By Jessica Grutkowski
Portraits by Melissa Fuller
When Candice Wagner isn’t trying to keep up with her horse-obsessed 11-year-old daughter, you can find her at the barn, in the show ring or at a launch party for her newest venture—a brand-new tequila inspired by her heart horse, Etoile.
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Candice was introduced to horses at an early age. Her mother, Monica, whom she considers her best friend, discovered horseback riding as an adult. “My mom always encouraged me to ride, and found joy in sharing her horses with me,” she said. “When I was 12 years old, I had a sweet, wonderful packer named Entre Nous. We won everything together.”
But when he became injured, Candice took a break from riding and embraced the life of a full-fledged ‘city girl.’ “I was just a teenager, doing normal teenage-girl things. Horses weren’t a constant in my life—yet,” she said. “I was lucky that riding came naturally to me; I could get on a horse with little practice and be competitive. I guess you could say it was in our family genes.”
After high school, Candice studied political science at a local university. By 21, she felt like something was missing from her life. “My mom suggested I get back into horses,” she said. Monica was training with Kathy Fletcher, an American trainer who owned Grazing Fields Farm in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. “She suggested I join her in Lake Placid and watch her compete. It’s that mom-tuition; she always knows exactly what I need.”
Candice was excited to spend two weeks at her favorite horse show. “Lake Placid is the unofficial start of the summer show circuit in the Northeast,” she said. “The grounds are beautiful, and the town has everything you need for a proper vacation. Plus, it’s so close to Montreal and Manhattan.”
Monica was eager to introduce her daughter to Kathy and USEF “R” Judge Geoff Teall, Kathy’s close friend. “My mom jokingly explained to everyone that I didn’t know what I was looking for—but she was right!” she said. “I couldn’t tell if a horse was a nice mover, or a good jumper. She just wanted me to get a good horse, and knew I would be in good hands between Kathy and Geoff.”
Geoff said he had something perfect, but was busy with clients, so he told Candice to go and take a sneak peek. “I walked back to Geoff’s stalls and scanned the aisle for my mystery gelding,” she said. “I vividly remember the moment I spotted him. He had a beautiful, shiny caramel-colored coat with distinguished yet soft features, and a fluffy, marshmallow-shaped star on his forehead. We locked eyes; it was love at first sight.”
Since Candice hadn’t ridden recently, Geoff’s team rode Sassy to show off his movement and technique on the flat and over fences. Candice was going to ride him the following day, but mother nature had another plan. “It rained so hard I couldn’t try Sassy,” she said. “I had a strong gut feeling that he was the one. I had never felt that way before.”
Luckily, she only had to wait one week to sit on the horse of her dreams. Candice and her mom drove to the Vermont Summer Festival Horse Show where they planned to meet Geoff’s team for the trial. “I didn’t think it was possible to love him any more, but after riding him, I was obsessed,” she said.
After Sassy’s pre-purchase veterinary exam, Candice joined her mom on a road trip to Fieldstone Show Park, a horse show in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to join the Grazing Fields team. Geoff was judging the show that week, and they hoped to hear back from the vet. “The next day at the show, Geoff turned around from his chair in the booth and said, ‘Your horse passed!’” she said. “I was crying with happiness!”
Together, the new team was unstoppable in the show ring. “Sassy’s show name is Etoile, which means ‘star’ in French,” she said. “Having grown up in a French-speaking city, it all felt quite serendipitous. Stars became a huge theme throughout my life.”
That winter, Candice joined her mom in Wellington for the winter show circuit. “Sassy had this charisma that captured the hearts of judges everywhere. He was a good mover, and a good jumper—but not the best. If I did everything right, he won.”
That winter, Sassy sustained a suspensory injury that sidelined him for nearly two years. “Our vet, Tiffany Mar, was instrumental in his recovery; we cried together a lot,” she said. “It’s so important to have a solid support team.”
Together with Tiffany, Candice rehabbed Sassy to a full recovery. “We didn’t rush anything,” she said. “After his comeback, he was unbeatable in the show ring.”
Without a doubt, Sassy is Candice’s ‘heart horse.’ “He is simply irreplaceable. I’ve honestly considered cloning him!” she said. “I have had many horses in my life—both before, during and after Sassy’s show career—but nothing compares to him.”
Nearly two decades later, Sassy is happily retired in Quebec. During that time, Candice has welcomed other horses into her life. Some taught her invaluable lessons, some retired early and some are still in training. “Nothing with horses is ever guaranteed,” she said. “I have a hard time parting with any of them.”
