June-July 2024

19 • Number 6

Byerley Stables on Audubon

in Aiken‘s Horse District - Across From Bruce‘s Field

Singular & Exceptional Offering in Aiken's Horse District! Byerley Stable on Audubon offers direct access to the Aiken Training Track, Bruce's Field's top notch show facility and the sand/clay roads of the Historic Horse District that lead to the trails of Hitchcock Woods and polo at Whitney Field. This 3-acre property has a main barn with 33 matted stalls, dedicated feed room, air conditioned tack room with ½ bath, new washer/dryer and heated/cooled office/lounge with ½ bath. Byerley Stable on Audubon also offers a separate 9-stall barn with a newly matted shed row aisle; 4 wash stalls; 6stall covered Eurociser (as-is), metal round/breaking pen with new sand footing and recently renovated 2 bedroom/2 bath Grooms Quarters sold with furniture/furnishings. Many improvements include a New Roof on the 33-stall stable and Grooms Quarters (April 2024), plumbing & electrical upgrades, new grill patio, landscaping, fencing & more! Property has rental income history and further potential from Grooms Quarters' rental and stall rentals during the season and Horse Shows at Bruce's Field. Come see Byerley Stable on Audubon in person and the flexibility and versatility for enjoyment with your horses with a property that can work for you!

3+ Acres | 33 Stall Main Barn | 9 Stall Barn | 2 Br/Bath Renovated Cottage 4 Wash Stalls | Round Pen | 6 Stall Covered Eurociser (As Is)|Feed & Tack Rooms + Lounge Offered for $2,280,000

Discover Your Sanctuary at Sea Horse Farm: A Captivating Equestrian and Waterfront Property! Experience a harmonious blend of tranquility, privacy, and convenience for equestrian and sporting-life enthusiasts. This property boasts a quality-built luxury home and barn, stunning infinity pool and spa, and dockside entertainment.Head up to the nearby Mt. Vintage community arena to school your horse or take a ride on the trails. Enjoy best spotted bass fishing around or have an active three-sport day at home!

3 BR + 3.5 Bath Home| Heated Pool | Dock 8+ Acres | 5-Stall Barn | 3 Pastures Offered for $1,500,000

246 Stonemint Drive Stonemint Farm

Porch & Lounge Offered for 675,000

Cissie Sullivan Tracey Turner

Section One

Our cover shows Unstoppable, a Dutch Warmblood colt owned by Pippa Moon and born this spring in Aiken. See more foals in our annual Foals of Aiken feature, page 22. Photography by Gary Knoll.

Section Two

Annie Bolling on her own Mykonos

SCF cruising to a close second place finish at the $50,000 Inaugural Cup Grand Prix at Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park. Aiken Charity Horse Show. Photography by Pam Gleason

Section Three

Section Three cover shows Boyd Martin aboard Commando 3 winning the CSI**** at Stable View. Commando 3 is a 2011 Holsteiner gelding owned by Yankee Creek Ranch. Photography by Gary Knoll

Aiken Horse

Summer is Aiken’s most underappreciated season. People may complain that it is too hot or too buggy, and during a heat wave, they would not be wrong. But summer nights in Aiken are almost always soft and beautiful, and there are very few days when it is too hot to ride if you get started early enough. Summer here is vibrant and lush: we have plentiful rain, the pastures grow quickly and the air is filled with birdsong. The pace of equestrian life is a little slower. There are plenty of places to go out and compete, and so many places to school a horse, but there is not quite the same frenetic atmosphere that we have during our high seasons. Everyone is more relaxed, and for those of us spending the summer in Aiken, there is a feeling that we’re all in it together. It’s a quieter, more peaceful time.

June-July is my favorite issue of The Aiken Horse because this is when we feature the Foals of Aiken, which you will find in the first section. We had so many people contact us about their foals it was difficult to narrow it down to five, which is all we had room for. We loved every one we photographed, and we are eager to see what these babies will become as they grow up. In the second section, we have updates on four Foals of Aiken

alumni, all of whom have embarked upon successful careers. Part of our mission with this annual feature is to continue to follow up on “our” foals, so if you have one that we wrote about in the past that is doing something interesting, don’t hesitate to reach out to us with a picture and an update – we would be happy to share.

Overall, this issue of the paper has stories that reflect the diversity of Aiken’s equestrian world. Our center spreads showcase the Aiken Polo Club spring season, showjumping at the $50,000 Inaugural Cup Grand Prix at the Aiken Charity Horse Show and eventing at the CSI**** Horse Trial at Stable View. You can read about Aiken trained horses on the way to the Olympics in eventing, and our Secret Lives this time is about a retired world class jumper. We also have a story on a new mustang rescue in Aiken and one about an Aiken-based initiative to promote retired Standardbred racehorses as Roadsters for the showring. We got to meet the new owners of Adams Horse Supply and watch two people join the Dressage Foundation Century Club (Read about that in section 2.) It was great to talk to people doing such a variety of things in the horse world, and as a bonus, we got to play with foals, scratch mustangs, and I even drove Duncan Huyler’s fabulous Standardbred Roadster Gabe the Bear Dean (That story is in section 3.)

We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we did making it. We’re looking forward to summer – our only real complaint about it is that it is not long enough!

Pam Gleason Editor & Publisher

News and Notes

By Pam Gleason

Olympic Team for Paris

The Olympics are coming to Paris this July and some of Aiken’s favorite horses and riders will be representing the United States on the eventing team. The team consists of three horse and rider pairs along with one traveling reserve. Under certain conditions, the traveling reserve may be substituted for one of the main team riders at the cost of 20 penalty points. This differs from the traditional format in which each team was allowed four riders, with only the top three scores to count.

According to a press release from the United States Equestrian Federation, the team riders are as follows:

• William Coleman (Ocala, Florida) and Off The Record, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by the Off The Record Syndicate and cared for by Hailey Burlock. If Off The Record is unable to compete, Will’s direct reserve is Diabolo, a 2012 Holsteiner owned by the Diabolo Group and cared for by Hailey Burlock and Erin Jarboe

• Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pennsylvania) and Fedarman B, a 2010 KWPN gelding owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate and cared for by Stephanie Simpson. If Fedarman B cannot compete, Boyd’s direct reserve is Commando 3, a 2013 Holsteiner gelding owned by Yankee Creek Ranch LLC and cared for by Stephanie Simpson

• Caroline Pamukcu (Springtown, Pennsylvania) and HSH Blake, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, Caroline Pamukcu, and Deniz Pamukcu and cared for by Chloe Teahan

The traveling reserve is Elisabeth Halliday (Lexington, Kentucky) with Cooley Nutcracker, a 2014 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Chris Desino, Rob Desino, Deborah Halliday, Liz Halliday,

and Renee Lane and cared for by Abby Steger. The first alternate is Sydney Elliott (Hoffman, North Carolina) with the beautiful QC Diamantaire, a 2010 Oldenburg gelding owned by Carol Stephens and cared for by Caitlin Martin.

There are four additional riders and five more horses on the alternates list, including Elizabeth Halliday with two horses (Shanroe Cooley, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding, and the spectacular Miks Master C, a 2012 Swedish Warmblood gelding.) Other riders who often show locally who are standing by include Will Faudree from Southern Pines, North Carolina with Mama’s Magic Way and Jennie Brannigan from West Grove, Pennsylvania with FE lifestyle. The final alternate rider is James Alliston from San Ramon, California with Karma.

Although this team includes many well-known individuals, Phillip Dutton, the most stalwart of our Olympic riders, will not be making the trip to Paris. This will be the first time Phillip has not been on an Olympic team in three decades. He represented his native Australia in 1996 and 2000 (winning team gold both times) and finally in 2004. He became a U.S. citizen in 2006, and then headlined the U.S. team in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. In addition to his two team golds for Australia, he also won individual bronze in 2016, riding Bruce Duchossois’s horse Mighty Nice. Phillip, who is 60 and had a winter home in Aiken until recently, continues to compete successfully at the highest possible level and has always been counted on for rock solid performance in all of his team outings. On social media, he congratulated the new team and said he was “very envious but excited about this team’s chances for a big result.”

Most, if not all, of the team and alternate horses and riders have competed here in Aiken at some time in the past few years, and anyone who has gone to watch the upper level riders at Stable View or at Bruce’s Field likely knows them by name and by face. One horse and rider pair stands out: Boyd Martin and Fedarman B, owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate.

Boyd Martin, a three time Olympian already, is based at his Windurra farm in Cochranville, Pennsylvania during the warmer months, but over the winter, Aiken is his home. He trains at Stable View and can be found competing at all the local venues, and even occasionally out foxhunting. His mount, Fedarman B, known to all as Bruno, is especially close to Aiken’s heart. Bruno was discovered, imported and produced by the young eventing professional and Aiken resident Annie Goodwin. Annie sadly lost her life in a riding accident in 2021, when she was just 32 and starting to make a name for herself on upper level circuits. She had trained with Boyd; he knew the horse, and the family asked him to take over the ride in Annie’s memory.

Boyd and Bruno won the Grand Prix Eventing Showcase in 2022. In 2023, they won the Tryon 4-star and had top ten finishes at the 5-stars in Pau (France) and Luhmuhlen (Germany.) Bruno is big and powerful with amazing athleticism and a distinct presence.

“I had a couple of horses that have been performing really well,” said Boyd of the horse. “But Bruno’s been in sensational form. You never know, but I felt like he had a good chance to be on the team.

“He just oozes with class and talent,” he continued. “Since Annie’s passing, we’ve developed a good partnership over the last two years and he’s been flawless in all these big international competitions. So I feel like the timing is perfect for coming to Paris.”

For anyone who knew Annie, or heard her story, seeing her horse go on to the Olympics has to be something of a bittersweet experience. This is true for Boyd as well. How does he feel about riding Annie’s horse in Paris?

“It’s a huge honor and privilege,” he said. “I felt like, obviously, it’s such a tragic event Annie passing away. She was much loved around the country, even more so in Aiken, South Carolina. To have an opportunity to finish her work with her special horse is something that makes me very proud and a little bit emotional. We’re confident we’re on our way to the mountaintop, and I hope her friends and family, and Annie, are all proud of her wonderful horse.”

Boyd Martin on Fedarman B, Stable View

Eventing is the first equestrian sport at the Olympics and will be held July 27-29. Every Olympic event, including equestrian, will be livestreamed on NBC’s Peacock.

Olympians to Stable View

Can’t make it to the Olympics? Come watch the team ride at Stable View at their mandatory outing during the Stable View June Horse Trials, June 21-23. On Saturday, June 22, Stable View will be having a “Toast to the Team” VIP lunch in their pavilion, catered by Blue Collard and complete with beer and wine.

“Pending ride times, the team will line up in the arena for an official send-off toast at some point between 11 a.m.-4 p.m.” according to a Stable View press release. A limited number of tickets are available for the VIP event, at a cost of $120 each. (Visit svfequestrian.com for more information or to buy tickets.)

The June horse trials runs from Beginner-Novice through Advanced, giving riders of many levels the right to say that they “rode with the team” to help get them ready for Paris. Well. It’s almost true.

Women’s East Coast Open

Aiken has become a hotbed of women’s polo. Not only do the majority of open tournaments in the area have many teams with women on them these days, the number of women-only tournaments and matches has exploded. This spring, there were women’s tournaments at Aiken Polo Club, New Bridge, La Bourgogne and O. C. Polo. Women’s tournaments tend to draw players from around the country and the world, making these events good for tourism and a great way to keep Aiken’s polo population varied and interesting.

New Bridge Polo Club has announced that their fourth annual fall women’s tournament will be the USPA Women’s East Coast Open. This tournament was first played between Westchester Polo Club in Newport, Rhode Island and Myopia Polo Club in Hamilton Massachusetts in 2018 and has traveled to various other clubs since that time. The tournament started out as a “USPA sanctioned” event, but this year it has “been elevated to national status” making it especially prestigious. The goal level is 14-18 (in women’s handicaps) and the tournament will run Monday, October 7 through Sunday, October 20.

