Team Knollwood is fortunate to have plenty of horse crazy kids taking riding lessons every week. With all the lesson horses and riding lesson students around, we offer opportunities to become more involved in the Knollwood team.

 

Knollwood Kids Compete in Three Shows at the Barn Each Season.

These friendly, low key competitions allow all of our students to enjoy the goal setting, friendships, sportsmanship, and excitement of horse showing. From leadline classes to pattern competitions and challenge classes, there’s something for every one of our students.

 

 

Knollwood Kids Travel to 12 Academy Shows Per Season

Our horses and riders compete in academy shows at the entry level and at the toughest shows around, allowing Knollwood Kids to progress at their own speed. Of course, our show horses compete all the way to the World's Championship and all of the National Finals. 

 

 

Knollwood Kids Have Friends at the Barn.

What is the great thing about barn friends? You all have horses in common, and we know that horse kids can talk about their favorite lesson horses ALL DAY. They can also play horse show for hours.

If things aren’t going great at school, horse kids can come to the barn and relax with their barn and horse friends.

 

 

Knollwood Kids Get Away from Phones.

Horses require that we be present at the moment, which makes cell phones a silly distraction. Why be on a phone when there are horses everywhere, including world champion horses and riders. Why would a kid want to be on the phone when they can watch and listen to lessons, brush horses, talk horses with your friends, or ride?

 

 

Knollwood Kids are Involved in the Community.

They learn to give back by cleaning up the barn neighborhood twice a year, raising funds for charity and helping their less fortunate neighbors.

We’re in the middle of our annual food drive to benefit the Food Pantry of Waukesha County. We’ve been collecting food for them for more than 10 years, and have been averaging more than 1000 pounds of food donated per year.

Each Knollwood Kid that donates a minimum of five food kits by June 3 can join an Olympic team and compete in fun events on June 10. After teams are created, participants will compete in events such as the blanket race, blind buggy race, and helmet toss.

 

You may never laugh as hard as you will watching these events.

Please consider letting your Knollwood Kid join the Olympics where they’ll help their neighbors in need, and have a blast meeting new friends and laughing a lot.

 

 

What’s Coming Up?

The Madison Classic Horse Show

Team Knollwood has 27 horses competing at the Madison Classic Horse Show at the Alliant Energy Center this weekend. It’s going to be a fantastic show with more that 500 horses on the grounds, and horses have traveled from Kentucky, Missouri, and Michigan to join the event.

If you’ve got some free time this weekend, consider a road trip to the show. Our academy stars will ride at 10:00 AM on Saturday morning, and the show runs from Thursday to Sunday.

Don’t forget, the World’s Largest Brat Festival is taking place on the grounds, so there are plenty of brats, beer, and bands to enjoy as well.

 

 

The Prairie State Classic Horse Show

The academy and ‘B’ horses are heading to Beyond Stable Farm in Woodstock, Illinois June 2-4. The show is a sell out, and promises to be a great competition.

 

 

Food Drive

Through June 3

Be sure to get your food kits or check donations made out to The Food Pantry of Waukesha County to the farm by June 3.

Both are great ways to contribute. Each food kit is a full meal once protein is added, and monetary donations allow the pantry to purchase perishables and items that they need. Either way, you’re helping your neighbors in need.

 

 

Street Clean Up

Join us Saturday, June 10 at 1:00 PM to clean up Oakwood and Nagawicka Roads. It’s a great way to earn your Knockout service hours, meet new friends, and beautify the area around the farm.

 

 

Knollwood Olympics

The teams will enter the arena on Saturday, June 10 at 6:00 PM, and the games will begin!

The games will be held rain or shine, as we can move the events inside if need be.

 

 

Knollwood Summer 2023!

Sold Out Summer riding school starts June 12, and we can hardly wait!

 

 

Knockout Car Wash

Calling all Knockouts! Our favorite fundraiser of the year is taking place at the Piggly Wiggly in Hartland on Sunday, July 23. Save the date for one of our most entertaining events of the season.

 

 

See you soon at the barn, or at the in-gate!

 

 

 

 

Team Knollwood enjoyed a fantastic weekend showing in 2 different states. While the show horses were in St Paul, Minnesota showing at the FASH show, the academy team put on the first in-barn show of the season.

