Adrian Rolls, Assistant Trainer

Adrian was born May 10th, 1965 in Oxford, England. His family still live in Wantage, which is a small town within a huge racing community set beneath the rolling downs of Berkshire and Oxfordshire. It is the home of some of the top racehorses in the country.

Adrian started working with racehorses at age 11. At 16 he started full-time with John Dunlop and attended the Jockey Apprentice School at Goodwood. From there he moved back to Wantage and worked for Captain Forster; where Adrian looked after 1985 Grand National winner, Last Suspect. It was here that he first met Graham who had traveled from America with a horse for Jonathan Sheppard.

They met again when Adrian moved to the United States in 1989 to work and ride races for Jonathan Sheppard, and later worked for Graham when he was assistant to Bernie Bond. When Bernie retired, Graham took out his license and Adrian stayed to become Graham’s assistant and right-hand man.

David Rock, Assistant Trainer

David was born 1967 in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. 
He rode out for his uncle, William Rock from the age of 12. He did an apprenticeship as a carpenter, rode as an amateur over jumps and was instrumental in teaching Tony McCoy to ride. Tony McCoy went on to be champion jockey in England. 

He arrived in Canada in 1988 to manage a barn for Mike Doyle, and then went on to be Assistant to Roger Attfield. He has worked for Graham on and off since 1993.

Sue Kenny (Bilborough), Office Manager

Sue was brought up in the town of Newmarket, England, the horse-racing capital of the world.

After riding in small events and show-jumping as a child she progressed into racehorses at the age of 16 when she started riding out for Harry Thompson-Jones when he had his good steeplechasers, including Tingle Creek and Sweet Joe. 

Most of her career has been spent in flat racing, where she had a few amateur rides. Before she came to the States in 1992 she worked for the great Major W. R. Hern during the years with Nashwan, Unfuwain, Prince of Dance, Dayjur, Roseate Tern and Drumtaps. She also looked after a horse for the Queen. 

Arriving in the United States she worked for Jonathan Sheppard for a couple of years before travelling the country, working in Kentucky and Montana before ending back in Maryland in 1997. Sue started working for Graham in September 2002.

Victor and Sandra Groom, Hot Walker

Victor and Sandra have been with us since 2002. They are married and have three children who all live on a farm in Mexico. Victor has a brother living in South Carolina and his sisters live in New York. He has been in the Sates for 20 years and every year they go home to visit for a couple of months. The money he and Sandra earn go into buying farm implements, educating their children and maintaining their house. Sandra also babysits whenever Anita and Graham need her while they are in Florida. The children love her!

We are so lucky to have these wonderful people working here. Not often do you find people that are so loyal, conscientious and hard-working.

James Slater, Exercise Rider 

Another Englishman on the team, James worked in racing in England and France before moving to the States in 2003 to work for Jonathan Sheppard.  In 2005 he married the assistant trainer Brianne and rode in his first steeplechase, going onto win two amateur/apprentice titles and turning professional in 2008.  He helps his wife train both flat and steeplechase horses in the afternoon.  He joined Herringswell in July 2009.

Noe Lagunas, Barn Foreman

Noe has been working for Graham since 2002. His home is Morelos, Mexico where he has about ten siblings! His brother Audon also works for Graham as a groom.

Noe is an excellent foreman, has a good rapport with the grooms and hotwalkers and pays attention to detail. He is very conscientious and the horses are certainly his first concern.

The smooth running of the Fair Hill barn would not be possible without Noe's help.

Rebecca Kelly, Barn Foreman

Becky was born in Fairfax, VA, began riding lessons at the age of 4 and when she moved to Pennsylvania she was very active in Miss Patsy DuPont's pony club, along with frequent foxhunting.

Her Aunt trained for a number of years at Delaware Park so after showing and three-day eventing Becky worked for her, eventually moving to New York to gallop for some top trainers for many years.

She began working for Graham as foreman in the Spring of 2006.

Leigh Hogben - Exercise Rider

Leigh was born in Kent, England. She attended the British Racing School in Newmarket and then rode amateur races in both England and Ireland.

She came to the United States as an Assistant Trainer to Wexford native Jimmy Day, worked for him for three years, riding 15 winners on the flat and over hurdles.

She spent last winter in Florida for Rick Violette, starting for Herringswell Stables in the spring of 2006.

