18 SIDELINES DECEMBER 2011
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Five Questions for Aimee LaFayette
By Kendall Bierer
Aimee LaFayette began riding when she was five
years old, when her grandmother, Janice MacLean
took her to her first lesson. Five years later, Aimee’s
grandparents built Franktown Meadows Equestrian
Facility so that both her sister Sarah and she could
pursue riding year round - something that was not
widely available in Northern Nevada. As a junior rider,
Aimee competed successfully in the pony hunters,
junior hunters, and children’s jumpers. Aimee returned
to riding in 2009 after a long break from horses.
Since this time, she has become more involved in the
management of Franktown Meadows by promoting the
facility’s assets to host events such as a standalone
hunter derby, EAP clinic, *** dressage competitions, as
well as monthly clinics. In addition to her time working
with her family at Franktown Meadows, she is enrolled
in a doctoral program for Cultural Anthropology. She
conducts research in Zacatecas, Mexico on violence
prevention education.
Sidelines:
How did you get started with horses?
AL:
It was my grandmother, Janice MacLean, who was
always in love with horses. Unfortunately, she passed
away four years ago from pancreatic cancer, but she
passed on her love to her family, it really goes back
three generations.
Sidelines:
How did the idea for the Franktown
Meadows Derby get started?
AL:
My grandmother began the love for riding within
my family and the little barn of Franktown Meadows
was eventually built. It was the idea of being a premier
facility for hunter/jumper and dressage training in
Northern Nevada. Nothing like that really existed.
When we achieved a twenty year history of being a
boarding/training facility, the idea for the Derby came
about. Sue Lee, who is very good friends with Rush
and Carl Weeden, introduced us and they have really
helped us. It was really through the support of Diane
Carney and the Weedens that we had the support to
grow and expand.
Sidelines:
How would you like to see the Franktown
Derby grow and change over the coming years?
AL:
We hope to become one of the most traditional, respected
and important events that people seek out to participate. We
believe in the longevity of the program and that it isn’t going
to be abandoned by the industry. It is something that is going
to be closely related to tradition and one of the best places to
have a hunter derby.
Sidelines:
What challenges have you faced?
AL:
Well, as far as challenges, it’s two-fold: locally and
geographically. Horses in Northern Nevada are typically tied
to things more western-oriented in discipline; we educate our
local community as our primary basis. We are a destination,
it is a special destination, but it is out of the way of the typical
horse show circuit, we have to convince people that the travel
is worthwhile.
Sidelines:
Is there anything else you would like to add?
AL:
We do the Derby in the name of our grandmother,
Janice M. MacLean, because she would have said “yes” to
this immediately. We also do it because we have such a
love of the sport, and enjoy being able to contribute to it in a
meaningful way.
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Aimee LaFayette
Photo courtesy Phelps Media Group