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Monday, March 27 2017 / Published in Sidelines Spotlight

Old Salem Farm’s Alan Bietsch — Industry Newcomer to Horse Show Innovator

 

Alan at Old Salem Farm during the 2016 Spring Horse Shows
Photo by Jump Media

By Lindsay Brock

When Alan Bietsch first made the drive from his home in Connecticut to Old Salem Farm in North Salem, New York, he expected to find a back-country farm. What he actually found was the early makings of one of the country’s top equestrian facilities.

Alan is now the property and facility manager at Old Salem Farm, but stumbling upon the position was a beautiful accident. A graduate of the University of New Haven, Alan’s professional background is in civil engineering, and he worked as a civilian with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as in private and heavy highway construction for most of his life. In 2007, he was working for the Hakim Family — the owners of Old Salem Farm — in their real estate development division when a new opportunity came his way.

“One day, I was asked to attend a meeting about a farm they owned,” recalled Alan. “I didn’t even know what kind of farm it was at the time. I was told they were doing a renovation and the contractor was behind schedule and over budget. The next day, I drove to Old Salem Farm and saw it for the first time.”

Alan and show manager Matthew Morrissey at Old Salem Farm
Photo by Jump Media

When Alan first laid eyes on Old Salem Farm, it was home to only eight horses and in the midst of a two-year renovation that had all but completely stalled. He got the project back on its feet, hired a new architect and finished the updates and expansion within 18 months.

“It was then that I was asked to stay and run the farm,” continued Alan. “At that point, it was more about being involved with a family business than breaking into the horse business for me. And I was really intrigued by the property’s history.”

Founded in 1964 under the name Salem View Farms, Old Salem Farm has undergone its share of transformations to now call a picturesque 120 acres in Westchester County home.

The Farm

The farm changed hands and names several times, including a stint under the ownership of actor Paul Newman and his actress wife and avid horsewoman, Joanne Woodward. It wouldn’t come to be known as Old Salem Farm until 1984, after which it hosted the U.S. Equestrian Team selection trials for the 1990 FEI World Equestrian Games, grew the ever-popular Spring Horse Shows from a modest Easter Sunday event that started in 1967, and attracted one of the most celebrated show jumping events in the U.S., the American Gold Cup, in 2011.

Kamran Hakim, his wife, Ellen, and their son, Scott, became involved with the farm in the late 1990s and became sole proprietors in 2001. In the nearly 10 years that followed, Kamran invested in a multi-phase project to renovate Old Salem Farm to its current status, which included the appointment of Alan as manager and Frank Madden as head trainer.

Westchester County Press Conference with riders (from the left) McLain Ward, Beezie Madden, Nick Skelton, Laura Kraut and Kent Farrington with Alan Bietsch, Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino, Matthew Morrissey of Morrissey Management Group and John Madden of the FEI at Old Salem Farm.
Photo by Jump Media

Alan, a lifelong Connecticut resident, was born in Bridgeport, grew up in Trumbull and now lives in Woodbridge with his wife, Michele. His daily commute to Old Salem Farm is an hour each way, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s so worth it,” he said. “The Hakim family is very proud of this place and supportive of the advancements we try to make. I also love to see what it does for the local communities within Westchester County.”

While Alan’s resume doesn’t include a lifetime of riding or training horses, his ever-growing knowledge of the industry is complemented by a steadfast dedication to success. He has celebrated many victories during his tenure at Old Salem Farm, but the one he can most likely hang his hat on is helping to make the Grand Prix Field one of the most iconic show jumping venues in the sport.

Golf Course Mode

Before working with the Hakim family, Alan took a hiatus from traditional construction and spent five years building golf courses, an experience he constantly draws on.

“When it came to do doing earth work, it was an easy fit,” said Alan. “In the golf course industry, a lot of care and maintenance goes into keeping a course competition-grade. After the first horse show I was involved with, I could see that we had some work to do to make the footing match the improvements we’d made to the rest of the facility. We needed to get in golf course mode!”

Alan spearheaded a process that included a short-term program to get the ground in shape and followed through with four years of constant maintenance. “After that project, people really started falling in love with this place,” said Alan.

A quick study in an unfamiliar world, Alan has become well-versed in footing, show management and pleasing the world’s top show jumpers. In turn, Old Salem Farm has become a part of the Bietsch family.

Alan’s three children (left to right): Chris, Allison, and Madison, at Allison’s Old Salem Farm wedding in 2016.
Photo courtesy of Alan Bietsch

While Alan — radio in hand — can be seen overseeing operations, his son, Chris, can also be spotted at the farm as part of the crew that maintains footing and the overall appearance of the facility. Most notably, however, Alan’s oldest daughter chose Old Salem Farm as her wedding venue in fall 2016. Alan, Michele, Chris, Allison and youngest daughter, Madison, transformed Old Salem Farm’s double-decker tent into a fairytale wedding and celebrated Allison’s marriage to her husband, Matthew.

No doubt a special place for show jumping riders, Old Salem Farm has welcomed Alan and his entire family into the world of horse sport. When asked what he likes most about working within an industry that was once so foreign to him, Alan simply replied, “You can’t ask for much more than waking up every day excited about going to work.”

Visit www.oldsalemfarm.net

 

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Tagged under: alan bietsch, lindsay brock, old salem farm

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Sports Psychology column🐎 By Margie Sugarman I Sports Psychology column🐎
By Margie Sugarman

I just bought a new horse. I think he’s amazing, but I miss the feeling of just “clicking” with my old horse. I know that it takes time to grow that connection, but do you have any tips that can help me be confident and in tune with my new horse in the short term?

