20 Years and Growing
Tackroom at the World's Championship Horse Show, 2011
Knollwood Farm proudly marks its 20th anniversary this year at the current location. Over the past two decades Knollwood has created not only an outstanding riding academy, but a nationally renowned training facility for some of the top American Saddlebreds and riders. In 2011 alone, Team Knollwood earned four National Championship titles, a World Champion of Champions title, two World Championship titles, and a Reserve World Champion title. Knollwood’s strong Equitation riders dominated the division earning top ten results in all the National Finals.
Knollwood's Top 10 Riders in the Senior Pleasure Olympics, 2011
The past few years have come with an abundance of wins and accolades that have not only helped Knollwood receive national attention as a top Saddlebred farm, but has helped Knollwood grow and develop into what Carol and Scott Matton envisioned as their dream farm more than twenty years ago.
Knollwood's 2011 ASHA Academy award winners
This year Knollwood Farm was one of four featured equitation training facilities at the annual United Professional Horseman’s Associations convention. Scott and Carol were spotlighted in an open forum discussing the transition from the riding academy into the show barn equitation training. The forum was created to energize the Equitation division and help trainers understand the progression from beginning in the academy to finish a national level equitation rider. Being featured at this convention is a great achievement for Team Knollwood.
Exciting would be an understatement when discussing the horse and rider combinations this past year. Knollwood has such amazing horses and owners that it is a joy seeing goals reached and surpassed every season. Here are just a few of the highlights from this past year.
Nick Maupin and Aphrodite’s Tears (a.k.a Lilly) were the talk of Louisville this year at the World’s Championship Horse Show earning not only the Juvenile Park World’s Championship but the World’s Grand Championship title as well.
Ashley Baird and Callaway’s Rosemary and Thyme (a.k.a. Rosemary) earned the Juvenile 3-Gaited Reserve World’s Grand Championship.
Sydney Budzinski and Oh What A Feeling (a.k.a. Cartman) earned the Equitation Triple Crown this year winning the UPHA Pleasure Equitation Challenge Cup, Saddle and Bridle Medallion, and Pleasure Equitation Olympics National titles. Sydney was also the ASHA Pleasure Equitation National Champion, the 12 year old Equitation World Champion, and the Junior Challenge Cup Reserve National Champion.
Allison Schuh and Thundersnow (a.k.a. Pogo) earned the Reserve National Championship title in the ASHA Pleasure Equitation national Championship.
Knollwood is proud to have three riders competing for spots on the 2012 Saddleseat World Cup team. The Saddleseat World Cup is an international competition that is held every two years rotating between the US and South Africa. Knollwood has had a number of riders represent the United States in competition over the years. In 2010 Nick Maupin led the US Team to the Gold Medal as one of the 3 Gaited team’s Co-Captains. He along with Angela Darrow, and Ashley Baird will all compete for spots on the team this year at the trials in March.
As Knollwood enters into its third decade the farm continues to grow and change with the current times. Its standards keep getting higher and trainers and riders continue to learn new techniques to improve. Team Knollwood prides itself on the education and life skills that its riders learn and will continue to challenge themselves to be better. Knollwood looks forward to the new developments that are underway and all that the future holds.
World's Championship Show in Louisville, 2011
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