The History of Foxwater Farm
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We've been involved with ponies since the late nineteen-sixties. My initial encounter with ponies was in San Antonio TX. At that time I was in the United States Air Force. However, I worked with a civilian anesthesiologist who had horses. Unfortunately one of the horses fractured its femur. We were able to obtain a Kuntschner Rod as well as other orthopedic tools from the hospital. The pony was anesthetized by the anesthesiologist. The femur was nailed in the middle of a field. With the use of antibiotics and luck an infection never developed, and the fracture healed.

In the early '70s we moved to Thomasville, Georgia. At that point Tara, my daughter, became extremely interested in ponies. She began riding locally and within three years was competing on the A Circuit in Ocala, Atlanta, and North Carolina. In the mid '70s she began riding under the tutelage of Christina Schlusemeyer.

In 1977 she had the AHSA Large Green Pony of the year, Lord Fairchild. In 1978 she was in the top five in both Green and Large Pony. In 1979 she was in the top six in Large Pony. She then started showing Makin' It as a jumper. She did well with Makin' It, winning the Junior Individual Grand Prix at Devon. At that point Tara was off to college. She competed on the equestrian team at Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York.

For the next few years all was quiet on the pony front. In 1996 my son Neill began riding along with his mother, Mary Ellen. I did not realize it then, but I was back in the pony business. By the latter part of 1997 we had bought the property that was to be Foxwater. Mary Ellen picked this name because of a vixen that would come across the jump field to drink water from the water trough. Also she would eat the cat food in the barn while she was nursing her kits.

In 1998 I suffered a spinal cord injury which led to my retirement. Trying to think of something that the whole family would enjoy, I remembered how much I enjoyed our ponies, especially Lord Fairchild. He was a Welsh, Thoroughbred, and Arabian cross who was not only athletic but also elegant. With this in mind we started searching to try to set up a farm that would raise quality ponies such as Fairchild... Fortunately during our search, we contacted Thalia Gentzel who has been very helpful in trying to guide us in our breeding efforts. Through her we have been able to have the GlanNant line as well as that of Cymraeg Rain Beau. Our first foals are beautiful with both the GlanNant and Rain Beau features.

At about the same time, Tara and her husband Stan left the submarine service and returned to Albany, Georgia, which is only about an hour away. They bought an old horse farm and established a therapeutic riding center. As a physical therapist Tara had spent time at multiple centers while moving around the country with Stan. She has established a great center in Leesburg. Stan has done so much work for which only God can reward him. The employees at Proctor Gamble where Stan is employed have contributed many hours of volunteer work. Through Tara’s contacts with trainers such as Don Stewart, she has been able to obtain horses to use in her program.

During her competition days, Tara competed against Jeffrey Wells, the Leones, Greg Best and others of this caliber. Interestingly, she was given The Understudy, one of Jeffrey’s early ponies. The Understudy passed away last year after spending years as a wonderful show pony and then an outstanding therapy pony into his 40s.

Now we are standing GlanNant Country Roads, a *Cusop Sparklet son, one of the kindest and most well mannered stallions ever. Hopefully Avallach’s Last Call will be able to carry on the Rain Beau genes.

~John Payne