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Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Sofia Baiker & Catina PHOTO: ESI
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Sofia Baiker & Fortune Cookie PHOTO: ESI
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Ashley Kaplan & Jury Duty PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
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Congratulates
Barlow Kaplan
on her first horse show! PHOTO: SOFIA BAIKER
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief:
PIPER KLEMM, PH.D. Art Direction:
L/BAILEY DESIGN Online Editor:
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RENNIE DYBALL
16 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
PHOTO: SARA SHIER PHOTOGRAPHY
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Congratulates
Betty Parker on her first show! PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
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APRIL
Zoe, Elzabeth, and Ivy Lampert of Arbor Hill Farm (Hugo, MN) at Pin Oak Charity Horse Show (Katy, TX).
2021
32
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
36
PHOTO GALLERY
40
THE PLAID HORSE COMMUNITY
USET Foundation’s Tee Off to Tokyo Golf Classic
Tell Me You’re an Amateur Without Telling Me You’re an Amateur
18 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
42
SPOTLIGHT
54
SPOTLIGHT
60
SPOTLIGHT
66
COVER STORY
72
RIDERS
76
HORSES
84
HORSES
90
RIDERS
94
EDUCATION
Meet Kate & Katie of Unbridled Equine
Sweet Briar College Celebrates 100 Years Kinetic Vet: Science-Backed Health Solutions Raising Them Right: Elzabeth Lampert of Arbor Hill Farm It Happens! With Adrienne Sternlicht, Stephanie Danhakl, and Archie Cox Must-Have Traits for Grand Prix Jumpers 5 Strides with Contefina LVF The Plaid Horse Questionnaire with Mimi Gochman Why You Should Take Equestrian Studies College Courses Online This Summer
PHOTO: DESERT INTERNATIONAL HORSE PARK (THERMAL, CA), TREENA HALL PHOTOGRAPHY
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Roxy Sorkin & Coconut Key PHOTO: HOLLY CASNER
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Savannah Strome & Castle PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates Congratulates 2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Savannah Strome & Cathartic Savannah Strome & Cathartic PHOTO: PHOTO: CATHRIN CATHRIN CAMMETT CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Eloise Eisner & Napa Valley PHOTO: JULIE AHN
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Eloise Eisner & Farmore Good as Gold PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Djuna Lauder & Quest PHOTO: JULIE AHN
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Djuna Lauder & Miller’s Cove PHOTO: IRENE ELISE POWLICK
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Jack Strang & Happy Place PHOTO: IRENE ELISE POWLICK
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Jack Strang & Jimmy Choo PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Evie Becky & Del Ray PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Evie Becky & Secret Crush PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Sara Adler & Chamaco PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Rachel Adler & Delta Eight PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Loving It
32 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
Piper dusts off Fortune Cookie for his photoshoot with Traci Brooks.
Like most people in our industry—and most people who travel— I talk a lot. I talk to my team (on my hands-free device) while traveling long distances. I chat in person and text during long walks from ring to ring, and I’m starting to resume sitting down for good dinners with great friends. I love to talk about business, competition, directions of the sport, and what we will leave behind. It was in one of these conversations that I was discussing with a friend how publications can serve the industry better. PHOTO: SARA SHIER PHOTOGRAPHY
Balmoral los angeles
Congratulates
2021 Desert International Horse Park Winner
Lauren Zarnegin PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
“What people really miss when they evaluate you,” she told me, “is how much you love this. You could do anything, you could walk away seven days a week and use any other part of your brain and do something else. But you wake up and you want to do this. You’re having fun and will keep doing this as long as you’re having fun. People can’t compete with you when you just wake up and pursue what you’re interested in.” I thought that was such an interesting perspective. Yes, I do love what I do. I’m hard to catch because I’m not ever sure what I’m going to work on tomorrow. I listen and think and plan and backtrack and react to what
is going on. I genuinely enjoy engaging with the people who choose to devote their life to every aspect of this sport. How do you compete with genuine interest and enthrallment? Well, to some extent, you can’t. That’s what people mean when they say to do what you love. Not that it won’t be hard. Not that it won’t be intense. Not that it won’t be scary. Not that people won’t yell at you. Doing what you love means you genuinely want to be part of showing up, day after day, decade after decade. You put yourself out there in an effort to bring excellence into an arena. There is a lot of negativity in this world and it’s easy to get negative about
this business and about life. There are always mountains to climb before the next rest, and we’re all tired and want more. But those who really thrive in our sport, no matter what they may lack in talent, money, or time, are the ones who are truly enthralled with the process. Those people are the ones who make it. Those who plan and also pivot, the master planners and the master improvisers, the ones who just plain love the game—they’re not competing against you. They’re vying against the toughest competition in the world. They … we … are competing against ourselves.
Piper Klemm, PHD TPH PUBLISHER
(Follow me on Instagram at @piperklemm)
Piper Klemm (right) with Emily Randolph of Randolph PR at the 75th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in March 2021.
34 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
PHOTO: KARLA CAMPBELL
Balmoral los angeles
Listen to Traci co-hosting the #Plaidcast
Check out #Plaidcast Episode 143 on iTunes, your favorite podcast app or theplaidhorse.com/listen PHOTO: SARA SHIER PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
BalmoralFarm.com
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
PHOTO GALLERY
USET Foundation’s Tee Off to Tokyo Golf Classic Presented by Ethel M Chocolates and Lugano Diamonds
THE WANDERERS CLUB, WELLINGTON, FL • FEB. 22, 2021
The event benefitted USEF high performance programs and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams traveling to Tokyo 1
2
3 4
6
1 The golf classic committee co-chairs Jim McNerney, Hal Kamine, and George Davis. • 2 Olympic show jumping silver medalist Michael Matz (center) is joined by son Alex, along with Wilton Porter and Lucas Porter of Sleepy P Ranch. • 3 Lauren Crooks. • 4 Steven Wilde, Matt Morrissey, Oscar Urreiztieta, and Karl Cook. • 5 All 18 holes on the course honored a horse that has represented the U.S. at an Olympic or Paralympic Games. • 6 USET Foundation Executive Director Bonnie Jenkins presents Alise Oken of Hi Hopes Farm LLC the award for “Longest Drive–Women.” 5
36 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
PHOTOS:
JUMP MEDIA
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Balmoral Farm thanks our sponsors
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T
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THE PLAID HORSE COMMUNITY
Tell me you’re an amateur without telling me you’re an amateur...
We’re still laughing over this post from The Plaid Horse Adult Amateur Lounge. (Join us on Facebook!) Here are some of our favorite responses …
—STEVEN BRYAN PELZER
MY TRAINER: Relax your thigh so your leg stops swinging. ME: My leg is swinging again?
Can you drop the back rail on that oxer?
Isn’t that jump a little high to start over???
OMG WHERE IS MY NUMBER!!???
—CHERYL WHITE
—MEAGAN SNYDER
—DINA MATTIA VAN DYKEN
I say “wow, my horse bends” after a training ride.
EVERY TIME I’m standing at the ingate, I ask if they forgot to put the jumps down.
—KAYLEA HERMSEN
—CHRISTIANE SCHUMAN CAMPBELL
“Ya i think ima just hack today” —KANSAS DM
I spooked at the water, so my pony spooked at the water
Everything matches.
—CAROLINE DIMMER
—JULIA EVA
I can’t count past 8.
How much perfect prep is too much perfect prep? The limit does not exist.
