Story and Portraits by Tori Kistler
Great horses are not bought, they’re made. And that is exactly what Jordan Lubow is doing—making great horses, both in the show ring and at home. Her business journey started with her beloved horse Anthemis Z, aka Timmy, whom she purchased as a 3-year-old, green stallion, and has grown into a thriving business based in Ocala, Florida, at Opening Bell Farms.
“I found Timmy at 2 a.m. on Instagram. He was jumping a little crossrail and I knew right away. I knew he was the one,” Jordan said. Over the past seven years, Jordan has worked tirelessly toward her goal of owning and running a successful business, but her passion for horses and the hunter ring started many years ago.
When she was a toddler, Jordan’s parents would walk her through the neighborhood to see the local horses and feed them carrots. Even the babysitter would bring Jordan to the horses for a visit. “My family has no history with horses and if we hadn’t gone to feed them when I was little, this whole thing might have been avoided, as my father likes to joke,” Jordan laughed. “I started asking for lessons when I was 3.”
Her parents put her in lessons at Far West Farms with Lisa Winn, whom Jordan still remembers fondly to this day. She later moved to Bell Canyon with Mike Edrick where she rode with his two daughters, Jenny Edrick and Megan Wexler, developing her riding skills and passion for horses.
Junior Career
As her riding career continued, Jordan moved up from ponies when she was 12 and started showing Junior hunters, and children’s jumpers and equitation. Her personal horse at the time was injured and unable to show. Fortunately, Karen Healy—Jordan’s trainer her last few years as a Junior rider—made sure she always had a horse to ride.
In 2003, Jordan received an incredible opportunity to lease El Campeon’s JoJo from Will Simpson and Nicky Shahanian-Simpson. The two went on to compete at NAYJC at Bromont in 2003 and Chicago in 2004, as well as Prix de States in 2004. They were the team anchor at NAYJC in 2004 and produced one of only two clear rounds out of 58 starters. “Karen worked endlessly with me on technique, track, pace and precision to the jumps. I really took that to heart,” Jordan said. “And having the opportunity to learn from two incredible equestrians like Will and Nicky was invaluable.”
Jordan claimed many titles as a Junior in both the hunter and jumper ring, but over time was drawn to the hunter ring. “I think there’s something special about having a super athletic, gorgeous hunter that’s beautiful across the ground and then you get to the base, soften your hands, it snaps its knees up and just explodes over the jump. It’s a very beautiful thing to watch and an even more incredible thing to feel,” Jordan shared.
Juggling education and horses is never easy, so when Jordan headed to college, she put her riding career on hold. Her competition horse went back home to El Campeon. After about a year, she decided school was not for her and returned home, where she managed a local restaurant lounge and a med spa for the next 10 years. While it has been challenging to jump back into the horse world, Jordan didn’t regret taking the time to learn how to run a business, manage employees and organize a schedule. She feels the experience was incredibly valuable and has helped her become confident and successful in the horse industry today.
Missing Horses
Several years into running the restaurant lounge and med spa, Jordan began to miss horses. She reached out to a few people, but was turned down because she had been out of the game for so long. As her 20s came to a close, Jordan decided to strike out on her own and purchased Timmy to begin her pursuit of success in the hunter derby ring, a sport she had become fascinated with during her time away from horses. Not long after bringing Timmy home to California, Jordan was offered her first professional riding job, quickly followed by the opportunity to work as barn manager for Erin Duffy.
“She was a wonderful first boss and we’re still very close,” Jordan said. The job with Erin opened the door for more opportunities, and soon Jordan was taking the next step in her professional career. “There was never another choice,” Jordan said. There were other interests of course, but nothing that called to her like horses. “I don’t think I have ever thought, Why horses? It was just innately inside me, and that was what I was going to do with my life.”
In 2018, Jordan connected with Holly Sheppard, who was looking for a new assistant. Jordan jumped at the offer and flew to Alabama for a trial run. “I knew within an hour of landing that I was going to stay,” Jordan said. She enjoyed working alongside Holly for almost two years before making her next moves to Wellington, Florida, and then Ocala.
Jordan now runs Opening Bell Farms in Ocala with fellow trainer and friend Abby Strohmyer, alongside barn owner Valerie Kalderon. “Valerie and her husband are so amazing and supportive. It has been really wonderful working with them and getting to know them as friends,” Jordan said.
Jordan has faced many challenges and setbacks over the years, but experienced one of the most heartbreaking setbacks of all in September of 2023, when Jordan lost Timmy, her beloved horse who started this journey with her, traveling from one side of the country to the other. “Timmy suffered a severe laminitis event that we couldn’t stabilize. He and I fought together for three months for him to be able to live out his life comfortably and pasture sound but, sadly, in the end that was not possible,” Jordan said. “There are just no words to express the loss and sadness I feel without him. He was my everything. He is the reason I have the career I do today and so many of the connections and friends I’ve made. He was my partner and best friend, and there is a huge piece missing from my heart now. He was my horse of a lifetime.”
Timmy grew from a green 3-year-old into a top high performance and international derby horse known for his ring presence and incredible jumping style. He will be missed greatly, but his legacy will live on in each young horse Jordan opens her heart to. “I have the business I always dreamed of,” she said. “I traveled across the country with my green horse and built the business up myself.” Looking forward, she plans to continue growing her sales business and build a bigger string of horses for her professional riding career.
Jordan is also looking forward to developing more young horses like she did with Timmy, taking him from green broke all the way to derby finals. In March 2023, she purchased 4-year-old Alchemist Z, a half-brother to Timmy, whom she cheekily named Tommy. She has already taken him from just being under saddle to seven tricolors at all four of his shows this year. “I really enjoy the young ones and taking the time to do it right,” she said. Opening Bell also recently opened its door to training clients, so Jordan is looking forward to growing that side of the business as well.
Jordan also had a big win in Tryon, North Carolina, in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby with Wisely, owned by Valerie Kalderon and Lisa Williams. The pair won both rounds and took the overall win by over 20 points. “I’m so lucky to have the ride on such a fabulous derby horse, and am very much looking forward to the 2024 circuit with the nice string of young horses we currently have,” Jordan said.
Her passion for horses and perseverance has proved that no matter what setbacks you face, your goals can be reached, in time. She will continue moving forward with Timmy’s memory close to her heart and pouring that passion into each new horse she meets.
For more information, visit openingbellfarms.com or Instagram @jordanlubow
Photos by Tori Kistler, www.calicoandchrome.com
