Peg and Terry Helder in 2014. Credit Jeffrey N. LeFevre
On May 25, 2024, the equine industry lost a horseman of immense impact. Terry Helder, owner of Evergreen Farm, passed away; taken too soon. There is no question that his dedication and contribution for almost six decades to the equine world has left a void. Terry and his wife of 51 years, Peg, have left a legacy imprinted in numerous disciplines and countless venues. They managed to promote and become a constant force in their profession, from breeding, training, and showing to plain horsing around – especially over years of ever-changing climates in the industry. Whether Terry was creating an organization like East Coast Ranch Riding Association, riding at a major venue, judging at the Dream Park, or demonstrating in a backyard 4-H barn, he was ever-ready and enthusiastic to demonstrate anything involving his passion. But none of that was why I respected and will forever miss Terry Helder.
His accomplishments are too numerous to mention, and his love of horses too overpowering. His smile and laughter were infectious to others. This article is merely a reflection of personal experience shared by many a horseman.
The prodigy of Evergreen stock, especially Paint Me Hobby, will forever be in the record books and endless hearts. Terry not only was a wise horseman, an expert at pedigrees, proficient in the show ring, and at the side of anyone who needed help, with an eye for finesse, a talent for trail, a precision for patterns, and a master of conformation, but he specialized in fitting horse with rider. This skill is a feat that is not for the weak. Finding a horse for an equestrian is simple, but finding a perfect fit – a champion, a heart horse – is a gift. Terry meant so much to so many and through that talent, of matching horse and rider, he transformed many lives. Yet, still for me there was something so much more.
My relationship with the Helders goes back to the 1980s. I walked into Evergreen Farm in Wrightsville, PA stating, “I know how to ride.” I quickly learned that even posting at the trot needed skill. Alongside another client, Harriet, I often debated who was the first to put our boots in the barn. We became staples at Evergreen for decades for good reason. The Helders barn door was not the only one open; their kitchen always welcomed everyone at the oak table to talk horses or laugh, always with open arms.
Terry’s death caused an instant sliding stop.
My time spent with Terry and Peg at Evergreen influenced almost every novel I have published. Terry would always answer my texts, calls, and emails for dozens of articles and research. He never left me hanging, always eager to share his thoughts and knowledge. But when I lost my husband, and my seven-year-old needed support, the Helders were there.
A few weeks before Terry passed, another longtime fellow equestrian, Kasey, reached out and asked for a list of awards and photos, I panicked. Unlike ninety-eight percent of Evergreen clients, I have not maintained an official record, scrapbook, or article collection regarding our horses and their show careers. This hobby was never about that for me. In the 1980s and early ’90s there was no access to cell phones, instant photos, or Facebook. We rode in the saddle from daybreak until nightfall. I did not have time to record points or create an album afterword; it was back to work on Monday followed by riding in the evening to prepare for arduous weekends. We practiced every discipline from showmanship to gaming in almost any weather, like the postman delivering mail. With jeans too tight and a stiff upper lip, sometimes I was scared as hell.
What was important were the moments engraved in my heart.
It is no secret that the year I first came to Evergreen, around 1986, was indeed a blessing. Experiences and events since then have molded who I am today. I went from being the so-called English rider who couldn’t maintain her seat on a black and white tobiano, Vicki, who jiggled like an angry rattlesnake, to a woman who learned to stick a saddle on a horse named Eyes a Mighty Goer, who pivoted in fear simply from a saddle pad hanging on a fence. There is no needau to mention my awards or the fact that the one year I did succeed to make top twenty, APHA decided not to gift belt buckles. Instead, I won an engraved lead glass, a first-place relic that is stored in my china closet, visible to this day. The award is a reminder of the splendid year, the friendships, and bonds we made, lasting decades that I shall never forget.
Even after 12-hour plus days, exhausting their skills to fit a rider to a horse, Peg and Terry still opened the doors and gathered us around their Lazy Susan to laugh and converse. But that is not what I treasure most. From a mother’s perspective, the high point of the last decades was the example they both provided, the guidance when my daughter, J.J., most needed it, and a safety net of dedication, determination, and hard work. For this there are no words. The awards and accomplishments of Hobbys Roan Dee Voo and EF Southern Belle will forever be stalled in our hearts. The horses filled a void, taught valuable lessons that adhered to a young girl, and helped her create her own qualities of determination and responsibility.
We will be forever grateful for your gifts, your line of prestigious horses, and the character you molded, along with the Paint Alternative Competition points, Ranch Horse championships, Extreme Trail and Reining blue ribbons, and 4-H titles, plus County, District and State trophies, just to name a few.
I love every colossal and pocket-sized memory, even if it was forgetting a pattern in the middle of a class, or dressing Rhya for her angel routine, or standing on EF Southern Belle cracking a whip. Winning does not matter, it has been the journey! I was a disaster as a client, who haphazardly collected points and pictures. It was more about restoring J.J.’s trust and faith in herself. The hobby, for J.J., instilled the qualities that make her an incredible woman today. No mother could be more appreciative. Although the horses have transferred to new owners, I know they will continue to instill gifts beyond imagination because of Peg and Terry Helder.
Forever grateful for the blessing of memories and his countless gifts, Terry Helder will be forever missed in the horse world and our hearts. And to his wife Peg, of 51 years. 24-7. Side-by-side. Trot-by-trot, you cared for us and our horses, and thank you hardly seems enough. May she find the strength from his legacy to move forward.
Alicia Stephens Martin is author of the Spurred to … trilogy, Private Mom and her latest novel, The Silver Cowgirls. All were influenced by her love of horses and experiences through decades with the Helders. A sequel, The Silver Cowgirls Ride Again, is scheduled for Fall 2024.