We all know about horse farms that regrettably have been sold for development in the face of ever- increasing suburbanization.
The 350-acre Wildwood Farm, 20 miles from Memphis in Germantown, Tenn., would have seemed a likely candidate for that fate, but owner Lee Taylor was determined it wouldn’t happen to the property where his family had started an American Saddlebred show stable in 1934.
Lee Taylor and one of the foals bred and raised at Wildwood.
The farm evolved over the years and in 2017, Wildwood was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lee, an avid polo player, made use of the property for his sport, with special attention to caring for the deep-rooted Bermuda grass turf. Wildwood even hosted the U.S. Polo Open Championships in 1968.
In later years, he and his wife, Melanie Smith Taylor, dedicated themselves to learning about improving the horse/human connection, bringing in specialists such as Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman for clinics. An organized foundational program, Wildwood Horsemanship, was developed to gear all activities on the farm as a continuous study of the nature of the horse and the nature of the land.
Lee had wanted the farm to be preserved and go to charity after he and Melanie passed on, but ran out of time to make a decision on its future when he died of cancer in 2005. He was just 64, leaving Melanie the responsibility to carry out his wishes for the farm’s future.
Finding the right fit for Lee’s vision wasn’t easy. Melanie persisted in insuring that the property not only would stay intact, but also be used for causes dear to Lee’s heart.
Lee “wanted to be sure the farm continued to be enjoyed by me and the Wildwood family for the duration of my lifetime,” said Melanie.
“But he also hoped it would be a gift that keeps on giving and growing through scholarship, guardianship and friendship.”
A member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic gold medal show jumping team and now an analyst for NBC during the Olympics, Melanie gives numerous clinics that are geared to helping riders upgrade their skills in the saddle, while teaching them how to truly connect with their horses, especially emphasizing the importance of groundwork.
Melanie, who grew up in Germantown, remembers the equestrian-oriented area from her childhood as “the kind of place where a summer morning meant you jumped on your horse or pony after breakfast and took off for a friend’s house or the penny candy store a couple of miles away. You might not return home until dark.”
Through the years, despite development in the region, Wildwood remained a constant that harks back to those days and embodied the things that meant the most to Lee.
During Melanie’s mission to find a suitable future for Wildwood, in she began talks in 2015 with the University of Tennessee about a partnership. It came to fruition last month, as a letter of intent was signed that enables the university’s Martin branch to make Wildwood “a living classroom” for equestrian and agricultural pursuits.
Kerry Witcher, UT vice president for development and alumni affairss; Randy Boyd, UT president; Melanie Smith Taylor and Keith Carver, chancellor of UT Martin.
Although an appraisal of the property has not been completed, University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd said it is clear that the donation of Wildwood will be the largest gift received in the 225-year history of the university, calling the property “an oasis” amidst the region’s increasing urbanization. Randy and Melanie clicked immediately after he discovered they shared a mutual love of dachshunds.
Acknowledging the Land Trust for Tennessee plan for conservation, Melanie said the arrangement for Wildwood, “reflects a seamless transition from past to present to future” that will protect the property and benefit future generations through education.
It’s an idea that could be replicated in different forms around the country, insuring that some farms targeted for development could stay green in a partnership with a university or other institution dedicated to agriculture and horses.
During the signing ceremony, UT Martin Chancellor Keith Carver cited the Taylor family’s “multi-generational devotion to the preservation of Wildwood” and its landmark brick 20,000-square-foot, 32-stall barn, where Melanie and Lee were married in 1989.
Melanie and Lee Taylor.
Melanie will continue to pursue her interests, while enjoying “a front-row seat” to the benefits of Wildwood for students studying agriculture and those on UT Martin’s NCAA equestrian team, Keith said. He mentioned expansion of the horsemanship program and increasing internship opportunities, providing clinics and expanding soil and natural science research programs.
Summerfield (Skey) Johnston, a close friend of Lee’s who met his wife at Wildwood, has pledged $1 million seed money through his Tucker Foundation to go toward the capital campaign of $8 million for the facility’s endowment.
The transition will start with construction of a classroom and a laboratory for UT Martin’s vet tech program and agricultural research program. Melanie will be a part of this and would like to add a horsemanship component and eventually get that into some of the vet schools.
“Many kids now don’t grow up on farms like we did,” Melanie noted.
Melanie and two Wildwood foals. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
“They aren’t comfortable around horses. The whole idea of the groundwork is to connect with the horses, so they are relaxed and comfortable. When vets are working on them in stressful situations, you want the horse to be calm.”
She noted about the arrangement with UT Martin, “The exciting thing is that during my lifetime, I’ll be able to enjoy being a part of it.”
And she knows this is just what Lee would have wanted.
“He loved this farm so much, he felt like it was paradise on earth,” she said.
“And to be able to keep it intact for perpetuity is just beyond my greatest dream.”