—MISSY BENNIE
—KENDALL MEIJER
“Can you check my girth?” —TERRY MORRISON
“Do you know where you’re going?” —MORGAN OSBALDESTON
TRAINER: I don’t think you need to worry about that. ME: Ok, I will, just to be safe. —JULIE BIEL
—BETH FORD ESTEY
“If this class doesn’t start by 5, I’m pouring my first cocktail and scratching...” —KELLY WAPLES MCELROY TRAINER: Just trot it.
Barn manager tells me if I keep feeding my horse so many carrots, he’s gonna turn orange.
I always think I’m at a FULL gallop on course, then I watch the video and if I was any slower, I’d be going backwards.
trot jump. ME: Hold my beer.
—LAUREN GREENFIELD RECK
—GRETCHEN SMITH JELINEK
—HEATHER HARELIK TSENG
40 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
ME:
I’m just afraid I’ll get left behind.
TRAINER: You can’t get left behind at a
Balmoral los angeles
Traci and Carleton Brooks
limited clinic availability in 2021 PHOTO: CATHRIN CAMMETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Traci Brooks 310-600-1967
BalmoralFarm.com
Carleton Brooks 760-774 -1211
B Ba allm mo or ra all LosAngeles Angeles Los
Malibu Malibu
Embrace your love of learning
Listen to Traci & CB on #Plaidcast Episode 143, Presented by World Equestrian Center on iTunes or theplaidhorse.com/listen PHOTO © ALDEN CORRIGAN MEDIA
Photo © Alden Corrigan Media.
TraciBrooks Brooks Traci 310-600-1967 310-600-1967
BalmoralFarm.com Balmoralfarm.com SouthernCalifornia California Southern
CarletonBrooks Brooks Carleton 760-774 -1211 760-774-1211
Watch Balmoral TV
presented by Taylor Harris Insurance Services at balmoraltv.com
BalmoralFarm.com Southern California
SPOTLIGHT
Meet Kate & Katie of Unbridled Equine:
44 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
GIVING
BACK
to the Animals They Love WORDS:
BROOKE GODDARD
PHOTOS:
CLAIRE ALLEGRA TAYLOR / ALLEGRA IMAGING
“HEALTHY HORSES ARE are happy horses.” • That’s both the motto and the bottom line for Kate Wallace and Katie Hawkins, founders of Unbridled Equine Rehab and Performance Solutions, just outside of Chicago, Ill., about 20 minutes away from Lamplight Equestrian Center. • Their state-of-the-art program, based at Anton and Dr. Michele Marano’s Deerpath Equestrian Club and Stable, features a Hudson Aqua-Pacer Underwater Equine Treadmill, a full stall Vitafloor, a Horse Gym USA Treadmill, a covered and April 2021 THE PLAID HORSE
45
SPOTLIGHT: UNBRIDLED EQUINE
“At the end of the day, we both show up and bring joy to the barn because we are happy to be there.” —KATIE HAWKINS heated eurociser, a solarium and more. Treatments range from Magnawave PEMF sessions to corrective exercises and massage. With advancements in medicine and care, our equine partners’ careers are getting longer and longer. However, when a horse suffers an injury it can still be devastating or even career-ending. “We know having them laid up is the worst. As horse owners ourselves, we have had horses that have needed time off to recover from injury,” said Wallace. “Our job is to bring them back better than before and aid in extending their careers. We want to get our horses and their riders back doing what they love.”
UNBRIDLED PASSION
Throughout the many seasons of their life, their passion for horses is what has kept them coming back. Katie Hawkins’ passion began at a young age when she made a PowerPoint presentation for her parents explaining why she wanted a horse. “When I was ten years old, I bought my first mare, Gigi, out of a kill pen for $1,000 and worked to pay for her by myself. We enjoyed eventing and I really loved that community-based culture,” said Hawkins. “Gigi would have jumped the moon for me. She went to college with me at the University of Illinois and on my second date with my husband, Greg, I brought him out to meet her. I was lucky enough to have Gigi from the time I was a kid until I had kids of my own.” Wherever Hawkins went, horses and animals seemed to follow. “After college, I worked as a zookeeper, I got my master’s degree in education, and then jumped back into riding and competing. I got my horse Oscar, now 23 years old, fifteen years ago. I wanted to learn the nuances of the sport through the Hunters. After having two kids and retiring Oscar I began leasing horses to learn and compete in the jumper ring.” Hawkins is currently leasing a horse and will compete this season in the 1.20m amateur jumpers Like Hawkins, Wallace’s love of horses has followed her throughout her life. “Growing up my mom had a full-time job and worked on the side as a professional braider to be able to afford horses,” Wallace explained. “In fourth grade, my mom used our tax return to buy a pony named Swiss Miss. After a few years as a pony jockey, I retired Swissy and took a break from showing. I rode a little bit during college and, after getting married, made a choice to focus on being a mother. Nine years later, I started taking lessons again at a barn where I met Katie.” “While our passion for horse care is the same, Katie and I have very different goals when it comes to our riding. Katie loves to jump high and compete, while my current horse has inspired me to learn dressage, appreciate groundwork, and throw in a jumping lesson once in a while.
46 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
“We are happy to go to work and make a difference in the horse world,” said Wallace. “We aren’t going to be Olympians, so it means a lot to be able to make an impact in the sport and in the lives of our clients.”
REHABILITATION VS. PREHABILITATION
The two women understand that horses are professional athletes in their own right. Just like human athletes need to take special care of their bodies, our equine partners can benefit significantly from “prehab” treatments designed to prevent sports injury. Hawkins is an FEI Top-Tier Permitted Equine Massage Therapist, and Wallace is a Magnawave Certified Practitioner. Together they work closely with veterinarians, farriers, trainers, and owners to strategize and create therapeutic treatment plans for their clients, including Zippy, a 24-year-old fox hunter. Zippy is getting older and showing no signs of slowing down.
A MARRIAGE OF TWO FAMILIES
“When my daughter went to college, I took over the ride on Zippy. We hunt along the Mississippi River on really rugged terrain,” said owner Sue Jayne. “We often go out for three to four hours at a time. There was one hunt, in particular, last season that was 25 miles long. It takes an especially fit horse to be able to do that. We are a great example of prehab. Zippy is not coming back from an injury. Instead, she is in a consistent program with excellent care.” For the past ten years, Sue has served as the mounted steward at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event aboard Zippy. During this off-season Jayne sent her mare to condition at Unbridled Equine, where she gets pampered at the “spa” with daily VitaFloor treatments and exercise on the eurociser and treadmill. “I credit Kate and Katie with creating this opportunity for me. Any day that you have the opportunity to get on your horse, you’re creating lifelong memories. It means the world to give back to the horse who has done so much for my family.”
Wallace and Hawkins are partners in business and best friends in life. Support from their husbands and kids has enabled them to pursue this dream. As in any successful relationship, the women complement one another’s strengths and weaknesses. “Our friendship grew into a marriage of sorts and there is a lot of giving and taking. At the end of the day, we both show up and bring joy to the barn because we are happy to be there,” says Hawkins. Hawkins and her husband Greg have two daughters Baylor, 5, and Quinn, 7. Wallace and her husband Troy have three children, Caleb, 15, Madelyn, 12, and Nora, 9. “Our kids do chores so they can earn riding time. We all have a lot of fun and our families eat together on the weekends.” “When I was pregnant Greg took over riding Oscar and was a total natural in the saddle,” Hawkins said. “I’m so thankful that Greg is one hundred percent supportive and helpful around the barn. He has allowed me to live out my dreams and do it my own way. He truly respects my passion and Kate’s husband is the same.” “Our relationship is great because not only do we have opposing strengths, we are also able to seamlessly step in for one another when necessary. While I prefer to focus on the hands-on aspects of Unbridled, Kate handles the communication, financial and logistical pieces, so we joke that we are a match made in heaven.” Hawkins and her family of four live on the property, while Wallace lives just a few minutes away. Their children have become close friends and their husbands can be found playing chess in the barn on Saturday mornings. “I love it because my family is growing up in this special environment,” said Hawkins. “We have dogs, cats and even chickens that reside in Cluckingham Palace.” Living on the property means that there are eyes on the horses and boots on the ground at all times. “I can prioritize the needs of the horses and balance that around my family. I put my kids to bed then walk outside to give the horses their evening medicine.” As moms and horse owners, Hawkins and Wallace take care of their clients’ horses as if they were their own.