It was hard to narrow it down to 10 stories from the weekend, so we went to 11. Here, in no particular order are some of our adventures from shows last week.

 

FASH Stories

Alexa and Joe Make Their Debut

Alexa grew up in our academy division, and leased Aaron last season to get her feet wet in the show horse world.

Over the off season, the Gross family purchased Sirtainly Stylish for Alexa to show in the deep Show Pleasure Division. Known around the barn as Joe, this exciting gelding enjoyed great success in the adult show pleasure division for the Schuh family.

From the moment Alexa and her new teammate entered the ring in St Paul, it was obvious that these two were going to be tough to beat. So tough, in fact, that they won both their qualifier and championship at FASH.

It’s going to be a fun season for these two!

 

 

Kim and Nacho Beat Them All

The exciting new Single Bit division is making stars of some horses who may not have had the chance in the past. Nacho is one of those.

Kim had Nacho, known officially as Trust Fund Blues, behaving like a gentleman throughout his classes. This isn’t always easy for Nacho, who still has a touch of the juvenile delinquent in him.

Nacho kept his ears forward, and Kim helped him remain focused as they beat some much fancier horses who couldn’t keep their behaviors on the straight and narrow.

This teamwork helped Kim and Nacho win both their qualifier and their championship.

 

 

 

Tess and Lola

Tess has grown-up at Knollwood, and has been a star in the academy division. For this season, her parents have leased Lola, officially known as We’re All Nuts to show in the pleasure divisions.

Tess made a stunning debut in her beautiful new suit, winning her initial class unanimously.  The new team came back for the championship, and finished a strong 4^th.

It’s going to be quite a season for these two!

 

 

 

 

Amelia and Her New Partner

Another rider who grew up a Knollwood Kid, Amelia started her show horse career last season showing Eva, officially known as Castle Booty. She enjoyed great success, and earned the respect of her competitors.

This season, Amelia’s family has leased the legendary CH-EQ Brookhill’s Passion Punch from the Cooper family. You may remember that this statuesque mare took Haley to the Triple Crown in 2018, took Finn to the top of the equitation world, and teamed with Richie to great success in his first season of senior equitation.

The Leila tradition continues, as Amelia made her debut in style. This dynamic new team finished second in both their qualifier and championship against older riders.

We can hardly wait to watch these two compete again!

 

Shaye And Teddy Debut

In the off season, Shaye’s family purchased a new horse for the 2023 season. Now teamed with Teddy, officially known as Fox Grape’s Fort Defiance, Shaye wasted no time making the new team known, by winning the UPHA Challenge Cup qualifier unanimously at their first show together!

These two are going to be so exciting to watch!

 

 

Maddie Goes Big Time

Last season’s star in the 10 and under walk and trot academy division has moved to the show horse world. Her parents have leased Castle Booty for Maddie to show in the pleasure equitation division.

Maddie maintained the poise for which she’s famous, and qualified for the Saddle and Bridle Pleasure Equitation Medallion Final at her very first show by placing second in the qualifier.

We’re looking forward to watching Maddie and Eva grow together this season.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, at the home office, we held a horse show with 99 participants.

Our favorite things about the weekend?

 

Patterns!

We’re happy to report that we had 48 riders participate in the Friday night pattern class performance. From the 10 and under walk and trot pattern riders to the experienced kids showing in the walk trot and canter Knollwood Challenge qualifier, we had a ball.

 

Learning

This was one of the most educational shows we can remember. Judge Bridget Ward took time to give feedback to the riders after their patterns. She even managed to give advice on Saturday and Sunday as well.

She answered questions from the audience, and enlightened parents about the ins and outs of horse showing.

All the information was appreciated by riders and their parents alike.

 

 

The Volunteer Team!

We cannot possibly give enough thanks to our crew of parents and kids who help make these show possible. They volunteer for the concession stand, donate to gift baskets and class sponsorships, take the ‘show village’ up and down, and they offer a wonderful support system to all the riders.

Thanks to all their efforts, the Knockouts earned $2000 this weekend!

We couldn’t do it without them.

 

 

Personal Assistants Make the Show Flow

Our experienced riders who help with the horses and riders through three days of showing really keep the show flowing.

