Carone Stucky: Breeding a Legacy as Good as Gold

By Laura Scaletti

Portraits by Kacy Brown

As a third-generation professional horsewoman, Carone Stucky’s roots are deeply entrenched in all things equine. From biking with her siblings to the Henry Ford Estate after school to ride their ponies to watching her sons race their ponies down the farm driveway to get the mail, horses have brought Carone pure joy throughout her life.

“Growing up in a family of horsemen has been an immense privilege. Watching this passion extend generation to generation has been incredibly special,” Carone said. “My mother, Sharrone Peters, grew up with horses on her family’s farm in Canada, and her passion became the passion our family built upon.”

Carone and her siblings, Heather and David, were happy to share Sharrone’s love of horses with her. “Our first ponies actually came from Walpole Island in Ontario, Canada. I can still remember the spark of connection I got from them that would shape my life,” Carone said.

Once the children graduated from ponies to off-the-track-Thoroughbreds (OTTBs), they got to experience the breed that became a defining part of the family. Not only did the family have hunter-jumpers, but they also had a slew of racehorses.

“Our family’s horses jumped hedges and ran on the turf. That’s how our farm name, Hedge and Turf Farm, was created. The entire family spent time in the show ring and on the track. I helped develop those Thoroughbreds. That experience shaped my foundation as a horseman and gave me a well-rounded education,” Carone said.

A handful of the mares at Hedge and Turf Farm had good breeding and athleticism, so Carone and her family decided to make them broodmares. “They became the foundation for the first Hedge and Turf Farm breeding program,” she said.

Carone’s drive to create the next generation of show horses continues today through her stallion Triple Gold, who was the 2025 USEF Leading Hunter Breeding Sire. “Over the years, our family’s passion has manifested beyond the hedges and the turf, and in breeding truly exceptional horses. I’ve worked hard to create and nurture horses that excel in movement, jump, conformation and temperament. Through Triple Gold, we’re creating a new and more improved line of up-and-coming sporthorses,” Carone said.

Continuing the Legacy

Carone credits her mother with passing along the values of hard work, perseverance and horsemanship. “The most important lesson I learned from my mother was how to be a true horseman. Horses are not tools meant solely for competition or business; they’re companions to be loved and cherished for the joy they bring into your life,” Carone said.

This love for the horse has translated into success at Sharrone’s and Heather’s farm in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Carone’s Cherryville, North Carolina, farm and their newest family farm in Ocala, Florida. “My mother has a very classic style of riding and teaching. She had an incredible eye when it comes to horses. From her, I learned early on how to pick the right horse for each rider,” Carone said. “These skills have served me quite well, especially when we began to import horses from both Europe and South America.”

Fully invested in the equestrian life today, Carone spent time as a nurse prior to deciding to follow her true passion and begin working at Hedge and Turf Farm in a professional capacity. “Since my early 20s, I’ve been deeply involved in all aspects of breeding, training and showing horses. This involvement allowed me to fully embrace the sport and carry forward my mother’s legacy, while building my own path in the industry,” she said.

Carone was able to carry Sharrone’s teaching style on to her boys, Robert and Brian; niece, Alexandra Joseph Carrick; and many students. “Sharing this passion with my husband, Dr. William Stucky, and our sons has been an incredible experience. Around 30 years ago, my husband and I brought that legacy south when we established Hedge and Turf Farm South in the Cherryville, North Carolina, area. Taking my sons from leadline all the way to watching Robert compete in Grand Prix and thrive as a professional and Brian in the equitation finals has been incredibly rewarding,” she said. “Seeing my boys grow into thoughtful, talented horsemen has been one of the greatest gifts of my life.”

Family togetherness is a hallmark of Hedge and Turf Farm. “Cantering through the fields with my mom, my husband, my boys, my sister and my niece truly captures the essence of our family. It was also a highlight when Robert, Brian and Alexandra successfully competed internationally at CSI3* at Zwolle in The Netherlands,” she said.

In addition to developing several young riders, Carone has been fortunate to show and develop many amazing horses such as Black Type and Fernwalk. An OTTB, Black Type was Carone’s Amateur Owner horse whom she also competed in the Green Hunter divisions across the country, including at Devon and the Washington International Horse Show. “He was one of my favorites, and back in the day he was one of the best-moving hunters in the country,” she said.

Fernwalk, a great-grandson of Secretariat, came from Sharrone’s breeding program. He had a highly successful Small Junior Hunter career.

It was the success with horses like Black Type and Fernwalk that led Carone to find the mare Clintona, whom she’d rename as The Girl From Ipanema. Carone, with Robert’s help, showed her in the Baby Greens through the 3’6” Green Hunters and Junior Hunters.

“She was special and won Reserve Champion and the Under Saddle at the 2018 Junior Hunter Finals in Saugerties, New York. Success with her led me to want to breed her to develop another special horse. I embarked on a search for a special stallion, and when I saw Thanks For The Gold, son of All The Gold, at WEF I felt he would be the ideal match for her,” Carone said. “This led us to breed them and produce the most amazing horse, Triple Gold.”

