tops july 2-13

10 JULY 2013 | TOPSINLEX.COM

FEATURES

46 TOP 25 Fun Things to Do in the Bluegrass

62 Go Getters

115 Behind the Lens: Melanie Mauer

126 Community Spotlight: Big Brothers / Big Sisters

136 TOPS Tour of Homes: Cozy Meets Elegant

172 WOW Wedding: Sarah & Cameron Moss

TOPS IN EQUINE

84 U.S. Hunter Jumper Association

88 Fillies in the Workplace: Lara Levine

93 Horse Park Happenings

98 Rood & Riddle Hats O� Day

100 Featured Artist: Andre Pater

102 Fasig-Tipton: First & Foremost

108 Leatherwood Farm: Memory Lane Meets Escondida Road

110 Normandy Farm Hosts A Night at the Nest

112 Nickers: Horse Talk Around Town

172

46

110


TOPS AROUND TOWN 27 Out & About

28 Open House for the Bluegrass Community Foundation

30 The Original Maker’s Club Cup Kick-off Polo Series

32 TOPS June Preview Party I

34 TOPS June Preview Party II

36 Purses, Pouts & Pearls, A Ladies Night Out I

38 Purses, Pouts & Pearls, A Ladies Night II

40 Live United Award Celebration

42 The Kentucky Wine & Vine Festival I

44 The Kentucky Wine & Vine Festival II

154 The Fund for the Arts Finale at Botherum

156 5K Run Fun Walk in Memory of Mary Kearney

158 Susan G. Komen Foundation Hosts Salsa for the Cure

160 American Cancer Society Hosts Relay for Life I

162 American Cancer Society Hosts Relay for Life II

164 God’s Pantry Hosts the Taste of the Bluegrass

166 KET Summer Celebration I

168 KET Summer Celebration II

170 Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes

178 TOP Shots

42

166

160


24 Up & Coming

60 Dining: Hall’s on the River

129 Family: Summer’s Best Flavors

121 Posh Paws: Everyone’s Dog

122 Finance: Money and its Place in Life

123 Sports: Drew’s BBN Summer Movie Guide

130 Parties: Outdoor Dining Tips

131 Etiquette & Entertaining: Toasting, Cheers!

134 Gardening: Rain Barrels

176 Weddings: Please RSVP

IN EVERY ISSUE

123

The views and comments expressed by the authors are not always that of our editors or publishers. While every e� ort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the informaiton in this publication, TOP Marketing Group, LLC accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or resultant consequernces, including any loss or damge arising from the reliance on information in this publication.

All images contained in TOPS in Lexington Magazine are subject to copyright of the artist or photographer as named, but no limited thereto. Reproducation if any part of this magazine without prior written permission is prohibited.

60

129


7 SUNDAYSummerFest: Peter Pan8:45p The Arboretummykct.org

8 MONDAYLexington Junior League Horse ShowThe Red Milelexjrleague.com

9 TUESDAYLexington Junior League Horse ShowThe Red Milelexjrleague.com

Big Band & Jazz7p Ecton Parklexingtonky.gov

Lexington Legends7p Whitaker Bank Ballparklexingtonlegends.com

10 WEDNESDAYLexington Junior League Horse ShowThe Red Milelexjrleague.com

11 THURSDAYCentral Bank Thursday Night Live4:30p-8p Fifth Third Bank Paviliondowntownlex.com

Lexington Junior League Horse ShowThe Red Milelexjrleague.com

Lexington Lions Club Bluegrass FairMasterson Station Parklionsclubbluegrassfair.com

12 FRIDAYLexington Junior League Horse ShowThe Red Milelexjrleague.com

Berea Craft Festival10a-6p Indian Fort Theatrebereacraftfestival.com

13 SATURDAYLexington Junior League Horse ShowThe Red Milelexjrleague.com

Toast to a Cure6:30p-9:30p Talon Winerydiabetes.org

Berea Craft FestivalIndian Fort Theatrebereacraftfestival.com

16 TUESDAYJimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band8p Riverbendriverbend.org

18 THURSDAYCentral Bank Thursday Night Live4:30p-8p Fifth Third Bank Paviliondowntownlex.com

JULY8

Our photographers are everywhere! Please check our website for updated event information and please be aware of the changing nature of events.

11

11

21

Up & Coming

JULY 2013 | TOPS MAGAZINE 47

25 Fun Things To Do

1

MuseumsMuseums are a great way to get out of the

summer heat and enjoy an educational and fun activity

Museum Row on Main (Louisville): Both kids and adults will enjoy the museums in Louisville’s Museum Row on Main. These museums are centralized on Louisville’s Main Street, so you can visit several great sights in one day. Save the ticket stub from your first museum visit, and each of the other associ-ated museums will knock one dollar off your admission. A wide variety of museums on Museum Row are some of the best museums in Louisville: The Louisville Slugger Mu-seum, 21c Museum Hotel and the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft. No matter what age you are or interests you have, you should be able to find something on Museum Row! More details about each museum and a map can be found at museumrowonmain.com.

Museum Row on Main (Louisville)

This summer marks the 60th anniversary of the Corvette, so there is no better time to visit! The Corvette was first sold in 1953, and has since become one of America’s most beloved sports cars. The muse-um, located in Bowling Green, will show you how and why the cor-vette has become an icon of American culture. The Museum in Mo-tion Tour will make a stop at the Corvette Museum in late July. Visit the museum website for more information and details about events. corvettemuseum.org

The Aviation Museum of Kentucky houses a wide variety of ar-tifacts, including old and new aircrafts. The Museum’s Hall of fame recognizes the Commonwealth’s most significant aviators, including Noel Parrish, leader of the Tuskegee Airmen. The mu-seum also has summer camps and lectures. The Aviation Museum of Kentucky is located in the Blue Grass Airport. aviationky.org

2 Corvette Museum (Bowling Green) 3 Aviation Museum of Kentucky

(Lexington)


25 Fun Things To Do

4

Fairs & FestivalsThere seems to be a fair for everything in the Bluegrass Enjoy

some music or shop for crafts at some of these great fairs and festivals.

The Kentucky State Fair has been an annual event for over 100 years. The 10 day fair is a beloved tradition for many families across the state. The fair has hundreds of family friendly events that that everyone will love. There are live concerts performed by well-known artists and other attractions includ-ing carnival rides and games for the kids. This year’s fair is August 15- 25. A complete list of events, an entertainment schedule, and ticket information can be found on their website. kystatefair.org

Kentucky State Fair (Louisville)

5Small town charm meets big city at the Berea Craft Festival. The 32nd annual festival takes place July 12-14 at Historic Indian Fort Theatre in Berea. More than 130 vendors will display their fin-est craftwork for sale. Many of these talented artists spend the entire year preparing and perfect-ing their pieces for the festival. In addition to crafts, the festival will also hold demonstrations, have live music, and offer great food. The Berea Craft Fair will coincide with the Berea Festival of Learnshops, which is a two week long series of classes and shows offered by master craftsmen, artists, musicians and writers. bereacraftfestival.com

Berea Craft Festival (Berea)

6Since 2002, thousands of fans flood Louisville every year to attend this annual music festival. Also July 12-14, Forecastle features a variety of famous and up and coming artists from around the country. The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, the Avett Brothers and Animal Collective highlight the 2013 lineup. forecastlefest.com

Forecastle Music Festival (Louisville)

7Say goodbye to summer at the Kentucky Bluegrass Music and Burgoo Festi-val, hosted by Bisig Impact Group. It is a fun-filled bluegrass musical festival unlike any other. The concert will feature live bands and delicious family burgoo recipes. Check the event’s Facebook page for an entire line up of the live music, entertainment details and much more. The festival offers a wide variety of fun for everyone, including a play area with attractions for chil-dren. Come and see why it’s one of the most highly attended festivals in the entire region. kentuckybluegrassfestival.com

Kentucky Bluegrass Music and Burgoo Festival (Louisville)


25 Fun Things To Do

9A working horse farm, theme park and competition facility all in one, the Kentucky Horse Park is an educational and fun way to ex-perience one of the most defining aspects of the Bluegrass: horses. The park has many attractions, including the International Museum of the Horse, the American Saddlebred Museum, the Hall of Cham-pions and horseback riding trails. kyhorsepark.com

Kentucky Horse Park(Lexington)

Zoos and Theme Parksf you or your child is an animal lover or an adventurer, then you

will have no trouble finding a fun summer activity. Try one of these

8 This summer, you can experience the Australian Outback with-out setting foot on an airplane. At Kentucky Down Under, kids will love seeing kangaroos, didgeridoos, lorikeets and more. Without leaving Kentucky, they will feel as if they were in the real Outback! Once you are done exploring the Adventure Zoo, take a tour of Mammoth Onyx Cave. Inside the cave, you will get to see stalactites, stalagmites, cave popcorn, and other amazing cave formalities. Mam-moth Onyx Cave is active, so kids will be excited to know that phenomenon such as stalac-tites are still being formed. These at-tractions are great for kids who love the outdoors and animals! Both the park and the mu-seum will be open daily throughout the summer.summer. kdu.com

Kentucky Down Under(Horse Cave)

If you are looking for a fun but educational trip with the kids, go see the Newport Aquarium. You’ll get to see everything from jellyfish and sting rays to Nile Crocodiles and sharks. There are 14 exhibits to keep you en-tertained, but if that is not enough, the museum also offers additional ac-tivities such as the “Backstage Animal Experience,” which takes you be-hind the scenes at the Aquarium. After your visit, you can grab lunch or shop at the nearby Newport on the Levee, which has many restaurants, stores, an arcade, and even the occasional live music performance and comedy shows. newportaquarium.com

10 Newport Aquarium & Newport on the Levee(Newport)


25 Fun Things To Do

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, formed by the Ken-tucky Distillers Association in 1999, has attracted nearly 2.5 million tourists to the Bluegrass in the past five years alone. If you are a fan of Bourbon, you will want to make at least one or two stops on the bourbon trail this summer. If you have time, do the whole trail! The Distillers Association of-fers a free t-shirt to anyone who visits every stop and fills out a passport. The trail includes well known distillers such as Four Roses, Woodford Reserve, Makers Mark and Buffalo Trace. kybourbontrail.com

11 Bourbon Trail(Kentucky)

Bluegrass CultureFor those of you who want to experience more of bluegrass culture, here are some

great suggestions for activities that emphasize the best aspects of living in Kentucky.

Often overshadowed by the bourbon industry, Kentucky has a vast array of beautiful vineyards and wineries, many of which produce award winning wines. If you plan to visit multiple win-eries, be sure to pick up a passport on your first visit. If you visit at least eight of the 24 wineries on the trail and stamp your passport, you will receive a gift from the Kentucky Wineries As-sociation. Not only do these wineries produce excellent wines, but they often host dinners, art shows and other events. During the summer months, many nearby vineyards host concerts as well. Look up individual wineries online to see what events are being held this summer. bestkywineries.com

12 Kentucky Wine Trail(Kentucky)


25 Fun Things To Do

Mint Julep Tours offers a variety of experiences, highlighting some of Kentucky’s best sights. Learn about various aspects of Kentucky heritage through the Historic Louisville Tour and the Horse Country Tour. You will learn about the history of Louisville and the Ohio River Valley, and get to visit the Kentucky Derby Museum among other places. The Horse Country tour takes you across miles of horse farms between Lexington and Louisville, and you will get to visit some of the most significant working horse farms, as well as Keenland Racetrack. Other tours are of-fered as well, including special events and limited edition tours. This is a great way to learn about the traditions and history of Bluegrass culture, while viewing the beautiful state of Kentucky.mintjuleptours.com

14 Mint Julep Tours(Louisville)

Kentucky’s first exhibition coal mine can be found in Lynch. The Portal No. 31 Underground Mine Tour allows visitors the opportunity to tour a real coal mine run by the U.S. Coal & Coke Co. Visitors will wear traditional coal mining gear as they journey past animated exhibits throughout the mine by rail car. There is a memorial to U.S. Steel District 1 miners who died in mining acci-dents. portal31.org

15 Portal 31 Coal Mine(Lynch)

The Belle of Louisville has been taking people across the Ohio River since 1963. It is America’s last Missis-sippi River steamboat still in operation. Originally de-signed for freight work, today the Belle of Louisville has become an excursion boat, used for tours and din-ner cruises. The Belle of Louisville starts all of its tours from downtown Louisville, and is available for public tours, private tours and special events. belleoflouisville.org

13 Belle of Louisville(Louisville)


25 Fun Things To Do

Renfro Valley is known as Ken-tucky’s Country Music Capital. Classic country, southern gospel and mountain bluegrass can all be heard throughout the Valley’s vari-ous theatres. There are plenty of acts coming this summer, among them the Kentucky Headhunters, John Conly and the Legends Show, which brings together Grand Ole Opry Stars Jim Ed Brown, Jean Shepherd, Stonewall Jackson and Jan Howard together in one show. Renfro Valley hosts other events as well. Barn Dances, shows, festivals and shopping can all be found at Renfro Valley! renfrovalley.com

16 Renfro Valley(Mount Vernon)

“My Old Kentucky Home: The Ste-phen Foster Story” is a Musical about the writer of My Old Kentucky Home. The musical is performed every summer at My Old Kentucky Home State Park. The Park is host to Stephen Foster Pro-duction, and has performances of other plays throughout the season in addition to My Old Kentucky Home. This sum-mer, the musical is celebrating its 55th season. The Park is a beautiful atmo-sphere in which to spend an evening en-joying music and costume of the 1850s, while listening to the famous composi-tions of Stephen Foster.stephenfoster.com

17 Stephen Foster Story(Bardstown)


25 Fun Things To Do

The Great Outdoors This time of year, there is nothing better than getting

out of your house and spending time outside. You can head to one of these great parks for a day trip or a weekend getaway.

