October-November 2023 by Aiken Horse Productions

Volume 19 • Number 2

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

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

AIKEN HORSE DISTRICT

UNDER CONTRACT $2.99 MILLION SUZY HASLUP Realtor™

KATHRYN SIDERS Realtor™

An Accredited Land Consultant, Suzy achieved the title of Leading Sales Agent in 2013, 2015, 2016 & 2020, received recognition in Meybohm’s “Best of the Best” & President’s Club, and earned 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 RLI APEX awards for top producing land real estate agents.

FARMSTEAD

Old Greentree Stables, a 10 A. equestrian property located in the heart of Aiken’s Horse District across from Aiken Training Track & near Bruce’s Field fronts 3 clay roads, (Two Notch, Grace Ave., and Mead Ave.), w/border of Magnolia trees. Featuring 21 stalls in 3 barns, 21 paddocks, grass jump fields, 2 residences & a groom’s quarter. 4BR/4BA brick ranch on Grace Ave. has hardwood floors, solid surface countertops, built-ins, wood beamed ceilings, brick fireplaces, fenced yard, & patio. Multiple grass paddocks w/live oak trees throughout the property. Rare find in Aiken’s Horse District & suitable for any equestrian discipline w/several areas perfect for dressage or jump rings. Short hack along sand clay roads to 70 miles of riding trails in the 2200 A. Hitchcock Woods and easily accessible to the shows at Bruce’s Field.

$1,690,000

Exquisite lakefront home on 9.8 A with over 8612 square feet of living space on 3 levels with a second residence is privately situated in the gated community of Farmstead. Picture frame wainscotting foyer leads to the living room which offers views of the lake from the wall of windows and French doors. Floor to ceiling brick gas fireplace, hardwood floors, wet bar and a screened porch with TREX floors accessed from the living room. Brick archway leads to the chef’s kitchen with a center island, granite, dishwasher, Viking warming tray, microwave, 6 burner gas stove, double oven and refrigerator. Breakfast area with a view of the lake and a butler’s pantry with Viking dishwasher, sink and wine rack. Pecky cypress paneled den with coffered ceiling, brick gas fireplace, half bath, wood sliding pocket doors and secure gun room. The primary bedroom on the main level has a walk-in closet and bath with Jacuzzi tub, walk through shower, 2 vanities and dressing table. Oversized 3 car garage heated and cooled for the car enthusiast. A wood paneled elevator services the 3 levels. Upstairs are 4 generously sized bedrooms (2 ensuites) and 3 baths and an office with built ins and private balcony with a lake view. The finished walk out lower level has a rec room with river rock gas fireplace, bar, full bath with walk in tub & steam room. The train/hobby room with new mini split leads to an add’l. garage storage area. Separate 3 BR/2BA 1639 sq. ft. hardiplank and brick apartment built in 2018 over a 3-car garage with additional one car garage for gym/office. Living room with beamed ceiling and gas stone fireplace, hardwood floors, screened porch, eat in kitchen with pantry, gas 6 burner stove, farmhouse sink and granite counters. The property has two generators, natural gas and Breezeline internet and TV. This is a special property.

WOOD’S END LOTS

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

KINGS RIDGE

$869,000

SOLD

5BR/3.5BA hardiplank home w/7.2 A. in a private gated community. Open floor plan w/custom kitchen, SS appliances, granite, & downstairs primary BR. 4 stall center aisle barn w/tack room, feed room, wash stall, storage, & laundry. Two 12x14 stalls w/1 in/out stall to a dry paddock. 3 grass paddocks, private sand riding arena & community trail system, arena, & access to picturesque ponds. The camera security system monitors the house & barn.

www.AikenHorseRealty.com (803) 215-0153 • suzy.haslup@gmail.com October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

Coveted Location in Woodside!

Neighboring the Horse District

Fairfield Cottages

Elegant home with European feel and exceptional livability in a beautiful, park-like gated community offers stunning finishes, fine details and wonderful living spaces inside and out. Join Woodside or the Reserve Club for country club amenities. 3 Bedrooms | 3.5 Baths | .246 Acres | Fenced Yard

4.56 acres ready for equestrian amenities with easy access to the sand clay roads of Aiken’s Horse District and the show / schooling facilities at the Aiken Horse Park Exceptionally well-renovated historic home with covered veranda, expansive Great Room with wet bar, 5 bedrooms, elevator, 3-bay garage, apartment & equipment shed.

Newly constructed, move-in ready cottages close to Downtown Aiken. Charm, style and low maintenance exteriors make these cottages a unique opportunity to invest in Downtown Aiken as a seasonal or full time residence with income producing potential. 4 Bedrooms | 3 Baths | 1561 sf | 1 Car Attached Garage

116 Charles Towne Pl. | Offered for $770,000

928 Two Notch Road | Offered for $1,950.000

415 & 419 Fairfield St NE | Offered for $249,500

Improved Price

Improved Prices

Forest Top at Barrington Farms

Live Minutes to Clarks Hill Lake

Barrington Farms - Gated Community

21.47 Acres in the cul-de-sac at Barrington Farms in Banks Mill Equestrian Corridor. As you drive through the gates of this established community, you will note the gently rolling terrain, old-age trees and lovely, estate homes and farms. Beautiful Home Sites | Bridle Paths | Private Setting | High Speed Internet

Looking to enjoy the lake life? Lovely renovations inside & out! Fabulous kitchen & bathrooms, and we love the guest ensuite! Gather among friends & enjoy this thoughtfully cleared back yard and all new fencing, all from this nice back porch! 4 Bedrooms | 3 Baths | 1.46 Acres | 3-Sided Carport | Outdoor Flex Space

Graceful, rolling terrain with old age trees, lush foliage & perimeter walking/riding trails for the nature enthusiast and equestrians to enjoy. Lot 1 - 22+ Acres and Lot 2 - 13+ Acres are located behind the frontage lots & accessed via a shared driveway Barrington Farms Drive | Natural Gas & FiberOptic Internet | Use Your Own Builder

Lot 9 Barrington Farms Drive | $235,000

6447 Ridge Road | Offered for $499,000

Lot 1 $218,250 | Lot 2 $140,650

Privacy Found - 2+ Acres in Woodside

Downtown Aiken Building Lots

Morrison-Wright Cottage

Gorgeous and spacious estate home is privately-situated on 2.05 acres in Woodside Aiken, South Carolina's premier gated country club & golf course community. Primary and guest ensuite is located on the main floor. Renovated guest bath & new roof! Choose to join Woodside or The Reserve Club for golf/tennis/dining amenities. 6 Bedrooms | 3.5 Baths | 5727 square feet | 2 Acres | 3-Bay Garage

Prime building lots in close proximity to downtown Aiken shops & eateries! Build your cottage, seasonal or full time residence or AirBnB!

Downtown Aiken, Historic “town“ home and beautiful gardens are ideal for entertaining and fine living. This well-renovated home will captivate those who appreciate the glamour of yesteryear & the harmony of formal, family and outdoor living spaces. 5 Bedrooms | 3.5 Baths | 5926 sf | Pool | Parking Court & Pavilion

341 Magnolia Lake Ct. | Offered for $1,235,000

14.74 Acres in The Paddocks

Match Point in Downtown Aiken

11+ Acre Parcels near Wire Rd. & I-20

Delightful opportunity to enjoy living in one of downtown Aiken's wonderful historic homes. Stately, light-filled 4-bedroom home is sited privately behind lush gardens graced by a handsome stone wall and sweeping, semi-circular gravel drive. 4 Bedrooms | 4 Baths | 2 Half Baths | Gardens & Privacy | 0.41 Acre

Wonderful opportunity to have some acreage for your hobby farm, tiny home & garden, mobile/modular home or family compound with easy access to I-20 & just 22 minutes to downtown Aiken! Mostly cleared and ready for you to make it yours! Sandy Soil | Nearly Level Topography | Just Two Parcels Remaining!

212 South Boundary Ave SW | Now $899,000

Old Shoals Rd |Lot 2 $85,800 & lot 4 $93,600

704 Hayne Avenue SW | Offered for $1,600,000

Improved Price Private parcel is ready for you to build your dream home, farm or huntbox! Level land with a sandy base can be readily cleared and sprigged for pasture. Enjoy the community riding trails, arena, and low HOA dues. Choose Your Own Builder | 14.74 Acres | High Speed Internet

Lot 7A Paddock Club Parkway | $294,800

Becky

Cissie Marie Tracey

Jenn

Leader in Luxury Sales

Trust the Market Leader’s #1 Team in SC - 2020, 2021 & 2022

803-998-0198 | SullivanTurnerTeam.com 4

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

Valley View Farm

at the Heart of Aiken‘s 302 Equestrian corridor

Valley View Farm is a multiple discipline equestrian training facility in Aiken's coveted 302 Equestrian Corridor. This 40+ acre farm offers top-notch amenities, stunning views, and the opportunity to pursue your equestrian dreams. This farm is suitable for various equestrian disciplines - eventing, polo, driving, dressage, hunter/jumpers - or as an equine breeding farm. Valley View Farm features a new covered, lighted, and irrigated arena for year-round training. Additional facilities include a 13-stall barn with a 2 bedroom apartment, lounge/tack room, laundry/feed room and shop space, and a well-maintained 3 bedroom, 2 bath manufactured home. There are 12 paddocks near the barn and 2 additional paddocks, a round pen, and a dressage arena & jump field in the upper fields. The property offers stunning views of the Shaws Fork valley and has several beautiful home sites to build a custom dream home with no HOA restrictions. The property has an approved subdivision layout already in place for the savvy investment-minded equestrian. Recent improvements include extensive landscaping, fence painting of all paddocks and fence lines, a new covered arena & more! This peaceful and ready-to-go equestrian training facility is ideal for those seeking a full-time farm or a seasonal training facility, offering a superb location, stunning views and top-quality amenities. Come home to Valley View Farm - A farm for today’s dreams and one that offers great investment potential for your tomorrow!

Offered for $1,390,000 220 Homeward Bound

The Pines at Camp Rawls 302 Horse Country

Acreage for the Sporting Life

Captivating equestrian and waterfront property offering a harmonious blend of tranquility, privacy, and convenience for the equestrian and sporting life enthusiasts. Quality built lux home and barn, stunning infinity pool and spa. Enjoy dockside entertaining and some of the best spotted bass fishing around! Have a 3-sport day at home & head up to the barn to tack up and take a ride on the trails or to school your horse in the nearby Mt. Vintage community arena. Your sanctuary at Sea Horse Farm awaits!

Welcome to ''The Pines at Camp Rawls'', a low-density community of 12+ acre parcels with minimal restrictions in an effort to give property owners' flexibility to develop the property to their vision while maintaining standards to protect property values. 205+ acre tract has been divided into ONLY 12 Parcels with road frontage on Bluffwood, Shadow Lane &/or Camp Rawls Road and range in size from 12 to 30+ Acres. You will appreciate the gently rolling and lightly wooded terrain of this recently thinned tract. Wonderful opportunity to build your seasonal or full time sporting life retreat!

A tranquil 112+ acre tract with a 4.6 acre pond that offers various opportunities for the sporting life, including hunting and fishing retreat, horse farm, or as a multi-generational homestead. Multiple home sites provide water views and a peaceful environment. The heart of the tract is nearly level and is perfect for your riding arena and barn. Cleared trails are easy to navigate on foot, horseback, or vehicle. Gum Tree Farm is easily accessible to downtown and I-20, making it ideal for those looking for a weekend hunting ground, or to develop your dream farm or legacy property.

12 Parcels | Lightly Wooded 12-30+ Acres Offered for $100,000 - $213,500

112.41 Acres | Pond | Multiple Home Sites Offered for $750,000

Sea Horse Farm - Mount Vintage

3 BR + 3.5 Ba Home| Heated Pool | Dock 8+ Acres | 5-Stall Barn |Offered For $1,699,000

Cissie Sullivan

Gum Tree Farm

Tracey Turner

803-998-0198 | SullivanTurnerTeam.com October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

109 Red Oak Lane in Woodside

$778,000 | 3580 +/- sq. ft. | 5 Bedrooms & 4 Bathrooms 3 En Suite bedrooms including Primary Gated Community |Oversized “Man Cave w/ Wet Bar Golf Course View on Fairway #16

8 Juniper Loop in Woodside

“Saddle Tree Farm” - 4291 Banks Mill Road

www.SharerDale.Com SharerDaleTeam@gmail.Com OFFICE: (803) 761- 0678

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

3725 Lone Oak Drive in Mallet Hill

337 Donna Street Williston, SC

October-November 2023

www.SharerDale.Com SharerDaleTeam@gmail.Com OFFICE: (803) 761- 0678

The Aiken Horse

SECTION 12 20 26 29

Stable View Oktoberfest News & Notes Teddy Milner Runs For Mayor Military Dressage Grant

Section One

Our cover shows Sarah Kuhn riding Mr. Cash Van de Start in the CCI**** at Stable View Oktoberfest. Photography by Gary Knoll.

SECTION 36 42 46 50 56

Aiken Land Conservancy Tom Wendel DVM Grand Prix Jumping Secret Lives Posh Pet Portaits

Section Two

Daniel Geitner and November Hill Farm's Jalanne win the $30,000 R. Bruce Duchossois Grand Prix at the Aiken Horse Park. Photography by Pam Gleason

Section Three

Alejandro Ontiveros goes to goal in the Alan Lyle Corey III Memorial 4 Goal at Aiken Polo Club. Photography by Pam Gleason

SECTION 64 66 71 76 79 87 88 89

The Aiken Horse

Ask the Judge Veterinary Externs at SPCA Hunt Directory 2023 Polo In Pictures Calendar of Events Classifieds Directory of Services Index of Advertisers

October-November 2023

12:00 bbq cOOKOUT bROUGHT TO YOU bY pOTSMOKERS

1:15 wELCOME cEREMONY WITH nICOLA bOLT & aIKEN’S mOUNTED uNIT

1:30 rEINING cHUCK sWAIN cIRCLES, sPINS, AND sLIDING sTOPS wITH okc fUTURITY fINALIST. “sPARKLITE nITE” aKA lEONARD.

2:00 rOPING Dave Rosier uLTIMATE TEAMWORK WITH PRECISION ROPING SKILLS AND A HORSE ON A MISSION TO GET N’ HOLD THAT sTEER!

2:30 WestERN sIDESADDLE bETTY aLEXANDER hOW DO THOSE SIDESADDLE LADIES MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY?!

3:00 mUSTANG mAKEOVER Rob West mEET “mOONSHINE lADY” AND HEAR ALL ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO TRAIN A WILD mUSTANG!

