Stacey McCarthy struck like many girls by the horse-craze when still in preschool, Stacey obtained her first horse at age 13 by saving up money from her paper route and working as a stable hand after school. She rode successfully at amateur hunter shows throughout her teens before changing gears for several years to combined training, where she first became interested in dressage. A small series of supremely untalented and half-crazed horses kept Stacey's progress in dressage to a slow crawl until 1998, when she purchased her TB gelding Hapsburg. A successful ex-racehorse, clown-about-barn, and general pest. Hapsburg has been trained and shown by Stacey through 2nd level and is currently being ridden by Stacey’s husband, Paul.
Stacey has been a student of Christine’s since 2000 andChristine has trained and shown Lyra very successfully from Second Level through Grand Prix in just 5 years, winning many championships and awards along the way, including a trip to the U.S. I-1 Championships in Gladstone, NJ in June 2006. Stacey also showed Lyra successfully at 3rd Level during 2006, winning the CDS Reserve Championship for Third Level AA; 2006 Reserve Champion USDF Region 7 Third Level Adult Amateur Challenge Award; 2006 Champion USDF Holsteiner All Breed Award, Third Level, for both Open and Amateur divisions; 2006 Champion, Third Level, American Holsteiner Horse Association; and placed 5th overall in the USDF Horse of the Year standings for Third Level AA. Stacey also earned her bronze medal in 2006, and is planning to show Lyra at 4th Level in 2008.Stacey lives in San Francisco with her husband Paul and their tabby, Sabre Cat.
