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Tuesday, April 11 2023 / Published in Sidelines Feature, Sidelines Spotlight, Weekly Feature

Unbridled With Stephanie Lightner

By Britney Grover

 

Stephanie Lightner grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where she fell in love with riding. After college, she moved to California. “I thought I would just be moving there for a few years, but I started working with Robert Ridland at Showpark of San Diego and never stopped,” she said. “That was 1993.”

 

Stephanie was looking for a public relations job at the time, outside of the horse show world. “Robert asked if I would stay on and help him with the shows part time,” she said. “I did that and I filled in with some work at the Del Mar National Horse Show, as well as the winter horse shows in Tuscon. Ultimately the Showpark shows grew so that I was doing those full time.”

 

Since Stephanie began helping out in the horse show office in 1993, Blenheim EquiSports has grown to produce about 20 shows a year, and Stephanie’s career has grown with it. She has managed shows for Blenheim primarily in California but also including helping to put on the Las Vegas National Horse Show, two Olympic selection trials and five World Cup Jumping Finals. She also manages the National Horse Show, the jumper portion of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show and the Hampton Classic.

 

Stephanie has served as an FEI steward around the world, including the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games and the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Now, Stephanie lives in Wellington, Florida, where she dabbles in real estate and enjoys time with her wife, Sue, who also has an equestrian career as a judge and clinician. “We have two corgis and two rag doll cats,” Stephanie said of her family. “I am also blessed to have both of my parents. I have one older sister, a brother-in-law and their super great kids who are both in college.”

 

 

What are your best early memories of riding or with horses?

When I was 10 my parents gave me Park District riding lessons for Christmas. The program was run out of Northwestern Stables in Morton Grove. That’s where it all started!

 

Any favorite horses over the years?

My favorite horse of all time was a black pony named Coal Miner’s Daughter. She was just a cool soul. I think she’s my favorite because she taught me how to ride.

 

What is your favorite thing about being part of the horse world?

My favorite thing about the horse world is that is has led me to meet so many different and interesting people from all over the world.

 

If you weren’t involved with the horse world, what career do you think you would have picked?

I always wanted to work for a professional sports organization. My first choice would have been an NFL team, but I would have been thrilled to work for any professional sports team.

 

If you could tell every rider one thing, what would it be?

Be kind, first to your horses then to your people.

 

If you had a week off, what would you do?

Travel—first choice Africa, second choice a beach somewhere.

 

Where is your favorite place you have been? Where would you like to go but haven’t?

I think South Africa is my favorite place in the world, with New Zealand a close second. Iceland and Australia are two places I’d like to go.

 

Do you have a personal motto or catch phrase?

One step at a time.

 

Have you had a funny horse moment that still makes you laugh?

I always chuckle when I think back to my childhood when we would ride down the trail to McDonald’s for caramel sundaes. One of us would hold the horses and the other one would run across the street for the sundaes. I don’t know why, but it always makes me smile when I think about it.

 

Who inspires you?

Anyone who stands up for the rights of others

 

What talents do you feel you have?

Empathy. Being able to look at a situation from someone else’s point of view is not always the easiest thing to do, but it’s very helpful in all aspects of life.

 

What’s your favorite item of clothing to wear?

Jean shorts and flip flops

 

What’s your favorite meal?

A perfectly cooked steak (medium rare)

 

What’s something people don’t know about you?

I like to play golf when I have time (which is not often).

 

What would be the best gift in the world?

World peace—no, financial freedom.

 

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

The ability to make everybody happy. Sounds cheesy, but wouldn’t that be great?

 

What’s something everyone should try at least once?

Going on safari

 

 

Stephanie Lightner

Photo by Carlos Molejon

Double D Trailers Info

Tagged under: britney grover, Stephanie Lightner

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Calling all trainers and professional riders! St Calling all trainers and professional riders! 

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Yay for June! We have another great edition for yo Yay for June! We have another great edition for you all that we can't wait for you to read. Up first are Evan and Ashley Donadt a dynamic duo that has won the hearts of many! Stay tuned for many great stories like this by following us on Instagram and Facebook or subscribing to get your very own copy of Sidelines Magazine!

What happens when a horse-crazy equestrian girl meets a never-touched-a-horse-before guy? If you’re Ashley and Evan Donadt, it might just be the beginning of a happily-ever-after that includes a solid dressage program and extremely popular social media channels featuring good-natured humor and horses.

