Lexington, Virginia: Capital Square, the presenting sponsor of Virginia Horse Center Eventing, recognizes those dedicated to the sport of eventing, which includes owner Annie Eldridge and rider Ariel Grald. Eldridge owns Setters’ Run Farm, and Grald is a top international eventer and integral part of the Setters’ Run team.

Setters’ Run will have the following entries, all piloted by Grald, competing at this year’s VHC Eventing, presented by Capital Square:

CCI 2*S

Adagio’s Nobility, a 2016 Bay Holsteiner Gelding

Belline Cavalry Man, a 2015 Bay ISH Gelding

Advanced/Intermediate

Caballe, a 2012 Dark Bay Holsteiner Mare 

Forrest Gump 124, a 2011 Bay Hanoverian Gelding

Open Prelim

Cullintra End Game, a 2017 Bay ISH Gelding

Ariel will also be riding In Vogue, a 2016 Dark Bay ISH Mare owned by Claire Williams, and Exces de Folie, a 2014 Bay Selle Francais owned by Winnett Ordway.

Photo provided by Ariel Grald.

When Annie’s riding career was cut short and her life upended by devastating health challenges, she began to redirect her equestrian passions toward the breeding of quality American Sport Horses. Annie was an accomplished event rider and spent significant time researching and acquiring mares who would be the foundation of her breeding program. Annie’s passion for eventing led her to seek top-quality thoroughbred mares and proven warmblood stallions, to produce foals possessing stamina, temperament, jumping talent, strong conformation, and exceptional movement. 

Annie previously owned a small training and boarding farm in Duxbury but had been traveling to the Southern Pines equestrian community during the winter seasons. Since purchasing a larger property in nearby Vass, North Carolina, the breeding program at Setters’ Run Farm has flourished.  

Although Annie has purchased and imported several young horses for Ariel to compete, her breeding program preference is to pair her mares with Holsteiner stallions for their lighter bone structure, athleticism, and jumping talent. Current stallion choices include Mighty Magic, Diacontinus, Camir de Haar Z, Jaguar Mail, and Cape Coral RBFZ, among others. A specific goal of Annie’s is to produce world-class sport horses here in the United States through artificial insemination so potential owners would not need to travel to Europe to import future talent.  

Setters’ Run Farm has approximately 10 homebred horses on the ground and handles each foal from the time it is born. Annie’s green horses are started by Hayley Norfleet, with the assistance of farm manager David Flinchum, who helps her with the groundwork. Hayley has experience through the 2* level and is very talented at backing each young horse and introducing them to competition with the goal of advancing them to the upper levels with Ariel. 

Setters’ Run Farm has formed a talented team of professional horsemen who all live by their mission statement: ‘A successful career is built on a solid foundation.’



Photo provided by Ariel Grald: Competing at Virginia Horse Center with Forest Gump 124

Over the past decade, Annie and Ariel have steadily built a string of horses including Ariel’s 5* partner, Leamore Master Plan, aka ‘Simon.’ In addition to Simon, Ariel and Annie have imported and bred several other promising young sport horses. One of the most promising is Diara, a 9-year-old Holsteiner mare, who has just reached the 4* level, winning Advanced at Carolina International and placing 5th in the CCI 4*-S at the Tryon International 3 Day Event on May 10th. Annie and Ariel are looking toward the Bromont 3-Day Event in June, where both Diara and Forrest Gump 124 will compete in the CCI4*-L.

This owner-trainer bond is based on their shared dedication and patience in producing and developing partnerships with the horses in all phases of training. For Eldridge and Grald, this means teaching each horse as an individual. 

Investing time to bring their horses’ potential to fruition has paid them dividends as Ariel was selected to represent the United States as an individual at the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro in Rome, Italy aboard Leamore Master Plan. She accompanied team members Will Coleman and his own Off The Record; Lauren Nicholson and Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus; Boyd Martin and Christine Turner’s Tsetserleg TSF; and Mai Baum owned by Tamie Smith, Alexandra and Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell.

Ariel finished an impressive 11th place individually in Italy, completing her first team competition on her dressage score of a 32.5, making her mark on the international stage. The team also earned a silver podium finish, qualifying the USA for the 2024 Olympics! 

