Kinson Stud is located in Northwest Montana at the base of the Swan Mountain range on the famed Swan River. The ranch was started by Melissa Cason after years of breeding, raising and showing horses, many of them stallions. In 2006, together with her fiancé Glen “Skip” Kinney, Melissa finally realized her dream by creating a business of standing fine quality sport horse studs. As a result, Kinney and Cason became “Kinson”. Along with Melissa and Skip, her three children Shelby, Hunter and Bridger live on the ranch.
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Photo by:
Jeff Kirkbride |
Melissa has been involved in the horse business all of her life. Raised on a 3,000 acre ranch outside Tampa, Florida she grew up working cows and in the saddle every day. She has competed successfully in many venues of the Horse industry. Among them include showing Hunters on the “A” circuit up and down the east coast for nearly 20 years. She also showed Quarter Horses for a number of years winning Reserve Champion in the Amateur Hunter division at the All American Quarter Horse Congress.
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| Photo by: J L Parker |
“One of my first stallions was the Dutch Warmblood stallion, Foreign Exchange”, says Melissa, which she showed successfully in the Amateur Owner and Conformation Hunter classes. “But, I would have to say that my favorite stallion by far was, Alger, a Friesian stallion by the Preferent stallion Feitse. He was a beautiful horse inside and out”. Sadly, Melissa and Skip lost Alger suddenly in August of 2004. “He was a beloved horse in this valley and people loved seeing him perform. He took everyone’s breath away with his awesome presence”.
 “In the show ring and beyond I find stallions more willing than other horses to give you their all. They are incredibly loyal once you have gained their respect, that is”. Ever since she had the opportunity of owning her first stallion, Melissa set a goal to one day own and stand superior quality sport horse stallions. Kinson Ranch is proud to offer a fine collection of sport horse stallions that were personally selected for their outstanding qualities. They include O’Leary’s Irish Diamond RID, Taarlon a pinto colored Elite Cz.Warmblood and Werby FPS Friesian.
Jenny has been a part of the International Hunter/Jumper world for the last 15 years. While specializing in Jumpers and bringing along young horses herself she also coaches many students in the Hunter and Equitation rings.
She is well known both as a competitor and trainer at such venues as Spruce Meadows in Calgary and the nationally known Eventing facility at Rebecca Farm here in Montana. She and her students compete throughout Canada and the West Coast. Increasingly, she is involved in the purchasing, training and showing of quality horses from Europe, Canada and across the United States.
Jenny grew up largely in the Flathead Valley of Northwestern Montana with touches of New England, Pennsylvania, and Virginia thrown in. She now resides in Kalispell Montana where she runs her barn of around 40 horses out of Highline Equine. When not riding she enjoys time on the boat with her husband.
Look for Jenny and Irish this year in the Jumper ring. |
