October/November 2017

EQ

P E OPLE | TR AVE L | D ESI G N | FA SH I O N | ST Y L E | DÉ COR

EQUESTRIAN LIVING

EQ U E S TR I A N LIVING

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EQLiving.com

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017

NACHO!

OC TOBER/NOVEMBER 2017

DISPLAY UNTIL DEC 1, 2017

POLO IS A FAMILY AFFAIR

EQ I N S I D E

FEATURES O C TO B E R | NOV E M B E R 2 0 1 7

NACHO: POLO IS A FAMILY AFFAIR

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Nacho Figueras, the most famous polo player in the world and consummate family man, balances his schedule to accommodate his love of polo, art, architecture, and of course, his horses.

THE BIG-HEARTED HORSE WORLD

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The equestrian world is tied closely to philanthropy, with a countless number of organizations to support, protect, and enable the well-being of people and animals around the world.

THE QUIET GRANDEUR OF MOUNT JULIET ESTATE

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This 18th-century estate in Kilkenny, Ireland, strikes a balance between an ultimate escape and a sports-lover’s paradise.

NACHO: POLO IS A FAMILY AFFAIR

TRUCKING OFF TO WINE COUNTRY

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THE QUIET GRANDEUR OF MOUNT JULIET ESTATE

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Senior Editor Jill Novotny takes a road trip to Los Olivos, a small town in the Santa Ynez Valley of California, where she enjoys a relaxing weekend of riding, dining, and sampling local wine.

MONMOUTH AT THE TEAM

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Cousins breathe new life into a New Jersey treasure—a horse show that is a celebration of equestrian history.

HORSE SPORTS’ NEXT BIG THING

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Vast new showgrounds in the heart of horse country in Ocala, Florida, offer exciting possibilities.

SAM ROBINSON

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The sporting artist depicts Thoroughbreds and vivid hunt country scenes in his native Baltimore County.

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New Luxury Suites for 2018 The luxury suites at Churchill Downs Racetrack provide the highest level of comfort and hospitality.

Experience the rich traditions of the Kentucky Derby – sipping a Mint Julep, donning a beautiful hat, placing a winning wager – while enjoying breathtaking, panoramic views of thunderous horse racing.

To purchase a suite or learn more, contact: Tricia Speiden, Director of Premium Sales & Service | (502) 638.3918 • tricia.speiden@kyderby.com KentuckyDerbySuites.com

EQ I N S I D E

DEPARTMENTS O C TO B E R | NOV E M B E R 2 0 1 7

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EQ ESSENTIALS

DÉCOR

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A selection of unique bar carts to suit any entertainer’s needs.

FASHION

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Creative custom boots by Rod Patrick Bootmakers offer endless designs that are sure to turn heads.

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Stick & Ball is a casual-luxury fashion brand inspired by polo across the globe.

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TRAVEL

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The world-famous King Ranch is larger than Rhode Island and home to 35,000 cattle and 200 Quarter Horses.

FAVORITES

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Stage the perfect party by tailgating in style.

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A British firm rebuilds Land Rover Defenders to create unique vehicles.

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Actor William Shatner shares a chapter of his book The Spirit of the Horse.

FOOD+DRINK

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Chef Jeremy Halker of the Spring Island Club shares a recipe for blackened tilefish.

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Windsor’s Betsy Hanley shares one of her favorite cocktails.

PEOPLE

ON THE COVER

IN EACH ISSUE World-famous polo player Nacho Figueras and family shot on location in Argentina by Toni Mateu/Unidad Editorial.

EDITOR’S NOTE 8 Welcome to Equestrian Living.

RESOURCES 113 Look for to find the products and services in this issue.

BARN DOGS 114 Tessa inspired her owner, pilot Paul Steklenski, to found Flying Fur Animal Rescue.

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Rider, trainer, judge, and author Judy Richter remembers her childhood at what is now the Trump National Golf Club.

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An interview with Ed Young, the Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. Combined Driving Team.

EQUESTRIAN PROPERTIES

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Fabulous farms and ranches plus empowering women landowners.

Erratum: The image for Pikeur, the third-place winner in the English show-clothes category on page 61 of the August/September 2017 EQ Gold List issue, is incorrect. The image featured Ariat show clothes.

EQ F R O M T H E E D I T O R

PHOTO GEORGE KAMPER

WELCOME

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consider fall a season of renewal.

Cooler evenings, shorter days, and the frenetic behavior of wildlife give hints that the long, sultry days of summer are coming to an end. It’s time to shift life into full throttle.

The high-caliber and world-class horse shows that stack up on the calendar during this time of year—the Hampton Classic, the American Gold Cup, Spruce Meadows Masters, and, newer to the lineup, the Rolex Central Park Horse Show—are long-standing favorites of competitors and fans alike. To watch riders navigate a beautifully designed course against a backdrop of leaves ablaze in autumn colors is sheer bliss.

In stark contrast, fall has not been as welcomed by those impacted by Hurricane Harvey or, as we wrap up this issue, Hurricane Irma, which is bearing down on our many friends in Florida.

However, amid the tragedy and despair in Texas, there were countless measures of bravery and generosity—in all forms.

I see the same proactive efforts taking place in anticipation of Irma. Equine clinics are posting storm-preparation guidelines, semitrucks are arriving with feed and other emergency provisions, and nearby fairgrounds and farms are making stalls available for horses that need to be moved out of harm’s way.

The heart of the philanthropist is mighty. Daily, we see and read about individuals and organizations making extraordinary differences in myriad ways. This year’s philanthropy feature, “The Big-Hearted Horse World,” seems exceptionally relevant, as the country has become acutely aware of the life-saving impact many of these organizations can have—on their families and their animals.

Our Barn Dog’s profile is particularly inspiring in this issue. Pilot Paul Steklenski, founder of Flying Fur Animal Rescue, distills his commitment to dogrescue work down to a simple comment: “I didn’t choose this, it was chosen for me.”

Nowadays, the lines are blurred when making the distinction between animals and family. For most, they are one and the same. In “Nacho: Polo is a Family Affair,” world-class polo player Nacho Figueras reiterates this sentiment as he describes his ponies—and the abandoned lamb that lives in the house—as permanent members of the family. He chatted freely about the importance of spending time with his family and pursuing his interests in art and architecture during a relaxed interview that took place when he

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and his wife, Delfina, were in New York City for the 10th Annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic.

Contributing editor Rebecca Baldridge, a declared Anglophile, channeled her inner Evelyn Waugh as she recounted her visit to Mount Juliet Estate, one of Ireland’s finest country houses and acclaimed sporting estates. Wisely, she chose to visit in the fall when her outdoor sporting pursuits immersed her in vivid settings during the day and rendered her fireside tipples that much more enjoyable upon her return.

In this issue’s gallery, sporting artist Sam Robinson elegantly depicts the classic sporting images that we associate with fall: scarlet hunt coats, foxhounds tearing across dormant fields, and timber-race jockeys in colorful silks.

Additionally, we’ve rounded out the issue with a unique mix of fashion, décor, and dining, along with content that will keep you up to speed on horse sport’s next big thing in Ocala, Florida, and a bespoke Land Rover you might want to drive to get there.

For me, this is a season of invigoration and of reimagining what’s possible.

At EQLiving we will be rolling out new initiatives, widening our social-media presence, relaunching our eqliving.com website, and enhancing our repertoire of editorial content.

It is a great time of year!

The Ride of Your Life.

SeCure YOur pLACe nOw in AnTiCipATiOn Of The wOrLd equeSTriAn CenTer premierinG in 2018.

CuSTOm eSTATe hOmeS fOr SALe And STAbLeS fOr LeASe.

GoldenOcala.com | 855-80-OCALA Golf | Tennis | Equestrian | Fitness | Pool | Spa | Dining | Events

EQ E S S E N T I A L S | D É C O R

BAR CARTS REVIVAL Designers are rolling out UNIQUE VERSIONS of an entertainer’s must-have.

Adesso Eclectic Imports’ 1960s Scapinelli bar cart is made of Brazilian jacaranda with three removable trays, two of which are glass and one wood. $13,500.

5 Jorge Zalszupin’s iconic Carrinho de Cha bar cart is made in Brazilian jacaranda with brass wheels and ball foot. $33,700.

Great options for this surprisingly hard-working serving piece.

Exceptional detail is seamlessly blended with function in Tommy Bahama Home’s Bali Hai Veranda bar cart, with handles wrapped in rattan and shelves made of Cocoa shell veneer. $1,579.

The Hackney bar cart from Hickory Chair is constructed of ash solids and walnut veneers, accented with a soft-brass stretcher, curved ferrules, casters, and gallery. $5,220.

Old Hollywood glamour meets modern design in the Connery bar cart from Blink Home. Sleek in antique gold-finished stainless steel, the cart has two tiers of glass shelves for storage. $1,749.

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Indoor Riding Arenas HANDS-ON APPROACH TO QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP With an eye for design and precise attention to detail, B&D Builders builds excellence into every equine facility. From our expert engineering and choice of quality materials to our approach to planning, scheduling and management, B&D is hands-on to ensure your arena functions well and looks great for years to come. At B&D Builders, we build it right, or we don’t build it.

Request a quote or meeting with Ben or Daniel 717.687.0292 | CustomBarnBuilding.com

EQ O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7

EQ U E S TR I A N EQLiving.com

LIVING

®

VOLUME 6 NUMBER 5 EDITOR AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR Stephanie B. Peters SENIOR EDITOR Jill B. Novotny PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR George Kamper EDITOR AT LARGE Carol Cohen Hodess CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Rebecca Baldridge, Sue Weakley DESIGN MANAGER Mary A. Stroup SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER Carly Neilson SOCIAL MEDIA & WEB CONTENT Maggie Carty EDITORIAL MANAGER Rose DeNeve EQ SPECIAL EVENTS Jennifer Pearman Lammer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Caroline Blaha-Black, Vivian Creigh, Jessica Greene, Emily Holowczak, Judy Richter, Carrie Wirth INTERN Emily Holowczak PUBLISHER C.W. Medinger PUBLISHING CONSULTANT George Fuller PRINT John Spittle DIGITAL Daniel Flint PUBLIC RELATIONS Carrie Wirth, EQmedia.agency NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION Richard Trummer GLOBAL PARTNER PUBLICATION HORSEMANSHIP, China ADVERTISING SALES Debb Pyle, 434-806-6685, pyle@eqliving.com Joyce Jones, 954-796-1809, jones@eqliving.com Dick Holcomb, 770-331-7788, dickholc@bellsouth.net EQ LIVING ADVISORY BOARD Bob Cacchione, Founder IHSA Deborah Deutsch, Polo, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Melissa Ganzi, Polo, Wellington, Fla. Peter Leone, Lionshare Farm, Greenwich, Conn.

Colleen and Tim McQuay, Reining, Tioga, Texas Mindy Peters, Arabians, Los Alamos, Calif.

Chris Pratt, Hunter Jumper West, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

David Sloan, Conceptual Advisor, Millbrook, N.Y. Renee Spurge, Fashion | LA Saddlery, Los Angeles, Calif.

Chester Weber, Combined Driving, Ocala, Fla. EQUESTRIAN QUARTERLY (EQ) became EQUESTRIAN LIVING magazine in 2016 and is published six times yearly. It is distributed at selected equestrian locations, newsstands, and is available for home delivery for $24.95 | Canada $39.95.

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EQ was chosen OVERALL BEST EQUESTRIAN MAGAZINE in its inaugural year by American Horse Publications.

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CURTIS CIRCULATION COMPANY

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Every detail of this Adirondack estate has been designed and crafted by artisans with an eye to elegance, comfort and modern convenience. Each spacious, light-filled room offers its own unique personality and charm. The centerpiece of this magnificent home is a glass elevator, wrapped by a customized central staircase, giving a sense of grandeur and tradition merged with state-of-the-art modern living. The home is perfectly positioned to maximize the rare 325 feet of private lake shoreline with breathtaking views of the High Peaks.

Cutting edge security, audio, and lighting systems as well as thoughtfully designed landscaping add to the appeal of this unique home.

Joanne DiMarco Associate Real Estate Broker, Realtor 518.793.6628 jdimarco@bhhsblake.com

Dominic Longcroft Associate Real Estate Broker - Referral Agent 646.677.1022 dominiclongcroft@bhhsnyp.com

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590 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New York Properties is not the listing broker for this property. New York Properties will refer buyers to the listing broker who has provided the information appearing here.

Listing broker will provide any further information about the property and negotiate any agreements for the purchase of the property. Any information appearing here was provided to New York Properties by the listing broker and has not been verified by New York Properties. Buyers should consult with their legal counsel or local real estate professional concerning the property and verify any information important to their buying or leasing decision prior to binding themselves to purchase or lease. Š 2017 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.Ž Equal Housing Opportunity.

Information not verified or guaranteed. If your home is currently listed with a Broker, this is not intended as a solicitation.

EQ E S S E N T I A L S | F A S H I O N

,

WESTERN KICKS Get creative and stir up some dust with custom boots by ROD PATRICK BOOTMAKERS. Known for making the best fitting handmade boots, Rod Patrick Bootmakers offer a broad range of sizes and unparalleled selections of leathers, exotic skins, and stitched patterns that can be combined in endless ways.

A striking combination of blue and cognac, this versatile boot looks great dressed up or down. The hybrid combination sole of leather and rubber ensure you will walk in comfort all day long. Reference: WO13997. $850.

Expect to turn heads in this tall, calf-leather top that features a striking stitch pattern and a genuine caiman vamp and counter.

Reference: WO14037. $1,275.

Everyone needs a killer pair of black boots and these are it. Made of the finest calf leather with striking stitch colors, you will forget you are wearing them and look stylish to boot.

Reference: WO14037. $1,275.

The triad construction of this boot is the perfect combination of flash and function.

The rich purple leather sets off the vamp and counter beautifully, while the delicate collar ties it all together.

Reference: WO14099. $1,050.

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You won’t find a more classic color combination than black and red. The red, premium goatskin highlights the genuine caiman vamp and counter, making it a stand-out in the crowd.

Reference: WO14074. $1,400.

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Wellington, Florida • MattJohnson.evusa.com

Natures Point - 10 Acre equestrian estate with direct bridle path access & within true hacking distance to WEF. 5 bedroom, 7 bathroom pool home with top quality detail & finishes. 14 stall center-aisle stable with 3 staff apartments, 10 grass paddocks, round pen, sand riding arena and grass grand prix field.

Offered at $11,900,000

Aspen Glen - Private 15 acre custom designed home with top equestrian facilities. Riding arena with underground watering system, hot walker and round pen. Three groom’s apartments and separate ancillary buildings. Stunning 4BR main residence with infinity edge pool.

Offered at $11,000,000

Palm Beach Point - 4 bedroom, 4 bath pool home in a prime cul-de-sac location. Just a short hack to WEF. Situated on 5 acres with 8 stall barn, 1 bedroom, 1 bath staff apartment, riding arena and 7 paddocks.

Offered at $5,300,000

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©2017 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Carr Sollak Realty, LLC licensee of Engel & Voelkers Florida Residential, LLC. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

Matt Johnson • +1 561-313-4367

Gated Subdivision - 5 acre contemporary 4BR, 4.5BA home with beautiful natural light, center island kitchen, gas cooking, fireplace, private outdoor entertaining areas, herb garden & 65" lap pool. Stunning half-circle, courtyard barn with riding arena and grass turnout paddocks.

Offered at $4,750,000

White Fences - 4 bedroom equestrian estate with beautifully landscaped pool & patio area. 12 Stall courtyard style barn, with groom’s apartment. Oversized riding arena with mirrors, 3 acre grass riding field, 8 large grass paddocks, hot-walker and round pen. There is also a 1Br/1Bth guest house with 1 car garage.

Offered at $2,400,000

Loxahatchee Groves - 11 Acre equestrian property with 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home, 16 stalls, 250’ x 180’ riding arena, 11 grass paddocks and 4 RV hookups. One block over the Wellington boarder. Great income producing pro perty with unlimited potential. Just minutes to all of Wellington’s competition venues.

Offered at $2,100,000

Matt Johnson • Engel & Völkers Wellington Licensee of Engel & Völkers Florida Residential, LLC 10620 W. Forest Hill Blvd • Suite 40 • Wellington • FL 33414 Mobile +1 561-313-4367 Matt.Johnson@evusa.com

Download Matt Johnson’s mobile real estate app To get FREE access to all local listings from your smartphone or tablet

©2017 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Carr Sollak Realty, LLC licensee of Engel & Voelkers Florida Residential, LLC. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

EQ E S S E N T I A L S | F A S H I O N

STICK & BALL envisioned a casual-luxury fashion brand inspired by polo played across the globe.

ELIZABETH GOODWIN WELBORN

Elizabeth Goodwin Welborn

A

fter five years online, Stick & Ball, a luxurious apparel and lifestyle brand, opened its doors in downtown Mill Valley, California, last December.

