Motlow Creek Equestrian Center

Lincoln Russell

Lincoln Russell is a fourth generation horseman from a family immersed in every aspect of the horse world: show jumping & hunters, foxhunting and racehorses. As a Junior rider, Lincoln was competitive in both hunter and equitation rings. He began riding in the Grand Prix when he was seventeen. As a professional, Lincoln has been awarded the NCHJA Sportsman of the Year, represented the U.S. in International competition (Peru, Venezuela and Europe), qualified numerous Show Hunters for Year-End recognition Nationally and Regionally as well as coaching many winning riders in the Jr/Am Jumper and Junior Hunters at The Washington International Horse Show, Pennsylvania National Horse Show and Devon.

Lincoln currently resides at Lone Oak Farm in Green Creek, North Carolina with his wife, Suzanne, and his two boys, Jake and Allister. He trains horses and riders at Motlow Creek Equestrian Center in Campobello, SC. and is currently the head coach for the Converse College Equestrian Team.

Suzanne Williams Russell

As a junior rider, Suzanne trained and competed first with Jane Marshall Dillon (Junior Equitation School and recently honored USHJA Jane Marshall Dillon Award), Irene Reed, Sharon Huber (Stoneridge Farm, Great Falls, Va.) and later with Pam Baker.

During her years at Radford University, Suzanne was a member of RadTech a non profit committee that funded the IHSA teams at Radford Univeristy and Virginia Tech. She was Assistant Team Manager and subsequently Team Manager before leaving Radford for Wellington Fla. to work for Vick Russell and Ly-Nard Hills Farm. She returned to school at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla. where she majored in Communication.

During the next ten years Suzanne continued to work for the family horse business and compete as an amateur rider. Suzanne sat on the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Horse Show committee (2007). In 2004 Suzanne founded Appointments, the Style of Life in the Carolina Foothills, a monthly equestrian news magazine circulated in the Tryon NC and Landrum SC area. Six years later she sold her publication to the local daily newspaper,The Tryon Daily Bulletin . In 2006 and 2007 Suzanne developed and managed the First and Second Annual Foothills Jumper Classic at Harmon Field. Suzanne now professionally rides and trains horses along side her husband Lincoln at Motow Creek Equestrian Center. She is currently on the Blue Ridge Hunter and Jumper Association Board of Directors.

Crystal Bohnen

Crystal Bohnen has been a trainer at Motlow Creek since September 2008. She specializes in hunter/jumper and also has a background in Dressage. She teaches and trains all level rider and horses. She attends local through "A" rated shows with students. She is also the assistant coach of the Converse College Equestrian Team. In addition, she is the manager of Motlow Creek. Crystal will also be serving as the head coach of the newly formed IEA team.

Crystal graduated with a degree in Equine Studies from Virginia Intermont College. She rode for the IHSA as well as the IDA (Intercollegiate Dressage Association) and worked for several different trainers while in school. Upon graduation, Crystal moved to Flowood, Mississippi where she became the head trainer and barn manager at Serenity Acres a hunter/jumper facility. Her students and horses successfully competed on the local through "A" rated circuit.

Katie Barnette-Whisenant

Katie is originally from Greenwood, South Carolina. She started riding when she was five years old and progressed to showing in Equitation and Hunter classes at local "B" and "C" rated horse shows around South Carolina. When Katie turned 12, she began riding with Gerald and Betsy Pack (Stoney Knoll Farms, Columbus, NC) where her riding progressed to an advanced level with their expert training techniques. During her years with the Packs, Katie enjoyed foxhunting and competed successfully at "A" rated horse shows throughout the east coast in the hunter, jumper and equitation divisions.

Katie attended Sweet Briar College in Virginia and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Economics. She earned a spot on several of their highly competitive equestrian teams coached by Paul Cronin, Shelby French, Mimi Wroten, Troy Hendricks: 2004 Reserve Champion ANRC (American National Riding Commission) Team, Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and SBC Hunter Show Team competing at NC and Va. area "A" horse shows. After working in the advertising industry for two and a half years, Katie returned to horses. Riding and competing show hunters and jumpers is her passion and being able to pass on her knowledge of horsemanship and fundamental riding techniques as an instructor and trainer is a true calling for Katie.

Carolyn West

Carolyn grew up in Pennsylvania with a Pony Club background. She competed up the levels winning the team gold medal at the National Rally for C2 in Omaha, Nebraska and graduated A. Carolyn was also very involved with foxhunting, a member of Pickering Hunt. Carolyn worked in Mexico with Conchita Cintron, classical dressage rider and horseback bullfighter. This is where she became totally infatuated with the Spanish horse and the ease in which they perform advanced dressage. Carolyn was then hired by Sugarman Ranch in Ca. to work their Andalusians. With the direction of Hilda Gurney, Carolyn and Sugarman Ranch's Admirado competed sucessfully at Grand Prix.

In the following years, Carolyn had many competitive success with her own riding and her students. She was USDF First Level Horse of the Year with the Hanoverian stallion Armin and also competed Guilio to CDS Intermediate 1 Horse of the Year. She prepared student Alisa Hodge to qualify for the California Young Rider Team. The team won the gold medal and the next year Alisa won the individual silver. The next year Carolyn's student Nick Wagman won another California Young Rider Team Gold. Over the past twenty years, Carolyn has taught students from training level through Grand Prix as well as competing their horses up the levels with Dressage Extentions. Presently, Carolyn is training and teaching at Motlow Creek. She has received her L certification from the USDF Judges Program. Carolyn welcomes students and horses for part training or full training at all levels (trailer-ins are welcome).