend Renee Holik for her young daughter, Hannah. The Holiks bought Louise in early 2003 when Hannah was 6 years old. “Louise was more pony than she needed at the time, but we wanted Hannah to be able to grow into her and keep her for a while,” Renee Holik says. Hannah and Louise started out showing in the Childrens Pony Hunter division and soon moved up to the Medium Pony Hunters where they competed successfully for several more years.

Renee credits Louise with teaching her daughter about perseverance, patience, and commitment. “Louise is a bit opinionated and could be bossy and aloof at times,” Renee says. “There were moments of her attitude in the warm-up and in the ring that could be frustrating, but she would always rise to the occasion.”

The lessons Louise taught Hannah served her well as she has gone on to win with hunters and jumpers at some of the most competitive shows on the East and West Coasts.

When Hannah outgrew her, Louise retired from the show ring, but was still young enough for a new career as a broodmare. “Eric was so devoted to his breeding program and knowledgeable of lineage that we sent him Louise to breed,” Renee Holik says, adding, “She was a terrific mom to her babies.”

“Of course, I was thrilled to have Louise back,” Eric Caleca says. “Like all of Louie’s babies, she was incredibly athletic.” He bred her to a British Riding Pony, Romany River Talisman, which resulted in a lovely filly, Brighton Heartbreaker, now owned by River Run Farm. At the 2014 USEF Pony Finals, Daisy Farish piloted the pony to the Reserve Champion Medium Green Pony title in a field of over 70 top ponies from around the country. Louise had a second foal, a colt named Brighton Charter Run. “He showed a little, but his job is mainly to be an all-around family pony. They take lessons on him, drive him, and just love him,” Eric says.

Louise and two other retired ponies owned by the Holiks reside among the show horses at Silver Bluff Equestrian where Hannah’s very first pony, Ghost, and Louise share a large paddock. “Louise is definitely the boss,” says Katie. “We have to separate them at feeding time or else she will vacuum up her food and run over and take his.”

“When Hannah was done showing Louise, we always promised her that we would take care of this wonderful pony the way she took care of Hannah,” says Renee Holik. “That’s why at 32 years of age she is still with us.”

Aiken Large Animal Rescue Team A Busy Start

to 2023

By Allison Dunne

The Aiken Large Animal Rescue Team normally averages about one rescue a month. As of late February, however, the team had already responded to five calls this year - two in January and three in February. Lieutenant Daymon Spann, who runs the team as part of the Aiken Public Safety Department, hopes for a quiet few months after an unusually busy start to the year, but he says they are ready to help with any horse or large livestock rescue in Aiken County, or farther away with formal mutual aid requests.

“No two incidents are the same,” said Spann. “Sometimes it’s a vehicle accident involving a horse trailer, or a horse stuck in a sinkhole of mud, or water, or in a pool . . . Yes, a swimming pool. It happens.”

Lieutenant Spann, who took over the rescue team in 2010, says that it was formed 20 years ago. Since that time, it has grown from three to 32 members. It is equipped with two large animal ambulances and a five-ton military truck with an 11,000-pound crane, along with other customized and specialized equipment designed to get large animals out of difficult situations and back to safety.

“We’re all technical rescue guys,” said Spann. “We understand the rescue world of ropes and rigging and hardware and lifting points

“To be quite honest, I’m allergic to them,” Spann said. “I keep Visine and Benadryl in the truck.”

When asked about some memorable rescue experiences, Spann recalls heading to the town of Nichols, in Marion County, South Carolina after Hurricane Matthew hit in 2016. The team spent a week pulling horses and cows out of the floodwaters. In 2018, Hurricane Florence struck in the same area: this time the team spent the week before the hurricane evacuating animals before their pastures were inundated.

“Going across the state to help other communities in their crazy, natural disaster time of need, that’s huge for us,” said Spann. “We enjoy that, being able to go and help like that.”

Other memorable rescues were closer to home.

“We’ve had long-horned steer loose in the woods off Silver Bluff Road, seven of them running around,” said Spann, noting that the aim was to capture the animals before they got on the road. With the aid of sweet feed, panels and a stock trailer, the animals were steered to safety. They have also been out to Interstate-20 to catch a bull that was running loose on the highway between Exits 29 and 33 at dusk. No one ever claimed the animal, which was transported to Aiken County Animal Shelter and then adopted.

And many years ago, Spann recalls, there were two horses at the city of Aiken’s Odell Weeks Activity Center, galloping on the track at night, then heading full tilt up Two Notch Road. The horses ran into an open paddock with no gate, and Spann says responders used patrol cars as a

and mechanical advantage and all of that. We also train on animal physiology with horses, doing horsemanship skills annually and we try to make sure that everybody is as comfortable as they can be.”

Members of the Aiken Large Animal Rescue Team are all firefighters employed by the City of Aiken, and the team represents a cross-section of the department. Donations pay for all equipment and training, which includes a three-day session at the Large Animal Emergency Rescue in Gray, Georgia, where volunteer firefighter Dr. Rebecca Husted is the primary instructor and president. The team responds to a call with six members per animal, and if they need a vet, Dr. Lisa Handy from Carolina Equine Clinic is on call: she is an original committee member who helped form the rescue team in the early 2000s.

“Obviously, we respond to a lot of horse calls,” continues Spann. “We go to a lot of cattle calls, honestly, in this area, too. We’ve dealt with pigs, sheep, goats, llamas, donkeys. For anything larger than a domestic dog, we’re going to respond because Animal Control can’t handle that.”

Spann says his prior equine experience consists of his sister having a pony when he was about 4 years old, and he’s never ridden a horse.

barrier to keep the horses contained. Eventually, a feed bucket and a few starlight mints calmed the animals down, allowing team members to lead them to another empty paddock that they found further along Two Notch Road. This paddock had a gate. The responders filled the water trough and left the horses there overnight, since they did not know where they came from.

The Aiken Large Animal Rescue Team is on call 24/7 and can be reached at 803-642-7620 (Aiken Public Safety Dispatch)

“The cool thing about Aiken is people wake up in the morning, drinking coffee, and they’re like, ‘Oh, I inherited a horse overnight. Okay, no big deal.’ Nobody freaks out. And in a couple hours the horses are home where they’re supposed to be,” Spann said. “And so that’s happened quite a few times over the years that we just leave an animal in somebody’s paddock somewhere that looks like they’ll be safe for the night. That’s another interesting thing about Aiken - it’s not uncommon to have a horse running down Whiskey Road at 2 o’clock in the morning.”

