December-January 2022-2023

11 A farm w/access to miles of sand trails & roads for riding or driving. 2 BR/2BA hardiplank Eric Martin home w/open floor plan, fireplace, center island kitchen w/Viking stove, Douglas Fir ceilings, hardwood floors, covered deck w/ fireplace & screened enclosure w/travertine tile surrounding lap pool & hot tub. 2 car garage, storage area, grooming stalls & 2 run ins w/ grass paddocks.

Exceptional offering in the Horse District w/direct access to the Aiken Training Track, clay roads & Bruce’s Field show facility. Property consists of 3 parcels totaling 8.24 A, 2 barns (43 stalls), bunkhouse, breaking pen, 6 stall covered Eurociser, & 6 paddocks on the north & south side of Audubon Drive. Brick house built in 1968, w/2 car attached garage, 4 BR/2.5BA, hardwood floors, fireplace & cathedral ceiling. Property offered in its entirety, but buyers could divide.

shower. 2 additional BR on the main level. Deck overlooks greenspace & Calico Branch. Downstairs family room w/fireplace, 2 BR & 3 season room.

Privately situated on 6+ acres, this 4 BR/2 BA house is a true gem! The 1680 sq. ft. home has an open floor plan, eat-in kitchen, large laundry room, new AC unit, siding (2019), new LVP and carpeting, and high speed internet. Approximately 2 acres are cleared with room for your horses. Great location just 20 minutes from Aiken.

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.

Recently completely renovated cottage steps

&

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.

oaks

An Accredited Land Consultant, Suzy achieved the title of Leading Sales Agent in 2013, 2015, 2016 & 2020. Her achievements include Meybohm “Best of the Best” & President’s Club, as well as 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021 RLI APEX award for top producing land real estate agents.

KATHRYN SIDERS Licensed Assistant MICHELE HIGGINS Licensed Assistant

WINDSOR TRACE SWEET SOUND MEADOW AIKEN HORSE DISTRICT $1.72 MILLION

from Aiken’s horse district

one block from the majestic live

along South Boundary

Well-maintained brick home located within walking distance to Hopelands Gardens, Hitchcock Woods, & Aiken’s Horse District. 5 BR/ 3 BA w/hardwood floors, LR, DR, eat-in kitchen w/breakfast bar, den w/wood burning fireplace, new windows & HVAC in past 2 years. Primary suite w/jetted, handicap-accessible tub & separate

SOUTHERN AMBIANCE AT BLUE SKIES

4.5+ ACRES NEAR BRUCE’S FIELD

ExcEptional & GorGEous Historic HomE on 4.5+ acrEs in aikEn’s covEtEd HorsE district. oriGinally built in 1902, tHis 3-story HomE is complEtEly rEnovatEd, impEccably maintainEd and sitEd to Enjoy viEws across tHE bEautifully landscapEd Grounds to brucE’s fiEld & powdErHousE polo fiEld bEyond. HomE fEaturEs a widE vEranda, Hardwood floors, HiGH cEilinGs and an ExpansivE GrEat room w/ innovativEly, illuminatEd cEilinG & full bar. ownEr’s suitE Has a spacious bEdroom w/vaultEd cEilinG, firEplacE; 2 full batHs & drEssinG room. 3 EnsuitE GuEst brs & 5tH br HavE Gas firEplacEs. formal dininG, library & sEparatE dEn Enjoy firEplacEs & GEnErous proportions. fabulous kitcHEn witH subZEro and vikinG appliancEs opEns to sun-fillEd brEakfast room. ElEvator to 2nd & 3rd story wHicH offErs a pinG-ponG room, sittinG room & batH. fully EquippEd GuEst quartErs, fitnEss room, 3-bay GaraGE & EquipmEnt GaraGE. plEnty of room for tHE addition of lifEstylE and EquEstrian amEnitiEs - arEna, paddocks & barn - to your likinG!

Section One Our cover shows Zar, a Menorcan stallion owned by Melissa Phillips from Rome, Georgia. Read about Menorcan horses on page 23.

Photography by Pam Gleason

Section Two

Photography by Gary Knoll

Section

Photography by Gary Knoll

If you are a horseperson in Aiken, there is something intensely beautiful about the month of December. The year is drawing to a close, prompting us to look back on what has been accomplished over the past 12 months: foals that have come into the world, riding and training goals achieved, houses and barns and fencing that have been put up. The heat is gone, but December in Aiken is rarely cold, and is likely to bless us with many bright warm days. It’s always sad for horsepeople when the clocks change in the fall, robbing us of that precious hour of evening sunlight, and no one who spends time outdoors particularly likes it when the daylight hours dwindle approaching the winter solstice. But the trade-off is that the slanted late afternoon light is particularly lovely, casting a special glow on the woods and fields. Whether you are here year-round or have just come for the season, Aiken is a fantastic place to be. We’re looking forward to another bustling winter of equestrian activity. The high season of eventing is coming on us fast, bringing in winter competitors from up and down the East Coast. The hunter-jumper crowd has an expanded calendar of recognized shows at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park, at Highfields Event Center, and now at Stable View, making Aiken an alternative destination for those who can’t go to Florida, or don’t want to. Foxhunting is in full swing, Aiken’s western contingent is becoming more active and visible and there is always something going on in the driving community. Of course, you don’t need organized activities to enjoy

horses in Aiken, but being surrounded by so many serious horse people is good for those with no competitive aspirations. It creates a horse-centered atmosphere, and it tends to raise the level of horse care and horsemanship everywhere.

We hope you enjoy this issue. As ever, we have a variety of articles and pictures for you. Read about a Menorcan horse dressage demonstration that took place at Magnolia Shadows in Ridge Spring this November – do you know what the ‘bot’ is? Read the article to find out. Meet Tiffany Fuller and Meredith Mobley who are bringing their premium horse sale, the Southern Belle Classic, to Stable View this March. Learn about Cathy Cram’s training and showing program for young riders, and catch up on new developments at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Do you need some help with your horse? Check out our first ever horse trainer directory in Section 2.

Of course, we also have all our usual articles and columns: News and Notes with information from Aiken and beyond; valuable information about dressage in Amy McElroy’s Ask the Judge column; a profile of a senior horse in The Secret Lives of Horses. And we’ve been out with our cameras too. In this issue, you will find photo spreads from the recognized horse trials at Sporting Days Farm, the Split Rock Jumping Tour at Bruce’s Field and the Windsor Trace Combined Driving Event.

As ever, if there is something out there that you think we should be writing an article about, let us know – email is best. We want to be your horse newspaper.

Gleason Editor & Publisher

Pam

News and Notes

By Pam Gleason

Hunter Jumpers at Stable View

Aiken’s hunter/jumper show calendar is expanding in 2023. Stable View, which has been putting on a highly-rated show series for the past three years, has been granted USEF A dates for seven of the nine shows in its 2023 Hunter/Jumper Challenge Series. The two remaining shows, in March and April, will remain B rated shows, at least for the time being.

Stable View’s series will offer a total of $550,000 in prize money, which includes $100,000 in bonuses for the top winning riders who compete in at least seven of the nine shows. The shows are being managed by Bill Yeager and all the dates themselves are owned by Stable View.

In other Stable View news, Barry and Cyndy Olliff, Stable View’s owners, have announced that they are naming their newest arena for Joannah Glass, the owner of Sporting Days Farm and an important figure in the eventing world both locally and nationally.

“As a result of a naming competition that took place earlier this year, it was decided that we shall pay tribute to the lady who was instrumental in the beginning of the development of Aiken as winter hub for eventing competitions,” they wrote in a letter to supporters. “Apart from being a source of great knowledge, Joannah has provided the longest continuously running horse trials in Aiken at Sporting Days for over 25 years.”

The dedication of the arena will be held on January 21 during Stable View’s Aiken Opener Horse Trials which run from January 21-22.

New Helmet Ratings

Virginia Tech has just published its latest equestrian helmet ratings, and there are certainly some surprises. There is also good news for those on a budget, and some not-so-good news for those who may have just shelled out $300 or more for a helmet that might not be as effective as one would expect.

The top-rated helmet in the latest study is the Champion Revolve X-Air with MIPS technology (MIPS stands for “multi-directional impact protection system,” which employs a layer of material inside the helmet that is designed to rotate with the head in hopes of slowing or reducing impacts.) One of only two helmets to earn 5 stars in this study, the Revolve X-Air retails for $460 according to Virginia Tech.

The second helmet to earn a 5-star rating is the TuffRider Carbon Fiber, which costs just $58. Of the remaining 38 helmets tested, 11 were rated 4 stars, including the Charles Owen 4Star ($375) and the IRH Equi-Lite ($50) while the rest were 3 stars and below. Some surprisingly low-rated helmets include some Charles Owen models with MIPS, and several One-K models, which are especially popular among dressage riders: these were all 1-star helmets. The very lowest rated helmet was indeed the least expensive – the Troxel Sport ($46) got no stars – but it ranked just a little below the Kask Kooki which carries a hefty $449 price tag.

Virginia Tech explained the methodology of their test in a press release.

The A shows will run for the first two weeks of June, the first two weeks of July, the first week of August, the third week of September and the first week of November. This will fill out Aiken’s hunter jumper calendar, with A or AA rated shows almost every week from January until August and then again from September through November.

“Over the past two years, Virginia Tech researchers analyzed over 100 videos of riders falling off horses, precisely measured the hardness of the sand, dirt, grass, and synthetic surfaces underfoot at equestrian events, and dragged dummy heads and other equipment — and boxes and boxes of helmets — out to Virginia Tech’s equestrian facilities to simulate falls.

Amanda Flint on Hudson VDL, winner of the November Grand Prix at Stable View

“Then the team of researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics took all that data back to the lab to recreate those events in a series of controlled, quantitative tests.”

The tests put each helmet on a dummy head equipped with impact sensors and then struck the head with a pendulum impactor from different directions and at varying velocities. One thing that the researchers noted was that some helmets are designed to absorb severe crashes, whereas the majority of real world falls actually result in softer impacts. Helmets designed for severe crashes may actually be too stiff to protect the head much in low impact situations, resulting in a greater chance of brain injury.

Virginia Tech has been testing athletic helmets since 2011. “They have tested and rated helmets for varsity, youth, and flag football; soccer; cycling; hockey; snow sports; and whitewater sports, transforming the science of sports safety by giving athletes, parents, and coaches unbiased, quantitative data they can use to choose the safest equipment. . . . The

new equestrian helmet research was funded by private donors, led by equestrian enthusiast and philanthropist Jacqueline Mars and three national equestrian foundations: the U.S. Equestrian Federation, the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association, and the U.S. Eventing Association.”

Of course no helmet can guarantee to protect the head in every fall, and head injuries remain the leading cause of severe injury and death among horseback riders. But wearing a safer helmet is likely to mitigate the effect of any fall, and may even save your life.

For a complete list of ratings and more information on how they were derived, visit the Virginia Tech website here: https://www.helmet.beam. vt.edu/equestrian-helmet-ratings.htm

Aiken Trained Horse of the Year

Private Creed, a 2-year-old colt owned by Mike McCarty, has been named this year’s Aiken Trained Horse of the Year. This is an annual

award given to a racehorse that trained in Aiken at some point in its career. To be eligible, the horse must have won at least one graded stakes race during that year, or earned an excess of $500,000 in its lifetime.

Private Creed won two listed stakes races (just a notch below graded stakes) and took home $599,313 in five races. His record included three wins and two third place finishes, all on the turf.