The finals on October 20 will once again feature the Ponies and Pearls fundraiser for Brooke USA, a popular event created by Katie Roth who

runs public relations and marketing for New Bridge and is a member of the Brooke USA board of directors. This will be the fourth return of the fundraiser to New Bridge’s elegant clubhouse. According to its website, Brooke USA is a nonprofit organization operating internationally that

“raises funds to support a wide variety of programs for working horses, donkeys, and mules to help them become (and remain) healthy and happy now and in the long term. . . .”

Entries are already coming in for the tournament. The closing date is September 20 and there is an eight-team limit.

For more information or to enter a team contact the New Bridge Polo & Country Club Polo Manager, Hayley Bryan hbryan2485@ aol.com or call 803-215-3577. For more about Ponies and Pearls, visit BrookeUSA.org.

Remembering Nancy Benjamin

The Aiken equestrian community was saddened to learn of the passing of Nancy-Joyce Peoples Benjamin on May 17, 2024.

Nancy, who was 83, was a lifelong equestrian and outdoorswoman whose athletic pursuits also included downhill skiing. Born in New York, she attended Staten Island Academy and the Walnut Hill School in Natick, Massachusetts and then went on to the University of New Hampshire where she met and married her husband, Leo Benjamin.

A natural teacher, she taught kindergarten and preschool and was a professional ski and swim instructor in Vermont and in Colorado. She was a devoted foxhunter, serving as the drag for the Green Mountain Hounds in Stowe and Waitsfield, Vermont. After she and Leo relocated to the Aiken area, she became a field master for Why Worry Hounds. Although she battled Parkinson’s during the final years of her life, she continued to ride, even after the disease had robbed her of the ability to walk.

Nancy lived her life with passion and determination and is remembered for her resilience, humor, independence and enthusiasm. She leaves her husband of 63 years, Leo Jay Benjamin; her three children (Leo Benjamin Jr. and his wife Arlene, Cassy Johnston and her husband Tom, and John Benjamin) as well as 11 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. A celebration of her life will be held in the fall, date to be announced.

Sophie Grant at Aiken Polo Club

Park Place Polo II, Aiken,

Aiken Polo Club Spring Season 2024

Photography by Pam Gleason

New Owners for Adams Horse Supply

Jim and Jennifer Helgren

By Pam Gleason

Adams

Horse Supply on Bolton Court in Aiken has new owners. Jim and Jennifer Helgren, Aiken residents for 15 years, purchased the business this spring and took over management of the store on April 1. Adams was founded in 2001 by Merance Adams, now an Aiken resident, as an online store based in Maine where she resided at the time. Offering a wide selection of equestrian supplies at a variety of price points, the enterprise grew quickly, becoming well-known for its excellent customer service and competitive prices. Just over two years ago, Merance Adams moved the warehouse from Maine to Aiken and opened up a complementary brick and mortar retail store.

As the store’s new owners, Jim and Jennifer hope to continue the e-commerce portion of the business while at the same time growing and expanding its retail presence. As part of their research before they bought the business, the Helgrens asked around and discovered that people who came to shop appreciated it for its vast selection of items in all sizes, but most especially for its helpful staff.

“We have a very knowledgeable staff. They are all dyed-in-the-wool horse people,” said Jim. “And fortunately all of them have stayed on with us . . . Everybody in the store knows the products. Do you want to get fitted for the proper eventing vest? Do you need to find the right kind of blanket for your horse’s shape, size and configuration? We have people who are happy to help you find the product that is actually the right product for you, not just what might be on the shelf. It’s not just people who would want a retail job, it’s horse people first.”

is originally from California where she grew up riding and competing in the hunter world. Before coming to Aiken, the couple lived in various places, most recently Savannah, Georgia, where Jim had a property management businesses and Jennifer ran Silverthorne Run, a thriving boarding barn and riding school.

“At one point, I had 35 students. I call that time my glory days,” she said with a laugh. “It was a fun time. But I had a group of girls that were the same age and they all graduated and moved away at the same time. Then, the recession hit and everything kind of went away.”

Another thing that they discovered was that the retail store itself was not as well-known as it could be. Bolton Court is off Pine Log Road and the shop, while conveniently located, feels a little off the beaten path. One of the first things they did was improve the signage out front. Next, they plan to do more to get their name out in the community, including both local sponsorships and in-store events.

“We have a lot of ideas,” said Jennifer. When they first took over the store in April, she admits to feeling a little disappointed because the high season of eventing and foxhunting was coming to a close. Now she says she is relieved that they will have a relatively quieter summer to get their bearings and make their plans for the colder and busier months. “We’ll probably do some kind of event in the fall to welcome everyone back to the store,” she said. “And I hope to have some other events here too, and to do some sponsorships and awards.”

Although they have not run a retail store before, Jim and Jennifer have a wealth of knowledge and expertise that should stand them in good stead. Jim is an entrepreneur who has had his own businesses since he was in his 20s. Jennifer is a lifelong horsewoman who events as an amateur and recently qualified for the American Eventing Championships with two of her horses.

The Helgrens both went to college in Colorado, and met after graduation when they were heavily involved in downhill skiing. Jennifer

By this time, Jennifer had made the switch from hunters to eventers, and had often been to Aiken to compete. When she heard of a farm for sale in the area, she and Jim took the opportunity to make a change. Jennifer at first thought she would run a riding school like the one she had in Savannah, but she soon discovered that the market in Aiken is not especially conducive to that kind of business. So she continued to event, competing and helping to run events, organizing volunteers and making a positive impact on the community. Eventually she took a job with Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (SRS), and then moved to Plant Vogtle, taking her out of the horse industry on a professional basis for over a decade.

When the Helgrens heard that Adams Horse Supply might be for sale, it was an opportunity they did not want to miss.

“My job at plant Vogtle was ending, and I was like, what’s next?” she said. “I wanted to get back into the horse industry somehow, and I didn’t want to teach again, so this seemed like a good fit.”

Jim was also ready for a new challenge. “Our line of thinking was, Jennifer has 40 plus years of horse experience; we’ve been in Aiken for 15 years; I have bought and/or started three separate businesses before this. So we have that knowledge . . . it’s not retail knowledge, but it’s the building blocks.”

The Helgrens are excited about continuing to grow the successful business that Merance Adams created and they hope to be able to contribute to Aiken’s horse world for many years to come.

“We have a really diverse amount of product to offer in the store, and we’re going to expand on that . . . we are already talking about bringing in more vendors,” said Jennifer. “We want it to be where you can come in and pretty much expect that if it is a common item, we’re going to have it and we’re going to have it in 12 different sizes, and if not, we can get it for you in a couple of days.

“We are striving to emphasize the customer service and that it’s friendly and knowledgeable,” she continued. “We want to have a customer experience that is always positive, that it’s a nice place to come and get what you need.”

“There are a lot of things we want to do, just community-wise,” added Jim. “We didn’t buy the store just to sell stuff, make money and go home. We want to make an impact. So for us, it seems like it was the perfect thing to do.”

Adams Horse Supply is at 119 Bolton Court, Aiken SC. Shop online at adamshorsesupply.com

Foals of Aiken Class of 2024

If it’s spring in Aiken, that means that foals are hitting the ground on a daily basis. Aiken’s young horse population has been exploding over the past decade with more and more horsemen deciding to breed for business or for pleasure. This growth has been supported by a remarkably attentive and skilled group of veterinarians schooled in the most modern reproductive techniques and equipped with the latest in breeding technology. If you want to breed horses in Aiken, you can be assured of having all the tools and assistance you need, from artificial insemination to embryo transfer and prenatal genetic testing and selection.

This is the eighth year that we have featured the Foals of Aiken, and this year we have some truly unusual individuals to showcase. These include a pair of healthy and rambunctious twin warmbloods and a purebred Thoroughbred colt who is, nonetheless, a splashy bay and

white paint. We also have a charismatic hunter pony filly who just won her foal class at the prestigious Devon Horse Show in Pennsylvania, a purebred Lusitano filly, and a leggy Warmblood with a future in eventing.

This is just a small sampling of the foals born here in Aiken this year. Other foals include Quarter Horses being aimed to western sports and halter, warmbloods from top bloodlines that will be produced in dressage, showjumping and eventing, Icelandic Horses, Arabians, Tennessee Walking Horses, polo ponies, miniature horses and more. Whether they are the foals of a favorite mare owned by an amateur, or babies bred by professionals and destined for sale, these young horses represent the future of the horse world, both here in Aiken, and out in the wider world where many of them will no doubt make their mark.

Introducing the Foal Class of 2024.

Surf’s Up & Seabreeze

Twin Westfalen colt and filly

By Selik Nikko PAF

(Westfalen) out of Beligia

S.G. (Oldenburg)

Owned by Lydia Wright, Windsor, SC

Date of Birth: April 2, 2024 at Just A Farm Career Goal: Hunter/Jumper & Foxhunter

Horses are not designed to have twins, and it is very rare for a mare to give birth to two healthy babies. But this is exactly what happed with Lydia Wright’s Oldenburg mare Belicia who delivered a colt and a filly on April 2 at Just a Farm in Windsor.

“Belicia went full term (exactly 340 days) and went into labor in the late morning,” wrote Lydia. “The sun was shining and it could not have been a more perfect day. The colt came into the world full force. Even though he was small, he was mighty, and his will to survive was great.”

They named him Surf's Up.

“We quickly realized there was another foal coming and Breezy followed less than five minutes after her brother,” Lydia continued. “Both foals were alert and trying to stand shortly after birth. It was a group effort over the first couple days to make sure they were up and nursing often enough, but most of the credit goes to Belicia who carefully nurtured them both. The twins do not require any special care. They easily integrated into the herd and love being outside exploring. They definitely have a special connection and love to investigate things together. They are one in a million and true miracles.”

“Valo” (Official name “Remarquable Flare” pending)

Thoroughbred Colt

By Remarquez out of Classy Bows by Oxbow

Owned by Kate Jensen, Aiken, SC

Date of birth: May 11, 2024

Career goal: Event horse, (“or whatever he wants”)

“He’s very much a mamma’s boy,” says Kate Jensen of her remarkable spotted Thoroughbred Valo. The leggy colt was born at Kate’s farm in Aiken during the second night of a solar flare that brought a rare sighting of the Northern lights to South Carolina. “Valo means light in Finnish,” she explains.

Valo is a bay with a bald face, bold spots on his body and delicate white eyelashes. Despite this eye-catching coloration, he is a purebred, registered Thoroughbred. His coloring is called frame overo, and it is due to a dominant gene that results in splashes of white on the body. The frame overo gene is rare in Thoroughbreds, but those that have it will pass down their coloring to 50% of their offspring. Kate purchased his dam in foal from Lisa Rinderknecht Frank, the owner of Colordale Farm in Stephens City, Virginia. Colordale Farm specializes in breeding uniquely colored Thoroughbred sporthorses and stands Valo’s sire, the frame overo Remarquez.

Kate, who recently relocated to Aiken from Minnesota, and whose stable is called Dark Horse Farm Connemaras, normally breeds Connemara/ Thoroughbred crosses for eventing and plans to breed the mare back to a Connemara stallion in the future. For now, however, she says she is loving having a pure Thoroughbred colt

Una Dragão

Lusitano filly

By Naperon DC out of Nazare FL

Owned by Sarah Macone of Dragão Lusitanos, Williston, SC

Date of birth: April 12, 2024

Una Dragão (“One Dragon” in Portuguese) represents the first of the second generation of Lusitano foals bred by Sarah Macone at Dragão Lusitanos in Williston. Sarah got her start with Lusitanos 13 years ago in Massachusetts with a stallion called Xemino. Xemino (“Gene”) was supposed to be her father’s horse to enjoy on the trails. But Gene was more than just a trail horse: In fact he ended up winning USDF year end awards and schooling to Fourth Level dressage. After a freak accident ended his competition career, he retired to the breeding shed and has sired close to 60 foals. One of those was Nazare FL, Una Dragão’s dam, who was born seven years ago.

Nazare was started under saddle and approved by the Portuguese stud book (Associação Portuguesa de Criadores do Cavalo Puro Sangue Lusitano or APSL.)

