Ali Brock: From Aloha to the Olympics
Thursday, April 18 2019
By Britney Grover Portraits by Isabel J. Kurek Allison “Ali” Brock doesn’t let limitations stop her. She was attracted to horses from the beginning, despite no family connection to horses; she worked to pay for her own riding from 12 years old, and left home at 17 to pursue equestrian excellence after going as far
- Published in Weekly Feature
Hattie Gilpin: Horses, Tiffany’s and Her Own Jewelry Line
Tuesday, April 02 2019
By Alannah Castro Portraits by Kathy Russell As a young girl, Hattie Gilpin took an unconventional route to the horse world: She got involved in competitive swimming at a very young age, and her assistant swim coach introduced her to what would become one of the loves of her life: horses. Once swimming gave way
- Published in Weekly Feature
Melinda Van Dyck: Life on Stage and on Horseback
Friday, March 29 2019
By Hope Ellis-Ashburn Portraits by Shawna Simmons Actress Melinda Van Dyck is a lifelong equestrian with Hollywood roots. The daughter of thespian Joan Bennett and screenwriter and producer Gene Markey, she was born in the 1930s and raised in the bright lights of Hollywood, California. While her childhood was unusual for most, it wasn’t uncommon
- Published in Weekly Feature
Michelle Durpetti: An Old-Fashioned Work Ethic
Monday, March 25 2019
As Michelle Durpetti waits to jog her amateur-owner hunter, Lucca, at the Kentucky Horse Park, she’s talking animatedly into headphones tucked carefully under her helmet with her cellphone in hand. The 40-year-old Chicago native is on a conference call with part of the Turnkey Hospitality Group team — her family’s company whose brands include famed
- Published in Weekly Feature
Joanna Zeller Quentin: Hooked On Horses and Art
Saturday, March 16 2019
By Hope Ellis-Ashburn When it came time for artist Joanna Zeller Quentin and her husband to come up with a name for the studio they planned to share, finding a great name proved difficult. “Moose Pants Studio was born out of desperation. Everything that we thought of that was really cool and wonderful and unique
- Published in Weekly Feature
Ruth Nicodemus: A Passion for Teaching the Passionate
Tuesday, March 05 2019
By Britney Grover Ruth Nicodemus hasn’t just been passionate about horses all her life — she’s been passionate about teaching. “My passion for teaching was instinctive,” she said. “I was the annoying friend who, while I was hacking with four or five of my friends at 12 years old, would stand in the middle of
- Published in General, Weekly Feature
Gabrielle Fournier: Working Student to Student Athlete
Tuesday, March 05 2019
By Carter Anderson Gabrielle Fournier is a sophomore on the equestrian team at Delaware State University. Her journey to the school and team, however, is a story of struggle and triumph. She’s had to work for all the opportunities she’s been given. She took her first job as a working student at Halcyon Equestrian under
- Published in Weekly Feature
Pete D’Costa: Enjoying an International Polo Lifestyle
Monday, February 25 2019
By Alannah Castro Portraits by Adrienne Morella Growing up in Bombay, India, Pete D’Costa wasn’t exactly in the epicenter of equestrian activity — but never one to be deterred from his passions, Pete always found a way to ride. “It wasn’t a very big horse culture growing up, but I was always fascinated by horses
- Published in Weekly Feature
Lisa Curry Mair: Life With Horses and Art
Tuesday, February 05 2019
By Laurie Berglie Equestrian artist Lisa Curry Mair has been creating since she was a child. She could be found drawing, doodling and painting, and always had some sort of craft or project in the works. Lisa’s mother brought her up reading the horse books by C.W. Anderson and the Thelwell cartoons, and she soon
- Published in Weekly Feature
Jeff Ramey and Melanie Peterson-Ramey: Living Life to the Fullest
Thursday, January 31 2019
By Britney Grover Portraits by Shawna Simmons Even at first glance, Jeff Ramey and Melanie Peterson are an equestrian business power couple: Jeff’s Ramard, Inc. makes game-changing supplements for horses and is used by famed riders like McLain Ward, Laura Kraut and Cian O’Connor as well as teams around the world; Melanie is a successful
- Published in Weekly Feature