These Knollwood Kids were responsible for all things related to the horses and riders. They prep the horses for the ring, tack them with the correct saddle size for each rider, and offer kindness, confidence, and assistance throughout the weekend.

They stay with horses in the lineup on Sunday, and take care of the horses when the show is done.

They are the best.

 

 

The Horses Are the Best

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. We have the best lesson horses in the world.

Judge Bridget agreed, and was especially fond of Pumpkin, Jelly, and Picasso.

Everyone from new member Poppy to long time star Sparky worked the show, and retained their sense of humor to the end.

We can’t thank them enough for creating memories for so many riders, but we’ll sure try.

 

What’s Coming Up?

 

Food Drive Through June 3

Don’t forget to bring in your 5 food kits to earn your right to be a Knollwood Olympian on June 10!

Help us help our neighbors in need by supporting the Food Pantry of Waukesha County.

 

 

Madison Classic Horse Show

May 25-28, 2023

Academy classes are on Saturday morning, May 27

Join us at the New Holland Pavillion for a fantastic show!

 

 

Prairie State Classic Horse Show

June 2-4

The academy team and ‘B’ horses are heading to Beyond Stable Farm in Woodstock for a weekend with our Morgan friends.

 

June 10

1:00 Street Clean Up

Join the Knockouts as they clean up Oakwood and Nagawicka Roads, and earn your service hours for 2023!

 

6:00 Knollwood Olympics

All Olympians are invited to participate in fun events to celebrate our successful food drive for the Food Pantry of Waukesha County.

 

 

See you at the barn, or at the in-gate!

 

 

 

 

Team Knollwood has a busy showing weekend coming up!

We have 19 horses at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds waiting for the FASH show to start on Thursday, and we have 100 home grown academy starts competing at our Spring In-Barn Show.

Our team is known far and wide for our good sportsmanship, and the first show of the season seems like a good time to review what it means to all of us.

Always remember, each of our behaviors reflects on ALL of Team Knollwood. 

 

 

The official definition is:

 

Sports·man·ship

/ˈspôrtsmənˌSHip/

 

noun

• fair and generous behavior or treatment of others, especially in a sports contest: "he displayed great sportsmanship in defeat"

 

 

How do Knollwood riders demonstrate sportsmanship?

Riders compliment other competitors.

You can compliment their ride, their appreciation of their horse, their hair for the show, or their friendliness. The list is infinite.

 

Riders can lend a number magnet, a tie down, or anything missing at the last minute.

 

Riders can congratulate a good ride, a demonstration of horsemanship, or making it through a challenging ride.

 

 

Riders can offer a leg up, help the next rider get up, or cheer on those going into the ring.

 

Riders are grateful for the chance to compete with these wonderful lesson horses.

Knollwood Kids relish the chance to learn from ANY of the horses in the lesson program. Each of our 'library books' from our library of horses have a lesson to teach, and they love to do it!

 

Riders treat everyone with respect.

This is reflected in positive comments to others about their rides. Notice, we said talking TO others, not ABOUT others.

 

 

Riders can be kind to all horses, especially after a learning ride. Your horse is always doing the best he can with the information you have provided for him.

 

 

Anyone who has been around horses for any amount of time knows that life isn’t fair. It’s just not.

Judges are kind to give up a weekend to judge our three day show, and they can only judge what is in front of them.  Lots of things happen in a big ring, and there are many, many riders to watch.

This truth isn’t anyone’s fault, it just is. Just learn, smile, and move on.

 

 

Riders can support those less experienced than they are.

The younger riders look up to the more advanced riders, and follow their examples. Remember always that they want to be like you, so be aware of what behavior you’re showing the littles.

 

Riders will appreciate all that goes into putting on a show for 100 riders.

Be sure to thank a concession stand volunteer, a center ring worker, a horse's  personal assistant, or anyone who's making it a great weekend!

 

 

All riders represent Team Knollwood, and we’re known for good sportsmanship in all situations. Be sure to be a team player and represent the tradition, honor, and passion well.

 

 

Last minute show updates!

Pattern classes will start inside at 6:00 PM on Friday, so the weather isn’t an issue.

We’ll announce our weather plans for the weekend on Friday night. At the moment, it looks like Saturday will be fine starting in the big outdoor ring at 10:00 AM.

Sunday looks a little iffy at the moment. The show will start inside at 11:00 AM on Sunday if the weather doesn’t cooperate with us.