To donate, go to AikenVolunteerMountedUnit.org or send a check to: Aiken Volunteer Mounted Unit, P.O. Box 5517, Aiken, SC 29804

The Aiken Large Animal Rescue Team does not bill for it services and is available for anyone who has an equine emergency. “We’re just there to help,” said Spann. “We’re literally happy to help.”

Ask the

Judge Questions about Dressage

With Amy McElroy

Dear Amy

I am getting ready to move my horse up to the Prix St. Georges level. This winter, I had a chance to watch FEI tests in Florida and I saw there were several versions of the Prix St. Georges (PSG) test being ridden there. Are these classes available at all shows? What is the difference between the tests?

Grand Prix Ambitions

Dear Ambitions, Congratulations on advancing to the PSG level. Prix St. Georges is the first of the FEI levels offered at any competition. What a good observation about the different PSG tests being competed in Florida. There are three options of tests at this level, but some of them come with eligibility restrictions and requirements. The tests you would have likely seen are the FEI Prix St Georges, the USEF Developing Horse Prix St. Georges, and the FEI Young Riders Team Test. Let’s look at these three versions.

The FEI Prix St. Georges test is open to all riders. The only requirement is the age of the horse, which is counted from January 1 of the year he was born, to January 1 of the current competition year. To be eligible to compete, the horse must be at least 7 years old, and there is no maximum age. This test comprises 26 scoring boxes, with only one final collective mark. Seven of these movements have a coefficient of two (worth double points): trot half passes, collected and extended walk, canter pirouettes, and the final collective. The FEI PSG test only requires one judge at C at a national show, but there can be two judges. The average riding time for this test is 5 minutes and 50 seconds. This test is offered at all national shows and you can also enter it as an FEI test-of-choice class.

The USEF Developing Horse Prix St Georges is another variant at this level. This test is open to all riders. The only requirement is that the horse must be between 7 and 9 years old. The test comprises 28 scoring boxes, with two final collective marks: the “Implementation of General Principles” and “Harmony of Presentation.” There are six scoring boxes that have coefficients of two; trot half passes, extended and collected walk, and canter pirouettes.

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.

If your horse is eligible, you can enter this test at a national show where it is offered. If the test isn’t offered on the class list, you might be allowed to enter it in the USEF Test of Choice class. There is both a “practice” and a “final” option for this test. The practice test requires one judge at C, but two judges are possible. The final must have two judges. These divisions are designed to recognize developing athletes and equine talent. The average ride time for this test is 6 minutes 30 seconds. The USEF also offers a Developing test for the Intermediaire and Grand Prix, since these levels are also a part of the USEF Dressage Development program.

The FEI Young Riders Team Test is yet another variant of Prix St. Georges. This test division is only available to young riders. Riders must be between 16 and 21. The horse must also be at least 7 years old and there is no maximum age.

The FEI Young Riders Team test is the exact same test as the FEI PSG test. Young riders can also compete in the FEI Preliminary and FEI Individual tests. These tests have similar movements as those on the PSG test. They include between 24 and 27 scoring boxes. There are coefficients of two on the trot half passes, collected and extended walk and canter pirouettes. There is only one final collective mark and the average time ranges from 4 minutes 45 seconds to 5 minutes 50 seconds. Young Rider classes may be offered at national shows and you can also enter them in an FEI test of choice class. It is possible to have one judge at C, but if you are going for a qualifying score, two judges are required. Whenever there are two or more judges, the average of both tests will be your final score and placing.

As you can see there can be many versions of the PSG test, although not all horses and riders will be eligible. The most common test you will see is the FEI Prix St. Georges test. You can enter this class as an open, junior/young rider, or amateur rider. Many times, if the class is large enough, prize giving and placing will be divided by these groups.

So put on your tailcoat and a big smile and enjoy the first step of your journey in the FEI levels.

La Bourgogne Polo Aiken’s New Saturday Option

By Pam Gleason

Polo players and fans will have new options for competition and for spectating this spring at La Bourgogne Polo Club, located on Coleman Bridge Road in Wagener, about a 20-minute drive from downtown Aiken. La Bourgogne is owned and created by David Meunier, a real estate developer, restauranteur and polo player originally from France. The club includes two regulation fields and features an elegant two-story viewing pavilion, ideal for watching the game as well as for parties afterwards. La Bourgogne hosted several exhibition and charity matches last year, but this spring is the first time that it will hold a full schedule of games.

Liv Berube, a polo professional who has been running a practice league at her own farm in Aiken is the manager and will be running La Bourgogne in conjunction with her polo school and coaching league. She explains that La Bourgogne is offering polo in a slightly different format from other clubs in the area. Instead of weeks-long tournaments, there will be weekend leagues comprising games on Friday and Saturday, which makes the club ideal for players who might be working during the week, or flying into Aiken to play. Teams will be put together on a pro-am basis, with the club providing team pros, rather than the usual situation where each amateur player has to hire his or her own pros, although it is still possible for a sponsor to bring a pro. The players who have committed to joining the pro pool this year include some of the top names in the game, such as the former 10-goal player Adam Snow, who will be teaching and coaching as much as he is playing. Adam, who is 58, has stepped down from higher goal polo, but he is still active.

“We’ve got such an incredible wealth of knowledge around here in Aiken,” said Liv. “To just have those players stop participating because they don’t want to play 8-goal anymore would be such a shame, and so we’ve got this incredible opportunity for our players to learn from these guys who have been at the top.”

Although La Bourgogne will offer competitive polo, it will also be tailored to amateurs and sponsors who sometimes feel as though they are left out of the game. Newer players, or less skilled players, are sometimes discouraged from being active parts of their teams because the professionals don’t use them enough in the team strategy. Sometimes, as David Meunier said, it can feel like all you are doing is writing checks, rather than playing.

“A lot of people are like me,” he said. “If you are writing checks and you are playing and it’s fun, that’s one thing. But if you are writing checks and you don’t get to touch the ball, that’s not fun.”

The pros that have been hired for the pro pool this spring are mature players who don’t have anything to prove, and who are committed to ensuring that the amateur players do get to participate and have the opportunity to improve. Because the matches will not have the

same pressure to win as a USPA tournament, they can also be used as preparation for tournaments at other clubs, and hopefully will be valuable learning experiences for everyone concerned.

“They can play here, and then go play in another tournament for glory,” said David Meunier. “And they will have more confidence: the sponsor will know where to go on the field, and the pro will know that the sponsor will be positioned right.”

