Mary-Haskins Gurganus 
As a Young Rider, she made a name for herself as Mary Haskins Gray, but now happily married and the mother of two toddlers, she is making a name for herself all over again as professional dressage rider and trainer Mary-Haskins Gurganus. The hyphenated first name is “a Southern thing” explains the Greensboro, North Carolina, native, noting, “Everyone calls me ‘MH’.”
Mary-Haskins achieved remarkable success as a Young Rider aboard Fregat, earning the National Championship at the 2002 and 2003 Dressage Festival of Champions at Gladstone, New Jersey, the Individual Gold and Team Silver at the 2003 North American Young Rider Championships in Quebec, Canada, and third place at the 2003 Waldfried Euro Cup Final in Frankfurt, Germany. Moving to the small tour in 2004, she simultaneously attended North Carolina State University. In 2006, she graduated with a B.S. degree in Education, married Scott Gurganus, and became a mother to son Banks. Mary-Haskins and Fregat were nationally ranked for the 2007 Brentina Cup and Intermediaire II National Championships before the talented pair retired from competition together. In 2008, Mary-Haskins trained horses for Ellendale Farm and welcomed daughter Liles to the family.
Honey Locust Farm owned by Lucile Broadley of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, became Mary-Haskins’ sponsor in May 2009, giving her the ride on breeding stallions Richmond HL and Wilmington HL. She debuted her new mounts in the show ring during the summer, winning every class with Wilmington. In June, she and Richmond were selected to ride in the Robert Dover World Tour Symposium in Cincinnati, Ohio, and to compete at Dressage at Devon in Pennsylvania. Mary-Haskins is currently preparing Richmond for the 2010 Markel/USEF Young Horse Selection Trials and FEI World Breeding Championships and Wilmington for the 2010 Markel/USEF Developing Horse Championships.
Mary-Haskins is based out of Jasmine Meadows Equestrian Center owned by Christy Andrews in Vanceboro, North Carolina. She offers her expertise for training, showing, clinics, and sales, and pinpoints her specialty as riding. “I have a good feel for horses, for the way they move,” she explains. “I enjoy the friendship and trust I develop with the horses. What motivates me is watching those relationships grow. The understanding that develops between the horse and I allows me to progress each day. We have fun, we ride, we dance!”
A dressage competitor since age seven, 27-year-old Mary-Haskins Gurganus has two decades of experience in the sport and has accumulated an extensive list of achievements including winning championships from Training Level through Intermediaire I at the USDF Regional Championships aboard numerous mounts. She’s earned the USDF Silver Freestyle Bar, the USDF Bronze and Silver Medals, and is working on two scores for her Gold. “I am a good show ring rider because when it comes time to ride I’m all business,” she avers. “I can make it happen in the show ring. That is one of my strengths.” Her goal is to continue to represent the U.S. in international competition.
Address: 106 Oyster Point, Oriental, North Carolina 28571
Phone: 919-306-9617
Email:
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Website: maryhaskinsdressage.com
Married: In 2006 to Scott Gurganus
Children: Banks, son, age 3; Liles, daughter, age 1
Birthday: September 26, 1982
Profession: Mother, wife, rider and trainer
Discipline: Dressage
Country: United States
Photo: The Gurganus family - Mary Haskins, Liles, Scott and Banks - Photo credit - Dianne Jayne
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