Private Creed is the first foal of the stakes winning mare Sky Mesa, by the good stallion Jimmy Creed. He was trained for several weeks at the Aiken Training Track by Marcus and Crystal Ryan, who purchased him as a yearling at the 2021 Keeneland Yearling Sale for $45,000. Once he was broken and in training they entered him in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training in Maryland, where he fetched $155,000.

Conditioned by Steve Asmussen, Private Creed won his first race, a maiden special weight at Ellis Park at the end of July and then went on

Top rated helmet: Champion Revolve X-Air with MIPS; $460

Second best:TuffRider Carbon Fiber, $58.

to a respectable third place finish in the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga in August. In September, he pulled a major upset by defeating the 1-5 favorite, Sharp Aza Tack, in the Global Tote Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs. He won the Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland in October, and then was third in the Grade One Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf.

The Aiken Trained Horse of the Year induction ceremony is traditionally held at the Aiken Thoroughbred Hall of Fame and Museum in Hopelands Gardens the day after the Aiken Trials in March. Private Creed joins an illustrious crowd of horse of the year honorees, including the Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice who won the award in 2013 and 2014.

Medieval War Ponies

If you think of a medieval English war horse, the image that comes to mind is probably of a massive animal, perhaps of draft horse size. The name we have for these horses, the “Great Horse” certainly contributes to the idea that the horses that carried our warrior ancesters were pretty tall and quite robust.

However, recent research has indicated that this is not necessarily true. In fact, a team of archeologists in England analyzed a vast trove of horse bones from 171 separate sites and dating between 300 and 1650 AD. They found that most early horses in England were more or less of pony height: the tallest Norman horse skeleton they found was about 15 hands. It was not until the high medieval period (1200-1350 AD) that horses of 16 hands appeared. In the post medieval period (15001650 AD) horses did, indeed, become significantly larger.

Professor Alan Outram, from the University of Exeter, said: “High medieval destriers [medieval knights’ warhorses] may have been relatively large for the time period, but were clearly still much smaller than we might expect for equivalent functions today. Selection and

breeding practices in the Royal studs may have focused as much on temperament and the correct physical characteristics for warfare as they did on raw size.”

Smaller horses were probably useful for different activities, including tournaments and long distance riding, and of course medieval people were smaller too, so that a 14.2 hand pony many have seemed quite tall indeed.

center spread

Sporting Days Farm Horse Trials

Photography by Gary Knoll

Polo Community Mourns

This fall, the polo community in Aiken lost two prominent members of its family

Del Walton, 39

The Aiken and polo communities were devastated to learn of the untimely passing of Del Walton who perished in an automobile accident in the early morning hours of December 3. Del, 39, was a third generation polo player on both sides of his family who grew up in the sport and became a respected professional player, trainer and breeder of polo ponies. A mainstay of Aiken Polo Club, Del played in essentially every tournament the club offered and usually made it to the final field where he was frequently named the MVP. He owned Walton Farm Polo in Blackville, SC which he ran along with the love of his life, Tessa Callaghan Lord.

In addition to Tessa, Del leaves his three young sons, David, Cal and Harrison, as well as his mother Robin Carroll-Bostwick, his father Rob Walton, his sister, Laura Bostwick and stepfather Rick Bostwick. In addition to being a talented polo professional, Del was a devoted father, a lover of animals and person of great energy and passion who lived his life to the fullest. His loss leaves an immense void in the polo community and in the lives of those who knew and loved him.

The Polo Players Support Group is committed to helping Tessa and the boys in this difficult time. Tax deductible contributions may be made through the PPSG website (https://www.polosupport.com). Be sure also to email Dave Offen dave@polosupport.com to ensure that your donation will be earmarked for Del’s family. A celebration of life is being planned for May 2. In the meanwhile, the family asks that their privacy be respected as they grieve privately during this difficult time.

Rick Hartnett, 73

In November, the polo community lost the longstanding player, Rick Hartnett, 73, whose Winfield Farm Polo team had been a frequent contender in area tournaments ever since Rick bought his farm in Aiken in 2002.

Born in Massachusetts, Rick was attracted to horses from childhood and soon had a job as a hot walker at Myopia Polo Club in Hamilton, Mass. where he worked for the amateur player Don Little. By the age of 13, he was a force to be reckoned with on Myopia’s fields. His polo prowess even caught the notice of the press, and in 1962, Sports Illustrated ran a brief notice about him, an eighth grader with an aging polo pony who “picked for the veteran-filled Myopia team . .. scored some 40 goals during six months of play.”

After attending Norwich University and the Army officers training school in Fort Benning, Rick returned to Boston where he became a stockbroker with Kidder Peabody. He continued to pursue his polo passion while establishing his career and raising his family, eventually attaining a 4-goal rating. Known everywhere for the quality of his horses and his determined style of play, Rick loved to go fast and he loved to win. He played at Myopia Polo for decades, traveling to tournaments at Saratoga, Greenwich, Millbrook and Palm Beach before coming to Aiken where he was a regular at New Bridge and Aiken Polo Clubs.

Rick leaves his wife Ann Durbin Hartnett, his mother Donna and sisters Nancy and Lisa, his daughter Taryn, son Willie, step-son Courtney Fawcett and five grandchildren.

Donations may be made in Rick’s honor to the Britten Hartnett Tyler Foundation (https://brittybash.com/donate) or the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center (https://www.vinceremos.org).  A celebration of life will be held at 1:30 PM on Saturday, January 21, 2022 at New Bridge Polo Club, 361 Paloma Lane, Aiken, SC 29805.

The Clubhouse is Open

Now Available Offered through New Bridge Realty

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

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Wonderful Vistas

Lauren Circle: $499,000

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Lot 2A Lauren Circle is the perfect residential lot for a single family home. Situated on 2.5 acres, this lot is in close proximity to polo fields 4 and 5. It offers maximum usability with a nicely wooded rear buffer for privacy. This one won’t last long!

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The Perfect Place for Your Next Special Event!

The New Bridge Clubhouse is the perfect choice for all types of gatherings and celebrations offering both indoor and outdoor spaces, expansive front and back porches, and a terraced lawn. Call Nelson at (617) 803-9196 for details.

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

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

Residents enjoy an array of equestrian amenities including five meticulously groomed polo fields, stick and ball areas, an exercise track, polo arena, riding trails, all-weather GGT dressage and jumping arenas, miles of groomed roads made for riding and The Stables, our full-care, premier 24-stall boarding facility.

A swimming pool with lounge area, a clay tennis court, and an Argentinian colonial-style Clubhouse with restaurant/bar (open spring and fall), balcony, porch, and outdoor spaces round out the perfect setting for everyonefrom families to empty nesters, casual riders to competitive athletes.

Join Us for Livestream Equestrian Competitions

Menorcan Horses Impress Demo Rides at Magnolia Shadows

Story and Photography by Pam Gleason

On Saturday, November 12, a crowd of about 40 people arrived at Magnolia Shadows in Ridge Spring to watch a special demonstration given by Maite Bonet. Maite is the principal rider at Son Mortollet, which is the main show stable on the island of Menorca off the coast of Spain. She was in the United States for about three weeks this fall helping the Aiken-based trainer Kelly Sigler Patterson, who has established a registry for Menorcan Horses in this country. Kelly imported the very first Menorcan horse into America last year and currently has three of them in training at her Looking Glass Farm in Wagener.

Menorca is small, just a little over 268 square miles, but it has a strong and distinctive horse culture, along with its own unique breed of horses. Menorcan horses (properly Pura Raza Menorquina) are descended from Spanish, Barb and Arabian bloodlines. Exclusively black, they are well made, powerful, calm and sound with a bold presence. Although many horses on the island are mostly used for trail and recreational riding, Menorca has its own classical dressage tradition called Doma Menorquina, which includes special skills such as the “Menorcan movements” (two fast, pirouette-like circles, one in each direction) and the bot, in which the horse rears up on his hindlegs, and even walks a few steps forward. Other movements include the Spanish walk, in which the horse lifts his front legs very high as he struts along, and the passage and the piaffe.

Maite Bonet rode two horses in the demonstration. The first was Zar, a magnificent black stallion who has been in this country about a year and is well versed in the Doma Menorquina. Zar was dressed in traditional Menorcan festival tack, with an embroidered saddle blanket (a buldrafa) that covered his haunches, and bright red, yellow and white silk flowers on his headstall and covering his tail. He wore a star shaped decoration on the center of his browband, in which there was a small round mirror. (During festival days in Menorca, it is considered good luck to see yourself in this mirror.) On his noseband, he had small gold crosses, which are a tribute to Saint Joan who is a patron saint of the island.

Maite was also dressed in Menorcan style, in a tailcoat and black Cordobes hat with a folded brim, reminiscent of the tricorn hats worn during the American Revolution. Kelly Sigler Patterson, who narrated while Maite rode, was also dressed for a Menorcan festival, adding to the European flair of the event.

Zar walked, trotted, cantered, did some leg yields and some half passes, and then demonstrated the bot on three separate occasions. This was a very controlled movement, requiring immense strength in his powerful haunches. What was most remarkable however, was how high he went, and how long he stood. Maite had to lean over to one side of his neck not to be hit in the head as he rose up almost completely vertical. Then, standing tall on his hind legs, he stepped forward before lowering his front legs back to the ground. It was an impressive display.

“There is a specific cue to get him to do that,” explained Kelly, going on to say that his owner, Melissa Phillips from Rome, Georgia, has been shown that aid, and cautioned never to use it.

After Zar was finished, Maite rode another stallion, Ganador (owned

by Beverly Foster) who was equally attractive, but decidedly more earthbound. (No, Ganador does not do the bot, Kelly explained later.)

Kelly said that the purpose of the demonstration was to raise awareness of the Menorcan breed in Aiken, and to let people know that the two stallions are here and available to breed mares. She is also hoping to encourage more people to import Menorcan horses into this country, to increase their population and to support the Pura Raza Menorcan Horses USA breed organization that she has founded. She says that there has been interest in the horses, but that the process of importing a Menorcan horse can be difficult: The tick-borne disease piroplasmosis is endemic on the island, as it is in much of Spain, and horses that test positive for piro cannot be brought to the United States.

To avoid piroplasmosis issues, Kelly has helped establish Menorcan breeding populations in France, where piroplasmosis is not an issue. She is planning to import more French-born Menorcan horses in the near future and to make them available to interested buyers in the U.S.

Kelly first encountered Menorcan horses about six years ago on a trip to Spain, and was smitten by them. Not only were they beautiful and athletic, they were also sound, hardy and eminently sane. She dreamed of bringing these unique horses to the United States, both to share them with American riders and to help preserve the breed. Although Menorcan horses themselves have been around for centuries, the official stud book was not started until 1989 and there are only about 2000 Pura Raza Menorquina horses recorded in that registry today.

Maite Bonet will be back in the United States in March to give another demonstration in St. Augustine, Florida. Kelly will be working to get Menorcans recognized by the USEF as an Iberian breed, while also training and showing both Ganador and Zar in Aiken area dressage shows over the winter. She says they will be competing at First Level this year: in other words, bot not required. To learn more about Menorcan horses, visit https://prmenorcanhorsesusa. com. Contact Kelly by text or phone at 803-522-4395 or email, ks@ kellysigler.com.

