Rob, 44, a cardiologist, represented Canada aboard Risky Business at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics; his wife, Suzanne, is a chartered accountant. “It’s a nice mix,” laughs Rob. “She’s the realist and I’m the dreamer; she keeps us within budget, usually.” Married ten years, they have two young children, Grace, 5, and Robbie, 3.
The pair grew up riding horses; Suzanne and her two sisters showed predominantly in the hunters, while Rob is a third-generation horse enthusiast who progressed from the Pony Club ranks to eventing. Suzanne was introduced to eventing by Rob. “At the time, I thought eventing was crazy,” she remembers. “With my first clinic I was completely hooked; I discovered there’s a method to the madness and the horses really love it. The atmosphere in eventing has so much camaraderie and everyone is really vying for each other. Eventing is very humbling, and it’s not always your day. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
The Stevensons are actively involved in the development of eventing in New Brunswick. Suzanne serves on the board as treasurer of Horse Trials New Brunswick, and they play a large role in the Long-Term Equestrian Development Program, a comprehensive program of coaching students with competitive aspirations. Their business comprises two operations: Foshay Farms, the original Stevenson homestead in Lower Jemseg that has been in the family for 50 years; and Foshay South, their “winter” facility in Lakeside, NB, opened in the fall of 2012. (The latter property was formerly the Gallaway Ridge Training Centre, operated by Equine Canada president Mike Gallagher.) Both facilities provide up-and-coming and established eventers opportunities to further their education without having to travel out of province.
After taking time off from hosting events to raise their children, the Stevensons recognized that participation in horse sport within New Brunswick had dissipated somewhat. “Rob and I would like to help provide some of the experiences for young riders that we both enjoyed growing up with horses,” explains Suzanne. The acquisition of Foshay South offers riders of all disciplines and abilities a venue to hone their skills, in turn revitalizing the industry. “We recognized that in order to contribute to the sport, we would need to host all types of shows: hunter/jumper, dressage, combined tests, and eventually events,” explains Rob. “The facility would make it possible to host shows, it was close enough to Saint John for me to get to work, and it had an existing indoor [arena]. It is our way to forge a sustainable involvement in horses, and a way by which we can contribute to the development of the sport.” With limited cross-country facilities at the moment, the Stevensons hope to build towards hosting events in the coming years.
Suzanne and Rob seamlessly balance the demands of busy professional lives with operating two thriving equestrian facilities. Suzanne applies her accounting skills to the business and Rob is close enough to the hospital to ride before work in the mornings. ‘I like to think of it more as an “engaged” life rather than a “busy’ life,” says Rob. “We really like the lives that we live, the daily routine, and the time together. Suzanne really brings a business sense to the business – the last thing you want is a physician making business decisions! I am able to contribute with experience and I have a sense for the standard that we need to maintain on a daily basis. We spend time in the evening discussing the horse business; fortunately, our children keep us from talking horses at the dinner table.”
Rob believes 2013 will be a fairly low-key competitive year for the team. His horse, Klassiker C, is returning to competition after an injury and will be aimed towards a CCI* in the fall. Suzanne is looking forward to her first full season at prelim on a new horse, Raleigh, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred. They look at events as something of a family holiday. “I think it makes for a great alignment of purpose and pleasure,” says Rob. “We know how we want to feel in our lives, and things just aren’t right without the horses.”
