By Jessica Grutkowski
Portraits by Melissa Fuller
Horses came into Mark Miness’ life when he needed them most. Like many latchkey kids growing up during the 1990s, Mark split his time between his parents’ homes in New York. His older sister had already caught the “horse bug,” and by age 8, Mark also found the barn to be his happy place—an escape from the uncertainty at home amid his parents’ impending divorce.
Once Mark had a few years of lessons and local shows under his belt, his parents bought him an off-the-track Thoroughbred named Nico. Mark was thrilled to have a horse, but Nico was an unwilling participant. “I was small, and he was enormous,” Mark said. “I fell off nearly every time I rode him, and that was only if he let me tack him up.”
Nico taught Mark valuable lessons in grit and resilience. Despite many tears and bruises, quitting was never an option. “Horses brought me a sense of stability and calm that I wasn’t able to experience at home,” Mark said. “I was determined to prove I was serious about horses.”
Luckily, Mark’s parents recognized his dedication and need for a better equine partner. “My first real quality horse was named Chances R, and I rode him in the Children’s hunters,” Mark said. “My next horse, Norman, dabbled in everything from the Junior hunters to the equitation to the Junior jumpers. Back then, it wasn’t uncommon for horses to compete in multiple divisions.”
Finding Confidence on the Road
As a teenager, Mark embraced the true equestrian lifestyle, traveling from show to show, up and down the East Coast from Wellington, Florida, to Lake Placid, New York—and all of the big venues in between. “I lived with all my barnmates at one point or another,” he said. “I consider many of them family. They helped me through some really challenging times.”
During his Junior years, Mark trained with Lisa Rex, owner of Somerset Equestrian on Long Island. On the road, Mark trained with George Morris in the jumpers. “George taught me a lot about horsemanship and adapting my ride to suit a horse’s needs,” he said. “He stressed the importance of flat work and sticking to a plan in the ring.”
To this day, Mark considers himself an avid competitor. “I wasn’t a top Junior rider, but I held my own in most rings,” he said. “I won ribbons at equitation finals, but always struggled with confidence. If the course was going well, I was certain I’d screw it up.”
When Mark turned 18 years old, he began riding at Fairfield County Hunt Club (FCHC) with Olympian Leslie Burr-Howard and Grand Prix rider Molly Ashe Cawley. “Leslie and Molly instilled confidence,” Mark said. “When they told me I was talented, I truly believed them.” This new positive mindset changed Mark’s entire outlook on riding—and life in general—and helped him to better compete under pressure.
He competed at the prestigious Young Riders Championship alongside teammates Amanda Baird, Jamie Krauss and Amy Betuker. “Leslie was our chef d’equipe. I had a wonderful horse, Kaboom. Our team finished on the podium with bronze medals all around,” Mark said, adding it was his second time competing at Young Riders. “The first time, I brought a 6-year-old named Caprice de Cene who had never jumped the open water. We’re lucky to have survived.” This time around, Mark brought Caprice back to win, besting a field of talented riders, including Kent Farrington.
After high school, Mark moved to Massachusetts to pursue a business degree at Boston University (BU). He embraced college life, but never lost sight of his passion. The summer after his freshman year at BU, Mark traveled with Leslie and Molly across Europe and Canada, showing at iconic jumper venues including Spruce Meadows. “I had such a sense of pride being associated with Leslie and Molly, who were both at the top of the sport,” he said. “They taught me to believe in myself. It’s a feeling I’ve carried into my life beyond horses, and has helped me in countless ways.”
Mark credits Leslie for making him the horseman he is today. “Leslie had a distinctive style,” he said. “We copied everything she did—her walk, how she talked, even how she clenched her jaw. We copied her riding style, but the likeness is up for debate!”
Away From Horses and Back
At the end of his junior year in college, Mark’s parents asked him whether he wanted to become a professional. “I wanted horses in my life, but I didn’t want the life of a professional,” Mark said. He decided to step away from riding to finish college and to build his career.
In 2001, Mark graduated from BU and moved to San Francisco to work for a hedge fund. After some time in San Francisco, he had the opportunity to live and work in Sydney, Australia. “Sydney is a fantastic city with amazing people and culture,” Mark said. “Ultimately, I knew that it wasn’t the place I wanted to put down roots.” In 2008, he repatriated to the United States and found himself back in Manhattan.
By 2010, Mark had moved back to San Francisco for work and met his future husband, Adam Ballard. Mark was settled in his adulthood and ready to bring horses back into his life. Like most amateurs, Mark had limited free time to practice but wanted to enjoy horse shows. “I care deeply about my horses, and didn’t think it was fair or safe to jump these big technical tracks if I was unpracticed,” he said.