Southern Belle Classic New Horse Sale at Stable View

By Pam Gleason; Photography by Wellman image-Erica Cullman

This March 24 and 25, the Southern Belle Classic premium horse sale will be coming to Stable View in Aiken. This will be the sale’s inaugural year, and it will bring in horses from many different regions: the Southwest, the Northeast, the Midwest, the Rocky Mountains and beyond. In addition to offering horses from a diversity of geographical areas, the sale will also feature horses with different backgrounds, breeding and skill sets. There will be Western horses and English horses, horses that round up cattle and horses that do dressage. The main thing that they will have in common is that they will be quality stock consigned by respected trainers.

The Southern Belle Classic was created and is being run by Meredith Mobley and Tiffany Fuller, horsewomen from the Newberry, South Carolina area. Tiffany, who is from Columbia S.C., rode English from her childhood through college, but turned to the Western world after her son took up barrel racing. Meredith grew up in Georgia where her mother was a riding instructor, and had the chance to ride, study and compete with some of the top dressage trainers in the area. She too made the switch to a Western saddle after her daughter Charleigh got into barrel racing. The two women met when Meredith bought Tiffany’s horse for her daughter, and soon formed a horse training partnership.

“Tiffany had a cool horse that I was working with in the spring,” said Meredith. “And we both thought that he would be appreciated in an auction setting. So we decided to enter him in an auction out West.”

Not wanting to make the long trip for just one horse, they put together a group of three horses which they trailered to a sale in Wyoming.

“All three horses sold, and they sold very successfully,” continued Meredith. “But two of the three were sold to people in South Carolina, so those two rode in the trailer back home with us. It got us thinking that there was a need for more auctions of that caliber in this area. It didn’t make sense for us to take horses all the way out West just to sell them to people here. ”

Tiffany and Meredith quickly decided that if there was a need, they could be the ones to fill it, and the Southern Belle Classic company was formed. Right away they knew that they wanted to hold the auction in Aiken, and that March would be a good time to do it.

“Aiken is a destination in itself,” said Meredith, “And March is a great time for people from other parts of the country to visit Aiken.”

“We looked to see what was available as a place to hold the sale, and we found Stable View,” continued Tiffany. “And it was perfect from the start. It’s beautiful – you can’t get a more beautiful place. It’s a five-star experience from the time you step foot on the property.”

Barry and Cyndy Olliff, who own and Stable View, are excited to have the sale on the property, and Tiffany and Meredith have nothing but praise for them “They have supported us in so many ways from the start, we genuinely love working with them,” said Tiffany. “They have taken us on as teammates and made everything easy.”

Although Tiffany and Meredith are reluctant to share the names of consignors who have committed to bring horses to the sale at this early date, they say that they have recruited some of the top horsemen in the business. They anticipate offering 60 horses in the catalog.

“Our consignors are our biggest asset,” said Meredith. “They are what makes the sale the quality that it is. We know a lot of them that we have met over time, and we got referrals for a few of them, and some are

people we have admired from afar, from all regions.”

Horses will begin to arrive on Thursday, March 23 and will be housed at Stable View. Friday there will be an auction preview and an opportunity for prospective buyers to try any they are interested in. This will be followed by a dinner on Friday night. Saturday, sale day, will start out with a versatility competition for the consignors, who will demonstrate what their horses can do on a portion of Stable View’s cross country course. The sale itself will be held in Stable View’s covered arena on Saturday evening.

It’s no secret that good horses are especially in demand across all disciplines, and that it has become a seller’s market for anyone who has a well-trained, sound and healthy horse. With so much demand, many

people say it is becoming increasingly difficult to find good horses to try and to purchase. This is one of the reasons that Tiffany and Meredith say that a sale such as the Southern Belle Classic is an especially appealing way to buy a horse.

“We’ve done the hard work for buyers,” said Meredith. “We have searched for and found the highest quality horses; we have collected their health history and brought them to one location. An auction is a weekend and it’s an awesome fun event, with entertainment, vendors, and most important, some of the best horses in the country all in one spot. You don’t have to trudge around from barn to barn to look at a few different horses. You’ll have 60 of them right in front of you. We’ve been to premium auctions, and we really think ours is unique, a standalone experience, because of the diversity of the catalog and the quality.”

Meredith and Tiffany are looking forward to the sale, which they hope to make an annual event. “We love to facilitate the perfect match between horse and rider and we are fortunate to be able to do this on the stage of the Southern Belle Classic,” said Meredith.

The website, southernbelleclassic.com is up and running. The complete catalog of horses will be posted sometime in January. Bidding will be conducted both in person and online. Mark your calendars!

Stay tuned to the Southern Belle Classic Facebook page for sneak peaks at the catalog. Above: 2018 BH Gunna Be A Star "Noble", consigned by Blue Horse Performance Company

Right: Tiffany and Meredith at Stable View

the developer of Three Runs Plantation

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Aiken, South

developed with lots of imagination and plenty of Horse sense.

Liza, Celia & Cathy Cram

High Achievement at Highfields

Inspiring the Next Generation

By Pam Gleason, Photography by Gary Knoll

Cathy Cram says that there is a secret to success in the horse world and it is fairly simple: You have to do the work.

“One of the best sayings I ever heard was from a famous golfer who said, ‘The harder I practice, the luckier I get,’” she said. “If you think you’re going to skate by in the horse business by riding twice a week and just coming to the barn when you feel like it, it’s not going to happen. You have to put in the hours. When you go home, you want to be tired and dirty and feel like you’ve accomplished something. That’s what it takes. Hard work pays off.”

Cathy Cram runs a successful hunter/jumper/equitation teaching and training business at Highfields Event Center in Aiken where her husband Rick Cram bases his equally successful Progressive Show Jumping horse show company. The Cram’s two daughters, Celia (19) and Liza (18) both had illustrious junior careers, competing throughout the Southeast as well as at all the big indoor shows in the fall: the Capital Challenge, Pennsylvania National, the National Horse Show, the Washington International, the USET Finals and more. Celia, who was awarded a full scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design on the strength of her horsemanship, has recently turned professional. Liza, who will attend the University of Georgia next fall, just finished her junior career with strong performances at the indoor shows including the USET and the Maclay Finals on two different horses. Both are all-around horsewomen whose many accolades and accomplishments are the result of their dedication to horses and to the sport.

Cathy Cram was born in Connecticut and grew up in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where she learned to ride and pursued her own junior career on the hunter circuit. She is the youngest of four daughters, and the only one in her family to have been bitten by the horse bug – her oldest sister took some lessons for a time and says that she gave Cathy her first ride on the front of the saddle, but Cathy says she does not remember it. She does remember always loving horses and wanting to ride.

“I drove my parent nuts until I was about 5 and they finally relented and gave me riding lessons,” she said. “I remember that it seemed to be about 10 years before I learned how to post on the little white pony I rode. Finally, they put me on a big horse, and I had no choice but to post because she threw me out of the saddle. I’ll always remember that big black mare – her name was Vanity Fair.”

In her teen years, Cathy rode with various top professionals on the East Coast. In the early 1980s, her family purchased a cattle farm in Ocala in partnership with a friend of her father who had Standardbreds, and they turned this into a horse farm. Cathy spent time at the farm in Florida, riding with the trainers Bobby Braswell and Christina Schlusemeyer at Quiet Hill Farm in Ocala. As a junior, she said she was lucky to have had three horses to show, a large junior, a small junior and an equitation horse. Her favorite was her large junior, Magic Dragon, an off the track Thoroughbred who won the conformation class at the National Horse Show, even though he had two bowed tendons. “I made sure to park him in a shadow,” said Cathy with a laugh.

After graduating from high school, Cathy moved to Ocala full time where she trained and showed horses professionally. While showing in Michigan one summer, she met Rick Cram, whom she married in the early 1990s. Rick’s mother, Maryann Parmelee, was a well-known and highly respected teacher, trainer and clinician in the hunter-jumper world, who added immensely to Cathy’s equestrian knowledge.

“Bobby Braswell gave me a great platform,” said Cathy. “But I think I learned the most from Rick’s mother. I told her once, ‘I wish I had known you when I was a junior,’ and she said ‘I wish I had known you when you were a junior.’ We both had that thirst for horse knowledge.”

By the mid 1990s, Rick and Cathy had moved to Aiken where they had a farm outside of town. While Rick developed his horse show company, Cathy trained horses, until she was sidelined by a riding

accident, after which she began to work in the office at Progressive Show Jumping. Rick’s mother Maryann Parmelee ran her teaching and training business at Chessman Farm in Aiken which she owned along with her husband Tom. When Rick and Cathy’s children Celia and Liza were little, they took riding lessons with their grandmother, and both fell in love with horses.

But then, in 2014 Maryann passed away unexpectedly just a month after her 70th birthday. It was not long after this that Celia and Liza gained a new trainer: their mother.

“There was quite a bit of a struggle at first,” Cathy admits. “It’s hard to teach your own children; they don’t always listen to you or want to do what you say. But I remember saying to them, ‘Do you think I want you to do bad?’ And that is what got through to them, and we made it work.” Cathy did most of their coaching, but they also benefited from riding in clinics wherever they could, and from riding with Robin Greenwood early on and then with Cathy’s former trainer Bobby Braswell in Florida.

The Cram girls were so successful at the horse shows and demonstrated such professionalism and sportsmanship that Aiken area parents began to ask if Cathy could train their children too. While she resisted at first, eventually she accepted one student, and then another and another. Now there are two barns on the Highfields property with a total of 24 stalls: a personal barn and a training barn. Cathy has a small group of junior riders ranging in age from 12 to 16 who go to all the shows in the Aiken area and make excursions to show in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida. Next summer, she is planning to take them to show in Travers City, Michigan for a few weeks.

As far as a training philosophy goes, Cathy is very horse centric, and she wants to ensure that her students are horsemen and not just riders. “My program has always been about horsemanship. I want the people who ride with me to really love the horse from the top to the bottom and respect what it does for us.”

Meanwhile, Cathy has passed her work ethic down to her daughters. When they are in school, they might ride three horses a day. When they are not in school, they might ride eight or nine. While other junior riders might have a trainer or a groom get their horses ready for them at a big show, Liza and Celia generally did that themselves, sometimes finding themselves the only juniors in the warmup ring. When they are not in the show ring, they watch other riders ringside and listen to what their trainers say. They read all the horse magazines to learn as much as they can. They are also deeply involved in the Highfields training business.

“They’ve been helping me get the clients’ horses ready for the shows,” said Cathy. “That means they’re up at 5:45 and in the barn by 6:00. They’re both very talented and not just as riders. They’re both really good at explaining things, and so they are good teachers and I think that is rare.”

Over the next years, Cathy hopes to continue running her junior program, with help from Liza and Celia when they are not away at college. While she said she would love it if they wanted to come back and work in the family business in the future, she said she and Rick feel strongly that they should finish college and get away from home for a while to “experience life” first.

For Cathy, there is satisfaction in teaching and training, and in seeing another set of junior riders succeed on the show circuit through perseverance and hard work. She is gratified that other professionals recognize the efforts her juniors put in, sending them quality horses and ponies to ride and bring along in the show ring.

“It’s a team,” she said. “You watch them get ready for a show, make mistakes sometimes, work through them, and then see their goals come to fruition. All the kids trust us, and we trust them, and they’re all really appreciative of what we do. It’s very satisfying.”

