In December of 2024, our assistant farm manager, Beth Sickler, graduated summa cum laude from Midway University. In August of 2022, while still working fulltime, she enrolled as a full-time student in Midway's new, fully online Bachelor of Science degree in Equine Business and Sales. Her coursework included classes such as Public Relations, Digital and social media, Marketing, Equine Healthcare Management, Accounting, Equine Reproduction, Bloodstock Investment, Equine Law, and Internal and External Brand Communication.
"I wouldn't have been able to achieve this if it wasn't for the support of Bob and Bonnie. They are like family to me. Enrolling in this program and earning this degree just made sense to me...it helped solidify my twenty plus years of horse experience." - Beth Sickler
At the age of 11, Beth and her twin sister began working at a Hunter Jumper barn in exchange for riding lessons. In the wintertime, they would take care of the barn and horses when the farm owner/instructor and some students went to Florida for horse shows. Beth held this job for ten years and largely contributes where she is today to her riding instructor who trusted her in looking after the farm and who took the time to teach, guide, and support her in establishing a career with horses.
In 2012, Beth began college at the North American Racing Academy and the Bluegrass Community and Technical College where she earned an associate's degree in applied science in Equine Studies. For almost two years, she learned to gallop racehorses, worked at the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park (taking care of horses like Cigar, Go For Gin, Funny Cide, Da Hoss, Staying Together, Western Dreamer, Be a Bono, Mr. Muscleman, and Won the West), and she also worked at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for Hunter Valley Farm, the Keeneland September Yearling Sale for Eaton Sales, and the Fasig Tipton October Kentucky Sale for Timber Town Stable.
Following a starting gate accident in June of 2013 that sidelined her for five months, her focus shifted from working on the racetrack to working on the farms. After graduation in 2014, she returned home to New York where she began working at Dutchess Views Farm in Pine Plains as an administrative assistant and stable hand. There she started out working in the office and learned the business side of breeding farms and assisted with managing stallions like Big Brown and Bellamy Road. On top of her office work, she also began working alongside the then farm manager, Jaime Martin who taught her everything from vaccines and medications, herd health, working with the foals, reproduction, sales prep, foaling, breeding and live covers, and handling stallions.
In February of 2016, she left Dutchess Views Farm and went to work as an Assistant Farm Manager at Majestic View Farms Intl. In August of 2016, Jaime Martin joined her at Majestic View Farms as the Farm Manager. Here she does everything from the office to the barn...invoicing, inventory, advertising and marketing, helping with live covers and inseminations, administering medications, basic farm work, assisting with breeding and reproduction work, record keeping, sales prep, registrations, transportation, foaling, and so much more! As of 2024, she has foaled over 250 mares and says that working with the babies is one of her favorite things to do.
"I would not be where I am today without all of the people along the way that took the time to teach me, answer my endless questions, and those who gave me an opportunity. I started at the bottom in this industry and worked my way up and for me the best thing I did was take advantage of every opportunity that came my way and always asked questions. That provided me with a well-rounded education and experience. Always be open to learn and never think that you are better than someone else because the day you think you know everything is the day you should find something else to do." - Beth Sickler
Besides working as an assistant farm manager, Beth also has her own LLC called Will to My Heart Racing for breeding, racing, and sales, and also helps sell stallion seasons in five stallions.
She also does work for two non-profit organizations and donates to charities like the Wounded Warrior Project and the Horse Racing Women's Summit. She also enjoys spending time with her horse, Mr. Will, photography, and graphic design.
Beth would like to thank the following people for believing in her, taking the time to teach her, and for helping her be the person she is today: her parents, Bob and Bonnie Roth, Jaime Martin, Frankie Lovato Jr., Julie Krone, Chris McCarron, Dixie Kendall, Elaine Lowin, Dr. Gerard Nadal, Francois Parisel, Raymond DeStefano, Dr. Scott Ahlschwede, Dr. Jake Kiefer, Dr. Jared Voge, Lalo Amezquita, Remi Bellocq, Skip Dickstein, Laura Sickler, and Darci Doan.
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