Lellie Ward’s Paradise Farm is a popular training and competition site in Aiken, S.C., and home to a number of benchmark horse trials throughout the year. This year, the farm gained an unlikely mascot in the form of a precious, pink-nosed ball of fuzz that has quickly collected a fan club both in the Aiken community and on Facebook.
From Lellie:
“On February 8 of this year, I gave a demonstration for the South Carolina Horseman's Council. After my demonstration, I went to walk around the shops and exhibits and came across Old McCaskill’s Farm.
There were many small children holding this adorable little lamb with a red jacket. He was as good as gold, being passed around from child to child. Of course I had to have a go, but then I could not give him back. I bought him with a credit card, without any experience having sheep before.
This magnificent ball of fluff became Cloudy. He was three weeks old, the only surviving twin and his mother had no milk for him. He was a bottle baby, an inconvenience for the farm and was to be put down.
Cloudy rode home wrapped in a blanket in the front seat of my truck with a stuffed black bull named Handsome. That night, he slept in my arms in the bed. Neither of us moved an inch.
Cloudy has grown up with three dogs: a giant basset named Woody, a Shepherd cross named Ladybug, and a wild Australian Shepherd called Brumby. He grazes freely among fifteen show horses, and they have accepted Cloudy without a problem. Cloudy thinks he is a dog. We call him a sheepdog.
He comes and goes as he pleases, and everyone loves him. He is very friendly and comes when I call him. He will sit in my lap and will lay down quietly on large dog beds around the farm. He rides the golf cart, ATV, and has ridden on the tractor.
At five months, Cloudy, a Dorset sheep, has grown to almost 100 pounds. He is bigger than the dogs and almost as fast, and will have beautiful rolled horns when fully matured. He is magnificent in my eyes and a wonderful friend.
He is a sweet animal and a wonderful mascot to Paradise Farm.”
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is excited to announce a request for expressions of interest to host the first standalone USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships in 2026 and 2027. With the success of the inaugural joint championships in 2024, the USEA is confident that the progression of these programs lends to a standalone event for these hardworking students in 5th through 12th grade and undergraduate college programs.
The USEA Annual Meeting & Convention is easily one of the most influential weeks in the sport of eventing in the U.S. and this year it is headed to Seattle, Washington, Dec. 12-15. USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown talks about all the details surrounding this year's Convention with USEA CEO Rob Burk and USEA President Lou Leslie. From important discussions around safety and horsemanship to a charity poker tournament and more, there is so much going on in Seattle this year that you won't want to miss!
The following is an excerpt from 33 Strength and Fitness Workouts for Horses by equine training and conditioning expert Jec Aristotle Ballou. Strength routines and this workout are for horses and riders with a good existing level of fitness who are working toward increased strength and endurance.
Being the last rider in the final competition of the day can be an unenviable position. Molly Duda felt the pressure all day while gearing up for her ride on her own 15-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Disco Traveler (Donatelli x Cadence).