“I think it might open the minds of some of these pros, too,” added Liv. “I think they might realize that they really do need to educate and use their sponsors, and that the age of just telling them to stay out of the way or ‘leave it’ is over. We’re trying to grow polo, and that’s not the greatest model.”

This spring, the plans call for two games each on Friday and Saturday, with the Saturday double-header (at 3:00 and 4:30) played in front of a crowd. Players pay a fee to participate in the weekend leagues, which entitles them to a practice game on Wednesday. While the weekend matches will be at La Bourgogne itself, practice games will be at the Fox Nation fields (formerly Brigadoon) a few miles away in Windsor.

Will there be a crowd to play in front of on Saturday afternoon? It’s practically guaranteed. Although there is quite a bit of competition for players and for spectators on Sundays, which is the traditional day for polo, Saturdays are often quiet, even in the middle of tournament season. Polo will be free to spectators on both days, and fieldside parking, tailgating and refreshments will be available. On top of this, La Bourgogne has been selling sponsorships that come with permanent box seating on the sidelines next to the pavilion. The boxes are constructed of wood, and each is fronted by a plaque bearing the sponsor’s logo burned into the wood. There were 64 boxes available; as of late March, 60 of them had been sold.

“I’m all about hospitality and taking care of the sponsor,” said David Meunier. “So it’s very important to treat them well, to make them feel important. We want to give first class service. So instead of backing your car up to the field and opening the trunk, where you get hit by a ball, and your car can get hit, we have private boxes. It gives you a little privacy, and it’s a different thing that we can offer.”

With La Bourgogne, there are now four active polo clubs operating in Aiken County – the other three are Aiken Polo, New Bridge and Wagener Polo. La Bourgogne is offering something a different. With its Saturday featured matches and weekend leagues, it promises to fill an empty niche in the Aiken polo world rather than to create more competition with other clubs. The main field itself, commanding the top of a hill and offering an expansive view of the surrounding countryside, welcomes players and spectators alike to enjoy polo, one of the horse sports most closely associated with the history of Aiken.

Nate Berube stick-and-balls in front of the Anthony Francois Meunier Pavilion

Welcome to the World, Little One!

Best Practices to Help Your Foal Grow Up Healthy & Strong

Article and Photography by Jen Roytz

From their first breaths and steps, to their first trailer rides and training sessions, raising your own horse from birth can be incredibly rewarding. It can also entail a serious commitment of time, resources and energy, especially for those hoping to develop a happy, healthy performance horse. The care and handling that foals receive in the first days, weeks and months of life can put each young horse on the path for success.

in three-day eventing before attending veterinary school at Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, after which she completed a one-year internship at B.W. Furlong and Associates in New Jersey, followed by an internal medicine residency at Cornell University.

At Performance Equine Vets, Thompson performs a variety of breeding services for her clients in Aiken and the surrounding area, including artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). She also cares for mares and foals both in the field and at the clinic, including dystocias, C-sections and those with a history of high-risk pregnancies, as well as routine foal examinations and care.

In the past 20 years, there have been significant advances in veterinary medicine as it relates to equine reproduction in general, and to neonatal foal care in particular. New and advanced best practices, diagnostics and techniques can often play a pivotal role in a foal’s development, soundness and well-being and have a noticeable impact on his future soundness and athletic performance.

Dr. Rachelle Thompson is an equine veterinarian with Performance Equine Vets in Aiken, South Carolina. There, she is an internal medicine specialist with a particular focus in neonatology, which concentrates on foals in the earliest period of their lives.

“Neonatal medicine has progressed greatly in the quality of care we can provide to critically ill foals in the hospital [over the past few decades],” said Thompson. “The availability of point of care diagnostics, such as in-house blood work and ultrasound imaging has improved our ability to diagnose and treat foals.”

An equestrian since the age of 5, Thompson grew up competing

The Baby is Coming!

You’ve been waiting nearly a year, and the time has finally come to meet your new foal. When a mare goes into labor, things happen fast. It is important to have a plan in place with your veterinarian in the case things go awry.

There are three stages of delivery when a mare begins to foal.

Stage 1: Contractions begin and the muscles in the pelvic girdle relax, allowing the bones to spread and the foal to adjust toward the birth canal. The mare becomes more anxious and may start to sweat or bite at her flanks. This stage typically lasts 1-2 hours.

Stage 2: The delivery. Once the water breaks, the foal is typically delivered within 15 to 30 minutes. In normal foaling, the mare does not require assistance and it is best to remain uninvolved in the process, since pulling on the foal can injure both the mare and the foal.

The foal should present with its front feet first, one slightly ahead of the other, followed by the nose. If only one leg is present, the nose comes

Dr. Rachelle Thompson with one of her patients

before the feet or the feet are upside down, a veterinarian should be called immediately.

Stage 3: This is the stage in which the placenta should be expelled. Typically, the placenta will pass within three hours after the foal is born. You should allow the placenta to fall out naturally and tie it in a knot so it is not stepped on and torn prematurely. Do not try to pull the placenta out if it does not naturally fall out of the mare, because this can injure the mare. If all or part of the placenta remains inside the mare, a veterinarian should be called.All or a portion of a retained placenta can cause a serious infection or laminitis in the mare.

“Most mares do not require any assistance during the delivery process. It is best to leave the mare undisturbed as much as possible during the process,” said Dr. Thompson. “If the foaling was uneventful, the mare and foal should not be disturbed so as to allow the mare time to rest and bond with the foal. The umbilical cord will break on its own when the foal stands and should not be cut.”

If you do not foal out mares regularly, review the likely complications that may present during delivery with your veterinarian, such as a red bag delivery or abnormal presentations of the foal, so you know how to identify and address them or call for assistance.

It is also wise to have your horse trailer hooked up and at the ready should your mare need to be transported to the clinic.

“Dystocias, which is the general term for difficult foalings, are best attended to in a hospital setting if quick transportation is available,” said Dr. Thompson.

The First Hours and Days of a Foal’s Life

In the first few hours after it is born, a foal should be able to stand on its own and nurse. Typically, nine to 12 hours after birth, the foal should pass the meconium. Sticky and caramel colored, the meconium is a foal’s first feces and is composed of intestinal secretions, swallowed amniotic fluid and cellular debris.

Unlike most mammals, horses do not absorb their mother’s antibodies through the placenta and are born with no natural defense against infection. This is why consuming its mothers first milk (colostrum), is critically important for the long-term health of a foal. Colostrum contains the antibodies in the mare’s blood and allows a foal to develop an immune response.