Una is her first foal, sired by Naperon DC, a promising young stallion standing at Casa do Noble Lusitanos.

“Una is a culmination of years of hard work, and we are so excited to add her to our breeding herd,” said Sarah. “We believe she will be an extremely versatile and athletic filly under saddle, and she should do well for the APSL judges, being very typical of the breed’s characteristics.”

Unstoppable

Dutch Warmblood colt

By Grandorado (KWPN) out of Wild Desire (TB)

Owned by Pippa Moon

Date of birth: May 4, 2024

Career goal: 5-star eventer

Pippa Moon, who runs a professional horse training and sales business in Aiken County, wanted to breed something special. She had acquired the Thoroughbred mare Wild Desire off the racetrack several years ago, and started her as an event horse. “Desi” as she is known in the barn, turned out to be a natural talent, and Pippa felt that she would make an even more successful mother. Last year, she bred her to Grandorado TN N.O.P., a Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) showjumping stallion who competes at 1.60 meter Grand Prix. Grandorado was voted the KWPN Horse of the Year in 2022.

“So far he is friendly, bold, and self-possessed: exactly like his mother!” said Pippa who would like to see Unstoppable become a world class event horse. “He’s definitely a ‘high hopes’ foal. I bred with the intention of using a mare I knew and believed in: both in temperament and talent; and used a stallion with bloodlines that I had already ridden and appreciated for certain traits – all decisions made with aspirations for top tier sport.

“Hopefully that comes to fruition and he is an elite horse in some sport. I hope he becomes a star, but if he falls short of that – if he ends up a good citizen in the riding horse world: I’m a happy breeder and happy horse trainer.”

Orchard Hills Fade to Black (“Sable”)

Welsh/Thoroughbred filly

By

Orchard Hills Finer by Far out of Smoke Tree Honor Rose

Owned by Orchard Hill Ponies, LLC, Aiken

Date of birth: February 27, 2024

Career goal: Show hunter pony

It’s hard to find enough superlatives for Sable. Born this spring at Sara McCormick’s Orchard Hill Ponies, she is the product of several generations of breeding: Sara bred both her sire and her grandsire.

“She has the ‘it’ factor,” says Sara. “She just wants to win and show off. She’s one of the most charismatic foals we have ever had.”

For perspective, Sara has been breeding ponies full time for 16 years and has had over 100 foals, many of which have gone on to top honors in the show ring. This includes Sable’s sire, Orchard Hills Finer by Far, who was named the best young pony at Pennsylvania’s Devon Horse Show in 2019. Sable has already started a successful show career. This May, when she was just shy of two months old, she went to Devon along with her dam, where she won the pony breeding foal class.

Sara says that Sable will likely show in pony hunter breeding classes for a few years and then go one to be a hunter pony where her star quality will be highly appreciated. She certainly turned a lot of heads in Pennsylvania.

“She currently has 14 people on a waiting list to buy her,” says Sara. “She is really special.”

At Devon with Oliver Brown

553

Loop:

Unique property with direct access to the exercise track which connects various bridle paths in New Bridge. Stunning estate with its own gated entrance, manicured grounds, mature paddocks and shade trees. Three stall barn with lovely apartment, and a private, irrigated jump ring. Exquisite 4BR/4BA house with open floor plan, primary on main, two guest suites, and balcony ideal for alfresco dining. Chef’s kitchen, living and dining areas are ideal for hosting parties and entertaining guests. Upper level provides unique space for office, media room or workout room. Eyebrow windows bring in natural light and provide a bird’s eye view of the barn and paddocks in the distance. Spacious guest suite with patio downstairs has a separate entrance along with a wine cellar, additional storage and a motor court with four car garage.

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

Mockernut Cottage is a charming 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom cottage with inviting front and side porches situated on a 2-acre parcel tucked steps away from the well renowned polo field #2 at New Bridge Polo Club. Lovely, mature landscaping and trees. Recent kitchen and bathroom updates. Primary on main level. Newly built recreation barn perfect for outdoor gatherings and entertainment in addition to a separate storage shed. Enjoy the serene lifestyle offered by New Bridge Polo & Country Club from this one-of-a-kind property.

Lovely 12 acre parcel in Pony Express with spring fed pond. Lots of mature trees and well established grass, ideal for grazing. Ample building sites for homes, barns, and utility buildings. High speed internet available through Carolina Connect. Pony Express is conveniently located close to several equestrian venues ranging from polo, hunter/jumper, eventing, dressage, or fox hunting. A short drive to downtown Aiken shopping and restaurants. This one won’t last long, act fast!

newbridgepolo.com @newbridgepolo

Stables at New Bridge

Full service boarding available to the Aiken community. We are a full-care, professionally managed facility. Dressage ring with GGT footing and mirrors. Hedge-lined show jump ring with GGT footing. Individual or group tunrout. Call for a tour! Summer Cogan, (803) 507-0886.

326 McIntosh Loop: $900,000

Pony Express: $300,000

McIntosh

$2,500,000

From the developer of Three Runs Plantation comes another wonderful equestrian neighborhood in Aiken, South Carolina. Bridle Creek meanders across 1,000 wooded acres, featuring ve-acre lots and larger. Amenities include a dressage arena, jump arena, X-Country Schooling area and an activity center with meeting, social and tness space. All this plus miles of scenic trails. Now selling in Phase Three. Inquire today by calling 1-888-297-8881 or email info@bridlecreekaiken.com

ADAMS IS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

We would like to introduce ourselves.

Hello, we are Jim & Jennifer Helgren.

As life-long equestrians and 14-year Aiken residents, we are very excited to embark on this new journey! Through working, volunteering and competing in both local shows, recognized events and organizations, we are heavily engaged and active in the local equestrian community.

We are excited to support our local riders and horse owners and look forward to seeing you at Adams!!

Please join us in wishing Merance all the best in her retirement!

Some new faces and a new look but, rest assured, we will continue to provide the top brands, quality products and the exceptional Adams Team customer service you’ve come to know and trust. And of course, our website is available to shop 24/7! PLEASE STOP BY THE STORE TO

Halfway to Heaven

Mustang Rescue in Aiken

By Pam Gleason

Bill Finger and Lisa Mallory’s mustang rescue on Aiken’s Southside is called Halfway to Heaven Mustang Rescue. To the horses living there, the name might seem like a bit of an understatement: it might actually be all the way to heaven. Seven formerly wild mustangs share 28 acres with Bill and Lisa’s two other horses. They have grassy fields with run-in sheds, a wooded pasture where they can escape the heat of the day, plentiful feed, equine companionship, and as much positive, rewarding human interaction as they like. It’s an idyllic place to be a horse, and the residents are happy, calm and curious.

Bill and Lisa started their rescue in 2021 when they were living in Virginia. They moved the operation to Aiken last June and have spent the past year fixing up their farm, reestablishing their nonprofit in South Carolina, and getting their bearings in the Aiken area. This summer, they are ready to start welcoming the public, providing educational and volunteer opportunities. In the fall, they expect to have three gentled, green-broke mustangs available to be adopted to responsible homes. The rescue’s mission, according to their website, is to “care for, train, and find homes for mustangs in need.” They will hold their first open house on June 22, 2024.

Bill and Lisa came by their passion for mustangs almost by accident. Lisa grew up in the racehorse world and has been involved with horses since she was born. Bill, who is an environmental lawyer with his own boutique practice in Jacksonville, Florida, says he rode a bit as a child, but otherwise had little prior equestrian experience. When Lisa and Bill married 23 years ago, Lisa, a registered nurse by profession, had just sold her last horse. For a time, she was out of horses altogether. The couple shared a passion for dogs, particularly Dobermans, and they were deeply involved dog training and competition. Lisa became a certified dog trainer, concentrating specifically on scent detection training, and become a licensed AKC scent work judge. They both used modern, behavioral-based methods to train their dogs, and Lisa worked with some of the most important positive trainers in the industry, such as Karen Pryor (the clicker training evangelist) and Bob Bailey, who is best known for training wild animals for the United States government.

In 2019, Bill and Lisa bought property in Virginia to be close to family, and to build a farm so that Lisa could have horses again. Her sister, who has a racehorse farm in Ocala, Florida, soon sent her an offthe-track Thoroughbred. Thinking that this horse needed a companion and Bill needed a horse too, she bought him a Friesian/Gypsy cross foal in utero. And then one fateful day in early 2021, Lisa heard about a Bureau of Land Management mustang adoption that would take place that weekend near their home.

“I talked Bill into going,” said Lisa. “We went and he picked out a horse, and we brought her home.”

Bill and Lisa were enchanted by their first mustang, a blue roan 2-year-old filly they named Jewel. They set about gentling and training her using the same positive philosophy they had used to train their dogs. It did not take long for them to gain their new horse’s trust. At the same time, they started doing research on mustangs and became aware of the precarious position of America’s wild horses.

Lisa says that according to recent statistics there are over 82,000 mustangs living wild in 177 herd management areas (HMAs) spread out across 10 western states. In 2024, the BLM will round up over 20,000 horses, which are then sorted by age and by gender. Some horses go to adoption events, while others are sold outright. The BLM normally finds homes for less than half of the horses it rounds up. Those

that do not find private homes end up in long term holding pastures (termed off-range pastures) for the rest of their lives.

As of last fall, there were 60,909 wild horses and burros in BLM holding facilities. These horses are fed and cared for by private contractors, who are paid by the U.S. government at a cost to taxpayers of over $151 million per year. If ever Congress were to stop providing this funding, the situation for these 60,000-plus equines would be dire.

“There are a lot of issues and controversies about wild horses on the range, but we don’t get into that,” explains Lisa. “There are horses in holding that need homes right now. These horses need our help.”

Bill and Lisa decided to devote themselves to the mustang cause, establishing their nonprofit and then acquiring needy mustangs from different sources. For instance, they found a horse that had been adopted but was no longer wanted, and a horse that had been adopted through an online event and never picked up. Most recently, they discovered a frightened mustang in a killpen in Oklahoma, bought him and shipped him to Aiken. This horse, Butterscotch, arrived thin and terrified in January, wanting nothing to do with humans. A few months later, Butterscotch is serene and friendly, coming over in the pasture to be scratched and petted.

“The most important thing is to gain their trust,” said Bill, who earned the nickname “Cowboy Bill” for his extraordinary ability to connect with wild horses. Despite his lack of equestrian experience, he has done much of the gentling, and was the first one to ride their original horse, Jewel. “The people that make mistakes with these horses are the ones who try to train before the horse trusts them.”

Bill and Lisa employ ‘no expectation’ training and they rarely use halters or other kinds of restraints when they are doing their work. They use positive reinforcement, marking behaviors that they want the horse to repeat with a specific sound (they use the sound “dee”) and then giving the horse a food treat as a reward. The result is a confident horse that is eager to learn. One of the main tenets of their horse training philosophy is that the horse does its work voluntarily: the horse comes to them, rather than the other way around, which creates a true sense of partnership and mutual appreciation.

A mustang running wild is an emblem of the American west and a symbol of freedom and beauty. Handled correctly, mustangs retain much of that spirit, making them especially appealing and interesting horses. For Bill and Lisa, connecting with mustangs was lifechanging. With their rescue, they hope to share that passion, promote mustang adoption, and help find homes for as many wild horses as they can. These horses are not just pets, either, and can become partners for many different equestrian sports.

“Mustangs are athletic horses,” said Lisa. “What I love about the mustangs is they’re free spirits. They were once wild and no one took care of them, but you can take them in and turn them into these beautiful domestic horses that can do a lot of different things. People have evented on mustangs, people do dressage on mustangs, people fox hunt on mustangs. Some herd management areas have bigger horses, some have smaller horses, so you can find horses that are suited for different disciplines.

“When you train a mustang, there’s absolutely nothing like when they give you their trust,” she continued. “And sometimes, it just clicks, like a lightbulb turns on. It’s the most amazing feeling.”

Find out more and sign up for the open house on June 22 at halfwaytoheavenrescue.com.

