December 2017

Jack W. Stedding, Sr., one of Maryland and the United States’ top hunter professionals from the 1960s until the mid-2000s, who passed away on October 23, 2017, at age 75. He is survived by longtime companion, Linda Andrisani, also son Jack W. Stedding, Jr., and Jack’s wife Josee.

Born on March 31, 1942, Jack learned to ride at his uncle’s hack stable near Baltimore, “by getting dumped and bucked off.” He began showing at age 7 and by his mid-teens, decided that horses were what he wanted to do for a living. His first professional stable was based at Ruth Yeager’s Mayfair Farm in Timonium. Stedding campaigned Yeager’s young Thoroughbred horses throughout the MidAtlantic and in Florida, establishing a reputation for himself as one of the country’s most up and coming trainers on the hunter circuit.

With then wife Bobbie (Gardner), and Andrisani, both hunter/jumper trainers, Jabolin Farm was established in the late 1960s. In 1980, Stedding and Andrisani founded Monkton Manor Farm, where for over 25 years, they continued to cultivate young riders and horses into some of the nation’s most successful partnerships.

Top professionals such as Tommy Serio, Sandy Ferrell, Albert Urbina, R. Scot Evans, Nancy Ashway, Streett Moore, Elizabeth Solter, Jennifer Marshall and Mary Lisa Nicholson are all products of Stedding’s training and guidance, and continue to pass his wisdom and work ethic onto their students.

Amateur and junior riders Lindsay Evans, Patti Schindler, Patricia Gowl, Linda Lee Piersol, Kim Wirtanen, Brooks Moore, Gay and Perry Peterson, Diane and Amanda Burt, and Mark Ferrell all became top national contenders during their time as part of the Monkton Manor team.

Some of the most successful hunter horses and ponies ever to enter the show ring got their foundation with Jack, who was well-known for being able to see talent in the greenest prospect and  bring out the most and best in every horse. Names like Ruxton, Chardonnay, Custom Made, Shenandoah Opal, Ivory Coast, Cruisin’ the Coast, Hollywood, TriStar and Jack the Bear brought many a tricolor home to the Mayfair, Jabolin, and Monkton Manor tack rooms.

A memorial luncheon for Jack Stedding was held on Sunday, November 26 at Bruce and Patti Schindler’s Bay Landing Farm in Butler.