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Published on: 4/20/2006
Last Visited: 11/29/2007
It's about love ... Jill Love to be more exact and her long-time friend and trusted trainer, Cathie Fergus.
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Both Jill and Cathie were obviously born with it and now have the joy of living it out at their one-of-a-kind new Four Rivers Sport Horse Center located on Lovelaceville Road in Paducah.
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"We've been dreaming of this since Cathie and I reunited here in Western Kentucky more that ten years ago after having met in Lexington.We have worked for years now to put all our experiences and desires and knowledge into the design and construction of this beautiful facility and I cannot put into words how we feel seeing it become a reality."Looking for words?Well how about impressive or amazing or magnificent?When you peer into the traditional half-opened cross-barred doors of this imposing structure, the word barn is barely sufficient.And when Secretariat's son, Farley, Cathie's 19 year old thoroughbred, stretches his head outside his 12x12 rubber matted stall (read condo) with auto water system, insect control, and a professional staff to attend to his every need, you'll swear the grass is blue in the adjacent pasture!
The centerpiece of this unique facility is a 20x40 meter infoor 4 dust-controlled arena built to USDF specifications.A 100x200 foot all-weather outdoor arena lies just outside the door.Rows of immaculate stalls line up on opposite sides of the center ring and a custom-built riders' lounge and observation deck looks down on it all from the second floor.A pleasing aroma of polished leather enfolds you in the tidy tack room and a state-of-the-art bathing area meets with a gleeful grin from Jill and Cathie.
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Jill then met and married her husband, Riley, and plans changed. (Doesn't a man always do that?) They headed back towards home making a brief stop in Lexington where Jill met Cathie.
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When Cathie Fergus arrived, she bought a farm in western McCracken County and the little red barn that came with it became the seat of power for the two passionate horsewoman and the infant Pony Club, now a decade old and growing."We knew what we wanted of course," Jill recalls.
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And not only have Jill and Cathie built their dream house, they've created a dream team.
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"Can you tell he's a bit of a stickler for detail?"Adding to the unparalleled expertise of trainer Cathie Fergus, is Mark Schwarm, a trainer with many years of experience in all aspects of equine behavior.
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And of course, there's Cathie.Cathie Fergus has more than 25 years of experience in dressage, eventing and thoroughbred training and competition.She is a United States Dressage medalist and is currently competing at the Prix St. George level with her beloved Farley."I've ridden all over the country," says Jill, "from New York to California and Cathie is the most talented rider and trainer I've ever met.