Wild Horses Couldn’t Drag You Away

EQUUS Film & Arts Fest and Mustang Summit at Equine Rescue by

L.A. Berry

Something wild is coming to Aiken this fall. When the EQUUS Film & Arts Fest gallops into Aiken Equine Rescue at 532 Glenwood Drive, September 19-22, it will bring along the Mustang Summit and Symposium. This will include four days of horse- and horsemanshipcentered programming and culture, starting with an opening evening VIP event on Thursday before daily, day-long EQUUS Film Festival screenings, art and literary events, and mustang and equestrian demos and lectures. Central to this year’s event are panel discussions with local mustang experts and demonstrations by wild horse trainers, culminating in a weekend auction of six already-started yearling mustangs ready for new homes and futures. The event will raise money for Aiken Equine Rescue, a 501(c)3 registered charity.

her horse, Woodrow, is pretty flashy, too.”

“It is an honor to be invited to the Mustang Summit and to benefit Aiken Equine Rescue,” says Hanlin. “Mustangs are near and dear to my heart, so being invited to an event like this is an honor. Woodrow is a 2010 American mustang from Wyoming. He’s the one that started it all. Because of him I’ve worked with 27 mustangs and helped over 90 get out of holding.”

“A horse with a safe and quiet start can be trainable and become a good partner,” Diersen says. “Our mission is to bring awareness to American mustangs who need homes, highlight the work taking place in the equine-assisted healing and learning fields, and provide resources to learn more about the off-range mustang.”

Aiken Equine Rescue, host of the event, is committed to finding good homes for horses in need. Since its founding in 2006 it has become the largest horse rescue farm in the southeastern United States, placing more than 1,500 horses into adopted homes. In 2023, it cost $572,000 to operate the rescue, which required 3,600 bales of hay; 2,816 bags of feed; 2,120 gallons of fuel and 4,000 board-feet of repaired fencing. With a GuideStar platinum rating, it has the highest level of organizational transparency and ranks in the top 0.1% of charities in the nation.

A Summit of Stars

“The Mustang Summit has been added as an educational platform to raise awareness and understanding about American mustangs in holding pens and available for adoption,” says Lisa Diersen, who founded the Equus Film & Arts Fest in 2013. A popular showcase for domestic and international equestrian-themed visual and interactive arts, the festival has also expanded to include art, literature, and robust lineups of panelists and workshops.

One of this year’s participants is Ann Hanlin, who founded the nonprofit Maryland Mustang Mission. An event rider, she will be coming to Aiken with her black and white mustang Woodrow. Lisa Diersen says that Hanlin is on her way to becoming a vital East Coast resource. “She works hard to promote the versatility of the mustang and

“When I first discovered the rescue little did I know it would ignite a passion in me to give back to the magnificent creatures who have endured neglect and hardship,” says Pam Patron, a volunteer at the rescue who witnesses the transformation of neglected horses finding refuge and retired racehorses getting second chances at loving homes. “The rescue holds a special place, reminding me of the power of compassion and the importance of lending a helping hand to those in need.”

Other participants in the summit include Bruce Anderson of Natural Humanship™ a Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF) Trainer Incentive Program (TIP) trainer; Nicola Bolt-Steffanina of NB Mustangs; Sky Epperson, a TIP trainer and founder of MUSTANG Adoption Academy along with Annamaria Sims of Strengthen the Saddle Equine Bodywork; Brian Smith of Funny Farm Mustangs; and Rob West of Wild West Farms, who is a 14-time participant in the MHF Extreme Mustang Makeover Challenge.

A Weekend of Stories

“I invite you to join us,” says Diersen. “Every horse has a story and horse movies have the ability to inspire, educate, engage and entertain. The fest showcases films selected for their ability to share the wonder of horses through a filmmaker’s lens – films that bring us closer to understanding the influence the horse has had through history, how horses play an important role in healing hearts today.”

This year’s filmmakers include Matt Cohn, the award-winning producer and director of Freedom Reigns, Laura Harper, the documentary filmmaker of The Carracas Mesa: A History of Jicarilla Mustangs; and Dana Croschere and Krisanna Sexton who are bringing their documentary, Rescued Hearts. Also speaking is American Mustang School founder, Justin Dunn, author of A Horse to Guide Me, Build the Life You’ve Always Wanted Through the Miracle of Mustang Horsemanship. Dunn recently completed research on the impact and benefits of wild horses on the mental health of military veterans and active-duty personnel.

“I’m honored,” Diersen says, “to give equine storytellers from all over the world one more reason to create amazing films, literature, and art focused on the horse. It’s going to be an awesome and inspiring weekend.”

Find your favorite equestrian space at the EQUUS Film & Arts Fest/Mustang Summit, hosted by Aiken Equine Rescue. Buy tickets at equusfilmfestival.ticketspice.com and visit Equusfilmfestival.net. Plan a trip with visitaikensc.com, and learn more about Aiken Equine Rescue and its programs at aikenequinerescue.org.

American Mustang School founder, Justin Dunn

New Members of the Century Club

Senior Horse & Rider Dressage

By Pam Gleason

On Tuesday, April 30, a small crowd of onlookers and well-wishers gathered at the arena in Three Runs Plantation to watch Judith Thompson and Judith McConnell perform dressage tests in front of the judge Amy McElroy. Both are lifelong horsewomen, but neither is actually a dressage rider. The goal of the exercise was for them to join an exclusive group of horses and riders in the Dressage Foundation’s Century Club. To be eligible to join the club, the horse’s and rider’s ages must add up to 100 and they must do a dressage test in front

“I love the Century Club,” she continued. “I think it’s a great thing for people to look forward to. And another thing that’s great about it is you don’t have to be a professional. You don’t have to be riding to the best of your ability like you used to when you were 20. You can come in and you can do your job and it’s a neat celebration.”

A few days earlier, Carol Hannaford, 73, and the Hanoverian My Tyme, 29, also did a Century Ride in front of Amy McElroy, choosing Training Level test one. Although Carol no longer owns My Tyme,

of a judge. Judith Thompson, 82, rode her Connemara Elphin, 20. Judith McConnell, 82, rode the Thoroughbred Wren, 19. Both riders performed the same test, Introductory Test A, which includes the walk, the free walk and circles at the trot.

The two Judiths were inspired to do a Century Ride by their friend Ellen Fox who did hers at Three Runs Plantation in 2022, also scored by Amy McElroy. Judith Thompson was the instigator, and she convinced her friend to join her. Judith McConnell agreed to do it, as long as it could be done after the end of the foxhunting season and before she returned to her summer home in Northern Michigan in the spring.

Neither rider knew much about performing a dressage test, and neither horse was accustomed to riding in a ring, let alone one with mirrors. But this did not deter them. They contacted the trainer Lynn Coates-Holmes, who gave them a total of four lessons to prepare them.

“They put it all together, they were game to do it, and they did a great job,” said Lynn. “They picked it right up really quick.”

they are old friends and longtime partners. Carol, who lives in Canada part of the year, first met My Tyme when he was a young horse recently imported from Europe. He had been brought over by Evi Strasser, a member of the Canadian Olympic dressage team, and when she decided he was not the right horse for her, she sold him to Carol Hannaford. Carol rode him and competed him until he was 21, taking him to the Intermediaire level before finding him a new home with Amy Blunt, another Aiken resident, who was looking for a dressage schoolmaster.

“It was an honor and a privilege to be able to ride him again, and to complete a Century Ride,” Carol said. “My Tyme has been a once in a lifetime horse for me. He’s really retired now, because he is 29, but he was happy to come back and it was wonderful to ride him again. He’s very generous, very giving. Initially, when I first had him, I didn’t feel confident, but he allowed me to overcome that and we went to many, many shows and I finished at an advanced level. It shows that with the right horse you can do whatever you like.”

Left to right: Amy McElroy, Judith McConnell on Wren, Carol Hannaford, Judith Thompson on Elphin, Lynn Coates-Holmes.

The Dressage Foundation established the Century Club in 1996 as a way to honor older horses and riders and to inspire the next generation. If a horse and rider team has qualified by their age, joining the club is straightforward. The rider must fill out an application available on the Dressage Foundation website, and then they must complete a judged dressage test of any level. While some riders do this during a show, others set up their own judged rides like the one at Three Runs.

“The only requirement is that you do your test in front of a rated judge,” said Amy McElroy, who is a big proponent of the program. As of this writing, there are 756 members of the club, 15 of them from South Carolina. Of those, five did their tests in Aiken, including Carol Hannaford (Number 743); Judith McConnell (Number 744); Judith Thompson (Number 745); Ellen Fox (Number 551) and Jane Sage (Number 219), who did her ride in 2015. The Dressage Foundation sends a ribbon to be presented at the completion of the test, and once

the scoresheets and other paperwork are received at the foundation office, they also send out a silver plaque. Perhaps surprisingly, there is no fee to become a member of the club, although the Dressage Foundation will happily take donations to cover the costs of the ribbons and trophies, and members who would like to complete additional rides after the first one can do so for a donation of $100 per ride.

As more people hear about the Century Club, it has gotten increasingly popular. Horses are living longer these days, and many people are riding into their 70s, 80s and beyond. The test does not have to be strenuous: it can even be performed at the walk and the trot, making it easier for seniors to do comfortably, and many riders, even those who are not dressage enthusiasts have set a Century Ride as a goal to strive for.

“I’d like to do one, too,” said the trainer Lynn Coates-Holmes. “But I’m not quite old enough yet.”

The Dressage Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, tax-exempt, donor-driven organization that is dedicated to educating, supporting, and advancing the sport of dressage. The organization solicits contributions, appropriately allocates the donations, and awards grants to dressage riders, judges, instructors, breeders, high-performance teams, nonprofit equestrian organizations, and more. For more information about the foundation or to find an application for a Century Ride, visit www.dressagefoundation.org.

Judith Thompson on Elphin

Judith McConnell on Wren

$50,000 Inaugural Cup Grand Prix, Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park

Photography by Pam Gleason & Gary Knoll

2024 / ‘25 CALENDAR DATES

1-2

Stable View Hunter Jumper In & Out Series

8-9 Stable View Hunter Jumper In & Out Series

15-16 USEF/USDF “Summer Solstice” Dressage

19 Hunter/Jumper Institute

21-23 USEF/USEA Summer Horse Trials (BN, N, T, M, P, I, A)

29-30 Stable View Hunter Jumper In & Out Series

6-7 Stable View Hunter Jumper In & Out Series

13-14 USEF/USDF “Only in America” Dressage

17 Hunter/Jumper Institute

19 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day

20 Eventing Academy Schooling Day

21 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials

9 Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day

10 Eventing Academy Schooling Day

11 Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials

14-15 USEF/USDF ‘Too Hot To Trot I” Dressage

16-18 USEF/USDF “Too Hot To Trot II” Dressage

21 Hunter/Jumper Institute

11 Schooling Dressage

12 USEF/USDF “Fall Frenzy” Dressage 18 Hunter/Jumper Institute

21-22 Stable View Hunter Jumper In & Out Series

27-29 “Oktoberfest” $60,000 FEI CCI-S 2/3/4* & USEF/ USEA Horse Trials (BN, N, T, M, P, I, A)

2 Schooling Jumpers

3 Whiskey Road Hunt

4-6 T.I.P. Championships

9 Schooling

2-3 Stable View Hunter Jumper In & Out Series 6 Schooling Jumpers 7 Whiskey Road Hunt

2025 CALENDAR DATES

Whiskey Road Hunt 4 Schooling Jumpers 5 Whiskey Road Hunt

7-8 USEF/USDF “Winter

“I LOVE Dressage”

Schooling Dressage Collection

1-2 USEF/USDF “Southern Comfort” Dressage

Eventing Academy X-Country Schooling Day

Eventing Academy Schooling Day

Eventing Academy Horse Schooling Horse Trials 15-16 Stable View Hunter Jumper In & Out Series 19 Hunter/Jumper Institute

Schooling Dressage Collection 30 Spring Trail Race

4-6 Stable View $60,000 FEI CCI-S 2/3/4* & USEF/USEA Horse Trials (T, M, P, I, A) 16 Hunter/Jumper Institute 19-20 USEF/USDF “Spring Fever” Dressage 25-27 UKC All Breed Dog Show – Aiken Showcase Dog Show

INTRODUCING:

STABLE VIEW In & Out Series

$25,000 prize money offered for each event

Summer 2: June 8th – 9th

Summer 3: June 29th – 30th

Summer 4: July 6th – 7th Fall 1: September 21st – 22nd Fall 2: November 2nd – 3rd

Secret Lives of Horses

Indigo: Grand Prix Superstar

by Ann Jamieson, Photography by Pam Gleason & Shannon Brinkman

Margie Goldstein-Engle fell in love with Indigo the moment she rode him. In fact, he was one of her favorite horses of all time.

