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Meet the staff
Here are some of the friendly faces you may meet at Leatherwood.
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Phil Rash - President |
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Phil
discovered Leatherwood in 1992 through his love of
horses. On many Fridays he would drive 8 hours from
his home in Ohio to spend a weekend at Leatherwood
and be back at his business on Monday morning. After
selling his business in 1997, Phil moved full time
to Leatherwood and helped establish the now very
popular Leatherwood Mountain Extreme Endurance Ride.
Because of his love of Leatherwood and the many friends
he has made here, he decided to form a partnership
and purchase the resort in 2004. He and his wife
Susan, who helps with the landscaping for the
resort, spend their free time sitting on the front
porch of their mountain top home over looking their
horses and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
philrashLW@aol.com |
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Phil Whitson - Broker & Sales Manager |
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Phil and
his wife, Connie raised their three sons on a small
horse farm in Newell, NC. In 1991, when friends
introduced them to Leatherwood, they immediately
became a part of the community. They became
full-time residents in 1998 and have never looked
back! Phil’s time is divided between his career of
law and real estate, and his hobbies of woodworking
and horse training (he often conducts “horse
whisper” clinics at Leatherwood). In 2004, Phil was
delighted to accept Phil Rash’s offer to join him as
co-owner of Leatherwood outside the gate. He
believes the blend of mountain beauty, wonderful
people and pretty horses make Leatherwood
Mountains the ultimate place to be!
philwhitson@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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Hugh & Abbie Hanchey - Equine Facility Manager & Events and
Marketing Director |
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Family
ties and a true love for the community have kept
Abbie & Hugh involved with Leatherwood for many
years. This husband and wife team have built their
lives around the resort. Their love of horses has
fueled the passion that they both have for this
amazing place. Hugh has been operating the equine
facility for several years now while Abbie has
headed up the Marketing & Event Planning for
Leatherwood. They both enjoy meeting the wonderful
guests that visit the resort year round. They both
feel blessed to live and work in such a beautiful
environment.
abbie@leatherwoodmountains.com
hugh@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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Susan Bridgers - Rental Manager |
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Drawn to Leatherwood by
its pristine beauty and a kindred spirit, Sue knew
that this would someday be her home. In 2000, she
and her husband, David, moved here and she joined
the staff as rental manager. Each time a guest
arrives, she sees on their faces that same
excitement as they experience the magic of this
place. What a joy it is for her to live and work in
this “little corner of heaven on earth” called
Leatherwood!
sue@leatherwoodmountains.com
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Harold
Robbins - Housekeeping & Maintenance Manager |
Harold
Robbins is the head of Housekeeping and Maintenance
here at Leatherwood. He has lived in these
mountains for 65 years and has watched leatherwood
grow from it’s conception. Harold oversees all
operations dealing with our rental homes. Harold
maintains over 40 households and still manages to
take time out to go fishing with a friend or take a
drive with his wife Clara.
harold@leatherwoodmountains.com
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Wes Whitson- Rentals & Maintenance -
Leatherwood Homes & Land Sales, LLC. |
 Wes
headed for the hills 12 years ago and now resides in
the foothills of the Blue Ridge with his wife Abby
and their daughter Caroline. His love for mountain
living began in Cullowhee NC where he attended and
graduated from Western Carolina University. He met
Abby there, and together they started their
professional careers in Asheville NC after College.
Before moving to Wilkesboro to join the family
business, Wes formed a solid foundation for what was
to come by working in mortgage banking and real
estate. In 2005 he left one of the most successful
Real estate teams in Asheville to work with, and be
close to his family at Leatherwood Mountains. To
Wes there could be no better opportunity.
wes@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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Trevor Whitson- Leatherwood Homes & Land Sales, LLC. |
 Trevor
Whitson grew up in North Carolina, and is a graduate
of Appalachian State University. Some of his
passions in life are working with people, traveling,
golf and getting to spend his free time in the
mountains. After spending a few years in Charlotte
working in both the mortgage and real estate
industries, coming to Leatherwood as a real estate
broker made perfect sense. "I really love getting
the opportunity to help people discover their dreams
of owning a mountain home, and I couldn't imagine a
better place to do it!". Trevor recently
married his sweetheart, Caroline. They reside
on Hunter Road in the Meadow.
trevor@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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Bethany Swaim- Best Of America By Horseback Liaison
& Leatherwood Rentals Reservationists |
 Bethany
Swaim has been vacationing with her family to
Leatherwood Mountains since the early 80's. She has
chosen to settle in this area because of her love of
the close community & family spirit. Her
involvement with horses has been a constant in her
life. When the staff of Best of America by
Horseback met Bethany there was an instant bond
created. They a have chosen her to act as
their reservationists & liaison for their
Headquarters, located here at Leatherwood.