Alice Clapham - Assistant Trainer

Alice evented in England and then worked as Travelling Head Lass for Irish steeplechase trainer Michael Hourigan in Ireland. She went to work in New Zealand for Mark Todd, the former International event rider, now flat-race trainer.

She came to America with event rider Karen O'Connor and then worked as Assistant Trainer to steeplechase trainer Richard Valentine in Virginia. She's ridden in flat races over here and has worked at Herringswell since May 2006.

Mollie Hannum - Exercise Rider

Mollie was born in Nottingham, PA and went to Sanford School in Hockessin, DE.

She grew up in a horse family with her Father working for the USET as a therapist. She was leading pony rider in 1994 and 1995. Since then she has ridden over timber, worked in New Zealand and Australia in track and field and galloped in France for Chantilly trainer Richard Gibson.

Mollie has been with Herringswell Stables since November 2006.

Fenella O'Flynn - Exercise Rider

Fenella was born in Dungarven, Co. Wexford, Ireland. She worked for Patrick Kiely for ten years as Assistant Trainer, riding in Point To Points and amateur races over hurdles.

She came to America in 1999 to work for Toby Edwards as Assistant Trainer/Steeplechase rider. She then went to work for Jonathan Sheppard where she was leading apprentice in 2000. She rode over 20 winners as a professional but had to retire due to a fall at High Hope, KY.

She joined Herringswell Stables in the spring of 2003.

Xavier Aizpuru - Exercise Rider

Xav was born and raised in the Cotswolds in England. He raced professionally in England for eight years, winning over 100 races.

He moved to the US in 2004 and has ridden over 90 Steeplechase wins. Xavier was leading steeplechase jockey in 2007, 2008 and runner up in 2009. He joined Herringswell Stables in April 2006.

Maggie Kimmitt - Photographer

Maggie Kimmitt has been involved with horses since early childhood as an owner, Combined Training competitor, and now as an enthusiastic equine photographer. Her passion for Thoroughbred racing has taken her to major racetracks all along the Eastern seaboard where she has photographed some of the country's premier Stakes races. Her work has been published by Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred magazine and Steeplechase Times, and has been exhibited at the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, New York. It can also be seen on her website at photosbymaggie.net

John Panagot - Handicapping and Blogger

John Panagot is a native of Oyster Bay, New York which is located on the North Shore of Long Island.

Growing up, John ventured to Saratoga each summer and there discovered his passion. He graduated from the College Of Charleston in 2008 with a Bachelors degree in Communications. After graduation, John wrote and handicapped for the Saratoga Special. During that time, he met Graham and began working for Herringswell Stables in the Fall of 2008.

John uses his own numerical system to handicap stakes nominations and looks for certain races that might fit our horses. He makes entries, often goes racing and helps around the barn to further his knowledge of the horse in the flesh, to go along with that of the horse on paper.

John also writes our blog and handles our social networking sites.

Heather Craig - Assistant 

Heather was born October 27^th, 1986 and grew up in Saratoga Springs, NY.  She started riding as a young child and began galloping racehorses at the age of 16 while attending high school.   During high school and later, college breaks, she galloped for Graham at Palm Meadows in the mornings and worked as a vet assistant for Teigland, Franklin, & Brokken.  She freelanced for several trainers before taking a salary job with Bill Mott.  While working for Mott, Heather had the opportunity to ride some of his exceptional horses such as My Typhoon (IRE), Majestic Warrior, Silver Whistle, Quite a Bride, and Sharp Susan. She graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in May.  She joined Herringswell Stable full time in June 2008.

Dr. Tom Reid - Veterinarian 

Tom grew up in rural Chester County, PA, fox hunting, pony clubbing and pony racing. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1996. He had met Graham at various times throughout the years and it was when he started working for the practice of Teigland, Franklin and Brokken in 2004 that he became part of the 'team'!

Mark Pino - Blacksmith - Fair Hill and Delaware Park

Mark was born in Wilmington, DE in 1965, started his apprenticeship in 1981 under Sonny Connors who shod for the big farms of Windfields and Woodstock. Among the great horses he worked with was Northern Dancer and Kelso. At age 21 he went to the Maryland racetracks to be a journeyman farrier, returning 17 years ago to work for, amongst others, Jonathan Sheppard - and of course now, us!

Graham Rennison - Building and maintenance

All-around building and maintenance. English too! Rennie has a racing background which is very important when it comes to maintenance, building and repairs around Fair Hill.

Sally and Mike Goswell

The backbones of Fair Hill Training Center.  Sally manages Fair Hill Training Center.