There is typically a 12-to-18 hour window in which a foal can receive antibodies via its dam’s milk and absorb them into the bloodstream, so it is crucial that the foal drink sufficient colostrum in the first hours after birth. There are several reasons a foal may not receive sufficient antibodies from its mother’s milk. Some mares drip out large quantities of milk prior to foaling, while others may have not produced quality colostrum in the first place. Foals that have trouble standing or nursing unassisted may also not consume enough of their mother’s milk in their first hours.

When a foal does not receive the sufficient antibodies from its dam’s milk, it is a condition known as “failure of passive transfer of immunity” (FTP). The only way to be sure a foal has received the appropriate levels of antibodies is through a blood test to measure the immunoglobulins (IgG). This is one of several reasons a neonatal foal exam should be performed by your veterinarian within the first 12 to 24 hours of a foal’s life.

“In this exam, your veterinarian will examine the foal for any congenital abnormalities,” said Thompson. “We recommend bloodwork assessment including complete blood count to assess white blood cell counts, creatinine to ensure normal kidney function, and IgG to ensure adequate colostral antibody transfer. If a foal’s IgG is low, plasma should be administered and IgG rechecked until it is in the normal range. This will ensure the foal has adequate immunity for the first 4 months of life.”

A typical veterinary foal exam will also include a check of the heart (for a murmur); lungs (for aspiration pneumonia); eyes (for cataracts); mouth (for a cleft palate or over/under bite); belly button (for bleeding, infection or a hernia); joints and legs (for inflammation

1-2-3 Rule

After a mare delivers her foal, veterinarians typically recommend following the “1-2-3 rule” to monitor both the mare and the foal.

One: Within roughly one hour after birth, the foal should be able to stand unassisted

Two: Within two hours after birth, the foal should be latching on and nursing from the mare’s udder

Three: Within three hours, the mare should have passed her placenta

If any of these thresholds are not met, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately.

and conformational abnormalities); ribs (for displaced/non-displaced fractures from foaling); and gastrointestinal tract (to ensure the foal has passed the meconium and for diarrhea or impaction).

The mare should also be examined at this time to assess her overall health and milk production, as well as to check for signs of foaling trauma. Typically, veterinarians will also want to examine the placenta, so it is ideal to save it for this purpose in a plastic bag or container.

“We recommend deworming the mare with Ivermectin at the time of foaling to prevent transmission of Strongyloides westeri. This parasite can be transferred to the foal through the mare’s milk and cause diarrhea in the foal.”

Growing Up Healthy and Strong

A healthy newborn foal will nurse approximately 30 times per day, ingesting anywhere from 12 to 30 percent of their body weight in milk. An average size foal weighing approximately 100 pounds at birth, is expected to gain two to three pounds a day.

Ideally, a mare and her foal will get to spend a few hours outside in a small enclosure without other horses in the days after foaling, gradually increasing their turnout time. It is best not to put a mare and her young foal out with mares without foals or with geldings, as they may become aggressive toward the baby, or the new mother may injure herself, other horses, or her foal.

Once the foal is a week or two old and your veterinarian gives the okay, a mare and her young foal can be introduced to others in a pasture environment, ideally other mares with foals of roughly the same age. But in the first few days, it is best not to leave the mare and foal outside for more than a few hours at a time so the foal does not overheat, get chilled, or become overly exhausted.

Once a mare gives birth, her protein requirements increase significantly. If her increased nutritional needs are not met through a concentrate recommended for lactating mares and quality forage (hay and/or grass), she will quickly lose weight and body condition.

While a foal will nibble on grass and its dam’s grain during the first month of its life, it receives the vast majority of its nutritional requirements from its mother’s milk. As the foals mature, they will consume more grass and grain and can eventually be offered their own small ration of grain. It is ideal to consult with your veterinarian on your foal’s dietary needs, since overfeeding can lead to limb deformities and joint issues.

Typically, a mare will have her first post-foaling heat cycle between

five and 14 days after giving birth. Foals commonly experience a mild case of diarrhea during this time, commonly referred to as “foal heat diarrhea.”

“Foal heat diarrhea is caused by the bacterial flora changing within the foal’s gastrointestinal tract as they are introduced to eating small amounts of hay and grain, grazing, and coprophagia [ingesting the mare’s manure, which is normal foal behavior],” said Thompson. “When a foal is having diarrhea due to an infection such as Clostridial disease or Rotavirus, the foal will show signs of systemic illness such as lethargy, decreased nursing behavior and colic signs. In contrast, foals with foal heat diarrhea show no signs of systemic illness aside from having diarrhea and do not require treatment.”

Common Issues and Ailments in Newborn Foals

According to Dr. Thompson, one of the first issues horse owners want to look for when raising a newborn foal is a meconium impaction.

“Foals who do not fully pass their meconium can be seen straining to defecate and flagging their tail frequently,” said Thompson. “Most of these cases can be treated on the farm with the administration of one Fleet enema. If the impaction does not resolve after an enema, you should call your vet.”

Another common problem in the first weeks and months of a

Thompson.

There are a number of known pathogens particularly virulent for foals, the most common of which in this region of the country is Rhodococcus equi.

“This is a bacterium that is prevalent in the soil that foals are exposed to at birth. It most commonly causes pneumonia in weanling foals but can also cause diarrhea, inflammation of the eyes, joint inflammation, and internal abscesses,” said Thompson. “Rhodococcus plasma can be administered at a new foaling exam to help reduce the likelihood of problems later in the foal’s life from Rhodococcus equi.”

According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the

Routine Care for Foals

Hoof Care: Routine hoof care should begin around one month of age, though for foals with angular limb deformities, a veterinarian may recommend corrective trimming begin earlier.

Vaccinations: The vaccinations foals receive in their first year of life are the foundation for their immune response throughout their life. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, foals typically receive their first vaccinations at approximately 4 to 6 months. Your veterinarian can work with you to develop an appropriate vaccination schedule based on the mare’s vaccination status and how well she passed on her maternal antibodies.

Deworming: Foals are more susceptible to internal parasites than adult horses and should be dewormed four times in their first year of life, starting around 2-3 months of age.

majority of foals are born with some degree of limb deviation due to ligament laxity and muscle weakness. Angular limb deformities (ALD) can refer to an outward (valgus) or inward (varus) deviation of a limb and can often be corrected with controlled turnout in the first week or two of a foal’s life. For more significant issues, splints or corrective trimming by a farrier who has experience correcting ALD may be recommended. In the most severe cases, surgical intervention may be considered.