Elizabeth Goodwin Welborn launched the brand and website in the fall of 2011 out of her combined passions for travel and playing polo. Stick & Ball is an amalgam of her experiences in the Deep South, coastal California, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Her list of inspirations is long and varied: Ponchos, knits,

leather, espadrilles, and cowboy boots; Latin, country, and bluegrass music; Argentine asados; pig roasts; the Tango; and the polo fashion of Italy, Argentina, Peru, and Mexico.

The original Stick & Ball alpaca poncho, handmade by artisans in Peru, is the brand’s signature piece, and it’s also the first item Elizabeth designed. In addition, the brand features leather belts, wallets, bags and weekenders, handmade boots by Texas-based Lucchese, gold and silver jewelry from artisans around the

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world, and cotton T-shirts and scarves for men, women, and kids. In addition, there are beautiful pieces for the home that include alpaca throws and pillows, candles, artwork, and books.

“I have always loved the way European women dress and approach style,” says Elizabeth. “They have classic core wardrobe pieces accented by a brilliant scarf or a large piece of jewelry. Our items let you capture that elegant, effortless, and chic way of dressing.”

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BEAUTY IS TIMELESS. SO IS A SUPERIOR CONCRETE FENCE.

EF Superior Concrete Products manufactures and installs premium concrete fences and sound barriers. Our fences have the natural look of wood, brick, and stone - that adds to property value and provides a long lasting barrier against natural elements.

Visit ConcreteFence.com to learn more or call 817-277-9255.

EQ E S S E N T I A L S | T R A V E L

THE KING OF RANCHES The world-famous KING RANCH is larger than Rhode Island and home to 35,000 cattle and 200 Quarter Horses.

f you are considering a cowboy-inspired horse vacation this year, a destination worth visiting is, without a doubt, the famous King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas. The 825,000-acre ranch is best known for its herd of Saint Gertrudis cattle, but it is also widely regarded as one of the historical birthplaces of the finest Quarter Horses in America. Every horse is a descendant of Old Sorrel, the foundation sire of King Ranch, who was foaled in 1915.

Richard King, the ranch’s founder, was born in New York in 1825. He was apprenticed to a jeweler at an early age, but he later stowed away on the schooner Desdemona bound for Mobile, Alabama.

After some other business ventures, King established the ranch, and its brand eventually became a Running W, the trademark of the estate.

The ranch found some of its many successes in the Thoroughbred racing business, producing 1946 Triple Crown winner Assault and 1950 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Middleground which gained the ranch prestige and notoriety.

According to Tom Lea’s book The King Ranch, the Quarter Horse is the last remaining utility horse in America. King valued his horses for their good disposition and sure-footedness. If you want to purchase a King horse, the ranch offers pure Quarter

Horses for sale or appendix-bred horses with Thoroughbred influence.

The King Ranch also offers other treats, such as its daily ranch tours. Visitors learn about the latest ranching and agricultural practices, see the resident herd of Longhorns, and experience the flora and fauna of South Texas. Prices vary for adults, seniors, and children for the 90-minute tour. Special-interest tours that focus on cattle ranching or farming are also offered. These must be booked in advance.

An authentic cowboy breakfast is available for foodies at the annual ranch-hand breakfast, which includes cooking demos, storytelling, and other fun activities.

Richard King wanted high-quality saddles that could stand up to the rugged Texas weather, and he employed experienced craftsmen to make them.

Saddles and tack can be purchased at the King Ranch saddle shop, located in the historic John B. Ragland Mercantile Building, which is a few minutes away from the King Ranch museum and the King Ranch visitor center. The museum has many items on display that capture the cowboy spirit, including a Colt Python .357 magnum revolver, antique carriages, and hundreds of other objects.

Currently, the exhibit Echoes in the Dust: Memories from the Cattle Trails is on view through the end of the year.

PAGE 113

GEORGE KAMPER

I

BY CAROLINE BLAHA-BLACK

EQ P E O P L E

LAMINGTON FARM REMEMBERED Judy Richter grew up riding on what is now the TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF CLUB, and she has offered to share her memories.

T

TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF CLUB

The Trump National Golf Club, now also known as the Summer White House, is in Bedminster Township, New Jersey. Here, “You are just as likely to see a horse coming down the road as a Range Rover,” Steven Parker, the mayor of Bedminster, told The New York Times recently.

The Trump National, 49 miles from Trump Tower in New York City, was once Lamington Farm, owned by Morgan Cowperthwaite, an executive at a New York insurance firm. In 1981 the estate was sold to automaker John Z. DeLorean. Shortly after the sale, DeLorean was charged with conspiring to sell cocaine to fund his DeLorean Motor Company, and the estate was sold again. After other owners, Mr. Trump purchased it in 2002 for an estimated $35 million and reportedly has since invested $45 million in the property.

he tv news was showing our president retreating to his estate in Bedminster, New Jersey, and it unleashed a host of memories for me. I grew up just down the road and knew the property well, having ridden up and down all those rolling hills when I was growing up. Marooned on a farm far from everywhere, my sister Carol and I relied on our only transport, our horses, and we did get around quite nicely.

Those 400 acres were known in the 1950s as the Cowperthwaite place.

Mrs. Cowperthwaite was a Brady, as in James Cox Brady, the financier, so there was plenty of money, old money. They were an elegant family and shared their magnificent estate with the locals, which included us.

Today, it is no doubt enclosed by a high fence, a 21stcentury feature to NT HU X keep the riff-raff ESSE THE PHOTO COURTESY out—local yokels and gentry alike.

Many winter afternoons we’d dash home from school, saddle up, and trot briskly down the road in hopes of beating the late afternoon deepening dusk.

Cowperthwaite’s was the best place to ride on those darkening evenings because their fields, crisscrossed by post-and-rail fencing, were studded with white chicken-coop jumps set in the fence lines for our safety and convenience.

Living in the country, we were surrounded by Continued on page 26

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EQ P E O P L E

TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF CLUB continued from page 24

open space and farms enclosed by inviting split-rail the crackling fire as they waited in line to load their fences that we enjoyed jumping year-round, except plates. on dark winter afternoons. Then we headed toward Starving and cold ourselves, we took up a spankCowperthwaite’s, where you could actually see the ing trot down the long winding driveway toward white coops well enough, even if it was as dark as the home. The memory of our tin-canning around inside of a cow. A chicken coop is a triangular, board Cowperthwaite’s open field and jumping back and fence about 12 feet long and three-and-a-half-feet forth over dozens of white chicken coops kept us high, enough to keep the cattle in and enticing for warm enough until we reached our own barn door. horses to jump over, even in the dark.

The Cowperthwaite children were our classmates At the crossroads of Hickory Corner Road and and friends in school, so occasionally there were Burnt Mill Road, we could either pop in over the sleepovers with them. Because we lived in the country white coop or gallop full tilt up the long hill toward miles from one another, we usually stayed a day or so, not just a few hours.

Rattlesnake Bridge Road. Usually we opted for the When visiting the children, we latter, more for the thrill of used the side the wind and the setting door to the sun in our faces than for the kitchen—oldglorious view at the top of fashioned, even the hill, where open space in those days. spread out before us. That Since there chicken coop off the road was more than at the top of the hill was a ample staff, Mrs. double, 24-feet instead of Cowperthwaite 12, so we could jump it in pairs, i.e., side by side. never cooked, “Left around or right so there was no around?” reason to update “Left.” the kitchen.

Usually we went left, Anyway, that was down and across the my mother’s explagully to acres of wide nation when we fields that extended as far as the eye could see. reported on the Finally we were stopped by Lamington Road, the archaic appliances. It was proof that these people were only blacktop that crossed our countryside. When neither extravagant nor interested in keeping up with it was time to head back, we swung right behind the Joneses. They were the Joneses. the brick mansion and the various We kids spent most of our time rustic red outbuildings where the in the kitchen or the cozy den nearby.

The ESSEX Cowperthwaite’s horses and cattle were Usually a warm fire was a welcome FOXHOUNDS housed. change from the vast dark halls and HUNTER The lights were already on in the rooms beyond. Upstairs there were lots TRIALS were held annually big house as we rode by the tallof bedrooms to choose from when it at the farm. columned front door. Having been was time to go to bed after dinner in invited to countless hunt breakfasts the kitchen. and receptions after the annual hunter We often hung out in the kitchen trials, we knew that door opened to a spacious hall with the staff, who were always dressed in starched and winding staircase. To the left was the dining uniforms, even when the parents weren’t home. They room, candlelight glowing and the table groaning often saved us a bowl of generously unscraped cookie from the weight of the food after the hunt, piled high or cake dough. We liked to play heatedly competitive for starving, cold riders who warmed themselves by games of jacks on the polished wood floor in front of Continued on page 104 26 | E Q UE S T R I A N L I V I N G | OC TOB ER/ N OVEMB ER | 2017

JUDY RICHTER has been in the horse business for over 55 years.

She has written numerous books (See Equestrian Living June 2016) and has trained national and international champions as well as USET and Maclay finals winners. Richter says, “Over the years I’ve been blessed with good horses and good riders, many highly motivated to be better.

Most exciting of all to me is to watch some of my students excel as riders and trainers today.”

Somewhere Farms Only 35 miles from the Colorado Horse Park Somewhere Farms is the consummate can easily be expanded as desired. Each PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS equestrian estate, located on 77.8 acres wing includes two wash racks, hot and –77.8 acre Equestrian Country Estate of pristine grass and ponderosa pines. cold running water and heat lamps.

–Spectacular unique property This unique property is away from The central building accommodates –One of a Kind – Indoor Arena the hustle of the metropolis yet only –Custom design barn with elegant finishing touches a tack room, lounge, large office and –Pastures of all sizes for all horses 35 miles from The Colorado Horse spare room; all custom finished with –Wonderful patios for relaxing and entertaining Park International Show Grounds. The –2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom Residence 2300+ sq. ft. pine wainscot, built-in trunks shelves exclusive barn and arena were designed –60x40 Clear Span Shop, Storage Building etc. and more. Many peaceful pastures of all for both the equine and equestrian’s sizes meet every horse’s requirements. ultimate quality lifestyle. The spectacular indoor arena (225’ The equestrian’s residence is 2300+ sq ft, two bed and two x80’) has unique natural lighting (making lights unnecessary baths, custom wood detailing throughout, with large open except at night), ‘airfoot’ footing, heated seating area, sur- living spaces. A yard with gardens, greenhouse and beautiround sound stereo system and 80’ of mirrors. The two barn ful patios provide the perfect environment for relaxing and wings house a total of 18 custom stalls with 14’ wide rubber entertaining. Relax under the pergola or enjoy the hot tub brick paved aisles and dramatic brass chandeliers. Many stalls under the Milky Way each night.

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EQ E S S E N T I A L S | F A V O R I T E S

TAILGATING IN STYLE A theme and festive décor are essential elements for staging the perfect party.

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PHOTO DAVID SLOAN

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Whether attending a polo match, fox hunt, or other equestrian events this fall, tailgating and the socializing that accompanies it tends to be just as much of a tradition as the event itself.

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1. The gold medal director’s chair crafted from American beech hardwoods and durable canvas by Hayneedle features a straight-line leg rack with comfy, paddle-shaped arm pads. $102.

2. Premium monogrammed disposable plates from Frontgate are sophisticated and convenient, with a delicate silver-trimmed border. Prices based on style, size, and personalization.

3. Sovaro’s 45-quart luxury cooler is designed to keep 10 wine bottles chilled to perfection, with luggage-style wheels and a telescoping handle. $595.

4. Available in three sizes, Restoration Hardware’s Artisan leather trays in chestnut are wrapped in hand-crafted leather and classic for entertaining. Prices based on size.

5. Woven in American mills and made from Eco-Wise wool, the Pendleton throw has loft and rolled European fringe. $119.

6. The stainless steel beverage bucket from Williams Sonoma Home is generously sized to accommodate an ample supply of ice, wine, beer, soda, or water. $199.95.

7. Gadget Flow’s bluetooth wooden wireless speakers with a vintage look, offer high-quality audio streaming from most smart devices. $180.

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EQ P E O P L E

MEET THE CHEF D’EQUIPE Part One of a Series.

Each United States Equestrian Team is led by a Chef d’Equipe who is a combination leader, coach, and manager. Meet them in this series of features created in collaboration with US Equestrian.

At press-time, U.S. Combined Driving Chef d’Equipe Ed personalities. My aim is to make sure that I maintain Young passed away following a five-year battle with cancer. an environment that’s conducive to each of the athletes Prior to his passing, he conducted the following interview being able to focus on their job and give their best poswith Equestrian Living providing a glimpse into his sible performance. role as Chef d’Equipe and insight into the U.S. Combined driving program and his plans for growing the sport. This How has your career as a school teacher informed article is dedicated to his family and the many driving athyour job as a TD and a Chef d’Equipe? letes he impacted during his tenure as Chef d’Equipe.

That’s very interesting, because I believe part of your In lieu of flowers, Young wished that donations be made job as a TD is education and working with groups. I in his memory to the find that they were USEF Developing pretty compatible, Driver program. and working with To donate, visit different personalities, usequestrian.com as you might expect. and under “Fund Everybody comes Destination,” please with a unique personMeet the CHEF D’EQUIPE of the United select “International ality. I spent a great States Equestrian Driving Team.

Developing Driver deal of my educaFund-Driving” or tional career working INTERVIEW WITH VIVIAN CREIGH notate Ed Young in the with alternative “In Memory Of” line. education programs, where the students were at risk and were not always the easiest to deal with.

ED YOUNG

What led you to become a technical delegate (TD) and then eventually the Chef d’Equipe?

Basically, I was competing and was getting a bit of push to consider being an official. So, I thought, “Well, it’s a challenge; let me see what this is all about.” I was lucky enough, I think, to be in the right place at the right time. I ended up working with people who were very, very supportive, and they presented me with a lot of opportunities to do this. It was nothing I had ever envisioned doing, but I like a challenge, to try something new.

What is the job of Chef d’Equipe?

The Chef d’Equipe is mandated by the FEI. They are appointed for championships or team competitions. The job of the chef d’equipe is to be the liaison between the team members and competitors and the organizing committee and the officials. In addition, it is my responsibility to see to general management of the team, the fitness of the horses that we’ve entered, and to make sure that all of the regulations are adhered to. I do a lot of work clarifying rules for competitors.

I do all the declarations of which horses we are going to be using in the competition. If we have some difficulty where we need to file protests or appeals against rulings, that all sits with the chef d’equipe. Another big thing that I find is that you deal with quite a few

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Do you think that describes the people you deal with in horse sport?

I think, in all honesty, when we talk about our athletes, when they’re starting to reach the pinnacle that these athletes are reaching in international competitions and world championships, it takes a certain personality to be able to hold that focus and be successful. I think you have to consider some of the pressure they put themselves under, if you will.

Do you see the U.S. sending a team to the championships every year in the future?

Absolutely. Our plan right now is to send a team every year, with the intention of reaching the medal podium and also improving and gaining valuable international experience each year. One thing that we have to deal with, that most disciplines don’t, is that in driving we actually have four separate disciplines. We have single horse, we have pair horses, four-in-hand horses, and then we have our pony contingent, too, so this necessitates us building two teams every year. That becomes a bit of a chore from a financial point of view as well as others.

But we are cranking along to continue to field two teams each year for these championships.

EQ P E O P L E

What do you think of this year’s chances for the ponies and the pairs?

There are a couple of things. Driving is really still a new discipline if you compare it to the age of eventing. The first driving world championship was held in the early 1980s, so we don’t have the longevity of the other sports. We had focused for a number of years

SHANNON BRINKMAN

This year I think we’ve got some good pony contenders. Unfortunately, we were not able to field the team this year for ponies. We lacked a four-in-hand of ponies. That seems to be a hole we have right now. We have very few four-in-hand pony drivers right now. So hopefully we are going to focus in on developing some for the future.

In driving, once you’ve phased out of the lower levels, then you’re in world-championship territory. A lot of people don’t have the time or the initiative to achieve that. How do we build a strong base?

So many of the big shows—like Gladstone, the Laurels, and Fair Hill—have disappeared. Why do you think that is?

I think each one of them, if you look at them individually, had their own reasons for why they were no longer able to continue. But I also think organizing committees eventually run out of volunteers. People have done it for so many years, and they need a break of some sort.

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How do you see the sport has changed?

hat is happening is that now, many of our competitors have started to age out. Driving is an expensive discipline for people to engage in, and I think that makes it more difficult to try to harness our younger competitors. Most of our younger drivers are trying to establish themselves with careers; they’re trying to get financially stable. But I do see that changing. With some of the programs we’re creating, we are starting to see more younger people developing an interest. Also, we’re doing a better job at exposing the sport.

on building teams at the elite level. Now, we are in the process of trying to develop programs to help out at our lower levels. In fact, right now we are trying to pilot three different levels in conjunction with our affiliates, and have programs at what we’re going to call the emerging level, so that we can actually start people and provide resources for them, like lessons, and try to stimulate interest. I think maybe the grassroots level has not gotten the attention that it needed.

Danielle Aamodt, our new director of driving, has set up an organizers forum. We’re trying to put together the organizers of driving events to share their challenges and ideas. I think we need to streamline some of these events so it doesn’t take a week to go to them, and hopefully provide some support and resources for our organizers to make their job a little easier.

