Welcome to Villa Vanners

   Shire Farm is a 100 acre farm located 30 miles east of Knoxville Tennesee in the small farming community of Dandridge. Life is tranquil here and time moves more slowly,it seems, than in other parts of the country.

   Our gypsy vanners,with their loving hearts and quiet demeanor fit perfectly into this magical setting. If this isn't heaven then it is the closest thing to it on this earth. We feel blessed to own these wonderful horses who are more like family to us than possessions. If you find yourself in the area please call, and we will be happy to show you around. We know that you will fall in love with these horses as we have.

   Enjoy your Visit & Check back Often as we Design our site to Share the Love of the Gypsy Vanner Breed.

Best Regards,

Villa Vanners of Shire Farm

 

June Villa, VillaVanners Owner    Since childhood she has always had a love for horses. She never had the opportunity as a child to own her own horse but would dream of owning one someday when the time was right.  June has lead a very interesting life, she lived in Africa for 5 years,she was active in greyhound rescue in NJ and she has traveled extensively.    A couple of years ago she moved to Dandridge, TN from Florida. Shire Farms had just gotten out of the thoroughbred breeding business and had decided to open their farm up to boarders when June visited there with a friend.  She realized she finally had the opportunity to own a horse. She researched breeds looking for something she could trust and ride that was docile and of smaller size so she wouldn't feel intimidated. She found Flash and Tango, two Gypsy Vanner geldings from Gypsy MVP. After owning them for a year and traveling to shows she decided she wanted to breed these magnificent animals.

Cristina Pipes, Shire Farms Manager and Trainer    Raised in Middleburg, Va, horse country of the world, Cristina has always ridden hunter/jumpers.  She was trained by some of the best and toughest trainers since she was 6 years old.  But it wasn't always about being in the ring, she enjoyed trail riding with her family and teaching her friends to ride.  In elementary school most people didn't know her name but knew her as "the horse girl".  People always came to her birthday parties in jeans, expecting to ride, often finding out it was a tea party at a fancy hotel. She would ride at the age of 8 all alone till dark pretending she was a famous equestrian talking out loud accepting pretend championships.    Since then she has studied and worked with local farms and farms in Lexington to pursue a career handling and training horses whether it be hunter/jumpers or frisky yearlings.  She has been managing Shire Farms for the past 5 years for her husband's family.  Shire Farms has been breeding thoroughbreds for 25 years.  Working with yearlings, two year olds and off the track stallions, prepping them for sales, consigning sales herself, and retraining off the track horses she has gained the experience needed to handle difficult horses as well as breeding.  Since opening our doors to boarders she met June and began training for her.  Although the Gypsy Vanner horse does not have high voltage athleticism like the sport horses she is used to, she has formed a passion in training, showing, and caring for these unique and magical creatures. Though you can still catch her at hunter/jumper shows when not at the Vanner shows!.