A Unique Knollwood Olympics –

  And a Way To Help Our Community

We’re living in unusual times which create unusual situations.  Team Knollwood is known for its ability to pivot, both on and off horses, and we’ve decided to put that skill to work for others. (And have a lot of fun in the process.)

We have an 11 year tradition of running a food drive each May for the Food Pantry of Waukesha County.  We’ve gathered more than 1000 pounds of food each year while Knollwood Kids assigned to teams vie to see which day of the week can gather the most food for the pantry.

In normal times, teams compete in ‘games of skill’ such as blanket races, helmet tosses, obstacle courses, and dance competitions to name a few.

While we may be ‘safer at home’ this year, we recognized that the food pantry would be missing our donations with kids being out of school and many of our neighbors being out of work.

Since we have essential workers on the job at the farm, and we have lesson horses known for their senses of humor, we’ve decided to let the best lesson horses in the world have their day in the Olympic and charitable spotlight.

The School Horse Olympics were to be held this Saturday, May 16, at 5:00 pm, our usual time for Knollwood online social hour, and we’ll carry on to raise funds for the Food Pantry of Waukesha County. 

Please join us on Facebook Live to watch Scott, Carol, Lin, Parker, and an all-star cast compete in a variety of Olympic events to raise funds for the food pantry.

Tentative teams include:

Panic and Scott

Dudley and Carol

Hugo and Parker

Picasso and Lin

We’re planning on games of ‘Bribe Your Horse,’ Musical Towels,’ and an action-packed finale of the ‘Blind Buggy Race’ with Scott providing the play by play.

Please join us online to watch our lesson horses and their staff pick up the slack for our neighbors in need.

Please donate online at www.Waukeshafoodpantry.org. And let them know you’re donating for Knollwood Farm, LTD

 Want to learn more about the Olympians and their staff member? Read on:

CH Callaway’s Don’t Panic is a treasure. Owned by the Kellner-Van Hecke family, this grand gelding enjoyed a celebrated career as a 5 Gaited Show Pleasure horse, winning the Junior Exhibitor Stake at Lexington in a Kentucky storm before he began his second career of introducing new riders to the show ring. He’s currently a member of the best lesson horses in the world club, and has, to the best of our knowledge, never played a game of ‘bribe your horse,’ or ‘musical towels.’ We expect him to enjoy it immensely. 

Good thing his teammate is Scott.

Dudley Do Right is our gentle giant of the school horse band. A giant paint cross, he’s comfortable teaching the wee-est of tiny tots, or racing around playing games with advanced riders.

He’s a pro at bribe your horses, and may even teach Carol a thing or two about how the game is played.

Hugo, AKA the Hawaiian Cat,  was born at the farm, so he’s technically a Knollwood Kid, although lazier than most of our claims to fame. He enjoys a good nap, trotting slower that anyone thought physically possible, and making life miserable for Picasso, his stall neighbor. However, he DOES have great speed in the pasture when he spies a friend bearing treats on a pasture visit, and shines in the game division.

Parker also grew up a Knollwood Kid, and works in both the show and school barns. She uses Hugo for her advanced beginner kids, and may have some tricks up her sleeve if required!

Like Dudley, Picasso is another gentle giant.  Officially registered in the APHA as Way Cool Willy, this giant is one of our cantering teachers, is tired of Hugo’s stall antics, and will do just about ANYTHING for a carrot or a mint. He uses his speed selectively, and it usually involves reaching food.

Lin is also a lifelong Knollwood Kid, and is now our assistant trainer who also excels at all things IT and marketing related.  If there’s something she can’t do, we haven’t found it yet. 

Klem will be competing with a guest celebrity who competed in the first ever Knollwood Olympics. Klem will excel at all games food related, and he proved his worth last week in the Olympic trials when he bested Dudley in both test events.  He isn’t shaped like a sausage for nothing!

Joey (AKA Rumours of War) will be making his gaming debut with a special friend as his manager. This will be Joey’s first Olympics, and we’re honestly not sure what he’ll think about it.  He IS the only contestant who has been practicing getting his front feet on the towel, however.  This might just work out!

No gaming event is complete without a pony!

Pony Frank  loves games, but does not like to be told how to play them. His manager is another lifelong ‘Knollwood Kid’ who has remained active since the age of 8. Frank is pretty great for a pony, and will work for a tiny bit of food. He does, however, like to do things his own way, so this team will be fun to watch.

Please join us for this unique FB Live event at 5:00 pm on Saturday, May 16.

And please donate online to the food pantry at www.WaukeshaFoodPantry.org.

This year's Knollwood Olympics will have a preliminary event. Dexter’s 21^st birthday party at 3:00 pm also on Saturday the 16^th.

Tradition.

Honor.

Passion.

And a whole lot of fun!