I began riding at Rowe Stables in 1978 by attending Michigan State University classes. There I uttered the words to Sharon Rowe, “Mrs. Rowe, I am REALLY scared!” as I plugged around the ring on a wonderful palomino horse named Sailor. My experience in organized riding lessons had left me petrified as a young child. I was thrown from two horses while attending riding instruction (or so my mom thought) at Bloomfield Open Hunt. From there I was a rental barn hang out and spent every weekend for 10 years at whatever stable that would have me as a helping hand. .

My first horse was previously owned by Lani Kirk and trained by Jim and Sharon Rowe. His name was Dunkirk but we called him Dan. He was a big and beautiful buckskin horse that taught me the intricacies of dressage and the knowledge obtained from horse ownership. After retiring Dan to my home at age 24, I purchased Quinn. He was a cute flaxen mane, 16 hand mutt of a horse that stressed under the demands of dressage and ended up being a walk trot school master at a friends stable in Indiana. My current horse is named, Nitro. He is a black and white Clydesdale -–Hackney cross. He is big and beautiful but pushes me to my limits both physically and mentally. With Sharon’s help, I am determined to bring him up the levels.

My passion for the equine world has always been relentless and the fortune of knowing Jim, Sharon and Tracy Rowe is immeasurable. Throughout the years, my knowledge of the equine world has grown to heights that were very unexpected. The many hours of riding with Sharon’s instruction, watching Sharon, Jim and Tracy ride and drinking coffee with discussions of horses and dressage have risen my knowledge to something other than just a “rider”. I can honestly say that Jim and Sharon have made me a true “horseman’, a goal that most will never achieve in their lifetime.

On a personal note, I currently live on a small farmette in Fowlerville. I chuckle a little in thinking that I have been there for over 10 years. Most friends didn’t think that James and I would survive out there as we seemed to characterize Leeza and Oliver from the sitcom Green Acres. However, it is truly where I want to be and I am proud of my transition from city girl to country woman……..! I have two lawn ornament ponies named Oreo and Bud along with two dogs and two cats. After graduating from Michigan State University I began my career in sales and am currently selling new construction for a large builder in the West Blooomfield area.