With some of the programs we’re creating, we are starting to see more younger people developing interest.

Where do you see the sport in 10 years?

I do see it growing. It probably isn’t going to be what eventing is at this point, but if we start providing resources, start getting the exposure for the sport, and start to interest our younger people, I believe that we certainly can double what we are doing in 10 years.

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EQ E S S E N T I A L S | F O O D + D R I N K

SPRING ISLAND TILEFISH F L AVO

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pring Island is the last of the great, private sea islands on the Atlantic coast. Its 3,200-acre nature preserve and island residential community is enjoyed by just 400 members. In the heart of South Carolina’s fabled Lowcountry, the island is nestled between the South’s most storied, historic, and cultural centers; Beaufort and Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. Spring Island’s nature backdrop and live oak forest is interwoven with some of the South’s most elegant private homes located on a range of sites such as preserves, ponds, or waterfront.

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BLACKENED SOUTH CAROLINA GOLDEN TILEFISH WITH SMOKED TOMATO AND ORANGE MARMALADE BLACKENING SPICE 3 tablespoons smoked paprika 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon dried ground thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon garlic powder TILEFISH 4 golden tilefish fillets (6-7 ounces each) 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted SMOKED TOMATO AND ORANGE MARMALADE 1 cup peach wood pellets 3 pints cherry tomatoes ½ cup Vidalia onion, small diced 3 oranges, cut in segments 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon black pepper Salt to taste 1 cup sugar ¼ cup red-wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh basil

PREPARATION For the Tilefish

1. In a small bowl, combine all of the

spices. Press a heaping tablespoon of the spice mix onto each fillet so that both sides are liberally coated. Allow the fish to sit for 15 minutes at room temperature prior to cooking.

2. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the fillets and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

For the Marmalade Sauce

1. Begin by heating the peach wood in the

stove-top smoker.

2. Toss the tomatoes, onions, oranges, salt, black pepper, and olive oil together.

3. Place tomato, orange, and onion mixture in tray of the smoker.

4. Lightly smoke for 5 to 10 minutes until desired smoke flavor is achieved.

5. In a small sauce pan, place tomato mixture with remaining ingredients (except basil) and cook on medium heat until mixture becomes syrupy.

6. Add basil and serve at room temperature.

Jeremy Halker is recognized as a Certified Executive Chef (CEC) by the American Culinary Federation. Growing up in Beaufort, South Carolina, Chef Jeremy’s career started at a young age. He worked in local restaurants, learned the various roles and demands of the kitchen, and found his passion for the culinary industry. In 2005, Chef Jeremy expanded his career and became a sous-chef at Paninis Café. In 2007, after cooking for four years in the restaurant scene of the Lowcountry, Chef Jeremy began working at Dataw Island Country Club as the sous-chef under the direction of Chef Joe Kelley.

In 2009, an opportunity presented itself for Jeremy to become the executive sous-chef under Chef Bruce Christensen CEC, ACE, CCA at Belfair Country Club in Bluffton, South Carolina, a prestigious golf community and recipient of the Platinum Club of America status. From there, he would go on to become the executive chef of Spring Island Club.

As a chef, Jeremy’s leadership is focused on advancing the culinary industry and creating a reputation that is second to none for the club he represents.

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Wine & Hunt Country are Home

Rock Ford Estate has Old Virginia in her bones Sited on a knoll with nearly a mile of Rappahannock River Frontage and a rustic polo field at its border, this 100 acre estate is perhaps one of the most beautiful in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Designed by Russell Versaci in the New Old House vernacular, built in 2006, over 10,000 sqft on 3 levels unfolds in stone, brick, copper, metal, slate and meticulous carpentry.

Astoundingly beautiful grounds, ancient oaks, a private pool garden with stone buildings, the farm is the essence of Hunt Country with a 9 stall barn, fenced paddocks, guest house and a little over one hour to DC, 35 minutes to Middleburg, and minutes to the beloved Inn at Little Washington.

Rock Ford is Artful, Gracious, Stunning... a World Class Estate in Wine and Hunt Country.

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EQ E S S E N T I A L S | F O O D + D R I N K

LUXE LIBATIONS president of WINDSOR in Vero Beach, Florida, shares one of her favorite cocktails.

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INDIAN RIVER PINK GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITA Ingredients 1 ½ ounces of Casa Dragones Blanco ½ ounce of Grand Marnier 1 splash of each: cranberry, grapefruit, and orange juice Squeeze of fresh lime

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indsor is a private residential sportingclub community in Florida located on a lush island between the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean in Vero Beach. In nearly three decades, Windsor has grown to become one of Florida’s most sought-after private clubs, known for its distinctive architectural aesthetic and rich mix of sporting and cultural offerings.

Horse culture is intrinsic to Windsor; the full-scale equestrian center boasts 18 stables, 14 paddocks, as well as jumping, dressage, and lunging rings, and a 400-yard-long polo field for exhibition matches. In February 2018, that field will be the

Preparation 1. Put all ingredients in shaker with ice.

2. Once shaken, strain mixture into a stem glass with ice and garnish with a slice of fresh grapefruit. Can be served straight up in a chilled martini glass.

site of the Windsor Charity Polo Cup, a premier high-goal charity polo match benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Alzheimer and Parkinson Association of Indian River County.

To celebrate the upcoming charity event, Windsor’s Clubhouse bar has created a signature cocktail, the Indian River Pink Grapefruit Margarita, named to honor the surrounding environs and featuring ingredients from several Windsor Charity Polo Cup sponsors. Betsy expects this will be a cocktail favorite at the event: refreshing, with just the right amount of tang and kick.

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The 134th

National Horse Show

October 31 - November 5 ~ Kentucky Horse Park Save 20% on Tickets with code MARKEY

NHS.org/tickets

• Saturday, Nov. 4 at 6:30pm: $250,000 Longines FEI World CupTM Jumping Lexington featuring familyfriendly entertainment and a special Man O’ War Celebration • NHS 5k benefiting the UK Markey Cancer Foundation • ASPCA Maclay Championships • Hunter and Jumper competitions all week!

EQ E S S E N T I A L S | F A V O R I T E S

IF THE QUEEN DROVE A HOT ROD A British firm rebuilds LAND ROVER DEFENDERS to create unique vehicles.

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favorite with EQLiving Gold List voters, Land Rovers are iconic horse-farm vehicles that are as at home traversing rocky mountain trails as they are pulling up to urban valet parking. The phenomenon began in 1948 when the Series I (now known as the Defender) was released with the advertising slogan “Go anywhere.” Sixty-eight years later, what began as a post-war project to keep the Rover Car Company afloat has developed into a British motoring legend, with over two-thirds of Land Rovers sold still in use today.

The British firm Arkonik has been offering fully restored, better-than-new Defenders to clients in North America and across the globe since 2007.

Working with 15- to 25-year-old D90 and D110 models, Arkonik’s bespoke service offers more than a vehicle; it’s an experience that puts customers in both the designer’s seat and the driver’s seat.

Arkonik scours Europe to locate the finest new or used machines that are best suited to their customizing process and client specifications. Over the past seven years, Arkonik has purchased over 2,000 Land Rover Defenders.

The workshop team strips a donor

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Defender to its bare bones, sandblasts it to identify areas in need of repair, and then begins necessary framework restoration. A huge amount of mechanical work is then undertaken on the vehicle, after which a better-thannew reconditioned gasoline or diesel engine is installed.

The Defender is reconstructed with a new or reconditioned transmission, electrical harness, hydraulic circuits, suspension, axle internals, exhaust, prop shafts, final drive, steering, and brakes.

Custom interior trim and a range of accessories are installed including new carpet, windows, electrics, tires, and rims. The interior panels, headliner, instrument gauges, door hardware, and dashboard refurbishment are unique to each purchaser and installed over an intensive four-week period. According to an Arkonik spokesman, “Clients get pretty excited for photos of their ongoing build in progress, and we make sure we deliver.”

The finished vehicles are taken to Southampton docks and sail across the oceans to their new owners. Arkonik organizes and manages the entire export process ensuring that the process remains stress-free.

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Photo: Picsofyou.com

at USequestrian.org

EQ E S S E N T I A L S | F A V O R I T E S

SPIRIT OF THE HORSE OK

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Actor WILLIAM SHATNER shares his seven decades with horses.

PART TWO

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William Shatner is best known for his television roles on successful series, such as Captain Kirk on Star Trek and Denny Crane on Boston Legal. What many do not know is his lifelong passion for horses. His recent book, The Spirit of the Horse: A Celebration in Fact and Fable, is a combination of horse-related writings of legendary literary figures with his own tales and experiences, both as a rider and as someone who has seen the great restorative effects of horses. NPR’s review says, “From the first words of Spirit of the Horse, it’s clear that this is a man who is wonderfully, hopelessly in love with the creatures.” This charming book leads readers through Shatner’s musings and experiences, bringing his passion to anyone who picks it up.

Excerpted from SPIRIT OF THE HORSE, A Celebration in Fact and Fable,

by William Shatner with Jeff Rovin.

Thomas Dunne Books, published on May 23rd, 2017.

TH E FOUR- LEGGED O LYMPIAN

Horses are Olympic athletes. It’s up to the rider to try to govern that power, that elegance, that perfection, that will.

Failing that, failing to merge with and control that power, you’re just a passenger. And a very vulnerable one at that.

I was on a beloved Saddlebred.

Saddlebreds are descended from proud, spirited riding stock whose line dates back to the American Revolution. Hence the epithet “the Horse America Made.”

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neck—hell, everything about them is high. And it is the job of the rider and the trainer to channel all that energy into whatever performance the horse is supposed to give.

Now, some of these horses have all of those distinctive characteristics, only they are less highly charged. Or maybe they are a little slower for some other reason. As a result, they are sometimes made into Western pleasure horses, animals known for their generally relaxed demeanor.

This particular horse I was riding was a really good example of that. I had purchased him because he had vital Saddlebred energy, but he didn’t have enough motion in his legs. So I decided to make him into a Western pleasure horse, because his beauty, and the motion of the legs that he did possess, could have made him a champion of that type, because a Western pleasure horse has to walk, jog, and lope.

This particular horse was trained for two years by the Kentucky trainers whose job it is to handle these American Saddlebreds, to develop them to their full potential according to their breeding— which is to be show horses.

An essential part of this training is desensitization. This is an ongoing process. The trainer, the rider, both have to be extremely alert to new stimuli, to new and diferent things every day, at home or on the road. It might be a kind of bird or dog, it might be a crowd.

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SPIRIT OF THE HORSE

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Think, for just a moment about police horses and what they have to endure. Their trainers make noises, blow whistles, fire shots, break bottles, bang garbage cans, have people crowding around to make sure the horse is accustomed to these distractions. I saw some footage recently of the O. J. Simpson trial, when the crowd reacted to the jury’s verdict outside the court house and the police horses were all lined up in case of trouble. Even with all their training, even with highly experienced police officers on their backs, as soon as the crowd erupted with this elemental shout, all the police horses shied. And several police officers almost came off their horses. For riders, this fundamental desensitization training is essential and very, very serious work.

After that basic desensitizing and training, this one horse eventually came to my Western trainer, Danny Gerardi, who trains all the Quarter Horses I own for reining—which is a sport that we’ll get to later in the book. But the big difference is that reiners don’t need

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to walk, jog, and lope: they need to gallop hard, slide to a stop, and do 180-degree turns. Fast turns and fast circles—the old, classic cowboy discipline, if you will.

One of the first things that needs to happen in this phase is that they have to be acclimatized in particular to horse shows, because stadiums and arenas, even a simple, ordinary stable, are filled with noise and strange things and beings. So we were at this one particular horse show where—in addition to all of the above—a parade on its way to the stadium goes right past the very stalls that our horses are in. With a little bit of preparation, not a problem. We have to close the stalls up and not let the horses see or hear the marching and

BORN LEADERS floats and bands and the rest of the hubbub on its way to the venue. Understandably, if they get a glimpse of that parade it gets them excited and they start jumping around in their stalls.

So I’m on the back of this magnificent animal, comforting it, refamiliarizing it with me—and my hat blows The Saddlebred’s off. When it comes to horses, nature is to be you can factor in many things, highly emotional, you can control a bunch of highly evolved, with lots of highthem, but the wind doesn’t fall energy motion, a into either category. Somebody high neck—hell, went to pick up the hat and everything about hand it to me. Well, as that them is high. is happening my Western pleasure horse shies and I fall to the ground. I come off the horse. And it’s all right because I wasn’t hurt, just startled. I get back up, I get back on the horse, thinking, “Okay, that hat thing was unexpected.”

If this had happened in a play, that would have been called “foreshadowing.” If this had been a Greek play, Poseidon, the god of horses—more on him, later— would have been stroking his beard and chuckling behind the chorus.

The parade’s done, the coast is clear, I go out, and now I’m riding this horse—walk, jog, and lope. And it’s a very hot day. That’s something you can’t avoid.

You react to that, instinctively: I went to wipe the perspiration from my forehead, not even thinking that it would disturb my hat. That inspired my Western pleasure horse to whirl around so quickly that when I came off the horse—hard, this time—I was driven into the ground so roughly that I broke my leg. I felt it go, knew it at once, and I had to be rushed to the hospital. The only good thing was I’d fallen enough by then to know how to do it, even though I was older. For example: I was in competition in Louisville, Kentucky, and a young horse reared on me. Keep in mind, it’s nothing like you see in the movies, where Zorro’s horse Tornado goes back on his rear legs and stays there as Zorro waves at the camera while lightning flashes behind them.

Uh-uh. This horse I was on reared and I began to fall over backward. Instinctively, I grabbed the reins to try to recover my seat. Instead, I succeeded in pulling

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Nacho Figueras and Delfina Blaquier, his wife of 19 years.

NACHO

BY REBECCA BALDRIDGE PHOTOGRAPHS BY TONI MATEU/UNIDAD EDITORIAL

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Nacho’s family is his greatest love, and he is unwilling to spend long periods away from them. acho Figueras is damp and apologetic as he bows elegantly over my hand. He is very, very sorry to have kept me waiting. I can’t say I mind that much. He has overslept, but then the Carlyle is a particuarly luxurious Manhattan hotel. He sits down and pours me a cup of coffee from the silver pot on the table. His manners are exceptionally fine.

I’ve heard from various mutual acquaintances that Nacho, the most famous polo player in the world, is a supernice guy, and it’s immediately apparent why he gets such good reviews. Although he has been prised from his comfortable bed at an indecent hour, he gives the appearance of being a man who’s delighted to be speaking to a journalist—even before he’s had his first sip of mate, the traditional caffeine-rich drink of Argentina.

POLO IS A

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There is no feeling like playing polo and looking up to see the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline. It’s very powerful.

Shortly after we’re seated, Nacho’s wife Delfina joins us at the table. She has also overslept and is deeply apologetic. I get the strong impression that she rivals her husband in niceness. She produces a small plastic bag and a silver straw. They’ve forgotten the proper cup, Delfina explains, but Nacho must have his mate. She empties the contents of the bag into a coffee cup, adds hot water and passes the cup and straw to her husband.

I get another impression; these two make quite a team.

Figueras is in New York City for the 10th Annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, and he’s had a busy week. He’s tossed out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium, thrown the switch at the Empire State Building (which is being lit in Veuve Clicquot yellow), and done the requisite rounds of press appearances. He has even ridden a polo pony in front of the World Trade Center. The polo classic, which is held every year at the beginning of June, is one of the highlights of the city’s summer social season. He’s visibly excited when I ask him to tell me more about the history of the match and his relationship with Veuve Clicquot.

“We started in 2008,” Nacho begins, “and the idea was to bring polo back

Figueras has been the face of Ralph Lauren advertising since 2000.

to New York City. We found out that polo had been played on Governor’s Island for the last time in the early ‘40s. Veuve Clicquot and I had the idea of bringing polo back there. In 2008 there was a game with 250 guests, a small tent with a little lunch, and that was the original one. The person in charge thought it was a great concept and loved it, so we thought about how we could really make it bigger. We decided to invite Prince Harry to play, which was an entirely new level of event, and we benefited his charity, Sentabale. The first year Harry played, we had 6,000 people show up, and 12,000 the second year.”

Prince Harry’s participation gave the event a huge boost, so when he was unable to return in 2011, the question was how to maintain the event’s momentum.

Figueras credits partner Clicquot in elevating the experience. This was the year that the partners changed the model and began selling tickets. They continued to raise the bar, adding food and entertainment. Another big change was the move to Liberty Park on Governor’s Island, which offers a stunning view of New York City. As Nacho says, “There is no feeling like playing polo and looking up to see the Statue of Liberty and the New York Continued on page 50

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Aurora, Artemio, and Alba are all horse lovers and riders and both Aurora and Artemio play polo.

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“I knew in my mind how I wanted to live here—in an indoor-outdoor house and enjoying the breezes with the family always together.”

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D

Delfina told People magazine, “I think alone time with your husband should be a must. We always have a couple of projects in common that we do together. That way we have not grown apart.�

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When daddy is a polo player and you have a horse, there is a big chance that you will be a polo player too.

