Meet the Team
MARY ORR
There is no one more passionate about all things High Caliber than Mary. The farm name, High Caliber, in fact is the name of Mary’s first show horse that passed the very day Mary and Evan were married. Evan promised Mary that when the time came for them to head out on their own, they could name the farm in loving memory of High Caliber. This farm is so much more than a job for her, it is a calling. She expects nothing but the best from herself, her employees, her horses and her riders. The success in the ring is a result of her relentless desire to set goals for the horse/rider teams that require as much in personal development in life as much as on a horses back. “Winning” as far as Mary is concerned as much the process that develops the horse and rider as it is in “blue ribbon” the show ring.
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Mary was a 2001 graduate of WWU and holds a masters in Education. She is American Riding Instructors certified and a USEF Certified Judge.
EVAN ORR
Even tempered, patient and kind, Evan is the back bone of High Caliber Stables. From breaking colts and caring for horses to fixing stalls and mowing pastures, there is no job that he can't do on the farm. He is as happy teaching a young horse to lead as he is helping a rider understand a new concept with a full bridle. Before opening High Caliber with Mary, Evan apprenticed for a number of training/breeding/ instruction facilities, including Bob Brison, Martin Teater, Peter and Kim Cowart, Tom Bombolis, and Cash Lovell following his graduation from William Woods in 2001 as the first male student accepted into the school.
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Evan is an advocate for the future of the Saddlebred industry, serving on many boards including being the 2015-2016 ASAC President and 2017 ASHA Board Member.
Meredith Ross
Way before Meredith joined the High Caliber team in 2012, she knew that she wanted to be a part of Mary and Evan's stables. Having worked for Avalon Stables and Five Gait Stables in the past, Meredith takes great pride in being an assistant trainer as well as the head of the riding program. She is an American Riding Instructors Association certified instructor and bring a level of energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to our team and our programs.
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Lauren BLUE
A graduate from William Woods University in 1996, Lauren spent 15 years in the veterinarian field before making her return to the equine industry by joining High Caliber in 2011. Lauren is the creative communicator of High Caliber, keeping our Facebook Page current and our customers up to date. She is American Riding Instructors Association certified and also plays a key role in maintaining our lesson program, especially keeping our lesson horses in top shape.
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Christine Thomas
Abby Peterson
What started as an internship with High Caliber over the summer of 2018 has led to a full time position here at the farm. Abby knew that she wanted to work for Mary and Evan after that summer, so after graduating from William Woods University in the spring of 2019, she packed up her things and headed straight for Greensboro. She thrives off the good kind of crazy that is High Caliber and has been a wonderful asset to our riding program as well as our performance horse team.