Ask the Judge Questions about Dressage

With Amy McElroy

Dear Amy,

I am planning to start showing at USDF/USEF dressage shows with my newly imported young horse. I am a little anxious about competing him. I heard that if I needed to, I could ask to ride “HC.” I am not clear on what that means – you can ride your test but not be judged on it? Is this really an option? Do I just tell the judge that’s what I am doing? Please advise about the details involved with competing HC, and if you think it is a good idea.

Also, I am aware that the dressage tests will be changing and wonder if there is anything new for Training Level Test One.

New Horse, New Plans

Dear New Horse,

Congratulations on the purchase of your new dressage horse. I do understand that first horse shows and dressage tests can sometimes be intimidating. I am happy to discuss riding HC as well as other possible options, in case you do not feel ready for official competition.

HC is an abbreviation for “hors concours.” This is a French term that means “outside the competition.” In a dressage show, it means that you can ride your test and be judged on it just the same as all the other riders, but your score will not count or be officially recorded. You will not be considered for a placing, prizes or any awards for your classes. In many ways it means you are not competing. However, HC riders still need to pay full entry fees and will receive a competition number just like everyone else.

Riders may choose to ride HC, but must be approved to do so in advance. Unfortunately, it is not permitted to ask your judge if the test can be counted as HC while you are in the middle of your ride. Likewise, you can’t decide to be HC just before your test while you are riding around the apron of your arena. You can’t decide to make a ride HC after you have completed it. Surprisingly I have had competitors ask to be HC in all three of these situations.

So why would a rider want to be HC? Some competitors enter the show with every intention of competing for points and scores, but for unforeseen reasons this no longer seems like a good idea. For example, maybe the horse is overwhelmed by the show atmosphere. Riding HC is a way to give that horse experience in the arena without the risk of putting an unfortunate score on his permanent record. Another common reason to ride HC is if there is a conflict of interest that would make it against the rules for the horse or rider to be evaluated by that particular judge. For example, it would be illegal for the judge to give you an official score if she were your coach or your sister, or if she just sold you your horse two weeks ago. You cannot be evaluated by a judge who has been your horse’s owner or trainer, or your coach or manager, unless there has been a minimum of 30 days of severance prior to competition.

If you want to ride HC, the only legal and correct way to make that happen is to ask the show management (the show secretary) in advance. Your judge does not have jurisdiction to grant this permission at any point. Neither does the ring steward or the technical delegate. Something also to keep in mind: permission to ride HC can only be granted prior to the start of the class involved. If you do decide to ride HC, you will be HC for the entire show, not just the one class. So you

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.

will not be eligible for any further prizes or placings at that competition with that mount. While it is possible to ride HC at a dressage show, it is not common, and it is not encouraged. You can’t assume that you will be granted permission to do so.

I hope I have been able to answer your questions regarding riding HC. Another, more practical way to gain show experience with your new horse would be to enter local schooling shows, where you can improve confidence and start to develop a harmonious partnership together. Scores and awards that you earn at schooling shows will not go on your record, but you will have the opportunity to learn from your judge’s comments and keep your ribbons and prizes if you win them. Another bonus is that schooling shows are far less expensive than recognized shows.

If you are in any show and run into trouble, another option would be to scratch your ride prior to your test. Keep in mind this must be done through show management (the show secretary) not through the ring steward or the judge. If you start a test and you are having trouble, you could ask your judge to be excused. If you choose to do this; proceed to turn onto the centerline, halt and salute, then ask your judge if you may retire. If your horse becomes very unruly, your judge might just excuse you!

To answer your second question, yes, the new 2023 USDF dressage tests are currently out and will be in effect as of December 1, 2022. It is important to consider any changes before you trot down the center line.

The new and now current Training Level Test One is very similar to the 2019 test that was in use until December. Here are some changes:

In the Purpose of the test, there is some additional verbiage as follows: “Suppleness both laterally and longitudinally and correct geometry and lines of travel should be shown.”

The test rides the same as the previous one until you arrive at the medium walk. Previously the medium walk transition was required at the letter C. Now the transition is asked for in the corner between the letters C and H which is more inviting for the horse and encourages him to keep the forward march.

Training One is a wonderful starter test, allowing you to move about the arena with plenty of room to go forward and much time to prepare for transitions and movements.

Wishing you luck. Remember to ride forward, look up and smile.

Secret Lives of Horses

Ridgetop Raven Legendary Teacher

By Nancy Johnson, Photography by Gary Knoll

Ridgetop Raven, at 35, is still aptly named. The Connemara pony’s coat remains almost completely black. “The only white she has developed is in the center of her forehead, so it looks like she always had a star,” says her owner Laura Hall. As a longtime instructor of young riders, Laura has had many lesson ponies and horses over the 40 plus years she taught in Aiken. Among them all, Raven holds a special place in Laura’s heart and is beloved by the many people who learned to ride on the pony.

Laura purchased Raven as a barely broken 3-year-old from a breeder in Virginia. “I had another Connemara pony that was more of the traditional Irish-type,” Laura says. “Raven is more of an American, slimmed down, version, much prettier than my other one.”

Raven, who would finish out as a top-of-the-line medium pony, was originally bought for Laura’s young son, Graham. When the pony arrived at their farm, which is now the site of Stable on the Woods, the

By the time Graham outgrew her, Raven was very well broke and moved into the role of lesson pony seamlessly. “She was a great lesson pony because she was willing to go forward and jumped nicely – just an all-arounder,” Laura says.

Raven’s forte was teaching kids to jump. “I’d just say ‘Grab the mane and point towards the cross rail,’” Laura says. “They didn’t have to do anything but stay on. She was forward, but not in a scary way. It was great because the beginners didn’t have to kick, kick, kick to keep her going. It really helped the kids as they were able to work on finding their position and balance.”

Raven was also a very sweet pony. “The kids could groom her and climb under her,” Laura says. “She was very tolerant. I remember one year at camp when we painted her to look like a zebra.”

Laura laughs when she recalls one thing Raven didn’t like – lunging. “She thought lunging was boring and she made it clear it wasn’t for her. Fortunately, I had others that lunged well, so she was never forced to do it.”

Although Raven was quiet and reliable with the beginner riders, she would rise to the occasion with a more experienced rider and when fences got bigger.

first order of business was to find someone who was small enough but rode well to get the pony started. That rider was Maxime Griffith.

“I was 11 years old and had just started riding with Laura when they got her. Raven was always very game and talented,” Maxime recalls. Being adjacent to the Woods made for a perfect training ground and it wasn’t long before Raven was hunting and eventing.

“Soon Graham started riding her. He rode her the most, but she was always a barn favorite, and everybody looked for the chance to ride her,” Maxime recalls.

Although she no longer lives in Aiken, Maxime still rides and currently competes as an adult amateur. “I guess Raven was my first project. She is definitely the reason that, to this day, it’s very hard for a horse to buck me off,” she laughs. “That pony could buck so hard that her hind legs would come up over your head!”

Laura says Raven was the perfect mount for Graham. “He did everything with Raven. He evented, did dressage and hunted with Aiken Hounds,” she says, adding, “She especially loved the children’s drag hunt because she got to be out in front.” In the mid-1990s, Graham rode Raven to the Children’s Championship at the Aiken Horse Show.

A childhood friend, Bennett Tucker, recalls great times riding with Graham and Raven. “Monday was our lesson day, but the rest of the time, we just rode in the Woods,” he says. “Raven was such a solid, forward moving pony and although I did get to ride her a few times, Graham usually hogged her,” he laughs.

“I took Raven to Pine Top with a young rider,” remembers Laura. “In reviewing the cross -country course, I told him to pay extra attention to the fourth fence, even though it appeared to be one of the easiest fences. I emphasized that the course went from an open field into a shadow to jump that little fence. The kid came around and just as predicted, I could see Raven slowing down and about to stop. At the last second, he kicked her, and she flew over the fence. I could see the annoyed look on the pony’s face. It was like she was saying, ‘Okay, okay, all you had to do was ask!’”

When Laura retired recently, so did Raven. Today, Raven is enjoying life at Sandy Hills Farm on Aiken’s southside where she hangs out with her longtime best friend, Laura’s horse Bachelor. Although she no longer has the full time job of a lesson pony, Raven is still part-time teaching the second generation – Graham’s children. “The kids love riding her around the farm and you can look at her and see that she likes it as well,” Laura explains.

Laura limits what her grandchildren do with Raven only because the pony has developed cataracts, which impair her vision. While her overall health is excellent, the pony has lost all her teeth. “I soak her grain and feed her three times a day because she can’t eat hay,” Laura says.

On a recent trip to see Laura, Maxime visited Raven as well. “She still looks great; you’d never guess she was 35,” she says. “I think it’s hysterical that she wears a blanket now because for so long, she just refused to wear one. It would be 20 degrees out and we’d find her happy in the field with her blanket laying in a heap next to her.”

Laura describes Raven as, “An all-around great pony. She was always so good with the kids and I’m so happy she’s still with us to enjoy a nice retirement.”

Split Rock Jumping Tour

Photography by Pam Gleason & Gary Knoll

Aiken Area Trainer Directory

2022-2023

Are you looking for some help with your horse? Do you need some lessons to get back into the saddle or to be competitive in your chosen sport? Maybe you are thinking of trying something new. Fortunately, Aiken has a plethora of talented professionals to help you out. Consult these pages to find professional help in a variety of disciplines.

DRESSAGE & EVENTING

Amy McElroy: USEF ‘S’ Judge and USDF Gold Medalist. Private dressage lessons designed to advance you and your horse through the levels of dressage. Specializing in adult amateurs, lesson packages, coaching at shows, off-site lessons, and dressage clinics available. Accepting horses of all levels, Training through Grand Prix. Full, partial or customized training packages. Amymcelroy.com. 803-640-4207

Dara Knot, Babette Lenna Babette is an ICP Level 2 Certified Eventing Instructor available for training in all aspects of the sport and in helping riders develop a wellrounded, goal-focused training program. Babette has a “horse first” approach to training, recognizing that the wellbeing and care of the horse is essential for success in any discipline. Babetteeventing.com; 207-837-0842; babetteeventing@gmail.com

Janice Holmes: Dressage strategy clinics and coaching.  USEF small “r” eventing judge. Level 3 ICP USEA instructor; 45 years riding experience; 40 years coaching experience.  Adult amateurs and young riders a specialty. Western dressage. (513)368-5578 jaholmestead@aol.com

Jodi Hemry. Five-Star Eventing rider offering professional training, sales, boarding, instruction, horse shows, located in the heart of Aiken. 803-6406691. JodiHemryEventing@gmail.com JodiHemryEventing.com

Morgan Batton Eventing: Morgan Batton is a 3* event rider, USDF Bronze medalist, and young horse trainer based year-round in Aiken, SC. She is well known for starting young horses under saddle and producing event and dressage horses through the levels. Morgan teaches adults and teens alike from her home base of The Vista Schooling & Event Center. Morganbattoneventing. com. (803) 646-0169

Radway Eventing. Training, boarding, sales, camps and riding lessons for beginner to advanced students on one of our horses or your own mount. Numerous young rider camps throughout the year. Monthly Schooling Show. United States Pony Club Center, accepting new members. Kim Davies: 803-220-5619; Jennifer Fox: 239-464-0534. RadwayEventing.com; radwayeventing@ yahoo.com

Tom Murray Dresage: Tom Murray and his horse, Balanchine, finished the 2022 show season 9th in the USDF open Grand Prix for KWPN horses. He is a bronze, silver and gold medal rider competing in Grand Prix dressage for the last 10 years. He teaches at Viola Farm in Aiken, where he and his partner breed and raise Dutch and Hanoverian horses. Tom Murray (626) 644-3008; Tommurraydressage@gmail.com

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

Haffey Dressage: Offering dressage lessons, training and clinics in Aiken and beyond. Young horse training, problem solving and sales a specialty. lanecovedressage@ gmail.com Text: 607-743-1309. LaneCoveDressage.com

GENERAL LESSONS

New Era Farm: Covered Riding Arena Rental by hour or day at New Era Farm, 1720 Wire Road, Aiken, SC 29805. Lessons also available for riders of all ages: we have the best school horses.   Karen E.Jones. 803-2625434 (landline, so no texts) newerafarm.com

Regan’s Riding. Offering private lessons, focusing on the balanced seat. Beginner to intermediate lessons in hunter, dressage, and western riding on gaited and non-gaited horses, ages 4 and up. Program located at Almost Done Farm, in Trenton SC. Regan C Fanning 803-474-2704 CelticAngel103@gmail.com

HUNTER/JUMPER

NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP

Daniel Geitner Stables: Daniel Geitner’s DFG Stables offers training, sales, and lessons for juniors, pony riders, and adult amateurs. Specializing in sales and imports. Located at 1224 Sizemore Road, 803-270-0574, dfgstables@aol.com. DFGStables.net.

