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| Jane Fennessy with her young student |
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At the age of 7 years, owner and trainer, Jane Fennessy, began riding at the Grosse Pointe Hunt Club in the Detroit area of Michigan. It is here she began her journey with the horse. By the early age of 11 years she had begun competing Medal Classes and continued her Junior career doing the Medal/Maclays and Jumper Divisions until she turned 18. After high school she attended Kent State in Ohio. She majored in art and equine studies. The horses won! No surprise there.
Her first professional job in the industry was with the Master of Metamora Hunt, where she trained, hunted, and managed a private 16 stall stable. From there she made her way back home to the place she knew well, Grosse Pointe Hunt Club. She was no longer the student; now at the tender young age of 21 she was the Riding Master, as well as manager, rider and instructor.
Ten years later she moved to Florida to start her own training business. She landed at Jumping Springs Farm in Pompano Beach. She started with nothing but her knowledge and respect of the horse. She worked hard and long, doing it all. She eventually was managing the board and care for 30 client horses, 10 lesson horses, and doing 100 – 150 lessons per week. She was barn manager, teacher, trainer, groom, braider, and hauler. During the summer months Jane ran a sleep away camp for her young riders and managed the Broward Girl Scouts riding program. She produced up to 6 “C” rated Circuit Shows a year as well as hosted the accompanying formal banquets. At the end of this tenure, she felt it was time to step out on her own. In 1982 Carriage Hill Farms was born. She continued to do it all.
In 1988 Jane designed and oversaw the building of the 5.5 million dollar complex for the Polo Club of Boca Raton. She was Equestrian Director for this facility and this was now home to Carriage Hill Farm. Over the years the business grew and so did all the daily duties. In 1994, Jane and John Beebe, of Arlington Farms, joined forces. John took over the daily care, boarding & horse transport side of the business so she could concentrate on educating and training.
Over the years Jane’s hard work has won a few Trainer of the Year awards, produced numerous Zone 4 Champions and elected President to the SFHJA during the 1980’s. Today, Jane still produces Champions who are Nationally Top-Ranked and compete at Devon, Harrisburg, Washington, and Nationals and at WEF. She sits on the SFHJA Board of Directors, and helps them manage their horse shows.
No longer a one person show, Jane’s commitment has never wavered. She and her team of professionals are committed to the care and education of every horse and rider. “It’s great to win, but the important lessons are the life lessons that students young and old carry with them after being a part of the Carriage Hill experience.”
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