Thompson says the most common ALD issue she sees is dropped fetlocks, which can occur in a single limb, multiple limbs or all four. It is also common for foals to have ALDs in knees or hocks.

Takeaway Message

Raising a young foal can be educational and incredibly rewarding. It can also be both time consuming and financially draining if things do not go as planned.

Working with your veterinarian for the delivery and foal exam, and checking in with them regularly about how your foal is progressing can help to identify and address issues as they emerge.

foal’s life is diarrhea. While foal heat diarrhea is to be expected, other potential causes of diarrhea include sand ingestion, viruses and bacteria.

“If your foal has diarrhea and is not nursing, is lethargic, has a fever, or is showing colic signs, you should contact your veterinarian,” said

“My best advice for caring for neonatal foals is to provide early intervention when there is a problem,” said Thompson. “Starting treatment right away for a sick foal is imperative for increasing our chances of success for a full recovery.”

Pony Club Quiz Kids

Successful Rally for Aiken Clubs

By Nancy Johnson

Members of two local Pony Clubs did Aiken proud at the recent Carolina Region Pony Club Quiz Rally. Members of Aiken County Pony Club (ACPC) and Radway Pony Club competed with over 50 of their peers from clubs including Southern Pines, Raleigh, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Camden, Charlotte and a number of others. An unmounted team competition, Quiz Rally, which is offered annually in the region, tests Pony Clubbers on their knowledge and horse management skills. Teams, consisting of three or four members of similar age and rating, compete in five phases. Ribbons are awarded to teams and to individuals.

Erin O’Neal, ACPC District Commissioner (DC), and Jennifer Fox, DC for Radway, each brought six girls and a supporting squad of parents to Charlotte, North Carolina where the all-day competition was held on February 11. The rally took place at Palisades Episcopal Prep, a private school for grades 1-8 with its own United States Pony Club Riding Center and a United States Hunter Jumper Association recognized riding program.

According to the United States Pony Club rulebook, the Quiz Rally’s five phases are Classroom, Stations, Mega Room, Barn and Written Test: “In the Classroom phase, members are asked individual questions which they must answer orally in a specific amount of time. During the Stations phase, teams move through a variety of ‘stations’ and answer questions at those stations as a team. The stations may be written, hands-on, or even games. Teams then move on to the Barn phase, which is presented in a barn, or barn-like, setting. Members must be able to demonstrate something and many questions are handson.  Each member is given an individual question before the team as a

bridle, wrap a horse’s leg, or go into a stall and identify any hazards in it. The tasks are assigned according to the individual’s level, so for the less experienced kids it might be as simple as identifying parts of a horse.”

“Classroom is kind of like a Jeopardy round,” Erin continues. “Individually, each kid stands up, announces their name, Pony Club, and rating. Then they are read a question appropriate to their level. For bonus points, they may request a question up to two levels higher than their rating, which can really help your score, but if you miss it, you lose more points too. If they don’t know the answer, they can confer with their teammates, but will receive less points.”

If a club does not have three members in the same age and rating group to form a team, they can join a “scramble” team comprised of kids from several clubs. Both Radway and ACPC had some members on scramble teams. “The fun thing about the scramble team is they get to know other Pony Clubbers. They are all basically cut from the same cloth, so they are easy friends,” Erin says.

Amanda Lloyd,16, of ACPC joined a scramble team in her age group. The team finished third and Amanda finished sixth individually. Amanda joined ACPC less than a year ago and had not attended a Quiz Rally before. “I studied for it, and we had a Club Zoom meeting to review which was really helpful,” she says. “My favorite phase was the barn phase; I’ve got to smell horses!” she laughs “It was so much fun and I’m looking forward to doing the Quiz Rally again next year.”

whole is given one.  The final phase of Quiz is the Written Test. This is an individual, multiple choice test each team member must complete.  They are specific to the member’s certification and include a tie-breaker question at the end.”

Jennifer Fox explains that it was a great experience for her group.

“Radway is a new Pony Club, just founded in 2020, and this was our kids’ first time going to Quiz Rally. It was a lot for them to take in, but they had a great time.” Jennifer, along with her siblings and mother, were all Pony Clubbers, so she was able to prepare them from her own experience.

“Being a private school with a riding program, the facility was ideal for Quiz. With classrooms, a gym, and a barn it had all the spaces needed for the different phases,” added Erin O’Neal. “In the barn phase, the kids go into a barn and do whatever is asked of them; they are not told prior to the event what it will be. They could be asked to put on a

Thirteen-year-old Aubrie Juda, a D3 Pony Clubber with Radway, enjoyed her first Quiz Rally. “I thought it was a really cool experience. I expected a little more rivalry between the teams, but instead I saw bonding,” she says. “I was on a scramble team, so I got to really talk with kids from another Pony Club and everyone was really nice and friendly.” Aubrie just joined Radway Pony Club in January but still had a few practices for Quiz with the group and then studied on her own. Her work paid off as her scramble team finished fourth. “I would love to do Quiz Rally again; I especially liked watching some of the older girls who were volunteering; it really inspired me to climb the ranks.” Aubrey plans to do both the upcoming Dressage and Eventing rallies. “I love being at Radway with kids my age!”

Sierra Pelrine, a member of ACPC’s D2 under-11 team says, “I went to Quiz Rally last year, so I was better prepared this year. I studied a good bit as I was also studying for my rating.” When all the points were tallied, Sierra, 9, and her teammates were second in their age/ rating group, and she placed first individually. In addition to finishing first in her group, Sierra had the highest overall score of the entire rally. Her high score would have qualified her for the National Rally, but a Pony Clubber must be at least 10 to compete at the Nationals. “That’s okay,” Sierra says, “I’ve got lots of time. I’ll try to qualify to go next year.” Sierra is looking forward to the Dressage rally and especially the Show Jumping Rally which will be hosted by ACPC at Bruce’s Field in September.