Daybreak Farm: a small stable specializing in show hunters and adult riders. We offer full service training board, showing, and professional selection & development of quality young horses for the show ring. Contact owner-trainer, Stephanie von Bidder, for information: 803-221-7194 svonbidder@msn.com

Highfields: 70 acre equestrian paradise located within Aiken city limits. Hunters, jumpers, equitation, ponies and sales. Catherine Cram; trainer, coach judge. 803-507-3637.

Kelly Marriner Smith:Quality training and instruction-your place or mine. Hunters, jumpers, equitation, ponies. Welcoming children and adult riders. creeksidehj.com

Laura O’Connor Equestrian Ventures. Exceptional trainer and coach for juniors, amateurs and professionals. Helpful eyes on the ground. Solve jumping problems; improve stadium rounds. Expert consult on purchase, sales and lease decisions. 561-252-4992

Locequestrian@gmail.com

Locequestrianventures.com

Hunting Valley Farm, Teddi Ismond. Full-service training & horse showing. Sale horse program, USEF/USHJA “R” judge. Regular horse buying trips to Holland. 1624 Shaws Fork Road, Aiken SC huntingvalleyshowstables.com Teddiismondhvf@gmail.com 804-307-0531

Julie Robins: Aiken Horsemanship Academy clients develop fun, safe, and deeply connected equine partnerships for all disciplines including Working Equitation. Welcoming adult riders looking to improve relationships with horses, to build confidence in self/horse, and to have help starting/developing young horses. Offering online education programs complemented with in-person lessons/events tailored to horse/rider goals.803-220-1768 . Julie@julierobins.com. www.julierobins.com

Theresa King: Groundwork & Confidence Building. Natural Horsemanship. Specializing In foals yearlings and weanlings. Obstacles, long line and round pen. Theresa@ ligarafarm.com 301-466-9255 https:// youtu.be/i_-8SYAiqpM

WESTERN

Jeff Temple: Jeff Temple Show Horses specializes in Western training and quarter horses. Horses for sale, clinics and coaching. 100 Whiskey Rd, North Augusta, SC 803.292.5874 or jefftemple@hotmail.com, jefftempleshowhorses.com

Brent Thurlo Horsemanship: Boarding, training, lessons & clinics. Specializing in reining, ranch riding, colt starting and problem horses. Thurlo.Ranch@gmail.com Facebook: Brent Thurlo Horsemanship. Conway, SC 29526 843.655.2764

Pait Show Horses: Breeder and conditioner of World Champion Halter horses. Offering halter training, sales and showing nationwide. Jeffrey Pait, 27 Casa Lake Dr, Aiken. 973.862.7654; jpait@paitpromotions.com.

Todd Ready Performance Horses: 803.640.5226

Susan White Performance Horses: 803.640.5226

Todd and Susan operate out of Susan’s Wild Rose Farm in Trenton, SC. 3444 SC Hwy 19 Trenton, South Carolina

Courtesy and Cooperation

Keep the Hitchcock Woods a Horseman’s Haven

By Nancy Johnson, Photography by Pam Gleason

Ask any horse person who lives in or has visited Aiken about trail riding and you will undoubtedly hear about the Hitchcock Woods. The cornerstone of Aiken, this 2,100-acre urban forest with 70 miles of trails has long been an oasis for equestrians as well as for hikers, dog walkers and nature lovers. It is open to visitors from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year.

Thanks to the foresight of the Hitchcock Family, which in the 1930s formed the Hitchcock Foundation (now Hitchcock Woods Foundation), Hitchcock Woods was opened to the public. The foundation, which is funded almost exclusively through the generosity of

the Woods which correspond to those vertically and horizontally on the map. In the unlikely event you should need emergency response personnel, these codes are very helpful to them in determining your location.

In addition, many riders find it helpful to use either of two apps on their phones, Maplets or All Trails, to navigate the Woods. You can track your route and see the actual distances of some suggested rides.

Of course, one should always carry a cell phone when riding in the Woods, or anywhere, for that matter. In case of an emergency, call 911 and they will dispatch help. If you ride out later in the day, keep an eye on your watch or even set a timer to remind you. It’s easy to lose track of time in the beautiful Woods. But when it gets dark in the Woods, it gets really dark, really fast!

Hitchcock Woods Foundation strongly urges all equestrians to wear protective head gear. If you are planning to ride with a group of 10 or more, please notify the foundation in advance, 803-642-0528.

donors, continues to preserve, protect, and maintain “the Woods”.

Mary Katherine Philipp, MD, Foundation Director, notes, “We have an outstanding staff and Board of Trustees who are committed to maintaining the highest level of stewardship of the Woods. We want it to continue to be available for all to enjoy for generations to come.”

Although there are seven entrances to the Woods, only two areas are suitable for parking horse trailers. When parking a trailer, please do so in a manner that will allow a maximum number of other rigs to also park in a safe manner and take care not to block others in. It is expected that all visitors to the Woods will leave nothing behind, and that includes the bedding and manure from your trailer in the parking area.

The largest parking area for trailers is the entrance at 263 Rubin Cottage Lane. It is just off Dibble Road, adjacent to Stable on the Woods. A second option is parking at “the wavy wall” at the end of South Boundary Avenue, along the side of the Aiken Historical Museum property. This parking area is temporarily closed during the City of Aiken’s stormwater remediation project, but it is anticipated that the project will be completed in December, at which point the area will reopen for horse trailer parking. Parking at this location is very limited, so please park at an angle to accommodate the most vehicles and trailers. Keep in mind that there is regular vehicle traffic in this area. Use extra caution when loading and unloading horses, since a loose horse here could be disastrous.

If you haven’t ridden in the Woods before, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the map and plan your route. The map is on the website, www.hitchcockwoods.org and printed copies are available at each entrance – look for a small green box next to the kiosk.

There are alphanumeric signs posted on trees at strategic locations in

The foundation’s visitor guidelines state that horses have the right-of-way, meaning those on foot should move to the side of the trail and stand by to let horses pass. However, it is expected that riders and carriage drivers will be respectful and courteous to hikers as well as others on horseback. When other riders approach, walk your horse until you have passed one another. Dogs love to come to the Woods, but one cannot properly control a dog while on horseback. For everyone’s safety, please bring your dog on his own excursion, without your horse.

Ride only on existing trails and be sensitive to trail conditions to avoid damage to the trails. Carriage drivers are welcome, but should remain on the main, wide trails. Drivers should always yield to those on horseback.

The horse show ring is only to be used for the annual show. It is a carefully maintained grass ring, and it is critical that it be preserved for this legendary show, which was first held in 1916. “The Aiken Horse Show in the Woods is the signature event for Hitchcock Woods. It is our largest fundraiser and incredibly special as the emphasis has always been on bringing our family, friends, and community together for this unique and historic competition in the heart of the Woods. All are welcome to watch or participate,” Dr. Mary Katherine Philipp emphasizes.

Founded in 1914, the Aiken Hounds is the oldest drag hunt in the country. They hunt in Hitchcock Woods from October 15 through March 15 on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. You may want to avoid riding in the Woods at those times. Be cautious if you do ride during a hunt. You may come upon hounds and/or a group of galloping horses, which could be overwhelming to your horse. Keep in mind that trailer parking areas may be congested at those times as well.

Whether you want to canter down Cathedral Aisle and jump all the fences or prefer to just meander along Kalmia Trail and admire the beautiful blossoms in the spring, you won’t find a better, more welcoming venue than Hitchcock Woods. Remember that the Woods is funded by donations and every gift, big or small, is important to ensure this treasure remains free to all visitors.

Individualized Training Hunter-Jumper

Trainer Kelly

Smith

By Nancy Johnson, Photo by Gary Knoll

“What’s different about me is that my approach is very individualized for both horse and rider,” says Kelly MarrinerSmith, who moved her Creekside Show Stable here from Oregon in April, 2022. Although she had a large hunter/jumper operation for decades in Oregon, Kelly wanted to change her focus when she relocated to Aiken.

“Here I don’t have a big barn to manage or a huge roster of horses and riders to be taking care of. I like to talk to people about how they take care of their horses because it all plays a role when you are riding them. Some of the great things about keeping horses at home is you can tailor things like feeding and turnout to each horse’s needs.”

Kelly currently keeps her own horses at Bridlewood on Redd’s Branch Road. “I have a great relationship with the owner and my clients are welcome to ship in for lessons.” While some students do come to ride with her there, about 90 percent of the time she travels to their own farms. “When I go to farms all around Aiken to teach, clients often consult me on farm management, manure management, arena maintenance, etc. That’s been fun because not only am I helping my clients with their riding, but also I am helping them be better horsemen.”

She describes her typical client as someone who keeps their horse at home and wants to utilize their own facility. She emphasizes, “My clients are very goal-oriented and serious, but don’t want to travel all over and show 30 or 40 weeks a year.”

“The horse shows in Oregon were nice, but not the level we see here,” she continues. “The facilities here are amazing! I love Bruce’s Field, Highfields, and Stable View and they are all so close. All of them have great footing, beautiful jumps and the shows are exceptionally well run.”

Kelly’s praise of Aiken’s horse show facilities is not given lightly. She has competed and trained at top shows on both coasts. The winter before she moved to Aiken, Kelly took a position in Wellington. “It’s a fabulous place to be for the winter, but when my commitment there was over, I realized I didn’t want to stay there year-round,” she says. “I just didn’t find my people there,” she adds with a laugh.

At the end of the winter circuit in Florida, Kelly and her 15-year-old daughter, Avery, planned a weekend trip to Aiken to visit with longtime friends. “We both absolutely fell in love with it,” she says. “My daughter is a big part of the riding focus now. Putting her in a location where we can access great horse shows and venues and not be so far away from everything was a big part of choosing Aiken as well.” Avery is currently showing in the equitation division and the 3’ medal classes, with a goal of competing in the big equitation finals.

Kelly enjoys teaching both hunter and jumper clients. “Currently, I am predominantly teaching adults, but I love teaching kids and my real passion is the equitation. Equitation trickles into one’s riding whether it be jumpers or hunters, so I put a strong emphasis on it,” she explains.