Continued from page 44

skyline. It’s very powerful.”

This year’s polo classic was the best yet, with the event expanded to include a host of food trucks, Veuve Clicquot’s luxurious rose garden, a concert with Alicia Keys, and Neil Patrick Harris acting as host. For the first time, women also played in the match. “Veuve Clicquot owes its success to a woman, Madame Clicquot, and we wanted to honor her by including women in the event,” says Figueras. Female players included Melissa Ganzi, president of the Grand Champions Polo Club and Team Flexjet patron; Ashley Van Metre Busch of Altair Polo; Lia Salvo, Argentina’s top-ranked female player; and Nacho’s wife, Delfina Blaquier.

Polo is very much a family affair for the Figueras clan.

Nacho and Delfina’s 17-year old son Hilario, who played against (and lost to) his parents at Liberty Park this June, recently turned professional.

Aurora (12), Artemio (7), and Alba (4), are all horse lovers and riders, and both Aurora and Artemio play polo.

As for Alba, she’s still too little to hold a mallet. But Nacho has plenty of reason for optimism on this front, saying, “When daddy is a polo player and you have a horse, there is a big chance that you will be a polo player too.”

Anyone who follows Nacho on Facebook can join in the glamorous family’s adventures. The whole clan typically

12-year-old Aurora.

travels together, as Nacho’s family is his greatest love, and he is unwilling to spend long periods away from them.

Indeed, I met not only the lovely and gracious Delfina in New York City, but Nacho’s very charming parents as well.

It was clear that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

While the Figueras family (#wearefigueras) travels the globe, with regular stays including Aspen for

snow polo, the Santa Ynez Valley, Monte Carlo, and the Hamptons, Nacho’s favorite place on earth is his home in Argentina, with his 250 horses. Actually, Figueras owns three farms: the breeding operation, the training farm, and his home base in General Rodriguez in the Buenos Aires region. It is there that he has built the remarkable, contemporary stable that adjoins the polo field at the El Yacare polo club.

Says Nacho, “I’ve always loved architecture, and, had I not been a polo player, I would have been an architect.

My whole idea of the stable is that we collect horses, like people collect paintings, or wine, or cars. I wanted to build a museum to showcase this collection.” To that end, Figueras teamed up with longtime friend Juan Ignacio Ramos and his son Ignacio, partners in the architectural firm Estudio Ramos.

Says the elder Ramos, “Nacho gave us a lot of freedom. The stable is really a sequence of beautiful spaces where you could put sculptures— or horses.” The stable was designed to be environmentally sustainable and blend seamlessly into the landscape of the Pampas. Importantly, the design was also created with the horses’ needs uppermost in mind. The 44 horses that live in the stable are Figueras’ top high-goal ponies, and they require a calm environment.

Continued on page 55

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ESTUDIO RAMOS

Estudio Ramos Architects designed the stable. The partners in charge were father and son Juan Ignacio Ramos and Ignacio Ramos.

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I’ve always loved architecture, and, had I not been a polo player, I would have been an architect.

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We collect horses, like people collect paintings, or wine, or cars. I wanted to build a museum to showcase this collection.

Although the stable is adjacent to the polo field, there are separating walls designed to ensure privacy.

The social face of the stable looks onto the polo field and includes tack rooms and public areas. The working face includes the grooms’ quarters and stabling area, while the expanse between the two sides boasts a breathtaking spiral staircase that leads up to a covered patio and the green roof.

The stable was recently featured in Architectural Digest, and the design was presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2016. Estudio Ramos also designed the family’s contemporary home, which exemplies the modern aesthetic Figueras favors.

Both Nacho, who paints, and Delfina, a photographer, love artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol.

While their house may be filled with art and worthy of its own photo spread, the Figueras home is not a formal establishment by any means. As an avid Facebook follower, I was particularly intrigued by photos of one family member—a lamb named Bonnie, who, at least upon occasion, sleeps with one

of the Figueras children. With a laugh, Delfina described the abandoned lamb as her fifth child.

When I asked where Bonnie would live when she grows up, Delfina looked at me and raised a quizzical eyebrow. Clearly, the answer to my question would be obvious to even the dimmest intellect.

“Why, with us, of course! When we go to town, she gets in the car and comes with us. We make her a pen in the house; we put down paper.”

Nacho’s love for animals extends beyond horses and lambs. The family home also provided a haven for a rescued deer named Clyde, and someday Figueras dreams of creating a sanctuary for giraffes. “I don’t know,” he says. “I just love giraffes!”

In the autumn, Figueras will be able to return home to his horses and family to enjoy the Argentine polo season and play with longtime friends like Gonzalo and Facundo Pieres. He credits Gonzalo Pieres with helping him develop as a player. Figueras loves nothing more than being home in Argentina, playing on his own horses in his own field. He says, “I love polo, and playing horses you’ve bred is a special feeling. And when you play with your own son, it’s a whole new level of joy and thrill and adrenaline.”

PAGE 113 PHOTOS COURTESY OF ESTUDIO RAMOS

Continued from page 50

The stable was designed to be environmentally sustainable and blend seamlessly into the landscape of the Pampas.

Importantly, the design was also created with the horses’ needs uppermost in mind.

The 44 horses that live in the stable are Figueras’ top high-goal ponies, and they require a calm environment.

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BY JILL NOVOTNY

THE B I G - HE ARTED H OR SE WORL D IT’S NOT HOW MUCH WE GIVE, BUT HOW MUCH LOVE WE PUT INTO GIVING. –MOTHER TERESA

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GIVING BACK

hilanthropy is woven into equestrian life. Horse shows around the world benefit charities of all kinds, while riders support animal rescues, therapy programs, financial assistance programs, and countless other causes. Perhaps a sense of responsibility grows from the deep connection and heightened sensitivity that comes from spending

time with animals. It is impossible to name the myriad ways that equestrians have found to provide aid to those in need, to brighten lives, to improve living conditions, and to build a better future.

Many small organizations work out of backyards or farms without much recognition, while others have found a voice in the government, in Hollywood, or on the news. Celebrities such as Prince Harry, Priscilla Presley, and Robert Redford can be seen in commercials, on Capitol Hill, and on TV, promoting their ideas.

Meanwhile, thousands of small charities, such as a local chapter of a therapeutic riding program or a miniature-horse rescue, work on the grassroots scale to improve their local communities.

As horse lovers, it follows that equestrians support many charities that are animal-related. Some organizations focus on protecting wild horses and their environments, with others working to rehome and save horses that have aged out of other jobs or are the victims of neglect or abuse. This giving spirit extends beyond horses to the rest of the animal kingdom as well—dog rescues are par-

ticularly seen at horse shows and in horse communities.

There is no end to the capacity of the equestrian community to help, both within the horse world and across the globe.

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LIFE IN THE DOG HOUSE PHOTOS JULIE PRICKETT

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e look in awe at people who have given their homes— and their

entire lives—to giving back to the world. When naming people like this, Equestrian Living readers think of Danny Robertshaw and How many are in your house at any one time?

Ron Danta. Their dog rescue operation, Danny & Ron’s Rescue (DRR), has overwhelming won the dog-rescue category in every EQLiving Gold List since the awards began. Many people know of their organization, but few know the details of Danny and Ron’s life with up to 86 dogs living with them in their “Dog House.”

How did you meet each other?

Ron: We met back in the ‘80s through the horse world because we’re both horse trainers by trade. When I moved to South Carolina, Danny was based here as a professional rider, and I got him showing some of my clients’ horses, so that’s how we met.

How did the dog rescue start?

Danny: Each of us rescued dogs on our

own, even when we didn’t know each other socially. It’s something I grew up doing; my mom always encouraged it when I was growing up. Ron’s parents did somewhat the same thing, perhaps not in the numbers that we’ve grown to do, but the inclination had always been there. Then, when we started working together, sometimes I would go to the shelter, or he would. We would just adopt a couple dogs that were on the euthanasia list just to make sure they had a place to go, and we’d work with them and try to find a home for them. We have saved over 10,300 dogs so far.

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Ron: I think the max we’ve ever had in the house was probably 86 dogs in the house and up to 35 or 40 at the farm. We keep a lot of the bigger dogs at the farm, where they have space that’s all completely fenced. They have 22 acres to run and play, and there’s a pond, big fields, and shed buildings with cedar shavings and fans for them if they want to go in and sleep.

The farm and the house are about two miles apart. What we call the dog house—where the hardcore part of the operation goes on—is where we have quarantine rooms and rooms for the dogs that are being treated for heartworms and need

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WE MAKE A LIVING

BY WHAT WE GET. WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE. –WINSTON CHURCHILL

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to stay quiet. Over the years, we’ve transformed our entire house, adding on additions to make different rooms.

The dogs, for the most part, have the full run of everything. They’ve got doggie doors in all sections of the house to go out to the yards. We crate train them, we teach them to use the doggie doors, and to walk on a leash, but they live as our family. There is a film crew doing a documentary here who asked Danny, “Where do you guys live?” because it’s just solid dogs.

Danny: At the farm, we also have about five or six different small yards and pens. Some of the dogs that we rescue have been living outdoors, so to bring them into a house with a whole lot of yapping going on will only make them nervous. Some stay there too because there are people that want big dogs for farm dogs. We had an example this year, a lady whose husband died; she lives alone on a big farm and wanted a dog for protection.

She adopted one of the dogs that does great at the farm but also great in the house. He has become a perfect safety companion for her.

It must be pretty noisy at your house when the UPS guy comes.

Oh, you wouldn’t believe!

How long have you had so many dogs in the house?

Ron: Even before we became a nonprofit in 2008, we had lots of dogs in the house. In 2004 or 2005 there were maybe eight to 10 dogs in the house.

Do you ever rethink and say, “What did we get ourselves into?”

Ron: At times you do. You know, the thing is that we’re horse trainers by trade, so we train 30 show horses and

go to the horse shows. But the hard part is that life is easier for us on the road at a horse show. When we come home, we still have to train the horses, but we also have to feed all of the dogs, medicate them, put them up at night, and get them out in the morning, before we go to the barn.

Danny: We have more people who

work for the rescue now because of the large number of dogs.

There’s a system, and two or three people come a day. Every day there’s a house cleaner that comes and mops and vacuums the fur and all of that. Then we have the feeding rituals, and then there’s the trips to the vet and back. I’d say that’s at least twice a day, no matter what.

The dogs keep coming in.

We don’t let them leave until they’re all spayed and neutered, heartworm-free, on the proper medications, and microchipped, the whole nine yards. So the trips to the vet go on every single day.

Ron: One interesting thing is we have never had a person visit the dog house not say, “How do you keep this house so clean, and how does it not smell like dogs?” They all say the same thing.

We bathe the dogs every day and we have a huge commercial washer and dryer. I’m six-foot-eight, and I can climb in the washer or dryer! That’s how big they are.

We do 18 to 20 loads a day, because we wash all of the bedding every day. Every dog bed is washed, every crate pad is washed every single day. It’s vacuumed, it’s mopped, the yards are picked up three times a day. Water bowls are scrubbed three times a day. We’re very strict on the cleanliness part.

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Do all the dogs get adopted?

Ron: When Danny and I started this, we always vowed that whatever dogs we bring into the rescue, they will all be safe, whether they get adopted or they don’t. If they don’t get adopted, then they’ll live out their lives here, so they’re always safe.

Danny: Our promise to them is that they will never have to be in a shelter again.

Ron: We feel that, if a dog can’t have as good a life as we can give them, or better, then they don’t leave. So we’re very, very strict to ensure that adopters are able to care for the pet properly, able to put them on heartworm preventative,

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THE BEST WAY TO FIND YOURSELF IS TO LOSE YOURSELF IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS. –MAHATMA GANDHI

above their knees as they stepped on the carpet. That’s how bad it was. It’s pretty sad.

Danny: Another thing we get often, especially being in the South, is that people get a little Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, Yorky, or poodle, and then when they lose interest in the animal, they put them out in the backyard, and they don’t care for their coats whatsoever. So we end up getting a lot of dogs that are almost bald from being bitten to death by the fleas.

We end up getting them because, when they finally get them to the vet, and the vets tell them what it’s going to cost to get through this, they don’t want to do it. Then the vets call us to see if we’re willing to try to save the dog.

You must have huge vet bills. Where does all the money come from to pay for the vets?

phone and we will send transport, and we will pick up the dog. If you give the dog away or take it to an animal shelter, you agree to pay Danny and Ron’s Rescue $5,000.

Where do the dogs come from?

make sure they’re on flea/tick preventative, make sure that if they get sick they could go to the vet, that the owners could afford to take them to the vet, or if they get into trouble to let us know.

That’s why our contracts are so strict.

Our contract reads that you can never give the dog away—you can’t even give it to a family member. If 10 years after you adopted that dog, you decide you don’t want it, all you do is dial my cell

Ron: They come from all over. Today I have a dog coming from about six hours away that was found on an interstate. We get a lot of abuse cases; we go to many shelters and pull them off the euthanasia list. We brought the bus down to Louisiana, loaded it up, and brought dogs back from there. We get a lot from puppy mill busts and from hoarders. We had a lady with 22 Shih Tzus who lived in a single-wide mobile home. The dogs had never touched the ground outside.

Our guys went on that mission with us, and when they walked into the mobile home, the urine sprayed all the way

Ron: Strictly from donations; we do not

have an adoption fee. The dogs have all the medical work they need. We’ve gotten older dogs, or younger dogs that were blind and had juvenile cataracts, and we had the cataracts removed and all of a sudden, they have sight. It’s very expensive. We’re very fortunate—our vet gives us a huge discount off of our bill each month. We’re also very fortunate that Merrick is giving us a great discount on dog food.

How big is your house?

Ron: When we first started out it was probably around 3,000 square feet. Now with all the additions it’s probably 5,000 square feet. All of it is devoted to dogs.

Well, there’s one bedroom upstairs that the dogs can’t go in, but other than that…

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SPONSORSHIPS GET PERSONAL FOR

LINDSAY MAXWELL

BY JESSICA GREENE

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KATHY RUSSELL

indsay Maxwell, a successful amateur hunter rider, grew up SON riding in Atlanta, DAW DEB Georgia. Lindsay has earned accolades at events such as the Winter improving the lives of chilEquestrian Festival and Devon. dren with special needs, When asked about her success, she attrienabling access to educabutes much of her triumph to the lessons supporting charitable partners in their tional opportunities, and providing care, and foundations that have been instilled local communities. This year, LMCF compassion, and protection to animals. in her since she was younger—most was the presenter for the 113th Annual “The fund represents an opportunity pivotal being the importance of family.

Keswick Horse Show, which benefitted to expand my giving interests as distinct Lindsay grew up in a household that was the University of Virginia Children’s from those of my family and also creates philanthropically minded and believed in Hospital, and it was the top sponsor of a formal structure to support my perthe concept of paying it forward. the 47th annual Menlo Charity Horse sonal passions of sharing opportunities “An ethos of sharing was instilled in Show, which benefited the me as a young child by my VISTA Center. parents and grandparents. It LMCF has a fully packed was a formative value in my IF YOU LIGHT A LAMP FOR docket for the rest of the upbringing,” says Lindsay.

SOMEBODY, IT WILL ALSO BRIGHTEN year. Lindsay is also the “Philanthropy is not only presenting sponsor of the personally rewarding, but YOUR PATH. Pennsylvania National it helps elevate entire com–BUDDHA Horse Show as well as munities. In this way, it the title sponsor of the improves the quality of life Washington International of numerous people—grantHorse Show (WIHS) Equitation Finals. with children and animals,” says Lindsay. ees and benefactors alike.”

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show Since its inception, the fund has sponToday, Lindsay combines both of her supports numerous equine therapy prosored charity horse shows. Lindsay feels passions, philanthropy and riding, in grams, and WIHS makes it a mission to it is important to recognize how these the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund partner with and support many worthshows transcend the sport and serve the (LMCF). The foundation was started to while organizations in the metropolitan greater community. When deciding on assist organizations that promote causes Washington, D.C., area. partnering with a charity horse show, that are significant to Lindsay and that Lindsay favors shows with a history of reflect her personal priorities and values: PAGE 113

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MUSTANG RESCUES GET PERSONAL FOR

CLARE STAPLES-READ Sky Dog Sanctuary is a forever home for wild mustangs that have been taken from kill pens, auctions, and neglectful owners. With locations in Malibu and Calabasas, California, as well as the recently opened 9,000-acre ranch in Bend, Oregon, the organization aims to raise awareness for the plight facing America’s wild horse population.

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remembered watching a TV show when I was growing up called Champion the Wonder Horse, about a band of wild mustangs. I used to fall asleep every night thinking about this herd of wild horses. I grew up around horses. I’m from England, and I’ve always loved them. When I moved to Los Angeles, I had a friend that kept a horse in a stable, and there was a horse there I fell in love with, a Palomino mustang.

I started googling and researching wild mustangs. Now, of course, there are fewer and fewer. They’re in dire straits.

It became a cause that my husband and I donated to.

His mother’s love in life was horses. So, for him, donating to rescue horses was a way of honoring his mother.