Tickets: $35 adults $15 Kids 13 & Under $15 ASLS Park & Ride Meal Voucher included with ticket. To Purchase Visit greatoakeap.org or call 803-648-5447

Location: 1123 Edgefield Hwy Aiken, sc 29801

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

The

Aiken

Horse

Aiken’s Horse Publication P.O. Box 332 • Montmorenci, SC 29839-0332 • 803.643.9960 • TheAikenHorse.com • TheAikenHorse@gmail.com Time Dated Material • Periodicals • Volume 19 • Number 2

t’s October. The sun is bright, the air is cool and the fall season is off to a rollicking start. September has already seen fast polo action, with tournaments at four active clubs, the National Youth Tournament Series finals and the Chukkers of Hope fundraiser at La Bourgogne polo club in Wagener. We have had the Best of the West horse sale, the Oktoberfest CCI4* at Stable View and horse shows galore at Highfields Event Center and the Aiken Horse Park. And the season is just getting started. For this issue of The Aiken Horse, we had a chance to watch some polo and some showjumping, and we had a spectacular outing at Stable View’s Oktoberfest to photograph some of the top eventing horses and riders in the country. We had such a good time, we decided to share additional pictures to go along with a recap of the 3- and 4-star action written by Amber Heinzberger. You will find that in the first section. You can also catch up on what’s happening in our News & Notes column, read about a grant that is being offered for people in the military who want to pursue dressage training, and meet Teddy Milner, who is the Republican nominee for Mayor of Aiken. Teddy won the Republican nomination this summer, and she will be the only name on the ballot in the general election. But she still needs everyone to vote to put her over the finish line and make her the first woman mayor in Aiken’s history. The election is on November 7 and is open to City of Aiken residents. In our second section, you can learn more about the Aiken Land Conservancy and its new executive director, Peter Kleinhenz who is on a mission to preserve and protect Aiken’s open land and wild places. You will also meet Dr. Tom Wendel, an equine veterinarian who relocated here from Colorado to set up a mobile sports medicine practice – his wife Kim is an eventer, so you

might see her out on the cross country course. We also have an article about the artist Eugenia Smirnova and, of course, Secret Lives of Horses, which features the driving horse Dazzle. Our third section has our annual Aiken Regional Hunt Directory, Ask the Judge with Amy McElroy, and an article about a one-of-a-kind veterinary externship program at the Albrecht SPCA Center for Animal Welfare that is helping prepare new vets for their careers. Of course, you will also find our indispensable Calendar of Events, Classifieds and our Directory of Services For horse people, fall is a wonderful time to be in Aiken. It’s also a good time to be in the restaurant or retail business because suddenly people are back in town, eating, drinking, and, hopefully, buying. This summer, things have been particularly slow for sales of pretty much anything in downtown Aiken. Compounding this problem, rents have been going up; several restaurants have closed, and many store owners are dying to see people back out buying. Horse people love Aiken first because of the horses. But pretty much everyone also appreciates the charming downtown with its unique, independently owned businesses. If we want to keep the shops and boutiques that make out downtown so special, we have to support them. So, patronize our downtown shops; buy from our excellent local tack and feed stores; go out to eat; visit our advertisers. Not only will you be helping to support local businesses, you will also be demonstrating the value of the equine sector to Aiken’s economy. Horses bring millions of dollars to Aiken, and equestrian businesses are integral to Aiken’s character. If we want to keep the horse-friendly charm that led so many of us to move here, we need to make sure that our economic impact is impossible to overlook. As ever, please send us an email if you have an idea for an article or you know something we should know. We want to be your horse newspaper.

The Aiken Horse

The Aiken Horse EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pam Gleason

ART DIRECTOR Gary Knoll

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jean Berko Gleason

LAYOUT & DESIGN Gary Knoll

PHOTOGRAPHERS Pam Gleason Gary Knoll

ADVERTISING

803.643.9960 theaikenhorse@gmail.com

Going Out Of Town? Don’t miss future issues of The Aiken Horse. We will send you a one year subscription (6 issues) for $36. Send check or CC # & your mailing address: P.O. Box 332, Montmorenci, SC 29839 Or sign up on the web at TheAikenHorse.com

Aiken

The

Horse

Aiken’s Horse Publication

Pam Gleason Editor & Publisher

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

October-November 2023

Protecting the Places You Love conserveaiken.org October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

Stable View Oktoberfest 2023

Above: Jane Jennings on Larano

International Stars & Local Favorites Compete

Enrique Mercado on Balanca SDN

By Amber Heintzberger, Photography By Pam Gleason and Gary Knoll

he $60,000 Oktoberfest Three-Day Event and Horse Trials returned to Stable View for its tenth year this September, with levels from Beginner Novice through CCI-four star, and intense competition over spectacular courses and in world class arenas. The event attracted accomplished horsemen from many nations as well as local riders who had the chance to compete with and against some of the best in the world. Phillip Dutton and the Z Partnership’s Z took top honors in the CCI4-S. British rider Lucienne Bellissimo and Horse Scout Eventing’s Dyri , who are based in Campobello, SC, had one rail down in the stadium to end up in second place overall. Local Aiken rider Sarah Kuhn rounded out the top three with Deborah Kuhn’s 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Mr. Cash van de Start. Kuhn also finished third in the Young Horse Championships CCI3-S with Deborah Kuhn’s Irish Sport Horse gelding, Hashtag Trending. Sarah Kuhn said that she was a little nervous going into the weekend because she hasn’t had an ideal preparation, so she was relieved that things went well with both of her horses. She is preparing to compete with Mr. Cash Van de Start at her first five-star competition, the Maryland Five-Star in Elkton, Maryland, in the middle of October. “The last couple months I’ve been dealing with some foot problems, like an abscess, with my horse; this was the first four-star since we did the long-format in May, and it was really important to get a good run here because it’s our last run before we do the five-star. I hoped he’d remember everything, and it wouldn’t be hard for him, and he exceeded my expectations in every way.” She said, “I was happy with his test It was clean and he was relaxed. We had an unlucky rail in show jumping where I sat up too early, but he was awesome, and he jumped beautifully. He pulled both front shoes on cross country, but he never skipped a beat. He has pads, and they make kind of a slapping sound when he gallops and I wasn’t hearing that, but he felt good so I just kept going. I’m sure Mark Phillips was trying to prep people for Maryland with this course, and I feel well prepared after doing the event.” Below left: Breanna Robinette on Dark Mark; Right Rory Frangos On Montys Tune

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

Cornelia Fletcher on Daytona Beach

Alexandra Knowles on Morswood

October-November 2023 Doug Payne on Cadillac Ranch

The Aiken Horse

Arden Wildasin on Apogee

Phillip Dutton on Azure

Emily Hamel on Corvett

Lucienne Belissimo on Tremanton The Aiken Horse

Sarah Kuhn on Mr. Cash 2023 van de Start October-November

For his tenth course at Oktoberfest, Captain Mark Phillips designed the CCI4-S track to help riders prepare for the next level. “It’s three weeks before Maryland. I think that anyone that’s had a good ride down here will go to Maryland with a lot of confidence,” he said in a press release. The field of 22 starters in the CCI4-S numbered only 14 by the end of the competition, with a total of three eliminations due to rails in show jumping, five withdrawals, and one rider fall when Elisa Wallace and Renkum Corsair parted company at fence ten on the cross country. Phillip Dutton, of West Grove, Pennsylvania, used to be based in Aiken during the winter but now spends the winter months in Florida. He said that he took things easy with the winner, Z because he wanted to give his experienced campaigner a confidence-building last prep run for the Pau CCI5* in France at the end of October. This will be their sixth CCI5* competition together. Dutton’s second ride, Azure (owned by Anne, Michael, and Caroline Moran) finished in ninth place with a score of 52.5 as their final prep for the Maryland 5* at Fair Hill, which is to be the mare’s first run at the 5* level. The USEF/USEA Developing Horse Eventing National Championships boasted 40 entries in the CCI3*-S YH division for 7-year-old horses. Allison Springer and Nancy Winter’s Connemara cross No May Moon topped the leaderboard, adding no faults to their dressage score to finish with 29.8. Jenny Caras and Beaulieu’s Cecilia finished second (32.4) and Alexander O’Neal and Miss MoneyPenny V (36.2) rounded out the top three. Springer also won the CCI2-S-YH Championship riding the 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse Monbeg Zebedee, owned by the

October-November 2023

Zebedee Group, on their dressage score of 28.6. “It was an awesome weekend,” said Springer. “But typical, with horses – I picked up 20 penalties on cross country with both of my four-star horses and I’m still kicking myself for that.” Sitting third after dressage on Business Ben, she racked up 16 faults plus time penalties on Michel Vaillancourt's challenging stadium course, and then had a run out on the cross country, landing her in 14th place. “Ben is like a guided missile, and I missed a chevron with him because I came in too slow. I circled around and took the direct route the second time, go figure!” She was 13th with her other horse, Vandyke. Overall, Springer said that she was happy with all of her horses and particularly with the young ones. “The other two were fantastic,” she said. “I was thrilled to win two big FEI classes, and I can’t thank Stable View enough. The show jumping courses were challenging, but not too hard or unfair. The cross country courses were the best I’ve done at Stable View; the progression from 2 to 3 to 4 stars was very good, and the questions were very good for the level. I think all of the competitors were very appreciative.” No May Moon’s owner, Nancy Winter, was shortlisted for the 1984 Olympic Games, and Springer said that she breeds part Connemaras that typically go to Cathy Wieschhoff in Kentucky for starting, and then come to Springer in their third or fourth year for her to finish producing them. “No May Moon is maybe 15.2 hands on a good day, but she’s fabulous,” she said. “I’m pretty certain she’ll do advanced, and it’s pretty exciting for Nancy.” Springer also has the mare’s brother, who is currently laid up with an injury, and said she’s looking forward to getting him going again as well and enjoying a little sibling rivalry between the two horses.

Christina on JTH Zest 15 The Henriksen Aiken Horse

Phillip Dutton on Z, winner of the CCI****

Monbeg Zebedee is another young star in Springer’s barn, sourced through Joanie Morris and Richard Picken, who sent Springer a video of the gelding from Kitty King’s yard in England when the gelding was 5 years old. “Richard and Joanie, dear friends, said that they thought he’d be a good fit, and sent me the video,” she said. “I had Rebecca Howard, who’s a Canadian rider based in England, sit on him for me. It’s worked out really well, and Kitty started him beautifully; it was the best beginning I’ve had with an Irish horse.” She continued, “He’s 6 now and has had a big year, moving up to Modified, winning a few times, and then Preliminary, and I think the whole year brought him to this point. He’s grown physically and in his training. The 6-year-old division was very competitive and I felt really honored to win against class horses and beautiful riders. It’s a huge accomplishment.” Winning the highly competitive CCI3* Young Horse Championships was Alexandra Knowles and Katherine O’Brien’s P.S. I Love You. Knowles and “Jerry” ended up with just 0.8 time faults on cross country, leaving them with a score of 33.4, only slightly more than their dressage score. Cornelia Fletcher and her own DHI Qyaracolle Z came in second place, and Sarah Kuhn and Hashtag Trending, barn name “Trendy”, rounded out the top three. “Trendy really stepped up,” said Kuhn. “I got him as a 4-year-old and this is his first three-star. He’s a cool horse, but he can be difficult and unfortunately his dressage test wasn’t very good because he wasn’t very relaxed. I thought the three-star cross-country was hard, especially for 7-year-olds that are pretty green, but he jumped around easily. He’s had a really good season, so I’m going to give him a break now and not compete him again this fall. We will just work on the dressage and maybe do a

three-star long in the spring. He’s an out-and-out c with him.” She said, “I’m so thankful to Stable View. Barry events that they run, and the footing and the cours eventing we don’t win any money and it was nice t notch and it’s really a world-class venue. I hope rid a destination event. They do the “graze and gaze” e since it’s local, accommodations for horses and rid She continued, “People should really consider it much rain at all in the past two weeks and I was w aerating and watering and the footing was immacu quickly and after [Mr. Cash’s] foot problems I was trotted up completely sound – that’s a testament t Kuhn is training with Jeremy Steinberg in dressa training with him this winter. “He’s amazing and h I’m focusing on Maryland. Mr. Cash just jumped c good experience; I just hope I’ve done enough fitn the five-star, but I think he’s as ready as he can be. I a horse I brought along from the beginning. After forward to it.”

Alexander Neal on Red Tailed Palumbo

Mary Bess Davis on Imperio Magic

cross country machine! I’m excited for the future

and Cyndy Olliff put so much work into the ses. The prize money was incredible; often in to be able to pay my entries. Everything was topders that are from farther away will really make it every night, and while I keep my horses at home ders are lovely. t because it’s top class in every way. We haven’t had worried that it would be too hard, but they’ve been ulate. With the hot weather the footing gets dry s worried, but even without his two front shoes, he to the footing, for sure!” age, and said that she plans to do some intensive he’s based here in Aiken year-round. Right now clear around his 10th four-star. He has some really ness-wise that he won’t be too tired at the end of It’s my first 5-star and his first 5-star, and it’s on all these years, I’m excited and really looking Emily Hamel on Corvett

epona

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

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Woodland Farm: $1,200,000 Woodland Farm is situated on 18 acres in the heart of New Bridge Polo Club on Paloma Lane. The stable boasts 16 matted stalls with indoor wash stall, tack and USPA NYTS Championships La Promesa: $925,000 Lauren Circle: $80,000 September 13-17, 2023 feed rooms, groom’s quarters La Promesa consists of 12 + Lot 3B is a lovely, 1.2 acre with en-suite, horse laundry USPA Northrup Knox 8 Goal tranquil acres on Petaca Lane parcel next to newly built and ample storage. Lovely September 20 - October 8, 2023 owner’s apartment with updated providing ultimate privacy within homes on Laurens Circle. Scenic views of polo fields 4 and 5 and kitchen, bathrooms and open floor the gated polo club. This *New Bridge Women’s Challenge plan living and dining rooms. Ten one-of-a-kind pastoral property established horse pastures in the 10-14 Goal lush, green paddocks for turnout also offers direct access through distance. This level lot can October 9 - 22, 2023 a private, gated entry off New accommodate just about any style with mature shade trees. This Bridge Road. A charming 8-stall home. A private and serene setting *USPA National President’s Cup farm is a unique property that is 8 Goal® barn, studio apartment, paddocks, allows you to enjoy the country centrally located to all club October 11-29, 2023 and equestrian lifestyle in a amenities, including Field #1, the round pen, rich pastures with clubhouse, pool, tennis court, and beautiful, shady live oaks make secure, gated community with the Bronze Trophy 8 Goal® exercise track. Ready for you and this farm a turnkey, idyllic haven. amenities of an equestrian October 27 - November 5, 2023 Conveniently walking distance country club. This lot is ready for your horses to call home, this * Prize Money Awarded to all club amenities. A must see! you to build your dream home! gem won’t last long, so hurry! newbridgepolo.com

