SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

Sidelines MagazineSidelines Magazine

  • LOGIN
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Flipbook
    • Subscribe Options
    • Order Individual & Back Issues
  • Podcast
  • Marketplace
    • Business Ads
    • Directories
      • Barns, Farms, Trainers & Clubs
      • Equestrian Services
      • Real Estate
      • Stallions
      • Tack & Feed Stores
    • Classifieds
    • Horse Trailers for Sale
  • Advertise
  • Blogs
    • Show World
    • What’s Happenin’
  • Partners
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Employment
0
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

 

 

 

Share this page:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Tagged under: atlanta, britney grover, equestrian travel, travel

What you can read next

Paralympic Dressage Day Four
Tryon Summer Classic Wrap Up
Paralympics Dressage Freestyles

Download Sidelines Digital now from your favorite app store!

Sidelines Magazine - Apple store   Sidelines Magazine - Google Play store   Sidelines Magazine - Amazon store
Update iOS app. Re-download Google Play and Amazon app.

Follow on Instagram!

sidelines_magazine

Sidelines Magazine
Unbridled with Joe Norick! 🐎 Joe Norick stays Unbridled with Joe Norick! 🐎 Joe Norick stays busy with not one but two full-time jobs with companies that span the nation. The first is as a senior vice president for equine, farm and ranch clients with Alliant in West Palm Beach; the second, which he took on in October of 2022, is as the chief customer officer for HITS Shows. But Joe doesn’t care about titles. “I more consider myself the architect of what we’re creating here in the new HITS,” he said. Along with CEO Peter Englehart, Joe oversees all HITS Shows across the country—which is why he says lately it feels as though his home base has been American Airlines, traveling to each of the six unique HITS venues. “I love the fact that in Ocala we have so many beautiful paddocks, and over 500 acres that you can ride on and the horse can be a horse, and a horseman can be a horseman,” Joe said. “I love the beauty and charm that we have at our Chicago facility. I love the family aspect of Vermont. I love the high level of competition we have at both Del Mar and Saugerties, which we now call HITS Hudson Valley because of the amazing Hudson Valley. I love the tradition that we have in Virginia at our Culpepper facility. They all have something special.” Get to know Joe in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine! and never miss an unbridled by subscribing for just $14.95 A YEAR! Link in bio! 📸Photo by ESI
Growing up, Zayna Rizvi put fashion ahead of funct Growing up, Zayna Rizvi put fashion ahead of function when it came to her riding attire. “I would only ride my first pony, Buttons, in a princess outfit. I refused to wear regular riding clothes and only wanted to ride in my tutu,” she said. The 2021 Maclay Finals winner has since shed her tutu and these days can be found sporting breeches and boots as she tackles the jumper ring in the High Juniors, U25 series, the FEI classes in the two-star and three-star divisions and occasionally makes her way back into some equitation classes. Immersed in the equestrian life from the start, Zayna can be found, if she isn’t doing schoolwork, in the barn trying to refine her riding as she aims to move up the ranks in international competitions. To read more about Zayna head on over to our website. Link in bio! 📸Portraits by Melissa Fuller
Check out Biostar US for innovative supplements to Check out Biostar US for innovative supplements to support your horse’s gut health! With specific plants found in old English hedgerows, Hedgerow GI supports GI tract homeostasis, microbes, immune cells, metabolites, and the tight junctions of the gut. This exclusive blend provides dimensional support for gut homeostasis. ⏩Link: https://www.biostarus.com/products/hedgerow-gi #biostarus #wholefoodforhorses #horses #equestrians #horsecare #equinehealth #hedgerowgi #hedgerows #horseguthealth #horsesupplements
Olivia Williams, who started her riding career in Olivia Williams, who started her riding career in a town with a population of less than 200 people, has now competed at some of the top equestrian destinations all over the country. A sophomore in college, she grew up in San Francisco where she spent the majority of her career riding with Holly and Elizabeth “Lumpy” Kilham at Kilham farms in Nicasio, California. She competed up and down the West Coast, showing everywhere from Desert International Horse Park to the Silicon Valley Equestrian Festival. While living in San Francisco, she got the ride on Irocco Blue S, barn name Rocco. Little did she know at the time that she and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood would travel the country together. Olivia and Rocco’s partnership has grown over the years, and she said that no matter where her career takes her, she can’t envision going into the ring without him. When they first met, Rocco and Olivia were both a little green and still learning the ropes of the 1.40m classes.But just a few years after Olivia starting riding Rocco, they now boast an impressive resume together, including competing in the North American Youth Championships (NAYC) and finishing 10th in the Prix des States. At the NAYC, Olivia’s team finished with a bronze medal, and she finished in sixth place individually. After the championships, Olivia had a lot of decisions to make. She graduated from high school in 2022 and had to decide between two very different life paths: a career in horses or a college education. She managed to find a path that has worked for her throughout her freshman year. While she moved away from home to go to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Rocco moved to Florida to live with Andrew and Alex Welles. Every other week, Olivia flies to Florida to compete her horse. Dying to read more??? Head on over to our website. Link in bio! 📸Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com #Sidelines #sidelines2023 #sidelinesmagazine #magazine #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople
Load More... Follow on Instagram

