Tennessee Equestrian Real Estate : The Farm at Tralee : Knoxville Farm Land in Strawberry Plain, Knox County, TN

This winter was filled with hard work and training for Gracie, and I decided it was time to test her skills at her first Eventing competition. I signed up for the spring Horse Trials at River Glen Equestrian Park, and I entered her in the beginner novice division for green horses. My student Kim has been riding Gracie a lot while her mare is laid up, so it was only fitting that Kim got to compete in her first event too!

We were both a bit out of our element, and joked the entire weekend about being Hunter/Jumpers without a clue...but Gracie was all business, as usual, set out to claim her place at the top. She knows when the show has begun, and she really turns on her "show pony" game face.

Her dressage was good enough to put her 4th out of 17, and we were more than happy about that. But her jumping is where she really excels, and after a double clear stadium jumping round and a clear cross country round, Gracie ended the weekend as she expected...in first place! I am so proud of her and Kim, and we all had a great time. Gracie is owned by The Farm at Tralee and she is currently for sale, ideally to a good eventer who wants a little horse with tons of heart. Check out our Sales and Leases page for more information.

 
The weekend after River Glen, a group of us went up to Lexington, KY to watch the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event--the pinnacle of eventing competition. It was an amazing display of athleticism and bravery, and we all had a great time. The highlight was watching Karen O'Connor compete on the famous "Teddy", a 14.2 hand pony! Teddy is the first pony to ever compete at Rolex, and he took 3rd last year, and 6th this year. He is the true definition of "pony power".

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As the sun gently kisses the western side of the model home, East Tennessee awakes!

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This week, Tralee student Susan and I chose to take advantage of the decidedly spring weather and go lesson in the field. The best field for riding is a large stretch of hilltop that overlooks the pond and pavilion, and due to its shape we riders call it “The Big L” field. The “L” is community space at Tralee, open for riding, picnicking, bird-watching…and most of all, for the simple serenity of gazing at vast stretches of rolling meadowland.

It’s a great place to pull all your riding skills together, because open space riding really requires an effective, confident, accurate, secure rider who can use her aids well. Susan was up to the task, and Gracie enjoyed the break from the arena as they practiced hand galloping over the rolling terrain and jumping the single fence I had brought out to the field. I personally always feel bolder jumping in the field, as if somehow the fences magically shrink against the blue horizon. I think this comes from that naturally more forward pace that most horses have in the open spaces, or maybe just because the tall grass makes the fence height look smaller.

Either way, the field can be a fun place for an experienced rider to get some confidence-boosting mileage over slightly bigger fences. By the end of the lesson, I dropped the 3’6” vertical down to 2’9” for one last jump, and Susan remarked that it looked positively puny at that point. This picture captures that happy moment, after a mind-opening lesson such as we had this day, where 2’9” will never look quite the same again!

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My husband bought a new digital camera that promises to take better action shots—a must for horse sports. The first day out of the box, he went out the front door to give it a test run. As he walked toward the mare field, Gracie the mooch started walking toward him. She is such an attention hound, and the look on her face generally demands to know what could be cuter or more important than her. He got a series of pictures as she approached and then nosed out to sniff the camera, which was clearly occupying Mark’s precious attention. This shot says it all…”icky camera”!

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Cross over the Burr Arch Bridge, veer left on Lot 26, and you will find the second home at Tralee. Paul Smiddy has started construction on  "The Cottage." At nearly 6,000 square feet, the second home in Tralee may be larger than you might imagine a cottage, but the novel plan is reminiscent of the English Country.

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One of the advantages of being in Tennessee is that we have relatively easy access to many major horse events in the southeast. Whether you want to watch jumpers in Florida, eventers in South Carolina, or thoroughbreds in Kentucky…it is never more than a day’s drive at most! Like most horse people, I love to watch competitions. So, today I am going to talk about some competitions in the area that might inspire you to get a group together and go watch the horses put on their best.

First, I can’t go much farther without mentioning the recent Nation’s Cup competition in Wellington. The U.S. team won the prestigious competition for the first time since 2003—go USA! A record number of countries were represented in this year’s competition, which is a great sign that show jumping is a sport that is continuing to grow and spread. Additionally, a locally owned horse “Utopia” took home 3rd place individually in the class, with Irish rider Edward Doyle on board. She is truly an incredible mare, owned by GK Performance Horses in Norris, TN. They are poised to produce some fabulous jumpers out of their barn, and I can’t wait to see what their bright future holds.

Some upcoming events are equally sure to be exciting. A group of us are making the annual pilgrimage to watch Rolex this year. It is one of only three 4-star rated event in the world (the other two are in the UK!). It is a spectacle not to be missed, and the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington is such a fabulous venue that it alone is worth the trip. In fact, the Horse Park was deemed worthy of hosting the first ever World Equestrian Games outside of Europe! In 2010, Lexington, KY will make history, and no doubt make us proud. Of course, Kentucky is truly most famous for whiskey and horse races, and you can get a good dose of both at the Kentucky Derby on May 3rd in Lousiville. Bring your hat, ladies…this event is all about tradition, from “The Song” to the Mint Julep, you’ve got to immerse yourself in the whole experience at the Run for the Roses.

Lastly, our own local show venue River Glen will host their spring Horse Trials on April 19-20. Tralee student Kim will be taking Gracie, so look for us there!

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Recently, I have had several requests to see the current status of the Model Home. We are in the process of finishing a few details and furnishing it. Enjoy these pictures!

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At the end of January, Tralee student Kim and I went to Florida to watch a clinic taught by a living legend in the horse world, USET show jumping coach George Morris.

Mr. Morris was teaching the second annual “Horsemastership Training Session”, in which a group of eight top young riders attend a week-long course that includes not only riding but hands-on horse care. Top riders, trainers, grooms, and vets came to offer their expertise in the clinic, which is intended to develop our future top riders into true horsemen. However, the clinic was not held behind closed doors. The public had free access to watch all the riding sessions, as well as most of the guest speakers. Kim and I could not pass up an opportunity like that! Thanks to Allegiant Air, we were able to get a cheap direct flight to Fort Lauderdale and drive a short distance to the show grounds in Wellington. The next four days were immensely informative and enjoyable. Mr. Morris is an incredible teacher, and I was soaking it all up like a star struck kid. The clinic was sponsored in part by Practical Horseman magazine, so instead of trying to cover it all here I suggest that if you want to read more go to their website and read the daily updates filed by their journalist.

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The Farm of Tralee, located in Strawberry Plains TN, has been named Best New Community Plan By Mountain Homes, Southern Style in its Winter 2008 Annual Guide Issue.

Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Farm at Tralee provides views that include a snow-capped Mount Le Conte to the south and the distinctive contours of House and Clinch Mountains to the north.
Each of the forty homesites has been selected to capture mountain views and to assure maximum privacy for residents.  The number of homesites has been purposefully limited to allow the space, privacy and serenity that only a low-density, secure community can provide.
The Farm of Tralee is modeled after an English country retreat with natural materials and soft palettes that define the cottage-style homes. Future residents will own undivided interest in more than one hundred areas of common area, which include equestrian facilities, four-mile walking/riding trail, three-acre lake for fishing and swimming pool with cabana.
The Farm also provides its residents with numerous amenities. A twenty-four hour concierge serves the residents in various ways ranging from food shopping to technology help.
     Mountain Homes, Southern Style focuses on upscale communities in Virginia, West Virginal, North and South Carolina. Tennessee, Maryland, Georgia and Alabama. The five year old publication is owned by Leisure Publishing of Roanoke, Va.

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