QUOTABLE QUOTES
ABOUT US
Meet Some of the Horses at Silver Tree Stables:




































































































The People at Silver Tree Stables:

July 2010: Silver Tree Stables Profiled in The Iroquois Falls Enterprise: CLICK HERE

Silver Tree Stables was established in June 2004.  John and Shannon Becvar moved from Brockville, Ontario to Timmins to achieve their dream of living in the country with their own horses in the back yard.  Since then, they have grown into an 8-stall, 40 acre full-service facility with a reputation for excellent horse care and safe, effective training that adheres to traditional methods.

Shannon Becvar, nee McManus, grew up in Brockville in Eastern Ontario and took her first riding lesson at the age of 9.  By the time she was a teenager she was riding seriously, participating in Pony Club, competing and learning with school horses in Eventing, Show Jumping and Dressage throughout Ontario and western Quebec.  In 2008, after some years of teaching, she completed the Equine Canada English Level 1 Coaching Certification, and is the only current EC Certified English Riding Coach in the Timmins area.  Equine Canada's challenging program uses current education methods that respect how people learn, identify & motivate correct behavior and use appropriate activities.  The ultimate goal is to create confident, capable and independent riders.  Equine Canada certification also demands Emergency Action Planning, First Aid Training and appropriate insurance for our client's safety and peace of mind.  Shannon is now working towards her Second Level coaching certificate and has satisfied the riding requirement to eventually become a B Level Dressage Judge.

We believe a life with horses means life-long learning.  Here are some examples of the standard of training Shannon has pursued recently:

  • Bound by Equine Canada's Coaching Code of Ethics and Conduct
  • Current Canadian Red Cross First Aid Certification
  • 2010 Dressage Canada Rider Achievement Award for Third Level
  • 2009 Reserve Champion at Open Third Level in the Eastern Ontario Silver Dressage Championships and 4th in CADORA's standings
  • 2009 Arabian Horse Association Dressage Rider Award for Third Level
  • Ongoing Education: Recent Clinics with High Performance Coaches:
Regular sessions since April 2009 with Joanne Bouwhuis: FEI Rider, EC Level 2 Coach and M Dressage Judge
September 2011: Dressage Sessions with Elaine Potter, EC Level 2 Coach & M Dressage Judge
August 2011:  Dressage Sessions with Trae LaPorte:  Young Rider Team Gold Medalist and Grand Prix Rider
April 2011:  Dressage Sessions with Gina Smith: 6-time Olympian and EC Level 3 Coach
August 2010:  Dressage Sessions with Trae LaPorte:  Young Rider Team Gold Medalist and Grand Prix Rider
Jumping Session with Sherry Hill:  Grand Prix Jumper
April 2010:  Dressage Sessions with Cindy Ishoy: 6-time Olympian and EC Level 3 Coach
  Gina Smith: 6-time Olympian and EC Level 3 Coach
March 2010:  Jumping Weekend with Danny Foster: Pan-Am Gold Medalist and EC Level 3 Coach
November 2009:  Attended the National Coaching Symposium with Olympic Riders & Coaches George Morris (Show
Jumping), Ingrid Klimke (Dressage) and David O'Connor (Eventing)
Dressage Weekend with Cindy Ishoy:  6-time Olympian and EC Level 3 Coach
May 2009:  Auditted Dressage Weekend with Steffen Peters:  Olympian and World Cup Champion
December 2008: Jumping Weekend with Jen Hamilton:  EC Level 4 Coach
August 2008 & September 2009: Eventing Week with Paige Lockton-Wilde:  Team Rider and ARIA Level 3 Coach

