Meet the Team Behind FRC!
Erin Stroud-Parker
Erin is a long-time horse-crazy girl who works as a real estate transaction coordinator by day and mini-mule wrangler by night. She and her husband, Holden, live on a mini-farm in Pacolet, SC where they live with their menagerie of cats, dogs, and horses. She is one of the unique people who prefers mares over geldings, her two girls keep her on her toes and sure do make life interesting. Sal, an Arabian/Friesian cross who loves to foxhunt and pretends to be a Dressage pony. And Sugar Bear, a pinto mini-mule, who loves snuggles and is an emotional support buddy for Sal. Erin was introduced to the Foothills Riding Club when she worked for Cathy Schwartz and fell in love with the group of people who lead, volunteer, and participate in the different events throughout the year. She loves being on the FRC Board and hopes to continue bringing new ideas to the table for this amazing group of horse people!
Natalie Gourley
Natalie lives on a small farm in Gowensville, SC with her husband, Brett, her niece, Leena, and several dogs and horses! She grew up on Hilton Head Island, SC, and came to the upstate by way of UNC-Chapel Hill to work as a tax accountant in Public Accounting. After spending her childhood showing in the hunters and early adulthood eventing, she found her true Type-A passion in dressage! She is LOVING the process of training her fabulous young horse, Fari, aka
Fari Ferrari, aka Fancy Fari! Being an FRC Board member has been a rewarding experience, enabling her to make various friends across all disciplines!
Margaret Freeman
Margaret Freeman is a USEF “Senior” dressage judge, licensed to judge through Grand Prix in the U.S. She grew up in Portland OR, and started riding on an island in the middle of the Columbia River by using babysitting money. She had a master’s degree in Journalism from the
University of Missouri. She has lived (and ridden) in Oakland CA, Columbia MO, Wilmington DE, Avondale PA, Upperville and Fairfax Station VA, Stockton NJ, Mount Kisco NY, and now Tryon. She teaches and clinics, specializing in showmanship coaching, and earned her USDF silver medal on a horse she bred and trained herself. She is a freelance writer/editor, is on the editorial advisory committee of "USDF Connection" and has covered the equestrian events at seven Olympics with the Associated Press. She’s the past secretary of the USDF, is on the committee of the Dressage 4 Kids Youth Dressage Festival (NY), and was on the founding committees of CDCTA (VA) and Dressage at Devon (PA).
Margo Savage
Bette Mann
Bette is an avid eventer who competes at the Novice level with her horse Chimi Chonga. She grew up outside of Charlotte and has been riding since she was a small child when her mom, Ivey Sumrell, put her on a horse. Bette was an active member of Cardinal II Pony Club and eventually received her C-3 Riding and HA Horse Management rating. She attended North Carolina State University from 2003-2007 and majored in Agriculture Education with a concentration in Animal Science. While she was at NC State she was a member of the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) team and enjoyed being able to continue riding and showing. After graduation Bette took off to Europe with a Student Working Visa and was able to work and travel abroad in London, England, and Galway Ireland. In 2011 she moved to Greenville and started participating in FRC activities. Currently she lives on a farm in Tryon with her husband, pack of rescue dogs, cats, and herd of horses.
Edith Cahoon
Edith was born and raised together with two siblings in the small town of Adelsheim, Germany. Her infatuation with animals (in particular, horses and dogs) made her seek out opportunities to connect with them. Hardly anyone in the area had a horse, so when a neighbor added a filly to their farm, Edith eagerly volunteered to do all the horse-related chores. Finally, the day arrived and she was allowed to get on the mare (that is, without a helmet, boots and no background in riding!). Together with a friend on her Arabian stallion, and Edith on the mare, off they went for hours through the woods and fields. Life’s twists and turns have led Edith to no longer own a horse, but still be very much involved with horses through scribing and serving on the FRC Board, for which she leads the Educational Seminars!
Melissa Van Doren
Melissa Van Doren was born a horse nut into a decidedly non-horsey family who nevertheless supported her love for all things equestrian. She's been riding since age 4, teaching lessons since age 15, training horses since her early 20s and has been a full-time industry professional since 1999 (following a first career in advertising and publications). Her disciplines have included hunters, jumpers, paso fino, dressage and trail riding, and she's currently developing herself and her horses for working equitation. When she's not in the barn, Melissa enjoys walking in the mountain woods with her husband, Eddie, and their rottweiler, Ollie.