Take the time to visit one of Kentucky’s 117 state parks this summer. There are parks in every part of Kentucky, so whether you want to travel east or west, it will not be hard to find a beautiful setting with plenty to do. The re-sort parks each have full service lodges, which have hotel rooms, cabins or cottages. Golf, marinas, swimming and hiking trails are some popular park activities. One of Ken-tucky’s great parks is Cumberland Lake, which has many great marinas. Rent a houseboat and enjoy a weekend or two at the lake! parks.ky.gov

18 Kentucky Resort Parks

Western Waterlands: Land Between the Lakes is the area between the Kentucky and Barkley lakes. There are countless activities at Western Waterlands, including swimming, boating, jet-skiing and tubing. Boats and jet-skis can easily be rented from one of the various marinas on these lakes. In addition to water activities, there is plenty more to do. Golfing, hiking, biking, camping and wildlife viewing are all popular activities at The Land Between the Lakes. There is a Planetarium, Woodlands Nature Station and much more. lbl.org

19

Western Waterlands: Land Between the Lakes(Golden Pond)

Everyone will be spending a lot of time at the pool this sum-mer. If you love the pool, but need a little more excitement, visit one of the many water parks throughout Kentucky. Kids will love spending the day racing down waterslides. Kentucky Splash Water-Park in Williamsburg, SomerSplash in Somerset, and Venture River Water-Park are just a few of the many popu-lar water park destinations in the area. kentuckysplash.com, cityofsomerset.com, ventureriver.com

20

Water Parks(Kentucky)


25 Fun Things To Do

Camping and climbing draw many ad-venturous outdoorsmen to the Red River Gorge every year. One of the highlights of the gorge is Natural Bridge, which stands 65 feet tall and was natu-rally formed. Made of sandstone, Natu-ral Bridge is among the most popular destinations in the park, and kids love hiking to the top. If you have a taste for adventure, try one of the two hour zipline tours through the gorge. Not only is Red River Gorge a great place to hike, climb and zipline, but the beauti-ful setting is a great place to camp out. redrivergorge.com

21 Red River Gorge(East Central Kentucky)

One of Kentucky’s most popu-lar caving destinations is the 10 million-year-old Mammoth Cave. Over 400 miles have been dis-covered, and more passages are still being discovered. This makes Mammoth Cave the largest cave in the world. In addition to the many cave tours offered by Mam-moth Cave National Park, you can find activities including surface hikes, canoeing on the Green Riv-er, horseback riding and camping. nps.gov/maca

22 Mammoth Care(South Central Kentucky)


25 Fun Things To Do

Everything Else f you havent found something yet, do not worry

There are plenty of other fun things to keep you entertained this summer.

Fourth Street Live! is one of Louisville’s best places to grab dinner and spend a night out. More than 20 restaurants, bars and shops are packed into this lively street, which will keep you entertained all afternoon and evening! You can visit the Makers Mark Bourbon House and Lounge or catch one of the many concerts and shows that will be going on when you’re there! If you are interested in the night life, the bars on this street are a great place to enjoy your evening, but the street is also a great place to shop with the family during the day. 4thstlive.com

23 Fourth Street Live!(Louisville)

The Toyota Manufacturing Plant in Georgetown has been a major part of the local economy since 1988. In this factory, some of the world’s finest automobiles are built. On the one and a half hour tour, you will learn how cars such as the Camry are built and how the company operates. You will find out how employees at Toyota work as team members to create an efficient and interdependent work environment that is unique to Toyota. The tour is interesting and informative, and is perfect for both kids and adults. Tours of the plant are free, but the plant encourages reservations prior to visit-ing. toyotageorgetown.com

24 Toyota Plant Tour(Georgetown)

Grab your baseball hat, a bag of peanuts and rehearse the words to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” because you do not want to miss out on America’s pastime. With two minor league baseball teams in Kentucky, the Lexington Legends and the Louisville Bats, the sports fan will be able to stay entertained all sum-mer long. Even if you’re not a big sports fan, going to the ball-park makes a fun family outing, and a fairly in-expensive night out. Between the Legends and the Bats, there should be more than enough opportunities to catch a home game this season! lexingtonlegends.com; batsbaseball.com

25 Minor League Baseball(Lexington, Louisville)


Dining

For many Lexingtonians, if they want to escape the land-locked city grind, getting away to a body of water usually does the trick. If they’re taking a week or two off, they may set their sights on an ocean. If they want to have a celebratory holiday weekend, they might scope out the lake.

But if they only have a night and they want to decompress with a solid meal and inviting atmosphere, they could always go to the river—more specifically, Hall’s on the River.

Longtime Central Kentucky diners are very familiar with the unique restaurant, tucked away by the Kentucky river. Many have known the spot as the place to get some of the best beer cheese you’ll ever taste – not to mention staples like fried banana peppers, frog legs, lamb fries and fresh-caught catfish – since it opened in the 1970s. With its rustic patio and comfortable atmosphere, it’s a nice place to relax and get a hearty bite.

However, I’m not writing this piece as a frequenter of the dining establishment. I’m writing it as someone who has had an almost 180-degree change of perception.

More than two years ago, I experienced Hall’s on the River for the first time. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t all that impressed. The beer cheese was great, but my main course wasn’t exactly blowing my hair back. After chalking up the much-praised restaurant to the kitchen having a bad day, I paid a second visit with similar results.

If you haven’t been to the restaurant in a while, give it another chance. Pronto!

Things have changed at Hall’s on the River, mainly due to general manager Adam McCraith and classically-trained chef Steve Atkins. The atmosphere hasn’t changed, but it may have a bit more shine to it than you remember. Many of the menu staples are still there, just jazzed up a bit thanks to an emphasis on always using fresh ingredients. The beer list has been upgraded (including the newly-revitalized Falls City Pale Ale and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale), also the cocktails (try the blueberry tea).

The biggest change you’ll see is Hall’s new menu items, which manage to both fit with the restaurant’s pension for Southern comfort food, while simultaneously standing out from other local menus.

The new attention to detail can be found in the simple, delicious appetizers. The fried green tomatoes are perfectly crisp and topped with baby arugula, bacon bits and Atkins’ “rivercue,” a mustard-based barbecue sauce inspired by the Carolinas. Even Hall’s new chicken wings have a new dimension. The whole wings are smoked and coated in a nine-spice rub before hitting the fryer with a touch of buffalo sauce. Tender with an exquisite balance of spice and smoke, it comes with ranch dipping sauce.

The entrée section is where you’ll really see Hall’s new change of pace. The sautéed chicken is exceptionally good, fork-tender and juicy. It’s marinated before being coated with a panko-parmesan crust and topped with vegetable fricassee of shiitake mushrooms, fresh corn kernel, garlic, onion, spinach, tomato, basil and country ham.

The rich crawfish cakes are the chef ’s favorite, served with Hall’s signature sweet and tangy slaw that’s mixed with some Andouille sausage as culinary homage to the Louisiana bayou. Then, there’s the shrimp and grits, a Southern classic they do up right with three-cheese Weisenberger Mill grits, a red pepper coulis and house-braised kale.

I can’t tell you if Hall’s on the River was ever known for having great desserts, but that might change, too. The apple pie convinced me of that much. Its flaky pastry crust conceals a house-made pie filling with a bit of extra ginger to tone down the sugary sweetness; add in a scoop of ice cream and a bourbon caramel sauce, and you’ve got a classic finish before your scenic drive back to real life.

Hall’s on the River has already proven it can stand the test of time. Now, with what the kitchen is producing and the same atmosphere you know and love, it looks like it could be seeing a flood of new fans to carry it through many years ahead.

859 527 6620 225 Athens Boonesboro Rd , Winchester hallsontheriver com


Go Gettters

“Learning to dance the right way is like riding a bicycle – once you have it, you can always do it!” You could call Hunter Lisle the ambassador of dance in Lexington. Lisle has owned and operated the Lexington franchise of the Arthur Murray dance studio for more than twelve years. He brings three decades of ex-perience with Arthur Murray to his studio. “I had been traveling, coaching, and running studios up north and Arthur Murray gave me the opportunity to re-open the Lexington area. After grow-ing up here, going to Sayre School and UK, it seemed like a great time to come back home,” Lisle says.

“Our goal is to make social dancing easy – we really believe that ‘walking in the front door’ is the hardest part!” Lisle says. Don’t let the word ‘ballroom’ intimidate you. There is a style of dance for everyone at Arthur Murray: sultry Latin, upbeat Swing, blast from the past with the Hustle and good ‘ole Country Western. While Arthur Murray specializes in making social dancing easy for anyone, their certified instructors can train and prepare danc-ers to compete at the highest levels.

From teaching beginners to those who are poised to compete, the business is growing rapidly. Not long after Lisle opened the Lexington studio, it was recognized as one of the top ten Arthur Murray studios in the country. There’s a reason for that success. “We make it easy to learn to dance! From the moment you walk in to the moment you’re on the dance floor, you’ll feel at ease and be able to start enjoying more social activities, more fun, and have more confidence,” Lisle says.

There is one misconception Lisle continues to educate the public about. You don’t have to have a dance partner to take lessons. “It’s okay to come in as a single or a couple – as a single, it gives you a chance to meet new people – as a couple you get to spend time together,” he says.

Arthur Murray has been teaching the world to dance for more than a hundred years. Lisle and his team are looking forward to being a part of the next hundred years in the company’s history. “I’m proud every day to see people smile as they come through our doors. If we can change one life – one step at a time – that means everything,” Lisle says.

859.278.7711 | 1801 Alexandria Dr. #132. | lexingtonarthurmurray.com

Hunter LisleOwner, Lexington Arthur Murray Dance Studio

Hobbies: Magic and Dancing

Favorite Vacation Destination: Las Vegas!

Favorite Movie: Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark

Favorite TV Show: The Big Bang Theory

Favorite Quote: Your Altitude is only determined by your Attitude

What would surprise most people to know about you? I read 3-6 books every week.

Favorite Book: See you at the top by Zig Ziglar


Go Getters

“If we don’t have it in stock we can order it from the man-ufacturer or from our store in Texas.” That’s how Abby Converse, owner of The Tack Shop of Lexington, runs her store. Converse’s background as a professional hunter/jumper rider and trainer gives her a competitive edge. “Lexington has a very limited selection of tack shops for hunter/jumper, dres-sage, and event riders. I thought with my mom’s knowledge, experience, and established relationships with vendors that it would be a fairly easy business to get up and running,” Con-verse says. A selection of popular brands that are hard to find elsewhere in town is something that sets The Tack Shop of Lexington apart. That philosophy of giving the customer what they want was passed on from Converse’s mom, maybe even subconsciously. “My mom started her tack store 20 years ago, I assisted her only by making buying suggestions because I was busy riding and competing my horses at the time,” Converse says.

Moving across the country to Lexington has been a winning decision. The city is home to Converse’s two proudest accom-plishments: winning her first Grand Prix at the KHJA Horse Show and starting her business.

“Great customer care and a knowledgeable staff keep our customers coming back again and again,” says Tom Ulshafer. Ulshafer is the President of Retail Operations and credits these things, along with a vast selection of merchandise, for their success. A dream to open a residential and commercial design studio with home furnishings and gifts has grown into a successful business for Debbie Reynolds and Tom Ulshafer. The original My Favorite Things opened in Hazard in 2002. A couple years later, a second store opened at Hamburg in Lexington. The store has done so well, it was a finalist in the Arts Awards in Dal-las, which recognizes the best retailers in the country.

My Favorite Things is full of beautiful gifts and accessories, but there is one lesser-known service Ulshafer promotes: “Our com-plimentary design services by our experienced staff, utilizing our many quality products at affordable prices.” When it comes to decorating for Christmas, Ulshafer says no one does it better than the designers at My Favorite Things.

When Tom is not busy at the store, he enjoys working with Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, Bowl for Kids’ Sake and Commerce Lex-ington.

Look for Tom at My Favorite Things behind Forcht Bank. They will celebrate their tenth anniversary next year.

859.368.0810 | 1510 Newtown Pike, #124 tackshopoflexington.com

Abby ConverseOwner/Manager

The Tack Shop of Lexington

Tom UlshaferPresident of Retail Operations

My Favorite Things

859.264.0923 | 2721 Old Rosebud Rd. mftky.com


Go Getters

“We work harder than anyone in the region,” says Larry Chiles. That level of confidence has translated into success for the clients his company has served during the last twenty-five years. MERIDIAN-CHILES is a full-service advertising agency. Their artful creations have surpassed the boundaries of Kentucky and reached an international audience. “We understand our clients and their businesses. We understand the markets. We understand branding. We understand the consumer,” says Chiles.

The business was started in 1988, founded by Larry Chiles and Jim Jordan, then known as Jordan-Chiles. Jordan’s share of business was bought by Chiles in 2001. Chiles then acquired Meridian Communications in October 2008 and changed the company’s name to MERIDIAN-CHILES. “The service to our clients is second to none,” Chiles says.

While the company he helped build has garnered many accolades, it is Chiles’ family that he considers to be his proudest accomplishment. When asked who has had the greatest impact on his life, he says it is his wife, Jane, who is secretary of the corporation. Chiles has three sons, all of whom work at the agency. Mac was recently named President; Marty is Account Manager; and Andrew is Co-Owner of eLINK DESIGN, affiliated with MERIDIAN-CHILES.

Chiles’ roots run deeply in Lexington. Born and raised in Lexington, he attended Henry Clay High School and The University of Kentucky. He has proudly served on many charitable boards as well as chaired the publicity/promotion for many area non-profit businesses. Chiles has served more than thirty years on the Board of Directors of Equestrian Events, Inc. – organizers of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.

As Chiles and the company celebrate their 25th anniversary, they are already looking ahead to the future and the next twenty-five years. Jeff Anderson was just named Vice-President of Sales and will be helping Mac Chiles pave the way. It’s an extremely aggressive vision that has MERIDIAN-CHILES offering more traditional, digital, and social media services than any competitor in the area.

Larry ChilesOwner, MERIDIAN-CHILES

859.299.6999 | 921 Beasley St.. | mericianchiles.com

Hobbies: Cruising, swimming & golf

Favorite Vacation Destinations: Caribbean, Cape Cod, Florida Keys

What would surprise most people to know about you? I used to have hair and it was dark red.

Favorite UK Sports Moments: Winning three NCAA Championship title games, as I attended all of them

Favorite Book: “Who Moved My Cheese”

Favorite Quote: “Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by those doing it.”


Go Gettters

“We have an office full of successful, driven women with similar goals, and we all get along wonderfully.” Dr. Laura Justice takes pride in her dentistry practice. She and her staff provide a full spectrum of oral care from routine hygiene and implants, to Invisalign and veneers. Dr. Justice is committed to excellence and great patient care. “We provide service, quality, and time to each of our patients to ensure they get the best care possible,” Justice says. If there is one misconception people have about Dr. Justice’s practice, it’s the cost. “We are not as expensive as people think we are. We believe that our incredible service and quality is worth our cost and then some,” she explains.

Dr. Justice is from Pikeville. Growing up, she played field hockey and participated

as a cheerleader. She moved to Lexington to attend Transylvania University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. She was then accepted into the University of Kentucky Dentistry School and received her DMD.

Outside the office, Dr. Justice is a very involved mother to her children. She enjoys watching on the sidelines and cheering on her sixteen year old son in his sporting events.

She also takes a front row seat when her eighteen year-old daughter is acting in her drama performances.

Dr. Justice also makes time for her own hobbies which include painting, watching movies, photography, and snow skiing. She says her entire family is musically inclined and very artistic. “We love to go to musicals and shows together,” she says.

Giving back to the community is important to Dr. Justice. Her practice is participating in Dentistry From The Heart for the first time this year. Dentistry From The Heart is a registered non-profit organization that provides free dental work for those in need. Forty-five thousand patients across the country have benefited from more than eight million dollars worth of free dentistry through this organization. Pearson Justice Dental along with a team of dentists, volunteers, and sponsors will provide patients with a free extraction, filling, or cleaning on a first come, first serve basis this August 24th. “It all comes down to wanting to provide something greater to my community,” says Justice. “The services provided by Dentistry From The Heart help more than just a patient’s teeth, they give them a renewed reason to smile,” she says.

