72 SIDELINES APRIL 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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Five Questions for Brad Turley
Brad Turley is an amateur eventer and the owner
of Southern 8ths Farm in Chesterfeld, SC. His love
of long format eventing inspired him to create a place
where others with a similar passion could train.
In 2011, Brad took it one step further when Southern
8ths hosted its frst recognized long format event for
Beginner Novice through Training Level called So8ths/
Nikon Three-Day Event in the Heart of the Carolinas.
His goal was to create an event where those riders who
may never move beyond Training could compete at a
frst class facility. Southern 8ths also welcomes the
professional riders bringing along young horses and
always likes to see the next generation young riders
developing their skills.
His recognized event recently achieved a milestone
when on February 1, 2012, the US Eventing Association
approved a policy change to permit Beginner Novice and
Novice riders to compete in fully recognized long format
three-day events and to earn USEA National Year-
end points and eventing championship qualifcations.
Southern 8ths Farm is the frst organizer to offer both of
the newly recognized levels at its So8ths/Nikon Three-
Day Event this May 3
rd
through 6
th
.
Sidelines:
How did you get involved with horses?
BT:
My daughter had an interest in horses and I was just
starting my company, Continuum Performance Systems,
Inc. After working for several years without a break, I
needed a hobby. So, I bought my daughter and me each
a horse. We rode together twice, then she didn’t want
to have anything to do with Dad. Now, 15 years later,
she has come to South Carolina and ridden with me on
several occasions.
Sidelines:
How did you get into Eventing?
BT:
My second horse, “Whoa Damnit” was an 18.1H
Draft Cross that I planned to trail ride. He had a large
stride and didn’t stop very well. I put up an indoor arena
and the local Pony Club asked if they could use it, with
one condition that I take lessons on how to stop so others
would feel comfortable trail riding with me. After half
a dozen “halting” lessons, the Pony Club trainer asked
what else I’d like to learn. I said, “I’d like to jump over
walls and logs.”
Sidelines:
What inspired you to create Southern 8ths
Farm?
BT:
After riding Whoa Damnit and doing a few schooling horse
trials, I found a good trainer. We upgraded my mount and got
serious about being competitive. I rode my 4 NQR at Training
level and qualifed to ride a Training three day format at Green
Mountain Horse Association. Although the weather was
horrible, the ride was the best of my life. I wanted to share that
feeling with other adult riders. It seemed like a different sport
when you added the conditioning, gallops and effort to keep the
horse sound. So, with Tremaine Cooper’s help, we created our
long format training center, complete with steeplechase and
miles of roads and tracks. We even worked with some local
steeplechase tracks to build real steeplechase fences with
national brush and foam quarter rounds.
Sidelines:
You are very busy with work; how do you fnd time
for the Eventing side of your life?
BT:
Good people. My signifcant other, Pati Martin, runs
the farm and oversees the events. She leaves the fun things
like excavating and building to me - and ensures I get time to
ride well prepared horses. I have a couple of key people at
Continuum and they keep the business on track and the clients
happy.
Sidelines:
What do you see for the future?
BT:
I hope this year’s event flls up and everyone passes the
word about how much they enjoyed and benefted from the long
format, so we can keep this going for a long time.
Brad Turley has a long format training center, complete with
steeplechase and miles of roads and tracks at his farm in South
Carolina
Photo by Diana De Rosa