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

News & Notes By Pam Gleason

One Hundred Grand, Grand-Prix

to 40 entries. “We take the top 40 from the FEI world ranking, send invitations and go from there,” explained Kate Boggan. “But we always save some wildcard slots for local riders who are qualified because the crowd loves to have local riders to cheer on.” Along with the doubling the prize money, the horse park is upgrading the course and the spectator experience. Kate Boggan says that there are several new jumps in production, all with an Aiken theme. For spectators there will be some new VIP packages, as well as cross country tailgating packages. In addition, the Black Horse Troop from Culver Academy in Indiana will be on hand to give a demonstration – Bruce Duchossois, for whom Bruce’s Field is named, attended Culver so this has special significance. “We’re trying to just amp it up,” said Kate. “This will be our sixth consecutive year, so I think we’ve established it as a staple of the winter calendar. We want to make sure that we keep improving and making the event something that people want to come to.” Although Grand-Prix eventing has probably become the most recognized happening at the horse park, there is more on the calendar. October sees “October in the Park,” a series of USEF hunter-jumper shows. Then in November, the Split Rock Jumper tour returns, bringing the Split Rock CSI2*, Aiken’s first FEI level showjumping Colleen Loach and Vermont over a replica of Memorial Gate in the Hitchcock Woods competition. December has the USEF December Classics; and the popular winter schooling series, Tuesdays in the Park, Augusta, Georgia. Conceal’s support has allowed the horse park to raise starts up on January 9. There’s always something happening in the park. the total prize money for the competition from $50,000 to $100,000. Visit aikenhorseapark.org for more information. It is certainly not unheard of for top eventing riders to compete for this kind of money, but it is definitely unusual – eventing lags behind Get in the Swing many other equestrian sports such as showjumping, where $100,000 It’s only October, but the polo season is already almost half over. The fall purses are practically every day occurrences. polo season in Aiken is brief but intense: tournaments normally start in “We definitely hope that the prize money will help attract more early September when the heat dissipates, and end in early November European contenders to come over,” said Kate Boggan, who is the when cold nights leach the color out of the Bermuda grass and horses director of marketing and communication at the horse park. “It’s start to grow their winter coats. During those two months however, if definitely a big appeal to our U.S.- based riders. They have all heard the you are a player or a fan, you can get to at least one, and sometimes as news, and they are talking about it, so that’s very exciting.” many as six or seven polo games almost any day. In years past, there have always been a few European riders who Aiken’s polo history goes back to the 19th century. The first recorded compete for the showcase title, most notably William Fox-Pitt, the game here took place in March 1882, just six years after the sport was British Olympian who is perennially ranked among the best in the officially introduced to America. The game was introduced to Aiken world. by Clarence Sutherland Wallace, a horseman, composer and executive The Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase is a modified form of eventing at the Havemayer Sugar Company in Brooklyn, New York where polo that occupies less space than a traditional event, while at the same was all the rage. It was a huge spectator event, with, reportedly, 10,000 time emphasizing spectator-friendliness. The Aiken Showcase takes spectators. place over two days. On Friday, riders complete their dressage and Today, Aiken has four active clubs. Aiken Polo Club, the oldest and showjumping phases. Then on Saturday, they race around a modified most historic, plays on Whitney Field on Mead Avenue in the historic cross country course that criss-crosses the Aiken Horse Park, leading horse district. They also have games on Powderhouse, a complex of them over obstacles that pay tribute to iconic Aiken features and fields on Powderhouse Road opposite the Aiken Horse Park. New landmarks. They jump a scaled-down version of The Willcox and the Bridge Polo Club has regular games on their five spectacular fields about old Aiken post office, jump a tennis court net, leap over the Palmetto 10 minutes east of town. Wagener Polo Club plays on several fields Golf Course clubhouse, a replica of Memorial Gate in the Hitchcock in the Wagener area, including Big Tree Polo Field on Big Tree Road Woods, a gigantic fox squirrel, and so on. and Broken Arrow Polo Club on Route 302. (wagenerpolo.com) The The showcase is designed for horse and rider combinations that are newest club, La Bourgogne Club de Polo, is located on Coleman Bridge qualified to compete at the four-star long level and it is by invitation Road, just over the line into Wagener, and about a 20-minute drive from only. Because there is only so much time in the day, the roster is limited downtown. The Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase will return to Bruce’s Field in the Aiken Horse Park on March 1 and 2, 2024, and it is getting even more impressive. The Aiken Horse Park Foundation has announced that it has attracted a new title sponsor, Conceal, a cyber security firm based in

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

If you haven’t made it to a polo game yet, but you would like to, you have a range of options, and there are more and less formal ways to be a spectator. The least formal way is to find a weekday polo game, drive to the field, and simply go in and watch. Weekday games are almost universally open to the public and free of charge. They are also usually free of any amenities (except the port-a-pot), and there is no announcer, so if you don’t know what is going on, you might need to have someone explain it to you. The dress code is whatever you are wearing, even if you have just been mucking stalls. (Other people have, too.) How do you find a game? The respective polo clubs usually have tournament schedules listed on their websites or Facebook pages, or take a look at The Aiken Horse online calendar, where you can find most daily schedules. A caveat however: tournament schedules change a lot due to weather and scheduling conflicts, so always check the respective hotline before heading to the field. For an upgraded experience, go to a Sunday game at Aiken Polo Club or New Bridge where you will find announcers, literature that explains everything and food and drink. Aiken Polo Club has double headers most Sundays at 2:00 and 3:30 pm, and you can choose to park for free and pay a nominal admission fee, call ahead to reserve a tailgating spot, or you can buy a ticket to the catered social pavilion. (aikenpolo.org) New Bridge usually has its Sunday games at 5 pm, but will likely move them earlier as the days get shorter. La Bourgogne Polo Club offers a similar experience, but on Saturdays instead of Sundays. You can wear whatever you want, but people who hang around the pavilions are often dressy casual. If you want the whole “Pretty woman” experience (Richard Gere not included), find a benefit game. These may have higher admission fees, but better and more food, a party atmosphere, and a good chance of seeing people dressed up and wearing hats. We have several of them still on the schedule. These include the Ponies and Pearls fundraiser for Brooke International, an organization that is devoted to the welfare of horses and mules worldwide. This event will take place at New Bridge Polo Club during the finals of the USPA Women’s Challenge and is billed as a “Women’s Empowerment Event.” It includes cocktails, catered food, a silent auction and more. The match is on October 22 and the party runs from 3:30 to 8:30. Check the New Bridge Polo website for more information. (newbridgepolo.com) Another special event is the AFM “Give me Wings” 20 goal match at La Bourgogne Polo Club the preceding day, October 21, at 3 pm. This match, which offers a $30,000 prize, is a benefit for a foundation set up by David Meunier, the owner of La Bourgogne, to honor his son Anthony, who did not survive a car crash last year. The foundation provides grief support for families that have lost children, as well as defensive driving lessons for young people, provided by world class racecar drivers. Twenty goal is considered high goal polo and is guaranteed to be fast and exciting. We have not had 20 goal polo in Aiken since 2010, when both the USPA 20-goal Silver Cup and the USPA 20-goal Monty Waterbury Cup were played here under the auspices of 302 Polo Club. (For tickets and more information visit labourgognepolo.com) Polo is an addictive sport. It is fun to watch, and even more fun to play. Want to try it out? There are folks around who give lessons. One of them is Tiger Kneece, who is the manager of Aiken Polo Club. Tiger runs an immensely successful youth polo program, gives lessons to adults and kids and organizes regular pro-am games, where you will discover how much fun it is to play with someone really good, and therefore, you will have to give up everything else to become a polo player. Yes, it really is that addictive. (Contact Tiger through Aiken Polo Club or 803-646-3301.)

Tricks and Tips from the (mid)West

If you are looking for horse activities to watch, Aiken has much more than just polo, of course, and the variety is growing all the time. One

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new fall highlight is the annual Best of the West Horses sale that was held this year on September 30 at the Aiken Training Track in the historic district downtown. This is not really supposed to be a spectator event, but it does attract a crowd of onlookers, who come to ogle the horses, shop with the vendors and generally marvel at the high prices that some of the horses fetch. This leads many people to wonder how the trainers convince the horses to do some of the things they do. The Best of the West auction and other high-end western sales attract horse trainers who teach their horses more than just typical riding. They they tend to demonstrate their charges’ tractability by climbing over and under them, asking them to lie down or sit on giant beach balls and generally doing the kind of thing you might have been cautioned never to do with your pony when you were a child. If you are curious about how they train some of these things, you are

Best of the West 2023: the smallest riders; the tamest horses

in luck because Kevin and Marybeth Raber of Diamond K Horses will be coming to Stable View to conduct a clinic on December 2-3. The Winter Horsemanship Clinic is being put on by Belles in Boots, the same people who brought the Southern Belle Classic horse sale to Stable View last spring. (The sale will be back this coming March 22-23: stay tuned for more details.) The clinic includes ridden and ground work, and is intended to provide the participant with a “more developed understanding of horsemanship as well as a deeper connection with their horse.” Diamond K consigns horses to Best of the West sale, where they regularly sell horses in the six figure range. Last spring, they parted with the top seller at the Southern Belle Classic – a horse that fetched $157,000. Based in Jackson, Ohio, Kevin and Marybeth Raber compete in ranch, reining and trail events, and they are winners of various colt starting and horse makeover competitions. According to their website, their training is focused on creating well-rounded horses that can go anywhere and do anything. “Rather than turning out tired non-focused and desensitized horses, we focus on building trust-based partnerships that will carry you safely through any scenario you may encounter with the horse of your dreams.” For more information about the clinic: southernbelleclassic.com

October-November 2023

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October-November 2023

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October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

Teddy Milner’s Passion An Advocate for Aiken By Pam Gleason

his summer, Teddy Milner won the Republican nomination for Mayor of Aiken. Teddy, who is best known for her Hayne Avenue business It’s All Good Market and Catering, is a newcomer to politics. But she is a longtime resident of downtown Aiken, and she is confident in her ability to serve in a leadership role in the city that she loves. Of course, she has to win the general election first, which takes place on November 7. The Republican primary this summer featured the incumbent, Rick Osbon, along with Teddy and another challenger, the businesswoman Kathryn Wade. Since no candidate received 50% of the vote, the race went to a runoff between the top two vote-getters, Milner and Osbon. The August 22 runoff was a squeaker that Teddy won by a mere 14 votes. Since there is no Democratic nominee for mayor, this means that Teddy’s name will be the only one to appear on the ballot in November. It does not mean, however, that she is already the mayor-

Teddy with her last horse: a retired polo pony named Blue, 1980s.

elect, since it is always possible that someone might mount a successful write-in campaign. “The most important thing is that people get out and vote one more time,” she said. “I need everyone to vote to get me over the finish line.” If and when she does cross that finish line, she will become the first woman mayor in the history of Aiken. According to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), she will be one of only three female mayors of cities with more than 30,000 residents in South Carolina. (Myrtle Beach and Florence also have mayors who are women.) The CAWP says that just over 25% of America’s mayors are women. Teddy Milner is originally from the Northeast. She came to Aiken for the first time to visit a friend one summer in the early 1980s. She was immediately taken with the city, and in the fall returned with her 12-year-old son, Center Ely, to see if he would be amenable to moving. He said he would be, as long as he could play sports. And so Teddy bought her first Aiken home, on Florence Street downtown. Center attended Aiken Prep school and played all the school sports, including Dixie Football, which introduced Teddy to people from all walks of life. “People ask me how do I know so many people,” she said. “Well, it started through Center. Have a kid in school sports and you are well on your way to knowing everybody.” Teddy has always had strong ties to the golfing community, since she is an avid golfer. She rode horses as a child, and after she moved to Aiken

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where horses were such an important part of the culture, she decided to ride again. Eventually, she had her own horses, some of which worked out better than others. Her last was a former polo pony named Blue, that she owned and rode for many years, doing some trail riding and some hilltopping with the Aiken Hounds. All did not go smoothly, but she persevered. “That horse dumped me so many times in the woods,” she said with a laugh. “He was hilarious – he would run from the farrier. But I had so much fun with him.” Although Teddy does not ride currently, she loves horses and appreciates how much they contribute to Aiken’s economy and to its culture. Teddy credits Courtney Conger, the owner and founder of Carolina Real Estate Company, with getting her into the restaurant business. Courtney encouraged her to start doing some catering and she discovered she had a real talent. Then, when a recent transplant to Aiken decided to open a restaurant in the Alley called Horseshoes, Teddy became the chef. After Horseshoes closed, Teddy worked at another restaurant called Pickles until it, too, closed down. This experience gave her the idea to run her own restaurant; she knew what worked and what didn’t. She got together with a partner, Diane Rutherfurd, and together they opened the Stoplight Deli on Laurens Street. The restaurant became the place to have lunch in Aiken for over two decades. When Diane decided to move on to other opportunities, the partners sold the restaurant (they owned the property) and Teddy started another catering and restaurant business, It’s All Good, on Hayne Avenue. She said she plans to continue this business, which she loves, and that she has a capable and devoted staff to assist her. Although Teddy never had any particular political aspirations, her friends and associates have always looked to her as a collaborative leader, a person who is willing and able to listen to all viewpoints and to come up with mutually agreeable solutions. Over the past few years, many people have been unhappy with the direction in which leadership seemed to be steering the city. There was a particular outcry against Project Pascalis, a real estate venture that would have demolished Hotel Aiken and the entire block it sits on to build a modern hotel, conference center, apartment building and parking garage. (After vocal public objections and several lawsuits, Project Pascalis was abandoned in September 2022.) Teddy is known for her business acumen, her common sense approach to problems, and perhaps most of all, for her love of Aiken. Stepping up to run for mayor seemed like a natural next step to bring her abilities and her passion to city leadership. “I think I’ve got a good personality for it because I don’t ruffle,” she said. “I feel like if you can cater weddings, where people are tense and there is a lot of pressure, you can do anything!” she joked. The main points of Teddy’s mayoral platform are accountability, transparency and integrity. She wants to ensure that the city leadership is accountable for the decisions that it makes and can show that tax dollars are being spent wisely and carefully. She wants these decisions to be made out in the open, without raising any suspicions of backroom deals or preferential treatment. She wants to be sure that the city leadership projects an overall sense of integrity and fairness. According to the City of Aiken Municipal Code, the mayor has no regular administrative duties. She presides over the meetings of the Aiken City Council, performs various ceremonial duties such as issuing proclamations, and serves as the official head of state, executing official

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

documents for the city and the like. The vibrant neighborhoods on the north side city is run by the city manager’s office, of town. which Teddy says is staffed by extremely “I love Aiken,” she said. “I love the able people who do an excellent job. The fact that there are people here from mayor is able to influence the direction everywhere, and they have brought so of the city council, although she has only many ideas – I feel surrounded by so many one vote. ideas of interesting people that have lived “People are already coming to me with in so many other places. Those people problems,” she said. “And I’m happy to have picked living here because they love hear them. I might not be able to solve Aiken; the people who have always lived those problems, but I don’t like to drag here stay because they love Aiken.” things out; I like to get them done. So a Teddy acknowledges that the city is big thing will be getting back to people. I facing many challenges and difficult find that when you don’t answer people issues and that it will never be possible to right away, that’s when they get irate. please everyone. But she wants people to If you can just get them an answer in a be confident that the city’s leaders have reasonable amount of time, even if the taken their concerns into account, even answer is not what they want, they can if the ultimate decisions go against their live with it.” particular interests. She hopes to make Teddy said that she has two main issues choices that continue to celebrate and that she would like to see addressed. reinforce Aiken’s unique character and One is the need to remedy problems history while at the same time supporting with the city water, which runs through Aiken’s growing population and economy. Teddy's supporters placed teddy bears in strategic places around town ancient pipes in some places and is often “I have a tremendous amount of energy,” this summer to remind people to vote. discolored. The other is to establish a she continued. “And I intend to channel comprehensive zoning plan to manage that energy to help the citizens of Aiken growth in the city. She said that a serious plan is necessary in order achieve what we need to move forward.” to preserve Aiken’s charm, which includes its downtown with its The election will take place on November 7 and is open to voters who independent local businesses, the historic district with its equestrian live within the city limits. assets, the southside with its gracious homes and the many diverse and

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October-November 2023

Military Grant Fund for Dressage Beech Island couple establishes program By Nancy Johnson

ue Bender, whose husband David is a retired Army colonel, knows firsthand the sacrifices military families must make. Years ago, when she was a new bride, the life was very hard for her, but Sue credits her Army family and horses with getting her through the challenges. “It is so difficult if you are looking after a military family,” she begins. “You sometimes have to make a choice between your riding or taking care of your Army family, which grows as the rank goes up.” David and Sue Bender, who live in Aiken County’s Beech Island, decided that they wanted to help other members of the armed services pursue their dressage dreams. “We wanted to give back in a way that involved both military families and horses,” Sue explains. “Horses have been a part of military history forever. And to me, horses are an international language just like music, especially in some countries like Germany where they are also part of the culture.” Sue is an avid dressage competitor who has served on the board of the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) for 12 years. She also has ties to The Dressage Foundation, a separate 501c3 charity, which was formed to “cultivate and provide financial support for the advancement of dressage in the United States.” She knew that The Dressage Foundation has numerous grants and programs to support dressage enthusiasts of all levels and interests including beginners, adult amateurs, instructors, judges, and technical delegates. So, she and her husband approached the organization and asked for assistance in setting up a new grant. “When we told The Dressage Foundation that we would like to sponsor a grant specifically related to the military, they were immediately on board. They got all the paperwork together for us and walked us through it step-by-step,” she says. Established in 2022, the Military Grant Fund is available to those connected to the armed services. “They can be in any branch of active military duty, a reservist, or retired. Spouses and minor children are also eligible." “We recently awarded our first two grants!” Sue says with enthusiasm, noting that they had five applicants. She explains that the grants, in the amount of $1,000 each, are to be used specifically for dressage-related educational experiences that are not within the horse and rider’s typical training plan. Some examples would be clinics, camps, lessons with a renowned trainer, and similar things. One of the recipients is a retired military person from Georgia who will be using the grant to travel to work with a trainer for a week. “She has previously participated in some clinics with this professional,” says Sue, “and is very excited about having the opportunity to do a whole week of one-on-one training.”

