“I love this horse, who is alert and full of quality. He wants to jump round and is reaching forward with his head and neck…. This horse has a classic front end, perfectly tight and even, and he is giving the jump plenty of air”. -George Morris commenting on Hawk in the 2010 Practical Horseman Jumping Clinic

Hawk was purchased in 1999 from an auction. Cynthia and her “slaughter pony” have enjoyed a variety of activities throughout the years. They have ridden on the beach, in the mountains and even in a parade. The pair foxhunted regularly with The Triangle Hunt while in North Carolina and competed in Hunter Paces.

They first ventured into the show ring in 2001 at the Johnston County Open Horse Show Series, competing in Walk/Trot, Go As You Please and Hunter Over Fences classes. Cynthia and Hawk completed their first Beginner Novice horse trial in 2002 and their first Preliminary Level horse trial in 2005.

Hawk and Cynthia competed in horse trials in numerous states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. They earned Performance Horse Registry Zone Training Level Silver Stirrup Horse of the Year in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and have earned countless USEA Affiliate Associaton Horse of the Year Awards.

Hawk was leased to Tami McCune, an adult amateur beginner, during Cynthia’s maternity leave in 2006. Hawk and Tami started competing in crossrails in 2007 and completed their first Beginner Novice Horse Trials in 2009. They earned the Performance Horse Registry Beginner Novice National Silver Stirrup Reserve Horse of the Year and Zone 7 Beginner Novice Silver Stirrup Horse of the Year in 2010.

In May 2010, Hawk joined forces with Michaela Joines, a member of Shoal Creek Pony Club. In 2011, the pair placed 2nd at the United States Pony Club National Championships at Beginner Novice. They earned the Performance Horse Registry Zone 7 Beginner Novice Silver Stirrup Horse of the Year in 2011 and were 3rd Nationally in the PHR Silver Stirrup Rankings.

Mister Hawk’s next student was Sherah Kelly. Sherah is a dressage afficianado who was just learning to jump. They earned Groundpole and Crossrail Championships at their only jumping competition. Unfortunately, real life and real health interfered with Sherah’s riding goals and the partnership ended more abruptly than anticipated. Sherah was heartbroken to have to let him go, but was happy that he could move on to teach another young jumper.

Enter Lawson, a pony clubber who had outgrown her first pony. Hawk was thrilled to have his “own little girl” and gallop merrily around cross-country again. Hawk and Lawson joined forces in the fall of 2014. They earned a berth to the USEA American Eventing Championships at Beginner Novice in 2015 after placing 5th at Mill Creek Pony Club Horse Trials and 2nd at Hunter Oaks Horse Trials that season. They completed their inaugural eventing season with a 4th place finish in Novice at Heritage Park Horse Trials. The 2016 competition continued their success at the Novice level with 4th place finishes at Texas Rose Horse Trials and Mill Creek Pony Club Horse Trials.

Lawson passed the reins to Eliza Spertus in February 2017. Hawk introduced this young lady to the Starter Novice of eventing before returning to Stone Ridge in October.

Tessa Bethea and Hawk competed at Beginner Novice. They earned victories at the December and February Classic Trailer Horse Trials and brought home the Beginner Novice Classic Trailer Winter Series Championship in 2018.

Hawk continued his educational career by joining Avalon Farm near St. Louis in October 2018 where he taught many students at the introductory level of eventing. He returned to Stone Ridge in July 2019 for full retirement. Hawk settled in at Kelly Layman’s as a first introduction to horse care and became a favorite of the granddaughters for a year. He retired to Stone Ridge again in the winter of 2022.