Dr. Laura JusticeOwner, Pearson Justice Dental

859.543.0700 | 3285 Blazer Pkwy #200 | pearsonjustice.com

Favorite Vacation Destination: Park City, Utah

What type of music do you enjoy: Everything from classical to (some) hip-hop

Favorite TV Show: Homeland

Favorite Quote: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” -Henry Ford

Favorite Book: Pride & Prejudice

Proudest Accomplishment: My children are my proudest accomplishment.

What would surprise most people to know about you? I used to be a model.


Go Getters

Get Fit, Not Hit at TITLE Boxing Club! People from beginners to experienced, from 8 years old to 84 years old can work out side-by-side and get an equally intense, challenging work out at TITLE Boxing Club. Husband and wife team, Chris and Kim Campbell brought the franchise to Lexington.

The fitness club is known for their Power Hour workout. Catering to people with a busy lifestyle, it’s packed with an explosive, total-body workout that exercises every major muscle group in the body. It’s fast-paced and fun with the benefit of a trainer who coaches, encourages, and teaches the art and exercise with boxing and kickboxing.

“It’s a group workout at a fraction of the cost of personal training and is far more focused,” says Campbell. TITLE Boxing Club has something unique to offer: a guarantee. “We are so confident that our members will see positive changes that if they do three Power Hours per week for 90 days and do not see a positive change in their bodies, we fully refund every penny they have paid,” Campbell says.

The Campbells are in the business of changing lives. “A boxing workout not only transforms the body but also transforms and empowers the mind!”

Chris & Kim CampbellCo-Owners, TITLE Boxing Club

859.268.4853 | 171 W. Lowry Ln, #1681 | lexington-lowry.titleboxing.com

Lori Ann TaylorOwner/Operator, Belle Vie MedSpa

859.245.7546 | 2337 Sir Barton Way, Ste 130 | belleviemedspa.com

Eight Years ago, Lori Ann Taylor and her friend, Jamie Sayre, were looking for a new business adventure when they stumbled across Medical Spas. Despite never having had a Facial, Botox or Laser, Lori Ann eventually came to open Belle Vie.

The locally owned and operated spa offers Facials, Chemical peels, massage, medical skin care products, Botox, Laser Hair Removal, Fraxel Laser treatments, Bio Identical HRT, Weight Loss, and many other services.

Lori Ann is confident about the way that Belle Vie works with patients of all ages and enables them to fulfill their needs. “We talk to the patients about what their goals are and work together as a team to accomplish them.”

She and the Belle Vie Staff really care about their patients. “Women don’t have to be miserable when they hit those menopause and pre menopause ages,” she said.

Lori Ann’s proudest accomplishment is, besides raising her children, Belle Vie. She is proud of making the business successful, especially getting it through the first few, tough years.

Outside of running Belle Vie, Lori Ann is on the Board of Directors at Andover Golf and Country Club and Center for Women and Children Families. Belle Vie also donates auction items to non-profits. She has three daughters, Ashtyn, Ariele and Aubren, who all use Belle Vie skin care.


Go Gettters

Approachable. Welcoming. Focused. Three words to describe the three men who created house – j. stuart hurt, Jeremy Rice and Dwayne Anderson. The trio met when they were working for a retail business in Lexington back in 2004. During their years there they developed an excellent working relationship. Big changes in that company led to their “boot” at the end of 2009 and “off to the self-employed world we went,” says hurt. They put their creative minds together and decided to open a store in Lexington specializing in custom floral, home décor, accent furnishings, lamps, and accessories. “On a wing and a prayer—lots of prayers—we opened ‘house’ in 2010 and the story began,” hurt says.

The business is growing amazingly. They have moved three times in the their three years in business, doubling their square footage each time. Along the way, they’ve added new items to their selections, including jewelry, which hurt says is quickly proving to be a customer favorite. “Another segment of our business that has been growing is our wedding services! We’ve created ‘Weddings by house’ (weddingsbyhouse.com), which provides floral services, day of planning, and even prop rental services to brides and grooms to help create their perfect day!”

Custom floral arrangements, both artificial and real, are really the heart of the business. They do designs for every season or occasion, including Christmas. “Nobody does Christmas like WE do Christmas! At least that’s what we’re told by our customers,” hurt says. There is also something special about shopping at house that almost makes customers feel at home. “We are told daily ‘we love stopping in here when we are having a bad day or just need some cheering up. Plus we can look at pretty things while we get a laugh from ‘The Boys’,” hurt says.

Many people still don’t realize house offers interior design services. “People would ask everyday, ‘can I take you home with me?’ and our response is YES! We do custom window treatments, upholstery, and in-home design services,” hurt says. “I am a Kentucky Certified Interior Designer. Dwayne has been decorating this town for 20+ years, and Jeremy adds just the right touch to make interiors hit that next level. We all play off of each other with clients, and push each other to make our clients’ home the best they can be!” That’s what you see out front. “Behind the scenes, there is so much glitter, glue, and fabric fuzz, you would be amazed!” hurt says.

It’s a partnership that’s not just working, it’s exploding at the seams. “We are proud to have started on a wing and a prayer, and with amazing support from the community have made a successful business that we look forward to growing each year,” hurt says.

They boys have been very active with many chairities and foundations around town including National Ombudsman, Paris Animal Wellness Society, Legacy Home Ministries, and many more. Stuart is very active in Susan G. Komen Lexington Affiliate, and has just taken over as President of The Affiliate which covers 58 counties in Kentucky.

j. stuart hurt, Jeremy Rice, Dwayne AndersonCo-Owners, house by JSD

Favorite Quote: Jeremy, “Let go, and let God;” Dwayne, “Best Day Ever;” Stuart, we can’t really include what he says the most.

What would surprise most people to know about you? Jeremy wears flip flops, unless it’s going to rain or snow; Dwayne generally does not remember what he ate for breakfast that day, but can spec drapes like nobody’s business; Stuart may seem hard to approach, he will go out of his way to help you out.

Who has had the greatest impact on your life? Jeremy, his Pawpaw, who has passed; Dwayne, Oprah…he is always quoting her; Stuart, His Parents…gave him ‘street cred’ and business smarts.

One word to describe you: Jeremy, Approachable; Dwayne, Welcoming; Stuart, Focused

859.523.3933 | 250 Walton Ave. | housebyjsd.com


Go Getters

“A girl should be two things: Classy and Fabulous.” The quote is a nod to CoCo Chanel and is the motto of Twirl, a Lexington bridal boutique. While many brides believe they need to go out of town to find the perfect dress, Ty McBrayer says they can not only find one in Lexington, they’ll get something extra. “The gowns we carry are unique and beautiful and are unlike anything else in Lexington. We take the time to make the moment special. That is something you just won’t get at a huge store in bigger cities,” McBrayer says. Twirl has a great selection of both wedding and bridesmaid dresses, making it convenient for brides.

While McBrayer caters to meeting every brides dream, she never experienced the bridal gown shopping experience while preparing for her own wedding. “My husband proposed one month before I opened Twirl, so I was short on time and did not have a bridal gown selection at Twirl just yet. I chose to have my mother’s dress redone and honor her by wearing her gown.” In spite of not having her own bridal gown shopping experience, McBrayer has been in nearly a dozen weddings, worn the bridesmaids gowns, and soaked in years of inspiration before starting her business. “We like to make everyone feel at home,” she says.

Family is at the heart of Stokley’s Marine’s success. His parents began this business 40 years ago to provide Central Kentucky boaters with a reliable dealership. They have been creating family memories ever since.

“My father started selling boats out of a gas station on New Circle Road in 1972,” recalls Ralph. Stokley’s Marine has come a long way since then. They now sell Cobalt, Crownline, Yamaha, Bayliner and Tracker Boats, as well as boating accessories.

Ralph is particularly proud of their customer service. “They [customers] know that Stokley’s Marine provides the best service and best purchasing experience they have ever had.” This outlook has won the Tracker Boats Customer Service Award six times.

Ralph and his wife Cecile have three children, Connor, Jack and Callahan. He is proud of his family and says that Cecile teaches him how to appreciate all that they have.

Ralph wants people to know how easy it is to get into the boating lifestyle.

“Stokley’s Marine Provides the perfect fit for every type of boater. Whether you need a boat to fish out of, ski behind, or just cruise around with your family, Stokley’s has the product and the expertise you’ll need.”

Ty McBrayerOwner, Twirl Boutique

859.309.2493 | 121 Clay Ave. | twirlboutique.com

Ralph StokleyOwner, Stokley’s Marine

859.887.2466 | 3034 Lexington Rd. | Nicholasville KY | stokleysmarine.com


Go Gettters

J. Clay Leavell began a career in construc-tion after attending the University of Ken-tucky. He knew construction was the right path when he was made Site Supervisor for residential and multi-family housing. He ex-plored different trades in the industry and was drawn to kitchen design and sales. It turned out to be a great fit. In 2004, Clay bought his own company, Kitchen Concepts.

According to Clay, customers are attracted to Kitchen Concepts because “we offer a design on the front end, a quality product and an ex-cellent service.” He is committed into making sure that the company creates a design and product that fits each customer’s needs, and that the customer knows that their design is one of a kind. Kitchen Concepts is better than its competitors, he says, because they cater to the needs of any and every customer.

Clay describes himself as a worker, and he is proud to say that his company operates like a team and a family. He believes that the way he operates business might surprise people. Team-work is emphasized at Kitchen Concepts, and everyone’s input is heard. “I feel this is the best way to run a business,” says Clay.

When he is not designing kitchens and running his business, Clay likes to golf. His favorite book is The Bluegrass Conspiracy, and his favorite moment in UK Sports is the 1997 football game against Alabama. He is involved with the Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, the Lexington Home Builders Association and Georgetown Home Builders Association. He is also involved in raising money for many non-profit organizations, including St. Jude and Jessamine County Sheriff ’s Boys and Girls Ranch.

Clay has a family of his own: wife, Sarah, and two daughters, Gray Marie and Ashly Clay. They have been very supportive of him. His family has had the greatest impact on his life, not only his wife and kids, but also his parents and grandparents.

This is not his only family though, because he brings those family values into his work environment. He believes that this attitude enhances the communication and productivity of the company.

Clay says, “I believe that any company makes mistakes. But how you overcome those mistakes is what I feel is the most important. Commu-nication from start to finish with your customers and great employees make for a wonderful business, Kitchen Concepts.”w

J. Clay LeavellOwner/Operations Manager, Kitchen Concepts

859.269.1766 | Design Studio: 112 Mt. Tabor Rd. | kitchenconceptsky.com859.881.1766 | Corporate Office, 4001 Mall Rd.

What would surprise most people to know about you? I work 12-14 hour days and I love every minute!

Hobbies: Golf, fishing, hunting, being on the lake

Favorite Vacation Destination: Hilton Head Island

What music do you enjoy listening to? 70s – 90s, and new and old country

Favorite Movie: Shawshank Redemption

Favorite TV Show: Shark Tank

Favorite Quote: You have to be happy with the person you look at each morning in the mirror.


Go Gettters

Janet Schwartz and Sarah WoodworthCo-Owners, Monkee’s of Lexington

859.253.0427 | 116 Clay Ave. | monkeesoflexington.com

“I love to see a grandmother in here with her daughter and granddaughter—we make sure all three leave with a Monkee’s Bag in hand and a smile on their face!” says Sarah Woodworth, owner of Monkee’s of Lexington. Sarah Woodworth and her mother Janet Schwartz opened Monkee’s of Lexington at 116 Clay Avenue in 2011. “Owning a boutique is something I’ve wanted to do for years, and as a longtime shoppers of the Monkee’s franchise, we knew how well respected the name is in the southeast and wanted to be a part of something that has such a deep, successful infrastructure. I truly cannot imagine starting my own boutique without the corporate support and wealth of knowledge they provided us,” Woodworth says.

Carrying name-brand, cutting edge designers, Monkee’s has everything to dress a woman from head to toe for any occasion. They sell everything from Trina Turk clothing, Stuart Weitzman shoes, Frye boots, to Tom Ford sunglasses, and vintage Chanel jewelry. But don’t let the high-end designer names fool you; Monkee’s has something for everyone. “We are not your typical, overly expensive boutique. We carry all price points. You can find a sassy Karlie dress here for $60 or a beautiful silk Alice & Trixie maxi for $400. Tell us your budget and we’ll make sure you leave here with a new outfit, excited about your new purchases!” Woodworth says.

Customer service is of the utmost importance to Woodworth. She, her mom, and the ladies that work for them, strive to provide the best in Lexington. “Each customer is greeted with a smile and leaves with a sincere ‘thank you’,” she says. That customer service extends beyond the regular retail hours. Monkee’s opens its doors to host private parties for charitable fundraisers. It’s touted as an evening of “fun & fashion” with your best girlfriends, wine, and cute shoes! It’s also a great location for bridal showers, birthday parties or just a girl’s night out. Guests receive a special discount on any purchases made during the event.

Woodworth credits her parents for having the biggest impact on her life – one of the reasons for partnering with her mom in the business. “Their devotion to each other was apparent and inspirational to all who knew them. Their strong, committed marriage created a nurturing home environment that encouraged my brother and me to become hard working, successful, caring adults. I can only pray my children will say that about me and (my husband) Michael one day,” she says.

Favorite Vacation Destination: Sarah, Napa Valley; Janet, Provence, France

Favorite Quote: Sarah, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney. Janet, “Better to have loved and lost, than never loved at all.”

Community Involvement: Janet has served on the board for Hospice, American Heart Association, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Lexington Medical Society Alliance, among other charitable organizations. Sarah has served as the Advisory Board Chair for Kappa Alpha Theta.

Proudest Accomplishment: Sarah, a strong, happy marriage and two happy, healthy babes. I’m also proud to say that at ayoung age, I’m able to live out my life’s dream of owning my own boutique, and the success in Lexington has provided me the opportunity to open a second location in Louisville KY this August!

Tell us something about you that would surprise most people to know about you or your business: We are opening a second location in Louisville this August!


Go Getters

“We are a Kentucky owned company with 45 years in business.” Derrick Whitaker says that with pride, but finds, surprisingly, that not many people know Creative Kitchen and Bath has served central Kentucky for so many years. The business is now part of Masters Supply, which is an employee owned wholesale plumbing company.

Whitaker is a designer with a passion for kitchens and baths. Whether it’s a kitchen or bath renovation, or part of new construction, Creative Kitchen and Bath is here not only to design, but also provide quality materials for the installation of fine cabinetry as well as plumbing, countertops and tile.

“Customers purchase from us because of our years in business as well as our product knowledge, attention to detail; plus our ability to listen to your thoughts and ideas and transform them into reality,” Whitaker says.

Whitaker, who is from Richmond, has a degree in interior design with a minor in art. He brings twenty years of experience to Creative Kitchen and Bath. When he isn’t working hard designing someone’s dream kitchen or bath, Whitaker enjoys spending time with his kids, playing piano, and traveling.

Creative Kitchen and Bath has two locations to visit, one on Industry Road and a second in the heart of Chevy Chase on Romany Road.

