THE MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL President’s Letter


by Kimberly K. Egan MHC President September begins a season of transition. Summer vacations end, chil-


dren go back to school, the weather starts to change, and we all start to turn to the next big thing. T is year, we said goodbye to two fi xtures of the Maryland horse community, and we celebrate important anniversa- ries for three others. T e Surrey, the Montgomery County staple founded in 1953 and lo-


cated fi rst in Potomac and later in Darnestown, closed its doors for the last time in August. Generations of horse people grew up shopping for tack, apparel, and barn supplies at T e Surrey. Many would later work there, for just a summer or for decades. T e closing of the shop will leave a hole in the local horse community not because of the merchandise – Maryland is blessed with large tack stores like Dover Saddlery and the internet is full of other terrifi c options – but because T e Surrey was a local shop staff ed by local people. T e staff and owners knew us, and we knew them. T e Surrey sponsored local horse shows. T e Surrey could fi x tack that broke on Friday night in time for an 8 a.m. ride time on Saturday morning. T e staff at T e Surrey might put a new product aside for you if they thought you’d love it. T ey might bring it to a vendor show just for you. T e Surrey could outfi t you for a riding vacation and then post pictures of your trip on the wall. T e Surrey was family. Similarly, the Reddemeade Equestrian Center taught thousands to


ride over its 39 years in Montgomery County. It taught everyone from beginners to advanced riders; it taught unmounted horsemanship and showing skills. It raised dressage riders, eventers, and show ring hunt- ers. Reddemeade gave many equestrians their fi rst taste of horse own- ership through its ground-breaking and oft-emulated EquiShare pro- gram. Reddemeade alumni now ride and train as both amateurs and professionals at the top of their fi elds in a variety of disciplines, not just in Maryland but across the country as well. Reddemeade alumni are a close-knit group, and we are sure their community will live on long after the physical structure has closed. As we say goodbye to T e Surrey and Reddemeade, three Maryland horse industry fi xtures are celebrating big anniversaries this year. Farm- ers Cooperative in Frederick celebrated its 100th anniversary in August.


It has grown and adapted as the needs of the horse industry have grown and adapted, and we look forward to having them in Frederick for many more years to come. T e McDonough School in Owings Mills is celebrating its 150th an-


niversary this year. T e school’s equestrian facilities have grown to be a juggernaut competition venue in the mid-Atlantic. Its Willis Lynch Equestrian Showgrounds has two indoor arenas and three outdoor are- nas, with both Eurofelt and sand footing. T ere is a 68-stall barn on site, as well as cross-country jumps and equestrian trails. T e facility already hosts over 20 sanctioned, schooling, and in-house shows a year, and has plans to expand even further. Lastly, the Capital Challenge Horse Show is holding its 30th anni-


versary show at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center this month. T e competition is the largest horse show of its kind east of the Mississippi River, and it has a multi-million-dollar impact on state and local coff ers. T ese milestones are highlights in our otherwise packed fall schedule.


T is issue contains our twice yearly calendar of events and includes horse events scheduled between now and the end of the year. T e calendar is an embarrassment of riches. T ere are eight jousting tournaments in September alone, and an-


other two in October. We have the Bill Pickett Rodeo and the Maryland Horse and Pony Show at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center, and Harrison Mule Days at the Carroll County Equestrian Center. In October we have the Washington International 5* Horse Show at


Prince George’s Equestrian Center, the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, and the Jim McKay Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park. T ere are draft horse pulls and exhibitions during the autumn fair


season. T e new Maryland Horse Library and Education Center will host numerous educational talks at its facility in Reisterstown. Farms across the state will hold countless clinics with Olympic, international, and national team riders. Our organized fox chasing clubs will host seven hunter paces. And we have at least three Christmas parades in which horses are included. Maryland is, without a doubt, a horse lover’s paradise.


Thank You To Our Maryland Horse Council Sponsors! join.mdhorsecouncil.org www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580 THE EQUIERY YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION | SEPTEMBER 2023 | 7


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