The Aiken Horse

The second recipient is a military spouse from Oklahoma. “She’s going to a clinic, which, without this grant, she could never have dreamed of attending. Neither grant recipient is high level, and we don’t care. It is so much more important that they can enjoy the tradition of our military and horses.” Prospective recipients are asked about their dressage goals and their military background. “Then they need to tell us specifically what they would do with the money if they were awarded a grant. It must be something special, not just putting the money toward their normal training.” A committee (which includes Sue) selects one or more recipients from the applications received. Then the board of The Dressage Foundation reviews the committee’s recommendations and gives final approval. Sue likes the fact that The Dressage Foundation not only contacts grant winners, but also others that applied for and didn’t receive the grant. They tell the applicant why they were not selected and often steer them to another grant that might be more appropriate for their situation. Sue says one of the applicants for their military grant was very worthy, but she left out some important information. “The foundation explained how her omission hurt her and suggested she re-apply the next year being sure to include what was missing.” Sue and David were newlyweds when he was given his first assignment as a lieutenant: Germany. Sue sold her horse, packed up and headed to a country where she knew absolutely no one beside her husband. “The first year we were married I think we had 75 days together,” Sue recalls. While in Germany, she leased, and eventually bought a horse, and she says that riding gave her purpose and kept her occupied. Even though they didn’t ride, some of the other wives would go to the barn with her. “There was a restaurant upstairs, and the Germans at the barn looked after all of us. It was so thoughtful and kind,” she says. “Because of the horses, doors opened, and I developed friendships that I still have, decades later, today.” As his career progressed, David had two additional overseas assignments, one in Turkey, and another back in Germany in 2001. Sue recounts the story of how David had already gone over to Germany while she and her two horses were slated to fly over on September 15. Of course, the tragic 911 attacks interfered, shutting down air travel nationwide, but again her Army family stood by her. Hers were the first two horses to fly out of New York’s Kennedy airport when the skies opened up again in October. David and Sue have been enjoying their farm and horses in Beech Island for the past 12 years. One of the horses Sue bred, Rania, is currently competing at Intermediaire I. Sue rode the mare at the 2021 Region 3 Championships to win the Adult Amateur division at Fourth Level. Rania is the granddaughter of one of the horses Sue brought to Germany when they were stationed there in 2001. The connection of Rania to their time in Germany is just one of the frequent reminders the Benders have of their life abroad. They are still in touch with many friends they met in the military and through horses. “Everyone needs goals and with this program through The Dressage Foundation, we can give back and help some people attain their goals. We are happy to do this, and we need to be doing more of it, taking care of each other,” Sue concludes. To learn more about the Military Dressage Grant and others available through The Dressage Foundation, see www.dressagefoundation.org

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

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October-November 2023

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Conservation for All

Aiken Land Conservancy Protects & Preserves By Pam Gleason

ccording to Peter Kleinhenz, who is the new executive director of the Aiken Land Conservancy, conservation is for everyone. This includes the creation of conservation easements, in which a property owner makes a legal agreement with a land trust or government agency permanently limiting uses of the land . “Generally, there is a common misconception that things like conservation easements are just for rich people, and that if you are not rich, they don’t make any sense,” he said. “But fundamentally, this is not the case. From a donation perspective it might be helpful, because you can use the tax deduction, but you can spread that tax benefit over 15 years. And you can also sell a conservation easement, where a landowner might want to keep living on a property, but doesn’t want it developed in the future. Organizations like the Aiken Land Conservancy can sometimes find funding and buy a conservation easement.” The Aiken Land Conservancy (ALC) was founded in the early 1990s during a time when there was a large amount of development pressure on Aiken’s Southside. The Savannah River Site had announced that it was going to be building a $10 billion new production reactor at the site, and this was spurring a building boom in a formerly rural part of the county. More development means higher land values and property taxes, raising the cost of living and making the idea of selling a farm or piece of land to developers increasingly attractive, and sometimes inevitable. Dr. Harry Shealy, a botanist and professor at USC Aiken, and Iris Freeman, a land owner with an abiding love of conservation, founded the ALC (originally called the Aiken County Open Land Trust). Their goal was to give people an alternative to selling their land: placing a conservation easement on it, which would lower property taxes while at the same time protecting it from development. In the years since the organization was founded, it has preserved and protected thousands of acres through either conservation easements or outright ownership. It has also participated in important projects in Aiken such as burying the power lines around historic Winthrop Field (which the ALC owns) and on South Boundary Avenue to save the live oak trees there from aggressive pruning by the power company. It is one of only 463 organizations in the United States to earn the national Land Trust Alliance’s accreditation, which is “awarded to land trusts meeting the highest national standards for excellence and conservation permanence.” Peter Kleinhenz came to the Aiken Land Conservancy from Tallahassee, Florida where he was the conservation coordinator at Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy, a large organization that holds over 158,000 acres of conservation easements in Florida and southern Georgia. A lifelong lover of wildlife and the outdoors, Peter is originally from Ohio. He received his undergraduate degree in zoology and media production from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and his master’s degree in environmental education from Southern Oregon University. He is a birder with a special interest in herpetology, and he first heard about the ALC because he was reading about efforts to protect the endangered gopher tortoise in nearby Windsor. He had been looking for a change, and when he saw that the ALC was looking for a new executive director he was intrigued. His fiancée, Heather Levy, is a horse person, and she was very familiar with Aiken’s equestrian reputation, so she was immediately on board. “We came up to Aiken and we spent actually a whole weekend here and we were just blown away,” he said. “We loved the Hitchcock Woods, and I was really impressed with the ALC board, and I was just kind of sold.” Peter started his tenure in June, and since that time has been working on a number of initiatives to help protect Aiken’s natural and historic places. One of his goals is to get more of Aiken’s land, particularly environmentally sensitive land, under conservation easements so that

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it can’t be developed. Another is to help make more resources available to improve and preserve properties that are already under conservation easement. He points out that simply preventing development is not enough, there needs to be stewardship of the land so that the habitat can sustain native species that are in danger of dying out. In Aiken, this might mean eradicating invasive plants such as kudzu and Bradford pear, and it might mean starting a program of controlled burning to restore the longleaf forest to a healthy state. “We’re at a time where species are disappearing incredibly quickly; we’re going in the sixth mass extinction event,” he said. “So preserving natural habitat is always going to be a personal motivation of mine.” But land does not have to be undeveloped to be a candidate for a conservation easement. The IRS recognizes four different reasons to grant a conservation easement. The first is to protect natural habitats for fish, wildlife or plants. The second is to keep land open for public and recreational use. The third is to preserve open space, and the fourth is to save certified historic structures. The ALC has properties in all four of these categories, including land along the Shaw’s Creek watershed (habitat), recreational areas such Boyd Pond Park and Winthrop Polo Field (public use), multiple private horse farms (open space) and historic buildings such as the Clark Barn on Mead Avenue in the historic horse district. “Landowners might be surprised by how flexible and compatible conservation easements can be,” said Peter, explaining that they are a natural fit for Aiken’s horse farms. A conservation easement can include such things as pastures and woodlands that can’t be developed, along with a building envelope in which the landowner (or buyer) can construct new or additional homes and stables. Although putting a farm in a conservation easement does decrease its value, Peter says people might be surprised to learn that the value might not go down as much as they expect: prospective buyers are often happy with the idea that the farm they buy will remain a farm forever. “Aiken’s heart and soul is pretty much reliant on horses,” he said. “Ultimately, as development increases, horse farms are going to get more and more valuable. Eventually, those motivated by money are going to be incentivized to sell those farms, and they’re going to be turned into something that’s not a horse farm. One of the roles that the Aiken Land Conservancy has played and will continue to play is to keep horse farms horse farms, and keep the beauty of this place intact forever.” In addition to increasing the portfolio of properties under conservation easement, Peter says he hopes that the ALC can become more involved in city planning to help manage development in an environmentally conscious way. Keeping areas natural, and ensuring that existing habitats don’t become fragmented is crucial to the survival of many threatened and endangered species. “The best thing that we can do is to get involved with the county and city comprehensive planning, encouraging our elected officials not to change zoning to permit development in a haphazard way. I live in a house; we all live in places that have an impact. The problem though is that there’s a right way and a wrong way to do development. As an elected body, our city and county should be really strategic about where that development is directed because it benefits all of us. There’s a variety of research that has shown that smart growth equates to economic growth. “The beauty of conservation is that it doesn’t matter if you’re left or right. It doesn’t matter if you’re into plants, or birds, horses or trees,” he continued. “Conservation is one of the few things that I’m personally aware of that brings every single type of person together. If you love anything related to outdoors, you support conservation. I’ve worked with landowners who, if I met them on the street, I probably would have never interacted with, but we found common ground over our love of the land.” To learn more about the Aiken Land Conservancy, visit conserveaiken.com

October-November 2023

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New Vet in Aiken

Sports Medicine is a Specialty

By Pam Gleason, Photography by Gary Knoll & Terrie Hatcher

the future he does plan to have a small clinic, he is primarily a mobile his fall, Aiken has a new member of its equine veterinary veterinarian. community. Dr. Tom Wendel, his wife Kim, and their daughter “I just think there’s a lot of benefits to setting up a full inclusive Elle have recently relocated to Aiken County from Colorado. Dr. mobile practice. Most of the treatments a horse receives can be done Wendel runs a full-service mobile practice with a particular specialty in on the farm, and the horses like it better that way,” he said. “They can sports medicine. Kim Wendel is a professional event rider with several recover from sedation on the farm, and the owners don’t have to be nice young horses climbing the ranks toward the FEI level. Elle, who stressed about hauling the horses in. It also leaves the door open for a started fourth grade at Mead Hall this semester, is enthusiastic about her lot of one-on-one customer service because we’re right there with the flock of hybrid chickens that lay nearly two dozen eggs a day. Wendel owner or trainer.” Veterinary Services is a sole-practitioner, family practice and the whole Dr. Wendel, who is 41, says that he is confident relocating to Aiken family is involved as a team. Dr. Wendel says he prides himself on the was the right move, although he admits that he would not want to be individual attention he can provide his clients. starting his practice all over again if he were much older. Kim and Elle “I think being able to interact with the public in a positive way and came East over the summer so that Elle would be ready to start school leaving people with a positive experience from a veterinarian is very at the beginning of the semester. Tom arrived during the last week of important,” he said. “I enjoy making a veterinary visit a good experience and thoroughly explaining situations. I think the veterinarian needs to give the client multiple options when they have a problem — They don’t need to be pressured by being told “this is the best one,” and looked down upon if they don’t choose that method.” Tom Wendel was raised on a ranch in Texas and knew he wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age. He attended Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine, and after graduation completed an internal medicine and surgery internship at Interstate Equine Hospital in Oklahoma. For the next four years he worked as a racetrack surgeon, first at Remington Park in Oklahoma and then at Fonner Park in Nebraska. In 2010, he moved to Colorado where he opened his own practice. “Since I started my own practice I have focused mostly on sports medicine,” he said. “But we do a lot of general care as well.” His clientele in Colorado included horses from an array of different disciplines: show jumpers, eventers, polo ponies, Arabians, reining horses, and others. He uses all the most advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities, Above: Kim Wendel aboard her up-and-coming young horse MBF Gambler from shockwave to regenerative medicines Left: MBF Gambler in the barn with the Wendel family such as PRP, stem cell therapy and ProStride APS, which are treatments that use concentrated products from the September. He already had some appointments set up for that week, horse’s own cells to accelerate healing. In addition, he gives vaccinations, and his business seems to have hit the ground running. Word of his provides reproductive services, does dental work and is a chiropractor. ability to diagnose and treat difficult lameness problems has already Tom and Kim decided to move to Aiken because they were attracted spread into the eventing community, where Kim’s horses, which exude a to the vibrant horse community here. Kim had spent a few winters sense of fitness and well-being, are excellent ambassadors. riding and training in Aiken and fell in love with the area. Tom visited Dr. Wendel says that he finds sports medicine especially appealing and was equally impressed. because he can be an active participant as part of a competitive team, “It’s really that the whole community is focused around the horse and helping keep horses physically sound and at their best while the riders the horse industry,” he said. “People make their entire living based on and trainers handle the conditioning and the particular skills required the industry here. And for my wife, she can just flourish here. There’s by their sport. shows, there’s training events, there’s trainers. We’ve had a great practice “I enjoy the competition,” he said. “We watch a lot of people train in Colorado, but Kim is getting up to the FEI level again, and what very hard, and then everything comes down to that moment in the ring better place to do it than in South Carolina?” or on the course. I think when people put in the effort on the training, Dr. Wendel readily acknowledges that the Aiken area already has an and we can help out on the medical side, and it all comes together, it’s excellent selection of exceptional veterinarians. But he believes that fruitful for everybody involved. I think that’s where your reward comes there is room for his practice and he is eager to help Aiken’s horsemen from, right there.” improve their horses’ health, wellbeing and soundness. He is licensed to practice in South Carolina and Georgia, and he intends to serve Visit WendelMobileEquine.com for more information customers in the Aiken and Augusta areas and beyond. Although in

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Action in the $30,000 R. Bruce Duchossois Grand

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Secret Lives of Horses Designed to Dazzle