“We cater to Cowards.” It’s an attention grabbing motto with a patient’s best interest in mind. “This simply means we work hard to make even the most apprehensive patients as comfortable as possible,” says Dr. Fred A. Schroeder, who has provided comprehensive dental care in Lexington for more than thirty years.

Dr. Schroeder admits he has to overcome the stereotypes of dentistry. “I’m not scary! I am a very compassionate person who loves to help people. I think sometimes people think dentists like to hurt people which couldn’t be further from the truth. I am in the business of helping people, getting them out of pain and disease while giving them the smile they have always wanted and deserved,” he says. “Each year I win Reader’s Choice I am just as excited as I was the first time, even 5 years later! It makes me feel great that I have made such a positive impression on so many people to be considered the best dentist in Lexington.”

Dr. Schroeder’s proudest accomplishment is his family: wife Carol, daughter Katie, and son Thad, who is following in his father’s footsteps. “I’m looking forward to practicing with my son in about a year and continuing this family tradition”.

Thorough dentistry in one location and if you’d like we will use sedation!

Derrick WhitakerDesigner, Creative Kitchen and Bath

859.255.6838 | 1141 Industry Rd. | 859.523.1100 | 367 Romany Rd. | creativekitchenandbath.net

Dr. Fred SchroederSchroeder Cosmetic and Family Dentistry

859.276.5496 | 2401 Regency Rd. #202 | schroederdentistry.wordpress.com


Go Gettters

“My proudest accomplishment is realized each time a young, home-buying couple trust in me to help them realize their dream of choosing the home that they will embark on their journey together in.” Crystal Towe is the market manager for Beaumont Park Town-homes. Beaumont Park Townhomes is one of the newest residential communities in Lexington. Location and curb appeal begin the list of must-have features including: pri-vate green-space, landscaped front yards, proximity to downtown shopping, dining, and the University of Ken-tucky campus. Inside each home you’ll find upscale ame-nities, including contemporary kitchens, modern baths and master suites. “We provide a professional, personal-ized buying experience for every taste, including more optional features at very competitive rates!” Towe says.

Towe is passionate about real estate. Her interest took off after she purchased her first home. “After experienc-ing the entire design and selections process personally, I knew it was the industry that I would be involved in,” Towe says.

Today she helps owners plan their dream home in the heart of Beaumont. “Remembering not so long ago how exciting the new purchase was for me, I am now able to relive that experience by assisting new home buyers through the entire process, finally handing them the keys to the home that they customized to their personalities and taste,” Towe says. That level of customer service and the quality of materials provided by the builder, Ando-ver Construction, is a winning combination. “It creates

a first-class townhome community, just steps away from thriving, businesses, recreation and fine schools,” Towe says. You will also find a generous selection among the floor plans of Beaumont Park Townhomes. Choose from traditional three, four and five-bedroom plans with modern amenities for a modern way of living. There are contemporary kitchens, granite countertops, modern baths and optional first floor master suites which provides décor for all tastes. There is an added bonus which tops Towe’s list of favorite amenities: a year-round sunroom. “Unlike most of our competition, we have a deep desire to accommodate the requests of our clients, and will investigate every possibility to make their dream home become a reality,” Towe says.

Crystal ToweMarket Manager, Beaumont Park Town-homes

859.492.8861 | 1101 Beaumont Centre Ln. | mybeaumonttownhome.com

Hobbies: Boating, camping, gardening, traveling and most importantly girl nights!

Favorite Vacation Destination: Cruising anywhere

What music do you enjoy listening to? Love the 80’s rock!

Favorite Movie: Hangover

Favorite Quote: “Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, dump it. Fear is awful, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish it.”

What would surprise most people to know about you? My husband and I own a Corvette that

we love to take on late night cruises.


Go Getters

Bo HenryMarket President, Republic Bank

859.519.3347 | 651 Perimeter Dr., Suite 650 | republicbank.com

We were here for you yesterday. We are here for you today. We will be here for you tomorrow®. That is the philosophy of Republic Bank. During the last thirty years, Republic Bank has grown to become the largest locally-owned community bank in the area. It’s a source of pride for Republic Bank Market President, Bo Henry. There are forty-four banking centers in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, and Minnesota. “Our goal is to ensure our customers total satisfaction, and treat them like our most important client--because they are. This is how we’ve built our business since opening our first banking center in 1982 and it’s how we plan to grow into the future,” Henry says.

Republic Bank offers a full range of competitive products and services that you may find at many banking institutions: checking, savings and investing, lending, debit & credit card, private banking, small business, and commercial banking accounts. But because they are locally owned, customers get something extra. “In addition to offering great products and services, Republic Bank’s highly personalized service and ability to grow and maintain longstanding relationships helps to set us apart. We truly take pride in the relationships we build with our clients and are dedicated to providing the financial resources that help our communities grow,” Henry says.

While being locally owned sets Republic Bank apart, it doesn’t mean they aren’t competitive. “Even though we are a locally-owned com-munity bank, Republic Bank provides the latest technology and services that larger financial institutions offer, all while maintaining highly personalized service and dedication to our clients and community,” says Henry. The proof is in the performance. Two years in a row, in 2012 and 2013, Republic Bank was ranked as the number one performing bank in the country, based on financial performance and level of capital by Bank Director Magazine. They were also voted one of best places to work in Kentucky in a 2013 statewide competition.

Henry was born and raised in Paris, Kentucky. He played football, basketball and baseball growing up. He attended Centre College in Danville where he played baseball, and graduated with a BA in Economics and Management.

Lexington has been home for the last ten years. It’s where Henry and his team work hard to be the best in the banking business. “We strive to be totally accessible to our clients and accountable to our community.”

Family: Wife Laura, daughter and 3 sons

Favorite Music: R&B, Country and Classic Rock

Favorite Movie: Fletch

Favorite Quote: “Don’t sweat the small stuff” and “Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.”

Proudest Accomplishment: My kids!


Go Gettters

“We have a “home-like” atmosphere at Patton Clinic. It’s not like walking into a doctor’s office. We have a calming, soothing feel with tranquil colors and ambient lighting.” After working in insurance based practices, Dr. Gary Patton realized fifteen min-utes in and out with a patient isn’t enough time to get to know them. In 2011, Dr. Patton opened his own clinic in Lexington with a purpose to treat the patient as a person. “I have experi-enced a great deal of loss in my life along with significant trag-edies. I know what people go through in the mental/behavioral health aspect of life not just because I have special education and training in the field, but because I have lived it with them,” Patton says. Patton Clinic has comprehensive care for mental health, substance abuse, and everyday challenges including anx-iety, depression, and weight loss management.

Education is a big part of his practice. His mission is to reach more people with a message, “There is hope and help,” says Pat-ton. “There are new, effective, scientifically proven treatments in the area’s of mental health, weight loss, and especially substance abuse.”

Patton’s compassion for helping others was instilled in him by his father, Paul T. “Dadoo” Patton. “My dad was a hard worker. He taught me to care for people. His kindness was shown in works more than words,” Patton says. Another influential per-son in his life has been William Joseph Petrie. “He taught me the value of honesty and always being true to yourself,” he says. Pat-ton describes his mother, sister, and nephew as his “rocks”. His buddy “Bear”, a two year old, 170-pound Great White Pyrenees rounds out the list!

Home is where the heart is. Patton’s efforts to share that com-passion don’t stop at his clinic. Each year he and his staff support the Hillbilly Christmas in July for the Shriner’s Hospital. The event was founded by his brother in law, Randy Jones, who was from Pikeville. “Randy was the voice of the mountains. He was a radio personality in Pikeville who believed in helping people especially kids,” Patton says. Every July more than a hundred people hop on their motorcycles and ride from Pikeville to the Shriners hospital in Lexington to deliver new toys.

From bedside manner to treatment, Dr. Patton is working to make a difference. “I want to truly and effectively use the science of medicine to teach people how to live well!”

Dr. Gary PattonOwner, Patton Clinic

859.317.9045 | 2704 Old Rosebud Rd. Ste 230 | pattonclinic.net

Hobbies: Renovating & building

Favorite Vacation Destination: New Orleans and Chicago

Favorite Movie: Big Fish, Donnie Darko

Favorite TV Show: Arrested Development

Favorite Quote: “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

One word to describe you: Honest


Go Getters

Chris BenezetFounder/CEO, Benezet & Associates

859.885.1692 | 234 Industry Pkwy. Ste. 1 | Nicholasville, KY | benezetandassociates.com

A straight shooter. That is how Chris Benezet describes himself. He is active, hardworking, involved in the community and has a Siberian Husky named Pazzo.

One of Chris’ proudest accomplishments was winning the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Commerce Lexington, an award well deserved. When he was just 15 years old, he started “Precision Painting and Pressure Washing,” a business that is still in operation today.

After attending the University of Kentucky, Chris started Benezet and Associates, where he constructs, renovates and remodels homes, offices, and commercial and industrial buildings. He also offers general construction and construction management.

“I started in business at seven years old mowing lawns, one thing led to another and here I am now. Precision Painting and Pressure Washing was formed 17 years ago, Benezet and Associates in 2007.”

Chris said that his parents have more impact on his life than anyone else. “They stood behind me through all my successes and failures. They watched me fall on my face and helped me back up and watched me succeed the next time around.”

If you ask Chris why customers use his services, he will tell you “They trust us! Whether we are doing a small scale job or a half-million-plus project, they know they can trust us.” One on one customer service and satisfaction is what sets his business apart from others.

“We are very competitively priced without the sacrifice of quality for our clients,” Chris says.

Currently, Chris’ projects include a whole house renovation on Headley Ave, a kitchen and family room renovation on West Moreland and numerous projects all over the state.

Not only is he devoted to his clients, but Chris is devoted to the community as well. When Chris’ family moved from New York to Kentucky, they only intended to live in Lexington temporarily, but they fell in love with the Bluegrass and stayed. You can see through Chris’ community involvement that he does care about the Lexington Community.

“I am a member of Lexington Charity Club. I also donate and volunteer my time to numerous other charitable organizations.” He donates to the Humane Society, “I am a lover of animals, particularly dogs,” to LexArts for their children’s programs and he has also donated time to the Catholic Action Center.

“I am 32 years old, and proof that life is definitely what you make it.”

Favorite Vacation Destination: I have many… but I just got back from Hilton Head Island, SC and loved it.

Favorite Movie: Wall Street & The Notebook, that’s right, I said the Notebook.

Favorite TV Show: It was Two & a Half Men until they got rid of Charlie Sheen, now I don’t have one.

Favorite Quote: “Do what you love, love what you do and you will never work a day in your life.”

What would surprise most people to know about you? I’m a hopeless romantic at heart.


TOPS IN EQUINE

by Kathie Stamps

The USHJA is one of 33 equine organizations and associations with headquarters at the Kentucky Horse Park. Collectively these groups are called the National Horse Center. There are just about as many sports for horses as there are for human athletes. Dressage, cross-country and show jumping are the components of eventing; other equestrian disciplines include endurance, reining, Western pleasure and English pleasure, and hunter and jumper.


TOPS IN EQUINE

The national governing body for equestrian sport is the United States Equestrian Federation. The USEF over-sees nine national and eight international equestrian disciplines. One of the USEF’s largest affiliates is the United States Hunter Jumper Association. Both of these organizations are based right here in Lexington, Ky., at the Horse Park.“Our role as the national affiliate is to provide educa-tion for our members, programs to help the members develop in the sport and guidelines and standards to en-sure our sport is safe, fair and competitive.” said Whitney Allen, USHJA’s director of marketing and communica-tions. The United States Hunter Jumper Association has over 70 affiliates of its own, and 43,000 members in Kentucky and all over the country. Canada, Mexico and European countries are represented in the membership base as well. “Our membership ranges from people who go to a horse show twice year, and have a horse in their back-yard, to professionals who are on the road 40 weeks a year,” Allen said.Those 43,000 people range in age from 3 to 90. “Our membership ranges from the leadline kids to Olympians, from the horse crazy 12 year old girl to the horse crazy 80 year old that still rides.”Along with benefits for its mem-bers, the association offers com-petitive programs, such as the fifth annual USHJA Internation-al Hunter Derby, which takes place Aug. 15-17 at the Kentucky Horse Park. The championship starts on Friday and culminates on the final evening and offers $110,000 in prize money. The final round will be held under the lights at Rolex Stadium. Last year 89 horses competed, with the same or more expected for the 2013 event. It is open to the public, at no additional admission charge, and gifts will be handed out to the first 100 people through the gates. For those who make a day of it at the Kentucky Horse Park, Farmhouse Café or Tack Room Bar & Grill are a couple of lunch options, or any number of food vendors and concession stands on the grounds.The outdoor Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park seats 7,338 spectators comfortably and the bleachers can expand to hold 30,000. When horses and riders are in the arena competing, fans in the stands are generally

quiet, similar to golf, with applause as the competitors finish. And, similar to watching a gymnastics event, spectators may clap involuntarily when the athletes do something pretty impressive in the ring.“While equestrian events may seem difficult to under-stand to the non-horse person, you can watch a Hunter Derby round and know what is pretty and what is not,” Allen said. “After a few rounds you can start to draw the difference between what looks right or what might be off. In that regard, anyone can enjoy watching the event. Especially the Hunter Derby Championship where horses and riders will be in an elaborately decorated are-na navigating obstacles up to 4’ in height. The obstacles might be a wood log, a bush, or a plank fence. ”Hunters and jumpers are closely related in terms of training for the human and equine athletes. Many rid-ers do both, as each one involves an obstacle course with jumps, and the two sports often take place at the same competition.

At the competition level for hunters and jumpers, it is the horse’s performance being judged. (Equitation, yet another discipline, is judged solely on the rider.) Hunt-ers are judged on conformation, style, balance, tempera-ment and suitability with the rider. Hunters compete at a more controlled pace than jumpers and the jumps themselves aren’t as high. For the jumpers, show jump-ing is all about speed and accuracy for horse and rider, with a certain time allotment to go through the course clean and fast. The hunter discipline is based on the centuries-old prac-tice of fox hunting, when a horse and rider might need to


TOPS IN EQUINE

Through Nov. 3, the Kentucky Horse Park is open seven days a week from 9a to 5p.. Park admission is $16; children $8. There are around 180 horses throughout the park, representing three dozen breeds. Three of those horses are Marwari, a rare breed from India with only 10 in the entire country.Kentucky Derby winners Funny Cide (2003) and Go for Gin (1994) live at the park, as does Cigar, the “racehorse of the decade” for the 1990s. These and other famous horses make an appearance three times a day at the park’s Hall of Champions. Also on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park are horse-drawn trolley tours with clip-clopping draft horses. Through July 31, visit the “Mare and Foal Show” at the Breeds Barn before the foals are weaned.

jump over a countryside gate or stone wall during a � eld hunt. In today’s sport, the various jumps simulate those fences, logs, ground covers and stone walls. To learn more about the sport of hunters and jumpers, visit the USHJA headquarters located in the Kentucky Horse Park. � ere you can see an actual Olympic show jump, standing 5’3” tall, on display in the USHJA’s lobby. � eir building (built in 2009) is behind the Kentucky Horse Park’s visitor information center. � e Wheeler Museum, also in USHJA’s lobby, has an exhibit titled “El-egance, Power, Heart: the � oroughbred Show Horse,” centering around these magni� cent animals in the show ring. � ere are also Olympic medals on display, along with halters, stall plaques, trophies, photos and other

memorabilia. � e Wheeler Museum is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be open on Saturday, Aug. 17 from noon to 4 p.m.Prior to the USHJA International Hunter Derby in Au-gust, there’s an opportunity to watch hunters and jump-ers compete July 17-21 at the Horse Park. � e USHJA is the title sponsor of the North American Junior and Young Rider Show Jumping Championships that week.“We are fortunate to have the top people in the country come out to the Horse Park every summer,” Allen said. “It’s a beautiful sport to watch, regardless of the disci-pline.”Learn more about the United States Hunter Jumper Association at ushja.org.


