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Tuesday, March 14 2017 / Published in General

Equestrian Destination: Atlanta, Georgia

The Centennial Olympic Park
Photo by Gene Phillips/AtlantaPhotos.com

By Britney Grover

Only two cities in the United States have ever hosted Olympic equestrian events: Los Angeles, California, and Atlanta, Georgia, where they were held at the Georgia International Horse Park, newly constructed with the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in mind. Ever since, Atlanta and the Horse Park have been a top horse show destination.

Downtown skyline at dusk
Photo by James Duckworth, courtesy of Atlanta CVB

Helen Ballard is not a stranger to either top horse shows or Atlanta. Having lived in the Atlanta area off and on all her life, Helen grew up with ponies before showing hunter-jumpers. “I’ve ridden all my life,” she said, adding passionately, “I’m an avid equestrian.” Her daughter rode ponies and then junior hunters, so Helen traveled with her to all the top shows from indoors to Wellington. In 1983 Helen founded Ballard Designs, a very successful home décor business. With her history in the area, her love of horses and such impeccable taste, Helen is the perfect equestrian guide to Atlanta.

A beautiful view of the sky from the Atlanta Streetcar.
Photo by Gene Phillips/AtlantaPhotos.com

If shopping were a sport, Helen would be a grand prix competitor. She’s friends with the owners and designers of many top stores, like the Tilinskis of Bungalow Classic. “One of my favorite places to go shop is in the Westside. I love Bungalow Classic,” Helen said. Bungalow Classic, next door to Anthropologie, is a haven for antiques, home décor made from reclaimed materials, and other classic home furnishings including horse paintings and equestrian books, according to Helen. “Randy and Courtney have amazing style and grace as a couple.”

The Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Photo by Kevin C. Rose, courtesy of Atlanta CVB

The Westside Provisions District is rife with top stores and restaurants — what Helen called an amazing area and the SoHo of Atlanta. “Two of the most stylish people, the most amazing family, in Atlanta are married and each have a store,” Helen explained of two similarly named stores in the District: Ann Mashburn and Sid Mashburn. “Ann Mashburn has a lot of really upscale clothes as well as inexpensive, classic shirts and pants that all fit into the equestrian style,” Helen said. “She was an editor at Vogue, and it’s just a really cool family: Her husband, Sid Mashburn, has this amazing men’s store. They make custom suits, sell great jeans and even have a ping-pong table in the middle of the store.”

Helen’s other favorite stores in the area include Peridot, specializing in gifts to suit just about anyone’s taste and created by Helen’s good friend Dina Woodruff. “One of the best new stores in Atlanta is Dixon Rye,” Helen said, where former West Elm style director Bradley Odom has created a home furnishing and design center with intention. A trip to Dixon Rye will result in unique finds and a one-of-a-kind experience, helping customers blend the rich Southern heritage of the area with their own personal lifestyles.

Horses competing at the Georgia International Horse Park
Photos courtesy of the Georgia International Horse Park

A short way away, Atlanta’s Buckhead district also hosts some of Helen’s top shopping choices. Those destinations include Huff Harrington, combination fine art gallery and home furnishings store, and Sabot, a mother-daughter boutique. “B.D. Jeffries sells clothes and antiques. Sloan Home is a little boutique that has a lot of equestrian art, and Erika Reade Ltd. sells tableware, jewelry and furniture,” said Helen. “They’re all three right together, but totally different stores. Then there’s a great Mexican restaurant right there, bartaco. They have the most incredible margaritas and tacos — gourmet tacos in a very casual environment.”

The Buckhead Shops
Photo courtesy of Atlanta CVB

But tacos aren’t the only mouthwatering Buckhead fare. In 2014, the longstanding Sears, Roebuck & Co. building was reopened as Ponce City Market. The market has 259 residential flats, 550,000 square feet of office space and 300,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. “The restaurants are amazing,” Helen said. “My favorite restaurants there are The Mercury, which has great cocktails; Dub’s Fish Camp for oysters, wings at Minero, the kale salad at Brezza Cucina, and Botiwalla.”

