VIRGINIA HORSE RETIREMENT - Key Persons

Emily Day was born in Unionville PA into a horse-oriented family. Her father was renowned veterinarian and Hall-of Fame endurance rider Matthew Mackay-Smith, and her mother Wingate Eddy was a naturally talented equestrian who grew up showing ponies and took up foxhunting, eventing, and endurance riding as an adult. Emily was immersed in all of these disciplines from a young age, and has partaken of every equine activity available to her, including playing polo in college and riding in steeplechase races in her 20s. She now is the Director for the Upperville Colt & Horse Show, and enjoys making retired racehorses into prospects for new careers as sport horses. Together, Jimmy and Emily have 2 grown sons and a daughter-in-law, as well as 2 barn cats and 4 dogs. They enjoy the beautiful, open countryside of southern Clarke County, taking their roles as stewards of the land and their animals very seriously. Sharing their farm with the animals and people they love and enjoy is a culmination of a lifetime spent building their careers and impressive equine facility. Now, including outside horses in their retirement years is a natural fit, and will make Cedarwood one of the most exclusive horse retirement facilities in Virginia.

Jimmy Day was born in Wexford, Ireland, and began his professional career in horses when he was just 14 years old. Spending 5 years apprenticed as a flat racing jockey, Jimmy moved on to become an accomplished steeplechase rider, eventually emigrating to the US to ride for Hall of Fame trainer Burling Cox. In 1989, Jimmy married Emily Mackay-Smith and began his own successful training career of flat and steeplechase horses. Now broodmares and their offspring are his focus, as well as farming the productive land of Cedarwood Farm, and establishing a premier Virginia horse retirement farm.