The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1960-08-05
By CATHERINE GARRETT

0tOullCA IA Id llOllL Ou41lOCI ldIlu
have made quite name for
themselves and for the horses
from Greenfield Farm in Horse
Shows all over Virginia.
The girls are daughters of Mr..
and Mrs. c. A. Stonnell. The
oldest daughter, Carolyn. who is
Mrs. j. r. Baber, resides in
Cumberland county and lives
close enough to Greenfield Farm
to ride with her sisters and to
continue her interest in the
horses. Nellie Mae Stonnell will
begin her sophomore year at
Mary Washington ! College this
fall. Jane, the youngest Of the
family, begins her junior year
at Cumberland High School.
The girls first interest in rid
ing started with a pony given
them by their father. Mr.. Ston-
nell then gave them pleasure
horses and they entered local
shows in Farmville and Amelia.
Carolyn and Nellie Mae entered
their first big horse show in
/ l951-the year that their father
gave them their first real show
horses.
Formal Training
Mrs. Baber is the only one of
the girls who has had any
formal training in riding. She
studied riding at Meredith Col
lege in Raleigh, N. c., for one
year. Mr.. and Mrs. Stonnell en-
couraged their daughters to
learn to ride. The girls say that
they have learned by observing,
reading and by a great deal Of
practice.
The girls ride American Sad
die horses. The American Sad
die horses are divided into three
classifications: three gated.
five gated. and fine harness.
Riders, who are 18 or under,
can compete in the equitation
class. which is hOrsemanship
and riders ability. Janet is rid
ing in equitation this year. Mel
lie Mae was the first winner Of
the high score award in Saddle
Seat Equitation. The award was
presented to her last year.
Janet has qualified for that
award this year, and will COM
pete in the state finals at the
Washington International Horse
Show in October.
State Awards
In the Virginia State Horse
Show Association, points are &C
cumulated at shows through the
year, and then awards are given
at the end of the season. Last
year, the Stonnell girls received
three awards. Carolyn Stonnell
Baber won the amateur five
gated award riding Ebony
King. Nellie Mae won the anna
teur three-gaited. riding R e d
Light Haines and also won
Equitation riding Flying High.
The shows in Virginia open
April l and continue until No
vember /. The girls usually en-
ter shows in Lynchburg, Alta
vista, the Broadway Timber
vile Show in Rockingham
county. and the Virginia State
Horse Show. They have been in
seven shows during the present
season. They compete with some
riders from North Carolina and
Maryland in these events as
well as riders from all parts OF
Virginia. They find as a general
rule they compete with older
riders.
Show time is a busy time for
everyone. Each girl works with
one horse. Mr.. Stonnell has a
van fitted to take three horses.
The van has individual stalls.
The horses are Immediately
groomed for each show, a n d
brides and saddles are cleaned
and polished. Everything is done
so that the horses will be at
their very best. Robert HOrseley
drives the van and takes care
of the horses While they are at
the shows.
Outstanding Events
The outstanding events during
the present season took place at
the Virginia State Horse Show
in Richmond. Janet received the
DIR. j. C. Greene Perpetual
Memorial Trophy" This award
was presented for sportsman
ship and horsenlanship. A board
Of judges picked Janet as the
Junior rider who best displayed
these qualities during the entire
show.
1t was at this same show that
Ebony King was retired and
perpetual trophy was presented
by the Stonnels in his honor. The
tophy is for the amateur five
gated stake. Ebony King was
shown in Madison Square Gar
den in 1855 and the Pennsylvania
National the same year. He has
been the Virginia State
Cha t1onion in tho five O a ifod