Country
Friday, August 21, 2020
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Volume 8, Edition 10
Focusing on Today’s Rural Environment
PHOTOS BY DIANE LEUKAM
(Above) Mariah (from left), Matt, Teal and Navy Elbert are pictured with their horse, Roo, July 30 on their raise their ranch near New London. The Elberts raise performance horses, and met years ago when Matt bought Roo from Mariah’s sister. (Above right) This unique Rising Star brand was designed by Mariah Elbert, and is registered with the State of Minnesota.
Elberts’ equines a mix of “pretty” and pedigree
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BY DIANE LEUKAM | STAFF WRITER
EW LONDON – On a sunny summer day, neatly crafted fences of wood and wire create a sense of order, defining lush green pasture areas on rolling hills that give way to a horizon of oaks, cedars and other trees. Nearby, a pair of beautiful horses graze, tails gently swishing in the warm air. Viewers of the pastoral scene might imagine they have been transplanted to the iconic horse country of Kentucky. What they are really seeing is the 17 acres just outside of New London, where Matt and Mariah Elbert raise performance horses. They are also raising their children, Navy, 9 and Teal, 7, who are almost as comfortable with the four-legged equines as their parents. In addition to their horse ventures, Matt works at Dahmes
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Publications The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.
Stainless in New London, is on the ambulance crew and shoes horses. Mariah is an EBD (Emotional Behavioral Disorders) para at New London-Spicer Schools. On July 30, the Elberts gave a tour of their property, where they are on a quest for the perfect horse with their hobby-turned-business, Rising Star Performance Horses. Matt and Mariah were destined to meet, fall in love and do just what they are doing, and it all began with a horse named Roo. “Most guys meet a girl and she comes with a horse; I bought a horse and it came with a girl,” Matt said, smiling. “Mo’s (Mariah’s nickname) sister lived down by me and she had this horse. She bought it as a 2-yearold and was looking for a new horse, so I bought it from her.”
This month in the
Roo became Matt’s ranch rodeo horse for about a year. “Mariah and I started dating and she basically stole her back,” Matt said. Mariah grew up just a couple of miles from their current property, while Matt grew up south of Bird Island on a deer and elk farm, where he learned to build custom fencing. They both had horses in their youth. In the summers during high school, Matt gave guided trail rides on horseback, not a bad gig for a kid who loved horses. Unknowingly, his connections to Mariah had begun many years before. “When we were little, we had three ponies,” Matt said. “When we outgrew the one, we sent it to some friends of ours up by Spicer. Here, [Mariah] was working for them, so she used to take that pony on a buggy to the drive through.” The couple could tell many more stories of connections they have found through visiting with various people. “Our paths went like this many, many times before we ever met each other,” Mariah
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said, motioning back and forth with her hands. People in the horse world are highly connected with one another, something that is a definite benefit for them in their business.
Elberts page 2 These foals have traits received from their sire, Ima Pale Face Cash. The stallion carries what is known as a ‘Splash’ gene, so many of his foals have blue eyes, big white faces and white socks that go high up on the legs.
In Grandma’s Garden Cold Spring You been farming long? Diane Leukam’s Column Drivin’ my Tractor Greenwald & Spring Hill
10 An “old fashioned” gardener Glenwood 14 Rare rodent Paynesville 16 What’s this?
17 Gusto for goats Freeport 21 Country Cooking