By Nancy Johnson, Photography by Gary Knoll

t 27, Designed to Dazzle, a Palomino gelding, still dazzles in appearance and action. His owner, Kathie Rindge, describes the double registered Quarter Horse/Palomino as the color of butterscotch. “He’s just beautiful all the way around,” she says. Dazzle lives with another horse, JD, at Three Runs Plantation in Aiken, along with Kathie and her husband Dana. Kathie bought Dazzle, who was sired by Designated Hitter and out of Razzle Dazzle, just before he turned 2 at a Quarter Horse training barn in Connecticut near where she lived at the time. “I was looking for a young horse to bring along to drive and ride,” she says. “I really wasn’t looking for a Quarter Horse, but I did specifically want a Palomino.” Dazzle had not been backed yet and Kathie asked the trainer not to let anyone get on him for a few weeks until she was definite about buying him. The trainer agreed to her request not to break the colt, so when Kathie took him home to her 7-acre farm in Amston, Connecticut, she began his training the way she wanted to, nice and slow. “We truly grew up together,” she says. “I didn’t want to put any weight on him until he was 4,” she continues. “Instead, we did a lot of groundwork, including driving.” Shortly after he turned 4, Kathie did a clinic with a natural horsemanship professional. “It worked out great because that was the first time Dazzle was ridden. He was totally good with it, but I was so glad to have such a perfect place to get him started under saddle.” Kathie continued Dazzle’s driving training after she began riding him. Soon she was driving him consistently down dirt roads near her home in Connecticut. “As he got older, I began taking him on pleasure drives with a driving club. He just loved it!” Kathie and Dana especially enjoyed trips to the Rockefeller State Park. They would pack a picnic and take a long, leisurely drive through the miles of carriage trails there. Kathie and Dazzle also competed through various driving clubs such as the Litchfield Driving Club, Connecticut Valley Driving Club and a few clubs in Massachusetts. They did driving derbies, scurry races, and three phase Combined Driving Events (CDEs). She explains that scurry races are timed events through a course of cones and two or three obstacles. A driving derby is similar to a scurry race, but is a shorter and tighter course. “The derbies were especially fun, and he was very good at them because being a Quarter Horse he’s so maneuverable. It’s like power steering plus!” The marathon phase of the CDE, with its challenging obstacles set in varied terrain, was Dazzle’s favorite. For those events, Dana served as an able navigator. While she had trained Dazzle to become a very solid driving horse, Kathie didn’t neglect his under saddle training and the pair even started jumping. Kathie recalls a highlight, winning the 2007 Connecticut Horse Show Association year-end championship in the Long Stirrup Hunter and Long Stirrup Equitation divisions. Kathie and Dana moved to Aiken 2019, bringing Dazzle and an

ex-harness horse, JD, with them. Since coming to Aiken, Kathie and Dazzle contested three driving derbies at Highfields, but she now considers Dazzle retired from the show world and is preparing JD to be her next partner for competitive driving. “I still ride and drive Dazzle regularly,” Kathie says. “I am a firm believer that if you keep them moving, they’ll last much longer.” Dazzle is something of a celebrity in Three Runs Plantation. “He is known as the best buddy horse in the neighborhood,” Kathie says. “People with green or nervous horses often ask me if Dazzle and I can accompany them on the trails because he is just totally unfazed by things that would spook most horses.” Dazzle is also the unofficial driving spokesman in Three Runs. Kathie has hosted several two-day driving desensitizing clinics for those in her community to help them and their horses prepare for seeing other equines on the trails pulling carts. “The first day we begin by just letting the other horses come up at their own pace

to Dazzle standing with a cart. Then, they follow me around at a distance. On the second day I take them, one-on-one, out on the trails,” she explains. “It has done wonders for a lot of horses and riders and Dazzle has the patience to do it all day long.” Kathie says Dazzle is a very affectionate horse. He’s also a talker, offering a nicker whenever he sees you. Kathie says, “He especially loves to be scratched. If you are working in his paddock, he’ll just keep coming up to you asking to be scratched and when you oblige his request, he does that funny thing horses do with their nose.” Dazzle does have some arthritis and is on medication for Cushings Disease. “Just in the past year, he’s starting to show his age a bit,” Kathie admits. “But he’s so happy and is a ‘lifer’ here with us. I’ve loved every minute that I’ve owned him. He’s worth his weight in gold – or maybe it’s platinum!”

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

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

Our Schooling shows have Choice of CT, Dressage TOC, Jumper Rounds and XC. Our XC is a short XC course with show jumps in ring. CTs are $45, Dressage TOC are $30, Jumper Rounds are $15, and XC is $100.

October-November 2023

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October-November 2023

Painting Love Stories The Art of Eugenia Smirnova By Nancy Johnson

ugenia Smirnova, a Russian-born artist living in Aiken, has a special gift for painting animals. “I connect with every animal I paint,” she explains. “I say I paint love stories.” But it was just recently that Eugenia began to understand the effect her portraits have on animals’ owners and in turn, herself. She admits she never had a strong sense of self-worth. “I have found that by painting these portraits I bring value to the world, and I feel I am worthwhile!” She says that she has firsthand knowledge of the special love between a person and their pet. “People feel so much gratitude for what their pets get them through. My animals are the reason I survived last year.”

horses in California. “I heard Aiken was a fabulous horse town, so I made the decision without ever having been here, to move!” she said. “So last summer, I bought this 22-acre farm here in Windsor, which was very different from the two acres I had in California,” Eugenia begins. “The relationship I was in had dissipated during the move. I found myself with four horses and three dogs on a farm with good bones, but not a lot of infrastructure. I was totally unprepared for the cost of hay during the winter to feed my horses.” Eugenia tried to start a restaurant business, but it fell apart before it even opened. “I began to wonder what I had done,” she concludes with a heavy sigh. To top it off, Eugenia was so emotionally and physically exhausted that she could not do design work. To feed her animals, she started mucking stalls to make some money. “At one point I was doing five barns, and there were days when I mucked 36 stalls. But then my body started to give up and I was desperate to find some other kind of income.”

Posh Pet Paintings

Coming to America

After studying fine arts in Russia, Eugenia moved to San Francisco in 2000 where she studied at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. She soon switched her focus to graphics and industrial design as she felt it would be easier to make a living doing commercial work. After graduating, she worked for design firms in Oregon and then Colorado. In 2007, she founded her own company, focusing on branding and marketing specifically for single owner companies. “I liked being able to influence someone’s life and business. It was a rewarding experience for me,” Eugenia explains. Although she had found a nice niche, she notes that she did not paint fine art for over 20 years. Eugenia’s business continued to thrive, and after five years in Colorado, she had a wide clientele from all over and the ability to work from anywhere. She then moved back to northern California, where she was able to get back into horses. “I grew up loving horses and dogs, but we lived in an apartment, so I didn’t have either,” she says. Riding in her youth was a limited to what was offered through the Russian Army, but it was enough to get her hooked. When she first lived in California, she had her own horse, but when she returned, she discovered that it was becoming difficult to have

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During this time, Eugenia had a friend who was also going through a difficult time. “One evening I was thinking about how I could cheer her up,” she says. “So I dug out my paints and painted her longhair Chihuahua, Gracie. When I gave it to her, her first words were, ‘Why are you mucking stalls?’ “As they say ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ and I was desperate to find a way to make some kind of income,” Eugenia continues. “I painted a few more pets for friends and when I saw the effect that the paintings had on them and me, Posh Pet Paintings was born.” Eugenia loves painting horses as well as dogs. She currently has numerous equine projects – a couple of nearly life-sized paintings and a few smaller ones including a mini and a donkey. She is especially excited about one of the larger paintings. “I am matching the background to the client’s wall color, so it is super custom. The idea is to create a portrait where the horse just appears out of the wall.” Eugenia typically paints in acrylics but is also adept with watercolors or oils. She paints to the client’s wishes, both large and small formats. Her biggest piece to date features a life-sized galloping Andalusian. The 8’ by 8’ portrait is part of a private collection. That portrait inspired a project that she currently has in the works. “I am creating a 3’ by 3’ Chihuahua. I think of it as a play on personality as well as size. We all know that these little dogs have big personalities!” she laughs. She creates her portraits using a photo reference but feels strongly about meeting the subject if it is possible. “It makes it easier for me to connect with them and be able to portray their spirit or essence. If I can’t meet them, I will get a video. Of course, if the animal has passed away, I will work just from photos,” she explains. Clients for Eugenia’s commissioned animal portraits usually hear about her by word of mouth. “It’s kind of like getting pre-vetted clients,” she says, laughing Eugenia says she also likes to preview the location where the portrait will hang. “I get a feel for the surroundings and an idea about where the light is coming from. That way I can paint with the light source in mind so when the portrait is on the wall, it is really made for that spot,” she explains, adding, “I love working with my client to create something that is exactly for them.” Lead time for a commission piece is about a month for most work, a bit longer for large pieces. “I like to have enough time to work at my very best. Painting takes an enormous amount of brainpower and one can only be creative for short periods of time. Every brush stroke is a decision, and I must be in tune with the animal all the time to make every stroke of that exact animal.” See Eugenia’s website, www.poshpetpaintings.com.

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Ask the Judge

Questions about Dressage With Amy McElroy

Amy McElroy is an FEI competitor, and a USEF S judge. She is qualified to officiate at any USEF recognized national show at all dressage levels. She rides, trains and teaches at Fair Lane Farm in Aiken and judges between 15 and 20 dressage and eventing shows each year. In her popular Ask the Judge column, she answers readers’ questions about dressage. Do you have a question for Amy? Send her an email at McElroyDRM@aol.com, or visit her website: www.amymcelroy.com.

Dear Amy When I competed recently at a local USDF dressage show, I was very surprised to see my show arena had two judges! I was only showing at the lower levels. I thought only more advanced or special shows had multiple judges. So I was wondering if you could you explain the protocol when there is more than the C judge? How does the scoring work? And is there something the rider should do differently? Also, in my next show the prize list says it will have electronic scoring. I am unclear what that means and how it will affect my ride. Could you please shed some light on this?

-Double Puzzled Above: Christopher Hickey at Bruce’s Field, July 2023

Dear Double Puzzled

You were very fortunate to have the opportunity to perform for two judges at a standard recognized show. You are correct in finding this unusual. Although many shows would love to have panel judging (more than one judge per test) this usually not feasible since it would be a major expense, and it is not required in a regular show. There are many dressage competitions that do require two or more officials, however. When there is a second judge, they will be required to sit at a middle long-side letter, either B or E (the show will decide which.) The head judge will always officiate from the middle of short side at C opposite the entrance to the arena. The head judge is in charge of the signal for entry, and for determining errors or causes for elimination. These will, however, be meted out after conferring with the other judge. Both judges are required to score these elements the same. However, all the other scoring is individual. When tests are complete and ready for pick-up, you will receive a copy of both judges’ tests. The final score and final placing is derived from the average of both scoresheets. It is a real treat and quite helpful to have feedback from more than one judge for a single ride. Officials appreciate having the opportunity as well, to see how their scores compare with those of another judge. Two judges can be offered for any level or at any show, even when it is not required. Here are some tips for riding in front of two judges. • When there is an official on the side, it is appropriate and appreciated to let them know your show number as you ride by before entering the arena in addition to telling your number to the judge at C. (This is especially important if there is electronic scoring.) • When you enter the arena, you must salute your judge at C in your entry and exit halt. You do not salute the judges on the side, but it is always acceptable to thank all your judges when test is complete as you leave the arena.

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• Each judge scores a ride as though they were the only judge there. They do not have the ability or the opportunity to converse about your ride during your test. You will often find that your judges have written similar comments and given the same scores, which might surprise you. But this is not because they are working together: it is because they have had extensive training to evaluate a ride and are holding you to the same standard. As far as electronic scoring goes, this is also a treat for all to experience. Electronic scoring has been around for a long time at the larger shows, but has only recently started to become widely used at smaller venues in the United States. What this means is there is no paper test. Your judge will still be dictating to your scribe but instead of writing the marks and the comments by hand, the scribe will be typing on a keyboard. Your judge has previously submitted their signature to the competition, so when your test is completed with final scores and comments, the scribe can simply click “submit” and put in a code that appends a secure signature. There are many benefits of this system for the rider, the judge, and especially the scribe. Since all scores are electronic, you can see your score immediately. Comments may be easier to understand, since they are typed rather than written longhand. (No more deciphering handwriting and trying to guess what was written!) Your judge also can clearly see all the test comments and numbers, and will know your final percentage before submitting your test. Once the judge clicks “submit” all the scores and comments can no longer be changed. I hope this gives you insight into what occurs when competing under two judges. I am certain you will enjoy having your ride electronically scored versus on paper, but don’t worry, because you will be able to have a printed copy if you would like one. Good luck with your riding and showing.

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Veterinary Externs at SPCA Albrecht Center Win-Win for Animals and Veterinary Students By Nancy Johnson

he SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare is widely recognized throughout the Aiken community for its successful adoption and veterinary care programs. Not as well known, but equally important, is an extern program established in 2015 that gives veterinary students practical experience and training in shelter medicine. Dr. Lisa Handy, VMD, who is the vice chairman of the Albrecht Center’s board of directors and chair of the Veterinary Care Center (VCC), says, “We are the only local veterinary center that offers senior vet students a rotation and we have hosted students from around the world.” She explains that third to fourth year students can apply for a two-week externship in which they learn how to perform spay/neuter surgeries as well as how to deal with day-to-day situations in shelter medicine.

Ashley Howell, as assistant manager and lead technician of the VCC for the past four years, says she believes the externship program is a winwin for the students and the clinic. “The students really get to experience a true shelter environment here, plus it’s a bit more hands on than many traditional veterinary practices,” she says. “Our last extern told us that during the two weeks she spent here she had more surgery time than she had her whole time in school. She performed over 20 spay/neuter surgeries and participated in some unusual, big surgeries.” Ashley notes that the students do more than just surgeries. “The Veterinary Care Center can get very busy, so having students that already have a good working knowledge of basic veterinary practices who are able to lend a hand with things like wellness exams, vaccinations, and blood tests is a huge help to our vets and techs.” She

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emphasizes that the externs work diligently throughout their two-week stay. “They work a full day the entire time they are here. It never gets boring.” As the one who reviews the externs’ applications and conducts their interviews, Lisa Handy knows how revered the program is by veterinary schools. “Our most recent student, who came to us from Ohio State, was phenomenal. The word is out about our program and that we only take one student a month. We are currently booked out through May of 2024. I’m really proud of our program and am so passionate about the students coming out of it and having this experience.” Lisa emphasizes, “Basically, we want students to get more comfortable doing these surgeries and also to think about possibly going into shelter medicine and surgery.” She adds that there is an incentive for those with big student loans to consider shelter work. “If they work for a shelter for 10 years, the remainder of their loans are forgiven.” She mentions another perk for the students – free housing in Aiken for the duration of their externship. “Our board members open their homes to them, so they don’t have the expense of a room. Some of them are known to really spoil the vet students by cooking them gourmet meals as well,” she says with a laugh. Dr. Nicole Hasstedt, DVM, who recently joined the Albrecht Center’s Veterinary Care team as a veterinarian, is also a big advocate for the externship program. As a recent graduate herself, she knows firsthand that surgery experience in vet school is limited. “While they are here, the externs are treated like a doctor. They get to do their own surgeries and deal with other patients, making decisions and directing treatment plans,” she says. Nicole believes the program encourages the externs to consider shelter veterinary medicine as a path. “When I started vet school I planned to go into equine sports medicine,” she explains. “Then, going to school in a very rural part of Tennessee, I saw lots of dogs and cats running around the streets, all intact, with fleas and ticks, as well as heartworms. That made me realize I could help people who wanted to take care of their animals but couldn’t afford it. At the same time, I would have an opportunity to educate people about the importance of spay/neuter. We have a platform to do all of that here.” So far, Nicole has only had the opportunity to work with one extern, but she is eagerly looking forward to the next one who is slated to arrive from the University of Pennsylvania in October. “We have partnerships with a lot of excellent schools to offer externships. While many veterinary programs have a teaching hospital at which students can do their rotations, I think it’s advantageous to do externships in different practices and parts of the country.” “There is currently a very high demand for veterinarians,” Dr. Lisa Handy chimes in. “I think we should all be opening our doors to externs and new grads and giving them opportunities. It helps everybody at the end of the day; we get extra hands from externs and they get mentorship from our doctor,” With a smile, she adds, “And then, we try to talk the vet students into taking a couple of animals home with them, too!”

