The Plaidcast

Piper speaks with Sharon Decker about the new improvements happening at Tryon International. Elizabeth Ehrlich of Equine Elixirs talks about the most common challenges when relocating to horse show environments for extended periods of time. John Minoprio joins to talk about his upcoming book, Aachen Equestrian Beauty . Kerri Lake also joins to discuss how we can communicate and connect with our horses better. Brought to you by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services.

• Host: Piper Klemm, publisher of The Plaid Horse
• Guest: Sharon Decker is President of Carolina Operations for Tryon Equestrian Partners, the owners of Tryon International. Sharon is managing development of Tryon International. In addition to the ongoing expansion of the Tryon International Equestrian Center, Sharon is spearheading the multi-use development of the 1600 acre Tryon Resort located in the Foothills of Western North Carolina. Sharon also oversees the day-to-day operations associated with running this organization which includes an extensive spring, summer and fall equestrian competition calendar and a year- round event schedule of entertainment and family fun.
• Guest: Elizabeth Ehrlich is the founder and president of Equine Elixirs. Her unique approach to creating all-natural, whole food based supplements that address a wide range of equine health needs has taken the supplement industry by storm over the last five years. Formerly an attorney in New York, Liz now spends her days focused on equine nutrition.
• Guest: John Minoprio had a career in film distribution but it was photography, especially photography of horses, that has always been an interest. John has been involved in a number of equestrian films including Royal Four-in-Hand, based on the book Competition Carriage Driving by The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Queen and Her Ceremonial Horses about the Royal Mews. John produced the film Royal Stables Oman and the book that followed it about His Majesty The Sultan of Oman’s horses. John is the author of The Blue & Buff; Portrait of an English Hunt and Horses & Heroes; The Photography of John Minoprio and the upcoming book, Aachen Equestrian Beauty.
• Guest: From a very early age, Kerri Lake had an uncommon awareness of interspecies connection, and she was always trying to discover ways to re-establish a harmony between humanity and all living beings. While attending UC Davis, it. became clear that the veterinary track wasn’t going to be the best way for Kerri to use her gifts to help horses and their people have kinder, healthier lives together. For the past several decades, Kerri has developed tools and skills that guide people to have more clarity in their own intuitive nature and broaden their communication with horses and each other.
• Title Sponsor: Taylor, Harris Insurance Services
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• Sponsors: Show Strides Book Series, With Purpose: The Balmoral Standard and Good Boy, Eddie

Tonya Johnston, Mental Skills Coach speaks with top junior rider Taylor Cawley about her impressive medal finals successes, winning the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals - East and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship, and Shawna Karrasch & Jessie Hillegas about positive reinforcement training. Brought to you by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services.

• Host: Tonya Johnston, Visit her Website, Facebook and buy her book Inside Your Ride
• Guest: Taylor Cawley is a top junior rider who won the 2024 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals - East , the 2024 ASPCA Maclay National Championship and the WEF Equitation Championship. Taylor rides with Stacia Madden and the team at Beacon Hill Show Stables, as well as her parents Molly and Chris Cawley. Oki D’Eclipse was her partner for the year, a horse whose only experience in the equitation ring has been with Taylor.
• Guests: Shawna Karrasch is a pioneer in the use of Positive Reinforcement Training with horses. Jessie Hillegas started riding traditionally as a child and continued through adulthood learning from some of the top hunter and jumper trainers in the industry and then started her own breeding and training business. Jessie and Shawna now work as partners, joining their powerful and humane behavioral training techniques that are an eye-opening experience for equine professionals, competitors, and amateurs alike. They have produced books and videos, and traveled worldwide to teach the concepts of bridge conditioning and positive reinforcement for horses.
• Title Sponsor: Taylor, Harris Insurance Services
• Subscribe To: The Plaid Horse Magazine
• Sponsors: Laurel Springs School, LAURACEA, Great American Insurance Group, Purina Animal Nutrition, BoneKare, Show Strides Book Series, Good Boy, Eddie and Geoff Teall on Riding Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation: Develop a Winning Style

Piper speaks with Stevie McCarron Wigley about training and managing her business. Dr. Robert Jacobs of Purina Animal Nutrition also joins to talk about the equine microbiome. Brought to you by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services.

