Imogene Erb, A lifetime with horses

from August 2022

Publisher’s Note

Ninety-six years ago America was in the height of the “Roaring Twenties.” Prohibition was in effect and there was a surge of economic prosperity before the looming Great Depression. It was 1926, the year Imogene Erb was born in Memphis, Tenn.

Mrs. Erb has had a lifetime with horses. Her first memory of being on a horse was when her uncle lifted her up and put her on the back of a polo pony. They would ride down the streets in Memphis, near Central Avenue. Poplar Avenue was a gravel road at the time and most children in the area learned to ride on old polo ponies at a riding academy near Cherry Road.

“I’ve always remembered riding and driving,” said Mrs. Erb. She recalled her family’s old driving horse that was a Thoroughbred Arabian cross. “We would just jump in the carriage and go. He was a very fine driving horse and took us everywhere.”

Mrs. Erb recalled what East Memphis and Germantown looked like during the time of her childhood and how horses were a staple for everyone who lived in the area. “Everyone we knew had horses. We would fox hunt from our front yard all the way to the Wolf River, passing through everyone’s properties. People just let us ride; it’s what we did.”

She and her friends would ride through Kirby Woods, now a neighborhood by MUS and Hutchinson schools in East Memphis, on their way to Germantown. She would meet close family friends, specifically Sonny Foster, who lived off Old Germantown Rd. near Wildwood Farm. Mrs. Erb is one of the last living founding members of the Germantown Charity Horse Show.

“We would ride the trails in Kirby Woods. There were old log cabins and ponds. The woods were very pretty and the trails kept us cool when we rode in the summer,” Mrs. Erb recalled

Mrs. Erb’s home sits in the heart of East Memphis, off Poplar Avenue, on Briarcrest Road. The nineteen acres and home with sprawling white columns is hidden by woods that surround the property. As one turns in and drives up the wooded driveway the trees part and Mrs. Erb’s home comes into view.

“My mother purchased the property when I was 12 years old. My husband and I built this home 72

Imogene Erb

A lifetime with horses

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years ago.” She pointed towards the southeast corner of her property and said, “there use to be a large racing barn that sat on this property. You can still see the concrete foundation of the old barn over behind those trees.” The old thoroughbred racing barn burned several years before Mrs. Erb’s mother purchased the property.

The Erb property is a piece of history in Memphis. Before Poplar Avenue was paved with asphalt in the 1930s, mule-driven wagons would carry goods down the avenue to the rural Shelby County farms that spanned to Collierville, Tenn. It was a two day trip from downtown Memphis to Collierville at the time. The wagon drivers and mules would stop at Eleven Miles Woods to rest overnight. Eleven Miles Woods is now Memorial Park Cemetery which sits about a mile and a half west of Mrs. Erb’s home.

Mrs. Erb attended boarding school in Middleburg, Virginia. Even when she was away at school she rode and fox hunted. Riding was a part of every aspect of her life from the time she was born and throughout her teenage years spent in Virginia.

She came across her hunter horse, Copper Cave, during a trip to Virginia. She rode him about six times before buying him. “The first fox hunt I rode him at he ran off with me,” Mrs. Erb said. She continued, “So, I rode him in the hunter ring. He was a big, fine chestnut and he made a wonderful hunter horse. We jumped 4ft courses and did very well. I just had to get him going and then be a good passenger. He would do anything.” Eventually, Mrs. Erb was able to fox hunt Copper Cave, in a snaffle, without being run away with in the hunt field.

Mrs. Erb was riding up until this past Christmas. At 96 she is still able to drive weekly with Joanna Wilburn of Rollingwoods Farm. Even though Mrs. Erb cannot see well, Joanna serves as her eyes. Weather permitting, every Tuesday morning is reserved for driving her pony Lacecap, a small gray Welsh pony cross. It is a way that Mrs. Erb is able to maintain her love of horses and work with Lacecap at least once a week. She has been driving Lacecap for about ten years.