Reducing his work schedule wasn’t an option, so Mark decided to shift from the jumpers to the hunters. “Riding in the hunter ring brings a unique set of challenges and rewards,” he said. “It felt like a more attainable goal, and I could draw on my experience as a Junior.”
Admittedly it had been several years since Mark navigated a handy round, and he needed to sharpen his tools if he wanted to be competitive. Mark had the chance to learn from one of the best: John French. “Hunter riders are so technical, and everything you do—every adjustment, every correction— needs to be invisible,” Mark said. “It’s all about nuance, and that was never my forte as a jumper rider. So I had to learn subtlety, and there’s no one better to learn that from than John.”
John ended up moving to Florida, and Leslie Steele, owner of Acres West in Calabasas, California, began riding his hunters. “I love the challenges young horses bring,” he said. “It’s pure joy to share in their success and to have been even a small part of their story.”
Mark’s current horse Blackbird, a 6-year-old Holsteiner by Casall purchased from Tom de Bel of Equestrix in Europe, is already proving to be a star in the hunter ring after only recently landing in the U.S. “Blackbird reminds me of a very special horse I owned named Call Me Maybe,” he said. Mark purchased Maybe as a 5-year-old and they immediately clicked; the pair was champion at the 2017 Pennsylvania National Horse Show in the 36+ Amateur Owner division. “It was an unforgettable experience to return to Harrisburg—where it all started for me—and ultimately to win,” he said. “I even convinced Leslie Howard to come to the ring with me, so I had ‘both Leslies’ at the in-gate.”
Enjoying the Jumpers From the Sidelines
Despite Mark’s success in the hunter ring, he missed the excitement of the jumpers. He once again reached out to Tom, his longtime partner in Belgium, who sent him a video of Corsica X, a 5-year-old Holsteiner mare by Connor. Mark quickly recognized the mare’s enormous potential and wanted to be part of her journey.
Under Tom’s management, Corsica continued her development in Europe with FEI athlete Martin Witt. After Martin piloted Corsica to win the 7-year-old Holsteiner Championships, Mark and his partner, Simone Shaheen, decided it was time to bring Corsica to the U.S. “The pandemic hit, and everything began shutting down,” Mark said. “She wasn’t getting the experience she needed, and we struggled to find her the right rider and program in the U.S.”
Mark decided to send her home to Europe for a reset. “We knew Corsica was the real deal, but we also knew that she needed a very specific rider at that stage in her development,” he said. “I rode Corsica once and quickly realized I wasn’t good enough—and that was OK. The right match is crucial with young horses.”
Tom introduced Mark to Rene Dittmer, a German rider known for having a special way with mares. Rene and Corsica immediately clicked, and he piloted her to many clear rounds across Europe. “Rene is an incredibly talented young rider,” Mark said. “He keeps the program very simple and focuses on developing trusting partnerships with the horses.”
This past fall, Corsica returned to the U.S. and hit the ground running. The pair jumped clear in three consecutive World Cup Qualifier classes, never finishing outside the top five. Corsica won the $78,000 Welcome Stake (1.55m) at the Washington International Horse Show, the $77,300 International Welcome Stake at the National Horse Show in Kentucky, and in December, the $226K CSI4* Grand Prix in their Wellington debut.
“Corsica has risen to every occasion. She’s smart, talented and truly enjoys competing,” Rene said. “I am grateful for Mark’s trust in me with this amazing mare.”
The role of horse owner has been immensely satisfying for Mark. “My main goal is to set the horse up for success,” he said. “Mares are all heart; they will do anything for you if you earn their trust.”
Mark works hard to balance his career, passions and marriage. “Adam and I got to know each other slowly, in an old-fashioned kind of way,” he said. “We support each other’s goals and share many interests, but are free to pursue our own. It makes our relationship stronger.”
The couple had an equestrian dream ceremony at Sonoma Horse Park in California, complete with a guest appearance from Mark’s longtime jumper partner Caprice de Cene. “Adam had never been exposed to horses,” Mark said. “He thinks it’s kind of ridiculous, and I can’t say that he’s wrong! Sometimes he’ll come to a show, but usually takes a hike or bike ride, and I’m perfectly fine with that.”
Mark is currently a partner at Generation Investment Management, an investment firm that focuses on sustainable investing. When Mark isn’t in the office, he enjoys spending time outdoors with Adam and their beloved dogs, Lincoln and Chester. “We love swimming, hiking and gardening,” he said. Mark remains close with his mentors and barn mates from over the years, especially Chris and Jon McCrea, and still stays with them when he travels to watch his horses show. “To this day, I look back on what they did for me with a huge sense of gratitude,” he said.
Follow Mark @msminess on Instagram
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com
