United States Eventing Association

Area V lost a dear member of the community earlier this week with the passing of Jan Michie. Jan Walling of Quail Run Farm penned the following obituary in memory of Michie:

It is with great sadness that I share the passing today of our dear friend Jan Michie.

Jan grew up on a very large farm on the banks of the Red River in East Texas near the town of De Kalb. She ran around with her cousins and they called themselves the River Rats as they rode their horses all over the countryside along the river.

Jan became a schoolteacher and later mother to son Jeff and years later to another son Jay, who sadly died at the age of 12.

Jan and husband James bought Road Runner Farm in Argyle about 1982 and developed it into a wonderful boarding and training facility with an emphasis on eventing. She continued to run the farm until the effects of Alzheimer’s disease became too apparent. She has spent the last few years in the James West Facility in Fort Worth.

Jan was one of the founding members of the North Texas Combined Training Association (NTCTA) and worked tirelessly to help run the club’s first United States Combined Training Association (USCTA) Recognized Horse Trials at Lick Skillet Farm in 1984, owned by Richard Hester and his wife.

Jan had served on the NTCTA (now North Texas Eventing Association) board and later served on the USCTA (now USEA) board representing Area V.

Jan worked hard to promote eventing in North Texas and brought such names as Karen O’Connor and Nick Larkin in to give clinics on a regular basis. In 1984 Jan bought a 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding Cheers II (Moon Decka x She Pocket), which she trained and competed through Preliminary. An unfortunate shoulder injury prevented her from competing in a three-day event at Radnor. O’Connor took the reins and Cheers won the Best Conditioned Horse and many other awards. Mike Huber had competed him two weeks earlier and won another East Coast victory with Cheers.

Cheers was later competed by one of Karen’s Young Rider students and later returned home to Jan. Jan graciously donated him to the Area V Young Riders where he gave wonderful experience and wins to several of Jan’s students.

Jan was a wonderful friend. I have said on several occasions that Jan could enter a roomful of strangers and leave with a whole lot of new friends! She was vibrant, fun, an excellent horsewomen, and a dearest friend. We have missed you Jan, as you sadly faded away from us.