Cedar Crest Farm Equestrian Center

Our Approach

Overview

Why BHS Matters

Staff

Related Links

Training

Clients often compliment us on the quality of our staff and with good reason. At Cedar Crest every staff member has deliberately chosen the equestrian industry for their career and has spent years studying and training to be effective and competent in their job. The majority of our personnel have been certified by the British Horse Society and, unusually, all our staff fulfill the same job specification as grooms and trainers. At Cedar Crest you won’t find one person mucking stalls; another grooming and tacking up; a third person schooling and someone else again giving instruction – all our staff do all these things. This holistic overview of your horse’s welfare means that both you and he are in the best possible hands. In this way you can confidently work in your office during the week or go away on vacation and be certain that your horse is receiving the very best care and attention, 365 days of the year.

Recruiting and keeping qualified staff is a constant challenge in all equestrian organizations. At Cedar Crest we use our contacts in the U.K. and Ireland to source dedicated young professionals who are looking to use their skills in a busy, vibrant environment. As a British Horse Society approved training center, Cedar Crest is an attractive destination for trainees and professionals alike looking to advance their careers and we are often contacted by potential recruits who have seen us on the B.H.S. website with the result that we are never short of qualified staff.

The team at Cedar Crest always comprises a fun, eclectic group of equestrian enthusiasts who are happy to share their knowledge and experience with our clients. Whilst the majority of our personnel are British and Irish, we have taken on B.H.S. qualified employees in the past from Australia, India, South Africa, Spain and Poland as well as from within the U.S.A.

We are always interested to hear from anyone seeking to work at Cedar Crest or to study for their B.H.S. qualifications, so if you think you fit the bill, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Please visit job vacancy for more information and then apply in the first instance by contacting us.

Paul Lindsay B.H.S.I.I.

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Paul Lindsay has been involved with horses, both professionally and privately, since his teen years. He has competed successfully in the disciplines of show-jumping, dressage and combined training, and is a former winner at the world famous Dublin Horse Show and of the Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ national equitation jumping championship at advanced open level. Paul gained experience with some of the most prestigious trainers in Europe, including Ferdi Eilberg, John Hall and Carl Hester for dressage, Paul Darragh (world speed show jumping champion) and the renowned Iris Kellet (ladies European show jumping champion) for show-jumping. Later, he was responsible for operating the distinguished Gleneagles Mark Phillips Equestrian Centre in Scotland, as well as the Millbrook Equestrian Center in New York State.

Paul holds his B.H.S.I.I. certification and was for many years a British Horse Society examiner.

In addition to owning and running Cedar Crest, Paul provides consultation services to those interested in creating their own successful equestrian business.

For a detailed biography of Paul Lindsay B.H.S.I.I. in pdf format please click here.

Geraldine Lindsay

Gerry Lindsay, a native of Hertfordshire, England, has been riding since she was four years old and grew up successfully competing in a variety of disciplines primarily eventing and show-jumping. At the age of only 14 she placed 4th in a Junior European one-day event selection trial, and later competed successfully at Preliminary level. A highlight of her early equestrian career was training with the late Portuguese dressage maestro Nuno Oliveira.

Gerry gained experience working as a bloodstock shipping agent for the British Bloodstock Agency and later went on to be the events organizer for The Gleneagles Mark Phillips Equestrian Centre, where she was responsible for organizing 70 shows, events and demonstrations annually. She moved to America with her husband, Paul Lindsay, in 1994 to help manage the Millbrook Equestrian Center. Today, Gerry is committed to maintaining the atmosphere of professionalism and friendliness that Cedar Crest has become known for.

For a detailed biography of Geraldine Lindsay in pdf format please click here.

Joanne Blackmore

Born in Birmingham, England, Jo started riding aged 4 and grew up participating in all her local Riding Club’s activities. She worked and trained for many years with international show-jumper Pauline Ricketts who was also the master of the Oxford Drag Hounds. It was here that Jo gained her legendary prowess in the hunt field. She took a break from horses for four years in her late 20s and sailed the world as a personal trainer on luxury cruise liners, an experience that helped her become a great communicator as well as honing her expertise in the art of conditioning both horses and humans. In 1999 Jo joined the Lindsays at Millbrook Equestrian Center as their dedicated hunt groom. She then transferred to Cedar Crest Farm in 2000 where she now combines the duties of barn manager and hunt groom, usually hunting three times per week with the Millbrook Hunt during the season. Blessed with a prodigious memory as well as excellent clerical skills, Jo is constantly attuned to the needs of all the horses at the farm and boarders can always be confident that their horses are in excellent hands. Jo also enjoys competing in local show-jumping competitions and in 2007 she qualified a client’s horse for the Centennial Foxhunter Championships in Virginia.

Wendy Brooke, B.H.S.I.I.

Wendy has dedicated her life to a career with horses since she first started riding a Basutu pony in Zambia where she was born and raised. She gained her B.H.S. Intermediate Instructor’s qualification after several years of work and study in the U.K. During that time she worked with racehorses, hunters, driving ponies, dressage horses, eventers and show-jumpers and evented up to the Preliminary level. Wendy, whose particular passion is dressage, joined the Lindsays at Millbrook Equestrian Center and later followed them to Cedar Crest Farm. She is much in demand for her insightful teaching of classical flatwork principles and is acknowledged for her skill in explaining riding technique to students of all levels.

Claire Stanton, B.H.S.A.I.

Claire, from Derbyshire, England, holds her B.H.S.A.I. certification and started riding and competing as a child through the Pony Club. She was first employed in a hunting and eventing barn and subsequent jobs running a hunt barn and then working with racehorses in Ireland made her the fearless and confident horsewoman she is today. She has show-jumped in the international arena at Hickstead and has also produced horses to compete in the show-ring at county level in the U.K. Having worked a season with eventers in Florida, Claire moved north to Cedar Crest in 2006. She is an articulate and inspiring teacher who is popular with riders of all ages and standards.

Samantha Bowstead, B.H.S.A.I.

Sam is a native of the southern Scottish town of Lanark, where she began her riding career at the age of 10. At 17 she joined the team at the prestigious Gleneagles Equestrian Centre in Perthshire where she gained her B.H.S.A.I. whilst studying under some excellent instructors. As well as teaching V.I.P. guests staying at The Gleneagles Hotel, Sam was a regular instructor for the local Strathearn Pony Club where she taught children of all standards. During this time she also had the chance to groom for some of the country’s leading young show-jumpers and traveled with them around the Scottish show-jumping circuit. Sam joined the staff at Cedar Crest Farm in June 2007. Our clients have grown to appreciate and rely on her calming and confidence-inspiring demeanor during lessons.

Louise Richard, P.T.T.

From the South-East of England, Louise started riding at her local riding stable as a child and grew up spending most of her spare time there helping out with the horses. Having decided to pursue an equestrian career, she enrolled in a course at Plumpton Agricultural College and gained a National Diploma in Horse Management together with her B.H.S. Preliminary Teaching Test. She worked briefly in a riding school before joining the team at Cedar Crest in 2007. Whilst continuing to study for her higher B.H.S. qualifications, Louise brings experience, enthusiasm and dedication to her role of groom/trainer and is particularly popular with young riders.

Sweep

A pedigree schnoodle, born and bred in Hyde Park, NY, Sweep joined the team at Cedar Crest Farm as a six-week-old puppy. With his gregarious and friendly personality, he quickly took on the role of Public Relations Manager and takes his job very seriously, meeting and greeting all who come to visit. He welcomes everyone with the same enthusiasm and only asks that other canine visitors should be kept on a leash at all times as they might not know how to behave around the horses.