Sidelines January 2020

Carson

Kressley

Funny, Fashionable

and Forever A Horse Fan

Ryan Pedigo

Raising and Training

Hanoverian Horses

George Williams

Meet Our New

Dressage Columnist

2020

Stallion & Breeding Guide

www.sidelinesnews.com • January 2020 • $4.00 Issue

SIDELINESMAGAZINE • January 2020

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22

Coursewalk

With Heather Caristo

26

Ryan Pedigo:

Part of the Family

36

Charity:

Little Victories at

Fieldstone Farm

Therapeutic Riding Center

42

Mona Snell:

Through the Eyes of

an Artist & Horsewoman

48 Dressage:

Getting To Know

George Williams

52

Kady Abrahamson:

Balancing School With

Riding, and Winning at Both

60 Eventing With Boyd Martin

68

Sports Psychology:

The Impact of

Coaching Techniques

On the cover:

Carson Kressley at his

farm in Pennsylvania.

About this photo:

Carson, well-known for his

television shows, finds that spending

time at the barn keeps him grounded.

Photos by Adrienne Morella,

www.adriennemorella.com

January 2020

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IN EVERY ISSUE

14 Letter From the Editor

16 Letters to the Editor

62 Ingate

138 Sidelines Business

146 Barns, Farms, Trainers, Clubs

146 Tack and Feed Stores

147 Real Estate

147 Equestrian Services Directory

150 Classifieds

52

72

Show Time:

The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill

International Three-Day Event

74

Show Time:

Pennsylvania National

Horse Show

76

Show Time:

National Sunshine Series

78

Show Time:

Galway Downs

International Event

80 Show Time:

The Royal Horse Show

82

Show Time:

Washington International

Horse Show

84 Cover Story:

Falling in Love

With Carson Kressley

126 Chenoa McElvain:

A Desert Bloom

With Deep Roots

152 Unbridled

With Debbie McDonald

126

Kady Abrahamson

Photo by Shawna Simmons

Chenoa McElvain

Photo by Kristie Nichols

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SIDELINESMAGAZINE • January 2020

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SIDELINESMAGAZINE • January 2020

SIDELINES is owned by

CLASSIC PUBLISHING INC.

OWNER AND PUBLISHER

Bob Bell | bob@sidelinesmagazine.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jan Westmark | editor@sidelinesmagazine.com | 828-575-3965

WRITERS

Carter Anderson, Shya Beth, Alannah Castro, Tafra Donberger, Doris Degner-Foster,

Susan Friedland-Smith, Britney Grover, Laura Scaletti, Ruby Tevis, Lyssette Williams

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Isabel J. Kurek, Kristin Lee, Shawn McMillen Photography, Adrienne Morella, Kristie Nichols,

Shelby Phillips, Shawna Simmons, Susan Stickle

COLUMNISTS

Charlotte Bredahl, Heather Caristo, Boyd Martin, Margie Sugarman

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Mary Haley Hamm | maryhaley@sidelinesmagazine.com

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 | 561-635-0253

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SIDELINES is owned by

CLASSIC PUBLISHING INC.

Box 1311 | Johns Island, SC 29457 | Office 828-575-3965

WebSite: www.sidelinesmagazine.com

Sidelines Magazine was created in 1987 by Samantha Charles

SIDELINES (ISSN 1071-3859) is published monthly for $29.95 per year by Sidelines.

Send packages and correspondence to: Editor, 50 Harrison Hill Road | Swannanoa, NC 28778

Periodicals postage paid at Johns Island, SC 29457 and at additional mailing offices.

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©Sidelines, 2020 All Rights Reserved

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SIDELINESMAGAZINE • January 2020

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SIDELINESMAGAZINE • January 2020

Jan Westmark

Editor-In-Chief

editor@sidelinesmagazine.com

Letterfrom the editor

Carson Kressley

Photo by Adrienne Morella

Ryan Pedigo

Photo by Kristin Lee

George Williams

Photo by Melissa Fuller

Life in the New Year

Is Better With Horses

aving television star, fashion guru and horseman Carson Kressley on the cover of

our January issue is the perfect way to kick off the new year. Carson’s enthusiasm

is contagious, whether on one of his many TV shows or at the barn with his

horses, and he is definitely the poster child for living life to the fullest.

