Photo by Collective Grace

Team Knollwood is happy to introduce another team for the 2025 season.

Sophie, a graduate of our lesson program, has moved up to the show horse world. Sophie's parents Kari Resel and J.J. Stanwyck have purchased the accomplished equitation horse Gamora to introduce her to the world of show horses.

Sophie has grown up a Knollwood Kid, and is an accomplished competitor. The sky's the limit for her and her accomplished mare, Gamora.

 

Gamora was previously owned by the Bonness/Whitmore family, and was shown by daughter Brooklyn. These two made quite a name for themselves the last few years, with 2024 wins at Midwest and Lexington, and finishing Brooklyn's 13 and under equitation career by winning all three pleasure equitation finals for the junior age division.

 

Photo by Collective Grace

 

All of Team Knollwood is thrilled that Gamora will stay on the farm and teach another rider the ways of the show horse world. 

And we can't wait to watch Sophie learn from the best.

Knollwood is a busy place.

It takes a lot of human capital to keep the show and school barns running smoothly.  We have many different employees with many different skill sets, and we’d like to show you how we keep the Knollwood world running smoothly.

Let’s start at the top.

Scott started Knollwood in 1978 when he was a child. After making the best decision of his life, and marrying Carol, they eventually purchased the current Knollwood Farm in 1992.

Scott and Carol both train world class show horses, and turn out champion riders year after year.

They both work horses daily, except for Mondays, and teach lessons most days of the week. Scott and Carol teach horse owners as well as advanced academy riders. They both adore teaching, as you can tell if you listen to lessons.

In addition to their base duties, each of the power couple have individual specialties.

Scott is a highly licensed judge, and travels around the country to oversee competitions. He enjoys judging, and gets to see horses in other parts of the country, which lets him see horses he may not at local shows. This oversight comes in handy when he’s shopping for horses for customers.

Scott has served on many, many boards, and is currently serving  the American Saddlebred Horse Association of Wisconsin.

Scott is our driver, and gets horses and equipment to shows all over the Midwest. If you ever get a chance to watch him park the rig, please take a minute to admire the skill involved.

In his spare moments, Scott shoes horses. He works on everything from lesson horses to beautiful show horses.

Carol? She runs the place.

In addition to horse training and teaching riders, Carol oversees the business end of Knollwood.

She keeps all the bills paid, the supplies coming, the show schedule organized, and the staff going in the right direction.

Even with her insane show travel schedule, Carol finds time for creating art, and spending time with her therapists, Hazel Belle and Izzy.

 

Lin keeps the whole thing running.

Officially, she’s a horse trainer and instructor, but she’s much more than that.

Lin started our enrollment system in the school barn, which has made everyone’s life easier. The system has freed up time for everyone to do the things that matter to Knollwood Kids instead of back tracking on paper notes.

Lin is our IT person and keeps the latest technology working.

Over in the school barn…

Nancy is one of the riding school directors, and teaches lessons four days a week.

She wears many other hats, too.

She’s responsible for the health of the lesson horses, and for their farrier care.

Nancy manages the ASAW Summer Showcase event in Cedarburg each summer.

She also manages the school barn care and maintenance, and for landscaping around the farm. She even orders grain for the whole farm!

Ann, the other lesson program director, teaches lessons 5 days a week.

She enjoys watching riders progress and build confidence in themselves. She travels to academy shows and preps riders with 3 academy groups each week, and 4 weeks of academy camp in the summer.

Other duties include managing three in-barn shows each year and advises the Knockouts on their activities.

Our staff instructors keep Knollwood running at capacity!

They teach lessons, and introduce new Knollwood Kids to the joys of riding and horses. Their enthusiasm is contagious.

They schedule their own lessons, and love to communicate directly with the parents of their students.

Some of the staff instructors have some added responsibilities, too.

In addition to teaching on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays, Molly runs our mini camp program. She and her enthusiastic helpers introduce first time riders to horses and Knollwood.

In addition to teaching Mondays and Tuesdays, Brenda is our helper trainer and scheduler. She keeps weekdays and summer riding school staffed with friendly, helpful Knollwood Kids.

After teaching Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Courtney is our master scheduler. She keeps schedules straight for 7  lesson instructors, manages the wait list, and communicates with customers about day and time changes. She’s a gem.

Courtney also handles Woodwear ordering, awards for horse shows and banquets, and generally keeping us organized. Her next project is a summer camp handbook for instructors.

Our admins are the first friendly faces you meet when you arrive at Knollwood. 

They help riders stay informed about upcoming events, get show entries in, and answer questions about many topics.

Admins also answer phones, forward billing inquiries, and help instructors with all sorts of projects in their quiet moments. Heck, some of them even clean saddles in their spare time!

