Photographers at Gypsy Gold Horse Farm
Several talented photographers have documented our horses since the breeds arrival in the US in 1996. Learn a little about each photographer and enjoy their art below.
Mark J Barrett
Chances are your first encounter with the Gypsy Vanner Horse breed involved a photo or video with Mark J. Barrett’s name on it.
Mark and his wife/partner Jackie have been capturing images of Gypsy Vanners from their early arrival in the U.S. They produced the first Gypsy Vanner Horse wall calendars, which have been helping showcase this magical new horse breed to the world every year since.
Many other calendar publishers also make use of the Barrett’s extensive equine image library.
Mark’s photo’s are a masters expression of the romance, power and beauty of these noble creatures. His respect for the subject is evident in each expressive image.
Says Mark, “Our goal is to create an impression, to express a spirit. If a viewer feels any awe of these creatures from viewing our images, that’s a success.”
In his varied career as a filmmaker/photographer, Mark has also directed and produced film, live television, and numerous commercial videos and documentaries of note.
Mark and Jackie’s home studio is based in Silver Springs, FL, but their scope is worldwide. “We are privileged to experience such a great variety of beautiful animals, people and places. It ‘s a job most might only dream of. I hope to put a bit of a that dream into every image.”
Discovering Mark J Barrett
Cindy and I were an animal centric couple who traveled the world in the large and small animal product industries, as we did we quenched our thirst for animals.
In Belgium and Holland it was extraordinary bird and cattle breeders , in Switzerland, it was Bernese Mountain Dog Breeders, in Germany, we learned about the Canaries of the Harz Mountains and went to a donkey festival in Bad Guns Germany, we bartered halters for bridles with an East German soon after the wall came down, we exhibited at Equitana Germany in a town called Essen . Equitana Germany, is the largest trade fair in the equestrian industry.
In 1995, business took us to the largest trade fair in Great Britain called (BETA) it means, British Equestrian Trade Association.
It was on that trip when we devoted our free time to doing research on , the largest horse in the world, The Shire Horse, in Northern Wales.
Returning to London, the look of a small black and white horse caught Cindy’s attention. It was that day, when our animal centric curiosity changed our lives forever. The horse belonged to a Gypsy and The Gypsy had a band of mares that he kept hidden. It was the beginning of a journey that resulted in the discovery of an unrecognized breed of horse.
In 1996, the first two Gypsy Vanner Horses arrived in North America and in April of 1997, the little black and white stallion that inspired our journey arrived in America to became GV00001F Cushti Bok, the first registered horse of his Vanner breed.
Because we knew Equitana Germany to be dynamic and knew they were coming to America, We chose Equitana USA for the Gypsy Vanner breed’s official introduction in 1998.
We chose Equitana USA but Equitana USA did not choose us, they had no clue who we were or what a Gypsies Vanner Horse was so we requested a meeting with their board of directors in Louisville Kentucky at their initial Equitana event in 1997.
We needed to present our vision and share what a Gypsies Vanner Horse was and in that process we created a video. The video was edited by a local professional and while in his office, I noticed a photo of three Arabians horses standing by a pond.
Who took that photograph, I ask the video man “ , his name is Mark J Barrett, he replied, he once had an office here but has moved.
We immediately called Mark J Barrett and said, “how would you like to be the official photographer of the Gypsy Vanner Horse”.
Twenty five years and countless breathtaking photos later Mark J Barrett and his partner/wife Jackie are an irreplaceable chapter in the story of the Gypsies Vanner Horse.
Mark’s photos are featured throughout our website, so as you explore, enjoy the photographic art of Mark J Barrett.
Mareish Media – Susan McClafferty
Susan McClafferty is a highly skilled equine photographer based in the United States, and the owner of Mareish Media, a photography and media company that specializes in capturing the beauty and essence of horses. Susan’s love for horses started at a young age, and she has been a lifelong equestrian, horse owner, and rider.
In March 2018, Susan attended an equine photography workshop at Gypsy Gold Horse Farm, where she discovered her love for the Gypsy Vanner Horse breed. She was drawn to their generous temperament and their stunning, heavy, round, and hairy build. Since then, Susan has primarily focused on equine studio photography, although she also loves to capture the Gypsy Vanners at liberty.
Susan’s unique approach to photography involves creative photography techniques as well as specialized editing and compositing, which has resulted in some truly breathtaking art pieces for Gypsy Gold over the years. Her passion for photography and horses is evident in each of her images, and she takes great pride in capturing the personality and beauty of each animal she photographs.
If you’re interested in purchasing archival quality prints of Susan’s work, you can visit her website at www.mareishmedia.com, or reach out to her directly via email at susan@mareishmedia.com. With her years of experience as an equestrian and a photographer, Susan creates stunning equine images that will adorn your walls for many years to come.
Kathy Cline