An icon of the show jumping world, Margie is based at her Gladewinds Farm in Wellington, Florida. She has represented the United States internationally countless times, won over 220 Grand Prix events and was elected to the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. She also won team silver at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, as well as individual and team medals at two separate Pan American Games.

Margie first learned about Indigo from a longtime friend, the horse dealer Willy van der Ham. She’d known and dealt with Willy, who is based in Holland, for over 30 years.

Indigo, a 2000 Dutch Warmblood gelding, was born and raised in Australia and was owned at the time by David Dobson, a man who had worked for Willy, and was a top international competitor. David Dobson was in the middle of a divorce, and his wife had ridden and shown Indigo. As a result of the divorce, the horse was for sale.

Margie was always on the lookout for special horses, and she knew that Indigo was one. The horse had plenty of Thoroughbred in him, and at David’s barn, spent a lot of time outside, perhaps, as was often the case in Australia, even lived outside. For Indigo, that would have been particularly appropriate. “He has more energy than any horse I ever had; he never runs out of energy,” laughed Margie.

Margie was in Europe trying horses when she heard Indigo was for sale, and planned to fly to Australia to try him. But things kept coming up, and Margie never made it there.

Finally, since she trusted Willy, and Willy trusted David, they worked out “a very good deal” for her to buy Indigo without a trial.

She wasn’t worried; Margie had bought other horses from Willy without trying them. And even if Indigo couldn’t be a Grand Prix horse, she had a “Plan B.” Because of his consistent results, she figured he could be a great junior or amateur horse. That would give her an out if she needed one.

David accompanied Indigo all the way to the United States. “He was really great!” Margie said. “He traveled with the horse all the way from Perth to Sydney.” David rode Indigo at every stop. Yet, when he arrived, Indigo was still wild. He seemed to feel the three weeks of travel was nothing more than a vacation. Instead of being tired, he was refreshed. He was also not impressed with Margie’s potential plans for him to be a junior’s or amateur’s mount. He was exuberant; competition was in his blood and he was all in for the win.

Fortunately, those traits fit perfectly with Margie’s fierce competitive nature. She realized after the first ride that he was just what she wanted for herself. “From the minute I rode him I loved him! He had great balance, and he was very animated on the flat.”

Starting him in the 1.35 meter jumpers, Margie moved up to the 1.40 meter in Wellington, and by the end of the 2010 Florida circuit they were competing in the national Grand Prix.

“He always tried his best to go clean, but he was a lot of work to get to the ring,” said Margie. He wasn’t spooky; just high energy. Margie says she loved to ride him, “He felt like he was floating at the trot, barely hitting the ground as he moved. He was very enthusiastic about everything. He loved what he was doing!”

Indigo proved to be such a great horse for Margie that they scored team positions all over Europe and the United States. Some of the placings they earned included podium finishes in Nations Cups at Aachen, LaBaule, and Rome, and tying for the win at the London Olympic trials in Wellington, which featured massive fences and multiple rounds in one weekend.

Winning World Cup qualifying classes in Syracuse, New York and at the Pennsylvania National were also memorable. The wins “were all very

special in different ways and in all different types of venues,” she says. “He just had so much heart and always tried to do his best. . .

“He was amazing. He wasn’t a huge horse, but he looked bigger than he was. Everyone thinks I look for these huge horses but I really don’t,” Margie says. “He was probably only 16.1 and he kind of grew when he went in the ring. He was just built right: compact and uphill. His hind end was always under him, There was nothing he couldn’t jump, and I don’t know how many World Cup qualifiers he won”

Once Margie realized Indigo was a legitimate Grand Prix horse she syndicated him to several owners while still retaining ownership under her own Gladewinds Farm.

“The owners really enjoyed him. They traveled with him to Europe. It was nice: it gave everyone a horse to come and watch at the highest level. He always tried his heart out. He was compact so he was easy enough to ride in small rings like Harrisburg and Syracuse, where he won World Cup qualifiers, but he was great on a big field like Aachen as well”

Margie compares him to the Eveready bunny. “Even as he got older he was never quiet. He never lost that enthusiasm and his energy and zest for life. Bernie [Bierget Maier, his groom] had to watch who was behind her when she jogged him because he would always leap in the air and kick out . . . He’s got a huge heart and he was the type of horse when you were at a championships or someplace like the trials, and all the other horses were starting to get tired from all the rounds, he just got better”

Although he was still going strong in 2020, Margie felt he had earned the right to retire.

“He was 20 and still sound, but I didn’t want to make him keep doing things. He had done so much in his life for so many people.”

Initially, he stayed in work at home in Florida, where he turned out to be a good babysitter for some of the youngsters. But after a few years, Margie sent him to live with Jane McDonald and her husband Cameron McLeod at their farm in Aiken.

“Bernie knows Jane and said she takes great care of the horses,” says Margie, noting that it’s hard for a horse to be retired in Florida where the summers are so hot. “Bernie and Jane keep in touch and I get to see pictures of him.”

Jane says in retirement Indigo is “easy-going and unassuming. . . He loves his carrots and peppermints. He’s very easy to deal with; there’s no drama with him. If you go in the tractor to put the bales out he follows you around eating the hay out of the tractor bucket.”

Indigo’s best friend is another retired jumper, Moon Doggie, and the two spend most of their days hanging out together in the run-in shed. “They just kind of hang out and eat, and stand around when I go out to groom them. They are no longer interested in staying in the barn, they want out!” says Jane.

Indigo is also attached to Jane’s Jack Russell puppy Olive. When Indigo and Moon Doggie are eating, Olive will come over and join them at the meal. Indigo looks at Olive and seems to say “Oh, you’re a small horse. So it’s okay.”

“They’re all out there just living the life, just hanging out,” says Jane. It’s a well-deserved retirement for a horse that did so much.

Secret Lives of Horses is sponsored by Triple Crown Nutrition: Providing nutrition beyond compare.

Grown Up & Doing Good

The Foals of Aiken, Alunmi

Scorz

AQHA Gelding

Halter horse Owned by Elizabeth Barnes Foals of 2017

When we met Scorz as a weanling in 2017, he was owned by Ina Ginsberg, an Aiken resident, who was planning to show him in AQHA halter classes. He lived at Pait Quarter Horses in Aiken, and his trainer, Jeffrey Pait, had high hopes for him.

Today, he still lives at Pait Show horses, but he has had three owners in his life: Ina Ginsberg, Trent Searle and his current owner, Elizabeth Barnes. Scorz is a multiple champion with a show record that is 44 pages long.

He competes in the open divisions with Jeffrey Pait and in amateur divisions with his owners. In the past, Aiken may not have been especially well known for Quarter Horses, but Scorz has definitely helped put the city on the AQHA map.

Canela

(Cielito out of Coming Up Roses)

American Polo Pony mare

Owned by Jill Diaz Foals of 2019

Canela was bred to be a superb polo pony, and she is beginning to show that she has a bright future on the field. Her sire, Cielito, is descended from the great Pucara, one of the most acclaimed stallions in the

Argentine polo world, while her mother, Coming Up Roses, is a Thoroughbred race horse with exceptional power and speed. Her owner, Jill Diaz, thinks that Canela inherited the best traits of both her sire and her dam.

Canela took to all her training very easily, and was doing stick-and-ball practice by the time she was 3. This spring, at 5, she entered her first polo tournaments. Jill, who rode her in her first game, was very pleased with her performance.

“She was my best horse,” she said.

Richard Schmon

El Smooch (Jess’s Dream X Wildheartsneverdie by Gators n Bears)

Foals of 2020

Dona Luna (Hoppertunity X Ying Yue by Jump Start)

Foals of 2022

Thoroughbred racehorses

Owned by Ron Madden of Jellicoe Creek, LLC

El Smooch (Smoochie) and Dona Luna (Lulu) are Thoroughbred racehorses born at Chime Ridge Stables in Aiken and trained to race at the Aiken Training Track.

El Smooch: According to his owner, Ron Madden, Smoochie had a bit of a slow start in life. He was orphaned when he was just a few months old, which made him especially people oriented. As a 2-year-old, he was slated to race in the Aiken Trials but decided that he did not want to run that day and refused to start.

All of that is behind him now. He is currently in training with Danny Pish at the Lone Star track in Texas. He broke his maiden on the turf at Sam Houston Park in February, leading from the half in the one-mile-long race. In his subsequent race, he came in second behind a horse that fetched $100,000 at the 2022 Ocala Breeders Spring Sale of Two Year Olds in Training.

“We’re encouraged by his effort,” said Ron Madden. The trainer is looking for a turf race of about a mile or maybe a little more for his next race.

the Fair Hill Training Track in Maryland and will probably enter her first race soon at Delaware Park.

“She’s doing great at her training and we expect her to be racing in about four to six weeks,” said Ron.

“Perhaps as a result of a very bad paddock accident as a yearling, after which she spent nearly six months recuperating under the care of Logan Bearden and Justin Rivera of Poplar Place Stables, she is used to being handled and is exceptionally calm, friendly and does everything asked of her.” Ron continued. She is being trained by Justin Rivera who now has a half share in her.

Meanwhile, Lulu’s dam, Ying Yue, now Moonlight Melody, was retrained by Logan Bearden and is currently showing in the 2’6” hunters with her 13-year-old owner. “From a winning racehorse to a quiet ride on the trails and in the show ring, Moon has mastered everything she’s been asked to do!” said Ron Madden.

Standardbred Roadsters

Trotting off the Track

By Pam Gleason

Duncan Huyler is on a mission to promote second careers for harness racing Standardbreds in the Roadster discipline. Duncan is an Aiken resident who is currently competing two Standardbreds at Roadster competitions around the region. His first horse, Gabe the Bear Dean, was the American Saddlebred Association of the Carolinas (ASAC) and the Saddle Horse Report Open Roadster of the Year in 2023 as well as the ASAC Amateur Roadster of the Year in 2022. His second horse, Overandovervictory (on lease from his racing owner Sam Daddono) was Saddle Horse Reports, Saddle & Bridles and ASAC Amateur Roadster of the year in 2023. That same year, Gabe and Overandovervictory were also champion and reserve champion of the United States Trotting Association Standardbred Incentive Program (SIP) Roadster division.

Both horses had successful careers on the harness racetrack. Gabe the Bear Dean set a record of 1:56.1 for a mile on his way to earning over $300,000 in 94 starts. Overandovervictory (“OV” in the barn) had a personal best of 1:53.4 and banked almost $400,000. Roadster classes are a feature of Saddlebred shows and are designed to showcase stylish, fast-trotting horses used for transportation. The sport requires horses to negotiate an arena at three speeds, the jog (slowest) the road gait (faster) and at speed (fastest.) There are classes for horses that are driven, either with a two-wheeled cart (a “bike” which is what Duncan uses) or with a four-wheeled wagon. There are also classes for ridden Roadsters. Horses are judged on performance, speed, quality and manners. Making the transition from racing to roadsters can be seamless for well-trained racehorses, who just need to learn to modulate their speed to a relatively smaller arena.

Duncan started showing four years ago, but competing in Roadster classes is not an entirely new thing for him. He grew up showing Morgans and Saddlebreds in upstate New York with his father, a veterinarian. When he went to college at Cornell, he transitioned to polo, which he returned to later, after a 15-year hiatus during which he and his wife Erica had a horse farm near the Hudson River in New York where she trained, boarded and gave hunter seat lessons.  He and Erica, an “R” hunter judge, moved to Aiken about half a dozen years ago. When Duncan decided to give up polo, he wanted to stay active in the horse world. Competing in the Roadsters was a way to do that.

