Eventers in Alabama???

[jsf]

Hey guys,

Looks like we may be moving to Alabama from Ocala, Fl. I am wondering if there is going to be an eventing community there to be part of. We are looking at the area south west of Montgomery. Any information from anyone would be great.

Thanks

[IrishDeclan]

I'm originally from Montgomery, and my trainer is right outside of Montgomery in a town called Pike Road. Her name is Susan Wainwright, and I think she's about the only eventing trainer in the area. She was long listed for the '96 Olympics, but now just competes at the lower levels on her homebreds. She and her horse Hunter won the Training division at the AEC's a few years ago. She has a great barn with a fun group of people. They get out to the shows quite a bit, and if you're looking for lessons, she's second to none. Let me know if you'd like her contact info. :)

[jumpxc]

I was in Alabama from June 2006 to June 2007. My husband was stationed at Maxwell Airforce Base. We lived in Deatsville (NE of Montgomery I believe) and I kept my norse in Prattville. As the OP said Susan is in Pike Road area and she had a clinic with Jimmy Wofford while I was there. Other than that clinic I was on my own for the year. My horse and I went to Poplar Place quite a bit since it was close and we went to FT Rucker HT once for a quick run. Good luck with your move!
Amy

[fivecats]

If you are mobile (i.e. have truck/trailer), Poplar Place is not too far and Werner Geven is the resident trainer. Great facilties and trainer.

[tlw]

Jim Graham is in Florence. It might be a bit of a hike but it is in Alabama. :lol:
Anyway, Jim is very experienced and a great person to learn from.

[TKR]

Montgomery has a pretty active dressage/combined training community -- check their website MDCTA.org (I think -- or just google Montgomery Dressage and Combined Training). Birmingham Dressage is also active (BDCTA.org), although the primary event facility has been sold for houses. Good luck!
PennyG

[Mach Two]

Susan Wainwright, as has been stated is a good trainer...she understands the nuances of horses that need extra time...in some ways she reminds me of Sharon Anthony from the Nashville area.
And Jim Graham is a good a teacher as you can find. No short cuts with either of these fine trainers...they both have years of solid experience, and of course Jim is a highly regarded judge as well as trainer and clinician, and was on the WEG event team back in 'the mid 90's. First class horseman!

[SweetieG]

I will second or third or fourth Susan Wainwright. I live in Birmingham but drive down to Montgomery for lessons with her whenever I can. I grew up in Dothan (south AL) and began riding with Susan in high school. I have a dressage trainer here in Birmingham that I enjoy, but I definitely try to make it down to jump with her when I can. I'm also planning to send my mare to her for training for a month or two this winter while I'm too pregnant to ride myself. PM me and I'll be glad to give you her number if you need it. Good luck with your move. You may end up wishing you were moving to GA. Seems like every trip we make to school/show is there with the exception of Ft. Rucker which you will be very close to.

[cllane1]

Another vote for Susan! She has done wonders for my riding and is an incredible trainer. The barn atmosphere is fun and there are a lot of great people. She also gets some great clinicians in to teach. I have so much respect for her as a rider, a trainer, a barn owner, a horsewoman, and a person: she's incredibly empathetic and has so much integrity.

If you're looking more for just boarding, rather than training/lessons, Pinchona Farm is in Hope Hull (southwest of Montgomery). Beautiful farm, great people.

The Montgomery Area Dressage and CT Assn. (MADCTA, pronounced like "mad-acta") kind of languished for a while, but has been really revamped in the past year and is getting much stronger, with more emphasis toward practical learning opportunities for riders. My husband's on the board, and when he rotates off this fall, I'll be on it as well. As mentioned, BDCTA is also very active.

Central Alabama really is a great place to be based. Poplar, Chatt Hills, Big Bear, Flat Creek, Ft. Rucker, Pine Top are all within a 2-3 hour drive. Jim Graham is in Florence (north AL). USDF gold medal winner and dressage trainer Judy Pirtle is northeast of town. Two good tack stores in Birmingham, about 80 miles north of Montgomery, plus I think Dover's opening a store in Alpharetta, GA. Pretty decent selection of farriers and vets, with Coosa Valley Equine (GREAT lameness vets) about 2 hours away, and Auburn and Tuskeegee vet schools about an hour away.

Feel free to PM me if you need any more info. If y'all come up here for a visit or to look for houses, we could do a mini-COTH get together!

[tle]

Have to give another vote for Jim Graham. I spent a week at his farm between our final run at Training and our first Prelim and it was amazing. The man oozes knowledge and CLASS! I'd train with him again in a heartbeat! His farm is a wonderful setup and great facility. I don't know about the new trainer he has working with him, but if Jim likes him, he certainly can't be bad.

