112 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Suzy Balenseifen
Mile Post Farm, Castle Rock
Colorado
Suzy has “native” status in
Colorado, which is very hard to fnd
these days.
Suzy grew up on a farm in Castle
Rock, Colorado and started riding
and taking lessons at an early age.
In 1978, Suzy and Dale bought Mile
Post Farm, where Suzy continues to
compete and teach adult amateurs.
She is a Large “R” Judge and takes
her students and clients to all of the
A rated hunter/jumper shows across the country. Suzy has had
great success and has made her mark on the Colorado hunter/
jumper world.
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Vanda Werner
Mile High Horse Ranch, Parker,
Colorado
Vanda’s Mile High Horse
Ranch was built in 1976 as a
breeding facility and Vanda began
her breeding career with her
imported stallion, Pregelstrand.
Her breeding successes included
“Titan,” an Anglo-Trakehner
who was long listed for the 1992
Olympic Team and Hannibal, the
individual silver medal winner and a
contributor to the silver team medal
in the 1995 Pan Am Games in Argentina. Today Mile High Horse
Ranch is a boarding and training stable with an emphasis on
combined training, with Lynn Klisavage as the head trainer.
Sylvia McDonald
Arapahoe Hunt
,
Colorado
Sylvia got her frst blue
ribbon when she was three
years old and her most
recent blue ribbon at age 83!
She and her husband Rod
bought the McDonald Starr
Ranch in Larkspur, Colorado
and bred Thoroughbreds for
polo and hunting. Rod gave
up breeding for car racing;
but Sylvia, at 88, is still hill
topping on her horse and her
daughter, Lyn Robinson, is the
frst female whipper-in at the
Arapahoe Hunt.
Susan Robinson Farmer
Abbe Ranch, Larkspur, Colorado
Susan and her husband Dick bought the Abbe Ranch Farm in
Larkspur, Colorado in 1970, the year they were married. They
began having Pony Club activities at Abbe that same year,
including a Pony Club D Rally. In 1976, Susan and Dick had their
frst Abbe Ranch
Horse Trial and
will be celebrating
their 38
th
year
this summer!
They also started
holding clinics in
1974. Thanks to
their horse trials
and clinics, Susan
has many great
stories to share!
Peggy Klisavage
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Peggy grew up in England, met
her husband Hank and moved
to Colorado Springs. Peggy is
known for her kind and generous
heart and
lovely English
manner. She is respected and
loved among her equestrian
contemporaries and is a recipient
of The Volunteer of the Year
Award. No matter the weather,
Peggy can be found helping out
as a jump judge at events and
horse trials. Peggy also loves
jumping out of planes and plans
on doing so in two years on her
90th birthday.
Corky Shaha
Wells Bridge Farm, Parker Colorado
Corky and Paul Rohrbach, a professional hunter/jumper rider,
started a partnership in 1980 at Wells Bridge Farm in Parker,
Colorado. Their business continues to grow and they travel to all
of the A rated shows across the country, including Harrisburg and
Washington. Corky has been president of the Colorado Hunter
Jumper Association and recently won the Langer EquestrianGroup
Trainer Award. Corky
credits her award to
her working partnership
with Paul. Corky is
easy to spot at the
shows, accompanied
by her small four-legged
companions Scout and
Nueno.
Sidelines took a recent tour of Colorado – and discovered some amazing
ladies that keep the equestrian world riding high in the Centennial State.
We are pleased to introduce you to some of Colorado’s Leading Ladies.