“I just thought it’d be a good thing to try. So I watched it a little bit, and decided to do it,” he said.

One of his polo friends from college, Janet Durso, a veterinarian, happened to be married to Ray Schnittker, a professional harness racing trainer and driver best known for his Hambletonian winner Deweycheatumhowe, which he owned, trained and drove – the horse was the first ever undefeated Hambletonian winner. Duncan asked Janet if they might have a horse that needed a new career, and Janet offered him Gabe the Bear Dean, who had suffered a series of suspensory injuries. She assured him the horse would be perfect after time off, and so Duncan agreed to take him. He picked the horse up from a shipper on his way down to Florida, literally making the transfer in the parking lot of a Red Lobster off Interstate 95.

After about six months of ultrasound-guided rehabilitation under the care of the veterinarian Dr. Keelin Redmond, Gabe was sound and ready to work. He and Duncan had their first show in September 2020 and last year, Duncan added OV to the stable as well.

Duncan trains his horses at home and competes at about a dozen shows a year. There are no roadster classes in the Aiken area, since Saddlebred shows missing from the Aiken equestrian menu. He shows in Asheville, Raleigh, Dallas and Blowing Rock, North Carolina; Perry and Conyers, Georgia; and Clemson, South Carolina. He even made the trip to Pennsylvania to compete at the Devon Horse Show.

“Erica travels with me to each and every show, and I couldn’t do it without her,” he said.

Roadster classes are getting more popular, but Duncan says that one consequence of this is that the class itself is changing, with more people starting to show Dutch Harness Horse crosses specifically bred as show horses. These horses have more action but less speed than Standardbreds. Even though the specifications of the Roadster class call for speed, the judges have a tendency to place the flashier horses higher than the faster ones.

“You can’t judge a Standardbred in the same class as a Dutch Harness Horse,” said Duncan. “They are just two different animals.”

To combat this trend, and to support off the track Standardbreds, Duncan got together with Darlene Porter from Spartanburg who shows Thunderstruck, a Standardbred Roadster under saddle. Together, they established the Trotter-Standardbred Roadster Foundation. This is a registered nonprofit in South Carolina whose mission is “to raise awareness and promote the Roadster show horse discipline as a rewarding second career option for off-the-track Standardbred racehorses . . . By showcasing the athleticism and versatility of Standardbreds in the show ring, we strive to reduce the number of unwanted racehorses and foster a vibrant community dedicated to their continued success and well-being.”

The foundation’s first accomplishment was to establish an Off-Track Roadster series with the United States Trotting Association, specifically for horses that raced or were bred to race. This new series, started this year, includes classes at 12 shows in three regions of the Eastern United States. The top three horses from each region and the top point earner overall who is not already in the top three will be invited to the year end championship held in October at the Smoky Mountain Equine Fest in White Pine, Tennessee. This year, there is $5,000 worth of prize money on offer, with 50% going to the winner.

Over the past few decades, off the track Thoroughbreds have been getting a lot of attention, with multiple well-publicized initiatives to increase the demand for former racehorses. Off the track Standardbreds have not gotten nearly as much consideration, even though they are just as deserving, and just as much in need. About 10,000 Standardbred foals are registered every year with the USTA. Standardbreds typically have longer racing careers than their Thoroughbred cousins, but they still need places to go after their racing days are over. Many retire to Amish country where they pull carriages for a living. Some find second homes as riding or driving horses. An unfortunate number end up at low end auctions such as New Holland in Pennsylvania where the unlucky ones are sold to contractors and shipped to Mexico, the only country that still accepts horses shipped directly from America for slaughter.

Standardbreds can perform disciplines, and the USTA Standardbred Incentive Program provides awards for former racers in everything from dressage to eventing, endurance, western horsemanship and barrel racing. There are Standardbreds who do well in all these sports, but the Roadster division is actually designed for their natural talents and training. Promoting the participation of former racehorses in the discipline is a promising way to help these horses find soft landings in careers at which they excel.

“They’re good solid horses,” said Duncan Huyler. “They’re sturdy, their feet are good, they’re sound, they’re sensible. They’re just great horses to have around and showing them is a lot of fun.”

Find out more about off the track Standardbreds on the USTA website under Life after Racing: http://lifeafterracing.ustrotting.com/. The Trotter-Standardbred Roadster Foundation website (https://trotter-srf. org/) will be live soon. Meanwhile, follow on Facebook.

Ask the Judge Questions about Dressage

With Amy McElroy

Dear Amy,

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.

My friends and I wondered if you could solve the following debates we are having regarding riding a dressage test. We would appreciate knowing what a judge takes into consideration for the following:

When you enter the dressage arena, does it matter if you enter from the left or right? And if you are rising the trot does it matter which posting diagonal you are on? Is there a correct side to wear your show number? Does your judge count the strides in the change of canter leads through the walk and trot? Finally does your judge time your ride, and can there be a penalty for a ride that is too slow or too fast?

We are looking forward to your answers.

-Dressage Debaters

Dear Debaters,

What great discussions you must have! Some of your confusion may be based on myth, tradition or hearsay. However, judges adhere to rules that answer these questions. The current rules can be found in the USEF 2024 rulebook under the dressage section (DR), for all judges and competitors. The rulebook is freely available online.

There is currently no ruling about entering the arena from one side or the other: whether you choose to enter from the left or right, either is acceptable and the direction from which you enter will have no effect on your entry score. I have heard that some riders believe you must enter in the direction of the way you make your first turn off the centerline, but this is a myth. I know that some riders enter in the same direction as their first turn, to help them remember which way they turn in their test. A judge would prefer you enter from the direction in which you can highlight your horse’s way of going (balance, straightness, and forward moving), and can perform the halt with ease.

The direction you enter from may make more of a difference when competing Fourth Level and above, when instead of entering in the trot, you must enter in the canter. Some horses and riders can be more harmonious on a specific lead, but it is still up to the rider to decide on an entry direction. At First Level or below, you may post or sit the trot at your discretion, but your posting diagonal on entry does not make a difference because technically you are not yet traveling in a specific direction. (A reminder that Second and Third Level requires you to sit the trot.)

You may be surprised to learn that riding on the incorrect posting diagonal does not have a negative effect on your score unless it impedes the balance of your horse. I am not suggesting riding on the incorrect posting diagonal, but it is a myth that being on the wrong posting diagonal will be counted as an error. This distinguishes the trot from the canter in which a wrong lead will result in a disappointing “insufficient” mark for that scoring box.

As far as displaying your show number, the only ruling is that you must be wearing one: Without a show number on you will not be permitted to enter the arena. In fact, your number must be visible whenever you are on the showgrounds, whether you are actively competing, warming up or just hand-walking. Wearing a number on the left side is more traditional and is often preferred, however there is not a ruling about it. Therefore, you may wear your number on the left or right, as long as it is visible anywhere on the horse, but usually on the horse’s bridle or saddle pad. Wearing a number is mandatory, and wearing two, one on each side, is also perfectly acceptable. Your judge will not consider where your number is worn and it will not have any effect on your score.

When it comes to the change of canter leads through the walk and trot, it is important to know the correct number of steps in transitions. A change of lead through the trot is when the horse is in the canter and is brought back to the trot for a few steps before being restarted into a canter on the opposite lead. “A few strides” would suggest more than two and perhaps less than six strides. Ideally, I like to see three or four strides of the trot. Of course, this is not the only aspect a judge considers when scoring this movement, but the steps are definitely taken into account. A “simple change of lead” is a movement where you come directly to the walk from the canter and clearly show three to five defined walk steps before transitioning to the new canter lead. The number of walk steps are definitely taken into consideration by your judge and, among other factors, will affect your scoring. So yes, your judge will count the strides at both the walk and the trot, and the number of strides is important.

Finally, when it comes to timing tests, in standard tests your judge does not time your ride. Each test does include an “average ride time” at the top of the test sheet under “conditions,” but this is just for scheduling purposes. In standard tests, your judge will only be timing from when the signal sounds to enter the arena and your actual arrival. You are encouraged to enter the arena as soon as possible after your signal, but there will only be an issue if you exceed 45 seconds: you can be eliminated. Your judge will also be timing any resistance that prevents the continuation of the test: if you can’t perform for a period of longer than 20 seconds, this would also entail elimination. Otherwise, the time it takes to complete your test will have no effect on your score.

On the other hand, if you perform a musical freestyle which you have designed, your ride will be timed. For musical rides performed under USDF rules (Training through Fourth level), there is a maximum time limit of five minutes, and you would be penalized by one point in “artistic expression” if you went over that limit (there is a 10-second grace period.) There is no minimum time required. Musical freestyles performed under FEI rules do have minimum and maximum times, and if your ride does not fall within these limits, you would incur a penalty. You are also timed before you enter the arena: After the signal to enter has sounded, your music must start within 45 seconds. You must enter the arena within 30 seconds of your music starting, and if you don’t enter the arena within 75 seconds after the signal, this would mean elimination.

You brought up several interesting topics for discussion. I hope this has helped solve your dressage riding debates!

Directory of Services

BOARDING/TURNOUT/TRAINING/SALES

Chime Ridge Stables. 803-508-3760

Katie Erpel Dressage offers training of young horses to FEI, boarding, sales, and lessons with USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist Katie Erpel at her quaint, boutique style facility conveniently located off of Charleston Highway on the Windsor/Williston line. Haul-in lessons are welcome to her newly renovated GGT arena or travel to your farm is available as well. www.katieerpeldressage.com (305) 778 5336

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 high-quality grass pastures making this the ideal place for you and your horse. Training program to meet your needs, whether your discipline is Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers or Foxhunting. thestableonthewoods.com 603.785.0435

Vaughn Equestrian: offering training, sales, and boarding. Professionalism is the guiding principle of owners Darrell and Melissa Vaughn in shaping every component of Vaughn Equestrian. Dressage, Jumpers, Eventing & Young Horses. training and sales. vaughnequestrian.com (603) 785-0435

COMPANION ANIMALS

Trinity Farms Terriers: Irish Russell Terriers. Old World, Healthy 100 year old Bloodlines with proven calmer dispositions. Health & Dispositions guaranteed. Preservation breeders for 48 years. Donna Fitzpatrick 803-648-3137 easyjacks.com, trinityfarmskennel.com

CONSTRUCTION & GRADING & FARM SERVICES

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

FARRIER SERVICES

Alyte Touch Equine Massage: Revitalize your horse’s stride with farrier care and soothing equine massages. Enhance their performance with Alyte Touch. Accepting new clients! Schedule an appointment today: 607-223-9011 or on facebook.com/ alytetouch

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.

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

INSURANCE

Betsy Minton, Sterling Thompson Equine, 803-617-8353. Now writing homeowners insurance for private residences. No horses required but certainly welcomed. Access to top-notch underwriters offering customized, affordable coverage. Still delivering excellent competitive insurance options for your horses and farms. betsyminton@sterlingthompson.com. Sterling Thompson Equine: 800 942 4258

INSTRUCTION/LESSONS

Amy McElroy. USDF Gold Medalist and USEF S judge. Instruction and training at all levels. Visit amymcelroy.com or call 803.640-4207.

Aiken Horsemanship Academy. Your naturally inspired adult learning resource! Offering Clinics, Courses, Starting young horses, Evaluations, and Lessons. JulieRobins.com 803-2201768.

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

REAL ESTATE/ RENTALS

Aiken 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. 803-648-2804.

Aiken Vacation Rentals. Comfortable, clean furnished homes. Downtown, Pet Friendly, Fast WiFi. info@aikenvacationrentals. com Call/Text (803) 216-5414 Locally owned small business. AirBnB Superhost.

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

Sullivan-Turner Team, Meybohm. Specializing in marketing & selling Aiken’s horse country properties. southernhorsefarms. com. 803-215-4734.

Whisper Farm: Lodging for riders & horses. Every bedroom has stall & paddock! Close to foxhunting, eventing & polo in the 302 equestrian corridor east of Aiken. 410-924-1790. thewhisperfarm.com.

SADDLES/SADDLE FITTING

Melodie McGowan Saddle Fitting. Servicing all makes and models of English saddles. New and used saddles also available. 585-6135000; melodie@mysaddle.com.