[wlrottge]

The Montgomery Area Dressage and CT Assn. (MADCTA, pronounced like "mad-acta") kind of languished for a while, but has been really revamped in the past year and is getting much stronger, with more emphasis toward practical learning opportunities for riders. My husband's on the board, and when he rotates off this fall, I'll be on it as well. As mentioned, BDCTA is also very active.

I'm cllane's "DH". We've REALLY re-worked the club in the last eight months are are looking forward to a MUCH more active schedule in the coming year. We have some GREAT people joining the board in December and I'm looking forward to what this group of people will be able to accomplish. Our website is www.madcta.org I've got some updates to make to it but the majority of the info is there.

I have to agree with everyone about Susan. She is the greatest horse person we've ever meet! We've boarded at four barns here locally and three while living in Utah and I hate that it took us so long to "find" Susan. I wish we had bypassed all the other barns here in this area and just gone straight to her... would have saved ourselves a LOT of headache!

ETA: Not just a great horse person, but just a wonderful person in general.

[wgarrett]

I have to say Susan Wainwright is the only option if you are living in south Alabama and interested in eventing! She has a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience while continuing to educate herself. I have ridden with her for the better part of twenty years and have competed (ina previous life) through the CCI** level and never felt as though I was finished learning from her! Not only does her past and current record speak to her abilities but the true proof, to me at least, is in her students! She has coached several students that have gone on to compete on Olympic teams and her students are consistently competitve, properly mounted as well as prepared for their level of competition.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me and I will give you all of her information!

[cllane1]

I have to say Susan Wainwright is the only option if you are living in south Alabama and interested in eventing! She has a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience while continuing to educate herself. I have ridden with her for the better part of twenty years and have competed (ina previous life) through the CCI** level and never felt as though I was finished learning from her! Not only does her past and current record speak to her abilities but the true proof, to me at least, is in her students! She has coached several students that have gone on to compete on Olympic teams and her students are consistently competitve, properly mounted as well as prepared for their level of competition.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me and I will give you all of her information!

Wesky, is that you?

[tx3dayeventer]

Have to give another vote for Jim Graham. I spent a week at his farm between our final run at Training and our first Prelim and it was amazing. The man oozes knowledge and CLASS! I'd train with him again in a heartbeat! His farm is a wonderful setup and great facility. I don't know about the new trainer he has working with him, but if Jim likes him, he certainly can't be bad.

The only problem with Jim is he is 5 hours North of Montgomery. I lived at his farm for 4 years and those were the BEST 4 years of my life!!!!

I LOVE Jim!!!! But Montgomery is a 5 hour drive from Florence. Heck, Florence is about 3 hours from Birmingham (where both my vet and farrier are, thus making that trip every 4 weeks).

Try Werner Geven @ Poplar Place Farm. I have friends, from when I lived in AL, that used to drive from Montgomery to Werner for lessons.

[wgarrett]

Courtney it is me! Just chiming in with my ten cents!

[scubed]

I believe Bryan Tweed is still in Birmingham area. I talked with him when there was a chance I would be in that area many years ago and was quite impressed.

[gillenwaterfarm]

Bryan Tweed is still based in Birmingham. We get him down to Mobile for lessons about every 6 weeks, and I've really enjoyed the lessons I've taken with him. He does an excellent job with young or green horses, as well as fine tuning experienced ones. He has a great teaching approach, and leaves you feeling confident and secure in your abilities. He is also great about putting together a "homework" plan of things to work on till the next lesson.

If anyone is interested in having a lesson with him while he is here next, PM me, and I'll get you on the organizer's email list.

[jsf]

Thank you so much everyone for the great advise. We just got the news that the move is definite, and needs to happen within two months. So I have to sell my small farm here just north of Ocala, sell all but the two horses I want to keep and find a place in Alabama near Montgomery and find a job as I just got laid off this week too. Oh yeah and find time to ride

[Wallysfolley]

As far as Eventing goes Susan is a well respected and accomplished trainer in our local area.

I've "crossed over" into Dressage and ride with Judy Pirtle, who is amazing. She can and does teach o/f lessons, but her forte is Dressage.

If you're looking to buy a small farm outside of Montgomery, I'd recommend the Hope Hull/Pintlala area...its very nice area and not as expensive as the Pike Road area. DH and I have ~6 acres in Hope Hull and we love it!

We look forward to seeing/meeting you and your ponies in the near future!

[Carol Ames]

Jo Struby is there again but,I'm afraid I have no contact info :no:for her but,I 'm sure the USEA would :yes:;)know/ the local cT association;)

[Jesse'sMom]

wow kris, Sorry to hear it-when are you moving?

[AUeventer]

I haul to Poplar or Big Bear for xc schooling and do most of my horse shows on the I-85 to 20 corridor (Poplar, Pine Top, Aiken). I ride with a trainer in Newnan, GA (about 1 1/2 hrs from montgomery) and I've taken some stadium lessons with Aleja Maddalena in Birmingham.