Sprouse's Corner Ranch, LLC

 LaRue Sprouse Dowd is the CHA Certified Instructor and PATH Certified Instructor at Sprouse’s Corner Ranch, LLC.  LaRue began her life-long love of horses at a young age.  She grew up showing horses throughout Virginia, winning several State Champion and High Point titles.  As a teen, she was the President of Buckingham’s Pegasus 4-H Horse and Pony Club for 4 years.  LaRue went to college at Morehead State University in Kentucky. There she attained a degree in Veterinary Technology with a minor in Horsemanship. She was on the Intercollegiate Equestrian Team for four years, successfully competing in Hunter/Jumper and Western classes to the Eastern Regional and Zones levels. She was the instructor for the MSU Advanced Saddle Seat course during her junior year. During the summer, LaRue was the coach of the Saddleseat summer show team, traveling to shows throughout Kentucky showing three-gaited and five-gaited American Saddlebreds.

LaRue has had the opportunity to be employed by George Knight Stables and Nelson Green Stables, two premier American Saddlebred show stables in the heart of Lexington, Kentucky.   After two years on the World Championship show circuit, she decided to return to college to further her Veterinary Technology interest. After receiving a degree in Equine Therapy from Midway College, LaRue worked for two years in one of the largest equine veterinary hospitals in the U.S.; Hagyard-Davidson-Magee Veterinary Institute.

LaRue decided to return home to Virginia to fulfill her life long dream on building a horse farm and teaching the community what she has learned in her travels. During her college years in Kentucky, she developed the riding lesson program at Ed Cochriel Stables in Lexington, KY (now the home of Lexington Riding Academy).  Once returning to Virginia, she taught riding lessons at Grand View Lake Farm in Prospect, VA while developing Sprouse's Corner Ranch.  LaRue is a leader in Buckingham's Pegasus 4-H Horse and Pony Club .  She is a NCSU certified open horse show judge, serves as President for Heartland Horse Heroes Therapeutic Riding, and is a member of the Buckingham Chamber of Commerce.  Riding lessons in Hunt Seat, Western, and Saddle Seat are available from LaRue at Sprouse’s Corner Ranch by appointment.

Amanda Salerno has 15 years experience with Hunter/Jumpers.  A recent graduate of Virginia Intermont College, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Equine Studies.  Amanda owns and competes her Thoroughbred mare, Jerzie Girl, who lives at Sprouse's Corner Ranch. 

Our Business was opened in June of 2008.  The 81 acre ranch has been part of the Sprouse Family for many generations.  In fact, the great-great-great grandfather of LaRue Sprouse Dowd (the grandfather of E.B. Sprouse I, the founder of Sprouse's Corner) was buried at the Sprouse Family Cemetary located on the Ranch.  LaRue and Michael were married on October of 2007 and celebrated the reception at the Ranch.  The Ranch had been used as a dairy and beef cattle operation for years before being left idle for more than 20 years.  When Michael and LaRue moved back to Virginia in 2006, they began the restoration of the farm into a horse farm.  Michael, along with LaRue's father, bore blood, sweat and tears to clean the place up.  The "old barn" (as many locals and family members knew it) was restored into an 8 stall barn with a tack room, feed room, bathroom and wash stall.  The Ranch now has 5 large fields, 4 paddocks, a round pen, and a 225' x 150' all-weather outdoor arena.