Aiken County Pony Club: Back row: Charlotte O’Neal, Meaghan Nelson, Anna Maria Pluss and Amanda Lloyd. Front row: Sierra Pelrine, Leeci Simmons

Radway Pony Club: Erin Beaudreau, Aubrie Juda, Serenity Kelly Lilly Smalley, Claire Beheler, Alexa Lucas

Aiken Horse Show in the Woods, 2023

Photography by Gary Knoll

Aiken Area Calendar of Events

April 2023

1 Golden Driving CTS. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsalken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com  americandrivingsociety.org

1 Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road,  Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

1-2 USEF/USDF March Magic Dressage. Sporting Services. Carolina Horse Park, Raeford. Carolinadressage.com

1-2 108th Annual Horse Show in the Woods. 2200 Dibble Rd, Aiken. Dana Massey: 803.599.0400. aikenhorseshow.org

2 Marathon Driving Clinics with Taylor Bradish. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@ gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com  americandrivingsociety.org

2-3 South Carolina Dressage and Combined Training. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938,  scequinepark.com

5 Young Horse. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd,  Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com

5-8 Tryon Welcome 3. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

5-8 Progressive Show Jumping. Carolina Equine Park, 443 Cleveland School Rd, Camden, 803.486.4938,  scequinepark. com

7-8 Southern Pines CDE & CT. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@ carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

7-9 Spring $60,000 FEI CCI-S 2/3/4* and USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

8 Spring Hunter Pace at Stable on the Woods. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@gmail.com, theaikenhounds. com

13-16 USEF/USHJA $50,000 National A Rated Jumper Spring Classic. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

13-16 Tryon Welcome 4. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

14-15 Conyers Pro Rodeo. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

14-29 Aiken Saddlery 6 Goal. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo. com

15 Combined Test and Jumping Show. The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263 vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com

15 Schooling Show D & CT at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com

15 Celebration Series Spring Hunter Pace. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com

15-16 Palmetto Paint Horse Club. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938,  scequinepark.com

15-16 Longleaf Pine Horse Trials. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@ carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

15-16 USEF/USEA April Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm. com

16 “A Toast to Great Oak” brunch. Great Oak Equine Assisted Program. 1123 Edgefield Hwy, Aiken. 803.226.0056, info@ greatoakeap.org, greatoakeap.org

16-30 Henry Cato Memorial 4 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@ gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

19-23 Aiken Spring Classic. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road,  Aiken. 803.649.3505,  psjshows.com

20-23 South Carolina Quarter Horse Association. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

21-23 Tryon Spring Dressage USEF/USDF. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

21-7 Tommy Hitchcock Memorial 4-8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com

22 USEA/USEF Horse Trials. Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood  (410) 726 8926 cindy@firefoxfarm.com SportingDaysFarm.com

22 Working Equitation Clinic with Pat Melton. Union County Saddle Club. 3230-D Presson rd, Monroe, NC. 704.507.3754, ucsc.nc@gmail.com

22-23 USEF/USDF Prime Time Dressage. Sporting Services. Carolina Horse Park, Raeford, NC. Carolinadressage.com

22-23 USEF/USDF Spring Fever Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

29-14 USPA Sportsmanship Cup 6 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611.  aikenpoloclub@ gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

30 Schooling Horse Trial. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd,  Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo. com, fullgallopfarm.com

30 Henry Cato Memorial 4-Goal Final. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

May 2023

3 Schooling Jumpers. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

3-7 Tryon Spring 1. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

3-14 Aiken Charity Horse Show I&II. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077, tara@ aikenhorsepark.org, aikenhorsepark.org

6-7 USEF/USEA Stable View Local Charities Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

6-7 Tryon Spring Dressage 2. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

7 Tommy Hitchcock Memorial 4-8 Goal Final. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com

7-14 Aiken Spring Women’s Challenge 4-8 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611.  aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

22-23 USEF/USDF Spring Dressage I&II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm. com

23 XC Schooling Day. Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood  (410) 726 8926 cindy@ firefoxfarm.com SportingDaysFarm.com

23 Sandy Glynn and Remi Belloq Art Exhibit at Aiken

Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. 1:30 - 3:30, opening with refreshments. sandyglynn.com

26-30 Aiken Spring Classic. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road,  Aiken. 803.649.3505,  psjshows.com

27-29 Highfields Sport Horse Sale. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road,  Aiken. 803.649.3505,  psjshows.com

28 Dressage, CT, & HTS @ Dancing Horses Equestrian Center. 149 Moseley rd, Williston. Jocelyn Thomas, 207.210.7900, dancinghorses@rocketmail.com

28-30 South Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

28-30 Sedgefield at the Park H/J. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, carolinahorsepark. com, info@carolinahorsepark.com,

28-13 Wagener 4 Goal. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com

29 Aiken Saddlery 6 Goal Final. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com

29-30 USEF/USDF GHF/Massey Ferguson Dressage at the Park. Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

29-30 National Youth Tournament Series. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

10 Schooling Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

10-28 Pete Bostwick  Memorial 4-8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol. com, newbridgepolo.com

10-14 Tryon Spring 2. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

12-14 Mother’s Day Show - PSJ C-Series. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road,  Aiken. 803.649.3505,  psjshows.com

12-14 USEF/USDF Dressage in the Sandhills by Viewpoint Dressage. Pinehurst Harness Track. Pinehurst, NC. Carolinadressage.com

12-27 Polo Pony 4 Goal. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com

13 Aiken Symphony Horses and Harmony IV. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com

13 Wagener 4 Goal Final. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com

13 Schooling Show. May Day Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm. com

13-14 WHE S Schooling Trials, CT, D. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@ carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

13-14 US Mounted Games Association Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

14 R adway Eventing Pony Club Show. 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. radwayeventing.com

14 USPA Sportsmanship Cup 6 Goal Final. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

16-18 USPA Constitutional Cup 6 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611.   aikenpoloclub@ gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

17 NEH/YEH/FEH Qualifier. The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263 vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com

17-21 Tryon Spring 3. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

18-21 USEF/USHJA “A” Show Cheryl & Co. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com

18-21 Triangle Farms Sandhills “A: Spring Classic Horse Show. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

20 Derby Cross and Show Jumping. The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263 vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com

20 Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road,  Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

20 Dressage & CT at FENCE. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021.  frcshows@gmail.com, fence.org

20-21 Dressage in the Spring. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

21 Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd,  Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo. com, fullgallopfarm.com

21-22 Camden Spring Hunter Jumper Classic. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938,  scequinepark.com

21-22 R ecognized Horse Trials  at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com

21-28 Aiken Spring Women’s Challenge 8-12 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611.   aikenpoloclub@gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

24-28 Tryon Spring 4. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

25-28 South Carolina Quarter Horse Association. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

25-28 USEF/USHJA “A” Show Cheryl & Co. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com

26-28 Sedgefield at the Park Memorial Day Classic. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@ carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

26-10 USPA Congressional Cup. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com

27 Schooling Day. Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood  (410) 726 8926 cindy@firefoxfarm. com SportingDaysFarm.com