October-November 2023

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October-November 2023

THE SPCA THRIFT STORE PRESENTS:

The Great Catsby A Purring 20s Holiday Party Nov. 6th, 6pm - 8pm 1589 Whiskey Rd, Aiken, SC New Holiday Merchandise Door Prizes | Appetizers & Cocktails

Tickets are $10 in advance or $20 at the door and include 10% off your entire purchase! Scan below for tickets:

or purchase at LetLoveLive.org, SPCA Albrecht Center or SPCA Thrift Store.

IT'S GONNA BE THE CAT'S MEOW! October-November 2023

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The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

Aiken Area Hunt Directory, 2023-2024

elcome to the annual Aiken Horse Hunt Directory for 2023-2024, providing important dates, information and contact numbers for nine of our regional hunts. For those ready to follow the hounds, cubbing is already well underway and formal hunting is just around the corner. As ever, the area’s formal season starts in late October and wraps up in early March. The crisp fall and winter weather facilitates good scenting for the hounds and inspires fresh, energetic horses. Combine that with the excellent sandy footing and abundance of quarry in the South Carolina region, and this is the perfect place for hunt junkies from up north, as well as for our local enthusiasts.

Aiken Hounds

Drag Hunt Hitchcock Woods Hunt attire: Green coat with a chamois collar. Evening: Scarlet with green facings, chamois collar. Master of Foxhounds: Mr. Larry Byers, Ms. Sarah Greenhill Wildasin, Mr. Karl McMillan Huntsman: Mr. John Tabachka Contact: Hon. Sec. Dr. Linda C. Hickey, 803.270.7392, lchickey63@ gmail.com. Hotline: 803.643.DRAG Facebook.com/aikenhounds; www. theaikenhounds.com Season: Mid-October through mid-March Aiken Hounds Fall Hunter Pace: October 22, 2023 Opening Meet and Blessing of the Hounds: Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2023 Children’s Drag and Christmas Hunt: December 16, 2023 Children’s Drag: January 6; February 10, 2024 Aiken Hounds Hunt Ball: February 17, 2024 St Patrick’s Day Hunt and Closing Meet: March 12, 2024 Aiken Horse Show in the Hitchcock Woods: March 29-31, 2024 Aiken Spring Hunter Pace: April 6, 2024 Hunt days: Tuesdays & Saturdays. Caps are invited to contact the hunt secretary. The Aiken Hounds is the longest running hunt in South Carolina. It was established in 1914 by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hitchcock and recognized by the MFHA in 1916. The AH hunts the 2,200 acres of the Hitchcock Woods. The Tuesday and Saturday meets are well-suited to riders on a fixed schedule as drag hunts typically only take a couple of hours. First-flight action can be fast-paced with plenty of jumping, while the hilltopper field is well adapted to horses and riders who are not quite as ambitious. The Aiken Hounds Opening Meet and Blessing of the Hounds is traditionally held at Memorial Gate in the Hitchcock Woods on Thanksgiving morning, drawing over 100 riders and many spectators

October-November 2023

who enjoy the pageantry of the event and the walk in the woods as a prelude to their Thanksgiving festivities. Opening meet used to be held around noon but has been moved to earlier in the morning, making it possible for followers of the hunt to spend more of the day with their families. For information about events, visit www.theaikenhounds.com, and stay tuned to the Aiken Hounds Facebook page. Prospective guests and caps are requested to please contact the hunt secretary. Cancellations and changes are posted on the hotline within two hours of the event.

Belle Meade Hunt

Live Hunt Thomson and McDuffie Counties, GA. Hunt attire: Scarlet coat with a Confederate cavalry yellow collar. Master of Foxhounds: Mr. Ed Maxwell, Dr. Gary Wilkes, Mr. Edgar S. (Epp) Wilson Contact: Hon. Sec. Mrs. Angela Smith, 706.833.3104, ke4nnr0062@ gmail.com, www.bellemeadehunt.org Hunt Office: 706.595.2525 Season: November through mid-March Opening Meet: November 4, 2023 Hunt Week: February 11-17, 2024 Hunt Ball: February 17, 2024 Hunt days: Wednesdays, Saturdays and some Sundays Caps are invited to contact the hunt secretary. The Belle Meade Hunt was established in 1966 and recognized by the MFHA in 1970. Belle Meade is a large, fast-moving hunt that takes riders through the hills, fields and woodlands of northwestern Georgia. The hunts often have fields of 50 to 75, which are divided into four flights including two jumping and two non-jumping flights. Belle Meade is a Georgia tradition that boasts a well-attended opening meet with over 100 riders and 500 spectators. The hunt keeps English and Crossbred foxhounds.

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Camden Hunt

Live Hunt Kershaw County, SC Hunt attire: Black Melton or Oxford gray coat with gold collar and charcoal piping. Evening: Scarlet with gold lapels. Master of Foxhounds: Ms. Sue Sensor, Ms. Amy Cantey, Ms Janet Butcher and Mr Richard Osworth Huntsman: Ms. Melissa Rice Contact: Hon. Sec. Ms. Amy Cantey, 803.420.6860 therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com Season: October through mid-March Opening Meet: Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 2023 Hunt days: Wednesdays and Saturdays Opening Cub Hunt ( JNAFHC Qualifying Hunt): October 14, 2023 Horse & Hound Expo: October 21-22, 2023 TCH Hunter Trials: November 5, 2023 Boxing Day Hunt: December 26, 2023 TCH Hunt Ball: January 13, 2024 Closing Hunt: March 16, 2024 TCH Horse Show: March 24, 2024 Boykin Spring Fling: April 7, 2024

Cedar Grove Hounds

Live Hunt Edgefield, SC and Waynesboro GA Hunt attire: Grey collars with silver buttons Master of Foxhounds: Mr. Charles Bennett, Mr. Mark Reader Huntsman: Mr. Charles Bennett Contact: Hon. Secretary Ms. Brooke Miller, cedargrovehounds@gmail. com; Trey Bennett: 828-817-3635 Season: August-March Opening Hunt: December 3 Hunt Party in February Closing Hunt: mid-March Hunt days: Fridays, Sundays and some Wednesdays The Cedar Grove Hounds was founded in the fall of 2022 by Charles (Trey) Bennett and Anne Shue. Although the hunt welcomes and encourages all levels of riders, it caters to diehard foxhunters who love the chase. The kennel currently includes 16 couple of American and Crossbred hounds. A young organization, it has a growing following in Aiken’s foxhunting community.

The Camden Hunt is the second oldest hunt in South Carolina and was recognized by the Master of Foxhounds Association in 1926. The hunt maintains a professional huntsman, a kennel, and between 20 to 25 couple of Crossbred hounds. The terrain in hunt country is a mix of lush swamps, hardwood forests and mature pine woods. Hunt country is well paneled with coops, Aikens and Camdens. The footing is mostly sandy and very horse friendly. There are three fields: the first, which jumps; the second, which goes at a slower pace and can avoid jumping; and the third field which does not jump. Game consists of red and gray foxes as well as coyote.

Lowcountry Hunt

Live Hunt Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Bamberg, and Jasper counties, SC Hunt attire: Black coat with gold piped indigo collar Master of Foxhounds: Ms. Christina Bates, Mrs. Nina S. Burke, Mrs. Melinda F. Shambley, Dr. Mark O. Shambley Huntsman: Mr. Tony Gammell Contact: Hon. Sec. Elizabeth Brecht Howard, 434-531-5843, lowcountryhunt@gmail.com. www.thelowcountryhunt.com Hunt Week Contact: Joanna Lacey, 843-568-3887; joannalacey@ bellsouth.net Hunt Monitor: 843-608-HUNT pening Meet: November 18, 2023 O Coosaw Boxing Day Hunt: December 26 Lowcountry Plantation Hunt Weekend: January 11-14, 2024 Season: Cubbing October through mid-November; Formal midNovember through late March Hunt days: Tuesdays, Thursday, Saturdays, and sometimes Sunday

The Lowcountry Hunt was founded in 2006. Hunt country includes some of the oldest and most beautiful estates in the ACE Basin with terrain ranging from freshwater marshes and tidal creeks to ancient live oak groves and hardwood forests. Fox and coyote are hunted with frequent sightings of alligators, bald eagles, and many types of waterfowl. The Lowcountry Hunt keeps American and Crossbred foxhounds.

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October-November 2023

Rose Tree-Blue Mountain Hunt

Live Hunt Salley, SC Master of Foxhounds: Mr. Sean Cully, Mrs. Maryann Cully, Mr. Edward Franco, Mr. Brian Kiely, Mrs. Lindsey Kiely Huntsman: Mr. Sean Cully, MFH (Rose Tree Blue Mountain); MFH Marion Thorne (Guest Huntsman from Genesee Valley Hunt) For membership, capping and fixture information, contact Maryann Cully, MFH/Hon. Secretary: mkcully@yahoo.com Season in Salley: January 4–March 18 Hunt Days: Monday, Wednesday & Saturday Riders must have a South Carolina hunting license Attire: Casual attire except for joint meets, otherwise be neat and tidy. Formal attire for joint meets will include black coats/tan breeches. Rose Tree-Blue Mountain (RT-BMH) hunt is based in central Pennsylvania and spends time hunting in Salley, South Carolina from January to mid-March. The hunt territory is the former Saxonburg Hunt fixtures which were passed on to RT-BMH in 2020. The huntsman duties are shared by Sean Cully, MFH (Rose Tree Blue Mountain) and Marion Thorne, MFH (Genesee Valley Hunt.) This partnership provided some fabulous hunting during the past three seasons. The territory consists of fixtures in and around Salley and Wagener. There are usually two fields; a third field is available occasionally.

Secretary: Ms. Lea Edwards Honorary Whipper-In: Ms. Virginia Ipock MD, Dr. Nicole Cunningham BVSc MRCVS, Ms. Sara Dill, Ms. Meredith Somerset DVM, Ms. Erin Trimmier DMV Capping: $50 Cubbing/ $75 Formal Season / $100 Opening and Closing Meet Juniors always complimentary Contact: 803.669.1590 www.watereehounds.com; watereehounds@ gmail.com. Season Kickoff Oyster Roast: October 14 Opening Cubbing: October 28 Wateree Cup Polo Classic: November 12 Opening Formal Meet: November 25 Closing Meet: March 9 Other Events: Hunt Ball, Junior Meet, Spouse Hunt, Ladies Side Saddle Hunt, & Full Cry Magazine Hunt days: Tuesday and Saturdays The Wateree Hounds was established in 2020 to blend the best of tradition and technology for an amazing sport. Wateree Hounds offers a first, second and third fields, and employs a small pack of Penn-MaryDel foxhounds. On special occasions, the Tally Ho wagon will follow the hunt, offering the non-riders a chance to enjoy beautiful vistas, and the pageantry of the hunt as well as libations. Guests are welcomed. Please contact the secretary 24 hours prior to the hunt.

Shakerag Hounds

Live Hunt Elbert, Madison, Franklin, and Wilkes counties, GA. Hunt attire: Black coat with Dove Gray collar with gold piping Master of Foxhounds: Mr. Daryl Buffenstein & Mr. Wayne Thrush Huntsman: Mr. John Eaton Professional Whip: Mrs. Kelly Eaton Contact: Hunt Sec. Dr. Tara Stricko, 770.312.3438, huntsecretary@ shakeraghounds.com. www.shakeraghounds.com Season: Labor Day to Mid-March 80th Opening Hunt: October 28 Junior/Novice Hunt: January 13 Details for the hunt breakfast & tally-ho wagons are to be determined. Caps must sign a liability release, which is available on the website. Closing Hunt: mid-March Hunt days: Tuesdays and Saturdays The Shakerag Hounds is the oldest recognized hunt in Georgia. It was established in 1943, when a group of horse and hunting enthusiasts at Atlanta’s historic Chastain Park started the Atlanta Hunt Club, the precursor of the Shakerag Hounds of today. In 1950, the hunt was officially recognized by the MFHA. Facilities include a large clubhouse, kennels, a barn for staff horses, and a home for the professional huntsman. Shakerag Hounds employ a pack of approximately 30 foxhounds that hunt red and gray fox, coyotes, hogs and bobcat. Fox hunting with Shakerag is a family sport, with riders 8 to 80 participating in one of up to four fields.

Wateree Hounds

Live Hunt Kershaw, Darlington and Lee Counties Hunt attire: Black or Navy coat. For members with colors, Ladies: Navy coat with buff collar and navy piping, Gentlemen: Scarlet coat with buff collar and navy piping Huntsman: Mr. John G. Rothell III Kennelsman: Chance Comley MFH: Ms. Lea Edwards, and Mr. Ned Towell

October-November 2023

Whiskey Road Foxhounds

Live Hunt Aiken, Allendale, and Lexington counties, SC. Hunt attire: Scarlet with Aiken green velvet collar. Evening: Same with scarlet facings. Master of Foxhounds: Mr. David Smith, Mr Joseph Hardiman & Ms Betsy Minton Huntsman: Mr. Joseph Hardiman Contact: Hon. Sec. Shannon Burke: 630 480 1610; stburke07@gmail. com; www.whiskeyroadhounds.com Season: October through March Opening Meet: November 12, 2023 Hunt Week: February 7. -13 2023 Hunt days: Thursdays and Sundays Established in 1976 and registered with the MFHA in 1977, the Whiskey Road Foxhounds regularly hunt large tracts in Aiken, Allendale, and Lexington counties. WRFH fields three flights over wooded and grassy terrain, through cattle farms and timber properties peppered with coops, logs, and cross-country style jumps. Whiskey Road keeps 30 couple of English and Crossbred hounds. Guests are invited to wear their colors. For directions and more information, email whiskeyroadhounds@gmail.com

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Info at www.SportingDaysFarm.com

Year Round Schooling Seasonal Stall Rentals 8 Stalls & Lodging Available as Package 4 Recognized USEA/USEF Horse Trials in January, February, March and April.

Contact Joannah Glass sportingdaysfarm.com 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken, SC 29801 803-226-2024

a 501c3 non-proﬁt organization not state funded

scequinepark.com I-20 Exit 101 Camden SC 443 Cleveland School Rd Camden SC 29020 Mailing Address

Your Camden Showgrounds

P O Box 2174 Camden SC 29020

I-20 Exit 101

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

We Look Forward To Seeing You Ringside! Help Us Keep The Park Moving Forward!

