Marty Bauman
Massachusetts
Marty Bauman is president and owner of Classic Communications, a well-known and highly respected name in the world of equestrian public relations, marketing and event management. During his 14 years as Director of Public Relations for the United States Equestrian Team (USET), Bauman was selected by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to serve as equestrian press officer at three Olympic Games, and in 1998 he served as Chairman of the USOC’s Olympic Public Relations Association. Bauman has also acted as press chief for the last seven FEI Show Jumping World Cup Finals held in the United States, and most recently was Director of Media Services and Operations for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. Bauman oversees public relations for some of the nation’s biggest equestrian events such as the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the Hampton Classic Horse Show, and also serves as Executive Director of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum. In 2010, he negotiated and coordinated the Hall of Fame’s move from its longtime home in Tampa, Florida to the Kentucky Horse Park.
In addition to his more than 30 years of expertise in communications, Bauman is committed to environmental pursuits. In 1994, he helped the Rhode Island chapter of The Nature Conservancy with the announcement of its largest land purchase ever, Beane Point on Block Island. Three years later, he assumed management and marketing responsibility for the Charles River Watershed Association’s Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak race, helping develop the event to currently attract about 1500 entrants annually, with each participant sharing a stake in the health of the river. Bauman operates the headquarters of Classic Communications in Foxboro, MA as a “green office,” maintaining environmentally-friendly practices and policies. Bauman is committed to minimizing carbon footprints and taking responsibility for helping to maintain a healthy planet.
Mrs. Jane K. Beshear
Kentucky
Mrs. Jane K. Beshear is a life-long equine enthusiast, competitor and industry supporter. She has served on the board of directors for numerous equine organizations including Equestrian Events Inc., which organizes the Kentucky Rolex 3-Day Event and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation Board. Recently, she was a member of the World Equestrian Games Foundation Board, which successfully hosted in 2010 the first ever FEI World Games outside of Europe, an event that attracted more than half-a-million attendees from around the globe.
Mrs. Beshear actively promotes Kentucky’s Adventure Tourism economic development initiative, which highlights and seeks to expand outdoor adventure activities and recreational trails for equestrians, hikers, bikers and motorized users throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Mrs. Beshear’s experience as an eventer, fox hunter, trail rider and farm owner has given her a practical understanding of the importance of land conservation advocacy, by horse people and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Mrs. Beshear seeks to educate the youth of Kentucky on the joys and benefits of time spent in the great outdoors and devotes as much of her time as possible to her own farm in central Kentucky.
Jamie Cohen
Florida
For almost seven years, Jamie Cohen has worked for University of Florida/IFAS Marion County Extension, educating on water quality, waste management and natural resources conservation issues. Horse farm owners and managers are targeted specifically (as they represent a significant population in the county) to teach about Best Management Practices (BMPs), science-based and field-tested techniques meant to help protect and preserve the integrity of the ground and surface waters. This education helps provide the community with tools to better protect and conserve natural resources. Although her work is largely done in Marion County, she provides additional services and education for the entire state of Florida, as she is the only one involved with equine farm management BMPs.
A horse professional herself for sixteen years prior to becoming the Farm Outreach Coordinator, Jamie has managed prominent show barns, has extensive experiences with veterinary medicine and in the Thoroughbred industry. She has competed with hunters, jumpers and event horses throughout her life, even doing a little hunter-pacing and fox hunting.
Thomas Daniels
Pennsylvania
Tom Daniels is a Professor of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania where he teaches land use planning, growth management, environmental planning, and land preservation. Tom holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Oregon State University and a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University. For nine years, Tom managed the farmland preservation program in Lancaster County, PA where he lives. Tom is the co-author of Holding Our Ground: Protecting America’s Farms and Farmland, The Small Town Planning Handbook and The Environmental Planning Handbook. He frequently serves as a consultant to state and local governments and land trusts.
Julie I. Fershtman, Esq
Michigan
Julie I. Fershtman is a Shareholder with the Michigan law firm Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C. (www.fosterswift.com), where her practice focuses on business litigation, insurance law, and equine law. Serving a national clientele on equine law matters, she is one of the nation’s best-known and most experienced practitioners. She is the author of three books, including Equine Law & Horse Sense and MORE Equine Law & Horse Sense and has been a speaker at conventions in 27 states, including the American Horse Council, Equine Affaire, American Youth Horse Council, and the National Conference on Equine Law.