27 Dressage, CT, & HTS @ Dancing Horses Equestrian Center. 149 Moseley rd, Williston. Jocelyn Thomas, 207.210.7900, dancinghorses@rocketmail.com

27 Polo Pony 4 Goal Final. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo. com

27-28 USEF/USDF MayDay Dressage by Viewpoint Dressage. Pinehurst Harness Track. Pinehurst, NC. Carolinadressage.com

28 USPA Constitution Cup Final. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@ gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

28 Pete Bostwick  Memorial 4-8 Goal Final. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com

28-29 USEF/USDF Dressage Show at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@ chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com

28-11 Aiken Polo Club Spring 4 Goal. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@ gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

30-4 Tryon Spring 5. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

28-11 Louise Hitchcock Women’s Tournament 8-14 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com

31-18 R egional President’s Cup 4-8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol. com, newbridgepolo.com

June 2023

1-4 USEF/USHJA $50,000 A-Rated Hunter/Jumper Summer Classic. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

2-4 New Vocations All-Thoroughbred Charity Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road,  Aiken. 803.649.3505,  psjshows.com

2-4 Carolinas Cutting Horse Association - NCHA. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

3-4 USEF/USEA June Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm. com

6-11 Tryon Spring 6/TR&HC Charity I. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

8-11 USEF/USHJA A-Rated Hunter/Jumper Summer Classic I. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

9-11 Mullet Hall Classic I PSJ C-Series. Mullet Hall, John’s Island, SC. 803.649.3505,  psjshows.com

10 Combined Test. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd,  Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com

10 Schooling Show D & CT at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com

10 USPA Congressional Cup Final. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com

10-11 USEF/USDF Summertime Blues by Viewpoint Dressage. Pinehurst Harness Track. Pinehurst, NC. Carolinadressage.com

10-11 USEF/USDF Dressage Summer Series I&II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com

10-11 US Mounted Games Association. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

10-11 WHE S Horse Trials, CT, D. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@ carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

11 R adway Eventing Pony Club Show. 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. radwayeventing.com

11 Aiken Polo Club 4-Goal Final. Aiken Polo Club, Whitney Field, 420 Mead Ave, Aiken. 803.643.3611. aikenpoloclub@ gmail.com, aikenpolo.org

11 New Bridge Polo Club Final. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com

18 New Bridge Polo Club Final. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com

14-25 Aiken Summer Classics I &II. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@ aikenhorsepark.org, aikenhorsepark.org

16-18 Junior’s Clinic South Carolina Dressage and Combined Training. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

16-18 Sedgefield at the Park “Spectacular” H/J Show. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

16-18 Tryon Summer 1. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

16-18    Tryon Dressage Summer 1 & 2 USEF/USDF/CPEDI/NAT. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

17 Dressage T-o-C. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd,  Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com

Business Cards

18 R ecognized Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd,  Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo. com, fullgallopfarm.com

18 R egional President’s Cup 4-8 Goal Final. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@ aol.com, newbridgepolo.com

17-18 USEF/USDF Summer Solstice Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com

22 Schooling Show Sunset Jumpers #1. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm. com

23-25 USEF/USEA Mid-Summer Horse Trials & Area 3 Championships. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

23-25 Summer Celebration. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road,  Aiken. 803.649.3505,  psjshows.com

23-25 Tryon Summer 2. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

24 Dressage, CT, & HTS @ Dancing Horses Equestrian Center. 149 Moseley rd, Williston. Jocelyn Thomas, 207.210.7900, dancinghorses@rocketmail.com

24 Schooling Show Summer Solstice Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com

25-26 USEF/USDF Dressage Show at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing. com, chatthillseventing.com

28-2 Tryon Summer 3. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon.com, tryon.com

28-2 NCHJA Annual Horse Show. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@ carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

29-2 USEF/USHJA A-Rated Hunter/Jumper Summer Classic II. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive,  Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

Top 5 benefits of MagnaWave PEMF (Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field Therapy)

Help

Helps

Pacheco HHP, CSM goldwowieequine@gmail.com https://goldwowie.com/magnawave-pemf/

BOARDING/TURNOUT/ TRAINING

Dry stalls and full care available at Sporting Days Farm 150 acres with practice areas. Great for green horses. 803-226-2024 text preferred.

Extra large stalls available with daily turnout. Convenient south side location. Chime Ridge Stables 803-508-3760

FARM SERVICES

Southern Ridge Excavation. Drainage, grading, small clearing, pad prep, utility ditching, pond mowing. Third generation family operated; Licensed & insured. Call Alex Koegel. 803-522-5752. southernridgex@gmail.com.

G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 54 years. Specializing in hauling,

Classifieds

grading, clearing, property maintenance, and excavation.We provide everything from several types of fill dirt, top soil, compost, mortar sands, crushed asphalt/ concrete, to screenings and a variety of rocks. Roll-off containers and manure removal available.

(803) 663-3715. Certified DBE. WOSB. www.glwdtrucking.com

HAY

Hoss Luva Hay. Exceptional quality local Coastal Bermuda Hay, Alfalfa mix and Canadian Timothy. Competitively priced. Will deliver state-wide. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Jim McClain: 803.247.4803

LB Performance Hay. From Farm to Stable. Local and imported hay; large or small quantities. Hay delivery and unloading. Lou Berizzi: 803-640-5484.

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 803-6458960.

PETS

Trinity Farms Terriers: Irish Russell Terriers. Old World, Healthy 100 year old. Bloodlines w/ proven calmer dispositions. Health & dispositions guaranteed. Preservation breeders for 48 years. trinityfarmskennel.com; easyjacks. com. Donna Fitzpatrick 803-6483137.

POSITION OPENING

Sporting Days Farm is looking for full or part time horse care/riding/ farm care person. Possible horse board and/or housing. 5.5 miles

east of Aiken SC. Please email resume to sdaiken@aol.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.

Office Space To Rent. High Speed Fiber WiFi. 5 min walk to downtown. 2-3 offices available with shared meeting room and coffee station. All inclusive $500600/m for individual offices or rent entire space. Gary - 707-975-9761. UrbanandRuralRoost.com

Directory of Services

BOARDING/TURNOUT/TRAINING/SALES

Chime Ridge Stables. Stalls 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 2023. 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

COMPANION ANIMALS

Trinity Farms Terriers: Irish Russell 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

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. 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!

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 803-645-8960

HAY

LB Performance Hay. From Farm to Stable. Local and imported hay; large or small quantities. Hay delivery and unloading. Lou Berizzi: 803-640-5484.