In all her teaching, Kelly stresses the importance of flatwork. “When I was a teenager and even as a young professional, I would just gallop off the seat of my pants to anything,” she says with a grin. “But as I developed as a professional and rode different horses, it became more

and more clear that until a horse is educated on the flat and you have the rideability and adjustability, things can go wrong quickly, especially when the jumps get bigger.”

She adds, “When I am on a horse that is very well-schooled on the flat, it gives me the feeling that I can do anything up there – lengthen, turn, shorten. This gives me a lot of confidence and I’ve found it gives my students a lot of confidence as well.”

“At this stage of my career I have a very holistic approach to training horses,” Kelly says. “I’m not a big fan of heavy medications or calming supplements, that’s not my style.” Hers is a training program in which “we teach the horse to go a certain way and show them how to instead of just tying them down or lunging them.” Kelly believes there is a time and a place for lunging, but she strives for an educated horse, which comes through a partnership between the horse and rider.

“If something stressful or scary comes up at a horse show, like it gets cold and windy or a kid drops a toy into the ring, things won’t fall apart.”

Kelly feels her niche is that her program is small and individualized. She teaches most of her clients once or twice a week and gives them homework in between. “That way I am not holding their hand and they become a bit more independent and involved in the process.”

In addition to teaching, Kelly likes to find horses for people. She is open to horse shopping anywhere but prefers to find them in the States. She reasons, “I like to do the homework, research horses’ records, and learn about how they have been handled and cared for. This can be a bit of a mystery when you buy overseas.”

She adds that horse shopping in Europe has changed in recent years. “There was a time when I had clients horse shopping, that I would just jump on a plane and go to Europe, but travel isn’t as simple or affordable as it was and the days of going there and picking up a nice, inexpensive green hunter are gone; people now know what they have.” For a client who is willing to go with a young horse, Kelly feels there are some excellent programs producing young horses, especially in this area. Another aspect of Kelly’s training background is her understanding and ability to use groundwork in educating horses. It started with an off-the-track Thoroughbred that she planned to take to the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover. “Once you were on him, you were good to go,” she recalls. “He was amazing to ride, but I was absolutely shut down by handling him on the ground. You had to trick him to get on and putting a bridle on him was a challenge like I’d never experienced before.” She turned to the renowned natural horsemanship trainer Buck Brannaman who got her on the path of understanding how horses learn and. even won top ribbons with the horse at the makeover. “I’m grateful to have that knowledge. I wouldn’t say I’m an expert on groundwork, but I understand enough to be effective.” She cites trailer loading and mounting block issues as two situations where groundwork has been especially helpful.

For more information on Kelly’s background and services, see creeksidehj. com. You can call or text her at 503-913-0887.

Making History

Hope Arellano at the FIP Polo World Cup

By Sarah Eakin, Photography by David Lominska

Hope Arellano made history at the FIP World Polo Championship this fall when she rode out in the colors of the USA. Hope, 19, and an Aiken resident, became the first female player to take the field in this global tournament. Eight 14-goal teams were in contention for the Federation of International Polo title. Team USA was the eventual runner up after an 11-10 overtime loss to Spain in the finals at the National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida.

Hope joined her brother Agustin Arellano and the siblings Lucas and Nico Escobar for the USA’s semifinals game against Argentina. Coached by her father Julio Arellano, the US team got off to a flying start, helped by attacking play from Hope, who set up the first goal. She went on to add two goals of her own in the fourth chukker, so that USA entered the final chukker of regular play on equal terms with Argentina. The Argentine team was a powerhouse: not only were they the reigning champions, they were the only team to arrive unbeaten to the final four. Spain’s coach, Benjamin Araya, described them as being ‘two steps ahead of everyone’ after all the teams showcased their talent on day one of the championship.

“I didn’t expect to play at all,” said Hope, who replaced the back, Jake Klentner who played in earlier games. With Hope on the roster, they reconfigured the team to put her up front, her brother Agustin at 2 and Lucas and Nico Escobar at 3 and 4 respectively. “So I think I was a little shocked, but I was really excited for the opportunity. They [Argentina] are an incredible team; they haven’t lost a game, and played an incredible game every single time. All of them played above their handicap. Going into it we knew it was going to be a super tough game. We knew we had to play our best game. Go man to man.”

The home team arrived at the semis after an opening win against Australia, with Agustin Arellano, the Escobar brothers and Jake Klentner wearing the USA jerseys.

“Australia was a good way to start because it’s a team that plays very well, very organized, very simple, but well,” said the U.S. coach Julio Arellano. “So I told my boys, look if you play bad you’re going to lose. If you play well we have a chance to win and everything that could come together for us, came together for us.”

USA led 3-0 after the first chukker against Australia and sealed the 9-4 win with three goals in the final period of the four chukker game.

“That was huge,” Agustin said. “We knew what we wanted to do. Let’s keep it simple. My dad was like, ‘Don’t let them score more than one goal a chukker.’ And if you look at the scoreboard, they scored four goals, so we did exactly what he said.”

USA’s second game, against Italy, was less successful: a 6-4 defeat left the team needing to win the next match against Uruguay to make it to the semis. The Uruguayan team featured Santiago Sterling, whose 10-goal brother Pelon (David) is famous for playing on Argentina’s La Dolfina team. The game was tough, and ended with a tie on the scoreboard, but a half goal on handicap tipped the score in favor of the USA, 7 ½ - 7.

“We got kind of swamped against Italy. We didn’t move the ball enough,” said coach Julio. “Today [against Uruguay] we were able to open up the game and stretch the field out.”

Argentina came to the semis as favorites, with a reputation as a welloiled machine. But Alejandro Agote, Argentina’s coach, was far from complacent. “We’re playing the semifinals against the USA. It’s going to be very tough,” he predicted two days before. “The United States is the home team – they have something extra.”

That ‘something extra’ turned out to be belief. “I think they [USA] did something very good today,” observed Spain’s Nicolas Alvarez from the sidelines. “They started out believing that they could win playing against Argentina – they went on the field saying ‘we’re going to do it’ and they did in the extra chukker – congratulations to the US team.”

Hope’s role was critical, taking on one of the biggest hitters in the game, Tommy Moreno, who played 4 for Argentina.

“My job was to play the number one position and to play it true from the throw-ins –to get out and be a number one – obviously going against Tommy He’s an incredible player so I knew it was going to be really tough and nearly impossible,” said Hope.

Added to the challenge was the fact that Hope had never sat on any of her string prior to the first throw-in. The 176 horses for the World Cup were supplied by a single entity, J5 Equestrian. Aiken’s Adam Snow, who served as horsemaster, spearheaded the pre-tournament assessment that aimed to divide those horses into 8 equally-balanced strings. Lots were drawn and each team was assigned 22 horses. But strict rules allowed for just one pre-championship practice and no access to the horses on down days. The players were even prevented from stick-and-balling between games. Since Hope’s call-up was last minute, she had not practiced or played any of the horses in the US pool.

“I’d never been on any of the horses before. Everybody helped me out a lot with how the horses are. Jake [Klentner] got them to the semifinals so I was hoping to play well for him and for the team.”

With the win over Argentina under their belt, the USA had one last

opponent to defeat in the finals – Spain, one of two European teams in the tournament. After three chukkers of the five-chukker finals match, the US was ahead by a goal. Both sides had raucous support on the sidelines, making the atmosphere more akin to a World Cup soccer match than a polo finals. With teams equally matched, the game went to overtime. Pelayo Berazadi, Spain’s team captain, scored the winning goal with a lengthy penalty shot.

“They were a very, very difficult team and they are here because they [USA] deserve it,” said Berazadi as a sea of red and yellow flags surged at the trophy podium. “The USA played amazing and we turned it around and it’s incredible. A dream come true. I can’t believe it. I am Spanish. I live in Sotogrande and it’s amazing. First time we get to the final. First time we win it – I think it’s the first time a European team has won the World Cup, so it’s history.”

For Hope, there were no regrets. “We had a good game,” she said. “And today played absolutely amazing. They deserved to win. We had our opportunities. I think that they played an incredible game, they are a great team, four incredible players. We fought hard.”

Above: Team USA on the podium. Right: Hope Arellano on a breakaway.(David Lominska)

PAWS Building at ACAS Animal Shelter’s New Building

By Pam Gleason

The Aiken County Animal Shelter will soon have a new building devoted to adoption, humane education and dog socialization. The new PAWS building (“Primary learning, Adoption Wellness and Socialization”) is under construction now and is expected to be completed sometime in January. The project was initiated by Friends of the Animal Shelter Aiken (FOTAS) which raised the majority of the funds for the building. In addition to rooms for meet and greets, education, dog training and indoor activities, the PAWS building will also house a cat colony room with an attached outdoor “catio.”

“This building is something that we have wanted since day one, but when the shelter was built, we did not have the money to do it,” said Jennifer Miller, who is the founder and president of FOTAS. FOTAS

a quiet and private place for prospective adopters to meet an animal that they are interested in.

“Say Mrs. Jones sees a dog she wants to adopt,” said Jennifer. “If we take that dog out to the play yard, the dog is going to be excited, it’s going to be running around, sniffing the grass, and Mrs. Jones is going to think ‘that dog doesn’t like me,’ and the adoption isn’t going to happen.” The new building will have two comfortable rooms with furnishings provided by Folly, a shop in downtown Aiken, where adopters can get to know dogs in a home-like setting without noise and distractions.

The main part of the PAWS building will consist of a large open room that can be used for dog socialization and training sessions which are an important enrichment activity for shelter animals, as well as a way to make them more adoptable.

“The more skill sets the dogs have, the easier they are to find homes for,” said Jennifer, noting that everything they do is geared toward reducing an animal’s length of stay at the shelter. The big room will also be used for indoor play groups during inclement weather, and it has been designed to facilitate meet and greets between a prospective adopter’s resident dog and a shelter dog to make sure that the animals get along before an adoption takes place.

Perhaps most important, the new building will provide a convenient place for humane education and for the Junior FOTAS program, which has grown immensely in the past few years. “We are doing something with the schools every week,” said Jennifer. “We teach them about heartworm prevention, spay neuter, humane care. We have the Dog Ears Reading program, where the kids read to the dogs in their kennels. But until now, we haven’t had a place to run other programs in the shelter. So this new building will be a learning center.

works together with the Aiken County Animal Shelter in a public/ private partnership that has gained national recognition as a model for how open admission shelters in high intake areas can save lives and improve animal welfare. FOTAS was founded in 2009 and its efforts have been multi-pronged. They have included fundraising to construct a new shelter, supplementing local adoptions and organizing and implementing a transport program to allow Aiken County animals to be adopted in other parts of the country. They also promote and fund spay and neuter, heartworm treatment and much more. FOTAS’s efforts have been successful, taking the shelter’s euthanasia rate of over 90% in 2008 to a save rate of over 90% today. In fact, at the end of its first ten years, FOTAS accomplished its original mission: never again having to euthanize an adoptable cat or dog for space.

These days, FOTAS has expanded its mission: the goal now is to make the shelter a resource, rather than a destination. The idea is that the shelter will be able to provide the tools necessary to ensure that animals that have homes can stay in them; that those that need new homes can find them; and that affordable and accessible spay and neuter services will bring a halt to the longstanding pet overpopulation problem in the county and beyond.