Great thanks to Jane, Lisa, Marnia, Michelle PF, and Michelle Pi!

Here at Knollwood, we’re lucky to have a team of enthusiastic friends who are working for the Knollwood Kids.

What’s Coming Up?

Academy Kick Off

This Saturday at 6:00 PM

We can hardly wait to get geared up for show season 2025!

Knollwood Spring Show Entries

March 20 – April 10

Be sure to get your entries in to join the party on May 16-18!

We can hardly wait for the show!

Easter Themed PNO

Saturday, April 5 at 6:00

You can now sign up in the school barn lounge to join the fun. The Knockout officers and board members are hosting a fun night of dinner, crafts, and Easter themed activities. The event is only $25, and you can pay and signup in the school barn.

IASPHA Spring Show

April 12-13

Beyond Stable Farm

Our first academy show of 2025!

Please join us to cheer on 2 academy riders making their debut, and a host of other fun Knollwood Kids.

Sime show horses are making the trip as well, and you won’t want to miss it.

Easter Sunday

April 20

We will not be holding lessons. Your instructor will be in tough to schedule a makeup lesson.

Street Clean Up

Saturday, April 26 at 1:00

Everyone’s invited to join the Knockouts as they clean up Oakwood and Nagawicka Roads for Spring. Stay for the Knockout meeting immediately following the event!

UPHA Spring Show

May 2-4

Beyond Stable Farm

Sporting a new schedule, the UPHA show is always a favorite.

New this year, academy walk trot and canter classes will be held on Saturday, and our walk and trot riders will compete on Sunday.

Mom’s Day Ride

Saturday, May 10 at 6:00

Knollwood Kids, here’s your chance to help your mom in a group riding lesson. For only $50, you can teach your mom why you love horses so much.

We’ll start signing up April 15.

Knollwood Spring Show

May 16-18

Our first in-barn show of the year!

 

See you soon at the barn.

Photo by Collective Grace

Great things are happening at Knollwood.

Our first new 2025 team announcement is a Knollwood legacy rider.

Madalyn Rowe has moved up from our academy program and will be showing the beautiful Zach Attack in the 10 and under walk and trot equitation division.

Photo by Collective Grace

Maddie had been riding for five years in our lesson program, and has made a name for herself in the show ring and in the barn.

She’s a fierce and generous competitor, and is a valuable asset in the barn. Ever since her leadline days, Maddie has stood out as someone who adored horses, and couldn’t get enough of them.

She helps in the barn on every Saddlebred Saturday, and rides every horse she can, whenever she can. She has a special place in her heart for speedy Hackney Honey Bee.

Supported by her grandparents Bill and Dana Scherer in addition to her parents Jason and Courtney, we can hardly wait to see Maddie and Zach come together as a team. Younger sister Ensley will enjoy extra barn time with her favorite cat Margit.

Madalyn’s mom Courtney enjoyed a highly successful equitation career herself, and is the 1998 UPHA Junior Challenge Cup National Champion. We're happy to say she's now an instructor in our academy program.

Zach was purchased from EAC Equine LLC with Altar-Win LLC acting as agent for the sellers. Knollwood Farm LTD was agent for the buyers.

 

Photo by Collective Grace.

Congratulations to the Sherer and Rowe families. 

We can't wait to watch Maddie and Zach's journey.

We’re in March, and daylight savings time is coming this weekend, so spring is surely on the way, right?

That means that March is a great month to shrug off winter and get ready for more sunshine ahead.

March is a great month to ...

Join or Renew Your Association Memberships.

Each horse show is run by a particular organization, usually a state club affiliated with the Saddlebred Association. These groups of dedicated volunteers create opportunities for members to show their horses in safe, well organized shows. Our membership fees help to support all the work they do to support our horse passion.

 

Academy riders should all join the American Saddlebred Horse and Breeders Association. (ASHBA) The Association offers their academy award program to all riders competing in the academy division. Our Knollwood Kids earned a total of 22 medals in 2024, and we’re looking to do even better this year.

You can join or renew ASHBA here.

 

Are you showing at any of the Illinois American Saddlebred Pleasure Horse Association (IASPHA) shows in Woodstock this season? Be sure to renew or sign up here.

 

 

Are you showing at Summerfun or Summer Showcase?  These shows are sponsored by the American Saddlebred Association of Wisconsin, (ASAW) and you can join here.

 

 

Check Your Show Wardrobe For the New Season.

If you’re an academy rider making your out of barn debut this season, please be sure to sign up and attend our academy kick off event on Saturday, March 15 at 6:00 PM. You’ll receive handouts and directions about what to pack for every show.

Our experienced academy stars should check their show clothes for fit and condition. It looks like ALL of our riders have grown this past winter, so please double check pant and sleeve length. Review for missed buttons, and be sure you have extra tie downs in lots of different places. Tie downs break at the most annoying times.