TOPS IN EQUINE

by Mary Hemlepp, APRPhotos by Keni Parks

Lara Levine knew at a young age that she loved horses and just had to have one. Her family had never owned a horse and knew little about them, but that didn’t discourage her.“I was horse crazy for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I wore my parents out wanting to become a horse owner.”So her parents made her a deal: if Lara would save half the mon-ey she needed to buy a horse, they’d match it. And so she did.Lara grew up near Akron, Ohio, which is not an area that comes to mind when thinking of horses. During the summers, she worked first as volunteer and later a paid employee at the lo-cal YMCA Horse Camp, learning the ins and outs of caring for horses. “I rode all kinds of horses, Western and English, mostly trail rid-ing and games on horseback,” Lara said. “Once I got my own horse, I began riding hunt seat and did a few small shows. I used to take my horse, a little bay Arabian gelding named Koko, with me every summer to camp, and we must have ridden six to eight hours a day! I stopped showing during college, but he came with me everywhere I went -- even when I came to Lexington after college. He taught both of my kids to ride and was with us until he was 34.”Lara studied communications in college but what she really wanted was a career that allowed her to pursue her passion for horses. She decided to change direction and earned a degree in equine reproduction from Ohio State University. For a time, Lara thought she would go to veterinary school, but after spend-ing several months as an intern for an equine vet in Florida, she changed her mind. Finally, she realized if she wanted to work with horses, she had to go where the horses are. So she came to Central Kentucky.“I spent a couple years when I first moved to Lexington riding young horses [breaking] for Juddmonte Farms, which was a real treat,” she said. “Then, I retrained a few off-the-track Thorough-breds and started riding in some Combined Training – dressage & jumping – shows locally until I had kids. That was when I got

my current horse, an ex-race mare named Zelda, who is now re-tired, along with my daughter’s pony. “I worked the horse sales, foal watched – anything to be work-ing in the horse industry--but I wanted to use my knowledge in a more professional position. I was fortunate to have held a posi-tion in advertising for several years with Thoroughbred Times and later in production as the equine division manager at Ham-mond Communications Group.”Now, Lara is using her degree and experience as an equine feed representative for Southern States Cooperative. Her back-ground makes her a natural for working with horse farm manag-ers, horse owners and store managers. Part of her job includes training store personnel and serving as a liaison between the stores and the company. Her sales area includes not only Central Kentucky, but also Cincinnati and other parts of southern Ohio,

Fillies in the Workplace:Lara Lavine

Equine Feed Representative, Southern States Cooperative


TOPS IN EQUINE

Jefferson County, southern Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The company has a number of experts on staff, so if Lara or one of her customers has a question she can’t answer, the experts can. She said the Southern States equine nutritionists’ expertise is second to none. “Southern States has been making feed for almost 100 years,” she said. “The co-op began in Virginia and is a big player on the East coast. It’s still a farmer-owned co-op.”The company makes custom feed mixes based on farm needs and location, such as those created specifically for Central Ken-tucky. Many of the co-op’s larger customers require a custom mix. Feeds formulated for older horses, breeding stock and show horses also are popular among horse owners. The co-op’s Win-chester plant was runner-up for the 2011 Feed Mill of the Year award. The plant produces 73,000 tons of bagged and bulk feed yearly through an entirely automated manufacturing process.Lara also likes that Southern States has a strong philosophy of giving back. For the horse industry, they have a program called Special Horse Organization Winner’s program, or S.H.O.W., which allows any equine nonprofit to earn cash from saving their feed bag proofs of purchase. This program is utilized by many Kentucky organizations including Old Friends, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club and other local equine rescues, 4-H groups and riding clubs. Currently, the program benefits more than 400 organizations in the Southern States ter-ritory up and down the east coast and in Kentucky. Old Friends, a farm for retired horses, is home now to an old friend of Lara’s, too. Klassy Briefcase, the first broodmare she ever owned, lives there. “Old Friends is very dear to my heart,” she said. “I owned Klassy in partnership for a few years. She’s now 28, but she was a world record-setting stakes winner and stakes producer who still has a race named after her at Monmouth Park. We retired her from breeding duties to Old Friends, and they have taken amazing care of her. The staff and volunteers at Old Friends are wonder-ful and they provide a haven for retired racehorses who have given pleasure to so many.”In addition to using her horse sense on a daily basis, Lara uses her communication background to help promote Southern States via social media. She also manages a website and e-news-letter for Hidden Brook Farm. “Social media is great for promotion and sharing information,” she said. “I’ve used it to post store events, customer successes, and even for a company foal photo contest. As a business tool, it’s very innovative and I’m interested in continuing to learn more about it.”But face-to-face communication with farm managers and horse owners is the main part of her job and the part she’s passionate about.

“Most people are open to what I have to say,” she said. I’ve been managing horses most of my life so I understand that I when I visit a farm, I have to be respectful of people’s time and needs. People who work on farms love the animals, just like I do.“One thing I enjoy about visiting farms is seeing the young hors-es in the fields racing as if they’re in the stretch at the Kentucky Derby. I love to see how racing just comes naturally to Thor-oughbreds,” she explains.She said there are other misconceptions about the equine busi-ness. There are people outside the field who think everyone in the business is wealthy and that they’re in it to make money. But the reality is that the industry supports businesses on many different levels. The mom and pop or working family farms are much more prevalent that people realize.There are a lot of jobs associated with the industry – everything from accounting, marketing, video production, magazines, web-sites, and of course, farm management. Lara said there are many opportunities for women in this field, too. She believes women have a natural ability to connect with people and horses, so that makes them uniquely suited to careers that combine both.“I’m fortunate to combine my passion for horses with a career,” she said. “It’s been a really nice journey so far.”


TOPS IN EQUINE

favorite sliding stops. Endurance, an event that demonstrates the bond between horse and rider as they navigate up to 100 miles of cross country terrain, will amaze. This event presents a unique opportunity for spectators to watch the best of the young and talented riders from North America compete in six of the eight disciplines represented at the FEI World Equestrian Games. Many of these riders, like hometown girl and Olympic rider Reed Keesler who competed in the NAJYRC in 2010, will go on to represent their country in international competition, including the Olympics. You can learn more about this special event at youngriders.org.

KentucKy Horse ParK Food & BeverageWhile you are at the Horse Park, where will you eat and relax? Recently, the Horse Park took their food service in-house and the results have been very well received by visitors and competitors alike. Horse Park Food Service staff, including Food and Beverage Director Danny McCray, have worked hard to significantly improve the qual-ity and range of food choices and loca-tions.The Bit & Bridle restaurant is centrally located within the Park to provide con-venient access to Park visitors, Horse Park and National equine headquarters staff and horse show participants. It is located close to the main entrance, the Museum and the gift shop. The Bit & Bridle has the largest seating capac-ity, able to accommodate 150 guests in

USHJA Archive/Robbi Meise

Kendall Skreden navigates the Show Jumping course during the 2011 USHJA North American Junior & Young Rider Show Jumping Champion- ships as part of the Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Riders Championships presented by Gotham North at the Kentucky Horse Park

Bit & Bridle Interior


TOPS IN EQUINE

two indoor dining areas and three patios. The menu consists of favorites for every age in all price ranges, with fresh soup and sal-ad bar, hot and cold sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, kids menu and homemade desserts. Daily lunch specials give additional variety to Park employees as well as Park guests. The Farmhouse Café is a favorite of the horsey set but is open to all visitors. It is a converted farmhouse original to the Park located at the intersection of Cigar, Nina Bonnie and Alltech Way. The Farmhouse is a summer oasis from the heat with free Wi-Fi and relaxing front porch and patio and yard. It offers a creative lunch menu with artesian sandwiches and salads, de-licious burgers and daily entrée specials as well as a beautiful house and yard in which to sit, relax and even sip a glass of wine, if you choose. The Paddock Café is the newest concession dining location. A covered outdoor eating area next to the hunter show rings lo-cated in the central hub of horse show activity near barns and equine tack vendors. Its menu is tailored to horse show partici-

pants and spectators with a wide range of hot and cold offerings, including breakfast and lunch. The Tack Room Bar and Grill is located ringside at the main Rolex outdoor stadium (next to the jumbo score-board) where almost all of the rand Prix show jumping events take place throughout the year. Also a covered restaurant with open air access and patio ringside, open to riders, owners and all visitors. It offers a diverse menu with soup and salad bar, appetizers, hot and cold sand-wiches, homemade desserts and convenient grab ‘n go options and an unparalleled close-up view of the ac-tion. It also includes a full service bar serving ice cold refreshments and park specialties. Adorned with Long-woods reclaimed stall doors and other unique features, it is a wonderful place to watch the competition and rub

elbows with Olympic and local competitors.

The Farmhouse Cafe Interior

The Tack Rtoom Bar & Grill


TOPS IN EQUINE

by Greg Ladd

Andre Pater’s 2002 Exhibition in London. Andre and I had our first one-man show in 1992. We had taken ex-hibitions all over America coast to coast. Ten years later it was time to expose his work to the European market, and no place better to take the work than to the ‘Sport-ing Art’ grass-roots—London. Like sticking your head in the lion’s mouth.A m b a s s a d o r

Farish, an Andre patron and US Ambassador to England at the time, offered to host a cocktail party at the Ambassador’s resi-dence the night before the show opened.He entertained more than 200 guests in the historic, Ambassador’s mansion known as Winfield House. Ambassadors of Poland, Italy, Switzerland and France were in attendance. The reception alone would have been enough to make the trip something that will never be forgotten. The exhibition was icing on the cake.The demand for Andre’s work had increased, while the sup-ply had not, pushing the prices to new levels. That’s one thing that makes his work so desirable to collectors: the quality will always be there, and he will never flood the market. The hardest thing to do is to keep a show under wraps. We wanted a fresh and exciting show, and if you show the work early you are always tempted to sell. We didn’t show any of the work until the Sladmore Gallery opened its doors at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 24. The prices were strong, so I decided to allow people to view the paintings during the day and show up for the artist’s reception that evening at 6:30 with checkbook in hand. Nothing would be sold until that evening.

The morning of the opening, I arrived at the gallery about 8 a m., an hour before the gallery opened. There was a small café next door, so had a cup of coffee and read the paper. As I approached the gallery, I realized there was someone already at the door. It was a good client from Nashville, TN. He said he had been there since 7:30 a.m. because he wanted to make sure that he had first choice of the paintings that would go on sale that evening. Just before 9 a.m. people started arriving; 20 people had lined up. No one left. If they got hungry or needed to stretch their legs, they found someone to be a stand-in while they were gone. We gave out numbers and made a list, so the early birds in line would have the first selection. The rules were that each family (husband and wife team) could only purchase one painting with their number, thus allowing as many people as possible the opportunity to own and enjoy a work by this special artist. The ‘artist reception’ officially opened the show at 6:30 p.m. and was standing room only. Many of clients that had made the trip from America and the British just couldn’t appreciate the numbering system and our attempt at fair-play. I am stuck in the middle of a sea of questioning onlookers. I stopped my friend Hub from scalping his ticket and creating a stampede. In typical fashion, my wife shows up socially late, and literally cannot get into the gallery, viewing the spectacle, with many others, from the street. As it approaches 7 p.m. Andre has still not shown, and I’m beginning to look like I’ve spent the day in a sauna. I proceeded to sell the paintings, with the help of the Cross Gate staff. I began to call out numbers. #1 –Mr. Nashville, fights his way through the crowd to place a red dot on the painting of his choice ‘Horses and Jockeys Going to Post’. There were 31 paintings in the show. It seems that in several cases a per-son’s first choice had already been selected, so the buyer either selected another painting or gave up their number. Sladmore hosts Gerry and Edward said that we sold all of the paintings in 21 minutes. Twenty of them sold to Americans that had come to England specifically for the show. On the opening night of Andre’s first one-man-show in Lexington in 1992, 10 years earlier, we grossed just under $24,000. Tonight, paintings aver-aged just over $24,000 each. **as a side note, late that night after the dust had settled and a glass of wine had loosened our tongues, my Nashville friend admitted that he had actually gotten there at 6:30 that morn-ing, but was too embarrassed to tell me.

Featured Artist Andre Pater


TOPS IN EQUINE

by Dana Ross

There is a sense of unbridled optimism for the 2013 re-newal, taking place July 15 in the hallowed ground of Fasig-Tipton’s Newtown Paddocks. “The theme for July is Right Time, Right Horse, Right Result and our yearlings continue to support those claims,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. “Racing performance is the ultimate measure of

a sale.… [Our] grads from July lead all North American auc-tions in several major performance categories.” Browning’s upbeat attitude is inspired by a market that is clearly rebounding from the widespread global recession, by a sale company that owns its fair share of auction records, and by the quality of the July 2013 catalogue overall, and its

First and Foremost

On July 19, 1975, a colt from the first crop of Claiborne Farm sire Bold Reasoning was led into the sale ring at Fasig-Tipton on Newtown Pike. Moments later, for a modest bid of $17,500, future Hall of Famer and racing legend, Seattle Slew, left the ring as property of Mickey and Karen Taylor. When Seattle Slew won the 1977 Belmont Stakes, and thus became racing’s first and only undefeated Triple Crown winner, he solidified the credentials of an important Thoroughbred yearling auction taking place once again this summer in Lexing-ton. The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling sale, with its popular New Sires Showcase, returns this month with a new twist.