We’ll announce on social media to keep everyone posted.

 

 

 

We still have some class sponsorships available for $25. The sponsorships provide a fun way to honor a rider, a Mom, a horse, an instructor, a helper, or anything you can think of. All sponsorship fees go directly to the Knockouts to help fund their activities.

You can sign up in the school barn!

 

Photo by Hanna Agathen Photography

We're thrilled to have Hanna Agathen Photography covering all three days of the show. Hanna has a wonderful eye for capturing moments between horses and their riders.  You can view proofs and order pics here.

 

 

Clothing reminders:

Hair can be up in any way you’d like as long as it’s above your back number.

All jods must have tie downs. If yours have gone missing, you can purchase spares in the school barn lounge.

Back numbers should be attached with number magnets. If you don’t yet have any, they can be purchased in the school barn lounge.

 

More news?

Palooza lived up to its name.

Our academy stars had loads of fun and learned many lessons at the Academy Palooza show last weekend. Several riders moved up to walk, trot, and canter with success, and our walk, trot, and canter riders made us proud.

Next up? We’re off to Madison Classic for academy classes on Saturday, May 27. Come join us at 10:00 AM at the New Holland Pavillion at the Alliant Energy Center.

 

Knollwood’s Food Drive starts today!

Bring your food kits to the barrels provided by the Food Pantry of Waukesha County through June 3. If it’s easier for friends and family to donate $$, a check for $15  equals one food kit. Please make the checks out to The Food Pantry of Waukesha County.

Each Knollwood Kid who has a minimum of 5 kits donated in their name will be eligible to join an Olympic team for the games on June 10. The games are a ton of fun for a great cause.

Knollwood has donated more than 1000 pounds of food each year for the past years. We’d love your help and participation in the games.

 

 

 

We’re ordering summer Woodwear through May 14.

Stop by to order fuschia tank tops in girls and misses sizes with our logo, orange water bottles with logo and your name on them, or a tie dye bucket hat with our logo on it.

These items will help Team Knollwood enjoy the sun and fun of summer 2023!

All items are $25 each and will be billed to your IClass Pro account.

 

Summer Camp Sold Out!

All of our summer camps are now officially sold out!

We’ll start scheduling counselors and helpers shortly.

Knollwood Summer 2023 is going to be a blast!

 

 

 

 

Whether you're showing at FASH or at the Knollwood Spring Show, enjoy the weekend of horse showing.

 

See you at the In-gate!

 

 

 

 

 

The Knollwood Spring Show is coming up fast. Just 10 days away, we can hardly wait to start the at home show season.

We have plenty of answers to everyone’s questions!

 

When do I get my shirt and number?

They’re here!

Every rider has a bag ready for them in the school barn lounge. Your bag will contain your show shirt, your back number, and your show schedule.

Please return your back number at the end of show day so you can use it going forward.

 

Where do I get bling-y magnets for my back number?

Jodi has dropped off a wide selection of beauties.

If you don’t find the color you’d like, you can message her on her FB page, Jodi Nelson’s Distinguished Equestrian Show Accessories and she’ll do her best.

Jodi can also provide all the accessories you’ll need to show away from home, and she has fantastic ties, too.

 

 

Remind me again, what’s the dress code for riders?

All competitors will wear dark jods, and jod boots. We’ll provide the fun bright green show shirt, just add your umber magnets. Gloves are recommended, and helmets will be worn just as at lessons.

Please remember your tie downs, and we suggest bringing an extra pair, as they have a habit of breaking in the warm up.

 

 

Where can we park?

Our neighbors, the Kettle Moraine Curling Club, are allowing us to use their parking lot for show weekend. Please be aware that there is no parking on the curve of Horseshoe Bend. The Hartland Police Department will make an appearance if cars are parked in the no-parking zone. Let’s not invite the nice officers to the show.

 

 

 

 

What time should we arrive?

Your personalized schedule in your bag tells you when you and your guests should arrive.

 

 

What happens if it rains?

We’re keeping our fingers crossed about the weather, but if it refuses to cooperate, we’ll move he show inside.

The start time will be pushed back so the show horses can be worked in the morning, and we’ll keep you posted during the week.

Please keep those fingers crossed!

