Sidelines November 2025

This Issue! Tanner Korotkin—Taking the Reins of Tradition; Heather Wu—Connemara Ponies and Eventing Dreams; Shelly Francis—Savoring Her Dressage Journey; And Much More!

TANNER

KOROTKIN

Taking the Reins

of Tradition

HEATHER WU

Connemara Ponies

and Eventing Dreams

SHELLY FRANCIS

Savoring Her

Dressage Journey

November 2025 | SIDELINESMAGAZINE

SHOW JUMPING

SOFIA POPESCU

Jumping Into the Future

DRESSAGE

GEORGE WILLIAMS

A Busy Fall for U.S. Dressage

DRESSAGE

SHELLY FRANCIS

Learning to Savor the Dressage Journey

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

UNDER THE SIDELINES TREE

HUNTER-JUMPER

MORGAN KENNEDY

Solving Puzzles and Developing Happy Horses

ART

MELISSA MASON

Swapping Scrubs for Strokes of Paint

EVENTING

HEATHER WU

Connemara Ponies and Eventing Dreams

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

MARGIE SUGARMAN

Junior to Amateur: A Challenge of Growth

HUNTER-JUMPER

WYATT ROFEY

Learning to Fly

On the cover:

Tanner Korotkin in Wellington, Florida,

with Kinmar Quality Hero, or Kinmar,

owned by Sandalwood Farm.

November 2025

About this photo:

Kinmar Quality Hero has been a special partner for

Tanner over the past year. The pair has competed in

several five-star competitions and won the $65,000

IDA Development Grand Prix CSI2* at the World

Equestrian Center in Ocala this summer.

Photos by Melissa Fuller,

melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com

Volume 37 Issue 11 SIDELINES (ISSN 1071-3859) is owned by TRAUB CAPITAL PARTNERS and is published twelve times a year.

November 2025 | SIDELINESMAGAZINE

SHOW JUMPING

MELODY LIU

Healing Heartache by Building a Business

SHOW JUMPING

ELENA HAAS

Show Jumping and Sustainability

COVER STORY

TANNER KOROTKIN

Taking the Reins of Tradition

SHOW JUMPING

SANDRA DALMAN

Riding Through Hard Realities

UNBRIDLED

JAN WESTMARK BAUER

IN EVERY ISSUE

16 Letter From the Editor | 18 Letters to the Editor | 88 Sidelines Business

90 Barns, Farms, Trainers, Clubs | 90 Tack and Feed Stores | 91 Real Estate

91 Equestrian Services Directory | 94 Advertisers Index

Sandra Dalman

Photo by Melissa Fuller

Sofia Popescu

Photo by Melissa Fuller

November 2025 | SIDELINESMAGAZINE

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

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November 2025 | SIDELINESMAGAZINE

Thankful for Horse

Friends Near and Far

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

Tanner Korotkin

Photo by Melissa Fuller

Heather Wu

Photo by Sara Farrell

Shelly Francis

Photo by Kacy Brown

t’s hard to believe the leaves are starting to change and soon we will need to blanket horses.

Maybe some of you already are! Of course there are horse areas, such as Wellington,

Florida, where the weather is still warm and balmy, and might stay that way all winter.

When I had my horse farm in Wellington, I dreamt of cold weather—and while I rarely got

it, I did get something else—I met horse people from all over the world who converged on

Wellington every year. Some lived there year-round, including Alan and Kirsty Korotkin and

their kids Jared, Tanner and Carysn. I knew Tanner as a little boy, so it’s hard to believe he is

grown up and on our cover this month!

I think you’ll enjoy getting to know Tanner. He is driven and determined, and has already

found great success. Tanner has many mentors in the horse world, with his dad being on the

top of the list. Tanner said the common denominator among his mentors is kindness and

respect. What a great combination.

I remember the young version of Tanner, and it’s exciting to see the grown-up version with

talent and wisdom. If you know Tanner I’m sure you’ll agree, and even if you don’t know him,

I think you’ll enjoy reading his story and following his adventures in the horse world.

Speaking of adventures, my husband Jerry and I were in Lexington, Kentucky, recently and

had the opportunity to visit three-day eventer Heather Wu at her farm. With her infectious

smile, an amazing farm and a field filled with Connemara ponies, it was a great visit.

Heather and I bonded over our shared love and ownership of Connemaras—I have had

many in my lifetime—so it was great meeting Heather and her band of ponies. Heather has a

story that will make you smile—as well as shudder. Don’t miss her story featuring an accident

that changed her whole perspective on life. And thanks, Heather, for letting us visit your farm!

I have always admired dressage rider Shelly Francis, and am so glad we are featuring

her in this issue. I absolutely loved her show life as a child—it made me smile (and it made

me remember a few times I put miniature horses in my minivan). I loved reading about her

cherished moments, including competing at Aachen and her thoughts on the experience. Don’t

miss Shelly’s story!

One of the wonderful things about our horse world is spending time with horse friends.

Whether bonding during trail rides or standing at the edge of a ring or reading a story about a

horse and rider and sharing it with a friend, it’s an experience we should always be thankful for.

I’m also excited that the holidays are right around the corner—and in this issue as well! Don’t

miss our Under the Tree holiday pages. It’s time to start getting gift ideas for the equestrians on

your list.