Seattle Slew


TOPS IN EQUINE

spotlight on new stallions in particular. “Prospective buy-ers will find the same physical type of yearling our selection team has focused on so productively in recent years. We are equally excited about the quality of pedigrees and the sires represented in the 2013 catalogue,” notes Browning. Occupying the earliest date on the yearling sale calendar, a staple of this one-day, auction of hand-picked select year-lings is offering buyers their first opportunity to inspect and bid on potential racehorses sired by stallions whose oldest offspring have just celebrated their first birthdays. Breeders’

Cup Classic winner Blame and Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky are among 17 stallions with first-crop year-lings selling this July at Fasig-Tipton. More than a quarter of the 258 hand-selected yearlings catalogued for the July 15 sale are from their respective sires’ first crops. “It’s a chance to get in on the next great sire before the rest of the market,” said Vice President of Sales, Bayne Welker. “You can bet ev-ery great new sire will have representation at this sale.” Despite handling a smaller volume of horses than its rivals, firsts are common-place and records are the norm for this little sale company that can – and does! Fasig-Tipton is North America’s oldest Thoroughbred auc-tion company: It was formed in 1898 by William Fasig and Edward Tipton, and its first headquarters were in New

York’s Madison Square Garden. Fasig-Tipton’s New York yearling sale was represented by its first Kentucky Derby winner, Judge Himes, more than 100 years ago, in 1903. In 1918, iconic racehorse Man o’ War was sold at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga, New York, locale and went on to assemble a near-perfect record of 20 wins in 21 career races, three world re-cords and stunning victories by as many as 100 lengths. Man O’ War began a long and storied tradition for Fasig-Tip-ton – selling Kentucky’s finest yearlings. Some 25 years later, World War II rail restrictions prevented Kentucky horse-

men from sending their yearlings to New York, and Fasig-Tipton responded to the challenge by moving their sale to Kentucky. In August of 1943, Fasig-Tipton conducted the first yearling sale ever held at Keeneland under a tent in the racetrack’s paddock. The inaugural Kentucky sale catalog included eventual 1945 Kentucky Derby winner, Hoop Jr. Fasig-Tipton broke ground on the headquarters of its cur-rent location at 2400 Newtown Pike in 1975, the same year Seattle Slew was sold at the Kentucky July Sale. Now in the second decade of its second century, the company conducts sales year-round throughout the United States. It offers different sale formats designed to cater to each aspect of the Thoroughbred market. In addition to its spectacu-lar summer yearling sales, Fasig-Tipton carries out sales of

Man O’War


TOPS IN EQUINE

breeding stock in the fall and auctions of two-year-old, ready-made racehorses in the spring. The world-records in both of these categories belong to Fasig-Tip-ton: The highest-priced broodmare of all time, Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, sold for $14 million in 2008 at Fasig-Tipton’s Kentucky selected fall mixed sale. Fasig-Tipton’s Florida two-year-old sale, long recognized as the worldwide leader, sold The Green Monkey for the benchmark sum of $16 million in 2006, establishing a still-standing world record for any horse of any age sold at a public auction. To say that Fasig-Tipton ‘pioneered’ the sale of two-year-olds is an understatement. Fasig-Tipton invented and perfected the two-year-old sale format which now ac-counts for roughly one-fourth of the U.S. market for unraced horses. In 1952 the company put on the first two-year-old in training sale at Hialeah Park in Florida. When additional training sales followed in California, Maryland, Kentucky, and Louisiana, it was Fasig-Tipton conduct-ing those auctions.

Old Is New AgainA thesaurus or dictionary might tell you that old is the opposite of innovative. The folks at Fasig-Tipton will tell you otherwise. This July in Lexington, horseracing’s original sale company demonstrates that it has no shortage of new ideas to capital-ize on technological advances available to today’s Thoroughbred buyers and sellers. Fasig-Tipton’s latest launch is the Horses of Racing Age Sale that will im-mediately follow its yearling sale on the evening of July 15. “In the Thoroughbred world, this auction will feature many changes in the way active racehorses are marketed. To now, selling a racehorse has been dominated by private nego-tiation. Sellers have been at a distinct disadvantage because this process limits competitive bidding. We are looking to change that,” notes Boyd Browning.So what, exactly, is new here? Besides taking the sale of active racehorses from

behind the barn to center stage of the auction universe, Fasig-Tipton will use online resources to offer buyers look-ing to acquire new stock for lucrative summer and fall race meets a pool of horses that can be entered in the catalog as little as a week before the sale. Photos, virtual inspection videos, mandatory x-rays, video race replays, and email alerts will be used to enlight-en potential buyers and keep them up-to-date on horses’ current form. The Fasig-Tipton recruiting team, with its proven track record for bringing to-gether the exact combination of just the right horses and bidders to make auction history and racing lore, are ac-tively soliciting “horses with meaning-ful racing potential to showcase to the sport’s leading buyers,” said Browning. “For a horse coming off a good race or showing good form, the mid-summer timing of the sale is ideal, and we’re confident that a broader buying base, especially encouraging trainers to come to Lexington, will have a posi-tive impact.” When the new sale was announced in February, Bayne Welker told the Thoroughbred Daily News, “There’s no question that technology has created a platform to have a sale like this. There are still people today who won’t get on a computer, but ev-erybody has access to one. Current technologies allow us to take a horse into the catalog almost a week out, still have links to workouts, and to still have a traditional catalog for people to pick up on the sales grounds, to carry around and make notes in.”

Fast ForwardOnly time will tell if the July Horses of Racing Age sale will become the next masterpiece in Fasig-Tipton’s collec-tion of top Thoroughbreds auctions in New York, Florida, and Kentucky. One thing that is certain -- on the eve-ning of July 15 in Lexington, you’ll have to be at Fasig-Tipton to say that you were there for the first.

The Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale catalog is available now at the sales company’s offices or online atfasigtip-ton.com. Entries, pedigrees, race re-cords, race videos, and workout infor-mation for the July Horses of Racing Age Sale will be published in an inter-active part of the site. The July Yearling sale will be held at Fasig-Tipton, 2400 Newtown Pike, on July 15 beginning at 10 a.m. The first Horses of Racing Sale immediately follows the yearling auction.


TOPS IN EQUINE

As often happens, with strong business influence comes strong political influence. Laurence Tierney followed in his father’s footsteps making alliances politically that could fur-ther boost his business enterprises. He served as the WV Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1960 when he became friends with John F. Kennedy (a fellow Irish Catholic) while he was running for President. Ann Tierney Smith recalls Kennedy even visited her father’s home, where he took a brief nap during the busy campaigning he was doing in the coal fields. Later, Laurence Tierney was able to stand-in for Kennedy during one of The Geneva Conventions when Kennedy couldn’t attend. After Kennedy’s assassination, Ann Tierney Smith, answered her call to service by accompanying former First Lady, Eleanor Roo-sevelt as she travelled the country making campaign speeches for Kennedy’s Presidential Campaign. She continued her White House service by helping Jaqueline Kennedy in her office after the President’s assassination.

Smith’s passion was always the horses, however, and that is how she would rather be remembered. She received Leatherwood Farm as a lifetime gift from her parents when she turned 21, raising po-nies and teaching lessons just to pay the taxes and pay her one farm-hand (Lewis Tierney sold his interest in the farm to his brother, Laurence in the 1950s). At age 78, Smith still likes to keep a hands-on approach to the running of the farm and now lives on the new farm surrounded by her mares and foals. If you find your way into Paris, you probably won’t stumble upon Leatherwood by happenstance, and that’s just how the family wanted it. Es-condida Road is off-the-beaten-path; a small one-and-a-half lane road that doesn’t really get many visitors unless they know some-one who lives there. Leatherwood was originally located on the border of Bluefield, VA and WV in what used to be known as the capital of the coal fields. The family operated their premier breeding facility nestled at the base of the picturesque East River Mountain for 66 years before re-locating it to Paris. The reason for the move was urban sprawl and development. In the mid-70s the front of the farm was sliced off by a four-lane highway, mak-ing raising horses there increasingly more dangerous. “We began looking for a place in Kentucky in 1999 and finally found the one in Paris five years later. It was important to us that we not be in the way of urban sprawl again. We did not take the move lightly, since there was so much history and so many memories on the old farm. The new place we found had to be really special in or-der to justify leaving the one we had.” Smith recalls. “The stone barns and rolling fields of the new farm really spoke to me.”

And so it was in 2004 that they undertook the daunting task of packing up over 55 head of horses and 66 years of memories and moved to Kentucky (the new farm encompasses half of what

used to be Ever-green Farm). Not long after the move, Smith realized that it was perhaps fate that moved them to Bourbon County after all. Ann Tier-ney Smith knew all along that her fa-ther and uncle had been on a shopping trip to Kentucky to improve their bloodstock back in the 1940s, but she didn’t know where. At that time they found a young stal-lion (a grandson of the famed Bour-bon King) at Rob-ert Jones’ farm that they simply could not live without. They finally convinced Jones to sell the colt, however, on one condition: the Tierney brothers had to buy every single one of Jones’ broodmares in order to get the colt! They did just that and in so doing, procured some of the most noteworthy breeding stock in the whole country. That young stallion the Tierneys simply couldn’t live without became Leatherwood King, the foundation sire for Leatherwood Farm and still found on many of the best Saddlebred pedigrees. What Smith realized 60 years later was that Robert Jones’ farm was lo-cated in Bourbon County, Kentucky. The Leatherwood horses had come home!

As a direct result of her family’s dedication to procuring such noteworthy breeding stock as well as her own single-minded at-titude toward betterment of the Saddlebred breed, in 2002, Ann Tierney Smith was awarded the coveted American Saddlebred Association’s Lurline Roth Sportsmanship Award. Then in 2008 Smith was inducted into the American Saddlebred Horse Asso-ciation’s Breeders Hall of Fame. Some of the incomparable hors-es of yesteryear that are associated with the Leatherwood Farm name include the unbeatable five-gaited show horse WC Gold-en Sensation, such immortal sires as Sensation Rex, WC Leath-erwood King, Dynasty, and Clarma. Add such Hall of Fame broodmares as Kate Haines, Reverie’s Desdemona, Pennypack’s Pride, and Parading Promise to the list and it makes it hard not to find a Leatherwood horse somewhere on the pedigrees of any of the good show horses of today.

Leatherwood King Foundation Sire


TOPS IN EQUINE

The limelight, however, has not been reserved only for the Leatherwood Farm of the past. In recent history, Leatherwood has been associated with some firsts of a different kind, as well. In the early 1980s, under the management of Fred Sarver, Leath-erwood was one of the first (if not THE first) farms to use trans-ported semen and artificial insemination, thus revolutionizing the number of mares that could be bred and foals that could be produced by one stallion. Leatherwood Farm was also the first to pay over one-million dollars at public auction for a Saddle-bred stallion (World Grand Champion Sultan’s Santana in 1982). The purchase proved to be prudent when, the next spring, the stallion ranked first on Saddle and Bridle Magazine’s annual sire rat-ings. At the same auction, the Smiths bought another stal-lion, the royally-bred young champion, CH Starlike Sul-tan who was admittedly Ann Tierney Smith’s favorite of the two. It is his bloodlines that can still be found cours-ing through the veins of the horses at Leatherwood Farm today.

Leatherwood has been a mainstay on the leader boards of the top horse shows in the country for the last 30 years as well, thanks to the contributions of Smith’s children, who are avid horsepeople in their own right. Showing such five-gaited greats as CH Corrine Corrina, CH Callaway’s News Flash, CH Have You Ever, and WC Callaway’s Winning Ways, Smith’s daughter, Barclay de Wet, is a five-time World’s Champion, eight-time Re-serve World’s Champion, and has garnered two silver medals riding for the U.S. World Cup five-gaited team in international competition (which is where she met her husband, Nic de Wet, also an avid horseman).

Nic de Wet has shown a few horses under the Leatherwood banner as well, with wins at the Lexington Junior League Show and top ribbons at the World Championships, but his real forte is wine. With eleven generations of wine-making in his family, it was only natural that he celebrated his marriage to Barclay by creating the Leatherwood range of wines to add to the family’s portfolio.

Barclay’s brother, Laurence, prefers the speed and adrenaline of the Roadster Horses and Ponies (Standardbreds and Hackneys that compete with racing silks and sulkys similar to the ones on the track, but in the show ring instead) and has captured one World’s Championship title, one Canadian Champion-ship title, and numerous Reserve World Championship titles as well as serving as President of the American Road Horse and Pony Association in the late 1990s. He piloted such noteworthy roadsters as WC Nakomis, WCC Crossbow, RWC First Page,

WC Carnation’s Diamond, and WC Mardi Gras, and RWC The Gambler to many of their victo-ries around the country.

As so many horse people know, history has a way of repeating it-self and the Leatherwood Farm family is no different. “Once horses are in your blood there’s no cure,” admits Barclay de Wet, Ann Tierney Smith’s daughter. It has become a family affair. “We all love the breeding as well. My children and my brother’s chil-dren can’t wait for foaling season to begin each year, so they can

play with the foals. We have a wonderful stallion, RWC Leath-erwood’s Starlight, that is the cornerstone of our breeding pro-gram. We raised him, showed him and have had success with many of his progeny. Now his daughters are proving to be great producers, as well.” says de Wet. “Of course it doesn’t hurt that our stallion traces at least six times in his pedigree back to Leath-erwood horses my grandfather and great uncle owned! It just adds validity to what we have been trying to do for more than three generations.”

Now in its 75th year of operation, Leatherwood Farm has a small, but elite band of broodmares these days that consist only of world champion show mares or champion producing mares. “It takes show horses to make show horses. Follow that reci-pe and you will make your own luck in this business.” says Ann Tierney Smith.

So if you get the chance to “trip the light fantastic” down Escon-dida Road and find yourself at Leatherwood Farm, make note of the fact that the horses you see grazing there are not just horses, they are Saddlebred horses, “Kentucky Proud.”

Look for the Leatherwood Wines and Leatherwood horses showing at the upcoming Lexington Junior League Horse Show this month at The Red Mile

2008 World’s Champion, Callaways’ Winning Ways


TOPS IN EQUINE

by Lisa Kindel

In 1977, The Lexington Child Abuse Council and the Women’s Center of Central Kentucky joined forces and became The Nest—Center for Women, Children & Families, a non-profit that continues to help families in crisis or transition in Cen-tral Kentucky for the past 35 years. The mission of The Nest is simple: prevent child physical and sexual abuse and neglect and stabilize the family unit. The staff of The Nest created four pro-grams to enable their mission with the individual families who seek their assistance for Kentucky KIDS Now 3-STAR Rated Child Care, Crisis Care Assistance, Self-Help Parenting classes, and Domestic Violence Counseling. Single parents and families come to The Nest because they need serious help—whether it’s for emergency child care, crisis care for food and clothing, or self-help parenting classes, The Nest provides that and more in a ho-listic, nurturing, safe environment that promotes a strong family unit. “The Nest is a safe place where families can come when they are in crisis. We are located in a high risk, low income area of Lexington which helps individuals with support, counseling,

and guidance. Last year, we served over 2,600 individuals,” says Jeffrey White, PHR and Executive Director of The Nest. He elaborates further on these four programs: “Our four programs cross over to help all aspects of an individual. For example, if someone comes into childcare and has a bruise on their face, we can get a counselor involved. Conversely, if someone is coming in for counseling we can watch their children so they can get the help they need. Our programs work together to treat the person as a whole, rather than the initial need.”Because The Nest is a non-profit, this organization needs Lex-ington’s help in order to provide these services to those families in need. This August 3rd, The Nest would like to cordially invite you to “A Night for The Nest” at Normandy Farm from 7pm to 11pm at 471 Paris Pike in Lexington. The evening’s musical en-tertainment is The Mercy Men and tickets are $100 per person and tables $700 for a table of 8 for food, music, and dancing. The raffle prize is a Caribbean cruise for two, with a silent auction for the Children 100 Angels Project. Please go to thenestlexington.org to purchase tickets or call 859-259-1974 for more informa-

tion. Normandy Farm, once a part of the historic El-mendorf Farm, holds the horse cemetery of former owner, Joseph E. Widener. Buried here are FAIR PLAY and MA-HUBAH, the sire and dam of MAN O’WAR. Behind him are the lead-ing sires CHANCE SHOT and SICKLE, and another good home-bred sire HASTE, whose daughter QUICKLY pro-duced COUNT FLEET, to name a few buried here. The bronze statue of FAIR PLAY serves as the focal point of the cemetery of Normandy Farm. This beautiful set-ting hosts “A Night for the Nest” for its 3rd year.