Triple Gold

Born in the third month (March), on the third day, out of a surrogate mare branded 333, the stars and numbers aligned to give Triple Gold his name. “He has been one of the most remarkable hunter breeding stallions I’ve had the privilege to breed and develop. Triple Gold is exceptional in every way—beautiful conformation, unbelievable jump, amazing movement and a phenomenal temperament. He’s also proven to pass on his top qualities to his offspring, even improving the mares he has been bred to, which is rare in most stallions,” Carone said.

Carone began breeding Triple Gold when he was 2 ½ years old to the mare Queen Anne to produce The Queen’s Gold. Since that first foal, Triple Gold has gone on to produce notable offspring Total Zen (now Marty McFly) and Gold Standard. He’s also producing top hunter breeding competition horses like Anfield, Pearl and Massine for John and Stephanie Ingram’s program. “Triple Gold’s son, Anfield, was the number-one 2-year-old in the USEF Hunter Breeding division. Pearl was number four and Massine was number seven,” Carone said. “They are all outstanding individuals.”

Triple Gold’s foals not only have his talent, but they also have his temperament. “His babies have demonstrated huge scope and natural athleticism. In addition, most of his offspring have demonstrated really good canters and a natural lead change, which is truly a gift,” Carone said.

Although he’s a stallion, Triple Gold is extremely Amateur-friendly and can be handled by just about anybody. He’s passed this temperament on to many offspring who are now successful Amateur horses. “He’s pretty well known now, but in his early years any time people found out he was a stallion they were shocked because of how quiet and easy his whole demeanor was,” Robert said.

Now after years of breeding, Triple Gold has proven himself to be a top hunter breeding stallion and is licensed for breeding by the Westfalen Verband and American Warmblood Registry. “Seeing his offspring has proven a huge accomplishment for our whole family. All of us have played a role in building our breeding program to where we are today,” Carone said.

Carone and her husband start all the groundwork and handling of Triple Gold’s offspring, from weanlings to 3-year-olds. She then sends her young babies to Robert and his partner, Tyler Haney, at their Two Fox Farm in Ocala, Florida.

“After college, Robert returned to riding full time and began his professional career with Hedge and Turf Farm. He also rode for Brad Spragg before launching Two Fox Farm in 2023. I’m so proud of Robert; he’s worked tirelessly to create a successful career and a wonderful life for himself,” Carone said. “As a mother, all you want for your kids is success and happiness, and it’s wonderful to see that he’s found that with Two Fox Farm and Tyler. They truly are an amazing team.”

Coming from a Quarter Horse background, Tyler helps Robert put a solid foundation on all the horses. Robert and Tyler started Triple Gold and brought him along the whole way from  Baby Greens to Devon and Indoors.

“My favorite memory was in 2024 when we won the High Score U.S.-Bred Horse in the 3’6”-3’9” division at Green Incentive Finals,” Robert said. “It was a full-circle moment as my family has spent decades with our breeding program, learning the intricacies of how to excel and breed top-level performance horses. Having my mother, grandmother, father and Tyler there to share that moment was a feeling I will never forget.”

Robert loves working with Triple Gold and continuing his family’s legacy. “He’s the horse of a lifetime and I’m so lucky my parents chose to keep him with me and have me develop him into the horse he is today. It makes me so proud to be a fourth-generation trainer getting to shape the future of our sport,” Robert said.

Working with Triple Gold’s offspring has been very rewarding for Robert and Tyler, as they not only developed Triple Gold but also imported and rode all of the mares Carone uses to breed. “This allows us to understand each and know how to change our training to develop each of them. Developing his offspring has for sure made us both better trainers,” Robert said.

Living Legacy

As Triple Gold continues to excel in the show ring, the entire Hedge and Turf Farm family is happy to continue the ride. “In 2026, our plan is to have Triple Gold and I primarily do the derbies, but we are also planning on having him start his debut in the Amateurs with Brian and Mom, who is getting her Amateur status reinstated,” Robert said. “He’s going to be a horse our family enjoys for the rest of his career.”

“I feel truly fortunate to have spent my life immersed in the horse industry, surrounded by family who shares my passion,” Carone said. “Horses haven’t just been a career for me, they are a way of life and I feel blessed to have built my family and business around them.”

Robert agrees with Carone. “We love watching generations of horses develop and make their way to the show ring. Breeding isn’t for the faint of heart because it takes so much time and energy. You have to be in it for the long haul, but the results are worth it,” Robert said. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

There are currently 40 offspring from Triple Gold. Carone can’t wait to follow their progress in years to come. “I’m looking forward to continuing to expand our breeding program, which is what ultimately brings me so much joy; develop young horses; and mentor my family. I’m excited to continue sharing our family passion with my husband and boys, and ensure that our family legacy in the horse industry continues for generations,” she said. “You’ll have to stay tuned to see Robert bring along the next generation of sporthorses we’re creating!”

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Photos by Kacy Brown, kacybrownphotography.com