For her contributions to the equine industry, Julie received the Certified Horsemanship Association’s “Partner in Safety” Award and American Riding Instructors Association’s “Outstanding Achievement” Award. She is also one of very few lawyers nationwide to be named a Fellow of the American College of Equine Attorneys. She has been named a Michigan “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics Magazine and a “2010 Leader in the Law” by Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly. She is a past board member of the American Youth Horse Council and the Equine Land Conservation Resource.
Active in lawyer organization, she is 2010-2011 President-Elect of the 41,000-member State Bar of Michigan, a Vice-Chair of the ABA Animal Law Committee, and a member of the ABA House of Delegates. Her websites are www.fershtmanlaw.com and www.equinelaw.net.
Laurel Florio, J.D.
Georgia
Laurel is a lifelong horse enthusiast and rider. While she has ridden everything from Thoroughbreds to pleasure-shod Tennessee Walking Horses, her current focus is dressage training and competition. She is an active member of the US Dressage Federation, the US Equestrian Federation and the Georgia Dressage and Combined Training Association.
Laurel works as an attorney and consultant to conservation organizations and government agencies focused on land transactions and conservation easements. She is a highly sought-after speaker in the conservation community and a member of the Land Trust Alliance’s Land Conservation Leadership Program Faculty.
Ann George
Utah
Ann became involved in equine land conservation after noticing the disappearance of competition venues when her children were riding and competing. Ann organizes the annual “Golden Spike” event in Utah.
Karen Gustin
Kentucky
Karen currently serves as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, where she is responsible for general oversight and administration of the horse rescue operation at KyEHC. Previously, she worked with the National Park Service for many years. Serving over time as Superintendent of the Olympic National Park in Port Angeles, WA, Superintendent of Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan, War in the Pacific National Historical Park and American Memorial Park in Guam and Saipan, Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, and Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa. Karen owns three horses: a Thoroughbred, a Warmblood/Thoroughbred cross, and a Swedish Warmblood.
Jan Hancock
Arizona
Jan is the author of the two books; “Equestrian Design Guidebook for Trails, Trailheads, and Campgrounds” published by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center and the guidebook titled “Horse Trails in Arizona. She is an equestrian recreational facilities design consultant with Hancock Resources LLC and is a national speaker at trails and equestrian conferences.
Jan serves on the Arizona Governor’s Growing Smarter Oversight Council and is the equestrian representative on the American Trails national Advisory Board. She served a 9-year term on the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board and the Design Review Standards Committee. She is past president of the Arizona Trail Association, the nonprofit support organization for the 820-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail, a border-to-border route that travels through lands managed by Federal, State, County, and Municipal agencies. Jan is a past president of the Maricopa County Trail and Park Foundation and Friends of the West Valley Recreation Corridor, an organization coordinating the development of a 42-mile urban river corridor trail system through seven municipalities.
As an equestrian facilities and trails consultant, Jan completed numerous master planning projects for cities of in Arizona; she has also served on the planning teams for equestrian facilities in Las Vegas; Texas; and Oklahoma. She completed consultation work for a trailhead project for West World Equestrian Center in Scottsdale, and is currently working on a trailhead project for Santa Fe County, NM.
The daughter of a veterinarian, Jan has been riding since she was three years old and has been trail riding most of her life. She credits her remarkable saddle horses, and a mule named Sally, with the inspiration for her career as an author and designer of equestrian facilities.
Susan M. Harding
Maryland
Susan was originally elected to the ELCR Board of Directors in 2010 and served as Vice President in 2011, and President in 2012-2014.
Susan has over 20 years of experience in the equine publishing industry. She served as Executive Vice President at Fleet Street and then as Vice President and Group Publishing Director of Source Interlink Media’s Equine Network. During her time with those companies she was responsible for several well-known equine magazines – including EQUUS, Horse & Rider, Practical Horseman, and Dressage Today – as well as a book division and the web sites EquiSearch.com, equine.com and EquiShopper.com. Susan currently works as a consultant with Active Interest Media, a special interest media company that purchased the Equine Network from Source Interlink in 2010.
