COVER STORY: Meet Lindsay

By Winkie Motley

When you hear the name Lindsay Maxwell often the first thought that comes to mind is that she is a successful amateur owner hunter rider. She has ridden many wonderful mounts to earn accolades at indoors, the Winter Equestrian Festival, and Devon. One of her current horses is the superstar, Technicolor. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Maxwell grew up riding. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. While humble about her accolades, her success wasn’t built in one day. The lessons and foundations used for riding have been taught and instilled in her mind since she was little along with the importance of family foundations. The Maxwell family supports philanthropic efforts and believe in paying it forward, which is part of the reason why Lindsay was able to blend her two passions into The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund which was established last year.

“The Fund formalizes the values that have been ingrained in me by my family to seek opportunities to make a meaningful impact in our communities,” said Ms. Maxwell. “My family has long been committed to philanthropy and my parents and grandparents alike have set a strong precedent and have been wonderful examples for me.”

Prior to starting the Fund, Ms. Maxwell received her undergraduate degree from Sewanee University as well as receiving her graduate degree from Georgetown University. She took a hiatus from riding to go to school and work in entertainment and real estate. A couple of years ago she began to yearn to be back in the saddle and back with the equestrian community.

“While I missed my horses, I mostly missed the community and the people,” said Ms. Maxwell. “There is a rare esprit de corps and conviviality found at the barn that is hard to replicate in other aspects of life. As much as I missed riding, I missed the camaraderie of my fellow riders and competitors even more.”

The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund was founded in order to assist organizations that promote causes that are significant to Lindsay and reflect her personal priorities and values: improving the lives of children with special needs, enabling access to educational opportunities and providing care, compassion, and protection to animals.

Currently, The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund is the presenter for the 113th Annual Keswick Horse Show, which will be held at the historic Keswick Showgrounds from Tuesday, May 16th through Sunday, May 21st, 2017. The Keswick Horse Show is a USEF Heritage Competition that began in 1904 and has been running every year at The Keswick Hunt Club. Keswick is the second oldest horse show in the country. Since inception, The Keswick Horse Show has benefitted different charities including Habitat for Humanity, Charlottesville Senior Center, The Boys and Girls Club, SPCA and UVA Children’s Hospital. Over the past 20 years, the horse show has raised close to half a million dollars for its various charities and has attracted some of the most famous horses, trophies, exhibitors and trainers to walk the showgrounds.

While there is a personal tie to the horse show, Ms. Maxwell chose to assist the horse show because of its rich history, community and the charities supported. The Keswick Horse Show benefits the UVA Children’s Hospital. Ms. Maxwell chose to be the presenter at Keswick because it cultivates meaningful relationships with local charities.

“My initial exposure to the Keswick Horse show was last year with my trainer, Archie Cox,” explained Ms. Maxwell. “He spoke very highly of the show. When I found out that the beneficiary of the show was the UVA Children’s Hospital, the stars perfectly aligned in terms of a great ‘fit’ for the Fund. I hope as a community we continue to value the classic shows where so many of us first gained experience and exposure in our sport.”

Family and community are both paramount concepts to Ms. Maxwell. The equestrian community is one that she considers family. It is important to recognize how charity horse shows transcend the sport and serve the greater community. They are ore than just equestrian events. These horse shows are celebrations of civic spirit and demonstrate the connected fabric of community.

“It is important to recognize that we, the current riders, are beneficiaries of so many people’s love, labor and investments,” said Ms. Maxwell. “From our families, to our trainers, grooms, show managers and jump crews, there are so many people who work incredible hard to provide us with this special opportunity. Even more, we should be mindful of the people who came before us who helped create the sows that we are able to enjoy. This is one of the many reasons as to why I am interested in the USEF Heritage Competitions. It is a way to honor those who came before us and recognize their tremendous contributions to our sport.” “Supporting the horse show is supporting your community and Keswick does this as well as anywhere,” said Ms. Maxwell. “One of the great nights on the national horse show circuit is derby night in Keswick. ‘Horse people’ and ‘non-horse people’ turn out in full force, tailgates line the ring and everyone is there to celebrate the community. It’s a very special event, and one that I hope everyone has the chance to experience.”

Through the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, Ms. Maxwell’s mission is to give back to the industry that gave her and countless other riders the opportunity to pursue their passion for horses.

The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund will ensure that the next generation of young riders will have horse show experiences, similar to hers, that define their childhood. Lindsay stresses the significance of being mindful and taking in all of the moments, appreciating your competitors and honoring those who enable your opportunities.

“We focus a lot on show day successes,” said Ms. Maxwell. “As I look back on my riding career, some of my favorite moments were spent at the barn or on a trail ride. It is very important to be aware of these times because they are every bit as precious as the championships.”

Ms. Maxwell advises young riders to recognize that while winning the blue ribbon at a horse show is an incredible feeling, the moment fades well before the memories. You must be able to celebrate the success of your fellow riders, as sportsmanship is vital to the sustained success and vitality of the sport. You can be fierce competitors in the ring but great friends watching from outside the rail.

“I treasure the memories of showing at charity horse shows and feel obligated as a member of the equestrian community to assure that the same experiences and memories that helped define my childhood would be available to future riders,” recounted Ms. Maxwell.

Ms. Maxwell’s ultimate goal for The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund is to extend the same access and opportunities that benefitted her as a rider to as many people as possible.