In Our Thoughts

Hilltop Equestrian was started in December 2002 by Pam MacGregor and Cliff Haines. There were three people in the background that provided support, encouragement and financial help and these people should be recognized for their roles in whatever success Hilltop has achieved.

Phyllis MacGregor

Phyllis is Pam’s mother and she was an extremely wonderful person. She encouraged Pam to excel at whatever she attempted and would be the first to congratulate her on her successes, both in the riding ring and elsewhere. In the first years of operation at the farm, when times were tough, Phyllis could always be counted on to help get us through to a better day.

Phyllis came to the farm each year for the Christmas holidays, during which time she developed a lot of new friendships with the people at the barn. There were several sorties to the surrounding shopping centres in Newmarket and Uxbridge where Phyllis was happy to indulge both Pam and Cliff with Christmas gifts for the holidays. She was generous to a fault with everyone she met and took extreme delight in watching and helping the children from the barn as they wrapped the gifts for her. She also enjoyed the annual end of summer camp potluck barbecue. She would get out in her wheelchair and visit with the riders and their families and she thoroughly enjoyed her time with all the people that came to the farm.

Phyllis’ family was very important to her. She was always there when Pam needed her motherly advice. Her brothers and sister were in constant contact with her and she loved to keep them abreast of what Pam was doing. She always wanted to know how Pam’s students did after each and every show.

Phyllis spent the final years of her life confined to a wheelchair due to a fatal disease, which finally claimed her on March 27, 2006. She is greatly missed and will remain in the hearts and prayers of everyone who had the opportunity to meet and spend some time in conversation with her. We know she is watching over us and that she will continue to be a part of our lives well into the future.

Shari Demaray

Shari found us about three months after we moved from Parkhill to the farm. She had watched as Pam patiently loaded our grey thoroughbred onto a trailer at the Ilderton Fair, following a show. Stormy did not want to load back on the trailer for the ride home. Pam worked quietly for quite awhile, before she convinced Stormy to get back on the trailer. We were unaware that Shari was watching this performance, until she called one cold February day. She told Pam that she had paid close attention to the proceedings and was so impressed with Pam’s patience and ability that she wanted here to train a new horse that Shari had just purchased. Pam informed Shari that we not longer lived in Parkhill. Shari said it didn’t matter; she wanted Pam to work with her horse.

Little did we know that this would be the start of a very good friendship and that it would lead to yet another wonderful horse friendship. Pam went to Strathroy and brought Flikke the Norwegian Fjord home for training. Flikke stayed at Hilltop and Shari and her husband Al visited and attended all the shows in which Flikke excelled. Shari was delighted with her progress and left Flikke permanently in our care. Al and Shari would visit regularly and we would often go trail riding together.

Shari was a warm, compassionate woman who had a zest for life, which was evident from the first time you met her. With Al, she lived life to its fullest. She loved life and had a way about her that made people comfortable whenever they were around her. Shari spent a lot of time caring for her invalid brother and was devastated when he passed away.

When the time came for us to close the real estate deal for the farm, Shari offered to help. She wanted us to succeed as much as we did, and her offer was gratefully accepted. Without her generosity, we may not have been able to purchase the farm. We will be forever grateful to Shari and Al for their kindness and their friendship in our time of need.

Shari developed cancer in 2005 and was unable to beat the disease. Her passing last spring was a shock to everyone who knew her. She was a kind, caring person whose laughter will always be remembered. Al continues to visit and will always be welcomed. While Al and Flikke are with us, a part of Shari will also remain. She is sadly missed and forever loved by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Diane Greenwood

Diane was the original owner of the farm and was very instrumental in structuring the deal with us, which allowed us to purchase the farm at a time when our financial situation was tough. She and her husband Ralph met us at the farm during negotiations and we worked out a deal suitable to both parties. During the initial stages of Hilltop’s development, Diane was always visiting and offering advice on how we should be proceeding with the different parts of the operation. She and Ralph were always ready to lend a helping hand and Diane was one of our biggest fans. She wanted us to succeed as much as we did.

We were saddened by the news that Diane had a massive stroke and passed away She was a tough lady with a huge heart and a great sense of humour. She is sadly missed but fondly remembered by everyone she came to know at the barn. One of her favourite horses, Lacey, is now at Hilltop for training with Pam.