“My years as a horse owner and equine industry professional have shown me the importance of ensuring that future generations can enjoy horses and the equestrian lifestyle.”
Susan’s equine endeavors are not limited to her employment. She has also served as President of American Horse Publications and on the Board of Trustees of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. She is also currently on the board of the Horse and Humans Research Foundation and is chairman of the US Hunter Jumper Association Marketing Committee.
Jeff Hooper
Texas
Jeff Hooper of Forth Worth, Texas is the President of Capital H Strategies, specializing in assisting both not-for-profit and for-profit entities with revenue generation, business development, organizational efficiencies and governmental relations. Prior to founding Capital H Strategies, Hooper served for 12 years as Executive Director of the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) which promotes and/or produces over 2,000 cutting horse contests around the world with total prize money of over $40 million.. Formed on May 1, 1946 by a group of cowboys and ranchers, the NCHA has grown to currently include more than 21,000 members.
Hooper’s resume includes an incredible list of accomplishments in the horse industry, having served as a top executive for both non-profit and for-profit organizations. Prior to joining the NCHA, Hooper was a member of the Lone Star Park management team. Lone Star Park is a $96 million facility offering live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing at a major league sports and entertainment complex. As vice president of administration and a member of the executive committee, his duties included directing all administrative functions of the facility, with a staff of 1,600 during peak season. Prior to his involvement with Lone Star Park, Hooper, a Southern Methodist University graduate, served for nine years as executive director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association.
Hooper has dedicated his life to working in various sectors of the equine industry and he understands and promotes the conservation of land for equine related activities and preservation of the western lifestyle. He is the proud father of two children: a son studying at Texas A&M University, and a daughter attending Southern Methodist University.
Christine Hughes
North Carolina
Christine Hughes is a senior planner with the city of Wilmington, North Carolina Planning, Development, and Transportation department. She oversees the Long- range, Environmental, and Special Projects unit and has worked extensively with community groups developing small-area, corridor, and comprehensive plans. Christine has been with the city of Wilmington since 2005.
Prior to moving to Wilmington, Christine was a planner with Gwinnett County (Georgia), and a program coordinator at The University of Georgia. Christine is a member of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Christine received a Bachelor’s degree in political studies from Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a Master of Historic Preservation from The University of Georgia. She also studied abroad at the Estudios Universitarios y Superiores de Andalucía, in Seville, Spain.
Christine took up horseback riding as an adult, and enjoys every aspect of it. When she is not at the barn, Christine competes in local triathlons and enjoys life on the coast. Along with their English bulldog, Larry, and French bulldog, Stella, Christine and her husband, Daniel, live in downtown Wilmington.
Kat Imhoff
Montana
Katherine “Kat” Imhoff currently serves as the State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Montana. Previously, Imhoff was the vice president of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc., which owns and operates Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in addition to posts as executive director for the Preservation Alliance of Virginia and vice president for conservation and development for the Piedmont Environmental Council. Imhoff holds bachelors and masters degrees in urban and environmental planning from the University of Virginia, and returned to teach planning there as well as landscape preservation at Gaucher College. In her appointment to the ELCR Advisory Council, Imhoff will bring expertise as a conservationist, planner, fund-raiser, and equestrian while serving as a bridge to conservation organizations.
A Utah native and former foxhunter who still enjoys riding and “beagling”, Imhoff has lived and worked extensively across the country. Because of these experiences, Imhoff has a special perspective as to how land conservation efforts vary between states and regions. But she finds particular joy in her current role in Montana, and as part of her duties Imhoff oversees Pine Butte Ranch, a vacation destination offering riding and hiking on conserved land, which allows her to educate visitors about ongoing conservation efforts while expanding her understanding of tourism and its consequent economic impacts on land conservation.
Karen Isberg
Kentucky
Karen Isberg strongly believes we need to be conscientious stewards of the earth-to conserve and preserve for today and tomorrow. Not only must we teach our children, but we must also serve as strong roles models for them. She has taught these values to her son and daughter as well as other youth she encounters.