Name A Stall or Become a Park Sponsor with Signage & more! Email flinntamara@gmail.com for details

Visit our website for an Event Calendar or to make a Tax-Deductible Donation

Dates Subject to Change

Oct 7-8 Oct 13-15 Oct 20-22 Oct 26-29 Nov 11-12 Nov 17-19 Dec 1-3

Palmetto Paint Horse Club Four Beats For Pleasure SC Dressage & Combined Training Association SC Quarter Horse Association Camden Winter Classic Hunter Jumper Palmetto Classic Open Horse Show SCHJA Palmetto Finals

Please contact your Show Manager with questions about their event. For Booking Information contact Tanja Schnuderl camdenhorseshows@gmail.com or 571-345-6486 Visit our Facebook Page for Schooling Days, & scequinepark.com for Event Calendar

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse 75

Fall Polo: NYTS Tournament Finals at New Bridge; Charles Combier a

at La Bourgogne; Alan Corey 4 goal at Aiken Polo Club

Photography by Pam Gleason

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

Aiken Area Calendar of Events

October 1-8 3-5 4 4-8 5 6-7 6-8 6-8 7 7-8 7-8 7-8 7-8 7-8 8 8 8

Women’s Fall Challenge 4-8 Goal. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-646-3301. Hotline: 803-643-3611. Peter Tischer Driving Clinic. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com Schooling Jumpers. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Tryon Fall 3. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon. com, tryon.com Whiskey Road Hunt. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Polo Match. La Bourgogne Club de Polo, 1150 Coleman Bridge Rd, Wagener. 305.790.5212, labourgognepoloclub@gmail.com T.I.P. Championships. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. Octoberfest PSJ C-Series. Fence, Tryon, NC. 803.649.3505, psjshows. com Schooling Show D & CT at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com GDCTA Fall Harvest Schooling Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Progressive Show Jumping @ FENCE. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021. frcshows@ gmail.com, fence.org USEF/USDF Pinehurst Fall Dressage by Sporting Servies. Pinehurst Harness Track. Pinehurst, NC. Carolinadressage.com WHES Horse Trials, CT, D. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com Hunter/Jumper Show Cheryl & Co. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Wild West Fall Fest Fundraiser. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com Women’s Fall Challenge Finals. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-646-3301. Hotline: 803643-3611. Radway Eventing Pony Club Show. 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. radwayeventing.com

October-November 2023

8 9 9-22 10-15 11 11-22 11-29 12-23 13 13-14 13-15 13-15 13-15 14 14 14-15 14-15

Hunt Country Clean-Up. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com USPA Governor’s Cup Final. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-646-3301. Hotline: 803643-3611. Fix a Test with Janice Holmes. Dara Knot Equestrian. 4069 Wagener Rd. babettelenna@gmail.com. babetteeventing.com. 207-837-0842. New Bridge Women’s Challenge 10-14 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com Tryon Fall 4. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon. com, tryon.com Schooling Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com USPA George Patton Cup 6 goal. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-646-3301. Hotline: 803643-3611. USPA National President’s Cup 8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com Kim Snider Memorial 6 Goal. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com Eventing Academy XC Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Polo @ La Bourgogne Club de Polo, 1150 Coleman Bridge Rd, Wagener. 305.790.5212, labourgognepoloclub@gmail.com Southeast Regional Championship Horse Show PSJ C-Series. Highfields 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Four Beats for Pleasure. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938,scequinepark.com Sedgefield at the Park Fall H/J. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com Eventing Academy Schooling Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com USPA Constitution Cup Finals. Wagener Polo Club. Club. 5720 Wagener Rd. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com USEF/USEA October Horse Trials. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Dream Big Equestrian IEA Horse Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com

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Eventing Academy Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm. com 17 Fall Hunting Begins. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@ gmail.com, theaikenhounds.com 17-22 Tryon Fall 5. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon. com, tryon.com 18 Hunter/Jumper Institute at Stable View. 17 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com 19 Mane & Shell Oyster Roast to Benefit Aiken Equine Rescue. 6-9 pm. Tickets in advance: $80; after October 10: $95. Oysters, Low Country Boil, beer & wine included. Live music, silent auction, live auction. Tickets on sale at Aiken Saddlery, Equine Divine, White Rose Eclectic, JC’s Seafood, Eventbrite & at the rescue. aikenequinerescue.org. 19-29 October at Bruce’s Field I&II. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@aikenhorsepark.org, aikenhorsepark.org 20-21 Polo Match. La Bourgogne Club de Polo, 1150 Coleman Bridge Rd, Wagener. 305.790.5212, labourgognepoloclub@gmail.com 20-22 South Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938,scequinepark.com 21 AFM Give Me Wings 20 Goal Polo Match. La Bourgogne Club de Polo, 1150 Coleman Bridge Rd, Wagener. 305.790.5212, labourgognepoloclub@gmail.com 21 Schooling - Spooktacular Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com 21 Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com 21 Camden Horse & Hound Expo. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com 21-22 TRHC Horse Trials. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021. frcshows@gmail.com, fence.org 21-22 Camden Horse & Hound Expo. Ms. Amy Cantey, 803.420.6860 therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com 22 USPA George Patton Cup Finals. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-646-3301. Hotline: 803-643-3611. 22 CT, Dressage, Jumper Show & Derby. Sporting Days Farm. 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken. 803.648.0100, cindy@firefoxfarm.com, sportingdays.com 22 October Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com 22 H.J. Fox Halloween Classics and Medal Finals. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com 22 Aiken Hounds Fall Hunter Pace at Fox Nation, 735 Cedar Branch Rd. Windsor, SC Text Tara Dietrich: 843-991-3562 or enter online: aikenhoundsfoundation.org. 22 Ponies and Pearls Fundraiser. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com 22-29 Aiken Women’s Fall Challenge 8-12 Goal. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-646-3301. Hotline: 803-643-3611. 24-29 Tryon Fall 6. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@tryon. com, tryon.com 25-Nov 5 USPA Player’s Cup 4 Goal. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-646-3301. Hotline: 803643-3611. 26-6 Eloy Escapite Memorial. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com 26-29 South Carolina Quarter Horse Association. Carolina Equine Park (SCEP), 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden, 803.486.4938, scequinepark.com 27-28 Women’s Challenge 8-10 Goal. La Bourgogne Club de Polo, 1150 Coleman Bridge Rd, Wagener. 305.790.5212, labourgognepoloclub@ gmail.com 27-29 Sedgefield at the Park Haunted Classic H/J. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark. com, carolinahorsepark.com 27-29 Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021. frcshows@gmail. com, fence.org

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27-5 28 28 28 23 28-29 29 29

USPA Bronze Trophy 8 Goal. New Bridge Polo Club. 862 New Bridge Rd, Aiken. 803.644.7706, hbryan2485@aol.com, newbridgepolo.com Hunter Pace. The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263 vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista.com Annual Meeting. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org Dancing Horses Schooling Show. Dancing Horse Equestrian Center. 149 Moseley Rd, Williston. 207.210.7900, dancinghorses@rocketmail. com, dancinghorsesaiken.com Kim Snider Memorial Final. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com Recognized Horse Trials at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com Halloween Open Show. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com Aiken Women’s Fall Challenge 8-12 Goal Finals. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-6463301. Hotline: 803-643-3611.

November 1

2-5 2-5 3-4 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 4 4 4 4 4 4-5 5 5 5 5 8 8-12 9

Schooling Jumpers. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com USEF/USHJA $50,000 plus bonus $100,000 A-Rated Hunter/Jumper Fall Finale. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Windsor Trace CT @ CDE. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org Women’s Challenge 8-10 Goal. La Bourgogne Club de Polo, 1150 Coleman Bridge Rd, Wagener. 305.790.5212, labourgognepoloclub@ gmail.com Hunter/Jumper Show AHJA. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Horse Show Ventures - Halloween and Championship Horse Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Aiken Fall Classic. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Tryon Fall Finale I. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@ tryon.com, tryon.com Dressage T-o-C. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm. com Belle Meade Opening Meet. Belle Meade Hunt. 4018 Wrightsboro Road, Thomson, GA. ke4nnr@classicsouth.net, bellemeadehunt.org Dressage & CT at FENCE. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021. frcshows@gmail.com, fence.org Celebration Series Hunter Pace. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm. com Eloy Escapite Memorial. Wagener Polo Club. 5720 Wagener Rd, Wagener. 803.566.8610, bkrpolo@aol.com, wagenerpolo.com USEF/USDF Autumn Breeze/NCDCTA Championships, Raeford, NC. Carolinadressage.com Schooling Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com Hunter Trials @ Hunter Hill - Springdale. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com Radway Eventing Pony Club Show. 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. radwayeventing.com USPA Player’s Cup 4 Goal Final. Aiken Polo Club. Mead Avenue Aiken. aikenpolo.org. Tiger Kneece, Manager: 803-646-3301. Hotline: 803643-3611. Schooling Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Split Rock Aiken CSI2. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@aikenhorsepark.org, aikenhorsepark.org Whiskey Road Hunt. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com

October-November 2023

10 10-11 10-12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11-12 11-12 11-12 12 12 12 12 15 15-19 17 17-20 18 18 18 18 18 18-19 18-19 19 23

WHES Schooling Day. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com Polo Sous La Lune. La Bourgogne Club de Polo, 1150 Coleman Bridge Rd, Wagener. 305.790.5212, labourgognepoloclub@gmail.com Tryon Fall Finale 2. TIEC. Mill Spring, NC. 828.863.1011, sarpke@ tryon.com, tryon.com Combined Test, Dressage, and Show Jumping. The Vista. 859 Old Tory Trail, Aiken. 803.262.5263 vistaschooling@gmail.com, schoolthevista. com CT, Dressage, and Jumper show & XC Derby Sporting Days Farm. 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken. 803.648.0100, cindy@firefoxfarm.com, sportingdays.com Fall Gathering @ Knights Hill Plantation. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com Highfields Just for Fun Show. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Sporting Days Farm Annual Awards Banquet. Sporting Days Farm. 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken. 803.648.0100, cindy@firefoxfarm.com, sportingdays.com Aiken Trailblazer Trail Race. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com TROT Horse Show. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021. frcshows@gmail.com, fence.org WHES Championships and November HT. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com Athens Area Hunter/Jumper Association Finals. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Hunter Jumper Show Cheryl & Co. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Whiskey Road Opening Hunt. Hon. Sec. Shannon Burke: 630 480 1610; stburke07@gmail.com;whiskeyroadhounds.com Combined Test. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm. com Fall Audubon Drive. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org Wateree Polo Cup. 200 Polo Lane, Camden. 803.669.1590 watereehounds.com; watereehounds@gmail.com. Hunter/Jumper Institute at Stable View. 17 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com American Driving Society Annual Meeting. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org Eventing Academy XC Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Carolina Region Pony Club Fall Festival. Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon. 828.859.9021. frcshows@ gmail.com, fence.org Eventing Academy Schooling Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Aiken Fall Steeplechase Championship. Steeplechase Racecourse, 2020 Richland Ave East, Aiken. Jessical Miller: 803.648.9641. info@ aikensteeplechase.com, aikensteeplechase.com Dancing Horses Schooling Show. Dancing Horse Equestrian Center. 149 Moseley Rd, Williston. 207.210.7900, dancinghorses@rocketmail.com, dancinghorsesaiken.com Stephen Bradley Clinic. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com Year End Schooling Show - Harvest Classic. Poplar Place Farm, 8191 Highway 27, Hamilton, GA. 706.681.8748, poplarplacefarm.com Medal and Derby Finals, Banquet. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com US Mounted Games Association. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm. com Opening Meet & The Blessing of the Hounds. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@gmail.com, theaikenhounds.com

October-November 2023

Opening Meet and Blessing of the Hounds, Camden Hunt. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com 30-Dec 17 Aiken December Classics I.II & III. Aiken Horse Park. Aiken Horse Park Foundation, 931 Powderhouse Rd, Aiken. 803.830.7077. tara@ aikenhorsepark.org, aikenhorsepark.org

December 1-3 2 2 2-3 2-3 3 3 3 5 6 7 7-9 8-10 9 9-10 10 15 16 16 16 16 17 17 17 20 28

Sedgefield at the Park Winter Classic. Carolina Horse Park. 2814 Montrose rd, Raeford, NC. 910.875.2075, info@carolinahorsepark.com, carolinahorsepark.com Brick Store Stables IEA Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Holiday Breakfast. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail. com, camdenhunt.com Winter Horsemanship Clinic with Diamond K Horses. Stable View. bellesinbootsproduction.com; events@bellesinbootsproductions.com. 803-702-5405 Schooling Show D & CT at Chatt Hills. 9445 Browns Lake Rd, Fairburn, GA. 770.892.2117, info@chatthillseventing.com, chatthillseventing.com Cedar Grove Hound Opening Meet. Contact: Hon. Secretary Ms. Brooke Miller, cedargrovehounds@gmail.com; Trey Bennett: 828-8173635 Radway Eventing Pony Club Show. 4627 Whiskey Road, Aiken. radwayeventing.com Seven Springs Classic IEA Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Board Meeting. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org Schooling Jumpers. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Whiskey Road Hunt. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Sara Schmidt Clinic. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org Holiday Celebration PSJ C-Series. Highfields Event Center, 147 Warehouse Road, Aiken. 803.649.3505, psjshows.com Five Star Hunters Holiday Classic IEA Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com USEF/USDF Winter Wonderland Dressage. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Jingle Bells Horse Trials. Full Gallop Farm, 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken. Lara Anderson: 803. 215.6590, fullgallopfarm@yahoo.com, fullgallopfarm.com Eventing Academy XC Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Eventing Academy Schooling Day. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Enlightened Equestrian Team IEA Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Children’s Drag and Christmas Hunt at Greenboundary Club. Aiken Hounds. Aiken. 803.643.3724, lchickey@gmail.com, theaikenhounds. com Christmas Drive & Luncheon. Aiken Driving Club. Aiken. Peggy Dils, 803-295-6785 dilsaiken@gmail.com aikendrivingclub.com americandrivingsociety.org Eventing Academy Schooling Horse Trials. Stable View, LLC 117 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm. com North Gwinnett High School IEA Show. Georgia Horse Park. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway. Conyers, GA. 770.860.4190, georgiahorsepark.com Boykin Christmas Parade @ Boykin Town Center. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com Hunter/Jumper Institute at Stable View. 17 Stable Drive, Aiken. 484.356.3173, info@stableviewfarm.com, stableviewfarm.com Gymkhana @ The Dale Thiel Show Ring. Camden Hunt. Camden. therealcamdenhunt@gmail.com, camdenhunt.com

The Aiken Horse 81

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse 83

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

Top 5 benefits of MagnaWave PEMF (Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field Therapy) Leilani Pacheco HHP, CSM goldwowieequine@gmail.com

Help prevent overuse & Fatigue injuries

Reduce pain & inflammation without the side effects of drugs

Enhance post-exercise recovery, increase blood circulation & oxygenation

Helps soothe laminitis and arthritic joint pain

Provide relief from muscle soreness & tightness

https://goldwowie.com/magnawave-pemf/

805-350-9224 • Aiken, SC www.goldwowie.com

Winner Choice

Our happy clients include • FEI Show Jumping Champions • FEI Dressage Champions • USPA Polo Ponies • Hunter/Jumpers

Laura O’Connor Equestrian Ventures

Rider ~ Trainer ~ Coach

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

Mobile: 561-252-4992

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

Outfitting Southeastern Farriers for Over 30 years

GREAT SERVICE AND QUALITY FARRIER SUPPLIES ARE OUR PRIORITY

Aiken, SC

803.685.5101

Columbus, NC 828.894.0280

www.monettafarrier.com

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse 85

Now Open

A PASTURE BOARDING facility for retired horses and resting polo ponies. 742 James Davison Heriot Road, Dalzell, SC 29040

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

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

Classifieds 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. Y Legacy Farms is happy to provide full care boarding for all horses. Our facility provides private stalls, paddocks for turnout, run-ins, feed, hay, flat work and lunge area, full ring, trails, gallop stretch, and climatecontrolled tack and hospitality room. Contact Beth or Aaron. 803-295-3441 Ylegacyfarms@ gmail.com FARM SERVICES Southern Ridge Excavation. Drainage, grading, small clearing, pad prep, utility ditching, pond mowing. Third generation family operated; Licensed & insured. Call Alex Koegel. 803-522-5752. southernridgex@gmail.com. G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 54 years. Specializing in hauling, grading, clearing, property maintenance, and excavation. We provide everything from several types of fill dirt, top soil,

October-November 2023

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. HORSES & PETS Competitive Third Level Dutch Warmblood for sale. 9 years old, amateur friendly, quiet in the show ring and on trails. Push-button

ride. www.haffeydressage.com for video. Text: 607-743-1309. Two former polo mares looking to step down to easier career. Both sound and have plenty of life even though in upper teens. Nice on trails, easy w-t-c, but not dead heads or for total beginners. Not spooky, good alone or with other horses. 803-295-8687 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, or housing while you build. Work-from-home ready; high speed internet. Antique finishes & modern convenience. info@aikenluxuryrentals.com. aikenluxuryrentals.com. 803-6482804. 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. 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. 410-9241790. thewhisperfarm.com.