Normandy Farm Hosts

A Night at the NEST


TOPS IN EQUINE

Brownell ComBs’ Birthday Party hosted By Preston & anita maddenThe glitz and glamour that only the Madden’s could provide was back, in celebration of Brownell Combs’ birthday party. This fes-tive soiree was held June 1, 2013, at the Idle Hour Country Club with all the Maddens’ fingerprints, including a full band complete with dancers.

Between his love for airplanes, hot air balloons and horse racing, Brownell Combs II certainly has a lust for excitement and has used his “joie de vivre” to become a legend in the horse indus-try. A native of Huntington, West Virginia, he has been an active member of the horse industry pretty much his whole life. After attending the University of Virginia Law School (working on his master’s) with Ted Kennedy, Combs eventually graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1957. Then he served in the United States Air Force, and returned to the Bluegrass to start Livestock Underwriters, an equine insurance agency that became Fasig-Tipton Livestock Underwriters.

Combs changed gears in 1974 to become president of Spend-thrift Farm, which was home to syndicated superstar horses such as Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Affirmed. He also

owned Combs Stallions Inc. Following his passion of helping oth-ers, Combs founded the Markey Cancer Foundation and helped to raise millions of dollars, including his own generous donations. Combs served as president of the Kentucky Racing Commission and chairman of the National Racing Commission.

Overheard:Brownell Combs and Ted Kennedy were good friends. Back in the day, they looked like identical twins. Due to Teddy’s lack of taking his studies seriously at the University of Virginia Law School, many times Brownell had to take his exams for him. It’s the only way Senator Kennedy could pass!

It is also well known that Combs traveled with the senator on the campaign train. Sometimes at whistle stops, Combs would have to give Kennedy’s stump speech because he was indisposed due to other business!

Brownell’s love for speed is a well-known fact. We’ve heard that he, along with Preston Madden and Billy Roosevelt (FDR’s grand-son), from time to time thought it was a good idea to use Main Street as their personal drag car track. Of course, this came to a screeching halt when Lexington’s finest police officials put a stop to their promising car racing careers.

happy Birthday, Brownell!

Brownell Kerr Combs, Brownell Combs II, Dorothy Enslow Combs, and Leslie Combs III

NickersHorse Talk Around Town

by Lisa Sheehy

Brownell Combs II and Preston Madden Cindy, Lucas, Alexandria & Leslie Trapp


Behind the Lens

throughout middle and high school. Melanie credits these experiences to helping her realize that photography was completely suited for both her personal and business dreams and goals. Intriguingly enough, Melanie’s grandfather and great-grandfather were also photographers and she says, “I’m pretty sure it is woven on my DNA.” More specifically, however, Melanie continues, “Photography was the answer when I thought about what I hoped for most in the work I would do. It’s a mix of what is technical and creative and a field that would allow flexibility with my other roles as a wife and mother.”

Melanie opened for business in 1999 and has continued enjoying each new moment with cli-ents. With work focused on family, friends, love and togetherness (as stated on her website) this photographer’s projects radiate the compassion with which she treats every experience. Also found on her website is a gratitude that truly reveals the heart of a woman who is grateful for the opportunity to serve others doing what she loves, and this gesture of thanks is not to be taken lightly in a world that so often over-looks the importance of being genuine and of-fering gratitude for what is good. Though there have been many highlights in Melanie’s career, the ones that matter most are the connections made with her clients. She shares, “Families are the most beautiful thing in the world, so it’s a gift when a wed-ding client invites me into their home to photograph them when children come and their fam-ily grows. That connection with amazing people is the highlight.” For this reason, it is not a sur-prise that families are Melanie’s favorite topic in photography, though she believes that wed-dings are extra special because “a wedding is the beginning of a family.” Here, Melanie opens up about what is going on in the world, and heart, of Melanie Mauer Photography.


Behind the Lens

TOPS: What are some of your hobbies, interests, and passions?

Melanie: Traveling off continent or a great road trip, creating simple and happy family traditions, being outside as much as possible, wellness, memory keeping and intentionally creat-ing the loveliest life possible.

TOPS: What are you currently reading?

Melanie: Love Does by Bob Goff, or No Greater Love by Mother Teresa

TOPS: What is your favorite gift given?

Melanie: I love sending my husband telegrams on special occasions...it feels instantly sentimental.

TOPS: And your favorite gift received?

Melanie: My dear friend, Mackenzie, gives the loveliest gifts imaginable - always the sort of thing I’d never think to buy myself. A few years ago it was a Kindle – the perfect gift since I’m such a reader and traveler; I use it almost every day! I was so touched by a client who phoned the resort my husband and I were traveling to for an anniver-sary and had something special sent; I’m convinced I’m surrounded by the loveliest people imaginable.

TOPS: Favorite quotes to live by?

Melanie: “Life is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value, to which all other values are subordinate.” -Albert Einstein

“I like living. I have sometimes been wildly despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to BE alive is a grand thing.” -Agatha Christie

TOPS: What inspires you?

Melanie: Conversations. Great magazines like “Seeing the Everyday” and “Kinfolk.” The beauty of the Ken-tucky’s natural landscape. Seeing deep and loyal love ar-ticulated through action. Purpose. Slowing down. A good walk. Above all - family relationships. I could go on and on with this list - life inspires!

TOPS: Do you have any secret or hidden talents?

Melanie: If I had a hidden talent, it would be that I’m the best secret keeper or that other entrepreneur friends of-ten ask for my help with business issues. I love being a small business owner just as much as I love photography

- in my mind, it’s a beautiful exchange of value and there’s so much opportunity to do good.

TOPS: What’s on your mind right now?

Melanie: I love that TOPS created this series - and I hope it encourages readers to build a visual history. To press pause on the busyness of life to spend an afternoon with those they love most!


Behind the Lens

For more information about Melanie Mauer, visit her website, melaniemauer.com.

TOPS: What are your favorite moments with clients?

Melanie: I love celebrating alongside them. I love hear-ing that they’re pregnant before almost anyone knows. I cherish time spent in their home, seeing their children or walking beside them on their wedding surrounded by the vision they cast for the day. I believe in mixing busi-ness with pleasure as often as possible, so I travel with clients regularly – to NYC, the Greenbrier, Chicago... my favorite moments are when any artifice that might be inherent in the situation of being photographed is removed and someone can just ‘be’. The view I have of life is SO beautiful—I’m completely transparent and wear my heart on my sleeve—so it’s not at all uncom-mon for me to have watery eyes behind the camera when a bride slips on her gown or gives her grandmother a deep hug.

TOPS: What are your upcoming projects?

Melanie: We’re so excited about each session and wed-ding we do - it’s a true collaboration with our clients. In a handful of months we have something great launching at heirloomretouch.com!


Family

It’s blueberry season.

As a small child, blueberry season meant trudging behind my grandmoth-er down a dusty path, behind a barn, to acres and acres of blueberry bushes planted at Mikey’s.

To me, Mikey was just an old man in dirty coveralls, but Grandma and Mikey had gone to school together — rode the same horse-drawn “bus” — and they were still friends. Mikey’s farm was just down the road from my grandma’s childhood home, and as life un-folded, they both ended up living on those family farms as adults, and they remained friends.

Mikey had wonderful pick-your-own blueberries, and going blue-berry-picking with Grandma was a much-anticipated event for me.

Grandma liked to arrive early, when the birds were still flutter-ing about having breakfast. Often, we could find still-warm nests where deer had slept the night before. Grandma had her favor-ite bushes in the far-reaches of the field, and I followed willingly. Blueberry picking is pretty easy, and we could fill several buckets in a short time before we trudged back to her house for a pancake breakfast with Grandpa.

I didn’t even like blueberries, but I loved those summer mornings.

I grew up and went away, but then I moved back. I still didn’t like blueberries, but I started picking them again with my three young children. It became an annual tradi-tion.

Mikey’s farm was suspended in time. The heir of parents who had planted those acres of blueberries years before, he tended the fields, and each year they blossomed and bore fruit. People would show up from miles away to pick his berries. Mikey would be seated on the back of his pick-up, often with his shot-gun, and always with rolls of bills and stack of checks — made out to “cash.” I don’t think the vehicle was drivable, but it made a conve-nient check-out stand, in front of his barn.

“You know me, I’m Helen’s grand-daughter,” I would say. He would smile. “Oh yes, of course, we went to school together. How is she?”

Whatever conversation would en-

sure was always entertaining. His life, for the summer, was about blueberries and corn, and the pride of tabby cats roaming the farm whose job it was to keep the pests under control. He said their only fault was they lacked wings — and no way would he ever part with a-one of them, he told my daughter. Birds posed a threat to his crops, and not only did he personally walk the fields each morning, shooting anything that took flight, but he also had set up a machine which randomly shot shells, hoping the sound would strike fear in the tiny hearts of winged creatures who feasted on his crops.

“Let me weigh those kids before they start,” he would say with a semi-toothless grin when he sized up my kids. We would laugh as I gave each kid a bucket and took two for myself.

For the next hour, we would try to stay out of poison ivy, swat flies, and pick blueberries as fast as we could. Finding the bush with “the most berries” was serious competition. Two of them would diligently fill their buckets. The third put the bucket on his head to keep the flies away, and just ate. By the time we left, their faces and clothes were stained purple.

Our reward was feasting on the juicy freshness of our own hand-picked berries. I usually had enough to freeze or make jam, but the best berries are the ones that are still warm from the sun on the bush… and I don’t even like blueberries.

Since we moved to the farmette, I’ve been trying to grow my own blueberries without much success. But I planted some bushes again this year. I hope they bear fruit — for a long, long time.

SUMMER’S BEST FLAVORS

by Hallie Bandy

Motherboardoverv


Community Spotlight

by Kelly AdamsPhotos courtesy of Big Brothers/Big Sisters

A Big Beginning

It all started in 1904 when a New York City court clerk noticed more and more young boys coming through the courtroom. He recognized that caring adults could help many of those kids stay out of trouble. He began finding volunteers to mentor those chil-dren, and the Big Brothers move-ment had begun.

At around the same time, the members of a group called La-dies of Charity were befriending girls who had come through the New York Children’s Court. That group would later become Cath-olic Big Sisters.

Fast-forward over 100 years and the Big Brothers Big Sisters or-ganization currently operates in all 50 states and 12 countries around the world. Big Brothers Big Sisters operates on the mis-sion that building one-on-one relationships can help children reach their potential.

The local chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters was founded in 1957 and has been making a huge dif-ference ever since.

“Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass provides children fac-ing adversity with strong and

enduring, professionally supported, one on one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever,” enthuses Kathryn Harvey, Program Manager for the local BBBS chapter.

Doing it Big in Central KentuCKy

“When children believe in them-selves and what they can ac-complish, they perform better in school, make better social choic-es, and enjoy better relationships with their friends, families and peers to help create a safer, stron-ger community,” says Harvey.

The community is automatically a better place when its children feel safe, important and loved. They grow up to be caring and productive adults.

In order to help the kids in our community, BBBS of the Blue-grass provides mentors to chil-dren who need guidance in order to create and support relation-ships. The relationships between “bigs” and “littles” provide con-sistent, positive interactions between a child and an adult volunteer. That adult volunteer becomes an advisor and friend on the tough journey from child-hood to adulthood.

Sometimes, all a kid needs is a friend. A mentor. Someone to look up to. You wouldn’t believe how much a person like that in a child’s life can make a difference. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass makes exciting things happen in the lives of Central Kentucky children everyday.


Community Spotlight

“We target the children in Central Kentucky who need us the most,” adds Harvey. “Those living in single parent homes, growing up in poverty, and coping with parental incarceration.”

Make a Big Difference

Besides pairing children with adult volunteers, the BBBS of the Bluegrass works hard to bring awareness of their program to the Central Kentucky area. This awareness helps recruit motivated, compassionate and dedicated volunteers that the children of the community need.

Also, the good people at BBBS strive to raise the necessary funds to provide the professional support for the big and little matches.

Most awareness for the program comes from word of mouth, but community events, PSAs recruitment events and fundraisers also get the community involved.

The Bowl for Kid’s Sake is a BBBS’ largest and most successful fund raising event each year. Bowl for Kid’s Sake begins with a kick-off luncheon in each participating county. Several bowling dates are

set across the Bluegrass and groups throughout the community band together to make up bowling teams. Each team raises dona-tions through pledges then everyone comes together for a crazy-fun day of bowling.

“In May, we had a graduation dinner for our Littles that graduated high school and there was be a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner in June to recognize our volunteers,” raves Harvey about the many things the organization has had going on recently.

Additionally, Big in the Bluegrass in October is a huge event held at Three Chimneys Farm that brings community members, volun-teers and Littles together for a casual evening of food, music and friends on the opening day of Keeneland’s Fall Meet.

“Attendees to our fundraisers can be assured to have a great time while supporting a great program,” raves Harvey.

Just in case you were wondering, the BBBS program works! If you want to get involved and become a volunteer yourself visit bbbs-bluegrass.org for all the information you need to make a huge difference in a child’s life.


Community Spotlight


Parties

If you like laid back entertaining, sum-mer is the perfect time of year for you to throw a party. Whether you are plan-ning a summer brunch at home, a bar-becue picnic, or cocktails on the patio,

these tips will help you keep your cool during summer entertain-ing.

FOOD: When choosing food for outdoor events, you should first consider your location. If you are hosting a party away from home, dishes that need to be served hot may not always be the best choice. Likewise, dishes that need constant refrigeration, such as dips and salads containing mayo, may be better for indoor entertaining. If you are entertaining at home, it may be easiest to set up the food buffet-style indoors. Guests can make their plate, then enjoy dining outdoors.

DIY party bars are great for outdoor entertaining because they al-low guests to get creative and pick their favorite flavors. As another bonus, once you set up the bar, your work is done. For example, a self-serve Mojito bar allows guests to choose their favorite fruity drink combination. You can prepare flavored syrups, such as gin-ger, lime, strawberry with basil, mango and guava, days before the party. The night of the party, set out the syrups, mint, limes, ice, rum, and club soda, along with instructions on how to make the Mojitos. To serve the Mojitos, mason jars with little name tags will help guests keep track of their glasses, so you do not have to use disposable plastic cups.

