You may have noticed we have several new faces around the office at STAR. If you haven't had a chance to meet them yet, be sure to stop by and say "Hi!"

It’s been a busy year so far for our STAR herd!

February welcomed Thor to our herd of minis. He helped keep Hodie company as we waved goodbye to Honey and Flash who traveled to their retirement home where they now live with former STAR pony Jitterbug and a lovely family.

March saw Traveler try a career change from trail riding to therapeutic riding. He has settled into the change of scenery from North Carolina to Tennessee quite nicely and his sweet personality has won everyone over.

May welcomed several additions to the herd. Charlie traveled across the state from Memphis to join us. A former show horse who sustained an injury and needed a step down, he has settled in nicely! Then Smartie traveled to us all the way from Florida. A former hunter/jumper, he is enjoying retirement in therapeutic riding.

June saw the retirement of Bentley, one of our minis who now lives with a former staff member! We also welcomed a young addition to our lesson herd, Spirit. He is still learning the ropes but has a lot of potential! We also said a hard goodbye when our beloved Dagur crossed the rainbow bridge at the age of 33. In his 9 years at STAR, he touched many lives and we are grateful for the time we got to spend with him.

July welcomed our newest horse in training, Paint. Fall will be his first session with STAR but he is fitting right in!

August saw our mini Nemo retire. He now spends his days as a companion to another mini at the home of a former volunteer. Just a few short days later we welcomed our latest addition to the herd, Lightning. With a personality as big as his forelock, we have high hopes he will do well here at STAR!

 Our 7th annual Songwriter’s in the Round event took place on August 19th in the Robbie Nutt “Circle of Friends” Indoor Arena. The event was a sellout for the 4th consecutive year! We would like to thank General Manager Dane Dobson and the entire Chuy’s team for providing delicious Tex-Mex for the event. The dessert of banana pudding was provided by Dead End BBQ.

​Following dinner, drinks, and barn tours, four of Nashville’s leading songwriters - Phillip Lammonds, Emily Brooke, Ryan Larkins, and Michael Farren - took turns telling stories and singing songs they have written for some of country music’s biggest stars. (Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, Old Dominion, Tim McGraw, Dolly Parton, Lauren Daigle, and Kelsea Ballerini)

This event has quickly become a hot ticket item in East Tennessee in August each year. Keep an eye on our website and social media because we hope you’ll make plans to join us next year! Thank you to our event sponsors: Evergreen Construction, Clayton, R3 Consulting, Bill Cox Furniture & Design, Chuy’s, Dr. John Lavelle, SouthEast Bank, Rather & Kittrell, Hildreth Insurance Creative Solutions, Wayne & Julia Wilson, Paul & Debbie Nichols, Cyan Insurance Solutions, Summit Medical Group, Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic, 5 Star Waste, Dead End BBQ, Cherokee Distributing Photos courtesy of Barry Slaiman​

Over 75 participants competed in our Annual Horse Show this August, our biggest one yet! Thank you to all who made the long day possible! The show allows our participants to compete in a positive environment and demonstrate the skills they have learned. Participants entered in two of three events: dressage, obstacle course, or equitation. Our riders, horses, and volunteers worked hard to make the show a success. A special thank you to our judges Jocelyn Griffo and Laura Wolfe. We would also like to thank Leah and Kylee Smith and their horses Kirk and Half Pint for demonstrating liberty work for our lunch time break.​

STAR Summer Horse Camp is always a great time for riders to spend more time at the barn riding, crafting, and learning more about horses! This year riders painted with and on their horses, made horse pizza, learned about horse body parts and digestion, horse markings and colors, and horse herd behavior. Riders also made horse related crafts and spent time feeding and taking care of their horse. We would also like to thank Dr. Martin from the University of Tennessee Vet School for talking to and allowing our campers to watch dental exams on the horses. Also, thank you to volunteers and campers for making it a great week!

On April 22nd , STAR held its 18th annual Bridles & Blue Jeans event. Guests enjoyed drinks thanks to Bryan Howington and Cherokee Distributing Company, appetizers by Seasons Innovative Bar and Grille, and a delicious steak dinner provided by O’Charley’s. Amanda Hara, WSMV News Anchor and Master of Ceremonies, presented the opening remarks and assisted Blake Wilson with the live auction. During the live auction, guests had the opportunity to bid on exclusive items such as a Costa Rica Vacation, a LX 21 bass boat, and premium UT Football Trip with travel to the game by private yacht. A special thank you to Glenna Overton Clark and her team for a terrific silent auction with a variety of basket gifts. Michelle Hardin, the president of STAR’s Board of Directors, presented acknowledgments and a touching video created by The Van Leuvan Company which revealed to guests the benefits of partnering with horses. Another special thank you to Christina Clayton Sullivan for transforming the arena into a beautiful wonderland. Dino Cartwright followed with a paddle raise, bringing with him an energy unmatched by anyone while garnering support for STAR’s programs. In total, we raised over $252,000! The event could not have been successful without the continued support of our community of volunteers, donors, sponsors and friends!

Stay tuned for new blog posts about STAR related news coming soon!