CELEBRATING THE SUCCESSES
The women will tell you the smallest victories have been some of their happiest moments: When the vet announces that a corneal ulcer has been healed after months of eye drops that required a spreadsheet, or when Zippy, the 24-year-old fox hunter, clocks another mile on the treadmill. They enjoy seeing their clients make progress, whether it is in the show ring, the dressage arena, the hunt field, or wherever their clients find happiness. “There was a horse at WEF this season that I did bodywork on for the first time, and the next day he went out and won his equitation class with almost 100 entries,” Hawkins said. “My hashtag with massages is #MustHaveBeenTheMassage, and I love when that rings true.”
April 2021 THE PLAID HORSE
47
SPOTLIGHT: UNBRIDLED EQUINE
“To be able to aid in the relaxation and healing for an animal that has given so much to me is priceless.” —KATE WALLACE
“I enjoy getting to be a part of those little victories,” Wallace said. “We have a lot of passion around the care of horses and it being proper and that it’s executed to the highest standard.”
DIGGING DEEP
The partners’ grit and determination have led them to where they are today. “I had severe morning sickness during both of my pregnancies. Ironically Kate did as well, so that’s what actually initially bonded us when we first met at the barn,” said Hawkins. “My health challenges inspired me to fix myself holistically through nutrition, massage, chiropractic, and naprapathy, and I knew similar techniques could be used to help horses,” Hawkins added. “As I completed my certification hours for massage, I realized that this was actually the way in which I wanted to most connect with horses.” “The idea came to me at two o’clock in the morning that I wanted to start a premier equine massage business in the Chicagoland
48 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
area. What truly started as a pipe dream has become my reality,” Hawkins said. Then when Wallace suffered a leg fracture, Hawkins had encouraged her to start doing Magnawave PEMF treatments to speed up the healing. Wallace quickly became Magnawave Certified, and her PEMF business took off from there. Above all, the friends and business partners share the same passion and devotion to helping their clients make their own #TheComeback. “Horses kept me grounded and gave me an identity throughout my childhood and have continued to be my biggest teachers as an adult.” Wallace said. “To be able to aid in the relaxation and healing for an animal that has given so much to me is priceless. Horses are not able to rub out a knot, or stretch out a tight muscle, so being a part of that process for them brings me immense joy. I see our job as preparing these animals to be able to do their job.” “We are seeing horses become healthier right in front of our eyes on a daily basis. Their injuries are healing, their muscles are getting stronger, their confidence is restored and most importantly they will be ready to get back to the jobs they love.” To learn more about Unbridled Equine Rehab & Performance Solutions, visit their website at unbridled-equine.com or follow them on Instagram @unbridledequine.
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Intercollegiate Teams
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Scan the QR code for dates and more information! 1700 Dogwood Mile
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(910) 277-5555
www.sa.edu
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Britt Larson-Jackson ’22 in the Howell Lykes Colton Stables at Sweet Briar College. Shannon Huth ’23 (at right) rides on Sweet Briar’s campus
58 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
SPOTLIGHT
Sweet Briar College Celebrates 100 Years of
EQUESTRIAN EXCELLENCE LOOKING FOR a proven pathway to turn your
equestrian passion into a profession? Sweet Briar College has been helping riders become leading women for more than a century. Located in the heart of horse country in Sweet Briar, VA, the 130-acre Rogers Riding Center is the heart of the equestrian program within the liberal arts institution. For 100 years, Sweet Briar’s riding program has made a tradition of producing top equestrians and exemplary leaders.
WORDS:
SAVANNAH MANNES PHOTOS:
CASSIE FOSTER EVANS, SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE
Sweet Briar’s equestrian facility features the 120 x 300 Robin S. Cramer Hall, which is one of the largest indoor college arenas in the country. The facility also features a heated viewing area in the indoor arena, covered lunging area, and several teaching and schooling fields. The Howell Lykes Colton Stables was renovated in 2020 with the donation from Richard C. Colton Jr. It was renamed in his mother’s honor. The campus is built on 2,840 acres in the countryside of Virginia, providing serenity to students and horses. The equestrian facility is located conveniently on campus with no commute. The pristine facility is home to 50 college-owned horses and stalls are available for students to bring their own horses to board. Sweet Briar’s unique riding program allows students of all riding levels. Director of Riding Mimi Wroten told The Plaid Horse what sets Sweet Briar’s riding program apart from the rest.
April 2021 THE PLAID HORSE
59
SPOTLIGHT: SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE
Madigan Nugent ’23 (below) and Lily Peterson ’21 (right) are riding in one of Sweet Briar’s outdoor rings at the Harriet Howell Rogers Riding Center.
“Sweet Briar College has been helping riders become leading women for more than a century.” —MEREDITH WOO, PRESIDENT
“There are many areas the students can learn and explore,” said Wroten. “The areas of focus for the riding program are competition, recreation, training and schooling horses, field riding, equine-facilitated leadership and the Equine Studies Certificate. The riding classes are built into the student’s academic class schedule. Students have the option to bring their personal horse with them to college. The Equine Studies Certificate is offered in two concentrations—management, and teaching and schooling.” The riding program offers both the NCEA and IHSA teams but also takes students to local and rated horse shows off campus. “We have a great program that is very inclusive and gives lots of opportunities to riders of all levels, from beginning-level riders to those competing at the NCEA level. Our facility is beautiful and the fact that we have miles of trails and fields to ride in adds to what makes Sweet Briar special,” said Wroten. “I also believe that our knowledgeable and experienced faculty and staff, as well as an amazing group of horses to learn from, make Sweet Briar a superior program.” The IHSA is the most popular riding team at the college since riders of all levels have an opportunity to compete. The National Collegiate Equestrian Association team regularly competes against Division 1 schools. During the current 2020-2021 NCEA season, the Sweet Briar Vixens rank number one in Single Discipline rankings. In the
60 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
2019-2020 IHSA season, the Vixens won the Zone 4, Region 4 Regional Championship for the third consecutive season. In May 2018, Sweet Briar dual team rider, Makayla Benjamin, claimed the coveted Cacchione Cup. Today, the IHSA Team consists of 30 student athletes and the NCEA Team has 6 student athletes, and college alumni are leaders in the many avenues of the equestrian industry. “Sweet Briar College has been helping riders become leading women for more than a century,” says college president Meredith Woo. “With so many different areas to explore and learn in the riding program, students are able to grow and thrive. Many students choose to continue onto grad school after graduation. Our student applicants have a 93% graduate school acceptance rate over the last 12 years. Sweet Briar was most recently named as one of the nation’s Most Innovative Schools, according to the 2021 Best Colleges rankings by U.S. News & World Report.” Every rider at Sweet Briar College has opportunities to meet their full potential in and out of the ring. “The success of our riders while in the show ring, the classroom, and after graduation confirm how our standard of excellence continues to support and develop leaders through the sport of equestrian,” added Wroten. “All of us in the Sweet Briar riding program love helping in the process and seeing their successes along the way. Sweet Briar provides equal opportunity and the perfect environment to support and allow our students to grow into their full potential.”
