ANNA
MAREK
Finding Joy in
Dressage and Life
KEVIN KOHMANN
Living the Dream
ALICE TARJAN
A Bright Future
2025
Dressage Issue
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DRESSAGE
KEVIN KOHMANN
Living the Dream
32
DRESSAGE
GEORGE WILLIAMS
Everybody Get Together
36
ART
EVE TRONCONE
Mixing Mallets and Paint Palettes
42
DRESSAGE
LAILA EDWARDS
Reaching for the Stars in the Saddle
48
SIDELINES SUCCESS
GIANNA TROTTER
Anything Is Possible
54
SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
MARGIE SUGARMAN
The Sleep Performance Interplay
56
HUNTER-JUMPER
DAVID AND
NICOLE OLIYNYK
Working Better Together
On the cover:
Anna Marek, with Fire Fly, owned by Janet Simile.
Anna made her debut championship appearance
for Team USA with Fire Fly at the 2023 Pan
American Games in Santiago, Chile, where the
duo brought home team gold and the individual
bronze medal in the Grand Prix Freestyle.
February 2025
76
About this photo:
Anna, with Fire Fly, at her farm in Ocala, Florida.
Photos by Kacy Brown, kacybrownphotography.com
Volume 37 Issue 2 SIDELINES (ISSN 1071-3859) is owned by CLASSIC PUBLISHING INC. and is published twelve times a year for $29.95 per year.
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62
DRESSAGE
ALICE TARJAN
A Bright Future
70
EVENTING
ALEXA THOMPSON
A Clear View to Eventing Success
76
COVER STORY
ANNA MAREK
Finding Joy In Dressage and In Life
84
SHOW JUMPER
MATTHEW BODDY
A Positive Mindset Pays Off
104
UNBRIDLED
ROB BIELEFELD
IN EVERY ISSUE
16 Letter From the Editor | 18 Letters to the Editor | 90 Sidelines Business
94 Barns, Farms, Trainers, Clubs | 94 Tack and Feed Stores | 95 Real Estate
95 Equestrian Services Directory | 98 Advertisers Index
84
56
Matthew Boddy
Photo by Sophia Donohue
David and Nicole Oliynyk
Photo by Melissa Fuller
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SIDELINES is owned by
CLASSIC PUBLISHING INC.
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Jan Westmark Bauer | editor@sidelinesmagazine.com | 828-575-3965
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WRITERS
Shya Beth, Kimberly Gatto, Jessica Grutkowski, Britney Grover, Laura Scaletti, Helen Townes
PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Our Sweet Life
With Horses
JAN WESTMARK BAUER,
Editor-In-Chief
Stay in touch by emailing editor@sidelinesmagazine.com
and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @sidelines_magazine
Letterfrom the editor
Anna Marek
Photo by Kacy Brown
Kevin Kohmann
Photo by Melissa Fuller
Alice Tarjan
Photo by Melissa Fuller
I
love the cover of our February dressage issue featuring dressage rider Anna Marek. The
rose petals on the ground remind me of Valentine’s Day, and also of the sweet life we share
with our equine partners. I’m excited to share Anna’s story with you. Anna found success
from the start as she worked her way to the top of the sport. From winning her first regional
championship in 2008 to making the short list for the 2024 Paris Olympics, it’s been a series of
incredible rides for Anna.
Anna made her debut championship appearance for Team USA with her mount Fire Fly,
owned by Janet Simile, at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where the duo
brought home team gold and the individual bronze medal in the Grand Prix Freestyle. “I was
so happy to be part of the Pan Am team that I really went in there just hoping I would have
good rides and make my team and all my people proud. When we won the bronze medal, with a
personal best of 81.305%, it was an absolute shock and huge surprise,” she said.
Anna is the mother of two young children, and Anna’s children share a sweet passion for
horses as well. I think you’ll enjoy a peek into Anna’s life, where she hopes horses shape her
children like they have her. I can’t wait for you to read about the lessons her children have
already experienced, in the barn and while riding.
I’m also excited to introduce you to dressage rider Kevin Kohmann. Growing up in Germany,
Kevin didn’t like horses at first, and then a cute riding experience made him change his mind—
and Kevin has been living the dream ever since.
Kevin represented his home country of Germany in multiple Nations Cups and now rides
for the U.S., including at the 2024 World Cup Finals Grand Prix in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I
enjoyed getting to know Kevin; he’s sweet and very funny. Enjoy his story!
We also feature dressage rider Alice Tarjan in this issue. Alice has an amazing story, which
includes buying horses through videos and turning them into champions. Alice’s true passion
in life is training horses, which sweetens life not just for herself but for those who end up riding
the horses she trains. “I love how it’s a constant puzzle to try to figure out how to explain to
them what you want them to do,” she said. “To have that kind of communication and build a
partnership is so special.”
