This year, there were 72 participants who competed in our annual horse show! It was a wonderful day full of big smiles and making memories. We enjoyed lunch from Rocky Top Hot Dogs and a sweet treat from Kona Ice. Thanks to contributions from our STAR Guild, we also hosted a bake sale! Thank you to everyone who helped make this day possible!

A special thank you to our arena sponsors: Morgan Stanley and Swaggerty’s; judges: Rita Dunn and Jocelyn Griffo; ring steward: Robin Bowen; and photographer: Barry Slaiman.

Participants entered two of three events: dressage, obstacle course, or equitation. Our participants, horses, and volunteers worked hard to make the show a success.

The show allows our participants to compete in a positive environment and demonstrate the skills they have learned. We appreciate Priscilla’s parents for sharing their thoughts with us:

“The horse show was wonderful!!! For the first time in Priscilla’s eight years, she won a sport award. She has never played organized sports or dance, gymnastics etc. (and quite honestly couldn’t because of her emotional irregulation). This was a great self esteem boost! We thank everyone at STAR for helping to transform her to a more confident girl. Her father and I have nothing, but positive praise and appreciation for STAR. The change in her from one year ago is miraculous. I thank God For STAR and all y’all that make it possible.”

Photos courtesy of Barry Slaiman and Hailey Rose Viars

On April 13th , STAR held its 19th annual Bridles & Blue Jeans event!

New this year, we rolled out the red carpet for a VIP Reception! Sponsored by Claire Poole, this special gathering was reserved for our top two tier sponsor levels. Featuring a specialty cocktail, an appetizer spread from Amazing Graze, early access to the silent auction, and the chance to visit with the STAR minis, this pre-event reception started the night off just right.

All 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 STAR Board member, provided the opening remarks. A special thank you to Glenna Overton Clark and her team for a terrific silent auction with a huge variety of offerings. And another super thank you to Karen Malone, Brenda Miller, Renee Abraham, Kathy Hanley, Gail Arnett and the décor team for transforming the arena into a beautiful event venue. Jason & Natalie Deel of JD Realty and Auction conducted the live auction where guests had the opportunity to bid on exclusive items such as a trip to Las Vegas, golf at Sweetens Cove, a Nautical Boat Club membership, and a private party with Diana Warner. Our friends from O’Charley’s presented a check representing money raised during their Give 5 Get 5 campaign.

Michelle Hardin, STAR Board President, presented sponsor recognition followed by STAR Executive Director, Lynn Petr, who gave shout-outs to staff & volunteers, then touched on how ‘pearls of joy’ abound during the days at the STAR barn. This led to a touching video created by Sam Comer which showcased the benefits of partnering with horses.

Laurie Macnair, event chair, and Shawn Snyder, STAR Development Director, teamed up to lead the paddle raise. Together they rallied the crowd and shared enthusiasm for STAR’s programs raising $86,150 to support our participants!

In total, Bridles & Blue Jeans raised $339,000! This success could not have happened without the continued support of our community of donors, sponsors, volunteers, and friends!

The evening ended with Rick Terry giving away a beautiful necklace and Laurie Macnair bringing us back to the real reason we gathered in the first place – to change lives by providing healing through horses.

Event Sponsors: O’Charley’s, SouthEast Bank, R3 Consulting, First Horizon, Clayton, Paul and Debbie Nichols, Angela Kowalski and Scott Huff, Nautical Boat Club, Johnson Architecture, Chick-fil-A Lenoir City, Gallaher Plastic Surgery & Spa, KaTom Restaurant Supply, Inc, Rick Terry Jewelry Designs, Enrichment Federal Credit Union, Fullgraf Foundation, Home Federal Bank of TN, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Regions Bank, Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance - East Tennessee

Photos courtesy of Barry Slaiman

You may have noticed a few new faces at STAR - be sure to stop by and say "Hi!"

In Summer of 2024, we gained several new faces around the barn! First came Blue, a thoroughbred gelding with a tattoo indicating he may have raced (we just can’t make out the numbers to check and see!) He was rescued by our Program Director’s family and has hopefully found a new job at STAR. Next we opened our barn doors to Belle, a Quarter Horse Paint cross mare who has dabbled in a little bit of everything from trail riding to fox hunting, and even some mounted shooting! Because we didn’t have enough color in our barn, we welcomed Abigail, a blanket Appaloosa mare who has also spent her time doing a little bit of everything. Moose soon followed, and he has competed in eventing with his owner (who is a vet at UT Veterinary Medical Center). He is a Leopard Appaloosa gelding, and you may notice that he has something in common with one of our other horses in the barn - like Fletcher, Moose only has one eye! We also bid farewell to Jazz, who came to us a few months ago. After spending some time in our training program, we realized she was just too speedy for us.

July of 2024 marked a somber moment as we said a hard goodbye to sweet Kate, who crossed the rainbow bridge. In her short time with STAR, she touched many hearts and is greatly missed.