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SPOTLIGHT
KINETIC VET Equine Health Solutions Backed by Science and Respected for Results WORDS:
CATIE STASZAK
WHEN VETERINARIAN BROTHERS
Drs. Scott and Stuart Pierce created their popular Conquer Liquid in 1999, it sparked the launch of an entire company. Scott was working at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY, using animal health care products in both practice and research. He began experimenting with hyaluronic acid, used in joint injections, and discovered he could make an oral form of the joint-repairing glycosaminoglycan (GAG). The resulting product added a groundbreaking nutraceutical to the market. Conquer Liquid, backed by a peer reviewed scientific clinical study, remains the only oral hyaluronic acid that is proven to be effective in treating joint swelling. Today, it is available in paste, powder and liquid formulas. And it remains a best-selling product for Kinetic Vet, which grew out of Conquer Liquid’s development. After running separate practices, Scott and Stuart teamed up to continue the process of developing animal health care products backed with clinical research and evidence-based medicine. Kinetic Vet develops and manufactures supplements, pharmaceuticals and disinfectants for veterinarians; the products are also available online through animal health providers like FarmVet, Heartland Veterinary Supply and Pharmacy, and Valley Vet Supply. “With the science behind Conquer Liquid, it kind of started it all,” said Lindy Napier, Kinetic Vet’s head of sales and marketing. “It’s the most hyaluronic acid at the lowest cost on the market … and in 1999, it was the first [product of its kind].”
64 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
EquiShield SA (Skin & Allergy) Powder contains a natural antihistamine, keeping the horse’s body from reacting to common allergens.
April 2021 THE PLAID HORSE
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SPOTLIGHT: KINETIC VET
“What people are looking for in the market is what we work on, our products are customer driven and result oriented; they work!” —LINDY NAPIER, HEAD OF SALES
Kinetic Vet, based in Lexington, KY, remains primarily a tightknit, family-owned company; more than 20 products have been developed for equine health in the categories of biosecurity, bone health, hoof care, joint health, skin and coat, wound management and weight management. Scott and Stuart act as company reps, drawing upon their own experiences, as well as communicating with veterinary professionals in the field to determine where there is a need for a new product. “Kera-Mend Hoof Crack and White Line Paste was one result of that,” Napier said. Kera-Mend resulted from Scott Pierce’s work with Dr. Scott Morrison, who oversees the Rood & Riddle Podiatry Center. Morrison identified a need for a product that stayed in place and helped with hoof cracks. Kera-Mend is a multi-use paste that provides an antiseptic and antifungal barrier for hoof cracks, white line disease and resolving foot abscesses. “They developed it, and both brothers have farms, so they started there with testing the products,” Napier said. Treating allergies was a request met by customer feedback, which led to the creation of EquiShield SA (Skin & Allergy) Powder. “There were studies on how quercetin, a natural antihistamine, worked for horses, but there was nothing out there
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containing the ingredient, so they developed this great product that is helping tons of horses. EquiShield SA is all natural and also supports healthy immune function. The EquiShield line began with EquiShield CK Shampoo, which can be used for any condition that causes dermatitis, including fungal and bacterial skin conditions. It was soon developed into a myriad of different forms, including a Salve and Spray to support horses in different climates. “In the winter, it can be too cold to use the shampoo,” said Napier. Kinetic Vet’s expansion has also included product development for other species, with two joint care products for humans. Moreover, the company’s SA Soft Chews were designed for equestrians’ other most important companion: their dogs. “All these horse owners that used the SA powder would call and ask, ‘Can I give this to my dog?’ We didn’t recommend that, so we came up with the SA Soft Chew,” Napier said. “Dogs get allergies, too!” Research remains the driving force behind Kinetic Vet. A member of the National Animal Supplement Council, Kinetic Vet tests all of its products through independent laboratories for potency and purity prior to being released for commercial sale. But while the research is scientifically thorough and complex, the solutions are always meant to be simple; each product is developed with the aim to provide a common-sense solution for a common ailment. “We’re a small, family-owned, veterinarian-owned company,” Napier said, “and we’re in the middle of the Bluegrass State in horse country. We really care about the customers and what is needed. It’s where all our products have come from. It’s personal; what people say that they need is what we work on. I think that helps; we come up with great products that work.” To learn more about Kinetic Vet and read into the research behind their products, visit KineticVet.com. Contact your veterinarian or animal health provider for more information on how to begin using Kinetic Vet products for your horse or equine companion.
PHOTOS COURTESY KINETIC VET
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COVER STORY
70 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
Clockwise from left to right: Zoe Lampert and Waboca V.I.; Ivy Lampert and Matilda at Pony Finals; Ivy Lampert and Matilda; Ivy and Zoe Lampert; Zoe Lampert.
PHOTOS, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: ALISON HARTWELL, SHAWN MCMILLEN PHOTOGRAPHY, ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY, AND TP. CREATIONS PHOTOGRAPHY
Raising Them RIGHT
How ELZABETH LAMPERT Is Bringing up the NEXT GENERATION of Horsewomen
W
HEN INTERVIEWING young people,
it’s not unusual to have to help pull the words out of them or string together their sentences, which is why Zoe and Ivy Lampert are immediately impressive. At 16 and 11, respectively, the sisters are able to articulate their thoughts better than many well beyond their years, and they speak confidently, even to someone they’ve only just met. As the sisters separately share their stories, it’s apparent that their maturity is a positive credit to their upbringing and to their mother, Elzabeth Lampert. The owner and head trainer of Arbor Hill Farm, a full-service hunter/jumper training operation based in Hugo, MN, Elzabeth has dedicated her life to bringing up riders. And, if her two daughters are any indication, she’s doing it right.
WORDS:
EMILY RANDOLPH/ RANDOLPHPR
April 2021 THE PLAID HORSE
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COVER STORY
“I’ve learned so many life lessons, like how to treat people, from watching my mom,” Ivy told The Plaid Horse. “I’ve learned a lot of responsibility and being able to care for an animal. Most of my friends are all from riding. This sport has just brought me so much.” Added her sister Zoe, “I’m so lucky to have the relationship that my mom and I do. I wouldn’t want to do this sport with anybody else.”
BACK TO HER ROOTS Elzabeth herself was brought up in Minnesota by a passionate horsewoman, Beth Miner. Miner played a significant role in the formation of the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA), and in 2008, she was named the recipient of the USHJA Lifetime Achievement Award. As Miner’s daughter, horses were in Elzabeth’s blood, and she was on a horse before she could walk. As a junior and amateur, Elzabeth trained with Colleen McQuay and Peter Pletcher before eventually working briefly for Jack Towell. “I’d transitioned to working for Terry Brown in Georgia when a family friend suddenly passed away,” said Elzabeth. “It was a bit of a scare, and I thought, ‘I don’t want to be 1,500 miles away from my family anymore.’ So, I moved back home, and shortly thereafter, I took up a job for a local barn.” It wasn’t long after returning to Minnesota that Elzabeth decided to combine her love of horses with her desire and passion for educating young people, and, in 1994, Arbor Hill Farm was born. Elzabeth’s training operation soon grew into a booming business, spending six to nine months of the year on the road at horse shows. At the time, it was a lifestyle that Elzabeth enjoyed and that helped Arbor Hill Farm to thrive, but in 2005, Elzabeth decided it
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Top left and above: Elzabeth Lampert and her mother, Beth Miner. Left: Eizabeth and Zoe Lampert.
was time for a change. At 35, she had just had her daughter, Zoe, with then husband Scott Lampert, and she felt a need to restructure. “I wanted to be able to be home and let Zoe know my parents and things like that. I had to reinvent my business model,” said Elzabeth. “I had had a string that I went on the road with, and I had an assistant trainer that stayed home and did all of the local shows. When you have kids, some people are able to do that still, but it just wasn’t quite the speed that I wanted at that point.” “Family and school were always really important to me, so I wanted to structure my business a bit more around that. I kind of got off the carousel.”
