ABOUT US
AMANDA WISE
Amanda grew up on Candlewood Isle (on Candlewood Lake) in Connecticut and was drawn to animals and horses from the very beginning. Riding lessons started at the age of 4, and she quickly took to the “barn rat” life style.
As a junior rider she showed in the children's hunters, junior hunters, children’s jumpers, equitation and USET classes.
As a professional she continues to show in the National and International hunter derbies as well as the jumper’s successfully through the National Grand Prix level. Amanda has continuously qualified herself for the WCHR finals and has had many top finishes in the region.
TOPHER LAMOND
Topher grew up in Fairfield Connecticut with horses at home and riding at the historic Fairfield Hunt Club in Westport, Connecticut. As a child he rode ponies with the legendary Emerson Burr, as a junior he rode at Kent School and was introduced to jumpers, riding on the Prix de Ville of North America team for the school.
Later as a young professional he managed Kent Hollow Farm in New Milford, Connecticut before working for Fairfield Hunt Club. Topher worked for private stables on both the East and West coast attending top horse shows Nationally and Internationally before taking a break from the horse world. After spending 10 years in construction and building he found his way back to the horse world and has literally and figuratively built Pennyless Farm to what it is today. Topher also (secretly) really enjoys teaching and is incredibly patient with horse and rider.
Our farm includes 20 acres just minutes from downtown Aiken in beautiful Wagener, SC. Each stall is fully matted, with a fan and fly system throughout the whole stable area.
We thoughtfully limit the amount of horses to only 14. We have found it’s the most realistic amount to be able to focus on each one individually, and provide the quality training we are known for.
We very much believe in therapies and treating each horse as an individual athlete regardless of the level of the career they have. Our facility owns a magnawave, an UltraOz, a cold laser, and SportsInnovation PEMF blanket & equipment. We currently have 4 large grass pastures, as well as 3 smaller sand/ all weather paddocks, and a Eurocizer horse walker. In addition, we do plan to add more pastures later this year.
We have a 200 x 325 fully irrigated and regularly aerated grass riding field with a bank and water jump, as well as many natural obstacles. We also ride in a 80 x 160 sand ring that is maintained daily also with irrigation and lights.
THE FACILITY
DEDICATED TO COLLIN
Collin was Amanda’s first Grand Prix horse, and is the reason Pennyless Farm came to be. She and Amanda showed successfully until the mare was 18 years old. Collin inspired Amanda to open a facility in South Carolina, where she could provide the best care possible, and eventually retire her on her own farm. Collin is also the reason that Amanda began her own breeding program.
This special mare finished her days happily teaching kids to ride, and enjoyed her well deserved retirement until her recent passing.
“The chapters of our lives we spent together have so much in them. I had no idea the day I met you the impact you would have in my life. Day 1, “Finesse” the large bay mare with huge ears who jumped out of paddocks and drove the staff crazy. Zero expectations of our future, the first time I tried to jump you and would land on my feet on the other side no longer on you . Never in my wildest dreams did I think our story would evolve the way it did. I had no expectations. All I can summarize is I believed in you so much and in the end you taught me to just believe in myself. It absolutely would have been easier for you, if you just read the class specs, course diagrams, etc., but you were a master problem solver. There will never be another you in my life. Thank you for the fairy tale, I love you more than words can express and so much credit to you for the path you put me on. Ich liebe dich.”
