Our Team
High Caliber Stables is owned and operated by
the Orr family - Mary and Evan, and their children EJ and Ellis.
The High Caliber staff is a family of its own.
From teaching lessons to caring for newborn foals,
each person on the team is experienced, kind, and trusted.
Mary Orr
Mary Orr is the beating heart of High Caliber Stables.
She is passionate, animated, ambitious, and talented. Mary graduated with a degree in Equestrian Studies
from William Woods University and holds a masters in Education. William Woods University honored Mary & Evan with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017.
She is American Riding Instructors certified and a
United States Equestrian Federation Certified Judge.
In 2012, Mary & Evan were honored with the United Professional Horsemen's Association Young Trainers of
the Year Award. Mary has trained countless World Champion and National Champion riders. One of her most notable achievements was training and riding
WGC CH Our Charming Lady (BHF) to win the Three Gaited World's Grand Championship in 2008 and 2009. Most of all, Mary is a mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and horsewoman. She is most likely to greet you at the barn with a big hug and an excited hello!
Owner, Trainer
Evan Orr
Even tempered, patient, kind, and very tall, Evan
is the steady foundation of High Caliber. From
teaching young horses to carry a saddle for the first time to fixing stalls and mowing pastures, there is
no job that he can't do. Evan was the first male
student to graduate with a degree in Equestrian
Studies from William Woods University. WWU
honored Mary & Evan with the Distinguished
Alumni Award in 2017. In 2012, Mary & Evan were honored with the United Professional Horsemen's Association Young Trainers of the Year Award. Evan
has served on the Board of Directors for the American Saddlebred Horse & Breeder's Association and as President of the American Saddlebred Horse Association of the Carolinas. Evan takes pride in
being a "horse show dad" to his own kids EJ and
Ellis, and providing "show dad energy" to all of the
riders at High Caliber. If you need a joke, an uplifting word, or something fixed, Evan is there for you.
Owner, Trainer
Meredith Ross
Meredith is the hard working, dedicated, makes-the-impossible-things-possible director of our riding lesson program. She is certified by the American Riding Instructors Association, and studied under Avalon Stables and Five Gait Stables before joining the High Caliber team over a decade ago. Under Meredith's leadership, the High Caliber Stables team was awarded the Trainer of the Year Award by the National Academy Championship Horse Show in 2024. Meredith has coached countless National Champion riders, and several riders who have gone on to win World and National championships under Mary and Evan's direction in the show horse division. If you bring an extra Coke Zero and wear a Taylor Swift t-shirt to your riding lesson, you might earn yourself some extra brownie points with Meredith!
Riding Program Director
Assistant Trainer
Abby Jones
Abby is a horse girl through and through! Strong, knowledgeable, and lots of fun, Abby is a force in our riding lesson program. Like Mary and Evan, Abby graduated from William Woods University with a degree in Equine Studies. She worked at High Caliber as an intern many years ago, and we are thrilled that she chose to pursue her career with us. Abby works to cultivate our lesson program, teaching all levels of riders, from small children at their very first lesson to seasoned National Championship riders. Abby was an integral part of the team awarded with the National Academy Championship Trainer of the Year Award in 2024. Abby and her horse Dutch are a valued part of the High Caliber Stables family. If you have knowledge of Quarter Horses or Taylor Swift discography, a lesson with Abby is the time to talk shop!
Riding Instructor
Assistant Trainer
Lauren Blue
Lauren Blue is a lady of many talents! Welcoming, hard working, and creative, Lauren is a High Caliber staple. Lauren graduated from William Woods University in 1996 and worked in the veterinary field before joining the High Caliber team 15 years ago. With her veterinary experience, Lauren is an expert in caring for horses, and assessing them for possible illness, injury, or need for special care. Lauren also shares her creative talent with High Caliber in many ways, including running the "Happenings" emails. She is certified by the American Riding Instructors Association, and can always be found working hard in the lesson horse section of the stables, doing the behind-the-scenes work that makes our riding program possible. Lauren was a very important part of the team that won the National Academy Championship Trainer of the Year Award in 2024!
Riding Instructor
Creative Director
Christine Thomas
If High Caliber was Oz, Christine would be
the Wizard! Christine is our office manager,
and she is defininitely "the woman behind
the curtain" pulling the strings that keep
High Caliber working like a well-oiled machine. Christine graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in Agricultural Business, and grew up showing as an equitation rider in Florida.