RAISED AT THE BARN
Now 15 years later, Elzabeth has found a balance that allows her to get back on and off the carousel while successfully raising Zoe and Ivy and continuing a thriving business. “The benefit of being at home has been being able to support the local show industry,” said Elzabeth, who served as the president of the Minnesota Hunter & Jumper Association for three years. “I really worked hard to try to rebuild the local industry and the local support, because I think without it, we aren’t going to have anything.” It was at those shows local to the Midwest that Ivy and Zoe first started competing, with the decision to continue riding always left up to each of the girls individually. For Zoe, the interest in riding and competing never wavered. For Ivy, her love for riding was rekindled following a few years spent out of the saddle.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LAMPERT FAMILY ARCHIVE
“I think it’s so much more important to identify what is really right for each person. Whether someone’s goals are on the local or national level, there shouldn’t be judgement one way or the other.” —ELZABETH LAMPERT
“I kind of wanted to start going on my iPad a little bit more,” said Ivy, marking one of the few, funny comments that give away her young age. “I actually found a love for dance, and I danced for almost two years. Then, I walked up to my mom one day and realized that I wanted to ride again.” Today, both girls are immersed in horses, and, along with their mom, they’re loving the horse show life. “We’re a posse; we go everywhere together,” said Elzabeth. “Ivy is at the age where she’s perfectly content to ride and play. If I never made her ride with a saddle at home again, she’d be the happiest camper in the world. I love that. I’ve always said that you get out of it what you put into it. So, if what you put into it is fun and playfulness, then fun and playfulness is what you get out.” For Zoe, that fun is now coupled with a more serious role within the family business. After she began taking an interest in the managerial side of the operation two years ago, Zoe became a highly involved working student for her mom. Today, she helps manage much of the day-to-day operations, from feed orders to the scheduling of vet appointments to assisting in the creation of the farm’s new website. “She’s great with the horses, and she’s really good at the bookkeeping side and the technology side of it that is way beyond me,” said Elzabeth. “She also likes the sponsorship and branding facets of the business. I’m really lucky that she has that interest and wants to do those things. I can honestly say, she could probably go manage almost anybody’s barn and do a good job of it. At 16 years old, that’s really cool.” While Zoe’s alarm generally goes off at 5:30 a.m. and her days can be long, she’s grateful for every opportunity that she’s had as a working student. “I’ve gotten to do so much with the horses,” said Zoe, who is currently a sophomore in high school, which she attends virtually. “I don’t even know if it’s what I want to do in my future, but right now it’s everything that I could have dreamed of.” For Ivy, her role has also brought a sense of responsibility and a level of maturity – just two of the benefits of being brought up in the barn. “You learn so much in this industry – not even just about horses, but about everything like dealing with people,” said Ivy.
PLAYING THE CARDS YOU’RE DEALT
While the positive benefits far outweigh the negatives, all three of the Lamperts are also quick to identify the difficulties that come with growing up or raising daughters in the hunter/jumper industry. “It’s a very judgmental industry,” said Elzabeth. “Clearly, I was never a tall person. I’m 5’1” maybe on a good day with big hair. My girls aren’t going to be tall, and they are not size 00s. Both of my girls have really good self-esteem, but it’s hard sometimes to watch that get beat down.” Separately from her mom, Zoe cites a similar answer as the toughest
part of growing up in the sport. “You have to be super strong to be able to do it, because there’s always going to be judgement.” With that in mind, Elzabeth continually prioritizes teaching her girls to be proud of who they are and comfortable in their own skin – and not just in regard to appearances. “For somebody like Zoe with a mom like me, even though I’ve ‘been there and done that,’ I still can’t afford to put her on two small juniors, two large juniors and a junior jumper,” said Elzabeth. “But what she sees on social media or when she opens up a magazine is that it is all about the kid that does have all of those animals. We talk a lot about how not to be jealous in an industry where there are so many people that it’s easy to be so jealous of. I want my girls to be proud of what they have accomplished. “I never want them to not feel comfortable doing this sport,” added Elzabeth. “If this industry ever made them feel like they couldn’t do this, I would probably stop horse showing. We have fun even just going on road trips to pick up a horse in Omaha and drive it to St. Louis, laughing and joking around and learning about each other. I want it to always be that enjoyable.” For Elzabeth, that means teaching the girls to focus on all that they do have and to realize that just because one person’s goals may look different than another’s, they are in no way less significant or meaningful. “My goal isn’t for my girls to look at someone else’s scenario and wish for the $400,000 hunter,” she said of her daughters. “My goal is for them to look at that and want to make the most of whatever horses they’re riding.”
POINTS OF PRIDE
When it comes to her clients at Arbor Hill Farm, Elzabeth takes the same approach as she does with her daughters. “Today, I’m very focused on individual goals,” she said. “I think it’s so much more important to identify what is really right for each person. I spend a lot of time with each client trying to make those goals work, no matter what they may be. Whether someone’s goals are on the local or national level, there shouldn’t be judgement one way or the other.” Having spent significant time showing and training in both capacities, Elzabeth was often surprised by the comments she received from those who seemed to look down on her decision to focus more locally or from those who were surprised to see her back at major horse shows across the country. “Just because I stepped off the carousel for a while doesn’t mean that I can’t still get on the carousel,” said Elzabeth. “I think it was healthy for me to step off, and I’m proud of what I’ve done. I have a really great group of clients and horses, and my hope is that they set their short-term and long-term goals and are gracious and kind to themselves in that process.” “I want everyone I work with to be able to feel good and proud of what they accomplish. My greatest pride and joy are my girls and seeing them enjoy the sport.” And, as Ivy concluded, for herself and for Zoe, that feeling is mutual. “My favorite thing about riding is training with my mom.” Learn more about Elzabeth Lampert and Arbor Hill Farm by visiting www.arborhillfarm.com.
April 2021 THE PLAID HORSE
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MOD E RN HHorse ORS E TheTHEModern TheModernHorse.com
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RIDERS
It Happens! We all make mistakes. But horse people, as a group, aren’t always the best at handling them. So TPH reached out to some top riders to share their own show ring bloopers to prove, once and for all, that mistakes really do happen to the best of us! BY
RENNIE DYBALL
SPORTFOT (STERNLICHT), ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY (DANHAKL)
PHOTOS:
Hear more It Happens moments on the #Plaidcast at theplaidhorse.com/listen
76 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
ADRIENNE STERNLICHT My most embarrassing memory in the show ring to date happened when I was competing in the junior hunters during WCHR week at WEF. I was in the lead for champion going into the second day, and my mare always placed highly in the under saddle. When I went in for the flat, my show shirt quickly came unbuttoned revealing a bright neon green sports bra. I spent the majority of the flat class trying to rebutton my shirt, yet the buttons just kept opening one by one! My mom was very confused why I didn’t place! My trainer at the time, Andre Dignelli, nicknamed me ‘Casual Saturday’ as a result. While it was several years ago, and now a hilarious memory, I feel like I’ve never live that nickname down!”