Ashley, a lifelong equestrian, began her horse experiences with the local 4-H club, progressed to lessons with the local dressage trainer when she was 10, then her own pony when she was 11. Conversely, Evan grew up in Massachusetts, without any horse experience to speak of. The odds of them meeting were fairly low, until fate landed them both in Southern California.

Evan knew from the start that spending time with Ashley meant spending time at the barn. In fact, Ashley told him straightaway, “The horses come first always; you’re going to be second!” Evan wasn’t deterred, and instead found the loophole: spending all his own free time with her at the barn.

Read Ashley and Evan's full article in this month's edition of Sidelines Magazine! You can also click the link in our bio. Don't forget to subscribe to get your very own copy delivered right to your door! Thank you Evan and Ashley for allowing us to share your story!
📸Portraits by Jeni Jo Brunner

#sidelinesmagazine #sidelines2023 #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople
As we head into June we wrap up our May women entr As we head into June we wrap up our May women entrepreneur, edition. We were so lucky to be able to feature so many amazing women within the Horse industry. We have one more to share with you, and if you missed any of the women entrepreneur stories head to our website for all of our past issues! Enjoy! 

Hurry Up and Wait” is a familiar saying at hunter-jumper competitions. Unlike other disciplines, where 
riders are assigned specific ride times, hunter-jumper riders typically must check in with the starter at 
the in-gate throughout the day to determine when they will show. In 2019, Emma Fass decided to put 
her computer science background to use in the show industry and created RingSide Pro to allow riders 
to be “ringside” wherever they are.
Throughout high school, Emma competed at horses shows on her horse Son Of A Sailor, aka Ernie, 
oftentimes trailering Ernie into the show for the day with her mom. “That was stressful because we 
didn’t know how the show was running until we got there. Even once we were on the show grounds, we 
struggled to find information. It’s a hike to the rings and the speakers in the barns tend to be 
unreliable,” Emma said. “I would think to myself, There’s got to be a better way.”

For more information, visit www.ringsidepro.com

Read Emma’s full story at sidelinesmagazine.com, and never miss an edition of Sidelines magazine by subscribing. 

@ringsideproinsta @emmafass 
📸Photos by Kirsten Konopnicki, kkonophoto #Sidelines #sidelines2023 #sidelinesmagazine #magazine #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople
The June issue of Sidelines Magazine is here!!! G The June issue of Sidelines Magazine is here!!! 
Get ready to meet the cutest, funniest and very talented equestrian couple from California - Evan Donadt and Ashley Donadt. Thanks Jeni Brunner for the great cover photo! 

Evan is a Tik Tok and social media star, along with several of their horses and ponies. So get ready to laugh, and also be inspired by their relationship and Ashley's dressage goals - she's headed to the top! You will love them and their story will make you want to follow them on social media! 

We also feature hunter-jumper rider Will Baker who has a new farm near Ocala, Florida, complete with a cute donkey (and lots of amazing horses of course), equestrian artist Jan Lukens of Jan Lukens Fine Art (if you were a fan of Gem Twist you will love his paintings!), talented Texas dressage rider John Mason who has a great story, hunter-jumper rider Addison Reed who is now showing in the Grand Prix, and we catch up with the amazing Kate Egan and her larger-than-life horse and her story about how she won a car!

Former eventing groom Courtney Carson tells us about her new career, eventer Nicole Zardus shares her story of retraining racehorses for the eventing and foxhunting world, and we catch up with the very talented rider Luke Jensen who is now a professional rider for North Run's Missy Clark and John Brennan. Don't miss Luke's touching story about the horse Jamaica! 

We feature Robert Crandall in our Unbridled column, along with our great columnists who share their wisdom: eventing with Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing, dressage with George Williams, hunter-jumper with Rob Jacobs R.L. Jacobs and sports psychology with Margie Sugarman. Also enjoy the Show Time pages from The FEI World Cup Finals and the American Equestrians Got Talent competition. It's another great issue!!

Don't forget to visit our website and order a subscription - one year for $14.95 - you can't beat that! In the meantime, enjoy the June issue. Link in bio! 
#Sidelines #sidelines2023 #sidelinesmagazine #magazine #forhorsepeople #abouthorsepeople
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