Candice Carr
Candice grew up in South Florida and has been riding since the time she could walk. As a kid, she and her black pony, Pecos, went on all kinds of adventures together! Candice showed hunters and was fortunate to learn from many different breeds. After vacationing in the Asheville area for 10 years, she and her husband, Adam, moved to the NC Foothills in 2014 with their 4-legged kids. She works as a corporate and real estate lawyer in the renewable energy industry and spends her free time working around the farm, hiking, and traveling. Shortly after moving to the area, Candice immediately fell in love with eventing and competed her OTTB, Java, until his retirement. She loves being a part of our horse community and FRC!
Jan Bellows
Jan was born and raised in the briar patch. She currently resides in Weaverville NC and travels for lessons and shows. Jan says it is such a privilege to serve on the FRC board once again with a wonderful group of members and loves sharing our passions with everything horse. Let’s make 2024 the best year yet!
Meaghan Morris
Meaghan grew up in Kodiak, Alaska, and moved to SC in 2013. She has been an avid equestrian since she started riding lessons at the age of 10, and has tried many disciplines including rodeo, dressage, jumpers, and more. She was crowned Kodiak Rodeo Queen in 2005 and had many championships in her years showing in 4H and rodeoing in Alaska. She now lives in Landrum with her husband Ryan and has one horse named Kenai who she has owned since he was 4 months old. They love to go trail riding and attend Hunter Paces and started training for dressage and Working Equitation in 2023. This challenging sport has re-ignited her passion for competing, and she and Kenai have attended many Working Equitation clinics and shows. She joined FRC
as a riding member, attended a few shows, and volunteered many hours before joining the Board in 2024. She is enjoying being a part of this accomplished organization!
Anne Bandes
Anne Bandes grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, and began riding at 9 years old, taking hunter/jumper group lessons once a week at The Riding School, in Weston. Unable to afford a horse of her own, she was an avid collector of Breyer horses, with over 200+, participating in live model horse shows and using her artistic skills to repaint, remodel, and flock model horses. At Smith College, she was able to ride more regularly after joining the intercollegiate riding team. After college, she lived in Moscow, Russia, for two years and regularly rode a Trakhener stallion, helping her fall in love with dressage by teaching her how to ride tempis, passage, and piaffe. Anne became a lawyer to be able to afford a horse of her own, and after her first year working at an international Boston-based law firm, she bought her first horse. She’s now on to her second and third horses and moved to western North Carolina with her husband, Matt Pickett, in 2021. She looks forward to working with the FRC and getting to know more people in the community.
Kristen Griffith
Kristen and her husband, Lee, were born and raised in the Carolina Foothills. After college, they lived in Raleigh for several years and now live on a small farm in Bostic with their horses, dairy goats, and cats. Kristen has been a horse girl since childhood, trading her Breyer horses for real ones at her earliest opportunity. After spending years trail riding, she joined Foothills Riding Club in 2022 and has enjoyed learning about dressage alongside her horse, Sawyer, ever since. She is excited to join the FRC Board and hopes to meet new friends while serving the great group of members!
Kathy McFadden
Kathy McFadden grew up on the east side of Cincinnati and spent the last 25 years on a farm between Cincinnati and Dayton along the I-75 corridor. In August, she and her husband, Michael, relocated to the Tryon/Landrum area with their dog, London, and two horses, Sangria and Buddy. Sangria is Kathy’s riding mare, used for both dressage and trail riding, while Buddy enjoys his well-earned retirement at 29. Though they no longer run their own farm, Kathy is grateful to have Sangria at a beautiful farm just across the street, where she can watch her graze from the front porch.
Kathy and Michael feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a welcoming community. With Michael having lived in Hendersonville since age 16, they always planned to settle in the area after Kathy’s retirement from a career in education. They also enjoy being closer to Kathy’s stepson, Parker, who lives and works in the Hendersonville/Asheville area.
Passionate about serving the horse community, Kathy is excited to step into her role as Show Secretary with the support of Margo and the rest of the Board. She values the collaborative effort required to make shows successful and looks forward to working with fellow board members and the dedicated volunteers who bring each event to life.