STEPHANIE DANHAKL
ARCHIE COX
In the early 2000s when I was a junior riding with Archie Cox, I thought it would be fine to skip breakfast before a horse show. I was competing in the junior hunters that day on my beloved horse Lifetime, who was always perfect. We had a lovely round, but I somehow managed to go off course! I was very embarrassed because it was a simple single-outside-diagonal-outside hunter round. I went in for the second round determined to get it right and went off course again! Archie said, ‘That’s the last time you skip breakfast before a horse show!’ Ever since then, I am obsessive about packing meals for when I show so that it never happens again!”
In 2001, I was competing at Madison Square Garden and I chipped in so hard, knocking down all the standards. I also hit the pommel so hard that I grunted, and made eye contact with Fergie the Duchess of York . I will always remember that moment, and now smile ear to ear.”
April 2021 THE PLAID HORSE
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Congratulations to Our Over 100 Ponies Sold or Leased in 2020!
PHOTOS © ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY, SHAWN MCMILLEN PHOTOGRAPHY, THE BOOK, MACKENZIE SHUMAN, & GRACE SALMON
Stonewall Farm • Text: 920-889-0028 S TO N E WA L L P O N I E S@YA H O O.C O M • I XO N I A , W I S C O N S I N
Congratulations to Our Over 100 Ponies Sold or Leased in 2020!
PHOTOS © ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY, SHAWN MCMILLEN PHOTOGRAPHY, THE BOOK, MACKENZIE SHUMAN, & GRACE SALMON
Stonewall Farm • Text: 920-889-0028 S TO N E WA L L P O N I E S@YA H O O.C O M • I XO N I A , W I S C O N S I N
HORSES
Must-Have Traits to Look for in
A GRAND PRIX JUMPER WORDS: KARA PINATO SCRO AND TORI BILAS/JUMP MEDIA
FOR MANY HORSE SHOPPERS, the process starts with
a checklist of must-haves for the perfect mount. The ideal candidate must be able to jump a certain height, must not be spooky, and must jump in decent form. It’s a bonus if the horse can take a joke from an amateur rider. For riders, both amateur and professional, competing at the top levels in the Grand Prix jumper ring, however, the list of must-haves is more nuanced. The process also varies as some choose to breed their own horses, while others rely on purchasing horses, both abroad and on home soil. We spoke with a professional and an amateur, both successful in the Grand Prix ring, to understand more about Sloane Coles represented the United States in some of the different approaches the 2019 Nations Cup at Spruce Meadows to finding horses capable of with Springledge LLC’s Chippendale’s Boy DZ. excelling at the highest ranks.
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PHOTO: JUMP MEDIA
April 2021 THE PLAID HORSE
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HORSES
Laura Connaway is pictured above on one of her grand prix horses, Ceralena, who is the daughter of her foundation mare and former grand prix mount, Ceranova, and the dam of her five-yearold, Boaz.
Connaway’s five-year-old homebred, Boaz (above), is what she refers to as a “do-gooder.”
1
CHARACTER COUNTS
Sloane Coles, professional show jumper and trainer out of her own Spring Ledge LLC in The Plains, Virginia, says that for her, it’s about a feeling when she sits on the horse. However, the feel of the horse wasn’t something Coles could rely on during a pandemic year. “ Generally, the right horse will catch my eye, and because feel is so important, I usually want to ride a prospective Grand Prix horse,” she said. “However, since we aren’t able to travel easily [because of COVID-19] we are watching a lot of videos these days. In that case, you have to be a bit more open minded.” This is where a list of must-haves come in, and it begins with the horse’s character. “Character is important for me,” said Coles. “I want a horse that is willing to move forward and never goes against the leg. That desire to work and do a job well is so critical when the jumps get to the top of the standards.” Her ability to identify character helped her find Chippendale’s Boy DZ, the horse that carried her to her first Nations Cup appearance for the United States at Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ CSIO5* tournament. Laura Connaway, founder and president of Connaway & Associates Equine Insurance Services, Inc., is an amateur show jumper and breeder of her own Grand Prix horses in Little Rock, Arkansas. She warns not to be fooled by
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a horse’s “flash.” Finding a “do-gooder” is more important. “A horse that wants to do well by you day in and day out, minute by minute, is what matters,” said Connaway. “I want to be with a horse that wants to be with me and learn my nuances, and at the same time, I want to learn the horse’s thought pattern and how to be a good trainer,” she added. “The horse and I will learn together through repetition. If the horse is willing, it will learn how to jump clean rounds and become quicker and more confident in jumpoffs.” For Connaway, this requires identifying the desired traits and breeding accordingly to achieve the ideal top-level jumper.
2
COURAGE AND SMARTS
For Connaway, intelligence and courage go hand-in-hand with character. In her experience, courage develops through a horse’s willingness and ambition to please its rider. That same willingness and ambition Connaway mentions is also something Coles looks for in prospects; it’s something she likes to describe as “smarts.” “I want the horse to be smart about where the rails are off the ground. A good horse is intelligent enough to try and leave the rails in the cups and wants to be clear as much as the rider does,” Coles said.
PHOTOS: ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY (TOP); COURTESY OF LAURA CONNAWAY
www.ultimategloss.com
HORSES
3
PHYSICAL STRUCTURE AND TECHNIQUE
Without a doubt, a horse’s technique over the fences and across the ground is a trait that most Grand Prix riders consider in their evaluations. In Connaway’s case, she doesn’t look at technique immediately, but instead, as the breeder of her own mounts, she looks to train a horse that has the appropriate physical form to be a top show jumper. “Our sport is very demanding and to reach the top, a horse must be sound enough for rigorous training,” Connaway said. “Good physical form allows the horse to jump at a top level with less stress on the body than a horse that might be less ideally formed. Less stress means their job is easier and gives them sheer enjoyment!” Coles talks about technique and ability in terms scope and carefulness. “Grand Prix prospects should have scope to spare and be careful enough to clear the big jumps,” she said. To determine this, a lot of it goes back to the feeling Coles gets in the saddle. “I can usually tell right away based on how the horse feels when I am riding it. I want a good feeling off the ground,” she added. In lieu of being able to sit on the horse, Coles says she will want to see that the prospect doesn’t appear to be trying too hard to get over the jumps.
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Sloane Coles and De Vleut, her current FEI mount owned by Avalon Partners BV, competing at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival.
“I want a horse that is willing to move forward and never goes against the leg. That desire to work and do a job well is so critical when the jumps get to the top of the standards.” —SLOANE COLES
Both Coles and Connaway emphasize trust in the process and trust in the horse. When Coles was shopping for her most recent Grand Prix mount virtually, she recalled that he wasn’t spectacular in videos. “By having faith in a friend that helps me find horses in Europe, I was confident he was going to be a fit for me. The first time I jumped him he was super, and I knew it was right.” Connaway, on the other hand, works to bring out the best in horses that she has personally bred and places a lot of trust in her breeding and training processes. She currently has a five-year-old that she says she would not have sought out to purchase because he is too big, and initially he was spooky and lacked confidence. So, for Connaway, it came back to trusting the horse’s character, knowing the rest would likely fall into place. “I can still visualize him as a three-year-old,” Connaway said. “His face said, ‘Put me in, Coach—is it my turn?!’ He wants to be my partner, and he wants to learn and be praised for progress. His character helped him to build confidence and develop great physical form and technique. I adore him to no end, and he is my next Grand Prix horse, I have no doubt.” Coles and Connaway have attained top Grand Prix mounts through very different approaches, but they agree that what matters most is that you enjoy and trust the process.