Classifieds

5 yr old 15.2 hand gelding. TB type, bred for polo but not right for me. Easy, sound no vices, loads, clips, ties, etc. Good with other horses. Just needs someone to put miles. Been out on trails. Asking $2,500 but motivated to move!

Located in Wagener Call or text 803-295-8687

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.

Chime Ridge Stables 803.508.3760

FARM SERVICES

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

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

Horse and Farm Care at Sporting Days Farm. Close to Aiken on Hwy 78. Beautiful facility; horse accommodations negotiable. Please text: 803 226 2024 Various part time freelance jobs available at The Aiken Horse. Ad sales, writing, web work. Tell us what you can do! Email theaikenhorse@gmail.com.

“Be With Me” 2011 Zweibrucker mare. By Banderas out of SHS Leap of Faith. Has evented and competed in dressage. No vices, easy keeper. Looking for her next partner. www.haffeydressage.com 607-743- 1309

HORSES & PETS

Competitive Third Level Dutch Warmblood for sale. 10 years old, amateur friendly, quiet in the show ring and on trails. Pushbutton ride. www.haffeydressage. com for video. Text: 607-7431309.

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

RENTALS/HOME SHARES

Aiken Luxury Rentals. Fully furnished cottages; walk to downtown. Perfect for temporary assignments, Work-from-home ready; high speed internet. Antique finishes & modern convenience. 803-648-2804. info@aikenluxuryrentals.com. aikenluxuryrentals.com.

Aiken Vacation Rentals. Comfortable, clean furnished homes. Downtown, Pet Friendly, Fast WiFi. info@ aikenvacationrentals.com Call/ Text (803) 216-5414 Locally owned small business. AirBnB Superhost.

Fully furnished 1 bedroom apartment located in quiet neighborhood on the southside of Aiken. Open floor plan with full kitchen, washer & dryer, utilities, and Wi-Fi included. Weekly and monthly rates available. Call or text (803) 292-3961.

Whisper Farm: Lodging for riders and their horses. Every bedroom comes with a stall and paddock! Close to foxhunting, eventing & polo in the 302 Equestrian Corridor east of Aiken. 410-924-1790. thewhisperfarm. com.

Advertising in The Aiken Horse

CLASSIFIED ADS are $30 for the first 30 words & 40 cents for every word thereafter. Add $5 for blind classified.

PHOTO CLASSIFIEDS for horses: $40; Limit 30 words & one picture

PHOTO CLASSIFIEDS for real estate, etc. $50; Limit 60 words & one picture.

BOXED CLASSIFIEDS: add $5 to your total

DIRECTORY LISTING ADS: $30 per issue or $100 for the year (6 issues.)

BUSINESS CARDS: $75 per issue or $300 for the year (6 issues.)

DISPLAY ADS are available in a range of sizes. For a detailed rate sheet and publication schedule, visit our website: TheAikenHorse.com

MAILING ADDRESS: The Aiken Horse, P.O. Box 332, Montmorenci, SC 29839

EMAIL: theAikenHorse@gmail.com We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. Pay for classifieds and business cards online: TheAikenHorse.com Pay a Bill or call us: 803.643.9960

Advertise in the August-September 2024 issue! Deadline July 19, 2024

Subscribe: $36 per year. Check out on our website or send your check to Subscriptions, 705 Flowing Well Road. Wagener, SC 29164

Working Equitation Championship Winners

Maria Glinski and Quince

by Ann Jamieson

Dr. Maria Glinski and her horse Quince topped the leaderboard in Intermediate Working Equitation at the Eastern Zone Championship held in West Springfield, Massachusetts last fall. Maria, who is a retired veterinarian and former dressage rider living in Aiken, is a new convert to the sport and this was a championship she had never dreamed of entering. In fact, about 15 years ago she gave away all her competition clothes. She was never going to compete again.

“My husband at the time refused to go with me to any competition because of the way I became. I was so nervous. He said, ‘Look around; nobody looks happy.’”

Maria wasn’t looking for a new sport, but her friend Samantha Spitler set up a working equitation course at her home in Aiken, and the two friends started playing with it. Smitten, Maria researched the sport online and attended some clinics. She was all in.

When Samantha hired Carlos Carneiro to work with her horses, Maria began training with him. Carlos, who comes from Portugal, is a classical dressage rider who has won Working Equitation championships and given clinics all over the world. His encouragement helped her dive in wholeheartedly. She returned to showing . . . after buying all new clothes.

“It’s exciting and rewarding, and a great way to develop a fabulous partnership with a horse,” she said. “I think that’s the bottom line. And it’s so much fun!”

Working Equitation is one of the fastest-growing equestrian sports in the world. Composed of a three or four phase competition, the event tests riders on dressage, ease of handling (a course composed of 12-16 obstacles that include a gate to open and close, and a jump), and speed. A fourth, optional phase, is a cattle trial, held only at show grounds equipped to handle cattle

“It’s a great test for your partnership,” notes Maria. “A lot of the horses who do really well have a good foundation in dressage. As you get up higher in the levels there’s so much collection involved and the horses really have to rock back and use their hindquarters.”

jumping a cross-country course and risking your neck; you can still have the variety and be safe. And it’s a very family oriented sport.”

Maria credits Carlos Carneiro with much of her success. “He’s a master!” she says. “If it weren’t for him we would never have won the championship. He helped me prepare, develop my strategy, and give me confidence.”

Maria has owned her partner Quince for 16 of his 22 years. A versatile Quarter Horse who loves to chase cows, he also excels at dressage. The pair started training for working equitation competitions a year and a half ago, instantly fell in love with it, and moved up the levels quickly. Although Maria says the sport is not the easiest thing for Quinny due to his downhill build, he makes up for it with his confidence over the obstacles

“Quinny is not a particularly fast horse,” she explains, “But he just gives his all.”

After winning the championship, Maria at first plunged into planning next year’s show schedule for her horse, but a trail ride changed everything.

“He seemed so happy and relaxed. I just felt that he is ready to retire from competition. He doesn’t have any more to prove: he gave me everything.”

In addition to a dressage background, a confident horse is essential for working equitation. “The sport is so great for the horse’s mind and it puts dressage to purpose,” says Maria.

Initially, Maria says she was concerned about memorizing the dressage test, the obstacle course and the speed trial. She was worried because her memory isn’t what it used to be.

“For anyone worried about that,” she advises, “I would say it’s great for your mind because it forces you to stretch your brain, so that actually turned out to be a positive. It’s great for all ages. It’s not like you’re

Maria, however, won’t be joining him in semi-retirement. She has a new horse, Zeb, a Kiger mustang, who is coming along well.

Maria says that it’s not simply the challenge of the sport that attracts her to Working Equitation, but also the enjoyable atmosphere.

“There’s such a camaraderie in these events, which is really refreshing. Everyone really supports each other. I just love it.”

If the thought of working equitation intrigues you, you can learn more about this growing sport at https://usawe.org/.

Horse

The Horses of Great Oak

Andy: Gentle Giant

By Pam Gleason

“When we first got Andy, I thought his size might intimidate people,” said Deborah McWhirter, looking at the black horse in his stall at Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs in Aiken. Deborah is the manager of equine services at the facility, which provides a variety of equestrian activities to promote the emotional, physical and spiritual health of individuals with disabilities. Andy is a 22-year-old Shire/ Thoroughbred cross gelding. He stands about 17.2 hands at the withers and he seems to be built on a different scale than the horses around him.

“I was just a little skeptical at first because he was so big – would the kids be afraid to get on him? Would the volunteers be intimidated –we have a lot of volunteers who are not really horse people. But once he got here, all the kids were saying they wanted to ride him, and the

volunteers had no problem with him at all,” said Deborah. “There’s just something about him.”

Andy came to Great Oak from Arlene and Mike Langdon, on the condition that they would get him back if the program could no longer use him for any reason at all. The Langdons have a strong bond with Andy and often come to visit him and watch his lessons, or simply to give him his favorite treat, bananas.

“We just adore him,” said Arlene, explaining that Andy has been a treasured member of their family for over 20 years.

Arlene and Mike have lived most of their lives in Pittsfield, Massachusetts where they were dedicated foxhunters for decades. Arlene’s brother, Louis Ruberto, is a racehorse trainer. Back in early 2004 he was helping another trainer at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, and Mike and Arlene went to visit him.

“We were out at a training center and we saw this very large baby horse going on the EuroSizer [automatic walker] who was totally unfazed by everything going on around him,” said Arlene. “There were trucks and back-up alarms and noise . . . and my husband said ‘I’ve got to have that horse.’”

It turned out that Andy had been bred as an insurance policy at his farm. Every year, the farm foaled out a number of quality racehorses, and they also bred a Shire mare so that if they needed supplementary milk or a nursemare to take the place of one of the Thoroughbred

broodmares they would have one. Andy’s sire was the respected Thoroughbred racehorse Benchmark (by Alydar) and his dam was a huge Shire mare named Angel. Born in 2002, Andy started his life with the name Angel 02. But the Langdons thought he deserved a name that was more than a number, and they approached his owner with an offer to purchase him.

“We couldn’t have been any further away from home, but we worked out a deal to buy him and ship him back to Massachusetts. And then we broke him, and trained him and took him out hunting. He actually went out in the field as a 3-year-old, and he loved it from day one. He just took to it like a duck to water. He said, this is great fun; I want to do this,” said Arlene.

Kind, calm and trusting, Andy became Mike’s horse, hunting with the Old Chatham Hunt Club in nearby Old Chatham, New York, where Mike served as field master for several years. When the Langdons started coming down to Aiken for the winter, Andy came along, hunting with Whiskey Road, Why Worry, the Edisto Hounds, Belle Meade and the Aiken Hounds.

“He was such a good boy. A great jumper, and quiet, but he was half Thoroughbred and he had plenty of steam. He didn’t just plod along,” remembered Arlene.

After Andy hit 20, hunting was no longer in the cards for him and Mike and Arlene had gotten some new young horses to hunt which took up a lot of their time and attention.

“We’d go out hunting, and Andy would be looking at us and saying ‘take me, take me,’” said Arlene. “Once in a while we would have a guest, and he would get to go on a trail ride, but he really wanted more attention. And a friend of mine suggested donating him to Great Oak.”

Andy had always been so tolerant of everything, this sounded like a good fit, so Arlene called them; they came out to look at him, then took him on trial. “And they said, yep, and he’s going to work for us, and they’ve loved him ever since.”

Andy has been on break this spring after being diagnosed with a dental disease that required surgery, but he is recovering nicely and will be back in work soon. His regular schedule includes lessons five days a week as well as plenty of attention. He’s been to the Special Olympics, and he’s the perfect horse for some of the larger riders, especially taller students whose legs reach his ‘go’ buttons. Like many of the horses at Great Oak, he has a palpable bond with his riders.

“Andy is a really special horse,” said Arlene. “I was telling Deborah that when she was deciding whether to take him, and then I said, I’ll bet everyone tells you that about their horse, and she said they did. But now that she knows him, she says I was right. Andy really is that special.”

Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs is a 501c3 charitable institution. Sponsor a horse, donate or volunteer: www.greatoakeap.org; Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Greatoakeap

Stable

Photography by Pam Gleason & Gary Knoll

Aiken Area Calendar of Events

June

1 Saturday Night Lights. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort. Tryon.com

1 SPCA Saddle Up for Adoptions @ Aiken Saddlery. 1090 E Pine Log Rd, Aiken. 803.648.6863, letlovelive.org

1 Rolling Hills Saddle Club(H,J,W,B) Info Line 770-338-0143 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120

1 WHES June Schooling Day. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark. com. Carolinahorsepark.com

1-2 WHES June Horse Trials, CT, D. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark. com. Carolinahorsepark.com

1-2 USEF/USEA Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 US Hwy 27E, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, show@poplarplacefarm. com, poplarplacefarm.com

1-16 Aiken Polo Club 4 Goal. Aiken Polo Club. Aiken Polo Club, Mead Ave, Aiken. Hotline: 803-643-3611; Manager, Tiger Kneece: 803.646.3301, aikenpolo.org

1-16 Pete Bostwick Memorial 8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 888-4NB-POLO; Hotline: 803-6447706; Haley Bryan: 803-215-3577. newbridgepolo.com

3-7 Horse Camp. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

4-9 Tryon Spring 6/Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort.Tryon.com

7-9 USEF/USHJA National “B” Rated Hunters & Level 3 Rated “Summer Classic I”. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

7-9 PSJ Summer I. PSJ Shows. Mullet Hall, St. John’s Island. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com

8 Bouckaert Equestrian Schooling Show. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

8 Pine Tree (Lynn Conto) 1265 Sanders Creek Rd Camden, SC 29020 (GPS Cassatt phone: 803-424-1952 email: conto@ bellsouth.net

8 Saturday Night Lights. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort. Tryon.com

8 Combined Test, Dressage & Show Jumping. The Vista Schooling & Event Center. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com

8 New Bridge Arena Invitational. New Bridge Polo Club, 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 888-4NB-POLO; Hotline: 803-6447706; Haley Bryan: 803-215-3577. newbridgepolo.com

8-9 Working Equitation of NC. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

8-9 Southern Series Games hosted by Mounted Games Across America. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, Georgiahorsepark.com

8-9 USEF/USDF Summer Dressage Series I & II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 US Hwy 27E, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, show@poplarplacefarm.com, poplarplacefarm.com

8-9 The Southeastern Hunter/Jumper Series hosted by Horse Show Ventures. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

9 Hunter Pace Bouckaert Equestrian. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

9 Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo. com

10-14 Horse Camp. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

11 Tuesday Night Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

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

12-23 Aiken Summer Classics I & II. Bruce’s Field, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.830.7077, tara@aikenhorsepark.org, Aikenhorsepark.org

13-16 Harmon Classics Derby Mania. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort.Tryon.com

13-16 USDF/USEF Tryon Summer Dressage 1&2. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort.Tryon.com

12 Yappy Hour @ SPCA Albrecht Center. 199 Willow Run Rd, Aiken. 803.648.6863, letlovelive.org

19 Twilight Jumper, Bouckaert Equestrian. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

21-22 PBR Pro Bull Riding. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. resort. Tryon.com

21-23 USEF/USEA Summer Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

21-23 PSJ “C” Series Hunter Jumper PSJ Shows. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows. com

21-23 Tryon Summer 2. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. resort. Tryon.com

14-15 Fence Rodeo. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

15-16 Good Old Summertime Horse Show (H, J) Jay Sims 404518-9199 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120

15 Derby Cross Jumping Branch Farm 179 Fox Pond Rd. Aiken, SC jbfarm.com

31-15 USPA Congressional Cup 6 Goal; $2500 prize money. Wagener Polo Club Route 302, Wagener, SC wagenerpolo.com

15 Atlanta Youth Dressage Challenge. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, Georgiahorsepark.com

15-16 USEF/USDF “Summer Solstice” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com

15 June Dressage Tests of Choice. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm.com

16 June Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm.com

16 Gala of the Royal Horses. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, Georgiahorsepark.com

17-21 Horse Camp. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

19 Hunter Jumper Institute. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

21-23 Hunting Country Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. Suzanne & Mark Feagan, 828-817-0549, fence.org

21-23 Elite Show Jumping (H,J) Vic Russell 678-858-7192 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-2976120 eliteshowjumping.com

22 Summer Solstice Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 US Hwy 27E, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, show@poplarplacefarm.com, poplarplacefarm.com

22-23 USEF/USDF Dressage at The Park. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark.com. carolinahorsepark.com

28-30 Dressage I & Dressage II at Bouckaert Farm. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm. com

22-23 H.J. Fox Summer Classics. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, Georgiahorsepark.com

24-28 Horse Camp. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

24-30 NCHJA Annual Horse Show. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark. com. Carolinahorsepark.com

25 Tuesday Night Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

26 Twilight Jumper, Bouckaert Equestrian. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

26-30 Tryon Summer 3. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort. Tryon.com

27-30 Stars and Stripes Circuit GQHA. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

28-30 NCHA Lake Waccamaw Tobacco Road Futurity Senior World Tour, Lake Waccamaw, NC, VANDY WALDEN 704-7565921 nchacutting.com

28-30 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series “Summer III”. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@ stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

28-30 Bouckaert Equestrian Eventing Horse Trials Area III Championships at Bouckaert Farm. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

28-30 SCDCTA Youth Clinic. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark. com

29 Saturday Night Lights. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort. Tryon.com

29 SPCA Pups N’ Suds Dog Wash. 199 Willow Run Rd, Aiken. 803.648.6863, letlovelive.org

29 Dressage & CT Schooling Show. Sporting Days Farm. Joannah Glass: 610.613.2010, jhallglass@aol.com, sportingdaysfarm. com

29-30 Cheryl & Co. Jay Sims 404-518-9199 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-2976120

July

1-7 G QHA Big A Circuit. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

2-7 Tryon Summer 4. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. resort. Tryon.com

3 Twilight Jumper, Bouckaert Equestrian. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

5-7 Bouckaert Equestrian Eventing Horse Trials at Bouckaert Farm. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

6 Saturday Night Lights. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort. Tryon.com

6 WHES July Schooling Day. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark. com. carolinahorsepark.com

6-7 WHES July Horse Trials, CT, D. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark. com. carolinahorsepark.com

5-7 USHJA Hunter Jumpers In & Out Series “Summer IV”. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@ stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

5-7 Elite Show Jumping Vic Russell 678-858-7192 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120

6-7 Dressage in the Summer. Bruce’s Field, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.830.7077, tara@aikenhorsepark.org, Aikenhorsepark.org

7 July Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm@ yahoo.com

8 Combined Test, Dressage & Show Jumping. The Vista Schooling & Event Center. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com

9 Tuesday Night Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

9-14 Tryon Summer 5. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. resort. Tryon.com

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

11-14 Elite Show Jumping Vic Russell 678-858-7192 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120 eliteshowjumping.com

12 Furry Film Night @ SPCA Albrecht Center. 199 Willow Run Rd, Aiken. 803.648.6863, letlovelive.org

12-14 NCHJA “C” H/J Show. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark.com. carolinahorsepark.com

12-14 PSJ “C” Series Hunter Jumper PSJ Shows. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows. com

13 Volunteer Training Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs 1123 Edgefield Hwy, Aiken, SC greatoakeap.org

13 Saturday Night Lights. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort. Tryon.com

13 FRC Dressage. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

13 Combined Test, Dressage & Show Jumping. The Vista Schooling & Event Center. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263, vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com

13 Voxton (Lynn Conto) 1265 Sanders Creek Rd Camden, SC 29020 (GPS Cassatt phone: 803-424-1952 email: conto@ bellsouth.net

13-14 H.J. Fox Wounded Warrior Classics. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

13-14

USEF/USDF “Only in America” Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm. com, stableviewfarm.com

14 Purrs & Pours The Alley Downtown Taproom, 214 The Alley SW, Aiken. letlovelive.org

16-21 Tryon Summer 6. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. resort. Tryon.com

17 Hunter Jumper Institute. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

18-21

Elite Show Jumping Vic Russell 678-858-7192 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120 eliteshowjumping.com

19-21 Hunting Country Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. Suzanne & Mark Feagan, 828-817-0549, fence.org

20 Saturday Night Lights. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. Resort. Tryon.com

20 Atlanta Youth Dressage Challenge. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

20-21 USEF/USDF Fall Dressage Series I & II. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 US Hwy 27E, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, show@ poplarplacefarm.com, poplarplacefarm.com

20 July Dressage Tests of Choice. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm@ yahoo.com

21 July Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com

21 Equine Transportation and Trailer Safety Educational Event. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark.com. Carolinahorsepark.com

20-21 G QHA Novice Show Series. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

23 Tuesday Night Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

23-25 Cheryl & Co. “B” Rated Jay Sims 404-518-9199 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120

23-28 USEF Premier Hunter Jumper PSJ Shows. Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve Blowing Rock, NC psjshows.com

27 SPCA Pups N’ Suds Dog Wash. 199 Willow Run Rd, Aiken. 803.648.6863, letlovelive.org

27 Freedom Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 US Hwy 27E, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, show@poplarplacefarm.com, poplarplacefarm.com

26-28 Elite Show Jumping Vic Russell 678-858-7192 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120 eliteshowjumping.com

27-28 G HF/Massey Ferguson Dressage Show. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

27-28 Horse Show Ventures - The Southeastern Hunter/Jumper Series. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

27-28 Summer Sizzle Camden Hunter Jumper Series. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, Janet Black 828-606-9708, threesprings@windstream.net scequinepark.com

29-1 Elite Show Jumping (H,J) Vic Russell 678-858-7192 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120 eliteshowjumping.com

31-4 USEF Premier Hunter Jumper PSJ Shows. Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve Blowing Rock, NC psjshows.com

August

1-4 2024 New Direction Hunter Jumper, Bouckaert Equestrian. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

3 Rolling Hills Saddle Club (H,J,W,B) Info Line 770-338-0143 Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120

3 SPCA Saddle Up for Adoptions @ Aiken Saddlery. 1090 E Pine Log Rd, Aiken. 803.648.6863, letlovelive.org

3 WHES August Schooling Day. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark. com. carolinahorsepark.com

3-4 WHES August Horse Trials, CT, D. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark. com. carolinahorsepark.com

3-4 Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

4 August Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com

6 Tuesday Night Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

9-25 Aiken Summer Fest I, II & III. Bruce’s Field, 931 Powderhouse Rd SE, Aiken. 803.830.7077, tara@aikenhorsepark.org, aikenhorsepark.org

10 Bouckaert Equestrian Schooling Show. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

10 Pine Tree (Lynn Conto) 1265 Sanders Creek Rd Camden, SC 29020 (GPS Cassatt phone: 803-424-1952 email: conto@ bellsouth.net

10-11 GDCTA Caren Caverly Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-297-6120

11 Hunter Pace Bouckaert Equestrian. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117. equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

10-11 Tryon Summer Dressage 3&4. Tryon International Equestrian Center. 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1000. resort.Tryon.com

11-18 NCHA Peach State Futurity World Tour, Perry, GA JUDY BOOZER 864-876-6272 nchacutting.com

16-18 NCHJA “C” H/J Show. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@carolinahorsepark.com. carolinahorsepark.com

16-18 Hunting Country Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. Suzanne & Mark Feagan, 828-817-0549, fence.org

17 August Dressage Tests of Choice. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com

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

17 Volunteer Training Great Oak Equine Assisted Programs 1123 Edgefield Hwy, Aiken, SC greatoakeap.org

17 Atlanta Youth Dressage Challenge. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

17-18 Newton County Saddle Club Open Horse Show. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

10-11 WPEF Horseshow (H,J) Julie Mohr Wills Park Equestrian Center 11915 Wills Road Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 678-2976120

18 August Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803.215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo. com

20 Tuesday Night Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

22-24 Barrel Racing, FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021, fence.org

24-25 Horse Show Ventures - The Southeastern Hunter/Jumper Series. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

24-25 Bouckaert Equestrian Eventing Horse Trials 3* at Bouckaert Farm. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117 equestrian@BouckaertFarm.com; BouckaertFarm.com

29-30 Hunting Country Schooling. FENCE 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. Suzanne & Mark Feagan, 828-817-0549, fence.org

29-31 USEF “A” H/J Classic National Show. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose Rd, Raeford. 910.875.2074, info@ carolinahorsepark.com. carolinahorsepark.com

29-1 SCQHA - Carolinas Ranch Showdown Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, Nichole Veasey 803-240-5785, scquarterhorse@gmail.com scequinepark.com

31-1 G DCTA Summer Finals Schooling Show. Georgia Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway NE, Conyers. 770.860.4190 georgiahorsepark.com

Business Cards

742

Open

A PASTURE BOARDING facility for retired horses and resting polo ponies.

Onsite owners. Convenient access to I-20 and I-95. All new fencing and refurbished grass

Jared and Katherine Thompson 870-816-5814 highmeadowpastures.com

James Davison Heriot Road, Dalzell, SC 29040

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