According to Jennifer Miller, the new building will be a valuable asset to accomplish that mission. One major thing that it will do is to provide

“At the shelter, it can seem like taking a broom and sweeping back the ocean,” continued Jennifer. “We had over 4,700 animals come in here last year. That’s down from about 6,000 years ago, but it’s still too much. And we ask, how do we prevent animals from having to come in here? So we have spay and neuter and TNR [trap-neuter-return] for cats. We help low income people keep their pets with a monthly community pet food drive. We work with animal control to get animals in the county off chains. And when we talk about the shelter becoming a resource and not a destination, that’s out future. And the way we are going to get there is with the kids, so the junior programs are really important.”

Seed money for the new PAWS building came from two major legacy gifts, with additional donations from members of the community and a commitment from the county. Most of the money that FOTAS raises goes towards its programs – transfer, heartworm treatment and prevention, spay and neuter and so on. Donations are always appreciated. The other major need for FOTAS is always more volunteers and fosters.

“We are so appreciative of our volunteers. We couldn’t do any of this without them,” said Jennifer. “We are just so lucky to have them. But we could always use more volunteers and fosters. If you take a dog in foster I always say you are saving two lives: the one you are fostering and another one at the shelter who gets to move onto the adoption floor. If you want to come to walk a shelter dog, there are no barriers – you have an orientation and then you can come whenever you like. Animals live in the present. If you can make one dog’s present happy for 15 minutes, that’s a good thing.”

For more information on FOTAS or to volunteer, foster or adopt, visit fotasaiken.org.

New PAWS building nears completion

Yale Polo In Aiken Players Make Connections

By Pam Gleason

This October, six members of the Yale Intercollegiate Polo Team and their coach came to Aiken to learn more about polo and to renew connections between Yale and the Aiken polo community. This was the fourth Aiken excursion for a Yale college team, a pilgrimage that was started as an annual tradition, but was suspended for the past two years because of COVID-19.

Liz Brayboy, who is the president of the board of Yale Polo and Equestrian Center as well as the chair of the United States Polo Association Intercollegiate/Interscholastic committee, organized the trip, as she has in previous years.

“This was a chance for Yale students to learn about the history of Yale Polo and Aiken,” she said. “We have a lot of friends and alums in the area, so the trip was a combination of thanks for support, and a way for us to make connections in the polo world.”

The team arrived on Wednesday and were put up by Hillery Head and her fiance in their home, Sandhurst, in the historic district. Hillery is an Aiken resident and Yale alumna whose daughter Beverly Perkins is a freshman at Yale and is currently learning to play. Activities started with a welcome reception at the home of Pat Corey, whose late husband Alan played polo at Yale and went on to become a longtime Aiken player and member of the board of directors of Aiken Polo Club.

Over the next few days, the Yale players had the chance to stick and ball on Winthrop Field courtesy of Tiger Kneece, who is the Aiken Polo Club manager. They visited Adam and Shelley Snow’s New Haven Farm, where they learned about veterinary care for polo ponies from Shelley, an equine veterinarian. Shelley and Adam (a former 10-goal polo player and member of the U.S. Polo Hall of Fame) met when both were undergraduates at Yale: their farm name is a tribute to that connection, since Yale is in New Haven, Connecticut.

The students had breakfast at the Track Kitchen; toured several homes and had a carriage ride in the historic district. They took a trail ride in the Hitchcock Woods, watched a polo match on Powderhouse Field and saw the Grand Prix showjumping at Bruce’s Field. They visited the Aiken County Historical Museum, where they learned about the large number of Aiken polo players with Yale connections. They also had a chance to meet players on the University of South Carolina Aiken polo team and other members of the polo community at an asado hosted by Luis and Julie Rinaldini.

“This trip was different from trips we have taken in the past because it was much more engaged with the alumni who are in Aiken,” said Liz Brayboy. “When we started making these trips, my idea was for the students to make connections and get introduced to the greater world of polo. Most of them had never seen an outdoor game before and had no concept of the broader polo world. Now they have a much better understanding.”

Yale Polo, founded in 1903, is one of the oldest and historically most successful intercollegiate teams in the country. Yale men’s teams won the United States Intercollegiate Championships 18 times between

Reception at the home of Pat Corey: Marco Marsans, Howard Shi, Sarah Katsandres, Pat Corey, Avery DiMaria, Bev Perkins, Cal Swanson

Yale Polo on Winthrop Field: Howard Shi, Marco Marsans, Avery DiMaria, Sarah Katsandres and Cal Swanson with Aiken Polo manager and USC Aiken Polo coach Tiger Kneece

1922 (when the intercollegiates were established) and 1971 when the team ended a 5-year winning streak. Women’s teams won the first two Women’s Intercollegiate Championships in 1976 and 1977. By the mid to late 1970s however, Yale Polo (which was a club sport and was not greatly supported by the university) suffered from a lack of funding and even went without a coach for a few years. As other colleges and universities stepped up their own intercollegiate programs, Yale teams stopped being quite as competitive on a national level, although the men’s team did win the championship one more time, in 1986. However, graduates of the Yale program continued to be supporters of polo and ambassadors of the sport, even if the intercollegiate teams were not the powerhouses that they were in earlier years.

Yale originally had its own dedicated polo fields as well as the Armory, an indoor arena and a stable where they could keep their donated horses and play during the fall and winter seasons. Over the years, however, the fields were mostly pressed into use for other sports, and the Armory, constructed in 1916, fell into disrepair. In 2009, the university announced its intention to shutter the building.

In order to save polo at the university, Yale Polo and Equestrian Center (YPEC), was formed as an independent 501c3 charity, which made it possible to raise funds to care for the horses and run the program. In the beginning, Yale Polo was relocated to a rented facility off campus. Eventually, YPEC was able to purchase its own stables and arena. Currently, in addition to the intercollegiate program, Yale also has interscholastic teams and a middle school program as well as lessons and club polo.

Aiken’s connection to Yale Polo is deep, and in fact, Aiken may have been responsible for at least some of the historic success of Yale’s teams. Over the years, Aiken has often had a reputation as a place for young people to learn to play. This is true now, with a highly successful junior polo program run by Tiger Kneece. It was true in the 1920s and 1930s when Aiken Prep School had an active polo program that graduated many high goal players, some of whom went on to attend and play for Yale. These players included Jimmy Mills and Cocie Rathborne who helped Yale win the intercollegiates in 1931 and 1932, Alan Corey Jr. who won in 1938, and Alan Corey III who was on the winning team in 1964 and 1965.

Other high goal Aiken players with Yale connections number three pre-World War II 10-goalers, Louis Stoddard, Stewart Iglehart and Harry Payne Whitney, as well as a more recent 10-goaler, Adam Snow. Yale players with homes in Aiken have included Seymour Knox and his son Northrup Knox, Winston Guest and Averill Harriman, as well at Bill Matheson, a former 5-goal player who later devoted himself to bicycle polo, becoming a world champion in that sport. To learn more about Yale Polo visit yalepolo.org

Alan Corey III (Yale 1965) grew up playing polo in Aiken and on Long Island. Alan served on the board of Aiken Polo Club for many years and spearheaded the construction of the viewing pavilion that bears his name.

Seymour Knox II (Yale 1920) learned to play polo in Aiken shortly after graduation, became an important figure in American polo during the Great Depression and was a regular player on Aiken fields along with his sons Northrup and Seymour.

Before stick and ball at the historic Clark Stable in the horse district

Classifieds

Eventing/ jumper pony! 13 years old; 13 hands Welsh Cob mare. Super sweet personality. Great for intermediate kid. Loves cross-country. A dream to handle. Info & video on OnToppStables FB page. 970-270-9752

2016 MODEL OTTB

Mcdreamy would be the perfect event horse. He has a puppy dog personality & loves to be pampered. $11,500. Find his video at www.lanecovedressage.com 607-743-1309

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.

Two extra large 12x24 stalls with daily turnout available, self care. Chime Ridge Stables 803-5083760

Stalls and paddocks available for winter rental. Four stalls, two paddocks on horse farm in 302 area available for winter rental. Call of text 803-295-8687.

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.

Fox Services. Land Maintenance: Mulching, Grading, Excavation Bush hogging, Clearing, Driveway repair, Erosion control, Gravel placement, Storm cleanup. 706.990.0231

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

BM Maintenance and More LLC. Allow us to do that honey do list. BBB accredited. Free estimates within Aiken County. (864) 275-7180 billymathis@ billymathis-maintenance.com or bmmaint21@gmail.com; 17166 Atomic Rd, Aiken SC 29803(803) 257-1202

Patterson’s Lawn Care services the Aiken area with irrigation, french drains, and routine lawn maintenance. If we start a job we finish it. Text or call for service: 803.840.7765.

RSR Pressure Washing: Residential & Commercial. Homes, buildings, driveways, patios, RVs, campers and more. Raleigh S Reardon. 803-618-2452.

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 803-645-8960.

HELP WANTED

Active Equestrian Farm Looking for full time working Western Equitation or Hunter/Jumper or Eventer rider/Farm manager with or without horse(s) married or single, housing for both. Health plan plus salary & internet. In Aiken SC. Potential Sponsorship opportunity. Send resume to theaikenhorse@gmail.com. Please put “Farm Position” in the subject line.

PETS

Trinity Farms Terriers: Irish Russell Terriers. Old World, Healthy 100 year old. Bloodlines

Corgi Puppies

Aiken breeder has 7 beautiful, Pembroke Welsh Corgis for sale. Both parents are on the farm with awesome temperaments, both are DM clear. UPT on shots and wormings. Call or email mmdickhart@ hotmail.com 803-640-0398

Flashy Friesian Morgan for sale

Great with kids and perfect for a smaller AA. Great temperament, intelligent, focused with a great work ethic. Videos at www. lanecovedressage.com. $15,000. Price increases with training. 607-743-1309

w/ proven calmer dispositions. Health & Dispositions guaranteed. Preservation breeders for 48 years. Donna Fitzpatrick 803-648-3137. easyjacks.com, trinityfarmskennel.com

RENTALS/HOME SHARES

Aiken Luxury Rentals. Fully furnished cottages; walk to downtown. Perfect for temporary assignments, or housing while you build. Work-from-home ready; high speed internet. Antique finishes & modern convenience. info@aikenluxuryrentals.com. aikenluxuryrentals.com. 803-6482804.

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 - 707-9759761. UrbanandRuralRoost.com

TACK

REPAIR

Tack and harness cleaning and conditioning. Will come to your farm. Reasonable rates, $15 per hour. Call Bernadette: 910-639-3115.

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

BM Maintenance and More LLC. Allow us to do that honey do list. BBB accredited. Free estimates within Aiken County. (864) 2757180 billymathis@billymathis-maintenance.com or bmmaint21@ gmail.com; 17166 Atomic Rd, Aiken SC 29803(803) 257-1202

G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 54 years. Specializing in hauling, grading, clearing, property maintenance, and excavation. We provide everything from several types of fill dirt, top soil, compost, mortar sands, crushed asphalt/concrete, to screenings and a variety of rocks. Roll-off containers and manure removal available. (803) 663-3715. Certified DBE. WOSB. www. glwdtrucking.com

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

FARRIER

Sisk Farrier Service. Prompt, professional, and reliable trimming and shoeing services. Traditionally based shoeing practices to ensure soundness. siskfarrierservice@gmail.com. 706-817-1978,

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!

GROOMING & PERSONAL PRODUCTS

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

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

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 803.6404207.

Aiken Horsemanship Academy. Your naturally inspired adult learning resource! Offering Clinics, Courses, Starting young horses, Evaluations, and Lessons. JulieRobins.com 803-220-1768.