PHOTO: ANDREW RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY
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CONTEFINA LVF The 9-year-old Holsteiner mare (who goes by Fina or “Queen Feen” at the barn), recently won a Turf Tour Grand Prix.
1
You are Ashlee’s homebred—how does it feel to be showing with her after all this time together? I’m starting to do bigger classes, and I was just clear in my first 1.50 five star! I got plenty of treats after so I am happy.
2
What is your favorite part of being in the show ring?
I love showing off my turns and slices. Mom has been doing it with me since I was 4 so I’m really good at it. I don’t like hitting the big poles! It really ruins my day.
88 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
3
Tell us about life at home when you’re not training or showing.
Life at home is very chill. I love trotting down the steep hills on trail rides (even though the humans don’t like it).
4
If you could eat any human food, what would it be and why?
I think I would like coffee because I’m bougie like that. Also, macarons look cool.
5
Can mares do anything that geldings and stallions can do in the show ring?
Duh, better. PHOTO: EQUINIUM
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HORSE SHOWS
Select Champions Winter Equestrian Festival 10 Wellington, Florida
Texas Rose Spring Kick Off II Tyler, Texas
Ledges Winter Series Roscoe, Illinois
Desert Circuit VIII Thermal, California
MARCH 16-21, 2021
MARCH 11-14, 2021
MARCH 11-14, 2021
0.70 m Non Pro Jumper
Adult Amateur Hunter – Younger (Section A)
Take 2 TB Hunter
High Children’s/Adult Jumper
Always Social & Michael Baum
Powder Horn Heat & Brooke Cagle
Equitation 15-17
Low Children’s/Adult Amateur Jumper
Take2 Thoroughbred Jumper
Green Hunter
Jackpot & Madison Rauschenbach Horsepower FCC & Juana Sapenitzky USHJA Hunter 2'6"
Rowan & Jane Ehrhart
Glow Light Van Hof Ter Ede & Kaydence Cothran Medallion & Sandy Strack USHJA Hunter 2'3"
Brookside & Kaylie Schneider
Luchadora & Charlotte Ruff
Adult Equitation
True North & Maria Kogen
Modified Adult Jumper
High Cotton & Yvette Heintzelman
MARCH 16-21, 2021
Moonlight Crush & Keira Rand
1.10 m Jumper Open
Saphir & Mark Watrig A/O / Amateur Jumper 1.30 m
Larima & Vicki Juelsgaard Children’s Jumper High 15 & Under
Akimba & Isabella Smith
USHJA Hunter 3'
Jetalon & Sara Rhodes
ROSÉ IN MAY May 27–30 • USEF Regional I (B) Rating, USEF Jumper Rating I
Building experience at USEF-rated shows? With waived association fees, the USHJA Outreach Program is the perfect opportunity to try out rated showing. With discounted stalls, the 2 EX Young Horse Program allows all horses 7 years and younger to opt into unique opportunities to capture and share video footage of their rounds.
Ushja outreach program
2 ex Young horse program
Discounted stalls
Learn more at www.pasorobleshorsepark.com/b-series
99 Annual Greenwich Horse Show th
S June 13 2021 unday, ,
NEW
Location NEW
Prize List WATERHORSEPRESS.COM Visit www.thegrta.org or call 203-661-3062 for prize list and more information.
GRTA
MIMI GOCHMAN RIDER STATUS: JUNIOR
• HOMETOWN: NEW YORK CITY AND PALM BEACH, FL • TRAINERS: SCOTT STEWART AND STACIA MADDEN
Mimi Gochman and Catch Me
Riding Catch Me feels like… flying through the sky on a unicorn, and his trot is like floating on air.
94 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
• As a horsewoman, I am most proud of all the things I have learned through the horse world and the connection I can have with the horses. • As a horsewoman, I would most like to improve on my knowledge on care of horses. • I’d be lost without backup show boots or a rain jacket and rain pants in my tack trunk, and my lucky stick in my ring bag. • I think the biggest misconception about our sport is that it is easy, or that riders just sit on top of the horse, because riding isn’t just about sitting on the horse. Riding has so many different factors that summing it up to sitting up there takes away the real reason most equestrians ride. • My best piece of advice for young riders is have fun! The sport is competitive and can be challenging but it is about having a true love of horses.
PHOTO: KIND MEDIA
BRIDLEWOOD FARM Barbara A. Schmidt, DVM Providing equine veterinary service for over 35 years.
Mimi Gochman and Gigi’s Girl BH
• I cope with pressure in the show ring by making sure I have a plan, and concentrating on what my trainer has said. • When I’m nervous at a show, I tell myself this show is like any other show, or I even think about the exercises practiced at home to remember that what is in the ring is doable. My trainer wouldn’t have let me compete if they didn’t think I could do well. • My favorite horse book is The Eighty Dollar Champion. • My favorite nonhorse book is The Name of the Wind. • The part of riding I struggle most with is keeping my reins short. • The part of riding I’m best at is staying calm in the ring and having a natural feel from hand to mouth. • I’m a sucker for a cuddly horse that loves its job. • On Mondays, you’ll find me relaxing, swimming, looking for new adventures, going to the beach and reading, or hanging out with friends. • I sometimes wish I had the time to learn how to dance or sing well. • I’m afraid of letting myself and other people down.
• The horse person I most admire is Beezie Madden because of her ability to ride any horse and the way she can connect with a horse and become a team with them. • One of my greatest show ring victories was My National Grand Prix win at Tryon on Gigi’s Girl BH. • One of the best horse names I’ve ever heard is Explosion W because of how accurate it is to his personality and jumping style. • My absolute favorite show is Devon because of the community that comes to watch and how truly interested they are in the competition, plus the fair makes it unique. • My motto is just keep swimming. PHOTO: SPORTFOT
Photos: Christine Gregoriou, Kiki Beelitz
Mare Care & Reproductive Services Breeding through Foaling USDA Quarantine/Importation Facility
E.H. Herzensdieb & one of his offspring
Standing Outstanding Stallions for All Sporthorse Disciplines. AHS/ARS, GOV, ISR/OLD NA, KWPN, Trakehner, Westfalen, Welsh Pony/WPCSA Website: bridlewood.horse Email: bschmidtdvm@fuse.net Office: 859-485-6000 11698 US Hwy. 42, Union, KY Located off I-75 between WEC and the Kentucky Horse Park
Facebook: Bridlewood Farm Hanoverians
HEMLOCK HILL FARM A Family-Owned Business • Established in 1972
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822 Gardnertown Farm Rd. Newburgh, NY 12550 Two indoor arenas, lessons, and indoor arena polo VISIT US AT:
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EDUCATION
WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE
Equestrian Studies College Courses Online This Summer
A Q&A with Plaid Horse publisher Piper Klemm HE PLAID HORSE publisher Professor Piper Klemm, Ph.D., is
offering her equestrian studies online courses for college credit again this summer. The courses run from May 24 – June 26, 2021, and are being offered through Clarkson University: • Business and Bias in the Equestrian Industry • Grit, Toughness, and Contemporary Equestrian Coaching • English Riding: History, Culture, and Industry Evolution
The Grit, Toughness, and Contemporary Equestrian Coaching class will be offered a second time from July 6 – August 8, 2021. Prof. Klemm earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 2012 and became publisher of The Plaid Horse in 2014. She has run her own pony-leasing business since 2011. In addition to teaching in grad school, she has been teaching university-level courses since 2018. Klemm is also the co-author of Show Strides, an equestrian middle grade novel series. Tianna Vestri, one of Klemm’s students last summer, said, “I am loving every book, article, lecture, podcast and more that we’re engaging with, and it’s really providing depth to my equestrian experiences and helping me make some great connections. I’m so glad I decided to take these three courses.” Want more info on the classes? Read on for more in our Q+A with the professor herself and visit www.theplaidhorse.com/college.