A DIY party bar can also be used for dessert. One fun DIY dessert bar is a S’mores bar. Gourmet chocolates, homemade marshmal-lows, a variety of graham crackers, and even fresh fruit turn a child-hood favorite into a dessert that even the most sophisticated foodie can enjoy.

ACTIVITIES: Even adults can enjoy party activities. Cornhole (a lawn game in which players throw small bean bags at a wooden platform with a hole in the far end), bocce ball, or horseshoes each provide for good-natured competition. Add to the fun by throwing in a couple of small prizes for the winners. If guests will be out on the lawn playing games, don’t forget to prepare for a few uninvited guests – bugs. Citronella candles placed around the yard can help keep bugs at bay. Guests will also appreciate having bottles of all-natural bug spray on hand.

DECOR: In order to host a successful summer soiree, you will want to keep the conversation going late into the evening. To ensure that guests can enjoy each other’s company, there are three things to consider for outdoor entertaining. First, lighting is crucial for an

evening outdoor event. Candles are an absolute must. As the night wears on, candlelight makes conversation much easier. Try group-ing clusters of mason jars filled with tea lights. Strands of twinkle lights can also be strung along rails, trees, or bushes.

Another conversation aid is the right type of centerpieces. Al-though tall floral centerpieces are stunning, they often block the ability of guests to see one another at the dinner table. Centerpiec-es that are no taller than eye level when seated are much more con-ducive to great conversation. Flowers and foliage clipped from your own garden can be arranged in a small jar for a no-fuss centerpiece.

Third, comfortable seating will encourage your guests to stay well into the evening. Arrange outdoor seating into small groups that encourage conversation. If you don’t have enough outdoor seat-ing, bring indoor furniture out for the evening. Pillows and throws from inside will also make your outdoor space a little more wel-coming and comfortable.

by Deanna TalwalkarParty Planner Extraordinaire

OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING TIPS

Photos & Styling by Mirabelle Creations


Etiquette & Entertaining

by Sue Ann TruittEtiquette & Entertaining Consultant

Where did the English phrase ”toast” come from? It was the floating of a piece of burned toast in a loving cup filled with wine. The reason for this was

that the burned toast removed some of the acidity of the wine. The ancient custom was popular in Greek and Roman times as early as the 6th Century B.C. After the bowl was passed and shared by all people, the host would drink the remaining wine and eat the satu-rated piece of toast. This was done in honor of the guests.

Today, the host or hostess traditionally offers the first toast. In formal or casual occasions, there is a tendency to bypass this for-mality. At the dinner table with friends, a guest will often propose the first toast, usually thanking the host and hostess for the delicious meal or bringing these good friends together.

There are only a few points to remember when toasting. The most important is to be sure that all the glasses are filled before toast-ing. The containers do not have to be of any particular shape, size or type to participate in a toast. The glasses do not have to contain wine, champagne or any alco-holic beverage. It is ac-ceptable for nondrink-ers to toast with water, juice or a soft drink.

The “host toasts first” rule still applies for large functions, such as banquets. However, at a wedding reception, the best man or the father of the bride (who is the host in this situation) generally proposes the first toast. The host must get the attention of the crowd before speaking. This is done by standing and raising his glass – not by banging his glass with an eating utensil. Regardless of the size of the crowd saying, “May I have your attention, please”-- as many times as necessary--is a much more courteous option.

When giving a toast, do you sit or stand? There are no guidelines on this – one may do whatever comes naturally. If toasts are made

before coming to the dinner table or during a cocktail time, the person giving the toast may stand. At the table, it may be more comfortable for the toaster to stay seated, especially if the group is small. In a large group, standing would allow someone to be more easily seen and heard. Whether the person giving the toast is sitting or standing at the table, everyone else remains seated, including the person being toasted. However, an exception would be if the toast asks people to stand. For example, if the toast states, “stand and drink to the happy couple” then the guests respond by rising and, taking a sip of their drink but never gulping or draining their glass. One should be careful to save enough of their beverage for future toasts to follow. At formal occasions, the toaster should al-ways stand.

Replying to a toast, the person being toasted or the “toastee” does not stand or drink to one self. A simple “thank you” is the proper re-sponse from the toast-ee. Then, if desired, he or she may return a toast to the host.

In preparing a toast, the main idea is to keep it short, simple and to the point. It should not be a speech or take the place of one. Using a few notes is certainly permissible if it keeps the toaster from ram-bling on and on. A few personal remarks are in-teresting and a touch of

humor is entertaining, provided it is in good taste. A toast should never be a means of embarrassing someone or revealing a bit of information that would be best left unsaid.

In short, a toast is a manner of honoring a person or a group. It may be sentimental for a bride and groom, nostalgic for a retiree, or show appreciation for a host and hostess. The toast may be for-mal or casual but either way it is a verbal note card that should be used often to express feelings and emotion. Regardless of number of people, there is always something or someone to toast… like being alive!

ToasTing ETiquETTE: ChEErs!


Gardening

Collecting rainwater isn’t a new idea. It’s been around for centuries and used as a means to get through periods of drought. Today, there are many more reasons people are using rain barrels. It’s about conserva-tion, water quality, and saving money. Amy

Sohner is the executive director of Bluegrass Greensource (formerly Bluegrass PRIDE) and says the movement to install a rain barrel is growing every day. “There are more people getting outside gardening. Gardening definitely has environmental benefits in many, many ways. I think that’s growing and people are becoming more and more aware that they effect water quality. It’s not just a big factory off in the distance at an industrial park that is causing water pollution. It’s actually us. We all cause water pollution, but we can all help change the pollution and water quality,” Sohner says.

Here is how it works. After a rainfall, the water from your home’s down-spouts runs off hard surfaces. Along the way, it’s picking up pollutants like litter, dog waste, and auto fluids. That water makes its way into lo-cal streams and ultimately ends up in our drinking source. “A rain barrel keeps 55 gallons of your water from running off and picking up pollut-ants,” Sohner says. The water you collect is safe to use to water your lawn with a soaker hose, water plants, flower and vegetable gardens, or fill a pond. It’s a gardener’s delight to have free water and you’ll be helping the environment by allowing the water to soak into the ground, which

filters the waste. There is another benefit that should pique every gar-dener’s interest; rainwater is healthier for your lawn, plants, and flow-ers. It lacks the chlorine, fluoride, and other chemicals used to treat the water that we pay for.

You can buy a rain barrel at your local home improvement store, through the City of Lexington’s Department of Environmental Quality, or from Bluegrass Greensource. They typically retail for $75. However, you can make your own. I recently attended a free workshop hosted by Blue-grass Greensource and left with my own barrel. They have partnered with Kentucky American Water to enable them to offer the workshops at no cost. After a quick lesson, we all grabbed a barrel, some hardware and power tools, and in a matter of minutes, our barrels were made. The response to the free workshops across Central Kentucky this spring have been tremendous. “We have them for twenty people at each work-shop and they fill up within days. It’s been amazing. We are very grateful for Kentucky American to offer them for free. But even our workshops with fees fill up very quickly,” Sohner says.

The movement to add rain barrels into home’s landscapse has also led to an effort to beautify the barrels. Each year, local artists are recruited to paint the barrels into beautiful pieces that can be displayed as functional lawn art. Bluegrass Greensource hosts an auction. “It is something that has become very avant-garde. People really want rain barrels at their houses,” Sohner says.

SAVE MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

by Michelle Rauch,Gardening Enthusiast

If you decide to put a rain barrel in your yard, here are a few

helpful tips:•Raise the barrel on cinder blocks

or a wooden stand to allow for proper water pressure through the spigot.

• Empty the barrel within a week of a rainfall to prevent the water from getting stagnant.

•Avoid releasing the water near your home’s foundation.

For more information visit www.bggreensource.org


Tour of Homes

Delight explains, “I restored and updated the home with histori-cal integrity maintained throughout, by completely updating the Kitchen, with all the bells and whistles, and adding square footage that opened up the � oor plan to the family room.” New tile, stone, refurbished ash and poplar wooden � oors were put in throughout. � e three bathrooms were gu� ed and all new electrical and plumb-ing in the restored areas. Keeping the radiator system and also add-ing a new geo-thermal heating and air conditioning system, for comfort. � e property was transformed into a horse farm by refur-bishing a Tobacco Barn with thirteen spacious stalls, heated o� ce and restroom. In addition, a farm Manager’s three bedroom two bath home and over three miles of new four-board fence line was added. � e Main Residence now enjoys the scenery of beautiful pastures and a park like se� ing, with the addition of new windows throughout opening up the views of the landscape extensively.

She is also involved in Farm sales with Kirkpatrick and Company Real Estate, overseeing activities at Finish Line Farms while con-tinuing to maintain the music catalogue sales and Licensing of Alias Records. “Moving to Lexington from California in 2000 and being involved in the music industry we also had sport horses for show jumping and one brood mare breeding for the track. Eventu-ally we added many more Broodmares” says Delight.

Delight shares, “Lexington is the perfect place to call home. I have had great enjoyment at the farm far beyond my expectations.” Here, the family has enjoyed combining music activities, record-

ing LP’s while visiting friends, enjoying nature and preserving the architectural elements of the farm and land.

“I have always had an interest in Architecture and Preservation and this is the second farm I have restored. I love this home. It is rather large yet it keeps a cozy style combined with elegance,” says De-light. Currently, Delight is looking forward to the future and more projects for the undertaking.

A true Kentucky historical gem nestled in the heart of the Blue-grass and comprised of 95.43 acres of superb land. At the end of a picturesque tree lined drive, you will � nd the main residence. Here, the owners enjoy panoramic views from every window of gardens, rolling terrain and generous pastures set in the beauty of nature.

� e Grand front porch with stately columns has been resurfaced with the original brick and a new brick walkway to front circular drive with the same materials. � ere is a new brick porch with ac-cess from back drive to kitchen and family room.

Not only is the main residence breathtaking, but the property also features a brick storage building, the original root cellar which is unique in character and perfect for a future wine or bourbon cel-lar, a Tobacco barn with 13 spacious stalls, a heated o� ce and restroom, a metal barn, round pen made of treated oak, and a ten-ant house located in an ideal position to keep watch on the prop-erty and barns.


Tour of Homes

The comfortable family room is an open floor plan with the kitchen and wide plank ash wood floors flow with a trim boarder made of Italian ceramic tile that transitions nicely with the Kitchen flooring.

This room features a gas log fireplace, and French doors that open to the luscious patio and also features access to the garage and basement. “The kitchen and family room is where we spend most of our time together. When we have guests, everyone seems to congregate in the kitchen talking, enjoying beverages, food and music,” says Delight.


Tour of Homes

The kitchen is open to the family room and provides a fantastic layout for owners and guests. This is a chef ’s kitchen with state of the art appliances and all the bells and whistles such as Viking, Gaggenau Grill, Julian Sink, Sub Zero, Sharp Microwave drawer and more. Italian tile floors and high quality cus-tom made cabinetry with granite counter tops and stor-age galore make this kitchen even more delicious. The Center Island provides seat-ing at an antique wood plank counter top (made from the original oak ceiling rafters) and cook top with granite counter. There is an addition-al counter top adjoining the family room that has seating with the same antique plank counter top. There is an office desk having an oak top. The eating area in the kitchen has a bay widow and enchanting view of the pastures beyond.

The misty mornings are fabulous with the sunrise, coffee, and looking out the window watching the Labradors run in the yard and horses in the pastures, what more can you ask for?

“

”


Tour of Homes

The library features antique wide plank ash wood floors and custom wall to wall built in bookcases for guests to cozy up with an enchanting after-noon read.

This sunroom offers a peace-ful view of the garden and two ceiling light fans and can be ac-cessed right off the parlor.


Tour of Homes

On the second floor, you will find the master bed painted in a warm neutral. The bedroom features ash wide plank wood floors, a lovely seating area and moldings.

There are three guest bedrooms all equipped with ample closet space and hard wood floors.


WOW Wedding


WOW Wedding

DETAILSWedding Venue: The First Baptist Church, Frankfort | Reception Venue: Buffalo Trace | Photography: Stewart Hunter Photography

Florist: Tingle’s | Catering and cake: Private caterer- Ms. Kathryn Elam | Reception Band: Junction Creek | Wedding Gown: David’s Bridal Bridesmaid Gowns: Dessy Group | Mens Attire: Jos. A. Banks | After Party: Capitol Plaza Hotel


Weddings

Wedding season is in full swing and over the last nine months this year’s brides have chosen their gowns, found venues, had food tastings and selected � owers

and decor. You’d think the last month before the wedding would be smooth sailing, but the hardest task is still to be completed! Get-ting the � nal count for the caterer is one of the toughest dilemmas for brides. It should be easy; a nice response card, complete with instructions, tucked in its own pre-addressed, stamped envelope accompanied the wedding invitation. Guests need only check their calendar, sign their name and mark accept or regret. Some cards may require a meal choice, adding a few seconds to the process. Yet, two weeks before the wedding, most brides have not heard from some guests who have had 4-8 weeks to respond.

Frustration sets in as brides and moms try to � gure out the best way to contact unresponsive guests to get an accurate count by catering and rental deadlines. It is too expensive for brides to in-clude guests they have not heard from in their count. Each group of 8-10 guests requires another table, chairs, linen, centerpiece, food and alcohol. Wed-ding programs and favors also depend on that � nal number. � e protocol for brides to secure answers from those who have not responded is for the bride, groom and their moms to divide the list and call in-vitees to � nd out whether or not they will be able to a� end.

Although some feel un-comfortable doing so, it is the only way to know, and it’s really not being rude. Many times once calls are made, brides and moms � nd that guests have mis-placed the card, or were sure the bride knew “they would not miss their wed-

ding for the world!” Some had told the father when they saw him at the hardware store. � e examples are endless, but the point is that it is not rude to call; invitees will not be o� ended and if they end up not being able to a� end, the bride has rescued some of her budget.

Want to be the perfect guest when invited to a wedding? First, it all starts with the Save the Date. � ese are usually sent out about 6 to 8 months before the wedding. � ey have the date and the city of the wedding listed and o� en a wedding website address with additional information about the wedding including hotel accommodations, di-rections to ceremony and reception sites and fun information about the couple. Now is the time to look at your calendar and if you are already booked then let the couple know via personal note, email or phone call. If you receive a Save the Date, you will receive an invita-tion. If you plan to a� end, record it so you don’t forget and schedule another event.

When the wedding invitation arrives, check your calendar, then � ll out and send back your response card by the requested date. Be

aware of who is listed on the invitation envelope. If it says your name and guest, then you will need to in-dicate whether or not you will be bringing a guest. If you are a married couple, and only one is able to a� end, then note that on the response card as well. If you are single and no guest option is given, then you will be a� ending solo. � ere may be space or budget limitations that require a set number of a� endees. If a situa-tion arises that keeps you from a� ending at the last moment, be courteous and let the family know. Responding may seem like a small thing, but remember there is an anxious bride waiting to hear from you.

PLEASE RSVP

by Michele LandersWedding Planner

tops july 2-13

Documents