Jodi Hemry Eventing. Three-Star Eventer offering professional training, sales, boarding, instruction, horse shows, located in the heart of Aiken. 803-640-6691 JodiHemryEventing@gmail.com JodiHemryEventing.com

HORSE SHOWS

VirtualHorseSport.com. Online Horse Shows & Coaching. Prizes; Privacy! All licensed judges. Try it today!

LAWN CARE/LANDSCAPING

Patterson’s Lawn Care services the Aiken area with irrigation, french drains, and routine lawn maintenance. If we start a job we finish it. Text or call for service: 803.840.7765.

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.

TRAILERS

C&D Mobile Trailer Repair: We repair all trailers and campers. Wiring, lighting, wheel bearings packed, axel work, trailer brakes. Portable welder available to fix repairs on-site. Text: 712.621.6252.

Windsor Trace CDE

Photography by Gary Knoll

Aiken Area Calendar of Events

December 2022

1-4 South Carolina Hunter Jumper Association Finals. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

1-18 Aiken December Classics I, II, & III. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark.org, aikenhorsepark.org

2-3 Schooling Show D & CT at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com

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

3-4 Sedgefield at the Park Winter Classic. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@ carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

3-4 Brickstore Stables & Seven Springs Classic IEA Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

4 Whiskey Road Hunt. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

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

9-10 WE Schooling and Schooling Show. The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263 vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com

10 NBHA Barrel Racing. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021. frcshows@ gmail.com, fence.org

10 Five Star Hunters Holiday Classic IEA Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

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

10 Wateree Christmas Party. Wateree Hounds. Camden. watereehounds@gmail.com. watereehounds.com 803.669.1590.

10 Joint Meet with Whiskey Rd. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

10 Christmas Drive. Aiken Driving Club. The Vista, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org

10-11 USEF/USDF “Winter Wonderland” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@ stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

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

10-11 IEA Show. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938,scequinepark.com

10-11 R SNC Ranch Sorting Championships, BSC Arena Waynesboro GA Johnny Lovett 706-551-2190 or Cliff Chancey 706-840-3971

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

11 R adway Eventing Pony Club Show & Year End Awards.. 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. radwayeventing.com

12-14 L ilo Fore Clinic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com

16 Eventing Academy XC Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

17 Eventing Academy Schooling Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

17 Children’s Drag and Christmas Hunt at Green Boundary Club. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@gmail.com, theaikenhounds.com

17 Junior Hunt. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@ gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

18 Eventing Academy Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

18 Christmas Party. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

21 Junior Hunt at Macburn. Wateree Hounds. Camden. watereehounds@gmail.com. watereehounds.com 803.669.1590.

26 Whiskey Road Hunt. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com,stableviewfarm.com

26 Boxing Day Hunt at Fox Nation. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@gmail.com, theaikenhounds.com

28 Junior Hunt. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@ gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

January 2023

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

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

5 Apple Tree Farm South, Schooling CT/Dressage, 1530 Oak Ridge Club Rd Windsor, SC Allison apltrefarm@aol.com (603)345-0382 appletreefarm.org

6-8 Aiken Winter Classic. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

7 Children’s Drag at Stable on the Woods. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@gmail.com, theaikenhounds.com

7 Joint Meet. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@ gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

8 Driving Derby. Aiken Driving Club. Jumping Branch Farm, 179 Fox Pond Rd, Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@ gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org

8 Pinehurst Schooling Series. Pinehurst Harness Track. Pinehurst, NC. Carolinadressage.com

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

10 Tuesdays at the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

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

11-14 Midseason Bye Week. Wateree Hounds. Camden. watereehounds@gmail.com. watereehounds.com 803.669.1590.

12 Apple Tree Farm South, Schooling CT/Dressage, 1530 Oak Ridge Club Rd Windsor, SC Allison apltrefarm@aol.com (603)345-0382 appletreefarm.org

13-15 Aiken Winter Classic. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

14 Winter Combined Test. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

14 Pipe Opener 1 CT. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

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

17 CT, Dress, SJ, Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood (410) 726 8926 cindy@firefoxfarm. com SportingDaysFarm.com

17 Tuesdays at the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

18 Continuous Drive - Windsor Trace CDE. Aiken Driving Club. 1060 Curb Chain Lane, Windsor. Peggy Dils, 803295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org

19 Apple Tree Farm South, Schooling CT/Dressage, 1530 Oak Ridge Club Rd Windsor, SC Allison apltrefarm@aol.com (603)345-0382 appletreefarm.org

19 Welcome Party and Banquet. The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263 vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com

19-21 Hound Performance Trials. Belle Meade Hunt. Thomson, GA. ke4nnr@classicsouth.net, bellemeadehunt.org

19-22 Winter Premier. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

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

21-22 USEF/USEA Aiken Opener Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com

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

22 Pinehurst Schooling Series. Pinehurst Harness Track. Pinehurst, NC. Carolinadressage.com

23 Driving Derby. Aiken Driving Club. The Vista, 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com; americandrivingsociety.org

24 Tuesdays at the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

26-27 Dara-Apple, Schooling CT/Dressage, 1530 Oak Ridge Club Rd Windsor, SC Allison apltrefarm@aol.com (603)345-0382 appletreefarm.org

27-29 Progressive Show January 1. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

28 Joint Meet with Belle Meade. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

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

28-29 Dressage in the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

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

29 KSU and Ole Miss ISHA Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

31 Tuesdays at the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

February 2023

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

2 Apple Tree Farm South, Schooling CT/Dressage, 1530 Oak Ridge Club Rd Windsor, SC Allisonapltrefarm@aol.com (603)345-0382 appletreefarm.org

2-5 Winter Encore. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

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

4-5 USEA/USEF Horse Trials, Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood (410) 726 8926 cindy@firefoxfarm.com SportingDaysFarm.com

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

5 Pinehurst Schooling Series. Pinehurst Harness Track. Pinehurst, NC. Carolinadressage.com

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

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

7 Tuesdays at the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

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

8 Cones Bonanza - Windsor Trace CDE. Aiken Driving Club. 1060 Curb Chain lane, Windsor. Peggy Dils, 803295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org.

9-10 Apple Days Three Phase. Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood (410) 726 8926 cindy@ firefoxfarm.com SportingDaysFarm.com

9-12 South Carolina Quarter Horse Association. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

10-12 Pine Top Intermediate Horse Trials 1432 Augusta Hwy, Thomson, GA 30824 pinetopeventing@gmail.com

10-12 Cupid Classic. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

11 Children’s Drag at Stable on the Woods. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@gmail.com, theaikenhounds.com

11 IEA Zone 4 Regional 3 Finals. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

11-12 USEF/USDF I Love Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

12 Regional 11 IEA Finals. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

12-18 Hunt Week: Gone Away with the Wind. Belle Meade Hunt. 4018 Writsboro rd, Thomson, GA. ke4nnr@classicsouth.net, bellemeadehunt.org

13 Driving Derby. Aiken Driving Club. Highfields Farm, 118 Gaston St, NEl, Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@ gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org

14 CT, Dres. & Show Jumping. Sporting Days Farm, 3549 Charleston Hwy. Aiken, SC Cindy Wood (410) 726 8926 cindy@firefoxfarm.com SportingDaysFarm.com

14 Tuesdays at the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

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

16 Young Event Horse Qualifier. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

17 Eventing Academy XC Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

17-19 Carolina Classic. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

18 Eventing Academy Schooling Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

18 Schooling Show. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com

18 Aiken Hounds Hunt Ball. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@gmail.com, theaikenhounds.com

18 Pipe Opener II CT. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com

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

18 Hunt Ball. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@ gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

18-19 Dressage at Bruce’s Field. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

18-20 Extreme Trail Course Clinic. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com

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

19 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com

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

21 Tuesdays at the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

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

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

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

24-26 Pine Top Advanced Horse Trials 1432 Augusta Hwy, Thomson, GA 30824 pinetopeventing@gmail.com

24-26 PSJ February. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

25 Junior Hunt. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@ gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

26 Pinehurst Schooling Series. Pinehurst Harness Track. Pinehurst, NC. Carolinadressage.com

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

28 Tuesdays at the Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. kate@aikenhorsepark. org, aikenhorsepark.org

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Advertise in the February-March issue! Deadline January 20, 2023

Featuring Stallions and Breeding

Advertiser Page Section

Adams Horse and Pet Supplies 38 2

Aiken County Farm Supply 67 3

Aiken Fine Homes and Land 5 1

Aiken Horse Park Foundation 42 2

Aiken Horsemanship Academy 59 2

Aiken Luxury Rentals 26 1

Aiken Polo Club 77 3

Aiken Saddlery, Inc. 27 1

Aiken Tack Exchange 40 2

Aiken Training Track 11 1

Almost Home 50 2

American National Insurance 20 1

Auto Tech 59 2

B & K Grading and Paving 24 1

Banixx 38 2

Barnware 26 1

Brent Thurlo Horsemanship 57 2

Bridle Creek 32 1

Carol Gillis, DVM 40 2

Carolina Company RE 92 3

CHAPS 47 2

Clint Bertalan Farms LLC 26 1

Creekside Show Stable 51 2

DFG Stables 55 2

Engineered Equine Performance 57 2

Epona 25 1

Equine Divine 19 1

Equine Expressions 18 1

Equine Rescue of Aiken 91 3

Index of Advertisers

Advertiser Page Section Advertiser Page Section

Fences by George 24 1

Fields Sawmill 24 1

FOTAS Aiken 66 3

Fox Services 43 2

G L Williams and Daughter 50 2

Gary Knoll Photography 76 3

Goodnight Ladies 13 1

Highfields 39 2

Hitchcock Woods Foundation 30 1

Horseplay 12 1

Janice Holmes 50 2

Jill Diaz Polo 80 3

Keller Williams Stinson 4 1

LEGISequine.com 56 2

Lightning Protection Systems 40 2

LOC Equestrian 50 2

Malvern Federal 20 1

Mark Lexton 19 1

Meybohm RE Haslup 3 1

Meybohm RE Vaillancourt 2 1 Moorefield Farm 43 2

New Bridge Polo Club 21 1 NibbleNet 47 2

Oak Manor Saddlery 40 2

Performance Equine Vets 46 2

Progressive Show Jumping, Inc 62 2

Retired Racehorse Project 90 3

S & K Keto Foods and Sweets 20 1

Shane Doyle 64 2

Sharer Dale Team RE 14 1

Sharer Dale Team RE 15 1

Sharer Dale Team RE 35 2

SNE Cleaning 10 1

South Carolina Equine Park 47 2

Southern Belle Classic 31 1

Southern Equine Service 70 3

Southern Ridge Excavation 25 1

SPCA Albrecht Center 34 2

Spine Doctor 43 2

Sporting Days Farm 51 2

Stable View, LLC 63 2

Sullivan Turner Team | Meybohm RE 6 1

Sullivan Turner Team | Meybohm RE 7 1

Supreme Top Form 59 2

Teddi Ismond 57 2

The Kneaded Edge 18 1

The Kneaded Edge 41 2

The Tack Room 25 1

The Vista Schooling 57 2

The Willcox/Greystone Inn 13 1

Tiffany’s at the Stables 10 1

Tryon Equine Law 20 1

Tumbleweed 19 1

Vintage Copper and More 12 1

Werm Flooring 43 2

Wyatt’s Bed & Biscuit 13 1

Place