What made you decide to teach equestrian courses in the first place? I think our industry lacks a lot of structure on how to learn within it. Like most people in the horse business, I have learned much the hard way. Through these courses, we use traditional academic framework to approach the equestrian business and our own knowledge systemically, and using a building block approach.
Who would benefit from taking these courses?
The great thing about these courses is that everyone can take responsibility for their own learning and equestrian experience, and take away valuable knowledge and data. Riders as young as middle school to parents of riders and excited amateurs all benefit from the courses while adding a great mosaic of experiences to class discussion. The class size is small enough that we can focus on specific situations and tailor the material to be of the most interest to each individual class.
My child is horse-obsessed but college isn’t on our radar yet. Can I still enroll them? Can I enroll myself?
Absolutely! Young riders can earn college credit to transfer to the eventual college of their choice while learning about their sport, strengthening their connections, and enhancing their resume. We welcome parents as well!
Want more info? Visit theplaidhorse.com/college
98 THE PLAID HORSE April 2021
I’m not majoring in anything equestrian-related. Is this course still for me? Yes! These courses are to expand your knowledge
“The book impressed me so much that The Plaid Horse wanted to be a part of its new life with a new printing in order to get it into as many equestrians’ hands as possible. Geoff ’s work remains as strong and relevant as ever. As much as things have changed in our sport, so much about riding hunters, jumpers, and equitation has not. ‘Classic’ still wins in the show ring.” NOTE TO THE READER BY PIPER KLEMM, PHD
of the sport, yourself, and how to best manage hobbies, business and your approach to our sport. They are a great tool for all majors. They can be transferred per your college’s policies to use credit toward graduation or specific distribution requirement.
I’ve already graduated from college! How would I benefit from these courses? This sport is unique because it is a lifelong sport. Handling decision making, finances, emotions, and understanding the market forces can always be improved upon. This investment will benefit you for decades to come!
What sort of feedback did you get from students last summer on how they were able to implement what they learned into their lives with horses? Students were able to use decision-making processes to further their careers—including evaluating facility purchases, horse purchases, and investing further into our industry and using techniques learned in class. Klemm also co-hosts the #Plaidcast and runs various entrepreneurial projects. Her mission is to educate young equestrians in every facet of our industry, and to empower young women in particular to find their voice and story and share them. She shows in the amateur hunter divisions with her horse of a lifetime, MTM Sandwich.
Get your copy at theplaidhorse.com/teall
The highs and lows at shows from coast to coast
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (°F) 100° 80° 60° 58 40°
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61 49 40
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78 62
70 60 51
51 42
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JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC SOURCE: USCLIMATEDATA.COM
ADS & ARTICLES DUE MAY 28
Contact piper@theplaidhorse.com for more info.
HISTORIC COVERS
The Wellness Issue Through the Years
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SISTERS SISTERS who who ride ride together together LAURACEA LAURACEA exists exists because because I have I have two two girlsgirls whowho ride.ride. Over Over the the years years I was I was often often driving driving to the to the barn, barn, or toorthe to the shows, shows, andand overover the the years years I ruined I ruined a lotaof lotbags of bags andand I lostI lost a lotaof lotthings of things - lots- lots andand lots lots of crops. of crops. ThisThis eventually eventually compelled compelled me to mecreate to create a better a better option. option. OneOne thatthat is functional, is functional, made made withwith lasting lasting quality, quality, andand is also is also beautiful. beautiful. I wanted I wanted a bag a bag thatthat could could holdhold everything everything at the at the horse horse shows, shows, but but it also it also needed needed to be toable be able to go toout go out to dinner, to dinner, andand travel travel as well. as well. I wanted I wanted a bag a bag thatthat could could go from go from work, work, meetings, meetings, or lunch, or lunch, to the to the barn. barn. I needed I needed a bag a bag thatthat could could spend spend timetime at the at the barn, barn, or aor horse a horse show, still still looklook good good (hello (hello waterproof waterproof leather). leather). AndAnd so the so the LAURACEA LAURACEA sho show, shoandand Convertible Convertible Backpack Backpack ToteTote waswas bornborn - because - because I have I have two two girlsgirls whowho ride.ride. Over Over the the years, years, theythey went went to the to the barnbarn together, together, six days six days a week. a week. They They drove drove to shows to shows together; together; theythey got got up at up4am at 4am together. together. They They shared shared a common a common bond. bond. When When the the girlsgirls were were young young andand the the short short andand longlong stirrup stirrup classes classes were were combined, combined, theythey sometimes sometimes found found themselves themselves competing competing against against each each other. other. AndAnd thatthat waswas hard. hard. But But when when my older my older daughter daughter first first left for left college, for college, andand my my younger younger daughter daughter went went to her to her first first show show without without her, her, there there waswas a void. a void. TheThe younger younger oneone realized realized thatthat her her older older sister sister hadhad always always been been there, alongside alongside the the trainer, trainer, to send to send her her intointo the the ring.ring. therthere, ther TheThe girlsgirls are are grown grown now.now. OneOne is a is few a few years years out out of college of college andand the the other other is iniscollege. in college. They They bothboth live live in NYC in NYC andand every every Friday Friday night, night, my younger my younger daughter daughter heads heads downtown downtown to her to her sister’s sister’s apartment. apartment. SheShe sleeps sleeps overover andand theythey get get up on upSaturday on Saturday andand drive drive to the to the barnbarn together. together. They They continue continue to share to share time,time, andand stories, stories, experiences experiences andand challenges, challenges, as riders. as riders. I hear I hear about about whatwhat theythey hadhad for dinner for dinner together together on Friday on Friday night night andand howhow things things are are going going at the at the barn. barn. As aAs mother a mother I amI so am so thankful thankful for the for the many many lessons lessons this this sport sport has has taught taught my girls, my girls, but but most most of allofI all amI thankful am thankful for the for the bond bond thatthat theythey share share - because - because theythey rideride together. together. togethe togethe ThisThis series series is comprised is comprised of various of various sisters sisters whowho rideride together. together. They They maymay be in bedifferent in different stages stages of of life and life and levels levels of the of the sport, sport, but but theythey all share all share an exceptional an exceptional bond bond because because of this of this sport. sport. ThisThis series series is dedicated is dedicated to ALL to ALL the the siblings siblings andand families families whowho share share this this bond. bond. Sincerely, Sincerely, Tamara Tamara Makris Makris Creative Creative Director Director LAURACEA LAURACEA
Quality. Quality. Function. Function. Beauty. Beauty. inquiries@lauracea.com inquiries@lauracea.com
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The McFadden Sisters
No. 1 in a Series
Cara McFadden (L) Lily McFadden (R)
Are you moving south or west permanently and still own a farm or facility in New Hampshire? We invite you to list with the most successful agency in the Granite State for the sale of equestrian farms, private or commercial, with or without indoor arenas. We have a well-educated staff of agents and brokers – all are or were horse owners. Exceptional presentations including i drone videos, interior walk-thru’s *, detailed write-ups of the features that matter to YOUR buyers. Financing knowledge and support from our affiliated lenders. *Depending on your farm’s features.