So we started off contributing to get horses out of kill pens, or to get horses from auctions to go to rescues or sanctuaries. But we started to see a perpetual loop of them

getting pulled out of kill pens, then I own had originally come from, so I being sold off by rescues, and ending up thought that, to turn them back out on back in the pens or in other bad situthe terrain that they lived and grew up ations. I realized in my heart that the on, that would be kind of a dream for only way to know these horses were safe me. was to give them a home. Once I had Most of the people that we employ filled my ranches here are either in in Malibu and a 12-step drug/ Calabasas, I decided alcohol recovery ONLY A LIFE LIVED we really needed to program or they’re look at doing this I’ve seen FOR OTHERS IS A LIFE veterans. properly. So, we equine therapy WORTHWHILE. bought a 9,000-acre work. I volunranch in Oregon. teered at a ranch in –ALBERT EINSTEIN I knew that many Malibu for about sanctuaries had two years to learn trouble with about it before we droughts; they needed to truck water in. started here. The transformation that I’ve I thought I should go somewhere that seen with veterans and addicts that use has a lot of water, so I chose Oregon. It’s equine therapy has been amazing, so it a place where a lot of the muswas something I wanted to incorporate. tangs that It’s been a labor of love. It’s all I do.

I thought when I started that I could just bring in the right team and sit back and watch, and it hasn’t been like that at all.

I’ve been out there shovelad e R sing le ap Clare St manure and birthing foals. We’ve now rescued 53 horses— well, we rescued 47, and five of the mares turned out to be pregnant. It has been a beautiful thing, because I’ve never had foals before. We have horses coming in very sick with strangles or respiratory Continued on page 108

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HORSE PEOPLE GET A LEG UP FROM

EQUESTRIAN AID FOUNDATION

BY CARRIE WIRTH

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t the core of equestrians are the connection, joy, and freedom that comes from the horses they love.

But when horse people become critically ill or injured, their world can unravel. Facing the inability to work or participate in the industry they love can be devastating and lead to a downward spiral against what seem like insurmountable odds.

For 21 years, Equestrian Aid Foundation has helped catastrophically injured or ill horse people, from all walks of life and equestrian disciplines, rebuild their lives with financial assistance. To date, the organization has granted over $2.7 million to equestrians in 30 states across the U.S. Linda Andrisani, a well-respected hunter trainer and judge, was one such grant recipient. “We never think anything will go wrong,” she said. “But the truth is, especially in the horse world, if something does go wrong, your world can come crashing down. I found that out when I got cancer in March 2011.”

When Linda’s partner, Jack Stedding, also had a series of strokes, they were

forced to downsize their operation while facing the unknown.

“Thankfully, Equestrian Aid Foundation has helped with financial assistance to keep us going,” she said.

“I can’t thank this organization enough.

The wonderful thing is that they help many people like me—judges, stewards, trainers, grooms, farriers, exercise riders, horse show personnel—anyone in the horse world.”

Talented Western rider and rodeo queen Alena Weida was active in 4H and competed in barrel racing. To pay her way through college, she worked as an animal technician in the theater industry.

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Her fearless nature landed her projects working with horses, zebras, and camels.

Alena began to experience mental fogginess and headaches after a riding accident, but disregarded her symptoms. She pushed on with work, riding, and school.

Then, a horse spooked as she was mounting. She was thrown to the ground and had a full-on seizure. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was the diagnosis. Alena’s doctors prescribed no riding, no computer screen time, and no reading. With her life seemingly falling apart, Alena battled depression along with her TBI symptoms.

Through grants from Equestrian Aid Foundation, Alena is receiving specialized therapies for TBI. She is confident that this leg up will help her get back on track.

Christine Campbell is a lifelong horsewoman and primary caretaker to her son who has Asperger Syndrome. She has trained field hunters to grand prix jumpers and has worked in some of the country’s most prestigious stables. But in

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KA KATE SORO

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Alena Weida; Georgina Bloomberg autographs foundation hats at the Hampton Classic; Linda Andrisani showing a lovely hunter; Christine Campbell and a student.

SERVICE TO OTHERS IS THE RENT YOU PAY FOR YOUR ROOM ON EARTH. –MOHAMMAD ALI 2016, a series of illnesses and injuries left her unable to work enough to make ends meet.

“I’d recover from one issue, then literally get knocked down again,” Christine said. Facing financial devastation, she applied to Equestrian Aid Foundation and was accepted as a grant recipient.

Permanently disabled but remaining positive, Christine is confident that she can get back on her feet to provide for her family. “Without this help, I

wouldn’t be standing, let alone have a roof over my son’s and my

head,” she said.

With Equestrian Aid Foundation’s track record of helping horse people in need, it’s no wonder that it was selected by the readers of Equestrian Living as a Gold List favorite horse-related charity.

The foundation is also a recent recipient of an elite Gold Status ranking from GuideStar, the world’s most comprehensive database of nonprofit organizations, for its commitment to transparency and accountability.

Equestrian Aid Foundation supports its mission through fundraising, including a new horse show program called Show You Care, just launched at Colorado Horse Park and expanding to other venues. Its active retail program, Shop to Care, has relationships with equestrian and mainstream retailers that donate portions of sales proceeds to help equestrians in need. The foundation also produces a popular fundraising gala during the winter season in Wellington, Florida, and other events throughout the year.

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THE HEALING POWER OF HORSES

THE BUFFALO THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER, uniquely located in the heart of metropolitan Buffalo, New York, is a therapeutic program offering riding to children ages 6 to 18.

The facility was built in 1922 as an indoor polo arena and named the Buffalo Saddle and Bridle Club. Today, the fiveacre site includes an indoor riding area and a newly constructed outdoor ring. Classes are limited to four students and are designed to achieve goals specific to each group and rider. The center offers a number of horse shows throughout the year, ending with a series championship and a high-score award.

BY JILL NOVOTNY

A

mong equestrians, the benefits of time spent in the barn have always been clear.

Studies have shown the ability horses have to heal, soothe, and empower people. Equine-assisted therapies range from those that serve veterans with post-traumatic stress disorders to programs aimed at helping people with visual impairments, mobility issues, autism, and physical disabilities. Because horses are so sensitive to their environment, they often show us what we can’t see in ourselves. Things like stress and impatience can create reactions in horses, helping us to recognize and overcome them in ourselves.

Much like meditation, time spent with horses grounds us and brings us back to the present.

Therapeutic riding can take many forms, but it is often similar to a riding lesson, with objectives based on an individual’s progress and goals.

Programs nationwide serve their local areas by becoming accredited with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH). PATH accreditation ensures that instructors and therapists are certified to provide equineassisted activities to people with special needs and individuals at risk, including

In the recent EQLiving Gold List, readers voted to name their choices as the best therapeutic riding programs. Below are the three winners:

disadvantaged youth, trauma survivors, and adults with developmental disabilities.

In addition to the emotional benefits, riding a horse can supplement other therapies to improve outcomes for riders with all kinds of disabilities. Most riders have a team of volunteers to help them, including a person leading the horse and two side-walkers to ensure the rider’s safety while moving. Visually impaired riders can reap benefits such as improved

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spacial awareness and balance. For students with physical issues of all kinds, riding can be a miraculous opportunity.

Because the pelvic and leg movements of a rider on horseback mirror those of walking, riders can build the muscles, flexibility, and balance necessary while sitting on a walking horse.

Many equine-assisted activities can transfer to important life skills. For example, practicing to mount a horse can

GIVIN G B ACK

IF YOU’RE IN THE LUCKIEST 1 PERCENT OF HUMANITY, YOU VINCEREMOS THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER in Loxahatchee, Florida, serves children and adults with developmental, physical, and psychological disabilities. The center coordinates its services through physician referrals, group homes, school programs, and individual enrollment. Using the movement of the horse, the staff’s occupational therapist, physical therapist, and therapeutic riding instructors help riders achieve greater balance, strength, and motor skills. In addition to mounted therapies, Vinceremos offers hippotherapy, equine-assisted learning, and therapeutic carriage driving.

help a physically challenged student learn to step into a bathtub or use the stairs. Non-verbal riders asking their horse to walk on is often motivation to initiate speech. Simple acts like steering a horse in the direction they would like to walk can be thrilling for a child that is normally pushed in a wheelchair.

Controlling a large animal is a powerful feeling that offers many mental benefits, including increased confidence.

While children in schoolroom therapies live with desks, chairs, teachers,

OWE IT TO THE REST OF HUMANITY TO THINK ABOUT THE OTHER 99 PERCENT. –WARREN BUFFET

and papers, it can be life-changing to get out of the classroom and into the barn. Taking responsibility for helping to tack up and brush a gentle yet massive animal gives many children a new sense of hands-on accomplishment. Horses can inspire a child to attempt things they might have otherwise avoided. And horseback can be the best place to work on skills that seemed confined to the classroom, such as identifying colors, answering questions, practicing balance, moving different sides of the body, reaching, stretching, and judging distances and direction.

PEGASUS THERAPEUTIC RIDING was founded in 1974, offering its first therapeutic riding sessions at the Ox Ridge Hunt Club in Darien, Connecticut. Today, Pegasus has a chapter in Greenwich, Connecticut, and is based at Pegasus Farm, a 20-acre permanent facility in Brewster, New York. More than 250 students ages 4 and up are served each year. Pegasus offers both therapeutic riding and unmounted equine-assisted activities. In addition, it is developing a new program called Pegasus Patriots, an equine-assisted program for veterans.

It is truly remarkable what horses can offer in a therapeutic capacity.

The results of a riding program, especially when added to other therapies are often nothing short of incredible.

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AN IRISH TRAVEL DIARY

BY REBECCA BALDRIDGE

THE QUIET GRANDEUR OF

MOUNT JULIET ESTATE This 18th-century estate in KILKENNY, IRELAND, strikes a balance between an ultimate escape and a sports-lover’s paradise.

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A PERSONAL

TRAVEL DIARY

The estate offers the charms of a bygone era, and that includes all the exhilarating country pursuits you can shake a silver-headed walking stick at.

I

DON’T WANT TO RIDE. My friend gapes at me in disbelief. Never in the 10 years of our association has he heard me utter such blasphemy. He asks if I am unwell.

I am not unwell. Quite the contrary. I’m seated in the Michelin-starred Lady Helen restaurant at Mount Juliet, a stunning country estate in County Kilkenny, Ireland. I’m meant to ride around the estate at 10 a.m., but I’m loath to leave the restful elegance of the dining room. The walls are painted a gentle peach, accented with white bas-relief medallions and decorative molding, while the white linen tablecloths are impeccably starched, and the chairs are upholstered in understated taupe velvet. It’s a room designed to soothe the senses.

Almenara Hotel Sotogrande.

The Michelin-starred Lady Helen restaurant at the estate is a room designed to soothe the senses.

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Our table offers an incomparable view; the River Nore ambles along between gentle green banks as the morning mist rises from the meadows beyond.

In the distance, a forest blazes with autumn color. The landscape begs for an unhurried hour passed in quiet contemplation. If only this were my estate, I could linger to give this view the full measure of respect it deserves.

Lamentably, the schedule does not permit gentle reflection, and the 1,500acre Mount Juliet estate is not mine.

Rather, it is one of the great historic estates of Europe and perhaps the most stunning country-house hotel in Ireland.

The estate offers the charms of a bygone era, and that includes all the exhilarating country pursuits you can shake a silverheaded walking stick at.

Mount Juliet combines two historic properties, Walton’s Grove and Ballylinch. Old Norman families originally occupied both, until Oliver Cromwell seized the land in 1653, following the English Civil War. Walton’s

The estate’s Jack Nicklaus signature 18-hole golf course is host to a number of prestigious tournaments.

Casual hacks through the property feature scenic views of the River Nore and rides by the ivy-covered Georgian mansion.

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T

his history had been on my mind since I arrived the previous night, after a harrowing moonlit journey through narrow country lanes and looming hedgerows in a manual transmission car with a right-hand drive.

Idyllic pastoral beauty has its price. My long-suffering friend, his stiff upper

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REBECCA BALDRIDGE

REBECCA BALDRIDGE

Grove was briefly owned by the Duke of York and subsequently passed through several hands until its sale to the Earl of Carrick in 1757.

Cromwell granted Ballylinch to a supporter in 1654, and it was his daughter’s marriage that brought the estate into the Butler family. Somerset Hamilton Butler, the First Earl of Carrick, purchased Walton’s Grove and in the mid-18th century built the Georgian mansion that graces the estate today. He named it Mount Juliet as a compliment to his wife, the Lady Juliana.

Top left: The lush yearling paddocks of Ballylinch Stud Farm.

Guests are welcome to stroll across the footbridge and befriend the yearlings grazing near the river.

Top right: A breathtaking view of Mount Juliet from Ballylinch Stud Farm. Bottom: A relaxing day’s hack along the River Nore.

lip slightly less so after several near misses, made for the Major’s Bar while I handled the formalities. Then, I found him relaxed, seated in a deep armchair before a cozy fire, crystal glass of Irish whiskey clutched firmly in hand.

The bar boasted an impressive cocktail menu, clutches of overstuffed armchairs and sofas arranged around gleaming antique tables, walls hung with hunting pictures and equestrian memorabilia, and portraits of several militarily attired gentlemen I could only presume to be the majors themselves. I later discovered that the portraits were indeed the venerable officers for whom the bar was named: Major-General Sir Hugh McCalmont and Major Dermot McCalmont, both representatives of the family that owned Mount Juliet from 1914 until it was sold to the current owners.

I was wildly overstimulated by Mount Juliet’s sheer country-house

perfection. It played into every fantasy to which a certain type of Jane Austen-, Downton Abbey-loving American woman is vulnerable. Nonetheless, the cocktails, the comfort of the canopied bed, and the room’s restful gold and beige décor assured a sound and dreamless sleep.

Despite my desire to spend the rest of my life in the Lady Helen dining room, I was raring to go when I arrived at the Mount Juliet equestrian center. The director, Jacqueline Malone, was already astride a splendid chestnut gelding. He was a prancing, spinning handful, but Malone was nonplussed as he danced across the stableyard. She demanded to know why my friend was not along. “He doesn’t ride,” I admitted apologetically.

“Oh dear,” she grimaced. “Well, we’ll call him when we’re close to the house.

He’s not missing this!”

Sinead, one of the center’s instructors, led my mount, a white behemoth named Junior, forward. The equestrian center

A ride around the estate can take a full two hours. Trotting down forested trails, watching salmon splash in the River Nore, and gazing across the banks of Ballylinch Stud Farm’s verdant pastures are just part of Mount Juliet’s equestrian experience.

offers not only hacking across the estate, but basic tuition, cross-country jumping, and show jumping. Since it was half-term in Ireland, Mount Juliet was conducting a children’s equestrian camp; children ride throughout the day while parents enjoy the vast amenities the estate has to offer.

We set off, and Jacqueline pointed out Mount Juliet’s Jack Nicklaus signature 18-hole golf course, which has hosted a number of prestigious tournaments, including the Murphy’s Irish Open.

“Hmph, if you like that sort thing,” I huffed. Of course, a great many do, and the presence of such a magnificent golf course, as well as an 18-hole, par-53 putting course and extensive practice facilities, is one way to keep those nonriding companions entertained. Along with myriad golfing opportunities (there are also 8 other golf courses in a 50-mile radius), the estate offers salmon and trout Continued on page 76

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The Major’s Bar offers roaring fires, overstuffed chairs, and an impressive cocktail menu.

One of the estate’s guest rooms with a canopy bed, a fireplace, and a soothing palette of beige and gold.

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The Jinks Bar is the favored spot to relax after a day of fishing on the estate.

The elegant main entrance of Mount Juliet showcases displays of ornate bas relief.

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fishing, sporting-clay shooting, archery, and falconry. Tuition and equipment are provided for all sports, so pack those Barbours and wellies and tweeds.

But if tweed is too scratchy and shotguns too thundering, fear not. Mount Juliet offers a host of activities for the more delicately inclined as well. The estate’s leisure center and spa boasts a 15-meter heated swimming pool, a sauna, steam room, full gym, and a beauty salon where you can get buffed, puffed, polished, and massaged. One should be at one’s resplendent best for dinner with Lady Helen.

The ride around the estate took a full two hours; we trotted down forested trails, saw salmon splash as we strolled aside the River Nore, and looked longingly across the banks to the verdant pastures of the Ballylinch Stud Farm.

Although riding on the stud is prohibited, guests are welcome to stroll across the footbridge and befriend the yearlings grazing near the river. Circumstances permitting, a tour of the stud farm can be arranged.

O

nce we neared the manor house, Jacqueline commandeered my phone and ordered my friend downstairs at once. There’s nothing like riding up to an ivy-covered Georgian mansion on horseback to make you feel like a member of the landed gentry. I heartily recommend it. My friend was cajoled into a cautious meeting with Junior, who nuzzled his pocket for treats.

Once we made our way back to the stable, we leapt into Jacqueline’s Range Rover for the next adventure. It was time for us to meet John Duggan, from Hawkeye Falconry.