November 2025 | SIDELINESMAGAZINE

October Issue

Stay in touch! Email letters to editor@sidelinesmagazine.com

LettersTo THE EDITOR

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LettersTo THE EDITOR

We were so pleased to have been asked to be

part of a magazine that not only focuses on

excellence in horse sport but also the riches that

come from the horse culture—health, wellness,

education, community and family (“Leslie Law

and Lesley Grant-Law: Same Names, Same

Love for Eventing” by Laura Scaletti). Thank

you, Sidelines, for including us in your family.

—The Laws

You both look absolutely fabulous (“Leslie Law

and Lesley Grant-Law: Same Names, Same

Love for Eventing” by Laura Scaletti).

—Sonya Crampton

I saddle fitted for Leslie in the UK about 20

years ago, and crossed him recently at Twin

Rivers—same gentleman (“Leslie Law and

Lesley Grant-Law: Same Names, Same Love

for Eventing” by Laura Scaletti). Always a

memorable time.

—@gravity.saddles.usa

Two of my favorite people! Some great

memories (“Leslie Law and Lesley Grant-Law:

Same Names, Same Love for Eventing” by

Laura Scaletti).

—@laurajonesrealestateteam

Thrilled to be featured in this month’s issue of

Sidelines Magazine (“Saralyn Darmstatter: Living

the Horse Girl Lifestyle” by Laura Scaletti)!

—Saralyn Darmstatter

Great article, Sara (“Saralyn Darmstatter: Living

the Horse Girl Lifestyle” by Laura Scaletti).

Congratulations on well-earned recognition!

—Paul Baker

I loved it (“Saralyn Darmstatter: Living the

Horse Girl Lifestyle” by Laura Scaletti). I can’t

stop reading it, and you look beautiful!

—Destiny Pastermack

Wonderful article and well-deserved, Saralyn

(“Saralyn Darmstatter: Living the Horse

Girl Lifestyle” by Laura Scaletti). You are so

accomplished and you look beautiful!

—Patti Riebold

This is so amazing (“Saralyn Darmstatter:

Living the Horse Girl Lifestyle” by Laura

Scaletti)! Congratulations Sara! And congrats

to Mocha, too!

—Jason Riebold

Jan, I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have

been included in such an incredible magazine

with such a long-standing tradition within

equestrian journalism (“Mark & Sophie Kinsella:

Loving Team and Family” by Laura Scaletti).

When I was in middle school way back when,

I remember looking forward to getting my

Sidelines issue each month and submitting photos

of me riding in someone’s backyard on whatever

I could find—which happened to be a paint

pony—and I one day got featured. I believe that

was in 2007, and since then I have been such a

fan of your magazine. Featuring me and Mark

in an article was so kind and generous, and your

words so perfectly capture our life. I hope this is

the beginning of many more opportunities to get

together. I am so grateful for you and your team.

—Sophie Kinsella

Congratulations, Nancy Dye (“Nancy Dye:

Transforming Equestrian Minds” by Laila

Edwards)! We’re so proud of you!

—John DeFendis

I had an absolute blast being featured in Sidelines

magazine, thanks to the fabulous team at

Keiser University’s Equestrian Program—you

made this shoot such a joy (“Kendall Bierer:

Horsemanship Saving Lives With Brooke

USA” by Britney Grover). A HUGE thank you

to Jan Westmark Bauer for the feature, and to

Melissa Fuller for making magic behind the lens.

—Kendall Bierer

Lovely article about a lovely woman (“Kendall

Bierer: Horsemanship Saving Lives With

Brooke USA” by Britney Grover).

—Candace K. Platz

Glowing article, Kendall! So wonderful to see

you showcased as a Brooke USA pillar (“Kendall

Bierer: Horsemanship Saving Lives With Brooke

USA” by Britney Grover). Lovely photos.

—Karen Nel

Congratulations, Kendall! What an honor

(“Kendall Bierer: Horsemanship Saving Lives

With Brooke USA” by Britney Grover). You

should be so proud. So happy for you and your

beautiful family.

—Barbara Walsh

So much fun photographing Cisy Zhou for her

feature in this month’s Sidelines (“Cisy Zhou:

Pony Gold & Going for Goals” by Britney

Grover). We dodged torrential rain and

somehow ended up with truly special moments.

Cisy is such a talent, so poised and such a kind

and beautifully spoken young lady. It was a joy to

capture her alongside her perfect crew of ponies.

I have no doubt I’ll be saying, “I knew her when!”

—Sophia Donohue

I don’t usually dress like this for the barn—they

did a nice job capturing my passions (“Ruth

Hogan Poulsen: Writing the Book on Dressage”

by Laura Scaletti)!

—Ruth Hogan Poulsen

What a wonderful write-up, Ruth (“Ruth

Hogan Poulsen: Writing the Book on Dressage”

by Laura Scaletti). I have many wonderful

memories of lessons with you. Also horse

shopping in Denmark with you and Bo! Thank

you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom

with so many people over the years.

—Noreen O’ Sullivan

sidelines spotlight

Sidelines photographer Melissa Fuller had a great

time taking the photos of Tanner Korotkin,

who appears on our cover this month. Fun fact:

Melissa also took the photos of Tanner’s sister,

Carsyn, when Carsyn was on the cover of the

pony issue in July 2024. There’s some serious

talent in this family!

November 2025 | SIDELINESMAGAZINE