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A Holiday Wonderland In Texas >> Tim and Colleen McQuay have more than 200 reining and hunter horses at their McQuay Stables in Tioga, Texas, so during the holidays, they don't venture far from home. "Our tradition is to be a gathering place for family and extended family and everyone that doesn't have family or doesn't go home for holidays," says Colleen. "Often we have people from Europe living with us—they come to work and ride with us, full time, some Winter weather as interns, some on student visas—so may be rare at Tim we try to mix in their holiday traditions, and Colleen as well. One year, we had a Thanksgiv- McQuay's hunter and ing holiday, and we said grace in five reining horse or six different languages." farm in Tioga, Texas, but Colleen follows the example her they and their mother set, cooking for everyone in the staff still get into the spirit neighborhood, and now the McQuays every year, do lots of meals, lots of baking, and a decorating each barn on series of gift-opening sessions based the property with a different on who is around. theme. "The girls in the office decorate the office and the barns, and our leading horses get their special ribbons or holly," Colleen says. "They're definitely on the extra-treat calendar during that time." The McQuays' farm also includes several homes for members of their staff, and the McQuays' own grandchildren live there, as well, so it's still all about the fantasy of Christmas. "All the barns each have their own little themes. The staff really takes hold of the decorating," says Colleen. "We come home from the reining futurities and go straight to the [U.S. Hunter Jumper Association] convention. By the time I get back, I'm very lucky because my house and farm are decorated. My staff and my friends get quite involved in it. "We have trees everywhere, and holly and lights. Sometimes we even get a little bit of snow," she continued. "But coming from Minnesota and spending a lot of years in snow, I'm OK with not having a lot of it. It's OK not having to shovel on Christmas!" >> 4 "I had to get a refrigerator bag and bring my own turkey to France every year! The French couldn't believe a turkey could weigh 20 pounds." —Katie Prudent 4 New Year's And St. Pat's, Too For the members of the Palm Beach Hounds (Fla.), the holidays are all just an added impetus to celebrate even more than they do during the rest of the season. "We always have a Boxing Day hunt, and in the tradition of hunting, we 'box' our thanks and gratitude for our huntsman and present him with a gift after that morning's hunt," explains whipper-in Elizabeth Howard. "Our Opening Meet is held around New Year's, and our hunt always celebrates with a big bang! Our master, Robert Pelio, hosts a huge gala at his home after the meet, and all friends, guests and members of the hunt are invited to eat, drink and be merry." The hunt also hosts a St. Patrick's Day ride, as their huntsman, Noel Ryan, is Irish. "We celebrate in style with Guinness, corned beef and cabbage, cabbage rolls, and Irish stew, all served piping hot in the hunt field," she says. >> C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M W INTER 2013 61

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