The Swan House, an Atlanta landmark
Photo by Kevin C. Rose/AtlantaPhotos.com

You don’t have to look far for a more high-class dining experience, either. “Right near there is one of my favorite fancy dining places, Le Bilboquet.” With its classic French dishes and authentic décor, Le Bilboquet offers a Parisian sidewalk café atmosphere. Umi is a modern Japanese sushi house that Helen calls very gourmet. Looking for more places to make reservations? Aria is an acclaimed modern American restaurant; savor traditional Italian food at Sotto Sotto; experience coastal European fare at St. Cecilia; partake of locally-grown produce at Restaurant Eugene. A fantastic entrepreneurial restaurant is Better Half, which Helen likes because it’s not only great Southern food but easy to get into.

The Centennial Olympic Park fountain at night
Photo by Gene Phillips/AtlantaPhotos.com

If take-out is more your style, try Star Provisions. “Star Provisions has a bakery, and great sandwiches,” Helen shared. “They have a little cheese store with incredible cheeses, and one of the best coffee shops in Atlanta.” For healthy, inexpensive lunch dine-in or take-out, Helen’s favorite is Souper Jenny. With four Atlanta locations, Souper Jenny’s fresh menu changes daily, but includes soups, sandwiches and salads.

The Ponce City Market
Photo courtesy of Atlanta CVB

One Souper Jenny location is at the Atlanta History Center, a must-see on Helen’s visitor list. Take in Atlanta’s rich history with 33 acres of exhibits, gardens, family-friendly activities and historic houses like the Swan House, an Atlanta landmark and interactive glimpse into the wealthy 1930s lifestyle. Other top tourist destinations include the Atlanta Botanical Garden and SkyView Atlanta: view the city from a climate-controlled gondola aboard the 20-story Ferris wheel in Centennial Olympic Park.

The Olympic rings can still be seen at the Georgia International Horse Park which was constructed for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.
Photos courtesy of the Georgia International Horse Park

When planning your stay in Atlanta, there are options for every budget — and imagination. Pamper yourself in the ultimate luxury of The St. Regis Atlanta, or the W Atlanta Downtown. “I think renting an AirStream and staying in Conyers would be fun,” said Helen, for those attending a horse show at the Horse Park. “Besides that, I’ve always wanted to stay in a tree house!” And, surprisingly, that is an option: head to Airbnb for more than one Swiss — or Atlantan — Family Robinson retreat. No matter where you choose to stay, Atlanta can be much more than a horse show destination — it can be the trip of a lifetime.

To start planning your Atlanta journey, visit www.atlanta.net.

A view of the Atlanta Midtown skyline from Piedmont Park
Photo by James Duckworth/AtlantaPhotos.com

 

 

 

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Tagged under: atlanta, britney grover, equestrian travel, travel

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We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on o We are starting a ‼️new series‼️ here on our socials where we share some of the lovely stallions, and their breeders featured in each month's magazine. Our first feature on this #STUDSunday is...

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Contact Cheryl Maye at (703) 431-9096 for more information
https://www.mayeshowponies.com/more-info/stallions

You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

📸  SAS Equestrian
‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️ The purpose of this ‼️ROB JACOBS COLUMN‼️

The purpose of this month’s column is to help the young equestrians of our sport develop and maintain healthy friendships within the industry. Cultivating healthy relationships with other members within the industry is not as easy as one may think. As a young equestrian, it may be difficult navigating friendships at the barn and at horse shows. Typically, kids have friendships within the barn they ride at but also friendships with others from different barns in their area. 

Initially, it may seem as though making other friends in the sport would be easy and ideal; after all, there is the common interest of horses. However, because of the natural therapeutic benefits of horses, the sport has a history of attracting all types of people, with a wide range of personalities. This can be both an advantage and a drawback. We are now in an era that acknowledges the growing need to discuss and manage one’s mental health. 

One thing I have learned is that we are likely to notice mental health challenges at an age younger than most people may think. Some of the friendship dynamics I have observed over the years have caused me to pause and really think about the future of our sport. Without looking for a source to blame for the cause of this, i.e. social media, parents, school, teachers, etc., I think if all adults involved worked to encourage, affirm, love, and respect our youth, the likelihood of them developing authentic friendships with their peers may increase.

