KDH recently attended the Stony Hill Stables Foundation Benefit Cocktail Party in Amagansett. Looking forward to the featured Dressage Exhibition and Pony Drill Team Performance, I happily headed to Amagansett last week looking forward to a new Hamptons experience and crowd…

The Stony Hill Stables Foundation is a specific not-for-profit program established to offer full scholarship equestrian training to local residents. Its goal is to promote equine sports, riding education, good sportsmanship, provide a healthy life enhancing experience, and offer competitive opportunities for children and young adults in the local residential East End community.

Located on ten acres of agricultural land in Amagansett, Stony Hill stables over 30 horses and ponies and also employs 28 local people during the peak Summer months with over 230 students taking riding lessons each year. The vibe in this set is decidedly low-key~ which was so nice for a change! Christy Turlington [who rides at Stony Hill with her daughter] and her movie star husband Ed Burns mingled at cocktails, while legendary photographer Annie Liebovitz sat on the grass giggling with her daughters. As Adele began playing in the background, all eyes became transfixed on Wick Hotchkiss’ pristine dressage performance….

Owned and operated by the Hotchkiss family for more than five decades, the family’s intent is “to serve the community by providing affordable quality riding lessons, board and equine programs to residents as well as to promote and maintain the equestrian heritage of its equestrian facility through conservation, maintenance and beautification of its buildings and grounds.”

The stable provides four unique levels of training: Young Riders Camp, Horse Camp, Adult Hunter/jumper training and Dressage training, and competitive showing. Stony Hill is a public stable providing a unique offering to local residents to enroll in these activities year round, including after school at a substantially reduced rate.

What is dressage?

Dressage, (pronounced dr –säzh) is the art of training a horse that yields the highest level of obedience, flexibility and balance. Often referred to as “Horse Ballet”, dressage enables the horse to perform movements in sequences that are judged at both national and international competitions, such as the Olympics.

Horsey Hamptonites on the benefit commitee included: Alec Baldwin • Rebecca A. Chapman • Michael Braverman • Maureen Bluedorn • Ed and Christy Burns
Patrick McEnroe and Melissa Errico • Guillermo M. Gomez
Alan and Jackie Mitchell • Ellen Rosengard • Pernilla Ammann

Wick Hotchkiss, second-generation owner of Stony Hill Stables shares, “As both an active member in the equestrian world and local Amagansett resident, it has been my life-long dream to make the equestrian experience more accessible in our community. I understand that seriously pursuing equine sport can be expensive.”

Adding, “Families need to make tough choices today. It is important to me that local children still have the opportunity to ride. The Stony Hill Stable Foundation was created to give back to the community by providing equine facilities for equestrian programs which hopefully will facilitate the growth of the sport on the East End.”

*Scholarships were awarded in the following training levels; two scholarships at each level:

• Children’s Short Stirrup ages 6 – 10
• Youth Horse Program ages 10 -18
• Adult Hunter/Jumper ages 18 – 26
• Dressage Training ages 12 and up

Details: Scholarship funding could include the lease of a pony/horse, boarding and training lessons over a seasonal semester. Scholarships will cover a 4-month season: June-September, October-January.

**For more information about Stony Hill Stables and the Stone Hill Stable Foundation, please visit: www.stonyhillstables.net or call 631.267.3203

Address: 268 Town Lane | Amagansett