Hello everyone! This is my first time posting here but I’ll cut right to the chase. I have recently relocated to Raeford N.C. this is located 30 min from Fayetteville. I have been having a very hard time finding an instructor who can match my goals. There are many very nice family oriented farms as well as dressage barns but I’m sold on the hunter/jumper world. I’ve ridden with a couple FEI riders in the past and while I currently own one horse that I don’t compete, I am looking to purchase another with more potential to bring up the levels. Before college I was jumping 1m10- 1m20 but I won’t lie I’d be grateful to get around a 1/2 meter course as I have just graduated and begun looking to get back into the sport seriously. I can travel up to an hour for a really good match and budget isn’t a big deal. If anyone has any experience with stables along these lines near the area I would love to know names/ boarding price expectations or if I’m a little out of luck with my location. Thank you!
Kelly Bauer is right in Raeford. She teaches ALL disciplines I believe. I’ve been gone from NC for 13 years and don’t know any of the new people, but Kelly is great!! She’s on Calloway Rd. going toward 5 Points and (CHP). If you can’t find her # I can pm it to you.
Look to the trainers in Southern Pines. Very near to Raeford and lots of hunter/jumper folks.
Mike Rosser and Harold Chopping are both in Southern Pines, but neither one has lesson horses.
Marilee Ventura at byway farms is awesome, she is in Carthage. I am 99% sure she has lesson horses but you don’t specify if you need one or not so I’m not sure if that is relevant. She is a true AA trainer and IMO worth making the drive for.
I second Harold Chopping in Southern Pines. However, if you don’t mind making a bit of a drive, Laurel Tinney/Chelsae Keyes at Oriana Stables and Kyle Timm at Apex Equestrian Center are both absolutely excellent. Both barns are located in the Cary/Apex area (about 5 minutes apart from each other.) Kyle is more jumper oriented, has ridden in the FEI GPs (I don’t know if he currently has a horse at that level,) but is also on the road a lot more (not sure if that’s good or bad for what you want.) His prices are also going to be a little higher.
The Oriana team is also excellent for the jumpers but definitely focuses a lot of the hunters and equitation too. They travel to approx. 2 rated shows a month. Board is ~$800/mo with a training requirement on top making the monthly bill ~$1000ish a month (it’s been awhile since I’ve seen their recent requirements.) Definitely worth it IMO. Laurel/Chelsae and Kyle have a good working relationship though which is great.
I second Merilee at Byway. She’s absolutely fabulous, and worth the drive. I haul out to lessons with her and she’s just amazing. I work HARD in those lessons though!
Harold Chopping and Tommy Serio are probably the best H/J programs, but no lesson horses, and they are on the road to shows (FL in winter, etc) a lot, so if you’re staying at home, you might not get the same level of attention/instruction.
I’ve heard good things about Patty Heukeroth, though I’ve only cliniced with her a weekend a few years ago.
If you want to do jumpers, than you might find a good cross-over Eventing coach. Daryl Kinney works out of Denny Emerson’s place, and a friend has had good results with her.
ETA, on costs. Harold Chopping and Tommy Serio are going to be $$$$$. Merilee is quite a bit less and I think full board/training was in the 1K/month ballpark, and plain board quite a bit less. Her Carthage facility is no showplace, but it’s safe and the horses all seem to flourish there.
I think Mike Rosser and Patty Heukeroth are also in the same range.
However… there are tons of nice private farms that offer board to a horse or four, and if you can do homework there, and trailer out for lessons, you might save a lot. Also, you wouldn’t have to drive so far to ride every day, and instead just for a weekly lesson while boarding closer to home. I’ve done that routine for the decade before buying my own farmette. Because there are so many Southern Pines area people who keep their own horses, most of the trainers are very welcoming to the haul-in clientele, and don’t at all treat them like second-class citizens like in other areas of the country I’ve lived.
I’ve been in Southern Pines since last fall, and am amazed by the wealth of equestrian talent and resources in the area (trainers, vets, barns, feed stores, trails, etc). The only bad thing (besides the humidity) is the cost of good hay, but there are plenty of good sized grass turnout fields at many barns.
My first choice for hunters or jumpers would be Harold Chopping. Sensitive and kind rider and teaches in the same manner (he does work you - and you have to trailer to his place if you’re not on training board, which is not excessive by any stretch). Only downside of his barn is length of turnout time - but they’re immaculately taken care of.
Lots of eventing trainers, but those who also work with those just interested in jumping are Bobby Costello and Daryl Kinney - both will come to your barn if you are a regular - or you can trailer to their place. Driving all the way to Raleigh/Carthage from Raeford really shouldn’t be necessary and would get to be a pain. Just make sure you visit during a lesson time to get a good vibe of the place and the trainer - one of the mentioned places definitely gave me pause…
Good luck - you’ll love it!
I ride with Ashley Lovegrove/Ashmont Stables. She is in S.P. and has access to Weymouth Woods and the Foundation if you want to be able to ride out. We have two riders at the barn that live in Raeford. Her concentration is on the hunters and equitation but also has a couple of lower level jumper riders. She attends A/AA and C (NCHJA C rated shows are not USEF rated) shows.