You kick off your sneakers and realize that there’s a big hole in the sole of one shoe. Well, you’ve had them for quite a while and have worn them everywhere, from hiking to riding. They’ve served you well but it’s time for new ones. (It’s time to move on to a new horse.) You turn on your computer and order a new pair. You wait in anticipation. You’re excited, they’re cool looking. (He’s pretty!)

Upon arrival, you quickly open the box and slip your feet in. They’re great sneakers, but they aren’t as comfortable as the pair they’re replacing. They don’t bend as well—the sole is stiff. They don’t feel as comfortable—they have to be broken in. They don’t fit like the others did—the old ones were so well molded to your feet. (He’s a new ride, a different ride. He needs some suppling work.)

Of utmost importance in the human/horse relationship (especially the ones with the strongest bonds) is the horse looking to their owner as the leader and respecting their personal space. This important dynamic comes from groundwork—no matter what discipline you’re involved in. Just as it is with friendships, there needs to be respect. Respect is developed when one is on the ground and not mounted.

The things you do might seem small, but if done consistently and in a positive way, the results are huge. The confidence and trust you develop between the two of you will carry your relationship to wherever you want it to go.

To read Margies full column click the link in our bio! Never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine 🦄

Photo by Ali Kelman

#psychology #mentalhealth #love #therapy #mentalhealthawareness #anxiety #motivation #psychologist #selfcare #mindfulness #selflove #life #mentalhealthmatters  #mindset #wellness #meditation #inspiration #mind #Sidelinesmagazine
Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! W Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! We're proud to offer exceptional modern Sporthorse stallions, with wonderful temperaments and quality gaits to North American breeders.
 
Among our stallions are Cum Laude and Kaiman. Cum Laude (Apache x Weltmeyer) is a winning FEI horse and sire of quality dressage horses, breed show champions, and offspring scoring 9.0s on gaits.
 
Kaiman (Dark Pleasure x Gribaldi) earned high scores at his stallion testing and in the young horse classes. He's also the sire of a Licensed Oldenburg stallion. Kaiman's first North American foal crop is arriving now and they are gorgeous!
 
If you're looking for top international bloodlines please check out our 2023 stallion collection, now available fresh, frozen, and by the dose.

Among our stallions are Cum Laude and Kaiman. Cum Laude (Apache x Weltmeyer) is a winning FEI horse and sire of quality dressage horses, breed show champions, and offspring scoring 9.0s on gaits.

Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! We're proud to offer exceptional modern Sporthorse stallions, with wonderful temperaments and quality gaits to North American breeders.

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@iron_spring_farm 

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❗️George Williams column❗️ The FEI World ❗️George Williams column❗️
The FEI World Cup Final in Omaha is coming up quickly. That means that it’s starting to heat 
up as the end of the qualifying period for both the Western European League (WEL) and the 
North American League (NAL) nears. I started to write this column before the Amsterdam CDI- W, and I was using the FEI Ranking List from January 15 as a reference. As I sit down to finish 
my column, I’m now looking at the results from Amsterdam. While the list of the top contenders 
for the WEL hasn’t changed, they’re definitely moving around on the ranking list. The WEL has 
three more legs, as they’re referred to: Neumünster February 16–19, Goteborg February 23–26, 
and ’s-Hertogenbosch March 9–12, and they could change things dramatically.
Looking at the top 12 athletes from the WEL as they were ranked on January 15, there are five 
from Germany, three from the Netherlands and one each from Great Britain, Denmark

➡️Read Georges's full column by clicking the link in our bio, and never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine 🦄 

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #horselover #instahorse #love #cheval #showjumping #horselife #photography #nature #pferde #horseofinstagram #caballo #riding #horsebackriding #pferdeliebe #caballos #horsepower #horsephotography #instagram #Sidelinesmagazine
Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Gre Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Great American $300,000 Grand Prix at HITS Ocala!! 🏆🥇

Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Grand Prix Ring on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix. The day concluded with a thrilling five-horse jump-off featuring athletes 
representing four countries. In the end, it was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and Ivaro N who produced the only double clear effort of the day, claiming one of the biggest wins of her career. Scott Keach (AUS) and Noble De La Chapelle earned the second-place prize with the fastest 4-fault jump-off, while Aaron Vale (USA) and Obi Wan placed third as the day’s pathfinders.

“I'm still on cloud nine, I still can't believe it – I’ve used up all my luck for the year,” smiled Goldman-Smolen after her win. “I've been knocking on the door a long time in these bigger classes. I am so proud of my horse – he gave every ounce of effort.”

Sunday’s Great American $300,000 Grand Prix marked the conclusion of the 2023 HITS Ocala circuit. HITS CCO Joe Norick concluded, “We are so excited about the new HITS, with 2023 as the launch. New footing, many new arenas here, and a lot of our facilities across America are getting a lot of love and new footing. Our partnerships with Worldly Martin and others across America including our footing leader Bart Poles overseeing our operations – it really makes a big difference for us. Today is about Ocala and these three riders sitting next to me who supported us this entire winter. We want to be a proud destination for our exhibitors and our friends. We know we have to provide them a beautiful showplace to work from that's horseman friendly, and that's our go goal. 

Congratulations to all of the riders, horses, owners, and groom who participated in this prestigious class!!! 🎉
📸 @esi_photography 
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