A lifelong horsewoman, Karen has cared for, ridden and showed horses her entire life. A graduate with distinction from Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Karen’s primary field of study was equine reproduction with a minor in communications. After she received her degree, she served as the research farm manager at Cornell University where she supervised the full-time, graduate and undergraduate student staff, coordinated and conducted nutritional research at the Equine Metabolic Center, managed the contagious equine metritis (CEM) isolation unit, and conducted drug-testing trials for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Karen is president of two equine-industry companies. Kentucky Performance Products produces and distributes scientifically proven nutritional supplements for horses and show livestock. In 2007, she established the Arion Group, a design and marketing firm that specializes in meeting the needs of agriculture-related businesses, as well as those of small and midsize local businesses.
Karen has been an active leader with the Boy Scouts of America, Blue Grass Council, Elkhorn District and the Girl Scouts of America, Wilderness Road Council. She serves on the Board of the Masterson Equestrian Trust Foundation, a Lexington based 501(c)(3) who’s goal it is to enhance and protect the facilites at a local Horse Park. She also enjoys hiking, camping, birding, civil war history and Dutch oven cooking.
Kerri Kent
Oregon
Kerri Kent of Hood River, Oregon, is founder and president of KERRITS, a company specializing in sustainable equestrian apparel made exclusively from organic and recycled materials. Her journey began when Kent took $50 and her passion for windsurfing to the fabric store in hopes of designing a swimsuit for women that would stay in place. With this success, Kent opened her first retail store in downtown Hood River, OR in 1986. But Kent’s wish was to expand into another of her passions – creating a performance apparel line for women who rode horses. The equestrian line followed the niche that made Kerrits swimsuits so popular – functional clothing that looked great too. Kerrits featured performance fabrics, brighter colors, and new styles never seen in equestrian fashion. In addition, Kent examined every aspect of her business from manufacturing and shipping practices, to product packaging and advertising strategies, in order to develop an earth-friendly business model.
In 2008, Kent launched Green Riding Apparel for Style and Sustainability (g.r.a.s.s.), the first solely environmentally friendly clothing line to the equestrian community. Her dedication to land conservation is made clear through Kerrits’ involvement with “1% for the Planet”, a global movement comprised of hundreds of companies that donate 1% of their annual sales to a network of more than 1,500 environmental organizations. Kerrits has earmarked their contribution to the ELCR to help advance the conservation of land for horse-related activities.
Kerri has been actively involved with horses since childhood. She has participated in various disciplines including jumpers, eventing and dressage. These days she can be found riding outdoors on a 40,000-acre cattle ranch in Washington and works diligently to allocate land for equestrian use.
Scott King, DVM
Missouri
Scott King, DVM, is currently the Director of Marketing – Cattle Segment, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. He joined the company in 2014 as Senior Associate Director of Equine Marketing. Prior to joing Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., Dr. King was Equine Products Manager at Bayer Animal Health for seven years and Equine Product Manager with Land O’ lakes Purina Mills Feed for eight years. He served as an ELCR board member and Vice President.
He is a graduate of the University Of Missouri College Of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. King was in private equine practice for 10 years in St. Louis, Missouri prior to going to work for Purina Mills.
Scott and his wife were previously Whips with the Meramec Valley Hunt and members of Bridlespur Hunt in St. Louis and currently enjoy riding with Mission Valley Hunt in Kansas City. Scott and his wife Tawny, are both actively involved in Boy Scouting with their sons Tristan and Quinlan.
The preservation of land, restoration of habitat and the education of others on these key issues are important to Scott and his family as they enjoy the wildlife, canoeing, horseback riding and hiking on their family farm in Missouri.
Cathy Laws
Maryland
Cathy Laws of Maryland is the Editorial Director of Active Interest Media’s Equine Network, a publisher of leading horse magazines including EQUUS, Practical Horseman, Dressage Today, Horse & Rider, The Trail Rider, and web sites such as EquiSearch.com, DiscoverHorses.com and Equine.com. Involved in writing and editing for publication for more than 20 years, Laws spent more than a decade as editor of SPUR Magazine, an award-winning national bi-monthly devoted to English equestrian sport. In 2000, she founded Equestrian Life, a content/shopping website that was acquired by the U.S. Equestrian Team. Also a horsewoman, Laws is a former Pony Clubber and a fox hunter.