Carson grew up in a horsey family, showing Hackneys and Shetland ponies all over the

East Coast as a child. Well-known for his flashy personality, Carson found a perfect fit

when he discovered the equally flashy Saddlebred breed.

His life with Saddlebreds and Friesians has been successful, winning multiple world

titles and championships. When one of his Friesians became a Breyer horse model, Carson

became a crowd favorite at Breyerfest, which isn’t surprising. Wherever he goes and

whatever he does, Carson does it with gusto.

Like many horse people, Carson believes his life is better thanks to his horses. While

he has a hectic schedule, returning to the barn keeps him grounded. With his typical wit,

Carson pointed out that horses are cheaper than a psychiatrist – depending on how many

horses you have, of course. I think you’ll enjoy getting to know Carson, whose love and

devotion for his horses is inspiring.

In this issue, we also meet Southern California trainer and breeder Ryan

Pedigo, whose life is also better thanks to horses. Ryan’s grandparents raised

Trakehners and sparked a love of horses in young Ryan, who went on to success in

the show world.

When Ryan fell in love with the Hanoverian breed, his life became that much

better. Now breeding, raising, training and watching his horses compete, Ryan

is a strong promoter of the U.S. breeding market and hopes that it will grow and

flourish. This issue also features our Stallion and Breeding Guide, and I think it’s

exciting to see page after page of stallions and generations of successful breeding.

Dressage rider and former United States Dressage Federation President

George Williams has lived a life dedicated to horses. He and his wife, Roberta,

along with their daughter, Noel, are living examples that life is better when

you’re involved with horses. George will be taking over the Sidelines dressage

column starting in our next issue, but this month we take a look at George’s life

— from riding and training with the Tempel Lipizzans for 20 years to his own

competitive goals and successes in the dressage ring.

If you’re thinking you’d love to have your life revolve around horses in the

new year, you can! Sign up for riding lessons or volunteer with a local horse rescue or

therapeutic riding center. It will be a win-win as you give of your time and get to spend

time with our beloved four-legged friends.

Life is always better with horses. Happy New Year!

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december Issue

from thesidelines

Stay in touch! Email Sidelines at editor@sidelinesmagazine.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Letters to the Editor

Connect with Sidelines magazine on

Facebook to join in the conversation!

What an honor to be featured on the cover of

Sidelines! Thank you to Bob Bell and everyone

at the magazine for giving me this opportunity

(“Grant Seger: Family Horseman on the

Adventure of a Lifetime” by Britney Grover).

I’m so thankful for my amazing wife, Rebekah,

and my awesome owners and sponsors for their

constant support. It takes a village to be in this

sport with a growing family, and I must say I

have a pretty incredible village. 

—Grant Seger

Congratulations, Grant and Rebekah Seger

(“Grant Seger: Family Horseman on the

Adventure of a Lifetime” by Britney Grover)!

Well deserved!

­—Barb DiPalma

I loved the article on Rebekah, Grant and

Mason (“Grant Seger: Family Horseman on the

Adventure of a Lifetime” by Britney Grover).

Way to go. On fire in so many ways! 

—Laura Keen

My dear friends, please read the wonderful

article about Muriel and Wheatland Farm

(“Muriel Forrest: Turning Hardship Into

Blessing Others” by Kathryn McMackin). This

is truly my home away from home. The Forrest

family has built an amazing program and the

future looks amazing! Beautiful article, Muriel!

Anthony (also a 2019 Sidelines Hot Horseman)

— well done!

—Melissa McNamee

Thank you, Sidelines magazine, for the write-up

(2019 Sidelines Hot Horsemen). I am so blessed

to be part of such an amazing team! Thank

you, Shawna Simmons, for the photo!

—Anthony Forrest

So honored to have Wheatland Farm

(“Muriel Forrest: Turning Hardship

Into Blessing Others” by Kathryn

McMackin) with Anthony Forrest (2019

Sidelines Hot Horsemen) in the latest issue

of Sidelines magazine. Thank you, Jan

Westmark and Shawna Simmons, for this

great honor. I cannot thank you enough

for the beautiful story and photographs —

your generosity of time for us helps to raise

awareness so much for our students, whose

accomplishments often go unsung. Thank

you from the bottom of my heart. 

—Muriel Forrest

Love Sidelines magazine! Really enjoyed

the article about Lexi Wedemeyer (“Lexi

Wedemeyer: Jumping at Every Opportunity”

by Lori Ovanessian). Thank you! 

