Willow Bend South   

 Willow Bend Farm was established in 1969 in upstate New York, nestled in the Catskill Mountains near Woodstock.   Frank L. Beiter and his daughter, Mary Jane bred, trained and showed Morgan Horses.  After winning local and regional Grand Championships at numerous shows, Mary Jane received additional schooling in England at Porlock Vale Equestrian Centre near Exmoor, Somerset, where she was trained to become a Riding Instructor in dressage and jumping.  When she returned to New York in 1973, the focus of Willow Bend Farm changed, and it became the Willow Bend School of Horsemanship.  Over the next decade, the school grew to include 20 Boarders and 10 school horses.  Willow Bend also held Horse Competions and Summer Riding Camps which were attended by 75 to 100 students. In addition to this busy schedule, Mary Jane trained horses to become successful in the show arena.

Bill Benson has been a farrier since 1974, when he graduated from Oklahoma Farrier College.  He has a number of clients in New York he visits periodically, as well as a large clientele in Florida.

Bill and Mary Jane were married in 1976 and were busy at the New York location until they decided to relocate to the warmer climate in 1991 to Cottondale, Florida.

Their current location is a little off the beaten path in Northwest Florida.  It is within convenient driving distace from Interstate 10, and is midway between Panama City and Tallahassee, Florida, and Dothan,  Alabama.

 

Willow Bend South consists of 50 hilly acres with a cross country course, three riding arenas, one of which is covered--a great advantage in the area where it can be hot or rainy in the summer time.

 

 call 850-638-8352 or E-Mail us for more information!

Bill and Mary Jane Benson     1856 Porter Road,     Cottondale, FL 32431