 

 

How can I help with the show?

We are still looking for concession stand help, and you can sign up here.

We’re also asking for class sponsors. For only $25, we’ll announce your name and your message. All proceeds from class sponsorships go to the Knockouts, so we can only accept cash or checks made out to the Knockouts for payment.

Sponsoring a class for your Mom is a great gift on Mother's Day weekend!

Forms are available in the school barn lounge.

 No pressure, but Fred and Klem have already paid for their sponsorships, and have created wonderful messages for their classes.

 

In Other News ...

Woodwear is here for summer!

We’re ordering bright magenta tanks in girls’ and misses sizes. They’re made of a soft athletic fabric.

We’re also ordering orange metal water bottles which will have our logo and the owner’s name on the bottle.

Finally, we’re ordering a really fun tie-dyed bucket hat perfect to keep the sun off your face on those lovely summer days.

All items are a steal at $25 each.

We’ll take orders through May 14, and all orders will be billed to your ICP account.

 

 

May School Horse Birthdays

• May 6  Murphy

• May 7  Nacho

• May 11  Duke

• May 16  Dexter 

 

Memorial Day

No lessons on Monday, May 29. Your instructor will be in touch to schedule make-ups.

 

 

Olympic Fever is Building!

Our food drive for the Food Pantry of Waukesha County is starting May 10, and it runs through June 3. Riders who collect 5 food kits of cash equivalents, ($15 per kit) can join an Olympic team to compete in the Knollwood Olympics of June 10.

You won’t want to miss the Olympics!

 

 

Show Season is Heating Up!

The show horses are headed to St Paul, Minnesota for the FASH show from May 11-14.          

Knollwood Kids will enjoy their first home show on May 12-14.

Madison Classic is coming up quickly May 25-28, with academy classes on May 27.

Prairie State is right after in Woodstock, running from June 3-4.

 

 

Future Events!

June 10

Street Clean up at 1:00

Knollwood Olympics at 6:00 PM

 

 

July 23

Knockout Car Wash

Hartland Piggly  Wiggly

 

 

 

See you soon at the barn or at the ingate!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for all the questions. We appreciate you wanting to know more about horses and Knollwood.

Please always feel free to come to your instructor or any staff member with any questions you may have.  We love sharing these wonderful animals with you.

 

Will lessons be held outside when it warms up?

Yes! We’re fortunate to have 2 outdoor rings to choose from.

The smaller arena is perfect for riders new to the sport. It’s small, close to the barn, and pretty sheltered from the road, thanks to the trees along Horseshoe Bend.

We hold summer riding school and our Sunday horse show performances out here as well.

 

Our big outdoor ring is best suited for our more experienced riders. It’s BIG, has pastures on both sides, and is close enough to Oakwood Road that traffic noises can get pretty loud.

We use the arena for experienced riders who can keep their horses tuned in so the distractions don’t present a problem.

It’s perfect for our Saturday horse show performances when we let the classes get big.

Pattern campers have also renamed the arena ‘Patternland’ for its wide open spaces. Learning patterns on the beautiful green grass can’t be beat.

 

 

 

 

What are the Knockouts, and how does my child get involved?

The Knollwood Knockouts are our youth group which is a member of the American Saddlebred Horse and Breeder Association’s youth foundation.

One of the oldest youth groups in the country, the Knockouts have been around for more than 25 years. The club performs service for neighbors in need, and for the horse industry. They also run the concession stand at Knollwood shows.

All of our riders are welcome to join the group for only $5 a year.

The group is gearing up for Knollwood’s annual food drive, starting on May 10. They’re collecting food for the Food Pantry of Waukesha County at a time of year when the pantry runs low on stock.

The Knockouts have been helping the pantry since 2000, and we have been averaging a little over 1000 pounds of food in the last few years.

Every Knollwood Kid who collects a minimum of 5 food kits is eligible to join a team for the Knollwood Olympics on June 10. The games are funny takes on Olympic sports, and it’s a hoot to watch.

The Olympics start at 6:00, and the Knockouts are making a day of it with their semi-annual Street Clean Up taking place at 1:00 on the 10^th as well.

In addition to the spring events, the Knockouts hold a car wash in July, a holiday party in December, and an awards banquet in February.

 

 

Where do you get your school horses?

Wherever we can find grand souls.