• Host: Piper Klemm, publisher of The Plaid Horse
• Guest: Stevie McCarron Wigley grew up in Los Angeles, California as the daughter of Hall of Fame Jockey, Chris McCarron. Stevie competed and worked for many top professionals through her junior and professional career including Karen Healey, Butch and Lu Thomas and Anne Kursinski. Stevie started her own business in Lexington, Kentucky in 2005 and has been running Cloud Nine Farm ever since.
• Guest: Dr. Robert Jacobs is an Equine Innovation Manager at Purina Animal Nutrition. Dr. Jacobs earned his Ph.D. in Equine Reproductive Physiology and Nutrition at Virginia Tech and manages the equine research program at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center. For the past 10-plus years he has been leading research efforts for the Purina Equine MQTM Platform.
• Title Sponsor: Taylor, Harris Insurance Services
• Subscribe To: The Plaid Horse Magazine
• Sponsors: American Stalls, Purina Animal Nutrition, World Equestrian Center, LAURACEA, America Cryo, BoneKare, Show Strides Book Series, With Purpose: The Balmoral Standard. Good Boy, Eddie, HITS Horse Shows and Great American Insurance Group

Piper hosts the first ever Plaidcast LIVE! in front of a live studio audience at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, CT with guests The Humble Hoof Podcast host Alicia Harlov, Olympic Gold medalist Peter Wylde and lifelong champions for our sport and community Fran and Joe Dotoli. Brought to you by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services.

• Host: Piper Klemm, publisher of The Plaid Horse
• Guest: Alicia Harlov is a full time hoofcare provider based out of Massachusetts. She focuses on getting to the root cause of hoof issues and lameness and considers the horse’s diet, health, work, and living environment when working on a horse. Her interest in these factors contributed to starting a podcast of her own called The Humble Hoof, where she interviews vets and farriers around the world about hoof health and soundness.
• Guest: Peter Wylde is an Olympic gold medal show jumping rider who grew up in Massachusetts. Peter won the prestigious ASPCA Maclay Finals and the IHSA Cacchione Cup before turning his focus to show jumping. Peter won both individual and team silver medals at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, the individual bronze medal at the 2002 World Equestrian Games and a team gold medal at the 2004 Olympics among many other accomplishments. Peter has also trained riders at both the Olympics and World Championships in both Show Jumping and Eventing.
• Guest: Fran and Joe Dotoli have dedicated their lives to the horse industry. As trainers, Fran and Joe trained riders to championship wins at nearly every major horse show at their Young Entry Stables in Massachusetts. Joe defines their success by the number of young equestrians who came through their barn and have gone on to achieve much success and are still involved in the sport today- among them, Olympic gold medalist Peter Wylde. Fran and Joe have dedicated their lives to serving our sport which they have been awarded for by the United States Hunter Jumper Association and the United State Equestrian Federation. Fran won the USHJA President's Distinguished Service Award honor three times and also the USHJA Volunteer of the Year award in 2020. Joe won the USEF Distinguished Service Award in 2001 for contributions to equestrian sport including the years he spent on the passage of the Safety Helmet Rule. Joe was also awarded the USEF Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, which he shares with Fran because they did everything together.
• Title Sponsor: Taylor, Harris Insurance Services
• Subscribe To: The Plaid Horse Magazine

Tonya Johnston, Mental Skills Coach speaks with Lindsay Archer about her new non-profit group, Equestrian Foundation for Mental Health Awareness (EMHA). Licensed therapist & Equus coach, Kathy Rausin joins to talk about her involvement with EMHA. Hunter/jumper professional Carol Wright also joins to talk about her career and how she stays so consistent. Brought to you by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services.

• Host: Tonya Johnston, Visit her Website, Facebook and buy her book Inside Your Ride
• Guest: Lindsay Archer grew up in Northern California on the farm where she and her husband Matt run their business, Shady Lane Farm. They started Shady Lane in 2003 and in 2015, they teamed up with Catherine Harvey of Rhys Farms. After struggling with her own mental health, Lindsay's experience in a group therapy session during the Cavalleria Toscana Clinic in early 2024 opened her eyes to an entirely different way to process what she was going through. From that experience, she vowed to find a way to bring group therapy to the equestrian community on the West Coast, so she started the Equestrian Foundation for Mental Health Awareness (EMHA). EMHA is a 501(c)(3) tax deductible, non-profit organization.
• Guest: Kathy Rausin is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Equus coach. Kathy offers individual coaching, leadership development and team building opportunities for both private and corporate clients. She has worked with mental health groups, veterans, families, corporate training groups, and more.
• Guest: Carol Wright started riding and showing Morgan horses at the age of two at her parent’s breeding farm, Melodic Morgans. At age 10, she was Reserve Champion in the AHSA 3'6" Morgan Jr. Medal finals. By age 11, she won her first Junior Hunter Championship. Throughout her junior riding career, Carol competed in the hunters, equitation and jumpers. She made her first appearance in the Grand Prix ring at age 19. In 1991, she won her first World Cup Qualifier, a $50,000 class in Los Angeles. Carol has won numerous grand prix and hunter derbies- sometimes in the same week. She focuses on creating strong partnerships between horse and rider while keeping fun in the equation.
• Title Sponsor: Taylor, Harris Insurance Services
• Subscribe To: The Plaid Horse Magazine
• Sponsors: American Stalls, Purina Animal Nutrition, America Cryo, BoneKare, Show Strides Book Series, With Purpose: The Balmoral Standard, Good Boy, Eddie, HITS Horse Shows, Sentinel Horse Nutrition, Laurel Springs School, Great American Insurance Group and LAURACEA