Bethany also helps with the Rental Program but
her first love is being on the back of horse!
bethany@bestofamericabyhorseback.com
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Susan Saunders - Reservation Specialist & Office
Manager - Equine
Center |
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 A
great love of the mountains and trail riding led to
a move to Ferguson from Charlotte and a job in
banking in 1999. Susan joined Leatherwood in 2005
and wears multiple hats, functioning as Head
Receptionist and Office Manager for the Leatherwood
Horse Facility and Cantina/Gift Shop. She and
husband Bob have raised and shown Arabian horses
since 1981. Her horses have claimed many Regional
wins and several National Top 10’s. She is shown
riding her Arab gelding KK Warlord + at one of
NCHC’s spring trail rides. Susan believes that
riding the Leatherwood trails greatly contributes to
a levelheaded show horse and the all-important
“one-on one” relationship you need with your horse.
She enjoys meeting new people and is amazed at the
“old acquaintances” that seem to show up here.
stables@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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Elizabeth Clayboss - Riding Instructor & Equine
Caregiver - Equine
Center |
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 A
little bit of luck and a love of horses is what
brought Elizabeth Clayboss to Leatherwood. Having
graduated top of her class from Meredith Manor, a
prestigious horse college in West Virginia, she has
an extensive knowledge of many different facets of
horsemanship. Since coming to Leatherwood from Ohio,
she has been able to use her credentials as a Level
1 riding instructor to train horses and teach many
students, both here at Leatherwood as well as at a
local community college. Her passions include
dressage, barrel racing, reining, and jumping. The
luck that was mentioned earlier... her best friend
from Meredith Manor just happened to be the daughter
of the developer of Leatherwood! So now we're the
lucky ones, and are very happy to have our "Lizzy"
here at Leatherwood.
stables@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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Dennis & Carolyn Shinn - Saddlebrook Restaurant
Kitchen Managers |
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 Great
food, a warm greeting and southern hospitality is
what you will find when you meet the our Saddlebrook
Staff. Leatherwood is so proud to be have this
husband and wife team. Guests will enjoy
dining on Dennis's kitchen creations, while
Carolyn takes care of your every need. They
are always willing to help with a smile on their
faces. We are proud that they have chosen to
be a part of our Leatherwood Family.
stables@leatherwoodmountains.com
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Debbie Clark - Reservation Specialist - Equine
Center & Welcome Center |
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 Having
relocated to North Carolina from New England, Debbie
and her husband, Mark, were looking for trails for
Debbie to ride. Once they found Leatherwood, they
stopped looking and just didn't want to leave. They
found and moved into a rustic cabin here in
Leatherwood. The Leatherwood residents and visitors
have become their family. Debbie became a
Leatherwood employee, working both at the Welcome
Center and the Horse facility. "Working at
Leatherwood is not like working at all. I get to
talk with horse people each day - what could be
better than that?" Debbie is an endurance rider and
is shown here with her Arab gelding, Tulli.
Together they have logged thousands of competitive
miles.
stables@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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Shana Hall - Equine Caregiver - Equine
Center |
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 Shana
Hall grew up here and worked at Leatherwood as a kid
riding Kate, the horse she is pictured with. After
four years in the Army, she returned to the area and
rekindled the relationship with the mountains and
when the opportunity arose she returned to
Leatherwood as a friend and employee. Through the
influence of Abbie and Hugh Hanchey and Debbie Clark
she has now become hooked on Endurance Riding and
enjoys the benefits of the best training grounds on
the East Coast, Leatherwood Mountains.
stables@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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Mary Vann Johnston - Trail Guide & Equine Caregiver - Equine
Center |
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 Mary
Vann Johnston has grown up on the back of a horse
exploring every inch of these mountains! She
has the most beautiful and inviting smile that makes
her riders feel right at home. Mary Vann is a
successfully endurance rider who has
accumulated 1000's of distance miles in competition
and training & several 1st place finishes!
Her family is the owner of Joetown, a 1,500
acre tract that adjoins Leatherwood Mountains.
Our riders are very luck to be able to access their
wonderful privately owned trail system. Mary Vann
loves Leatherwood and the friends that she has made
here, we are honored to have her help with our
equine program!
stables@leatherwoodmountains.com |
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If you have any questions or are interested
in more information about Leatherwood, please contact us at (800)462-6867,
email us, or
Use Our Online Request Form.
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