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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- 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 … [Read more]
- Published in Weekly Feature