EQ P E O P L E
ALEX BOONE A love of Lexington and equestrian sport helps bring success to the NATIONAL HORSE SHOW. BY SUMMER GRACE
O
ne of the most unique aspects of the National Horse Show is its personal connection to its picturesque home of Lexington, Kentucky. Perhaps one of the closest ties is through Samuel A. B. “Alex” Boone, treasurer of the National Horse Show, and his family, whose legacy has played a significant role in the development of the Lexington equestrian community. A Lexington native, Boone, like his father before him, is deeply committed to equestrian sports and the community behind it and believes that success can be achieved through two primary forms of support: governance and active participation. Boone learned to ride as a young man and his children, Catie and Ali, are active competitors on the international show circuit, while his wife, Tricia, is a passionate breeder. Most recognizably, the Boones were co-owners, with the Craig Dobbs and James McNerney families, of Up Chiqui, the 2007 and 2008 show-jumping horse of the year, ridden by Kent Farrington. “We had purchased an interest in Up Chiqui for our trainer from Kent Farrington. She later decided
The Boone family, from left, Ali, Tricia, Alex, and Catie. Up Chiqui is honored.
to go to business school, so we sent him back to Kent so that he could resell him. Twentysix grand-prix victories and 24 months later, I guess you could say history was made,” laughed Boone. The international exposure that Up Chiqui’s success brought to the Boone family inspired Boone to become more involved in the governance of U.S. equestrian sports. Leaning on his skills in finance and oversight, Boone applied to serve on the finance committee for the United States Hunter Jumper Association. Today, he also sits on the board of trustees for the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation, is the treasurer for the National Horse Show, and was a founding member of the North American Riders Group. “I think if you’re going to be involved in a sport at all, you should strive to have more than just a peripheral knowledge of it and hopefully some input into its future,” Boone said. “I thought the best way to do that would be to accept an invitation to be on the boards of the best organizations the sport had.” Boone’s partnership with the National Horse Show came to fruition around the time that the show decided to call Lexington and the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park its home. Continued on page 30
28 | E Q UE S T R I A N L I V IN G | AU GU S T/ S EPTEMB ER | 2018