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Marianne Taylor

A true lover of Thoroughbred horses for the show ring, Marianne Taylor was raised on a horse and pony farm in Virginia. As a Junior, she had many VHSA year-end champions and top-placing AHSA year-end ribbon winners. She was a member of the winning 1963 AHSA International Pony Team. Marianne started a slew of winning ponies and horses but was also known as a catch rider who showed occasionally for such top trainers as Kenny Wheeler, Delmar Twyman, Don Stewart, and Junie Kulp. She was privileged to ride many top ponies and horses including Isgilde, San Man, Country Combo, Rommel, Johnny Reb, and Swamp Fox.

In the 70s and 80s, Marianne turned her attention to training Juniors, plus breeding, training, selling, and showing In-Hand horses and ponies. Ponies bred by the Taylor family dominated the Breeding shows (including Devon) and high score awards from 1983 through 1990. A Thoroughbred colt that Marianne bred won the 2-Year-Old International Hunter Futurity Regional Finals and National Finals in 1989.

In 1991, she closed her breeding farm, got a very nice off the track Thoroughbred at Charlestown for $1500, and started riding again. Although Marianne and JR showed at a few shows in the Adult Amateurs, it was in the Hunt Night classes where they really shone, winning classes or top ribbons at Capital Challenge, Pennsylvania National, Washington, and the National Horse Show.

In 1997, Marianne left horses and ponies to become a Concert Promoter in Raleigh, North Carolina. A lifelong love of horses guided her to form the Facebook group “Hunters & Jumpers: The First 100 Years” in January of 2015 where she posts pictures and stories about some of the horses, ponies, and people that make up the history of Hunters and Jumpers from the beginning through 1999.

Showing at the A shows during the 60s, 70s, 80s, and early 90s, Marianne was blessed to see some of the greatest Thoroughbred Show Hunters, Jumpers, and horsemen of all time. Through this blog, she will write about some of the top Thoroughbreds in the history of showing.

Join Her Facebook Group View Marianne’s Blog Posts
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