A Fresh Start
2008 has been a year of many transitions - Fairview Sport Ponies has undergone some major changes to keep up with our growing pony herd. All of the ponies are finally in one place for the first time in over ten years - Emily has settled in at the family farm just outside of Camden, IL. There was a lot of work involved in getting the farm horse-ready, please visit the Our Farm page to learn more.
Fairview Sport Ponies is also proud to announce the arrival of our 2008 fillies, Erinná and Rhodella, the first foals born in the "new" Nursery. Check out the Photo Gallery and the Sale Horses page for more baby pictures.
A Brief History
In 1992, five-year old Emily Lynn Mitchell decided that life without ponies would not be very much fun. So her Mom (Jan) and Dad (Jerry) took her to Copper Bit Ranch, owned by Joan and Tom Harms for her very first riding lessons. Emily fell in love with a black Welsh Mountain Pony named Master Chief Buckeye and wanted to buy him. On Emily's 7th birthday, after two years of lessons, she got her wish and "Chief" become her first pony and her most prized possession.
Over the next couple of years, Emily rode Chief and showed in halter and walk/trot/canter classes at local shows and county fairs. They were doing very well when Emily attended an eventing clinic with Michael Paige. Emily decided that she wanted to try Hunter shows and began working with Chief to become a Hunter pony, but Chief had other ideas. When Emily and her parents realized that Chief was not suitable for jumping, they began looking for another pony.
In 1998, the Mitchell's purchased Kirby's Dreamland, a 13.2hh Welsh cross. Emily worked with Kirby under Jan Rock at Huntermark Farm. Within two years, Emily competed in the National Pony Finals in Asheville, North Carolina and finished in the top 15 in the Pony Medal Finals. During this time, the Mitchell's arranged lessons with Klaus Beisenthal to help with Kirby's movement under saddle. After just a few lessons, Klaus asked Emily to ride his German Sport Pony stallion, Makuba in Dressage. Emily agreed, but with the understanding that she was a Hunter rider - not a Dressage rider. Within months, Emily decided that Dressage was a lot more challenging and rewarding than Hunters. She learned to appreciate the fine art of Dressage during the three years she rode Makuba, going from showing Training level to schooling Prix St. Georges. Although she was unable to show him in the FEI levels, she won consistently from Training to 3rd level and still carries the lessons she learned with him.
Emily moved her ponies closer to home for her last two years of high school. During that time, she met and adopted Bavarian Dream, a 17hh Bavarian Warmblood gelding, from Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Center in Oregon, Illinois. Emily shared a great partnership with Dream until his retirement in 2006 after two very successful show seasons. Together, the pair earned a Reserve Championship at the Prix St. Georges level at 2004 Regionals and another Reserve Championship at the Intermediare I level at 2005 Regionals. Dream is enjoying his retirement and trying to keep his pasturemate (Rosselini) in line at his new home near Camden.