 

 

Check Your Lesson Attire

Please make sure all your jods and leggings have tie downs on them. It’s hard to ride with fabric bunched up under your knees, and it’s difficult for your instructor to monitor your position with your pants halfway up your leg.

Do you have some nice form fitting shirts for lessons? It’s important that your instructor can see your upper body to help you achieve your best position.

Is your name in your helmet? With the many, many helmets that come through the barn each day, it’s often difficult to tell them apart. An adhesive address label works really well, as it stays put forever.

 

 

 Set Your Goals

Before you start showing in 2025, you and your instructor will discuss your goals for the season. It might be diagonals, it might be learning to use the ring well, it might be a body position goal, or even a certain academy horse to show.

Be sure to add your goal to our bulletin board.

 

 

What’s Coming Up?

 

Academy Kick Off

Saturday, March 15 at 6:00

New and experienced academy families are invited to join us for a fun and informative evening. Please sign up in the school barn lounge to learn from the pros about hair, makeup, clothing, packing, and how to tie the perfect knot for the ring.

 

 

Knollwood Spring Entry Window March 20 – April 10

We’re accepting entries for the Knollwood Spring Show coming up May 16-18.

Please talk to your instructor and fill out a form with your class and horse choices.

If your shows are included in your monthly enrollment, you’ll still fill out an entry form so we know your horse choices and class selections.

 

 

Easter Themed PNO

Saturday, April 5

The Knockout officers and board members are planning a fun evening with dinner, crafts, and games. We’ll start signing up in mid-March.

 

 

IASPHA Spring Show

April 12-13

Beyond Stable Farm

Please join us for our first academy show of 2025. We have some new riders making their show ring debuts, and some very experienced academy show stars as well.

It’s a beautiful facility, and is climate controlled for any weather.

 

Easter Sunday

April 20

We’re closed for the day, and your instructor will be in contact to schedule makeup lessons.

 

Spring Street Clean Up

April 26

1:00

Please join the Knockouts as they clean up Oakwood and Nagawicka Roads for spring. It’s a fun way to earn club service hours, and meet fellow members who ride on different days of the week.

Join us in the show barn lounge after the clean up for a Knockout club meeting, too.

 

UPHA Spring Show

May 2-3

Our academy team is headed back to Beyond Stable Farm for another fun weekend of horse showing.

 

 

See you soon at the barn.

 

The day has arrived! 

You can sign up for Knollwood's Summer Riding school starting on March 1. We have the perfect fit for the horse lover in your home.

 

For riders ages 7 and up, we offer 5-day sessions at Knollwood.

 Camp days are spent with our fantastic lesson horses and staff, both in the barn and in our riding arenas. Campers will learn safety around horses as well as horse care and equipment care in the barn.

In our arenas, campers will learn the basics of saddle seat riding. They’ll achieve a good solid position at the walk and the trot with our patient lesson horses and instructors.

On Wednesdays, we welcome our friends from Soul Fire Art Studio for craft activities. Each student will create a camp memory to take home.

Camp runs from 9 AM-3 PM on Monday to Thursday. Riders will finish the session with a riding demonstration on Friday morning at 11:00 AM, and will leave after the show, usually around 12:30 PM.

Cost for this unforgettable week is $800.

Our 2025 Summer Riding School Session Dates are:

July 14-18

July 21-25

August 11-15

For our younger horse lovers aged 4-6, we offer a shorter version of summer riding school.

Our young riders will enjoy a 3-day session from 9 AM until noon each day. Each camper will have their own ‘personal assistant’ throughout camp. With their help, riders will learn safety as well as horse care.

We use a very special set of our horses for daily riding lessons for this group of new riders. If you haven't yet met our tiny tot horses, you're in for a real treat.

Campers will finish their three day session with a demonstration for parents and friends at 11:00 AM on the final day.

Cost for this experience is $425.

Our 2025 Tiny Tot Session Dates are:

June 9-11

July 7-9

July 28-30

Please call us at 262-367-2391 to learn more, or to sign up the horse lover in your house for an experience they’ll never forget.

Did you know?

Knollwood Farm LTD, established in 1978 by Scott Matton and now in its fifth decade, is one of the country's most respected horse farms, excelling in training American Saddlebred horses and developing riders through one of the nation's largest and most honored lesson programs.

• We offer lessons year round in our heated indoor arena and two outdoor arenas.
• We offer three in-barn horse shows each year to advance our riders' skills
• We travel to 10 academy shows each season with our lesson students to compete against other professionally run lesson programs.
• Our show horse owners and riders won an incredible 17 champion or reserve World and National titles in 2024.

We love what we do.