The hands-on falconry demonstration was the hands-down highlight of an incredible stay. Duggan delivered an informative lecture on training birds of prey before he pulled on a sturdy leather

REBECCA BALDRIDGE

Continued from page 73

Stallions at Ballylinch Stud Farm enjoy spacious stalls.

glove and retrieved Stewart from the back of his van. Stewart, a Harris hawk, gave us the gimlet eye and uttered a series of shrill squawks. No cause to be alarmed, John assured us. Jacqueline, my friend, and I gathered around as Duggan explained the hawk’s capabilities. Stewart stood silently, his eyes fixed on John. He knew what was coming.

John released the bird and hurled a hunk of raw chicken high into the air.

Stewart swooped and swallowed, then assumed a perch high in a tree some 50 yards away. John produced what appeared to be a furry tail and began to run, dragging the tail behind him. Stewart dived on silent wings, delivering death from the sky.

Now it was my turn. John released Stewart, who returned to his tree. I pulled on the stiff leather glove and John balanced a piece of raw chicken on my outstretched hand. Stewart headed straight for me at blazing speed. I tensed, waiting for the impact. He was surprisingly light and perched daintily on my hand, the scrap of chicken hanging from his beak. He tossed his head and swallowed in a gulp, then gave another high-pitched scream of pleasure. Once everyone had a go, Stewart was returned to his traveling box. The next avian guest appeared: a small gray owl named

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Margaret with eyes the color of an artificially flavored Halloween candy. She chortled and clucked, perching on our hands as we cooed in delight.

The falconry experience can be tailored according to preference—watch the hawks fly, or sign up for a more extensive hunting experience. Whatever the choice, flying a magnificent bird of prey is an experience you’ll never forget.

Of course, all of these wholesome country pursuits whet the appetite, and Mount Juliet has dining options for every taste. The Major’s Bar is a great choice for lunch, and the steak sandwich, razored slivers of juicy beef dripping onto crisp white toast, was a filling choice after the rigors of the morning. When it came to dinner, the Lady Helen was sadly closed on Tuesdays, so we dined at The Hound, the estate’s more informal restaurant. Of course, informal is a relative term. Open beams, a hardwood floor, and multitudinous windows combine with floral-upholstered armchairs to create an ambience simultaneously cozy and sophisticated. The cooking is inventive and assured. We shared a salad of roasted figs, arugula, and goat cheese with caramelized walnuts. A main course of risotto with smoky chunks of pancetta was creamy and comforting, while my friend’s crab tart was sweet and clean.

The wine list is extensive, with plenty of reasonably priced options; our waiter suggested a chardonnay that paired perfectly with the meal.

Mount Juliet offered everything my heart could desire in a dream holiday— plenty of horseback riding, beautiful countryside, an excuse to dress up in tweed costumes like a pretentious git, Michelin-star dining, and a cozy bar for a restorative tipple after a hard day of country revelry. Even my die-hard urbanite friend left ready to buy a pair of Purdey’s and a tweed cap. I’ll be making another reservation this fall—just not PAGE 113 during half-term.

REBECCA BALDRIDGE

Stewart, a Harris Hawk.

REBECCA BALDRIDGE

The decor of each guest room on the huge property is hand-selected by owner Nadine Lipson.

John Duggan from the estate’s Hawkeye Falconry.

Fires burn in stone Margaret, a striking, firepits, where guests small can grey owl. warm up or just relax.

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A SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA, TRAVEL DIARY

TRUCKING OFF TO

WINE COUNTRY Usually piloting a small Toyota, JILL NOVOTNY heads to wine country at the wheel of a huge GMC Sierra HD Denali truck.

A

road trip from Los Angeles to the small vineyard town of Los Olivos is a two-hour drive that takes you from the Pacific Ocean, through the wooded mountains, into an entirely different world. The rolling, grassy hills of the Santa Ynez Valley, dotted with squat, twisted trees, resemble the African savannah.

The area feels like a cozier version of Napa Valley. Made famous by 2004’s hit film Sideways, the area is rich with wineries clustered along winding roads, with matching signage pointing the way to each. Between the vineyards are the threeboard fences of beautiful horse farms, tracing the fields up and down the hills.

Mid-afternoon, I pulled up to the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn and Spa in my GMC Denali truck that General Motors had offered me for the trip. The inn is named for its owner, best known for his TV portrayal of the legendary frontiersman Davy Crockett, and incorporates a small sketch of his coonskin cap on the room keys, wine glasses, and signage. My 78 | E Q UE S T R I A N L I V I N G | OC TOB ER/ N OVEMB ER | 2017

quarters, a bright two-room suite with a living room, bedroom, two bathrooms, and two fireplaces was palatial yet absolutely homey and welcoming.

That night, our group of journalists enjoyed an Instagram-worthy meal at Firestone Vineyard, surrounded by wine barrels draped with white lights. One glass of wine accompanied the appetizers, another with dinner, and of course, one for dessert as well.

After dinner, as one should while on vacation, I took a bath in the huge jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom. Is there anything better than donning a soft, white robe after a bath and curling up under a duvet? I fell asleep as I waited for the hundreds of photos I had taken of the scenic drive to upload.

The morning’s breakfast at the Inn’s Bear and Star Cafe was a taste of ranch cuisine, with hearty portions of oatmeal, bacon, eggs, and pancakes. I unabashedly cleaned my plate, and we headed out for the day. At Estelle Ranch and Vineyards, we drove up to the stables of Vino Vaqueros, where owner Jaye Ganibi helped us saddle up for a ride. Their rideand-wine tour packages are a relaxing and unique way to

Garden with lavendar plants olive and cypress trees.

A “pop-up” banquet awaited us out and on the range.

Opposite: The road trip to Los Olivos included some stops along the Pacific Coast Highway.

Clockwise from upper left: Wine glasses lined up for an outdoor luncheon at the Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard.

The bar at the Bear and Star. Dinner at Firestone Vineyard.

The reception barn welcomes guests to the resort’s village.

The decor of each guest room on the huge property is hand-selected

by TEE owner PHOTOS WILL YANG Nadine Lipson.

Fires burn in stone firepits, where guests can warm up or just relax.

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JILL NOVOTNY

Below: Vino Vaqueros leads private ride-and-wine tours through Estelle Ranch and Vineyard in Los Olivos.

Opposite: After riding through the grapevines of Estelle Ranch and Vineyard, we set out into the Santa Ynez hills.

take in the area. Led by a cowboy, we strolled on horseback between the rows of grapes and out into the grasses of the hills. The famous wildflower season had just ended, but wide swaths of the hillside were still covered in purple flowers.

“This is all purple sage,” he said, riding up to pass a sprig to each of us to smell. nother GMC truck with a gooseneck trailer was parked in front of the barn when we got back. The horses on board stepped flies off their feet and munched hay, waiting. I was introduced to Eric Stanczak, the chief engineer of full-size trucks at General Motors, who pointed to the truck. “Would you like to give it a spin?” he asked. Unsure, I admitted that I’d never actually driven such a huge truck and trailer

A

WILL TEE YANG

Above: Above: The GMC Sierra 3500 HD pulled a trailer filled with horses up the winery’s hills with ease. Solvang may not offer an accurate reflection of Denmark, but it is still quite charming.

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and T-shirt shops. After living in Denmark for a few years, I was hard-pressed to find anything authentic, but the cozy town is simply adorable. A stroll through the farmer’s market and along the quiet streets was the perfect way to spend the afternoon. We took a break from drinking more wine to grab a beer at the Solvang Brewing Company (with beers named things like the Blue-Eyed Blonde Ale and Valhalla IPA) and headed back to the inn.

The weekend in Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Solvang was the perfect escape from Los Angeles. It’s like a different world despite the relatively short drive. The small towns’ charms have a modern luxury that reminded me of the Hamptons, plus an added horsey coziness that makes them friendly and inviting. I encourage you to visit, but please, don’t tell too many people.

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JILL NOVOTNY

before, let alone one loaded up with horses. The Sierra 3500 HD Denali felt absolutely massive as I climbed up to open the door. Inside, the leather-filled cabin seemed bigger than my first apartment.

Nervously, I adjusted the mirrors and took in the buttons and dials arrayed in front of me. I pulled away slowly and was impressed with the easy power of the truck. The hilly roads gave Eric a chance to demonstrate the exhaust brake, and the powerful truck pulled the loaded trailer as if it were nothing. I turned tight corners and navigated narrow spots. By the time we pulled up to the stable, I was feeling like a pro.

That afternoon, we took a quick detour into Solvang, a small town just a few minutes down the road. Founded by a group of four Danish immigrants in 1911, the town is a cartoonish homage to their heritage, full of windmills, bakeries,

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MONMOUTH AT THE

TEAM

W

BY CARRIE WIRTH

hen Tucker for it. Tucker, a busy US Equestrian FOUNDED IN 1895, Ericson and his judge and vice president of an insurance THE SHOW IS A CELEBRATION OF cousin Michael company, also co-manages the popular EQUESTRIAN HISTORY. Dowling took on Country Heir I and II at the Kentucky the Monmouth Horse Park in Lexington. Michael is a Above: Hamilton County Horse Show, it was a full-time assistant professor of equine studies at New Barn, U.S. Equestrian labor of love. Run continuously since 1895, the Jersey’s Centenary University, serves as coach of the Team Foundation show was renamed Monmouth at the Team and Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association team, and is headquarters. moved to Hamilton Farm, the headquarters of the a trainer at Wyndham Hill, his active show stable in Opposite: USET Foundation and former training grounds of Long Valley, New Jersey. The two didn’t have a lot Clockwise from upper left: Michael the U.S. Equestrian Team. Once a summer fixture on of extra time on their hands but chose to commit to Dowling and Tucker the calendar of elite show jumpers, in recent years running the show together.

Ericson; the show the event has evolved into a regional show but has “It checked all the boxes for me—a great horse ring viewed from always been considered a New Jersey treasure. show, a beautiful venue, and the opportunity to run the VIP tent; a competitor; a historic The show has just wrapped up its second sellout it the way we want,” Michael said. photograph of the year at Gladstone.“That facility was just begging Tucker and Michael have infused the show with Monmouth County for a competition that catered to the communew life. They upped the ante on the hospitality.

Horse Show; future nity,” Tucker said. “So, when the opportunity for They have created a poignant and fun experience for champions; and details at the event.

Monmouth came up, it made perfect sense for us to competitors by combining the tradition and history buy the show and move it.” of the event with the venue where American equesNew Jersey natives Tucker and Michael have trian greats once trained. Surely, if their spirits roam PAGE 113 deep equestrian roots in the area. They had particithere, they approve. pated in the show over the years and had an affinity

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THE BOOK LLC

MICHAEL MINCEY

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RIC SHAFFER

RIC SHAFFER

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

RIC SHAFFER

RIC SHAFFER

HORSE SPORTS’

NEXT BIG THING Exciting events at Golden Ocala and the new World Equestrian Center.

G

OLDEN OCALA and the Roberts family are revolution-

OCALA IS SPECIA L

izing the horse-show industry with the development

Ocala is a great place to be a horse with lots of room for turnout and hacking, beautiful green grass, and a longestablished equestrian culture drawn originally by the limestone soils that form strong bones. Over time, Ocala’s Thoroughbred breeding and racing infrastructure has provided the base for an explosion of diversity in equestrian pursuits: hunters, jumpers, carriage drivers, polo players, eventers, an emerging dressage scene, saddle seat, and the breeds—Quarter Horses and Paso Finos.

You’ve never seen so many trailers with so many different kinds of horses in one place.

Ocala is a great place to be a human, too. It’s atypical for Florida. It’s

of vast new showgrounds in the heart of Ocala’s horse country. A brand new competition facility adjacent to Golden Ocala, the luxurious country club in the center of a vibrant equestrian-focused community, is intriguing—

especially to the Equestrian Living team. We visited earlier this year, and we agree that the combination of world-class equestrian sport and country club lifestyle is a winner.

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uncrowded, for one thing. It’s naturally beautiful, for another. The topography is romantic—rolling, even hilly, with big open meadows under huge oak trees draped with Spanish moss. The natural environment is intriguing—on an average February hack, you will be flown over

by Sandhill cranes, serenaded by songbirds, enjoy “not too hot, not too cool” weather, and perfect, sandy footing.

The local foodie scene centers around a vibrant farmer’s market in the center of Ocala, where you can purchase fresh local vegetables, strawberries, citrus, and Wagyu beef in the middle of winter. And there are great people from all over, who are drawn by a passion for horses, and who enjoy the relaxed but active social scene.

Meandering bridle trails weave their

A GAM E CHANGER

way through rolling hills and mighty

The new World Equestrian Center Ocala is expected to be a game changer for Florida horse sport. The scale of the new venue is enormous—3,000 acres with four 262-by-550-foot climatecontrolled indoor arenas as well as a 350-by-450-foot open-air grand prix stadium with seating for 5,000, and permanent stabling for 2,000 horses, accommodating high-season competition and extending the show season, despite summer’s heat. The facility is modeled after the popular Ohio-based World Equestrian Center, which boasts the largest indoor/outdoor equestrian facility in the world.

The driving force behind the World Equestrian Center is the Roberts family,

oaks culminating in a state-of-the art equestrian center that offers a full range of amenities including a 20-stall horse barn, covered round pen, large jumping arena with new footing and separate dressage arena, and a jumping ring. There are large grass paddocks, and the barn offers a climate-controlled tack room, kitchen, and lounge.

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LOUNGING PAD

BARN Q

DRA #6

DRA #7

TURN-OUT PADDOCKS 140 PARKING SPACES W/CURRENT LAYOUT

BARN P COMPETITOR PARKING

JUMPER 1

JUMPER 1 & 2 SCHOOLING ARENA

BARN O

CONCESSION STAND

JUMPER 2

BARN N

CONCESSION STAND

ROBERTS INDOOR ARENA 3

ROLEX SCHOOLING ARENA

DRA #1 ROBERTS INDOOR ARENA 2

DRA #4 200 PARKING SPACES

HUNTER 2

HUNTER STADIUM HUNTER 2&3 WARM UP

CONCESSION STAND

STADIUM

COFFEE SHOP

ROBERTS INDOOR ARENA 1

BATHROOM

SNAK BAR/ BATHROOM

ROBERTS INDOOR ARENA 4

HUNTER STADIUM WARM UP HUNTER 3

BARN L

BARN M

DRA #5 CLUBHOUSE/RESTAURANTS

BATHROOM

DRA #2

CHAPEL

BARN E

BARN D

BARN C

DRA #8 CONCESSION STAND

BARN B

COMPETITOR PARKING

BARN F

TURN-OUT PADDOCKS

HUNTER 4

HUNTER 5

BARN H

BATHROOM

BARN J

DERBY FIELD WARM UP

BARN K

DRA #9

COMPETITOR PARKING

BARN I DERBY FIELD

VE T 449 PARKING SPACES W/CURRENT LAYOUT

TURN-OUT PADDOCKS

BARN G

COMPETITOR PARKING

LOUNGING PAD HUNTER 4&5 WARM UP

BARN A

DRA #3

WORLD EQUESTRIAN CENTER Site Map • Ocala, Florida Subject to Change

who are translating their success in transportation and logistics to horse shows.

They have vast experience with horses, based on decades of breeding and competing Quarter Horses. They felt that the horse show experience could once again be more enjoyable for spectators, exhibitors, and horses, in addition to being more family friendly and just plain fun.

Reviews of the Ohio facility mention how the competitions aim to please spectators and families as well as exhibitors. With beautiful facilities, premium footing, and a well-trained staff that is always helpful and smiling, not to mention free stabling, a weekly horsemanship clinic for young riders, after-hours fun and games—what’s not to love? That their more than 23-weeks of the winter

Above: The World Equestrian Center’s Ocala facility includes four 262- x 550foot climate-controlled indoor arenas surrounding an open-air stadium and 15 outdoor arenas on 300+ acres. The complex has access to 3,100 additional acres with real estate and amenities, including retail space and a restaurant.

There are plans to build additional amenities as well as permanent stabling for 1,500 horses.

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series horse shows were sold out is a testament to the fact that their formula is working. n Ocala, a world-class equestrian venue coupled with a top-flight country club is a tough combination to beat. It will take a lot of the hot, dusty, and uncomfortable conditions out of the horse show experience.

The Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club has already made it easy for equestrians, down south for the season, to take advantage of club amenities with a non-resident membership. This includes full use of the restaurants, café, gym, spa, pool, and tennis club. Top-notch equestrian facilities include multiple barns featuring private equestrian suites with

I

four or six stalls in each, a large jumping arena, separate dressage arena, spacious grass paddocks, and climate-controlled tack room, kitchen, and lounge. In addition to a state-of-the-art equestrian center, riders enjoy meandering trails throughout the majestic, lush green, and serene property. Golden Ocala will once again offer a national membership for equestrians in the 2017-2018 season.

And of course, there are numerous other exciting club amenities. Play a round of golf on the famous Ron Garl-designed championship golf course that incorporates eight holes patterned after some of the world’s finest courses. Or strike up a tennis match on Har-Tru Hydro Grid courts.