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

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

PHOTOGRAPHY

Allison Wilkins Photography, 843-327-7667, allisonwilkins.photo@ gmail.com. Specializes in Event Photography. Equine Events, Branding, and More. Package pricing tailored to meet your specific needs!

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, Keller Williams Realty Aiken Partners. “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. 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.

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Index of Advertisers

gives the house its name. The final addition to the estate was the current 2-car garage and apartment. The main house features 4 large bedrooms with sitting rooms, baths and closets. Custom kitchen with laundry room and pantry flow into a breakfast room. Large dining room opens to expansive living room with intricate mill work. There are 2 sitting rooms off the main living room, a game room, office, wet bar and half bath. There are extensive decks and patios throughout the property overlooking the gardens. The estate includes magnificent gardens, 2-car garage with gardener's bath & apartment, grand pool house, 9 stall barn with 3 paddocks and room for apartment above. Adjacent to the barn is a 3 car garage with a 2 bedroom apartment above. This property is truly a one of a kind and is just steps from Hitchcock Woods.

Three Runs Plantation

TOM MURRAY 626.644.3008 | $1,400,000

An architectural original in Three Runs Plantation! This house was created in the Carpenter Gothic Style. Custom built with the most unique architectural artifacts, this home is like living in an actual work of art. There are windows from a 1930's bank, antique glass, historic doors and knobs, ironwork, etc. The 2-stall barn has an 1100 square foot apartment above, featuring a more relaxed yet sophisticated style, often rented on Airbnb. The home is set around a tranquil courtyard and is surrounded by verdant landscaping and immaculately kept pastures. It is located near the main dressage and jumping arenas at Three Runs and minutes from 30 miles of groomed trails. This is truly one of a kind for the sophisticated buyer who appreciates architecture, design and the equestrian lifestyle.

Historic Horse District

COURTNEY CONGER 803.645.3308 | $1,425,000

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, loft apartment, dressage arena with mirror. Easy access on sandy clay roads to downtown, equestrian venues and Hitchcock Woods.

Braeloch

MIKE HOSANG | 803.270.6358 | $995,000

Discover craftsmanship and privacy in this turnkey horse farm on 12.7 acres, where board fenced pastures surround this 3 bedroom, 3 bath residence. The brick home features architectural details, hardwood floors and high ceilings throughout.

Gourmet kitchen has adjoining sunroom, and the formal dining room features detailed mill work. An elegant living room with fireplace opens to spacious landscaped yard with covered porch, sparkling in ground pool and magnificent shade trees. For horses, there is a 4-stall shed row barn with tack room, hay storage and riding arena with sprinkler system.

East Side Horse Country

MIKE HOSANG 803.270.6358

Conveniently located in the heart of the eastside equestrian corridor, this multi-use parcel with over 80 acres offers an opportunity to create a lifestyle of your dreams! $900,000

Storm Branch Land

COURTNEY CONGER 803.645.3308

Great opportunity to own over 40 wooded acres located off Storm Branch Road, convenient to Aiken and Augusta. This property is close into town but has wonderful privacy, with horse farms and waterfront residential properties nearby. $420,000

Shadow Lane Farm

BARB GOULD USKUP 803.295.3199 | $409,500

Ideally located in 302 Horse Country surrounded by beautiful horse farms, these 91 acres provide the opportunity to create your private paradise. Fertile soil, with 30 cleared acres and the remainder wooded, could be a horse farm, a hunting preserve, an agricultural farm, or just a private retreat. OFFERED at $4,500 per acre

Burkwood Place

MIKE HOSANG | 803.270.6358 | $999,000

Classic elegance in a location that rarely becomes available, this traditional home was built upon the original site of the Mead Estate. Its proximity to Aiken's Winter Colony estates and Horse District, the Hitchcock Woods, the Willcox and downtown dining & shopping makes this home's location very desirable. Spacious rooms, beautiful outdoor spaces and exquisite mature landscaping are some of the wonderful aspects of this property, which is just shy of an acre off Coker Springs Road. There are 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths — choose your primary suite on either the main floor or upstairs! Horse property potential just steps from the Hitchcock Woods.

Country Ranch

RANDY WOLCOTT 803.507.1142 | $485,000

Ready for horses, dogs, goats, or cattle, or roadside store. Brick home on 11 acres has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, large family room with covered deck and screened porch, kitchen with breakfast room, and quiet living room with wood stove insert in the masonry fireplace. Separate building could be a wonderful shop, garage or retail space along Columbia Hwy. Additional out buildings include a garden shed and a 3-bay tractor shed with 2 stalls.

Established Pasture

RANDY WOLCOTT 803.507.1142

Lovely 12 acre parcel on Moore Road in east side horse country! Cleared parcel with established grass waiting for your improvements. $222,000

Equestrian Corridor

MIKE HOSANG 803.270.6358

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. $616,220

Twin Silos

JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 | $350,000

Equestrian lot has 5.86 acres located next to amenities which include jumping arena, dressage arena and a huge grass schooling field. Newer 2 stall barn with attached 12' x 24' hay & feed room, plus a separate building that is a 12' x 30' lounge with full bath, washer and dryer. Property is completely perimeter fenced, and includes stone circular driveway, 3 HP well & septic system.

Three Runs Plantation

TOM MURRAY 626.644.3008 | $765,000

Exceptional rolling acreage in Phase 7 has two lots offered together, creating a private serene location for an ideal farm. Lot 31 (5 acres) has two 12 x 24 run in sheds that can convert to 2 stalls each with tack and feed lockers and a fenced feed area behind. The lot is divided presently into two, 2.5 acre fenced pastures. Lot 39 (12.76 acres) has one 12x24 run in shed and a 5 hp well with electricity. Flat knoll is perfectly suited for a home overlooking beautiful pastures below. Abundant hardwoods with a scattering of pines provide privacy, but leave plenty of room for a main residence, guest house, barn and covered arena.

Bridle Creek Hunt Box

JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 | $899,000

LIKE NEW Hunt Box on 5.4 acres with 1,932 heated/cooled square feet. Main home has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths with 1 bedroom/1 bath apartment. Features include 2 on-demand water heaters, high ceilings, screened porch, marble counter tops, gas logs in fireplace, custom kitchen with gas stove. Horse amenities include 3 stalls (12x12 size), automatic fly spray system, heated/cooled tack room, separate hay shed, private riding ring with silica footing, 2 run-in sheds, all 5.4 acres completely fenced. Amenities include miles of trails, dressage ring with mirrors, jumping ring, cross country course, club house/fitness center and picturesque surroundings.