From Our Classifieds Ads

  • Hanoverian Stallion - Louisville HTF
    Louisville HTF (Lord Leatherdale-Negro-Fruhling) 2017 Hanoverian Stallion 16.2 Hands Owner/Breeder: Hilltop Farm, Inc. Approved Registries: Licensed AHS, ARS, & ISR/Oldenburg Breeding Fee: $1,300 1-Year or $675/dose, cooled or frozen semen EVA Status: Negative, vaccinated annually WFFS Status: N/N Negative Video link: About: The Lord Leatherdale-Negro cross has proven an exceptional nick and we are proud to offer Louisville as the next representative of this successful combination.

    [Read more]

  • AABEX Animal Health: Representative / Selling equine animal health products
    Looking to make a little extra cash to support your horse habit? AABEX Animal Health is seeking a few good "horse people" who might be interested in representing/selling equine animal health products into the performance horse market. Products include USDA approved immunostimulant products such as SETTLE for breeding mares,

    [Read more]

Sidelines Articles by Email

Subscribe to Sidelines Magazine Articles by Email

RSS Sidelines Blogs: What’s Happenin’

  • Woodside Recognizes the Best in the West
  • Get More for Your Money with an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage
  • Longines Global Champions Tour of New York Returns to Governors Island

RSS Sidelines Blogs: Show World

  • Conor Swail Was the Best Bet in $15,000 CSI2* Markel Insurance Welcome at San Juan Capistrano International
  • Lillie Keenan Leads in CHF68,000 South Coast Plaza Welcome Speed at San Juan Capistrano International CSIO5*
  • McLain Ward Wins CSIO5* Longines Grand Prix at San Juan Capistrano International

Category

Recent Posts

  • Zayna Rizvi: Horses from Family to Finals

    By Laura Scaletti Portraits by Melissa Fuller &...
  • Samantha Wolfram: Finding Success in America and Overseas

    By Juliana Chapman Portraits by Kirsten Hannah ...
  • Cedar Potts-Warner: At Liberty and Beyond

    Story and Portraits by Jennifer DeMaro   P...
  • Jordan Melfi: Turning a Secret Horse Life Into a Career

    By Veronica Green-Gott Portraits by Shelly Cart...
  • Olivia Williams: From University of Notre Dame to European Dreamin’

    By Veronica Green-Gott Portraits by Melissa Ful...

Copyright © 1987 - 2021 Sidelines Magazine
Privacy Policy · Returns & Refunds Policy · Hosting by Lucian Web Service
· Login

TOP
Get the Sidelines Scoop — your weekly look behind the scenes.Sign me up!