When it’s time to relax, head over to the pool or treat yourself to an afternoon of

Clockwise from upper left: Nicole Shahinian-Simpson and Akuna Mattata winning the World Equestrian Center Invitational $50,000 Grand Prix in October. The clubhouse and pool.

Award-winning course designer Ron Garl has created 18 holes of championship golf that take full advantage of Golden Ocala’s scenic surroundings. In addition, there is a 10-acre short game area, two practice holes, and a driving range.

pampering at the 17,000-square-foot spa.

The Golden Ocala club feels warm and welcoming, shaded by huge old oaks and filled with flowering plants.

The décor is classic, equestrian-themed, comfortably stylish, and punctuated by sporting art.

Current World Equestrian Center permits allow for the show facility only, though there are land parcels, condos, and houses currently available within the beautiful Golden Ocala club.

Ambitious and exciting? For sure.

On a fast track? Definitely! You can follow the World Equestrian Center Ocala on their Facebook page, where their construction diary videos chronicle the ongoing progress of the development, with a targeted opening of 2018.

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INTERVIEW BY STEPHANIE PETERS

SAM ROBINSON A SPORTING ARTI ST IN HI S ELEM EN T.

Harlequin Gouache on art board 16 inches by 20 inches

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Master of the Foxhounds, oil on canvas, 16 inches by 12 inches

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Backs to the Sun Oil on canvas 18 inches by 36 inches Huntsman’s Horn Oil on canvas 11 inches by 14 inches

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You spent considerable time surrounded by horse farms. Did that impact the direction of your work?

Other than a few riding lessons as a child, I have not been tempted to take up riding. I can see it is an all-absorbing sport.

I value my observer status. My family had attended the Maryland Hunt Cup over many years, often going back to the home of our cousins after the races for a glass, but it never occurred to me to take up the subject in my work until a decade ago.

The complexity of the forms makes the use of photography a practical necessity, but my long years painting the landscape from life made me understand I needed to do as much as possible from life. Horses simply do not wait around for me to sketch them, so I have had to study the forms so I can render a convincing scene on the spot. There is no substitute for doing this if you aim to get a vivid sense of light and movement. While my photographer friends run from spot to spot to capture all the action, I set up in one location for a couple of hours and watch as it unfolds. The thing about a racecourse is that the same basic event is going to repeat itself, so a paddock, for example, will be filled and emptied of horses several times. I am able to note poses and situations as they come and go and create a complete scene over time. Sometimes, these field studies remain untouched.

Most get further work with or without the benefit of reference photos taken along the way. My audience is very attentive.

They will call you out if you haven’t gotten it right.

What triggered the incentive to capture horses in motion?

What subtler aspects of horse sport do you find inspiring?

My interest in horses as a subject came out of my work as a portrait artist and a plein air landscape painter. A commission to paint a master of the Greenspring Valley Hounds led me to consider the idea of doing something mounted rather than placing the subject in a studio chair.

One morning I found myself at a local hunt meeting, and that was all it took.

Besides the beauty of Maryland country, the splendid prospect of horses, hounds and riders—as well as movement and line, were all I needed to see that this was a subject worth years of effort. The hunting led to more time spent at the local timber races, then on to the tracks, breeding farms, and training barns, and slowly learning what I was looking at. I was gaining an eye for the defining moments and details.

I often get comments about aspects of a painting that I have not consciously placed there. I rely on my drawing skills without necessarily knowing what will be communicated. Figures in the background, at times a mere few strokes, are positively identified as so and so because that is how they sit a horse, or I get a full description of what that horse was thinking based on its expression or gait.

Jockeys are a great source of insight into what is really going on, and I love the less elegant scenes of the backside and the daily routines of barns.

The essential vision is the brilliant effect of a very fit Thoroughbred in the sunlight. If you can catch them getting sloshed down with a bucket on a hot day, Continued on page 94 they really gleam.

Although I spent much of my childhood in South Korea as a missionary kid, my mother’s family home was Burnside Farm in Baltimore County, Maryland, where we always returned. Any active farming was long since past, but the beautiful old mansion and tenant houses provided a wonderful place to live, create a studio, and raise a family. Artifacts remain—horseshow ribbons; a photo of my grandfather as a boy with his pony; pictures of Sirrah, a Hackney stallion; prize dairy stock portraits—and old bits and crops hang in my studio.

Have you personally participated in any equestrian sport?

Self portrait by Sam Robinson

Sam Robinson is a Maryland artist known primarily for his sporting art depicting the Thoroughbred horses that are bred, raised, and raced in the region. From his home and studio in northern Baltimore County, he can easily reach Maryland’s beautiful hunt country and the timber racing that takes place there. Most of the local racegoers are used to seeing Sam with his easel, painting on location. He also paints the landscape, travel scenes, racecourses, and other subjects and takes commissions for portraits of people, pets, and horses.

Sam works in a fluent, painterly style, favoring gouache for quick studies and travel and oils for larger, more developed compositions. His work can be found locally in Maryland at McBride Gallery, Crystal Moll Gallery, Halcyon House Antiques, and regional shows. He is also represented by Vanessa Rothe Fine Art in Laguna Beach, California. Studio visits are welcome by appointment.

Can you explain how sketching on site benefits your work?

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Josie Oil on canvas 30 inches by 24 inches

Charlie 2 Oil on canvas 11 inches by 14 inches

Fancy Pair Oil on canvas 18 inches by 24 inches

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Whit Oil on canvas 24 inches by 18 inches

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Continued from page 91

Going Off Oil on canvas 18 inches by 24 inches

Your range of work also includes murals.

Where might we see examples of your commercial commissions?

How would you describe the rewards and challenges of being a sporting artist?

I aspire to bring the highest level of artistry to the subject that I can. Sporting art has always been given a lower pedestal than other forms of painting, but if you seek out past masters like Alfred Munnings, you will find some of the best paint handling ever put on canvas. The easy path is to copy photos of popular races and horses, but I hope to do more.

I am trying to gain a full mental grasp of the anatomy and working forms of horses, so that I can render one straight from the imagination as I believe past masters did. I have a long way to go, but it seems a worthy pursuit.

There is something very immediate and vital about the relationship between people and horses. It seems an anachronism to some, but it is a living tradition, fiercely preserved in this part of the world, and a great subject to paint.

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Ready to Run Oil on canvas 20 inches by 16 inches

I offer commissioned portraits and show my own interpretations of the sport in many local shows. An occasional mural commission, like the hunting scenes on the walls of the Milton Inn in Sparks, Maryland, is a special assignment. I enjoy doing shows that are based on a particular theme, as in The Maryland Horse, an Artist’s View, a benefit show for the Maryland Horse Breeders Association.

Currently, I am the featured artist in Equestrian, a show at Vanessa Rothe Fine Art in Laguna Beach, California, which has some of my work done at Santa Anita racecourse. Many local racecourses are used to seeing me set up to work, and I have been warmly welcomed by the horse folk who seem to appreciate seeing their world reflected and appreciated in the work I do. It is a privilege to be a part of PAGE 113 the scene in my own way.

T H E F I N E S T H O M E S , FA R M S , A N D

RANCHES FROM E Q U E ST R I A N L I V I N G

EQ U E STR IAN EQLiving.com

PRO PERTI ES OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017

OWLS ROOST FARMS WE L L I NGTON, FLOR IDA PAGE 96

®

E Q U E S T R I A N P R O P E RT I E S

OWLS ROOST FARMS Wellington, Florida

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his stunning rarely offered 27-acre Palm Beach Point gated equestrian compound is located in the heart of Wellington and only minutes to the Winter Equestrian Festival, Global Dressage Festival and the International Polo Club. Comprised

of five separate lots with frontage on two paved roads this property offers many possibilities for both the equestrian and investor. The entire perimeter of the property has three-rail fencing. There are 11 oversized paddocks including two at five acres each. The five-acre sand exercise track is bordered by a grass jump field, pond and 90-foot

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diameter round pen. The 10 stall barn includes two tack rooms, tongueand-groove ceilings, numerous wash stalls, a media room overlooking the 100 x 230-foot riding arena with mirrors and paddocks. The four bedroom owners quarters with five bathrooms is complete with a viewing and media room. There is a separate two bedroom,

E Q U E S T R I A N P R O P E RT I E S

PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: – 27 Acres comprised of 5 separate lots with frontage on 2 paved roads – Oversized dressage arena with mirrors – 11 large paddocks including two at 5 acres each – 3-rail fencing around the entire farm perimeter – Owners quarters with 4 bedrooms, 5 baths and viewing - media room – Separate 2 bedroom, 2 bath guest apartment with full kitchen – 5 Acre exercise track bordered by grass jump field, pond and 90’ diameter round pen – Private and secure equestrian compound within gated Palm Beach Point

two bath guest quarters with full kitchen with views of the property.

The separate high-bay four-car garage includes a lounge, gym, dog room, air conditioned feed and hay storage and half bath. There is a separate equipment storage building for tractor, jumps, and general storage for farm equipment, plus an additional pole

barn. The property has an Aqua Soft reverse osmosis water system housed in a separate building. There is also a propane-powered generator for the main building and stables. This is the largest property available in Palm Beach Point offering the discerning buyer privacy and incredible value. $14,995,000

DAVID WELLES, P.A. Founding Associate 561.313.9123 dwelles@equestriansir.com www.wellesrealestate.com

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WOMEN FOR THE LAND Empowering women landowners to conserve their land.

EXCERPTED THE AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST

TH E N E W FAC E S OF AME RI C A N FA R MI N G

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ver the past few decades, women have entered agriculture in unprecedented numbers.

Increasingly, women own farmland, are new farmers, or have become more involved in all aspects of agriculture.

There are now nearly one million women farm operators, and over half-amillion additional women landowners who lease their land to farmers. Nearly 301 million acres of U.S. land—about a third of the nation’s land in farms—are now farmed or co-farmed by women, and at least 87 million additional acres are in the hands of women landowners.

Over the next 20 years, about 240 million acres of farmland are expected to change hands as farmers retire or leave their land to the next generation.

During that time, women and nonfarming landlords are likely to increase in numbers.

Research shows that many women farmers and landowners have a strong conservation and stewardship ethic.

They are deeply committed to healthy farmland, farm families, and farm communities. However, women face gender barriers affecting their ability to manage their land for long-term sustainability.

And while women increasingly are the primary decision-makers on farms, data shows they are underrepresented in conservation programs.

WO M E N F O R T H E L A N D I N I T I AT I V E American Farmland Trust’s (AFT)

national Women for the Land initiative

NEARLY 301 MILLION ACRES OF U.S. LAND —ABOUT A THIRD OF THE NATION’S LAND IN FARMS— ARE NOW FARMED OR COFARMED BY WOMEN, AND AT LEAST 87 MILLION ADDITIONAL ACRES ARE IN THE HANDS OF WOMEN LANDOWNERS. addresses the obstacles that women landowners face in accessing conservation programs and resources. In part, the initiative hosts learning circles that empower women landowners to adopt environmentally sound farming practices, protect farmland, and improve the viability of their farms.

Women for the Land combines research, on-the-ground projects, and policy efforts to transform the agricultural landscape and develop a new voice for conservation. It has three components: R E SE ARCH INTO WOM EN L A NDOWNERS AND THE B ARRIERS THEY FACE

Little research exists on the millions of Americans who own and lease agricultural land, especially women.

The long-running USDA Census of Agriculture provides a lot of information about American farmers, but it only surveys farmers—not non-farming agricultural landowners. To fill this critical

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research gap, AFT developed and tested a new national landowner’s survey and is working to secure resources to launch the survey in 2018 in partnership with the USDA National Agricultural Statistic Survey (NASS). The survey will help us learn more about the long-term goals and needs of non-operating landowners.

Women face unique barriers to stewarding their farmland. In several studies, women indicated that feelings of inferiority, alienation, and lack of knowledge impeded their ability to manage their land well. Women landowners attending learning circles in Illinois and Indiana cited gender bias as the most common barrier they faced in managing their land—stating they felt excluded and not taken seriously by men they worked with to implement new conservation practices.

The second most commonly cited barrier was a lack of education and comfort.

Many women are returning to farming after non-farming careers or are suddenly in positions of leadership on farms after the management situation has changed.

In addition, poor or insufficient communication between non-operating agricultural landowners and the farmers who lease their land is often a challenge, resulting in less conservation overall.

Efforts that educate both parties on how to work together as a team to manage Continued on page 102

American Farmland Trust is the only national conservation organization dedicated to protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land.

Since 1980 American Farmland Trust has helped to permanently protect more than five million acres of farm and ranch land. Learn more at www.farmland.org

E Q U E S T R I A N P R O P E RT I E S

TROPHY EQUESTRIAN ESTATE

in the heart of Santa Ynez Valley

3720-3800 BASELINE AVENUE, SANTA YNEZ

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rophy Equestrian Estate nestled in the in the heart of the serene Santa Ynez Valley and within close proximity to world renowned vet clinics. Behind grand iron gates is a 110+/- acre ranch that is an absolute horseman’s paradise. Built around 2006 as a state of the art breeding and training facility, the ranch consists of a Tudor-style main residence, newly built and beautifully finished manager’s quarters, 3 Barns with groom’s quarters, presentation and working arenas, round pen, hot walker, breeding area and lab, grain silo, endless acres of fenced and crossed fenced

pastures and paddocks with top of the line vinyl fencing, and an abundant water source from 3 wells.

Priced well below replacement cost. This offering is available 3 different ways. The 45+/- acre parcel with homes, equestrian improvements and 2 wells if offered at $4,950,000.

The 65+/- acre parcel with hay barn and 1 well is offered at $3,700,000. Both parcels can be purchased together for $8,550,000.

CAREY KENDALL 805.689.6262 | carey@clkre.com careykendall.com | CalBRE 00753349

All information provided is deemed reliable, but has not been verified and we do not guarantee it. We recommend that buyers make their own inquiries.

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MARTHA W. JOLICOEUR SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PALM BEACH POLO & CC | EAST LAKE BUNGALOW | $749,000 | With both IPC and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center close by, this newlyrenovated home falls nothing short of phenomenal. The property is complete with a 1 bedroom/1 bath guest cottage and a 3 bedroom/2.5 bath main home, in which everything is new, including impact windows and doors, custom-built kitchen and cathedral wood ceilings.

PALM BEACH POINT EAST FARM | $6,700,000 | A short hack away from PBIEC, this incredible 10-acre farm is fit for any professional rider. The 12-stall center-aisle stable, complete with the finest amenities, recently underwent a full renovation, leaving it totally updated and ready for the new season.

The property features a spacious owner’s lounge with full kitchen and 2.5 bathrooms, a large grand prix field and a new ring with top-grade fiber footing.

PROFESSIONAL EQUESTRIAN FACILITY | $7,750,000 | Fabulous professional equestrian facility on 15+ acres, only minutes from WEF. Brand new immense covered arena with GGT footing, outdoor GGT all weather ring, grand prix field, plus a walker and round pen. 42 stalls & 18 paddocks, roomy owners & staff quarters, all overlooking a beautiful lake with lovely western views.

LUXURY HOME IN MIZNER ESTATES | $3,200,000 | This secluded estate home features the best view in Palm Beach Polo. With an infinity edge pool that seamlessly blends with views of the lake, golf course, and the 92-acres wildlife Preserve, the 4 bedroom 5.5 bath home features pocket glass sliders in the kitchen and family room that allow for an outstanding indoor/outdoor living experience. The full-length frameless windows bring light, openness and sophistication to this opulent residence.

MARTHA W. JOLICOEUR, PA BROKER ASSOCIATE 561 797 8040 www.marthasproperties.com

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E Q U E S T R I A N P R O P E RT I E S

MARTHASPROPERTIES.COM FARMS & ESTATES, WELLINGTON, FL

AERO CLUB ESTATE | $1,450,000 | If hopping on a jet in your own backyard sounds like a dream come true, it’s time that you make your move to this fabulous, beautifully renovated 3 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home at Wellington Aero Club. The property offers the unique opportunity to build your own hangar for your jet, and features its own personal taxiway lot. Golf cart distance from the world-famous equestrian showgrounds.

CHATEAU-INSPIRED EQUESTRIAN ESTATE | $7,950,000 | This stunning chateau-inspired estate sits on 5.44 acres and boasts a large covered patio with a summer kitchen and an infinity pool. For equestrians, the property delivers in all regards with 5 turnout paddocks, a 120x230 foot all-weather Riso arena, a walker, and a fully-equipped 12-stall stable with a new storage building.

PALM BEACH POINT ESTATE | $5,400,000 | An ideal blend of rustic and Mediterranean styles, this beautiful estate sits on 5.4 meticulously landscaped acres. The completely redone home boasts a split bedroom floor plan, a covered patio with summer kitchen and pool, a 135’x230’ riding arena, 7 paddocks, and an 8 stall center aisle barn.

AERO CLUB ESTATE | $2,800,000 | Enjoy the pinnacle of luxury living at this spectacular home, complete with 6 bedrooms, 5 full baths and 4 half baths including a separate in-law apartment with kitchen. The estate is situated on nearly an acre and boasts two stories, runway access, a custom pool, and easy access to the area’s famed equestrian events. Newer construction with impact glass.