Both humans and horses were designed to have connected relationships. These relationships allow a greater sense of security when one experiences challenges in life. Cultivating the quality and authenticity of these relationships requires intentional work. 

Thank you Rob for providing your helpful insight on developing healthy relationships. Check out his tips in his column you can find in the link in our bio.
Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine🦄 

Photo by Blenheim Equisports

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Don't get caught without your green on today!🍀🍀
 
In today's featured article, we have Jessica Howington, who is dressed for the occasion in her green shirt! Jessica is the Owner/Rider at CrownView Dressage, a Realtor with Showcase Properties of Central Florida, and a Nurse Practitioner! Jessica has been involved with horses since she was a little girl. Everything from bareback to eventing she tried until she found her love for dressage.

Today, she and her family own CrownView Dressage, a 157-acre training, boarding, and breeding facility in Ocala, Florida. Jessica started training and teaching but felt as if her life was still missing something. Until Jessica focused on horses full-time, she didn’t realize how important the healthcare field was to her life. Jessica missed seeing patients and being in the medical field. Jessica is now back to working again as a nurse practitioner while also focusing on training her five competition horses, including her Grand Prix mare Cavalia. 

Jessica feels lucky 🍀 to have two amazing parents who have supported her in all of her endeavors and instilled the importance of work ethic, morals, dedication, and sacrifice. 

You can read all about Jessica and how she's finding fulfillment in her busy lifestyle in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine! Click the link in our bio for more 

✳️Tag us in your “lucky” photos for a chance to be featured on our story! Happy st. Patrick’s day everyone!🍀🍀

📸Photos by Melissa Fuller, msfullerphotography.com 

#stpatricksday #irish #stpattysday #green #ireland #luckoftheirish #stpaddysday #shamrock #happystpatricksday #lucky #saintpatricksday #leprechaun #stpatricks #stpatrick #kissmeimirish #clover #paddysday #march #potofgold #stpattys #love #beer #guinness #shopsmall #handmade #stpatricksdaydecor #stpatricksdayoutfit #fourleafclover #stpatricksdayparade #luckycharms
Like many equestrians, eventer Devon Tresan is no Like many equestrians, eventer Devon Tresan is no stranger to balancing a busy schedule. From serving as president of the Pony Club South Region Youth Board to working on her online high school courses and modeling gigs, Devon has nearly every minute of her time planned out. And with her horses right in her backyard in Ball Ground, Georgia, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Devon’s fast-paced lifestyle stems from growing up around her parents’ animal casting business, Animal Casting Atlanta, where they train and provide animals for projects in the film industry. Devon’s parents, Carol and Greg, took her on her first film job at just two weeks old; both parents pushed Devon toward acting when she was younger. While Devon didn’t want to be an actor herself, she did follow in their footsteps with her love of animals, especially horses. 

“My parents’ company has provided animals for ‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Suicide Squad,’ a majority of the Marvel TV shows, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and so many more,” Devon said.

Devon started her equestrian journey when she was 9 years old. Initially, the Tresans bought a flashy gray Welsh pony, I Am Superman, for Devon to take in the hunter ring. However, Superman lived up to his name and proved to be too speedy for the job. 

“He was super cute and just a great little ride,” Devon said, “but he was still a pony! He made me work hard for everything we accomplished together. I was lucky enough to ride with a trainer who did both hunters and eventing, so we were able to switch disciplines pretty easily. Those eventing lessons together kickstarted my love for the sport.”

Read all about Devon and her busy life in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine. Click the link in our bio for more
@TrDevon Lane Tresan  @Devontresan

📸Photo by Carol Lane Tresan
📸Photo courtesy of Devon Tresan
📸Modeling photo by Sara Hanna, @atlphotos 

#model #fashion #photography #love #style #instagood #photooftheday #beauty #instagram #beautiful #like #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #horselover #instahorse #Sidelinesmagazine
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