—Connie Hunt

Wow! Go Avery — she deserves this (“Avery

Glynn: On Three Rings and Big Dreams” by

Susan Friedland-Smith). So much work and

talent to accomplish what she’s doing!

—Sharon Minkes

Thank you to everyone at Sidelines for the

article about Vanessa Mazzoli and our journey

(“Vanessa Mazzoli: A Head Start on Lifelong

Dreams” by Ruby Tevis)! 

—Janet Mazzoli

Wonderful article, and all very true (“Vanessa

Mazzoli: A Head Start on Lifelong Dreams” by

Ruby Tevis). Vanessa is one of few horse show

kids that does all the work. “Super mom” Janet

keeps the train rolling smoothly. Works full

time, commutes six hours weekly to help her oh-

so-talented daughter live her dream. Great team.

—Lisa Frenaye

sidelines spotlight

Hope Beers, an Asbury University equine

student from Wilmore, Kentucky, shows off a

Sidelines magazine at the National Horse Show

in Lexington, Kentucky.

Alexa Lee and her dog Ottis show off their story

in Sidelines while at KB Sport Horses. Alexa

rescued her OTTB, Satin, and they have found

tremendous success in the show world. Have

you rescued a horse? Send us an email and let us

know your story.

Luca Proscia of Fratelli Fabbri and Kat Fuqua,

right, show off Kat’s ribbon for Best Child Rider

on a Pony at the 2019 SFJHA 69th Annual

Charity Horse Show. The December Hot

Horsemen issue of Sidelines, which features

Kat on the Unbridled page, also took part in

the photoshoot! Thanks, Fabbri, for sponsoring

Kat, and thanks for sharing Sidelines!

A wise group of friends, including Sidelines

Sales Rep Kayce Douglass, back right, escaped

the Colorado snow near the Colorado Horse

Park in Parker, Colorado, with dinner and some

Sidelines reading.

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SIDELINESMAGAZINE • January 2020

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SIDELINESMAGAZINE • January 2020

from thesidelines

Stay in touch! Email Sidelines at editor@sidelinesmagazine.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Letters to the Editor continued

Connect with Sidelines magazine on

Facebook to join in the conversation!

Rutledge Farm in Middleburg, Virginia, has a

great line-up of talented riders teaching clinics

and sharing their expertise. Trainer Stacia

Madden, left, taught a recent clinic and took

time to show off a Sidelines magazine with

Rutledge farm’s Aleco Bravo-Greenberg.

Kenny Munic’s mom, Barbara Munic, has a

proud mom moment with the photo of Kenny

in the 2019 Sidelines Hot Horsemen. We love

our moms!

If you’re in Ocala, Florida, and want to pick up

a copy of Sidelines magazine, then head to the

Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention

Bureau. Check out Corry Locke, Group Sales

Coordinator, posing in his great logo shirt,

enjoying the latest edition of Sidelines!

Alex Belton and her APHA gelding, Daffy’s

Son Shine, enjoy a little light reading at the

barn. Get a free subscription to Sidelines when

you send in a photo of yourself and your horse

(or a friend’s horse or any other four-legged

creature) to editor@sidelinesmagazine.com.

Sidelines photographer Lori Ovanessian, of

simpleefocused.com, shot the photo of Scott

Neill, a 2019 Sidelines Hot Horseman. Thanks

for sharing the magazine!

Alice Dunbar, left, caught up with Michel

Assouline, head coach of development and para

dressage technical advisor for the United States

Equestrian Federation, while in Tryon, North

Carolina. Big thanks to Michel for supporting

and promoting the dressage world.

Congratulations to Sarah Davis and US

Equestrian President Murray Kessler on their

beautiful wedding at The Breakers Palm Beach,

which was well-attended by equestrians from

around the globe.

Sidelines Sales Rep Kayce Douglass, second

from left, enjoys hanging out with the ladies at the

Dover Saddlery in Parker, Colorado. The Dover

ladies challenge other Dover Saddlery stores to

send in photos showing off Sidelines, too!

Makayla Tull, at the National Horse Show in

Lexington, Kentucky, with a copy of Sideliness

magazine. Find a copy of Sidelines at your

next horse show and send us a photo with the

magazine!

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SIDELINESMAGAZINE • January 2020