Fall of 2024 welcomed Faith and Dolly, who will undergo a 3 month trial period to determine if this is the right job for them. These gals have a couple of things in common: 1) They are locals - Faith comes to us from Maryville College and Dolly is from down the road at Noah’s Ark Farm. 2) They look almost identical - Faith is a Quarter Horse flea-bitten grey and Dolly is Connemara flea-bitten grey!

Since the start of the summer, we have made the decision to part ways with Spirit. While he is an all around great pony, he is telling us he does not like this job. We did purchase Spirit, so we are looking to find the right home. He would be great for a young rider who already knows how to ride but is looking for a pony to work with. He is not a beginner rider pony, and does not do well on the lunge line for teaching beginners. He is looking for a young, confident rider who can conquer the world with him. Please let our Equine Manager Stephanie know if you are interested!

We are still actively seeking a retirement home for our best guy, Oliver! After 16 remarkable years at STAR and a prior career in the hunter world, now at age 29, he deserves a peaceful retirement. Prospective caretakers should possess equine care experience, as he requires special attention due to medical needs. Those interested in providing Oliver with a loving retirement home are encouraged to contact Stephanie. (If you ever have a desire to house a retired STAR horse when their time comes, please also let her know!)

As we continue to grow and expand our programs, we need more equine partners to join our herd! While STAR is not a retirement facility, we offer a fulfilling second career. We are the perfect place for a horse who is no longer able to do their previous job but is not ready to be turned out in a field. We are searching for horses that are rideable, sound, levelheaded, and easy going and are preferably younger than 18 years old. Our screening process involves initial discussions, a visit to the horse’s current home, and if deemed suitable, a trial period at STAR. Both donation and free lease options are available.
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For more information, to recommend a suitable addition to our herd, or anything related to our equine partners, please call our office or send an email to Stephanie at [email protected]. Your assistance in ensuring the well-being and success of our equine companions is greatly appreciated!

It takes a village, and we have the best one, which means it is no easy task to pick who will receive the Vol of the Year awards. We are very grateful for all of our Vols, but we want to recognize these individuals who showed up for STAR in big ways throughout 2023. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your continued support of STAR - you have made all the difference in 2023!

On November 17, 2023 STAR held its annual Barn Party. We had a fantastic time celebrating another great year of programming at STAR! This event is a favorite with over 200 volunteers, participants, family members, staff, and board members in attendance.

Chick-Fil-A Lenoir City provided a delicious meal, attendees played a variety of games, Charlie (the horse) dominated at apple bobbing, the silent auction was a success, and we recognized our 2023 Volunteers of the Year!

If you missed out on this incredible event, we hope you will make plans to join us for our next one - mark your calendars for November 22, 2024!

In only a short time, there have been quite a few changes to our herd at STAR.

In the fall of 2023, we welcomed Black Jack, a draft cross gelding with a diverse background of experience as a mounted patrol horse, trail horse, and carriage horse. Meanwhile, Oso, Nikki, and Goya transitioned from South Knox to Lenoir City, where they have seamlessly settled into their new environment. Meanwhile, we bid farewell to Read as he embarked on a new chapter, finding a home with STAR staff member, Sam.

December of 2023 marked a somber moment as we said a hard goodbye to our beloved Bug, who crossed the rainbow bridge at the age of 27. Bug’s remarkable 22-year tenure at STAR left a lasting mark on our program and the countless lives he touched, leaving behind cherished memories that will endure.

Since the start of the new year, we have welcomed our newest horse in training, Iron Man, aka Tony the Pony. He will undergo a three month trial period to assess his suitability for our program. Simultaneously, we bid farewell to Ferris as he embarks on a well-deserved retirement. Formerly a mainstay for the Maryville College Equestrian Team, Ferris’ serene retirement is a testament to his years of dedicated service.
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We are actively seeking a retirement home for our best guy, Oliver. After 16 remarkable years at STAR and a prior career in the hunter world, now at age 29, Oliver deserves a peaceful retirement. Prospective caretakers should possess equine care experience, as Oliver requires special attention due to medical needs. Those interested in providing Oliver with a loving retirement home are encouraged to contact Stephanie by sending an email to [email protected] or calling the office. (If you ever have a desire to house a retired STAR horse when their time comes, please also be sure to let Stephanie know!)

As we continue to grow and expand our programs, we need more equine partners to join our herd!

​While STAR is not a retirement facility, we offer a fulfilling second career. We are the perfect place for a horse who is no longer able to do their previous job but is not ready to be turned out in a field. We are searching for horses that are rideable, sound, levelheaded, and easy going and are preferably younger than 18 years old.

Our screening process involves initial discussions, a visit to the horse’s current home, and if deemed suitable, a trial period at STAR. Both donation and free lease options are available.

For more information or to recommend a suitable addition to our herd, please call our office or send an email to Stephanie at [email protected]. Your assistance in ensuring the well-being and success of our equine companions is greatly appreciated!

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!