Willoway Farm, Inc.

Willoway Farm, Inc. Mission Statement:

"Individual Goals Achieved". That is the focus of Willoway Farm. This is where "horse dreams" come true. Let's dream together!

No matter how lofty nor how small, Willoway will help
you achieve your personal goal.

08/31/2026

When it comes to performance, most riders focus on what happens in the ring. But high-performance coach John Haime believes that one of the most overlooked influences on a rider’s success is something far more personal: the people they surround themselves with.

“Who you’re around is critical,” Haime said on The Plaidcast. “If you’re around positive people, people who care about you, want to help you, and believe in you, you have a better chance to succeed.”

It’s a powerful reminder that success doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Riders are shaped not only by their habits and mindset, but also by their communities, and that’s especially true for juniors.

As riders move through their teenage years, they’re developing not only their athletic skills but also their values, identities, and emotional resilience. Haime emphasized that during this stage, peers play an outsized role. “If you’re a teenager, your friends are influencing you more than your parents are,” he said. “That’s just the way it is.”

Whether it’s a barnmate who cheers you on or a teammate who constantly criticizes others, those voices become part of a rider’s internal dialogue. “If you’re around people who are tearing others down or chasing superficial goals, that becomes your environment,” Haime added.

Not everyone you ride with or spend time around will lift you up, and that’s okay. Haime’s advice isn’t to avoid every tough interaction, but to be intentional about where you invest your time and energy. “The more you grow as a person, the more you start thinking about who you want to be around,” he said. “That reflection is part of building confidence.”

Klemm echoed this idea with a personal perspective. “The number one thing that changed my life was choosing different people,” she said. “When I was around people who pushed me to be better, everything changed.”

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/08/25/why-you-are-the-company-you-keep/
📸 © Heather N. Photography

08/24/2026

🐴 Frank Chapot & Good Twist: A Partnership That Shaped American Show Jumping 🇺🇸

Some partnerships in equestrian sport are remembered not simply for the ribbons they won, but for the influence they left behind. Few examples fit that description better than legendary American rider Frank Chapot and the remarkable grey Thoroughbred stallion Good Twist. 🏆🐎

🇺🇸 Frank Chapot: Rider, Coach and Horseman

Born in 1932, Frank Chapot became one of the defining figures of American show jumping. His international riding career included an extraordinary six Olympic Games, from 1956 through 1976, and two Olympic team silver medals. After retiring from competition, he became an equally influential coach, serving for roughly a quarter-century as the leader of the U.S. show jumping team. Under his leadership, American riders achieved historic Olympic and World Championship success. 🇺🇸🥈🥇

Chapot was famous for his competitiveness. Speed, determination and loyalty to the American team were central to his reputation, and Good Twist proved to be an ideal partner for that approach. ⚡

🐎 Meet Good Twist

Good Twist was a relatively small grey Thoroughbred stallion—about 15.2 hands—but his ability was much bigger than his stature suggested. He was careful over fences, fast across the ground and versatile enough to excel in Grand Prix, speed and other jumping classes.

With Chapot, Good Twist became an international star during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The pair accumulated 21 international class victories in the United States and Europe. 🌍🏆

Their achievements included three victories at Aachen in 1966, two at Hickstead in 1967, and the Prix du Champion at Ostend in 1969. Good Twist was also one of Chapot's mounts when he finished second at the 1966 European Championships in Lucerne. Back in North America, their victories stretched across major international shows in Toronto, New York, Washington and Harrisburg.

At the 1972 National Horse Show, Good Twist demonstrated his remarkable versatility by winning four classes, including the Grand Prix. 🏅

🧬 A Legacy Through Gem Twist

Good Twist's greatest contribution may actually have come after his own competitive career.

He became the sire of Gem Twist, bred and raised by the Chapot family at their New Jersey farm. Gem Twist developed into one of America's most celebrated show jumpers. With Greg Best, he earned individual and team silver medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and was later named Best Horse at the 1990 World Equestrian Games. 🌟

That creates an extraordinary sporting bloodline: Frank Chapot competed successfully on Good Twist, then bred Good Twist's son Gem Twist and helped guide the next generation to Olympic glory.

❤️ More Than a Winning Combination

Good Twist was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, joining Chapot and other legendary horses associated with his career.

Their story captures something special about equestrian sport: greatness can continue long after the final round has been jumped. 🐴✨

Frank Chapot's horsemanship helped Good Twist become a champion. Good Twist, in turn, helped create Gem Twist. Together, their influence stretched across generations—and secured their place in American show jumping history. 🇺🇸🏆

08/13/2026

Equitation often carries a reputation as a junior rider’s proving ground. But Geoff Teall makes a compelling case that every rider, regardless of age or discipline, can benefit from training like an equitation rider.

“Equitation riders learn more about lengthening and shortening, turning, lightening, and making their horses responsive than most riders in other disciplines,” he writes. Those skills stretch the rider, challenge the horse, and ultimately make both more capable in the long run.

At its core, equitation is about learning how to ride into and out of problems. “Since fine-tuning your equitation skills involves learning how to ride into and out of specific problems, you learn a lot about training,” Teall explains.

Instead of simply drilling a course, equitation work encourages riders to think critically. Each challenge becomes an opportunity to use position, balance, and timing to find the solution. By approaching mistakes as puzzles to solve, riders develop resilience, confidence, and a stronger sense of feel.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/08/25/why-every-rider-should-train-like-an-equitation-rider/
📸 © Heather N. Photography

08/06/2026

🐴✨ Idle Dice – An American Show Jumping Legend 🇺🇸🏆

Did you know that one of the greatest show jumping horses in American history actually began life as a Thoroughbred racehorse? 🐎

Originally named Jonlyle, his racing career was far from remarkable. But after being retrained for show jumping and renamed Idle Dice, he found his true calling alongside the legendary rider Rodney Jenkins. Together, they became one of the most iconic partnerships in equestrian history. ❤️🐎

🌟 Some of Idle Dice's incredible achievements:
🏆 Won 31 Grand Prix titles.
🌍 Helped secure victory on 8 Nations Cup teams.
🥇 Finished 8th at the 1974 World Championships at Hickstead.
🎖️ Became the first horse inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1987.

Idle Dice was admired for his exceptional athleticism, careful jumping style, and remarkable consistency. His legacy continues to inspire riders and horse lovers around the world, cementing his place as one of the most influential horses in American show jumping history. 💙🐎✨

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