Mrs. Erb and Joanna drive in the area behind her home. Her gardens of roses and hydrangeas surround the open grassy area where Joanna has Mrs. Erb practice driving circles, figure eights, and working and strong trots. Mrs. Erb listens and feels Lacecap through her reins as she drives. Even after 96 years with horses, Mrs. Erb’s face lights up when she picks up the reins. She laughs and smiles the entire time she drives. She listens intently to Joanna and trusts her to guide her and Lacecap through the open pasture.

Mrs. Erb has many stories of the horses that filled her life. She laughs about her Thoroughbred stallion, Derby, who liked to escape her property and graze in neighbors’ yards off Massey Road. She laughs at the idea of Derby walking through East Memphis, deciding which yard was ideal for him to graze. She also has many stories of accidents. Falling off, carriage accidents and broken bones come with so many years of horses, but she always got back on or back in the carriage. Mrs. Erb is a piece of the Memphis area’s horse history. A history that helped shape the area with extensive culture, shows, events and activities that still take place today. From her first memory of sitting on a horse to today at 96, Mrs. Erb’s passion for horses exudes through her eyes and her smile. She plans to drive and hopefully get back to riding again for the remainder of her days.

EVERYTHING YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED

Kayla Benson

On the road to Tryon and Las Vegas

By Leslie Hendrickson

Kayla Benson riding Corville Z at Marshall & Sterling Insurance USHJA 1.10-1.15M Adult Amateur Jumper National Championships at the Las Vegas National Horse Show in November, 2021

The blisteringly hot days of June did not keep Kayla Benson, a decorated show jumper from Collierville, TN, from conditioning and training Corville Z for the Markel/USHJA Zone Jumper Championships in Tryon, NC in late July, 2022. Even with the hot temperatures at home, Kayla and Corville Z have been working extremely hard to be in the best possible shape for the competition. Corville Z, owned by Pam Hill, is a 13- yearold Zangersheide gelding from Canada. He has a heart of gold and a desire to compete. Kayla and Zee have been a team for 5 years and have developed a strong relationship, both in and out of the ring. They both work very hard all year long to compete at top form. “Zee doesn’t love the heat, “ Kayla, a 20 - year -old equestrian at Oak View Stables in Olive Branch, MS, said in a recent interview. “I’m doing lots of conditioning with him to prepare him so we are at our best in Tryon.”

This is Kayla’s second year being invited to the prestigious event, but last year, her invitation came as a surprise. She qualified both Corville Z and her other mount Reba – owned by Trey Lawson – in 2021 and 2022. “I honestly didn’t even know anything about this competition until I got the email and read up on it,” Kayla said. Although she can only take one horse to the show due to the format of the competition, it is a huge testament to Kayla’s hard work that she has qualified both of her rides two years in a row.

Not only did Kayla take Corville Zee to a gold-medal team win at the jumper team championships last year, but she also qualified him for an invitation to the Marshall & Sterling Insurance USHJA 1.10/1.15M Adult Jumper National Championships and the Las Vegas National Horse Show in November 2021. “I never dreamed I would get an email that was like ‘Kayla Benson you’ve been invited to compete across the country in Las Vegas as one of the top 30 riders in the country.’ That was

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crazy to me.”

Kayla is also hoping to qualify both Corville Z and Reba for the national championships in Las Vegas again in 2022.

TWO Completely different rides:

Corville Z has been at Oak View for about 8 years, after Pam Hill and Trey Lawson traveled to Canada to try him. Pam had brought her then 5- yearold granddaughter, Lois, and Zee reached over to pull the girl’s cap off, subsequently winning Pam’s heart. Trey remarked at the time that he hoped the horse could jump, because he was pretty sure Lois picked him based on that alone.