Elisabeth McMillan
Tennessee
A lifelong equestrian in a variety disciplines, McMillan focused her riding and training pursuits within the “A” circuit hunter/jumper world as owner and operator of McMillan Farms in Santa Barbara, CA. She has ridden professionally for over twenty years on the hunter/jumper circuit. McMillan is founder, owner, and editor of Equestrian Professional.com a membership website that provides information, resources and support to professional equestrians and horse business owners. Equestrian Professional was recognized as a top ten finalist in the 2010 Equestrian Social Media Awards for Most Informative International website. Prior to establishing the popular website EquestrianProfessional.com, she founded the marketing company Equestrian International Communications A sought-after speaker for public equestrian events, seminars, and conventions, McMillan also works as a business consultant for private clients in the horse industry. She has promoted high profile equestrian athletes and worked with companies such as Equestrian Designs, Pure and Simple, Patagonia and Monaco Coach within the equestrian niche.
James B. (Jim) Miller
Virginia
Jim grew up in suburban Northern Virginia next to racehorse owners who kept mares on their land for foaling purposes. Jim’s family led an active outdoor life, with home garden and orchard, and traveling the country while camping. Jim graduated from The College of William and Mary with a B.S. in Biology and Duke University with a Master of Forestry degree. Jim served in the U.S. Army, and worked as a civilian forester for the Department of the Army. Jim retired in 2005 from the USDA – Forest Service after 35 years of government service in Virginia, Alaska, and California, with the last nine as the Dispersed Recreation Program Manager (trails, caves, and outdoor ethics) in the National Headquarters. Jim enjoys most outdoor activities, but allows that his wife and her remaining horse is the better horse person.
Melanie Peterson-Ramey
Florida, Kentucky
Melanie Peterson-Ramey resides in Wellington, FL and Lexington, KY where she practices real estate and operates a sport horse farm with her husband. She is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in Geography, Environmental Resource Analysis and a GIS Certificate. She also co-authored an informational booklet called “Agricultural Best Management Practices in South Florida” while a Marshall Fellow during her time at FAU. Melanie works at Douglas Elliman in Florida as well as holding her license in Kentucky with
Biederman Real Estate. she also holds her Insurance license and writes equine mortality, major medical, and farm policies for Jarvis Insurance.
Ramey served as Vice Chair of Palm Beach Soil and Water Conservation District for 7 years, the Loxahatchee River Coordinating Council for 5 years, the Florida Farm Bureau Equine Advisory Committee for 10 years, was a Florida Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher, served on the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau board for several years, and a past board member of the Children’s Healing Institute. Melanie was a professional horse trainer for 20 years before shifting gears to equestrian real estate.
From 2014-2019, Melanie served on the South Florida Water Management District as an at-large member for an area that includes St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties. She was Vice Chair of the Board and Chaired the Project and Lands Committee and also served on the Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative. She spear-headed the complete restructuring of the public relations department as well as the website and email marketing campaigns in order to promote good, factual information directly to the public.
Ramey was also instrumental in the re-negotiation of the lease of the Arthur Marshall National Wildlife Refuge with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to expand and include more public access resulting in opening nearly 150,000 acres that had been restricted for over 50 years. Today, there are more people enjoying that land than ever before. Melanie believes in the conservation of natural resources and the use of public lands by their owners, the tax paying public. She is passionate about education of land use and public access so that we may preserve open space for the future.
Rick Potts
Montana
Rick Potts is the Project Leader for the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge outside of Lewistown, MT. Extending 125 airline miles up the Missouri River from Fort Peck Dam in north-central Montana, the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge contains approximately 1,100,000 acres, including the 245,000-acre Fort Peck Reservoir. The Refuge includes native prairies, forested coulees, river bottoms, and badlands so often portrayed in the paintings of Charlie Russell, the colorful western artist for whom the refuge is named.
