Julie Ferris: Painting Her Passion

By Doris Degner-Foster The horses in Julie Ferris’ work look as though they could step off the canvas, especially in her life-sized paintings. Her trademark style of using a white painted background highlights her subject, showing the character of each individual horse through their facial expression and unique physical components. As much as Julie enjoys
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Ali Brock: From Aloha to the Olympics 

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

Hattie Gilpin: Horses, Tiffany’s and Her Own Jewelry Line

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
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Melinda Van Dyck: Life on Stage and on Horseback

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
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Michelle Durpetti: An Old-Fashioned Work Ethic

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
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Joanna Zeller Quentin: Hooked On Horses and Art

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
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Ruth Nicodemus: A Passion for Teaching the Passionate

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
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Gabrielle Fournier: Working Student to Student Athlete

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
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Pete D’Costa: Enjoying an International Polo Lifestyle

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
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Lisa Curry Mair: Life With Horses and Art

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
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