Shirley “Cosy”  Noyes Lathrop, owner of Longleaf Pine Farm in Southern Pines, N.C., died on March 2. She was 89.

Mrs. Lathrop was a horsewoman from the beginning of her life, as her father, Jansen Noyes, raised the original “warmblood” horses at his farm in Geneseo, N.Y., from the 1920s to 1960s. She switched from showing to eventing in the 1960s and was also the MFH of the Green Mountain Hounds in Charlotte, Vt.

When she moved to Southern Pines in the early 1970s, she developed Longleaf Pine Farm and was the first to run an event in the state that included preliminary. Over the next 30 years, the Longleaf Pine Horse Trials grew so popular it was moved to the Carolina Horse Park, where she was a founding member and on the original board of directors. 

Eventing was Mrs. Lathrop’s life for many decades, and she could be found at many events competing her horse, Sconset. Everyone always knew when she was on course, for it was her traditional war cry that sent them galloping away from the start box.

Mrs. Lathrop sponsored several young riders to help them compete on young rider teams, and she also focused on breeding Thoroughbred race horses. She bred many winners, including Crystal Moment, a stakes winner of more than $700,000, and Diabolical, who was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, and was second in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Diabolical has earned more than $1 million.

In her later years, Mrs. Lathrop began driving her pair of Miniature Horses, Manly and Bambam, and participated in a number of combined driving events along the East Coast.

She is survived by three daughters, Sara Hall Fargo and Deborah Coburn Foote of California, and Pamela Hall Mahoney, Southern Pines, three grandsons, and two great-grandsons.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Carolina Horse Park, P.O. Box 2468, Southern Pines, NC 28388.