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Carol Meade:
Carol and Carribruaha (Bobby)
Also from the famous King of Diamonds lines. (Flagmount Diamond, King of Diamonds) She is now enjoying show jumping with Carol.
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Growing up in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, Carol became involved with riding
at the young age of just 8 years old. She spent every moment she could learning to ride from local trainer, Joan Keogh and in Pony Club. This led to doing her British Horse Society training with Barbara O'Reilly and completing the exams in Ashford, Co. Wicklow. Now a close friend, Barbara O'Reilly is still involved with Carol to this day with picking only the best Irish Sport Horses Ireland has to offer.
Carol and Bobby |
Soon after, an interest in jumping led her to Austria where she spent two years
working for some of the top show jumpers like Lisl Funder who had Margie Goldstein as lead rider. While there, Carol flew with the horses to Florida for the Winter festival in 1986. This led to multiple opportunities to work in the American hunter/jumper world. One was running the riding program in the summer at camp Kiniya in Vermont, another at a show hunter facility with Louisa and Dan Lenehan in Warrenton, VA. Then on to working and training hunt horses for the MFH Orange County Hunt, James Young, in Middleburg, VA. It was during this time where she was introduced by her childhood Pony Club friend, Colin Bate, to the owners of Merry Chase Farm where she resides today with husband Gus Politis.
Carol and Bobby training with English show jumper trainer Ernest Dillion. |
In addition to importing Irish Sport Horses for sale, with an impressive background with jumpers, show hunters, and fox hunting, Carol offers lessons to those who wish to improve their riding from flat work to jumping for fox hunting, as well as competing in endurance. She has finished 2nd in two rides, and placed an impressive 6th place at the USET Festival of Champions.
Carol also enlists the assistance of working students from Europe. Currently, Jessica Van Acker is working with Carol at Merry Chase Farm.
For more information on Carol Meade, and on the working student program at Merry Chase Farm, please call 540-687-3355.
Gus Politis:
Gus in Greece accepting his award for endurance rider of the year. Gus on Right. |
Gus is a successful endurance rider/trainer who regularly competes at the international level for his homeland, Greece. He competed in the 2003 Pan American Championship, finishing 39 overall out of 100 of the worlds best endurance riders. Also, he finished 7th in the 2003 Flesherton CEI*** held in Canada.
Gus at the Pan American Champs with the massage therapist working on Ouzo before the start of race |
Originally from Long Island NY, Gus moved to Middleburg just 9 years ago where he met and married Irish trainer Carol Meade. Together they manage Merry Chase Farm where Gus over sees the maintenance in addition to being involved in the buying and selling of real estate.
For more information on Gus Politis and Merry Chase farm, please call 540-687-3355.
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