Narnia Farm Inc.

Narnia Farm, Inc. is thrilled to welcome Jennifer Olsen to our staff.  Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our farm. In addition to teaching lessons and riding the training horses, she will also be attending local/one day shows with our clients!

Jennifer Dow Olsen grew up riding at her family’s hunter/jumper farm, the Westbrook Hunt Club in Westbrook, CT. and trained there with Jane Dow.   Jennifer also had the unique pleasure of training with the great Victor Hugo-Vidal, as well as being invited to teach alongside him, as a professional. 

After a successful Junior career which included qualifying for Indoors with her Junior Jumper, Hill Street, Jennifer stayed on at Westbrook Hunt Club as the resident professional. Her duties included bringing young horses along from basic ground work to competing on the “A” circuit. 

Jennifer has shown successfully in both the Hunter and Jumper rings.  She has had great success on the local CHJA and NEHC circuits, as well as winning Year End Zone Championships on the National Circuit.  Her expertise ranges from the Pre-green Hunters through the Regular Working Hunter divisions.  She has also competed up to level 7 in the jumpers with horses like Westbrook and Hill Street.

Narnia Farm is excited about this new development and it ensures that our customers will continue to receive the highest quality instruction and training, even while some members of the team are attending various shows.

Members of the Narnia Farm team continued  the winning streak  by attending the Horse Shows in the Sun series, held in Saugerties, NY.; May 27-June 7.

Both horses and riders had limited time in the ring the first week, as the weather consisted of torrential rains, NOT spring showers.  Heavy downpours turned the arenas to slippery mud pits, but the sun broke through on the weekend and the fun continued.

Just a little rain!

 Kelley Norton rode NF Come Back to top ribbons in Novice Adult Equitation and earned a Division Championship for her efforts.

NF Come Back and Kelley Norton

Alyson Powers showed Wellington in the Childrens Hunters and Marshall and Sterling Medal class.   Welly and Aly continued to put in outstanding performances in their classes and earned great ribbons for their efforts.  

Narnia Farm horses continued to excel in the show ring, with NF Rutchspun having great rounds in the Schooling Hunters. 

Alyson Powers and Wellington

Preparing for the Young Jumper Championships, Narnia Farm was  looking forward to continuing our success in the Young Jumper classes, but Mother Nature was having none of it!  Landor 003  didn’t show early in  the week but continued to impress us with consistent clear rounds late in the week, earning ribbons in the Level 3 Jumpers.

Alyson Powers competed in the Low Childrens Jumpers on the Narnia Farm owned Toddy Roman.   Never one to shy away from speed, Aly and Toddy competed in their first Low Childrens class together and blazed to a 2nd place finish. 

Headed for the jump off!

Week 3 at HITS brought some interesting developments.  In preparation for the $10, 000 USHJA Hunter Derby the main Hunter Stadium  was decked out with beautiful natural hunter jumps.  NF Rutchspun and NF Comeback were both lucky enough to compete in the Schooling Hunters which went in the main hunter ring.  With Hunter Derby’s being on the horizon for both these talented young horses, it was a great opportunity to get a taste of what the future will bring.

Landor 003 was very enthusiastic about competing in the Level 2 and Level 3 jumpers, galloping and bucking his way to clear rounds in both classes!

 Not to be outdone, Kelley Norton decided the Jumpers looked so much fun, that she would try it, too!  Not to be deterred by the fact that she had never stepped foot in a jumper ring, Kelley borrowed Toddy Roman  (whom she had only flatted before) and headed for the Jumper  warm up. 

Judy can't believe her eyes!!

Bright and early Saturday morning, Kelley did a short warm up, jumped just a few  fences and headed for the ring.  Much to the  delight of everyone in the barn, Kelley piloted Toddy Roman to a double clean jumping effort in her Jumper ring debut and earned herself a pretty pink ribbon for her efforts.  Watch out, there is no stopping her now!   

Studying the course

After a short break to recover from the long Winter Circuit, the horses and riders continued their winning ways at the Fieldstone Spring Festival, May 14-17.   in Halifax, Ma.   It has been years since we have been to Fieldstone Farm and it was nice to go back.  Management for the farm has been busy doing improvements (which is always appreciated) and the weather was good; so we were happy to be there. 

NF Rutchspun went straight to the Open Hunter division where he was awarded multiple ribbons in the division and Sherry guided him to a 3rd place finish in the Classic.

Fun, Sun and Friends

Kelley Norton and NF Comeback continued to be successful in the Modified Adult Hunters.    Earning top ribbons in all her classes, Kelley and Tikki were happy to be back in the ring. 

Toddy Roman shows Aly the ropes.

The Fieldstone show was also a great show for Alyson Powers.  Continuing her success in the Children Hunters with her mount, Wellington; Aly opted to try her hand at Jumpers.  Riding none other than Toddy Roman, Alyson was 3rd in her very first Jumper class.  Aly and Toddy finished an outstanding 6th in her first Jumper Classic; bringing home a prize money check on her first outing!  Way to go, Al!