She also manages our complex breeding program. Each year, Christine oversees
breeding, pregnant mare care, foaling, and
foal care. It is a multi-faceted, high-demand
job, and it takes a knowledgable horsewoman with a big heart to do it successfully. Our foals are lucky to be in Christine's hands! Visit our Breeding page to learn more about the foals raised at High Caliber Stables.
Office Manager
Breeding Manager
Our Story
The story of High Caliber is a story about life.
The life, in particular, of the Orr family.
It's a story about love, horses, tragedy, and how
both love and horses can pull us through the
other side of tragedy and on to building beautiful things.
Merriam-Webster defines "high caliber" as,
"a degree of excellence," and we certainly
strive for excellence in everything we do.
But our stable isn't named after excellence,
it's named after a horse.
When Mary was 14 years old, she lost her 16 year old brother.
He was on his very first solo drive, three days before Christmas,
and was struck and killed by a logging truck 5 miles from home.
After weathering the news with her parents,
there was only one person Mary could call - her horse trainer, Shirley.
Her horse trainer and her childhood horse,
High Caliber, aka "Pistol," got her through the loss of her brother.
Shirley and Pistol taught Mary to process sadness,
to work through frustration, and to hold her head high
in the face of an unfair and unthinkable tragedy.
That one horse, one girl, and one trainer, with one stall,
took Reserve National Champion ladies sidesaddle.
And so, Mary wanted to be a horse trainer, too.
When Mary left for William Woods University,
Shirley told her, "whatever you do with your life,
just give to others the way I gave to you."
Mary walked out the door of Shirley's stable,
into William Woods University's equestrian program,
and met her first college friend - a boy named Evan Orr.
They became best friends, learning about horses
together under the expert eye of Gayle Lampe.
When Evan's mother unexpectedly passed away
his senior year of college, there was only one person
who understood how to help him through such a monumental
family loss - Mary - and she knew how because of High Caliber.
And, through the process, Mary and Evan
became much more than just friends.
High Caliber was Mary's guardian until Mary & Evan's wedding day.
On that day, Pistol crossed the rainbow bridge.
Evan told Mary that Pistol knew he could go on to heaven
because it was Evan's turn to take care of Mary,
and if they were ever so lucky to have their own farm,
they would name it after High Caliber.
Everything we do, the heart and soul of this place,
is about the impact that horses and horse people have on our lives.
We're not just here to make champions in the show ring,
we're here to make champions in life.
Being high caliber is great.
But being like High Caliber,
and the people who learned to face
adversity with passion and grit because of him,
is greatness.
Mary & High Caliber, aka "Pistol"
Our Community
High Caliber Stables is the proud home of an active, colorful, fun,
welcoming, tight-knit, and very busy barn family! Whether you'd like
to have fun, socialize, get involved, volunteer your time, or all
of the above, High Caliber is the place for you.
High Caliber is known across the country for our presence at horse shows.
Our barn family always sticks together, often getting seats,
hotel rooms, golf carts, and more organized together, as well as
making sure to watch each other compete and cheer from the stands!
The High Caliber youth group is called the
"High Caliber Hot Shots", a 501c3 organization. The Hot Shots
host many fundraising events throughout the year, including
the Hot Shot Charity Horse Show, the holiday season food drive,
and the Blues' Gingerbread Party, which raises money
for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Each year, High Caliber hosts several social events, the largest
of which is always our annual Christmas Party. We have a slideshow
of the year's highlights, serve a huge dinner, have a DJ or live band
with a dance floor, and most importantly, present unsuspecting
barn family members with surprise horses for Christmas, with
big bows around their necks!
High Caliber also hosts our Adult Riding Camp each year.
Equestrians from across the country gather
at our stable to learn, ride, eat, drink, and be merry.
We invite expert speakers including World's Grand Champion trainers,
veterinarians, horse show managers, industry professionals,
and more to lecture and teach riding lessons, culminating in
our very competitive Adult Camp Horse Show!
The best way to be "in the know" about the High Caliber community
is our Weekly Happenings email. Visit the home page
to read past editions, and subscribe.
Our social calendar is listed and updated each week!