Trey Lawson successfully rode him to many wins in the years he competed with Zee across the southeast. Most notably, earning great ribbons at venues like the Rolex stadium in Kentucky, Gulf Coast Classics at the Harrison County Fair Grounds, and several Jumper Classics. Eventually, Pam and Trey felt it was time for Zee to branch out into the hunter ring in preparation to become Lois’ mount. That is when Pam looked to Kayla, who has been riding at Oak View most of her life. “From the time I met her, when she was little, I just saw this courage she had,” Pam remembered. “And I thought, you know what? She can get this out of him. When she started riding him, I could tell they had a connection and Trey worked with her and the horse absolutely loved her. And you can see it.” However, as Kayla and Trey trained with Zee, it became obvious his heart was in the jumper ring, and Kayla’s was right there with him. They just light up when they are in the jumper ring. Indeed, even strangers who see Kayla and Zee in the ring can see what a good team they make.

“I think that horse would walk through fire if I asked him to,” Kayla explained, adding that there’s never been a hint of hesitation. In fact, at the Germantown Charity Horse Show, she competed in sidesaddle events, even though she had not been training Zee for them.

“I have to brag on that a little bit,” Kayla said with her wide smile. “I had not sat on him sidesaddle since the Nashoba Carriage Classic in September, 2021. I just pulled him out on the first night and thought, ‘all right, bud, here we go.’ And he gave me his all.”

Kayla has the same connection with Reba, although the mare is a bit of a “wild child” compared to Zee. “They are two completely different rides,” she said. “I started riding Reba years ago after my personal horse was injured and had to be retired. It meant the world to me that Trey trusted me enough to share his horse with me.” When Reba and Kayla are in the ring, the bond between them is almost tangible. “I definitely put Reba in some sticky situations when I first started riding her, but she always got us out. She’s pushed me so far in my riding ability and I trust her with my life,” Kayla noted.

“I love watching Kayla ride and compete. Both Zee and Reba are such amazing horses,” Dottie Benson, Kayla’s mother and a regular volunteer at local shows, said. “Kayla and Zee are the epitome of elegance and grace and I’m drawn to them when they are in the ring. Reba and Kayla are fiery in the ring. I can’t take my eyes off of them. Reba and Kayla are beautiful to watch. Kayla has such a great connection with both horses. And it’s partly because of Trey and Rose Marie - they have been training Kayla since she was four. They are some of the best people and the best trainers that I’ve ever known, we are family. I know Kayla has achieved all that she has knowing she has wonderful group of people supporting her dreams.”

The Next Level:

Benson’s success with Zee and Reba is a testament to how hard she works. Riding since she was little, Kayla has always had a passion for horses and loves riding and competing. She has always worked hard to achieve her goals, always striving to learn more and be better. Not only does she put in the hours at Oak View and compete regularly throughout the region, she is also a rising junior at The University of Mississippi, where she is the president of the Ole Miss Equestrian Club. The group regularly trains together and travels to competitions at the IHSA level. Kayla loves that not only does she get to be a part of the riding and competing side of the club, but also that they do a lot of charity work. As President, she is hoping to continue to grow the club over her final two years at the university.

“My goals leading up to championships are keeping Zee in the best shape possible while also maintaining Reba’s fitness level. I would love to be able to qualify them both to go to nationals this year,” Kayla said as they prepare for Tryon. “I’m a bit more comfortable going into it this year; it’s not such an unfamiliar place and I know how the competition works. I want to do better in the individual side of the championship competition, but win or lose it’s an honor to be invited, especially two years in a row. It’s still a big deal, and I’m not going to take anything for granted.”

Home Place Pastures

farming for the well-being of animals, the health of pastures, and to support the surrounding community

By Michele Harn

Maybe it was in his blood. In 2014, at the age of 24 years old, this 5th generation farmer returned to his roots on the family farm just east of Como, Mississippi. Marshall Bartlett and his brother, Jemison Bartlett, set about to transform the family farm that was founded in 1871. From the row crop and cow-calf operation they inherited, they developed a vertically integrated pasture-based livestock farm that breeds, grows, finishes, processes, packs, and retails their own animals. While their older sister, May Leinhart, who is based on her farm in New York, provides grant writing and research support to the family effort in Como.

The Bartlett family is driven by their desire to revitalize their land, ethically produce meat products (and soon eggs), and support the local, rural community they call home. Most of the members of their tight-knit team grew up in the Como area. Two are brothers. Most are long time team members. They feel it is the family environment and commitment to animal welfare that contribute to the exceptional quality of their products.