For Sale

Beautiful Marsh Tacky Stallion and filly for sale. Solid black. Excellent temperaments, handled daily with age-appropriate training. Our graduates have gone to 5* event programs. Contact Janelle Gunther: 908-635-0921 snicklefritz@gmail.com

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Directory of Services BOARDING/TURNOUT/TRAINING/SALES Chime Ridge Stables. 803-508-3760 Sporting Days Farm. 3549 Charleston Hwy, Aiken, SC 29801. 5.5 miles from Aiken byoass. Offers year round, seasonal or short term board as well as dry stalls. 150 acres with trails and practice areas. USEF/USEA Horse Trials in the winter, schooling shows. Visit our website to see all we offer in 2023. www.sportingdaysfarm.com The Stable On The Woods: Elite boarding & training facility and home to trainers Darrell and Melissa Vaughn. With access to Hitchcock Woods, our barn sits on 70 acres and boasts a full size dressage arena with mirrors, show jumping arena and highquality grass pastures making this the ideal place for you and your horse. Training program to meet your needs, whether your discipline is Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers or Foxhunting. thestableonthewoods.com 603.785.0435 Vaughn Equestrian: offering training, sales, and boarding. Professionalism is the guiding principle of owners Darrell and Melissa Vaughn in shaping every component of Vaughn Equestrian. Dressage, Jumpers, Eventing & Young Horses. training and sales. vaughnequestrian.com (603) 785-0435 Y Legacy Farms is happy to provide full care boarding for all horses. Our facility provides private stalls, paddocks for turn-out, run-ins, feed, hay, flat work and lunge area, full ring, trails, gallop stretch, and climate-controlled tack and hospitality room. Contact Beth or Aaron. 803-295-3441 Ylegacyfarms@gmail.com COMPANION ANIMALS Trinity Farms Terriers: Irish Russell Terriers. Old World, Healthy 100 year old Bloodlines with proven calmer dispositions. Health & Dispositions guaranteed. Preservation breeders for 48 years. Donna Fitzpatrick 803-648-3137 easyjacks.com, trinityfarmskennel.com CONSTRUCTION & GRADING & FARM SERVICES G. L. Williams & Daughter. Serving the CSRA for over 54 years. Specializing in hauling, grading, clearing, property maintenance, and excavation. We provide everything from several types of fill dirt, top soil, compost, mortar sands, crushed asphalt/concrete, to screenings and a variety of rocks. Roll-off containers and manure removal available. (803) 663-3715. Certified DBE. WOSB. www. glwdtrucking.com Southern Ridge Excavation. Drainage, grading, small clearing, pad prep, utility ditching, pond mowing. Third generation family operated; Licensed & insured. Call Alex Koegel. 803-522-5752. southernridgex@gmail.com. FINANCE/MORTGAGE Tessa Thompson: Loan officer for New American Funding, local to the CSRA. I am licensed in GA, FL, SC, TN, and AL. I love to help others achieve homeownership and I answer any questions throughout the process. My direct number is 678.665.7916 and my email is Tessa.thompson@nafinc.com. Call me today to get preapproved! HAY Round and Square Bales. Oakwood Farms: 3593 Silver Bluff Road, Aiken SC 29803. $60 per bale round hay bales. $70 per bale round bales kept inside. Square bales at $7.00 per bale. Will deliver for a small fee. Please call 803-645-8960 LB Performance Hay. From Farm to Stable. Local and imported hay; large or small quantities. Hay delivery and unloading. Lou Berizzi: 803-640-5484.

The Aiken Horse

INSURANCE Betsy Minton, Sterling Thompson Equine, 803-617-8353. Now writing homeowners insurance for private residences. No horses required but certainly welcomed. Access to top-notch underwriters offering customized, affordable coverage. Still delivering excellent competitive insurance options for your horses and farms. betsyminton@sterlingthompson.com. Sterling Thompson Equine: 800 942 4258 INSTRUCTION/LESSONS Amy McElroy. USDF Gold Medalist and USEF S judge. Instruction and training at all levels. Visit amymcelroy.com or call 803.640-4207. Aiken Horsemanship Academy. Your naturally inspired adult learning resource! Offering Clinics, Courses, Starting young horses, Evaluations, and Lessons. JulieRobins.com 803-220-1768. Jodi Hemry Eventing. Three-Star Eventer offering professional training, sales, boarding, instruction, horse shows, located in the heart of Aiken. 803-640-6691 JodiHemryEventing@gmail.com JodiHemryEventing.com MASSAGE 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 PHOTOGRAPHY Allison Wilkins Photography, 843-327-7667, allisonwilkins.photo@ gmail.com. Specializes in Event Photography. Equine Events, Branding, and More. Package pricing tailored to meet your specific needs! REAL ESTATE/ RENTALS Aiken Fine Homes and Land. Specializing in selling or renting homes, farms, land & barns for short or long term leases. 29 years experience in helping people find the property of their dreams, even if it takes building it! Call Barbara Lawrence, 803-439-0778 for honest & realistic answers to your real estate questions. Carolina Real Estate Company. Fine homes, estates and horse properties in Aiken, South Carolina. Let us welcome you home to AIKEN, Home of Horses, History & Hospitality! carolinahorseproperties.com. (803) 648-8660 Sharer Dale, Keller Williams Realty Aiken Partners. “Where town meets country.” sharerdale@gmail.com. 803.522.3648 Suzy Haslup, Meybohm. “Your Aiken Horse Real Estate Specialist.” Buying or selling in the most celebrated equine community in the South. ww.aikenhorserealty.com; 803-215-0153 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. 585-613-5000; melodie@mysaddle.com.

October-November 2023

Index of Advertisers Advertiser

Advertiser

Page Section

Page

Section

Advertiser

Page Section

Adams Horse and Pet Supplies

Equine Rescue of Aiken

Rado Residential

Aiken Chiropractic

ERA Wilder Lamprecht

RE/MAX Tattersall Group

Aiken County Farm Supply

Ezium

Red Ticket

Aiken Horse Park Foundation

FITS Equestrian/Redingote

Shane Doyle

Aiken Horsemanship Academy

FOTAS Aiken

Sharer Dale Team RE

Aiken Hounds Hunter Pace

G L Williams and Daughter

Sharer Dale Team RE

Aiken Land Conservancy

Gary Knoll Photography

South Carolina Equine Park

Aiken Luxury Rentals

Great Oak ATRC

Southern Equine Service

Aiken Polo Club

Haffey Dressage

Southern Ridge Excavation

Aiken Saddlery, Inc.

Highfields

SPCA Albrecht Center

Aiken Steeplechase Association

InnerCoastal Livestock

Sporting Days Farm

Aiken Tack Exchange

Jill Diaz Polo

Stable View, LLC

Aiken Veterinary Clinics, P.A.

Keller Williams- Gutierrez

Sullivan Turner Team | Meybohm RE

American National Insurance

La Bourgogne Polo Club

Sullivan Turner Team | Meybohm RE

Auto Tech

LEGISequine.com

Supreme Top Form

B & K Grading and Paving

Lightning Protection Systems

Tally Ho Exchange

Belles and Boots Clinic

LOC Equestrian

Tally Ho Vacation Rentals

Bridle Creek

Mark Lexton

Teddi Ismond

Carol Gillis, DVM

Meybohm RE Haslup

Teddy Milner for Mayor

Carolina Company RE

Meybohm RE Vaillancourt

The Kneaded Edge

Carolina Equine Clinic

Meybohm RE Vaillancourt

The Kneaded Edge

CHAPS

Moorefield Farm

The Tack Room

Clint Bertalan Farms LLC

New Bridge Polo Club

The Willcox

DFG Stables

NibbleNet

Tom Wendel DVM

Engineered Equine Performance

Oak Manor Saddlery

Tumbleweed

Epona

Performance Equine Vets

Whisper Farm

Equine Divine

Progressive Show Jumping, Inc

Wyatt’s Bed & Biscuit

Advertising in The Aiken Horse

CLASSIFIED ADS are $30 for the first 30 DIRECTORY LISTING ADS: $30 per issue words & 40 cents for every word or $100 for the year (6 issues.) thereafter. Add $5 for blind classified. BUSINESS CARDS: $75 per issue or $300 PHOTO CLASSIFIEDS for horses: $40; for the year (6 issues.) Limit 30 words & one picture DISPLAY ADS are available in a range of PHOTO CLASSIFIEDS for real estate, etc. sizes. For a detailed rate sheet and $50; Limit 60 words & one picture. publication schedule, visit our website: BOXED CLASSIFIEDS: add $5 to your total TheAikenHorse.com

October-November 2023

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 December-January issue! Deadline November 22, 2023 Subscribe: $36 per year. Check out on our website or send your check to Subscriptions, 705 Flowing Well Road. Wagener, SC 29164

The Aiken Horse 89

The Aiken Horse

October-November 2023

The Aiken Horse 91

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

HOMES | HORSES | HISTORY | HOSPITALITY

C ome Home to Greener Pastures

www.CarolinaCompany.com | 803.648.8660

Winter Colony Estate “Live Oak” THOMAS BOSSARD | 803.640.2845 | $3,500,000

Situated on just under 3 acres on Aiken's famed Easy Street, this completely renovated property was expanded and restored in 2003. Originally 3 separate buildings, the center is believed to be a 1840s home. Around 1910, the structures were combined including new construction of the living room which joins them today. The pool and pool house. were built in the 1920s and restored in 2000. The live oak in the rear of the house is approximately 300 years old and gives the house its name. The final addition to the estate was the current 2-car garage and apartment. The main house features 4 large bedrooms with sitting rooms, baths and closets. Custom kitchen with laundry room and pantry flow into a breakfast room. Large dining room opens to expansive living room with intricate mill work. There are 2 sitting rooms off the main living room, a game room, office, wet bar and half bath. There are extensive decks and patios throughout the property overlooking the gardens. The estate includes magnificent gardens, 2-car garage with gardener's bath & apartment, grand pool house, 9 stall barn with 3 paddocks and room for apartment above. Adjacent to the barn is a 3 car garage with a 2 bedroom apartment above. This property is truly a one of a kind and is just steps from Hitchcock Woods.

New Construction at Bridle Creek JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 | $879,000

Beautiful Donnie Shaffer home in Bridle Creek on 5.06 acres, 3321 sq ft, 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths plus sunroom, oak hardwood floors in foyer, great room, dining room, kitchen and owners bedroom. Ceramic tile in all wet areas, extra large mudroom, 17 SEER Heat Pump, 10' ceilings in family room and foyer, 9' elsewhere on the main floor. Kitchen Aid stainless appliances including gas cooktop, microwave and dishwasher, garden tub in owners bath with tile shower. Under construction; should be completed by late summer 2023. Community amenities include miles of trails, dressage ring with mirrors, jumping ring, cross country course, club house/fitness center.

Mile Bridge Tract

MIKE HOSANG 803.270.6358 | $7,000 per acre

Expansive 362-acre tract available in Johnston area on the border of Aiken and Edgefield counties. Endless possibilities for this lovely land, with part of the acreage cleared, part wooded, and several gorgeous homesites. Approximately 137 acres cleared, and about 225 acres wooded with a mix of hardwoods & pines. Possible uses include hunting, horses, recreational, timber, farm, or residential development. Seller will consider subdividing.

LAND East Side Horse Country MIKE HOSANG 803.270.6358 | $900,000

Conveniently located in the heart of the eastside equestrian corridor, this multi-use 80+ acre parcel offers an opportunity to create a lifestyle of your dreams. Equestrians, farmers, hunters, and developers — consider the possibilities!

Three Runs Plantation TOM MURRAY 626.644.3008 | $1,200,000

Magnificent horse property in desirable equestrian community! Beautiful custom home has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and elegant living spaces on main level. Bonus room and full bath above garage. Sparkling swimming pool and landscaped yard. For horses, there's a 3-stall barn with tack room & feed room, 3 run-ins, and fenced grass paddocks (total 5.58 acres). Community amenities include 30 miles of groomed trails, two separate amenity centers with clubhouses and riding arenas situated north and south, pool and cabana, cross country course.

Three Runs Plantation JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 | $354,200

Beautiful and very rare 6.44 acre building site in coveted equestrian community. Very flat building site with nice trees, located close to the Activity Center South with a jump arena, dressage arena with mirrors and a cross country schooling area. Amenities include clubhouse, additional arenas, swimming pool with cabana, and miles of groomed trails.

Solstice Meadow

RANDY WOLCOTT 803.507.1142 | $85,000 EACH

Lovely residential building lots available in this quiet little equestrian neighborhood just south of town. Enjoy miles of riding and walking trails, including the 62-acre Freeman preserve. Available building lots ranging from 5 acres to 5.42 acres, offered at $85,000 each lot.

Storm Branch Acreage COURTNEY CONGER 803.645.3308 Great opportunity to own nearly 42 wooded acres located off Storm Branch Road, convenient to both Aiken and Augusta. This property is close into town but has wonderful privacy, with horse farms and waterfront residential properties nearby in Johnson Lakes Estates. Offered at $420,000

Bridle Creek Hunt Box JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 | $859,000

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

Heaven’s Grace Farm BARB GOULD USKUP | 803.295.3199 | $499,000

Horseman's turnkey equestrian property on just over 11 acres suitable for any discipline. Located within equal distance of Aiken and Columbia with great proximity to many equestrian venues. Gated entrance leads to charming 3 bedroom, 2 bath residence with many recent upgrades. Fiber optic internet by Carolina Connect easily allows for remote office. Fully perimeter fenced with no climb, a newer 6-stall shed row barn with water, electric, and fans in each stall, 2 large pastures, smaller 3board fenced paddock, and an arena with excellent sand footing & solar lights to allow for extended riding time are amenities equestrians of all disciplines would appreciate. An additional shed provides ample storage for hay and supplies.

Bridle Creek

JACK ROTH 803.341.8787 Over 600 wooded acres of Aiken’s horse country, featuring equestrian homesites of 5 acres or more. Community amenities include dressage and jump arenas, cross-country schooling, miles of trails and NEW activity center with fitness equipment and kitchen. Developer financing available! $22,500 per acre

Fox Hollow on the Lake

MIKE HOSANG 803.270.6358 One of Aiken's premier equestrian communities: private, gated and conveniently located between Aiken and Augusta. Equestrian amenities include community riding/walking trails, dressage arena, jumping arena and cross-country course. Lot 65 has 12 acres at $142,800 Lot 66 has 12.84 acres at $152,800

JACK ROTH: 803-341-8787 COURTNEY CONGER: 803-645-3308 THOMAS BOSSARD: 803-640-2845 TOM MURRAY: 626-644-3008 BARB GOULD USKUP: 803-295-3199 MIKE HOSANG: 803-270-6358 LORI SALCH: 803-270-5972 RANDY WOLCOTT: 803-507-1142 JANE PAGE THOMPSON: 803-215-8232 ALEX TYRTEOS: 203-249-3071 ELIZABETH BLACKWELL: 850-566-6295 MARY TROTMAN: 502-857-1782 DANA MASSEY: 803-599-0400 BETTINA RUCKELSHAUS: 803-640-1625 LEE HEDLUND: 803-221-6831 LORI MARVEL: 843-324-5341 BRIAN CAVANAUGH: 803-624-6072 SHELLEY FARQUHAR: 561-267-9514