• Board of Directors:
• Carla Sharp
• Beverly Gifford Vars
• Susan Horn
• Lynn Taylor
• Karen Amedeo
• Cynthia Jensen
• Armand Chenelle
• Geoff Allison
• Jane Dow Burt
• Matt Couzens
• Maria Howe
• Sherry Lynch
• Jane Miller
• Holly Rebello
• Jessica Roth Thomas

Carla Sharp

Buttonwood Farm is located in Easton, CT and has between eighteen and twenty horses and ponies. We have a range of students from ages twelve to seventy! It is a small facility and we are like a large family. The common bond we share is love of horses and the desire to improve the skills needed to enjoy the sport of riding. Since everyone has a similar philosophy, it works well and everyone is tolerant of other's needs.

Buttonwood evolved from my love of riding and my husband's enjoyment in training. We started as a three stall barn that we built ourselves with two of our own horses and one customer. We then started buying and selling young horses from the racetrack and ended up keeping many that we sold so their training with us could continue. We added stalls and people, trailers and equipment, paddocks, lights and sprinklers and before we knew it we were really in the horse business!

I was born in Bronxville, NY but grew up in Fairfield, CT. I attended Knox School, St. James, Long Island and received my BA from Skidmore College. I also have an MBA from New York University. Before going into the horse business, I was a portfolio analyst for Merrill Lynch in New York.

I now own and manage Buttonwood by myself. I teach, train, ride, do much of the repair and maintenance and drive the trailer when needed. I don't buy and sell horses much anymore as there is no time for that with everything else I do! I really enjoy the teaching and training, and I usually have one project horse for myself. Buttonwood offers a well rounded program that includes showing in hunter jumper shows, a few dressage shows, some event and hunter paces. I need to be knowledgeable in all of these areas as I try to fit each person with a program that will suit his or her goals.

Since this was posted there have been many changes in Buttonwood Farm. One of my dear friends and long time assistant, Shelly Arnhold passed away. This left a void that has not been able to be replaced. As a result I have little time for some of the things I enjoyed in the past. I have decreased the number of horses so I can manage them myself. Several of the horses were owned by Shelly and I will take care of them for their lifetime.  I still do some off -site training and teaching and have focused on judging horse shows which I find challenging and interesting. I still ride at home and take care of the property which is a full time job.  

As a member of the Connecticut Hunter and Jumper Association Board of Directors, I serve as President.  I am also on the Zone 1 Committee and serve as the Zone 1 Horse Show chairman.

Email:Carlasharp1@hotmail.com