With the popularity of riding growing since Covid, it’s become increasingly difficult to find lesson horses. Luckily, we have lots of eyes out there always looking for the next great one.

We’re fortunate to have several horses who were born on the farm and didn’t want to become show horses. This group includes Dexter, Hooper, Hugo, and Vaughn.

 

We’re fortunate to have friends who run lesson programs and sometimes sell extra horses that aren’t being used. We have Jelly and Poppy from Sammy Jo, and Bilbo from a small program near Rockford.

We’re fortunate that Scott and Carol are well connected and are always on the lookout for fresh faces. Perfect Pumpkin and Dear Sweet Leon came to us through this route.

We had a wonderful horse dealer who found us some of the greats, like Fred, Picasso, and Sparky.

 

 

 

Why do riders learn patterns?

Ah, you’ve noticed that we love patterns.

Patterns teach a rider many, many skills. Knollwood Kids learn to steer evenly, keep their horses pushing from the back end, and to maintain their horse's alignment while working. Of course, these kids also learn mental organization while remembering the pattern, resilience because it’s a long process to learn it all, and confidence after getting a horse through the whole thing.

Being a competition based lesson program, we want our riders to keep progressing in their skills. Patterns are a wonderful way to learn more about horses and ourselves.

 

 

I love watching the show horses work. Is there a show nearby that I could attend?

We consider the ASAW Summerfun to be our ‘home show.’ This year, the show will be held at Wisconsin State Fair Park from July 13-16.

Team Knollwood will be there with many show horses and our academy riders.

Please come to the show, and please stop by our barn aisle to say hello!

 

 

Why don’t all of the lesson horses have shoes?

For the work they do in the conditions they do, most of the lesson horses are better off without shoes.

Some of the horses need shoes to keep them comfortable, and Scott makes sure they’re working their best. It’s an art and a science.

Lesson horses will only have shoes on in the front, as they go outside for recess, and frequently kick at each other while playing. To minimize injuries, no back shoes are allowed.

The show horses wear shoes and pads of different types and weights to keep them sound and balanced. We are lucky to have a another fabulous farrier who comes out regularly to take care of most of them, while Scott shoes some ‘in his spare time.’

 

I never know what’s going on at Knollwood. What’s the best way to find out?

The best way is to come in for your rider’s lesson. Most days of the week have an office admin in the lounge who’s happy to fill you in.

We post news items on the bulletin board in the school barn, and in the show barn lounge. Your instructor can fill you in after lessons as well.

THE BEST way to stay informed is to sign up for email delivery of the weekly blog. We’re not legally allowed to add to our mailing list without your consent, but please tell your instructor or office admin if you’d like to receive news directly to your inbox.

 

Knollwood Spring Show Updates

We're pleased to announce that Hartland Family Chiropractic will once again sponsor our concession stand. Great thanks for their continued support!

Our bright green show shirts will all be short sleeved. If it’s chilly on show weekend, please feel free to wear long sleeved shirts underneath.

We’ve brought back class sponsorships for the show. Forms will be ready on Sunday, and all proceeds go directly to the Knockouts. You pan pay your $25 fee with cash or a check made out to The Knollwood Knockouts.

We’re thrilled to announce Bridget Ward as the judge for our spring show. Bridget is an experienced instructor, and we’re looking forward to spending the weekend with her.

 

 

What’s coming up?

 

Academy Palooza

May 5-6

 

Show Prep Classes

May 6

4:00 Walk Trot Pattern Class Inside

5:00 Walk Trot Practice in the Big Outdoor

The academy team will be at Palooza, but the home instructors will be hosting a walk and trot pattern practice class inside at 4:00, and a walk trot practice for riders 11 and up in the big outdoor.

Sign up soon in the school barn. Classes are $45 each and will be billed to your IClass Pro account.

 

 

 

 

Food Drive Starts

May 10, runs through June 3

 

 

 

FASH Show

May 11-14, St Paul, MN

 

 

 

Knollwood Spring Show

May 12-14

 

 

 

 

Madison Classic

May 25-28

Academy Classes May 27

 

 

Memorial Day

May 29

No lessons, will be rescheduled

 

 

 

Prairie State Classic

June 3-4

 

 

 

 

 See you soon at the barn, or at the in-gate!