This issue is packed full of stories on riders, so pull up a tack trunk, open the magazine and
start meeting all of them! Embracing the sweet equestrian life is something we can all do no
matter where we live or what kind of riding we do. Just being part of the horse world is sweet!
Enjoy!
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I would like to tell you how thankful I am for
the opportunity to have an article written about
my farm and my stallion being on the cover of
Sidelines magazine (“Barbara Chappell: Loving
Life and Ponies” by Laura Scaletti). It was a
pleasure, and a fun experience working with the
whole staff, from telling my story to the amazing
photo shoot with my photographer friend. I
always enjoy the whole magazine. Thank you
from my heart.
—Barbara Chappell, Colt Hills Farm
Congratulations on the cover, Barbara
(“Barbara Chappell: Loving Life and Ponies”
by Laura Scaletti)!
—Shawna Whitty
You’re such a stunning, kind, elegant, hard-
working woman (“Barbara Chappell: Loving
Life and Ponies” by Laura Scaletti). What a
fantastic person to put on the front page.
—Kristy Willwerth
Absolutely stunning, as always! Well done, my
friend, well done (“Barbara Chappell: Loving
Life and Ponies” by Laura Scaletti).
—Lynne Boyer Griffin
What an amazing photo! Can’t wait for my baby
from him (“Barbara Chappell: Loving Life and
Ponies” by Laura Scaletti).
—Courtney Morton
You are beautiful inside and out (“Barbara
Chappell: Loving Life and Ponies” by Laura
Scaletti)!
—Pam Cantwell Baker
January Issue
Stay in touch! Email letters to editor@sidelinesmagazine.com
LettersTo THE EDITOR
CONNECT WITH SIDELINES MAGAZINE ON FACEBOOK
AND INSTAGRAM TO JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION!
LettersTo THE EDITOR
So grateful to Jan Westmark Bauer, Shya Beth
and the whole team at Sidelines for this
wonderful article about my art and the horses
that bring me such joy (“Susan McClafferty: A
Unique Angle on Horses” by Shya Beth). My
heart is full.
—Susan McClafferty
Huge congratulations, Susan! It’s great to see
your work being recognized at this level (“Susan
McClafferty: A Unique Angle on Horses” by
Shya Beth).
—Kim Newman
Amazing! What a great article (“Susan
McClafferty: A Unique Angle on Horses” by
Shya Beth)!
—India Lynn Wilkinson
Thrilled to know you are being recognized
(“Susan McClafferty: A Unique Angle on
Horses” by Shya Beth) and proud to have your
pictures of Eidgo, I show them to everyone.
—Connie Stockwell
Always a fun opportunity photographing for
Sidelines magazine. Check out Sarah Bachor’s
story in the January issue (“Sarah Bachor: Oxers
to Oncology” by Sarah Welk Baynum). I am not
sure how they chose only a few photos; there
were so many beautiful shots and Sarah and
her horses were fabulous to work with. Of
course, the landscape of Haley Gassel’s farm
was gorgeous!
—Lindsay McCall
What an honor to have my story covered by such
great people at Sidelines (“Debby Buck DeJonge:
Writing Saved a Riding Life”). Thank you!
—Debby Dejonge
What an honor it is to be featured in Sidelines
magazine (“Jaclyn Pepper: A Quote to Live By”
by Laura Scaletti)! Huge thank you to Lauren
Wagner for the most incredible photos, that I
will cherish for a lifetime. Thank you to everyone
at Sidelines for bringing my story to life!
—Jaclyn Pepper-Millard
Beautiful article and photos, Jaclyn (“Jaclyn
Pepper: A Quote to Live By” by Laura Scaletti)!
Congratulations! It’s so wonderful to see you
living your dream!
—Molly Smith
Wonderful article and well-deserved, Jaclyn
Pepper-Millard (“Jaclyn Pepper: A Quote to Live
By” by Laura Scaletti)! You are an inspiration!
Congratulations! So love the tattoo!
—Heather Valle
Amber is the best and I’m so glad to see this
article on a great horsewoman and friend (“Amber
Birtcil: The Power of Yes” by Helen Townes)!
—Hope Glynn
Love this (“Jaclyn Pepper: A Quote to Live By”
by Laura Scaletti), congratulations!
—Sarah Lockman Tubman
sidelines spotlight
Big thanks to Sidelines photographer Kacy
Brown, right, for taking the gorgeous photos
of Anna Marek, who appears on our cover this
month. Make sure to read about Anna’s amazing
journey in the horse world!
Renee Micuda, right, and Teri Kaderly, of
Micuda Salon in Crossville, Tennessee, are
happy to show off Sidelines. Stop by their salon
and you might find a Sidelines to read while
getting pampered and styled.
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