PROVIDING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICE

FOR THE GLOBAL EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY 1111 LINCOLN RD, MIAMI BEACH, FL 33139. 305.695.6300 © 2017 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE, THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS ARE DEEMED RELIABLE, BUT SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT OR ZONING EXPERT. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

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WOMEN FOR THE LAND Continued from page 98

WOMEN FELT EXCLUDED AND NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY MEN THEY WORKED WITH TO IMPLEMENT NEW CONSERVATION PRACTICES.

farmland for profitability and longterm sustainability have enormous potential to increase conservation and soil health.

AFT’s Women for the Land initiative is testing new ways to facilitate this communication and provide tools that can help, such as conservation leases.

LE A RN I N G C I RCL E S TO EN GAG E WO M E N I N CO N S E RVAT I ON

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he Women for the Land initiative is rooted in AFT’s work hosting learning circles for women landowners in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.

The circles are a well-tested approach pioneered by the Women, Food and Agriculture (WFAN) network that have

brought nearly 4,000 women landowners together with female conservation professionals.

During learning circle events, attendees share their farm stories and discuss topics like soil health, wildlife habitat, farmland protection, and planning for land succession. Afternoon farm tours allow attendees to get their hands dirty and see conservation practices firsthand.

Over 60 percent of the women who attend learning circles take a conservation action within a year, according to findings

by WFAN and AFT. Conservation actions range from simply starting a conversation about changes in land management with family members to their managing farmers to implementing conservation practices and enrolling in financial assistance programs.

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American Farmland Trust’s mission for over 35 years has been to protect farmland, promote sound farming practices and keep farmers on the land. AFT is a leader in working sideby-side with farmers and landowners to accelerate adoption of conservation practices. Women landowners often take a long-term view of their land and overwhelmingly support policies and programs that encourage new farmers, provide incentives for better conservation practices and protect farmland. These attributes make women ideal partners in conservation and farmland protection.

Protecting the nation’s food, farmland, soil, wildlife, and water supply requires participation from all farmers. Women’s voices are much too important to leave out.

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1000 Brandywine Creek Rd, West Brandywine, PA 19320

Here is the opportunity you have been waiting for- country living while still being close to Philadelphia and Wilmington!

This 141 Acre farm offers the space, utility and most importantly, the view to make your equestrian dreams come true!

Nestled within the picturesque countryside of Cheshire Hunt and bordered by the Brandywine River, this amazing property is protected under conservancy and provides three approved building sites to build your dream home-all with views overlooking the tranquil Brandywine. This equestrian facility is one of the only in the area to offer a nine acre polo field with irrigation hookup and attached outdoor riding ring with lights and sprinkler system- this spectacular amenity has possible commercial and private club use. For the horse enthusiast, there are ten turn out fields all with running water, five turn out sheds, and three well appointed barns. With miles upon miles of riding trails, a tennis court with sprinkler system and a breath taking outside dining pavilion- this is your chance to own your little piece of heaven! Opportunities like this do not come often; call today for more information! 1000BRANDYWINECREEKRD.go2frr.com Meghan Chorin Associate Broker, REALTOR (610) 299-9504 (Direct) (610) 651-2700 (Office Main) Email: Meghan.Chorin@foxroach.com www.meghanchorin.com 431 West Lancaster Avenue Devon, PA 19333

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TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF CLUB continued from page 26

TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF CLUB

recently hosted the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open.

The 36-hole club boasts two Fazio-designed courses: The old course, ranked as one of the top 100 courses in the world, is a par-72 measuring over 7,700 yards. The new course opened in 2008 and is a par-72 course that measures over 7,500 yards.

Membership reportedly costs around $300,000.

We didn’t even appreciate then that her pony turned back to us, probably looking more for his friends than his missing rider. He could have as easily run home without her.

Little Arnold turned out to be more than what we all thought.

A school pony useful in her summer camp, he was loaned to us every winter

by June Wildes, a dear friend and neighbor in Vermont and GOOGLE EARTH our mentor as we were growing up. With Carol in the saddle, Little Arnold, who was an elderly snow-white, medium pony just under 13.2 hands, found out he could jump any fence in the hunt country and keep up with the field when hounds were running.

Getting back on your horse, no matter what, is not the only life lesson I learned at the Cowperthwaites’.

Our Essex Fox Hounds Hunter Trials were held annually on their estate, about a mile and a half of y only bad memory of the galloping and jumping a prescribed course of rails Cowperthwaite place was and coops. There were various classes for children, when my sister, Carol, was ladies, amateurs, and open to all. Several judges, staquite small. We were out fox tioned around, gathered after every class to decide the hunting, the hounds were winners as each of them judged different jumps for running, performance, manners, way of going, our blood and style of jumping.

We were lurkwas up, and A habit early ingrained by our ing in the dark we were galloping full tilt up the neighbor, friend, and icon, Arthur hall when the Cowperthwaite driveway. Suddenly McCashin, first captain of our civillady of the I heard a scream, and my sister’s ian show-jumping team, was to BE house ascended READY when you plan to compete. If pony, Little Arnold, galloped past me the stairs. you’re not ready, stay home and get with Carol hanging from one stirready for the next time, whenever it is. rup, her head banging on the ground.

This tenet has stood me in good stead for my entire Fortunately, her safety stirrup finally released her foot, life, and we first learned its value as we prepared for and she was saved from being dragged to her death. the hunter trials. Arthur insisted that we ride over She was fine. We caught her pony, snapped her stirand school at least once the week before the event. rup back on, tossed her up, and galloped even faster to catch up. We had dodged a big bullet, but we scarcely Schooling on course was allowed since the jumps were gave it a thought at the time. there anyway. The “year of the ditch” was the one

the fire in the den. With no television, computers, or parents around, we were pretty much on our own.

One rainy afternoon we explored Mrs. Cowperthwaite’s shoe closet.

Imagine. She had a walk-in closet just for shoes! And it had a light in it. There were rows and rows of shoes, every kind you could possibly dream of, from sneakers to saddle shoes to high heels of all different heights. I found the closet itself astounding, since I was growing up in an eighteenth-century house that featured very few closets, and those few were very shallow with no need for a light. We whiled away several hours trying on the shoes and then carefully put them back. Luckily, we just finished and were lurking in the dark hall when the lady of the house ascended the stairs. We fled and were not discovered.

M

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Lauren Hough and Ohlala

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TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF CLUB continued from page 104

when we became true believers in the be-ready maxim. A big yawning ditch, part of the gully that ran through the property, was included in the course once, and never again. Arthur himself was there for the schooling over the ditch, heavily armed with a long longe whip. The mere sight of the whip upped our determination even more than our horses’. We knew if a rider stopped, the whip would wrap around both the horses’ rear end and the rider’s legs. The horses frogged it the first few times. So we jumped it over and over until they cruised smoothly across. That was Tuesday, and Arthur had us back Thursday to make sure everyone remembered how to jump the ditch. We did, and on the appointed day each of us sailed over the ditch, and one of us won every class we entered. If the other horses jumped the ditch at all, they frogged it. We were ready, and besides the cherished memories, we learned a couple of life lessons: when you fall off get back up, and be ready, so you probably won’t fall off. year the newbies There were four of us, Arthur’s revealed themsons Johnny and Freddy, Carol, selves at the first and me. The McCashin boys were hunt breakfast, about our age, so we clung to PHOTO COURTESY THE ESSE X HUNT where it was more their coattails, and besides learning life lesproper to wear a tweed coat. sons, we learned how to ride. What better teachers in At the annual hunt ball, also held in the all of New Jersey—a state not famous for its trainers Cowperthwaites’ ballroom and adjoining rooms, the real like those across the Hudson River— Gordon Wright foxhunters turned out in the pink tails and the women and Al Holmwood, to name two. properly wore either black or white gowns, except for Other than that one awful moment, all of my the newbies who were clothed in every memories of that extraordinary estate We learned a color of the rainbow. It all sounds very are happy: our evening rides, larking couple of life stuffy, but it is tradition even today. For in the darkness over the white coops, lessons: when us children, our 18th birthday was the showing in the hunter trials, our you fall off get watershed, and our first hunt ball was sleepovers and adventures exploring back up, and be ready, so exciting. the house, and the sumptuous hunt you probably These days, the fox hunters and breakfasts, jolly and convivial. Some of won’t fall off. the chicken coops are gone from the men were in their pink coats, actuCowperthwaite’s estate; now it’s a stateally scarlet but named for the famous of-the-art golf course, and the main house is the club tailor, Mr. Pink in London. The pink coat is awarded house. As I watched TV, more interesting to me than to the knowledgeable fox hunter, who knows hounds, watching the people was peeking around them, tryhound work, and the countryside, and hence is a good ing to get a glimpse of that stately mansion and all its person to follow if you are a newcomer to the field, memories. as the the group of riders is known. However, every 10 6 | E Q UE S T R I A N L I V IN G | OC TOB ER/ N OVEMB ER | 2017

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SKY DOG SANCTUARY continued from page 63

diseases or injuries, and I’ve had to learn a lot about how you bring a horse back to health.

I’ll be out with a horse, and they’ll put their head on my shoulder, or they’ll touch me with their nose, and every time it’s brought me to tears. Because I’ll look at the horse and think something like, “Wow, you were a tripping horse in a Mexican rodeo, and you have had nothing but bad experiences with humans.

But you still

the programs I want to run here. I want to do equine therapy, and I want to have accommodations so people can come up and spend time and see wild horses in a very natural environment.

At many of the sanctuaries they’ll have 600 horses on 1,000 acres, so they’re like lunar landscapes, which isn’t as inspiring to see. When people come here, they’re really blown away seeing the horses out free, walking

have it in your heart to let someone touch you again, when probably every touch you’ve had has not been a kind one.” It’s always a very emotional thing for me. his first year has been about the horses. We’ve had to learn a lot about the ranch, the land, and grazing. Moving forward, my bigger goals are about

in grass or in the woods. I think it’s very important for people to see and appreciate them in their environment.

The fundamental goal of Sky Dog is to raise awareness of the issue and to shine a spotlight on the plight facing these animals.

The U.S. Department of the Interior is heavily debating the issue of euthanasia and taking apart the Wild Horse

T

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and Burro Act that federally protected horses and restricted sale of them going to slaughter. Now, they are trying to remove those protections, and they’re talking about euthanizing the 50,000 horses that are currently in holding. This program has so failed. Their only solution to managing wild horses has been to gather them in holding areas, and now they think the solution is to wipe out all the horses they have and start again.

And you know, that isn’t a solution—it shouldn’t even be considered as a solution. As usual, money speaks, and horses don’t have a voice.

We can only save as many wild horses as we can, but I think we can bring attention to this issue and have people outraged at the treatment of these animals.

Of the horses that we have, every one of them has a story that represents a different plight that they face.

We try to tell those stories.

We try to show people that they aren’t just a tag number.

They each have a name, a personality, and a story. They have a lot to offer. I think people underestimate the amazing healing powers of horses and their amazing ability to understand us. They’re so sensitive, and they respond to different people in different ways. That never ceases to amaze me.

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SPIRIT OF THE HORSE continued from page 41

the horse backward with me. Very un-Zorro-like. My initial thought—and you do have time to think, because the seconds slow to a surprising crawl—was that he was going to crush me.

That’s almost like having a Volkswagen Beetle roll over on you.

(There’s a scene in the film How the West Was Won, during the Cheyenne attack, where a horse and rider fall on an incline and the horse slowly rolls over the stuntman. Some things you just cannot anticipate.)

Anyway, everything is relative, right? I landed very, very hard, but “lucky” for me, in the last instant the horse went down to the side, and all he did was crush my leg. And then he got up, and he was fine, and I went to get up, and I wasn’t fine.

I got up, and I fell right back down.

As I’m lying there, kind of catching my breath and figuring out what to do next, a guy I didn’t even know jumped on me, arms out like he was smothering a fire, and said, “Stay down, we’re calling an ambulance.” And I said, “Don’t call an ambulance, I’ll be okay.” And he said, “You could be bleeding inside.” And I lay back down and said, “Call an ambulance!”

Three good things came out of that accident. This isn’t just a matter of me looking on the bright side of life, which I always try to do; they really were very, very positive.

The first benefit was that I learned how not to fall.

The second benefit was a visit with some wonderfully professional people at the Humana hospital in Louisville. They were very reassuring, in the best tradition of the medical profession, and it wasn’t just because they were treating Captain Kirk.

I had the time to watch them interact compassionately with everyone they cared for. I was grateful to hear that while I had some nerve I went to damage it would be all right. And so get up, and I it was. wasn’t fine. I The third benefit—speaking of got up, and I Captain Kirk—is that the lesson of fell right back down. getting up and falling down, getting up and falling down, gave me the insight on how to play the death scene in Star Trek Generations. When the script called for me—him— to be shot in the back and he falls to the ground, I thought, “I’ll just do what I did with the horse. I’ll get up, I’ll fall down, I’ll get up, I’ll fall down.” So that’s what I did. It was very effective. Art imitated life.

That’s a recurring theme in this book. You’re going to hear from some wonderful authors writing about our favorite animals, each of these authors having had different ideas, different experiences with horses.

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GEORGE KAMPER

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Page 36 Land Rover Arkonik arkonik.com FOOD+DRINK Page 32 Spring Island Club springisland.com Page 34 Windsor windsorflorida.com NACHO FIGUERAS Page 42 Estudio Ramos ramosarq.com instagram: estudio_ramos_ PHILANTHROPY Page 56 Danny & Ron’s Rescue dannyronsrescue.org Lindsay Maxwell lindsaymaxwellequestrian. com Sky Dog Sanctuary skydogranch.org Equestrian Aid Foundation equestrianaidfoundation. org Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center thebtrc.org Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center vinceremos.org Pegasus Therapeutic Riding pegasustr.org TRAVEL DIARY Page 68 Mount Juliet Estate Kilkenny, Ireland mountjuliet.ie

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EQ B A R N D O G S

MEET TESSA The Lab mix inspired her owner, PILOT PAUL STEKLENSKI, to found Flying Fur Animal Rescue.

W

hen we got Tessa in August of 2013, we had no idea about the difference between a shelter and a pet shop. Then, we found out about this entire network of animal rescues that I had no clue existed. Tessa, her siblings, and her mom came up in a van from Tennessee. It was the kind of situation where, if she didn’t get out of there, there was a good chance she wasn’t going to live. So that opened up my eyes to a world I knew nothing about. It was sort of an awakening for me.

Tessa is really hilarious. She’s a Lab mix, and we believe she’s a little bit Rottweiler, too. She’s very protective; she’ll bark at people across the street. She plays it tough, but she’s very affectionate.

Tessa’s not a lap dog, where you can pick her up or snuggle, but when she goes to her bed at night, I lie down with her by her bed. It’s like our little nightly routine; we snuggle. She tries to have a tough exterior, but she’s really sweet.

I started flying lessons in the spring of 2013. I drove by an airport on the way to work every morning. My mom, years ago, gave me my uncle’s log book from back when he was a pilot in the 1930s, and I would flip through that. I decided to go for a flying lesson and just kept going back. It took me about a year and a half to finish. It’s expensive to get your license, so I just took my time.

Not long after that, I started using my plane to move rescue dogs from kill shelters in the South, and bring them up to no-kill shelters in the North. When I first started this, my Facebook page was called “Just a guy who flies rescue,” and

AS TOLD TO JILL NOVOTNY

Tessa and Paul Steklenski.

I wasn’t a non-profit yet. Then I found other people doing similar things out in the Midwest. I did a lot of research and incorporated. As I built my flight hours, I was able to start flying different types of airplanes. I could increase my distance and my efficiency because of my experience.

I work with a multitude of rescues, and they coordinate among themselves based on intake. Most shelters that are kill shelters release an email everyday with animal photos and descriptions, and other shelters will take them in. I just help them on the transport side. Many times, animals are on transport vans for a

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very long time without the proper care, walks, or water. Sometimes the animals don’t live. The airplane is an efficient tool. I can take a half day off work or on the weekend, fly down to North Carolina, load up the plane with 14 dogs, like I just did on Sunday, and fly back.

After renting an airplane for the first two years, we bought a plane in February.

I don’t own it, the non-profit does. It took over two years and people all over the world to make it happen with very small grassroots $5 and $10 donations.

I’ve spent over $25,000 of my own money on this so far. The plane needed work, it was below market value, and we were taking some chances on it. I used to always think bigger was better, but bigger in some airplanes is slower and less efficient, so that meant I couldn’t go as far. I realized that most rescues weren’t looking for me to take more dogs—I can fit up to 23 in the airplane; they were asking me to go farther. Now we fly about twice a month. We only fly it for animal rescue.

Next, I’d really like to build an intake facility, where we can take in and care for animals while we arrange for transport.

Then, I imagine a place where we could have a shelter on the premises here and our own little grass airstrip where people could come to adopt. That’s down the road, but it’s my dream.

When I look back at the path I took to get here, I can see I was guided to get here. I didn’t choose this, it was chosen for me. It’s funny how you can look back and connect the dots and see how things were laid out for you, whether you realized it or not.

PAGE 113

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