Icing, a 2012 grey Zangersheide gelding, was originally purchased for Candice’s mom. After a successful show career with Monica, Candice took over the ride on Icing. “He was skeptical and sensitive,” Candice said. “You had to be soft and accurate. He had a massive step, and it was difficult to find the jumps sometimes.”
After that first season in Wellington, Candice took Icing back to Canada to solidify their partnership. “We qualified for Nationals, but I forgot to convert him back to Equestrian Canada (EC) from the USEF system so none of our points counted,” she said. “We could have sold him, but I loved him. Shortly after, he became injured, but we successfully rehabbed him. We dropped Icing down to the Low Adults, and he won everything.”
Ultimately, Icing sustained a second injury, and is now happily retired after a winning show career. “He taught me invaluable lessons, like how to be patient in the show ring,” Candice said. “He was such an important part of my education. Every horse can be a teacher if you are willing to be a student.”
Candice balances her time between Montreal, Manhattan and Palm Beach. “My daughter, London, is my number one priority. I only ride on weekends, during school vacation or when she’s spending time with her father,” she said. “She loves summer camp, and participates in their riding program. Until recently, horses were more of a social event, but now she takes lessons when we’re in Florida.”
Monica and Candice indulge London’s passion for horses, but she is still a beginner rider. “During the global pandemic six years ago, I purchased a fancy green pony off a video with London in mind,” she said. “I had no business buying a pony. London was 6 years old at the time, and the pony was 3—there was absolutely zero logic involved.”
Candice always prefers to get her mom’s blessing on big life decisions. “I said ‘Please don’t freak out, but check your phone for a photo of a pony I am considering purchasing,’” she said. “I was worried she would tell me not to, but she said, ‘Absolutely you must.’” And just like that, Captain Oats was on his way to America.
Oats was the first pony to be imported from Prestige Ponies in The Netherlands, and since then, he has made quite a splash. “He’s become their mascot, and also mine,” she said. “He always manages to steal the spotlight, and rightfully so!”
While Oats stands at just 12 hands, he packs in an endless amount of charm, quality and charisma. “Captain Oats wins the hearts of children and adults alike, and makes so many people happy on a daily basis,” she said. “London adores him, and he’s currently out on lease doing the crossrails like a champ.”
Oats was recently the guest of honor at the launch party for Candice’s newest business venture, a tequila brand named El Cientelleo. “I never really liked tequila—until now,” she said. “I wanted to create something I would actually order and enjoy.” Candice hand-selected a family-owned distillery in Guadalajara, Mexico, for its 100% Jalisco blue agave.
Even the marketing for El Cientelleo pays homage to her equestrian life. The bottle is star-shaped, a nod to her guiding inner light, Sassy. “The first half of the name loosely translates to a bright star, or a glimmer-like spark, and the second half means 100 in Spanish, a number that symbolizes good luck in Mexican culture,” she said. “It’s not exact, but that’s the spirit.”
The website features scenes from their barn’s beautiful courtyard, starring Candice’s beloved trainer, John French. “I greatly admire John, and consider him a true star of his craft,” she said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be riding with Sir John French. He’s everything I imagined, and a million times more.”
Candice’s family has been riding with John French at KPF for nearly two years. When John relocated his business to the East Coast, her friends encouraged her to inquire about becoming a client. “He’s always been an idol of mine. When his name showed up on my caller ID, my heart sank into my stomach,” she said. “I explained we would essentially be remote clients, and he assured me that was completely fine, and actually quite normal.”
Since joining KPF, Candice acquired a young hunter she aptly named Cientelleo, or Luxy in the barn. “Luxy is being brought along slowly and correctly. His program is primarily flatwork and trail riding, with the occasional jump school,” she said. “If we took him to a horse show, he did jumper classes for mileage. John didn’t want him to feel the pressure of the hunter ring.”
In January, Luxy stepped into the hunter ring for the very first time in Wellington, where he was first and second in his first two classes to earn Reserve Champion in the Green 3’3” Young Hunters. “I barely ride him. I don’t want to interfere, and make him nervous,” she said. “He will gladly put up with me, but I prefer to wait until the time is right.”
Follow Candice on Instagram @candicelondonwagner and @elcientelleotequila
Photos by Melissa Fuller, melissafullerphotography33.mypixieset.com
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