Recently, Ariel was selected by the USEF to join the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Squad for the CHIO Aachen CCIO4*-S at CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival in Germany, from June 30 – July 1, 2023, aboard Leamore Master Plan.

Annie commented, “Ariel’s talents as a rider, trainer, and horsewoman were evident to me immediately. But it was her compassion and kindness that made her so special to me. She has become family to me, and I am so grateful for her presence at Setters' Run Farm and in my life.”

Capital Square, the presenting sponsor of Virginia Horse Center Eventing, recognizes those who are dedicated to the sport of eventing and wishes all owners and competitors the best of luck in this year’s VHC Eventing, presented by Capital Square.

Learn more about Setters’ Run Farm on their website, and on IG/FB @settersrunfarm. 

Learn more about Ariel Grald Equestrian on her website, and on IG/FB @amgequestrian.

Would you like to be featured in a future highlight? Capital Square, the Virginia Horse Center Eventing’s presenting sponsor and the tax-advantaged real estate firm Louis Rogers founded over a decade ago, will be bringing you featured interviews with top riders and owners as we approach the big event. Contact [email protected] to nominate yourself or someone else.

Capital Square is the presenting sponsor of VHC Eventing. 

Capital Square specializes in tax-advantaged real estate investments:

* Section 1031 exchanges for tax deferral on the sale of farms, ranches and investment properties,

* Opportunity Zone Funds for tax deferral and exclusion on the sale of any asset, and

* a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) for stable income and growth from investing in multifamily

communities in the Southeast through Texas.

Since 2012, Capital Square has completed more than $7.5 billion of real estate investments. Capital Square’s related entities provide a range of services, including due diligence, acquisition, loan sourcing, asset management, property management and disposition, for a growing number of investors, private equity firms, family offices and institutional investors. Capital Square has been recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the nation for six consecutive years, was listed by Virginia Business on their “Best Places to Work in Virginia” and “Fantastic 50” reports. In 2023, Capital Square was recognized by the Richmond Times-Dispatch as one of the region’s “Top Workplaces.” Look for Louis Rogers, amateur eventer as well as founder and co-CEO of Capital Square, who will be campaigning Russel, his Irish Sport Horse, throughout the region.

To learn more, visit www.CapitalSq.com.

VHC Eventing, presented by Capital Square

USEF Endorsed/USEA Recognized

T, TR, N, BN

USEF/USEA Recognized

CCI2-L, CCI3-S, CCI2-S, CCI1-L, I, P, PR, M

USEA Recognized Tests

Starter, YEH-4, YEH-5, presented by Hyperion Stud

Riders will have the opportunity to compete before a top panel of judges and technical delegates including Italian Olympian, Marina Sciocchetti, President of the 3*/1*/A-CT Ground Jury and well-known Bobby Stevenson, FEI level TD and Judge for 14 years. Both of whom will be members of the Ground Jury for the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile. 

VHC Eventing, presented by Capital Square will be hosting an Advanced Combined Training division in addition to the CCI 3*, providing riders the opportunity to prep for high performance team selection and spectators with the ability to observe talented athletes at this level of equestrian sport.

Riders will also be challenged by the nearly 100 new cross country jumps, constructed by Tyson Rementer and Levi Ryckewaert, plus the FEI jumps acquired from Red Hills International. Event organizer, Joannie Morris has secured top course designers including Jay Hambley (FEI cross country), Jon Wells (National cross country) and Michel Vaillancourt (show jumping).

For entries click here. 

For all information, click here.

Social Scene

The well-loved Brian Ross Bonfire is BACK! 

Back by popular demand, the bonfire will take place Saturday night, May 27th. All competitors are invited to this fun social event.

The VHC Eventing committee is well underway planning a special meet and greet with Marina Sciocchetti and Bobby Stevenson on Friday, May 26th. Details will be forthcoming.

Volunteers

WE WANT YOU! It takes a village to produce an event of this caliber and we are actively seeking volunteers. For volunteer information, please click here.

Sponsors and Vendors

Attention Sponsors! Attention Vendors! VHC Eventing, presented by Capital Square is produced to benefit the Virginia Horse Center Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Sponsorship and vending packages including customization are available. For more information, please contact Lisa Davis Engel at 908.310.6248.