Keeping Up With Maryland’s Young Riders 50 Years of Seneca Valley Pony Club
In 2011, the Seneca Valley Pony Club is cel- ebrating its 50th Anniversary. Austin Kiplinger and few of his neighbors founded the club in 1961, making SVPC the 100th recognized Pony Club in the country. “It was really Jessie Smith’s idea to start the club,” said Kiplinger. Smith was Kiplinger’s nearest neighbor and had two children who were in- terested in forming a club. T e Smiths, Kiplingers and four other families (Alnutt, Ladd, Mann and Millar) all got together to found SVPC.
Kiplinger noted
event rider at the upper levels (to read more about Lillian see “Horse Trials to Benefi t Pony Club Grad”).
SVPC 1985 USPC National Combined Training team: Lisa Jeanes Wagner, Karrie Recknor, Mary Stuart Scott Gregory and Abbee Erdley Cronin
that the fi rst few members were split fairly evenly between boys and girls, stating, “we had more boys in our club propor- tionally than any other club in the country.” One of Kiplinger’s two sons, Knight, was the sta- ble manager on the club’s fi rst rally team, which competed at the Howard County Fairgrounds that fi rst year. “We didn’t win fi rst or anything like that but they got a ribbon,” Kiplinger said. At the time, SVPC’s biggest competition was the Potomac Pony Club; both clubs stemmed from members of the Potomac Hunt Club. “We were the country bumpkins,” Kiplinger joked. T e club has now grown to over 80 members. T is year’s roster has 45 active mem- bers from unrated through H/A.
Kevin
SVPC “A” grad Katie Wherley now runs her own training busi- ness out of Middletown.
Bowie was the club’s fi rst A gradu-
ate, receiving her rating in 1972. Bowie is now a USPC National Examiner and recently started a USPC Riding Center at her farm in Clarks- burg (see “T e Horseless Pony Clubber”). Graduates of SVPC include several top event
riders, such as Matt Flynn (2004 A grad) who now runs his own training business out of New Jersey, and Katie Wherley (2000 A grad), who runs her eventing business out of Middletown. Lillian Heard (2006 B grad) is also an active
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580 Other SVPC grads are active in equestrian
professions, such as Lisa Jeanes Wagner (1990 A grad) who is one of the state’s top veterinarians and Sissy Ewald-Franklin (1980 A grad), who is now the DC of the Frederick Pony Club. Karrie Rechnow (1989 A grad) and Ann Adams (1982 H/A grad) both have children who are cur- rent members of the club. Melisa Martell (1983 H/A grad) is now a USPC National Examiner as well as a Mont- gomery County science teacher and active rid- ing instructor. T e club is based out of Kiplinger’s Pooles- ville farm, Bittersweet Field, where they also host two recognized U.S. Eventing Association horse trials each year. Part of the now 400 acres of Bittersweet was part of the Smith family farm. Bittersweet is named after the color of the Kiplinger’s 1962 Mercury convertible, a car the Kiplinger boys liked. At fi rst, the club only hosted schooling events at Bittersweet and held their recognized events at the Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Vir- ginia. T e fi rst USEA event held at Bittersweet was in the fall of 1989. T e event now runs Be- ginner Novice through Intermediate levels and hosts the Capital Re- gion “C” Event Rally at its spring event. Kiplinger believes that pony club is “one of the
best things for youth in the country.” Kiplinger, who has spent most of his riding time in the hunt fi eld, feels that pony club continues to build great horsemen and women and thus, equestrian sports in general still continue to be a thriving sport across the country. Bittersweet is part of Montgomery County’s open space preservation program. Kiplinger has also made provisions in his will to ensure that equestrian sports continue to be held at Bit- tersweet. “T e pony club should have a home there for as long as they want,” he said. In celebration of this huge milestone, SVPC will be hosting an anniversary party on Satur- day, September 3 in conjunction with its fall horse trials. T e party is open to alumni, current members and horse trials competitors.
Area II Young Rider Report
Are you a Seneca Valley Pony Club alumni? Contact Nancy Jones at
2011svpcdc@gmail.com or 240-601-7127
to update the club on your recent endeavors.
by Savannah Fulton In June, my horse Regal Wood and I par- ticipated in a training camp, which was put on by the Area II young rider program. I at- tended this clinic because I am hoping to be selected for the Area II North Ameri- can Junior Young Rider Champion- ship One-star team. Participation in the clinic is a manda- tory requirement for
anyone who is trying out for the team. While the horses were stabled at the lovely
Grayson Farm in Virginia, the actual two- day clinic was held at Plain Dealing Farm in Scottsville, Virginia. Wow! It is an amazing facility and we had our two lessons, vet inspec- tion and meals all at that farm. T e riders were split into two groups, with half
Savannah Fulton of Full Moon Farm hopes to compete on the Area II Young Rider One-star team this summer.
riding with David O’Brian and the other half riding with Lauren O’Brian. On Saturday, the lessons began at eight in the morning and ran for 45 minutes. I rode with Lau- ren and her insight was most helpful. Lessons fi nished up around noon and then we had lunch. After that, Dr. Suzie of Virginia Equine Imaging in Middleburg arrived to exam- ine each of our horses. After that, it was off to a lovely din- ner as a group. On Sunday, lessons again began at eight and I had a jump lesson with Lau- ren. Regal was great and I learned a lot. I did not realize until I was at the clinic is that these
JULY 2011 | THE EQUIERY | 21
continued...
Linda Davis
836487-110711
Stuart Scott
Katherine O. Rizzo
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