Faming is much more than caring for animals, It is a business. Cash flow can be a challenge for a newer, small company, so steady sales are essential. Animals need to eat and staff need to be paid. Before 2020, Marshall notes, “90 percent of our business was to restaurants.” They quickly realized the need to shift focus to direct-to-consumers when many restaurants closed that year. Farmers’ markets and their “monthly box” program augment the farm store, on-sight restaurant, and online orders. Agri-tourism adds a financial boost as well. Evenings featuring music and dinner, afternoon picnics, and farm stays in a cottage or “glamping” in a tent bring folks to the farm to experience animal agriculture in-person. Marshall has seen this on-farm experience create loyalty in their customer base.

Marshall and Jemison had a vision for their family farm. Vertically integrated farming is an old method that has become new again. Animals are born, raised, and processed in small groups that share the land in a multi-species rotational plan. Typically the beef are first to graze the acreage when the grass is tall and lush. They are followed by laying hens that live in large netted houses that can be moved across the land. Great Pyrenees dogs live with the chickens to keep predators away. The chickens scratch though the cow piles for worms and bugs, thus scattering this nutrient rich manure across the grass. In the cooler months, pigs follow the chickens on the pastures. They are useful in the fall when pastures are re-seeded because they dig up the dirt and help the grass seeds germinate. To stay cool in the warmer months, the pigs stay in the woods, which helps them stay cool and in turn helps keep the underbrush and weeds low. “It’s important to weigh the health and needs of the animals as well as the plants they eat,” Marshall adds as he explains their mob-style grazing

Home Place Pastures’ farm store that offers fresh cuts of meat and farm to table meals. Photo courtesy of Erin Kim

methods. In addition to improving the pastures, this style of farming actually sequesters more carbon into the soil than it emits making this a truly green operation.

Well cared for animals is vital to the mission at Home Place Pastures. Their commitment states,” We farm for the well-being of our animals, the health of our pastures, and to support the surrounding community.” Ethical meat production is verified by the several certifications they have obtained. Their slaughter and processing facilities are USDA inspected, which means every animal is harvested under the watchful eye of a federal inspector. All animal carcasses are also USDA inspected and graded. They are proud to be Certified Humane by the Global Animal Partnership, a process that required much paperwork and effort. To ensure the animals they raise from birth are humanely handled through all stages of life, the slaughter facility was designed with help from Dr Temple Grandin, a global expert in humane treatment of animals in the slaughtering process. For the Bartlett family, it’s not just a product. It’s a passion.

That passion was put to the test in February, 2021 when Minnesota- worthy, winter weather attacked the mid-south. Marshall lives near Memphis with his wife. Prepping for the extreme winter weather he packed up and stayed at the farm. He fought nature for nearly a week to keep the 400 pigs, 140 cows, many heavily pregnant, and new-born calves alive and water flowing. Midweek when he fell into bed he was sure the next morning would bring bad news, but his around the clock efforts paid off. Not a single animal perished in the epic battle against nature. Farming is not for the weak or faint of heart. It is a calling. It is a passion.

Marshall, his brother, and their entire team keep Home Place Pastures thriving. He finds time to write must-read blogs to tell their farm’s unique story to the surrounding communities. Stories of life on the farm, their business efforts, their vision for farming, support for their team members and community, plus inspiring recipes that highlight their variety of beef and pork. There is so much more to Home Place Pastures than an excellent steak. It is a place where people can gather, learn about where their meat and food come from. How farming, starting at the soil, to the raising of healthy animals, and humanely harvesting meat are a cycle that keeps families fed and farmers employed. Home Place Pasture’s website highlights how this modern family farm is operated and the growing interest in agri- tourism. Pick an event to attend, or visit their farm store for a fresh farm to table lunch, take home locally raised cuts of meat to cook for your own family. There are many ways to experience this farm and you may uncover a farmer hidden within you. To learn more about Home Place Pastures visit: www.homeplacepastures.com

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