  • October 2008:  Successfully completed all 5 phases of the English Coach 1 Examination.   "Shannon is a very worthy candidate for Coach 1.  She is very capable and experienced.  A cheery attitude and plenty of enthusiasm goes into all of her work.  Well recommended!" - Danny Foster, Course Conductor, Level 3 Jumper Coach and Pan-Am Gold Medalist
  • June 2008: Recommended to proceed to the English Coach 1 Examination in all 5 phases (Stable Management, Longing, Teaching, Riding on the Flat and Over Fences):  "Shannon is a very strong candidate who would be an asset to the system and would be someone I would refer people to!" - Jill Stedman, Evaluation Conductor and Level 2 Dressage Coach
  • Mentored by Simone Williams, noted EC Level 3 Dressage Coach and Grand Prix rider who represented Canada in the 1999 Pan-Am Games and was Long-Listed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Visit www.queenswoodstables.com
  • 2011:  National Coaching Certification Program Making Ethical Decisions - Competition & Instruction Course
  • 2007:  National Coaching Certification Program Equestrian Theory course
  • 2007:  Equine Canada English Rider Level 8 (formerly Rider 3)
  • 2000:  National Coaching Certification Program Level 1 Theory course
  • 1994: Canadian Pony Club C level
Gold Senior member of Equine Canada - visit www.equinecanada.ca
Dressage Canada - visit www.dressagecanada.org
Canadian Dressage Owners & Riders Association, Greater Sudbury - visit www.cadora.ca & www.gsda.info






John Becvar has over 30 years of financial management skills and holds a Bachelor's of Commerce Degree.  He also has experience as a light duty carpenter and mechanic which is critical for maintaining the stable, grounds and related support equipment.  He has worked around horses since STS was established and he loves the rural lifestyle.











"We are very fortunate to have a strong support network of dedicated staff, involved clients, close friends and caring neighbors who help us to provide the level of care that we have committed to."


Contact Silver Tree Stables - Shannon Becvar:  Tel. (705) 235-0852  Cell/text: (705) 465-5852
email: shanmcmanus@yahoo.ca
Silver Tree Stables
"I think that the close contact with the horse helps lead a person through life."

- Klaus Balkenhol, trainer, rider and coach
Andy: 20 year old 15.2hh black Arabian/Saddlebred cross gelding, registered Half-Arabian by Style Master (by Bey Shah with the famous Polish Stallion Bask and Raseyn by Skowronek in both his dam and sire lines).  We have owned Andy for 12 years and have trained him from green-broke to Training-Level Eventing and Third Level Dressage, for which he holds the Dressage Canada and Arabian Horse Association Awards.  Always bright, cheerful and energetic, Andy is wonderful for all levels of riders and he's available for lessons.
Belle:  21 year old 16.1hh chestnut Thoroughbred/Saddlebred cross mare, Registered Canadian Sport Horse and Canadian Warmblood.  Belle is a lady with excellent manners and she has lots of experience under saddle. This mare is schooling First & Second Level dressage and she loves to jump.  Belle is available for lessons, leasing and she is for sale.
Josie:  23 year old 15.0hh palomino Quarter Horse mare.  Josie is friendly and quiet to work around, is excellent with beginner riders and is trained for both English and Western riding.  She ties, trailers, bathes, rides walk-trot-canter, over poles and trail rides.  This mare is available for lessons, leasing and she is for sale.
Teddy: 10 year old 15.0hh chestnut Arabian gelding.  His pure Egyptian bloodlines include his Blue List, Al Khamsa sire Sahlih, and his dam was NC Matala, by the sire of international champions, Makhsous.  Teddy is boarded at Silver Tree Stables and is occasionally available for lessons.  He is bright, willing and simply adorable.
DiMaggio: 16.1hh 18 year old bay German-bred Holsteiner gelding by the World-Famous Donnerhall, out of D-Ricarda (Rocadero).  He is a calm and handsome gentleman.  DiMaggio has shown successfully at Fourth Level and schools Prix St. Georges Dressage.  He is a marvelous Schoolmaster, and he'll take Shannon to the next level in her own riding.

Ein Ludwig: "Ludi" is a 2009 bay registered Canadian-bred Hanoverian gelding. He is a sweet and gentle fellow. He is by the Celle Parade stallion Escudo II (Espri) and out of a quality G-line mare with the eternal Gotthard as both her maternal and paternal great grand-sire. Ludi's fantastic pedigree also includes foundation sires Woehler, Woermann, Goldstern, Absatz, Black Sky xx and has Grand Prix show-jumping & dressage champions and States Premium mares galore.
He will be started by Shannon under saddle in 2012 and we look forward to discovering his talents in dressage and jumping.
Sire Escudo II
Dam Gazette