Prior to this position, Rick served as Chief of Conservation and Outdoor Recreation for the National Park Service in the Washington D.C. office. Rick holds academic degrees in Animal Science (B.S., Pre-Veterinary) and Animal Nutrition /Wildlife Management M.S.). He is a wildlife biologist, and a graduate of the National Park Service Natural Resource Specialist Training Program. Rick is also professional trainer, facilitator and mediator.
While at NPS, Rick was responsible for administering five national programs for the National Parks Service: Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA); Wild & Scenic Rivers; National Trails System; Hydropower Assistance; and Challenge Cost Share. Through these programs, the NPS develops partnerships with communities and organizations across the country, and works cooperatively with them to develop outdoor recreational opportunities and resource conservation projects. He has lived and worked in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Southwest Alaska, Molokai, and Montana.
A longtime horseman, Rick is a professional Farrier, a licensed Montana Guide, a Certified Master Mule Packer, and a Certified Leave No Trace Stock Master.
William J. Price, V
North Carolina
Bill serves as President and CEO of Sonitrol Security Services, Inc., but his life’s passions involve his family and horses. His personal “horse” interest is in racing Thoroughbreds. Following this passion, Bill became involved with steeplechase racing. He is carrying on the racing tradition as the founder and race chairman of the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase. Bill has served as a Board member of the National Steeplechase Association and serves as the Race Chairman of the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase. The Queen’s Cup is run on the 300 acre farm Brooklandwood, of which 245 acres have been placed under permanent conservation easement. Bill is also a board member of the Catawba Lands Conservancy.
John Strassburger
California
John Strassburger has spent most of his life riding horses across the countryside. He’s foxhunted for 36 years, starting with the Spring Valley Hounds (N.J.) and then working for three seasons in the stable of the Essex Fox Hounds (N.J.). While editor of The Chronicle of the Horse, from 1986 to 2006, he covered six Olympics and hundreds of other competitions around the country and the world, and he followed more than two dozen more packs throughout the United States, Canada and England. John is a graduate A Pony Clubber and is currently competing in eventing at the intermediate level. He and his wife, Heather Bailey, now operate Phoenix Farm (www.phoenixsporthorses.com) in Healdsburg, Calif., where they breed and train event and dressage horses, while also writing and editing books and magazine articles. John also rode in point-to-points and NSA-sanctioned steeplechase races, over hurdles, timber and on the flat for eight years. John was president of the Land Trust of Virginia for three years (vice president for two), serving on the Board of Directors from 1997 to 2003. He was also a member of the Steering Committee of the Rt. 50 Corridor Coalition in Middleburg, Va., for two years, and he helped establish the MFHA’s Hunting Habitat Preservation Award. In addition, he served on the Board of Governors of the U.S. Pony Clubs from 1983 to 1988 and was chairman of the USPC Tetrathlon Committee from 1985 to 1991.
Jane Thery
Washington, D.C.
Jane Thery is a life-long equestrian and specialist in international diplomacy and economics. She holds a BA in international relations from Duke University, a MA in international economics from Yale University and is fluent in Spanish.
Jane Thery’s commitment to the stewardship of equestrian lands began as a focused effort to give back to the wonderful world of horses and to promote sound environmental practices through strategic alliance building, measurable results and linking horse farms to stewardship advocacy programs and technical and financial assistance. Ms. Thery founded the Farm Stewardship Committee of the Maryland Horse Council which holds regular events to promote horse farm stewardship. Under her leadership, the Committee promoted the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts’ Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP) for horse farms, raising the number of certified horse farms from one to over thirty.
Ms. Thery forged alliances with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Soil Conservation District Offices to promote best practices and highlight horse farms with excellent farm stewardship for healthy horses and a healthy environment. She served on a Maryland State task force on composting regulation, representing the Maryland Horse Council. Ms. Thery recently launched her own business, Green Horse Enterprises, LLC, to work on “greening” horse farms and equestrian competition venues, including exploring options for the new Fair Hill Five-Star Eventing venue in Maryland.
Jane Thery is presently competing with her Maryland-based Selle Francais gelding, Quattro au Lait, at Third Level Dressage and has a happily-retired Thoroughbred Eventing mare, Pimienta, in the Shenandoah Valley. She notes that she takes inspiration in land stewardship and exploration from her ancestors George Washington and Meriwether Lewis.