EXPERIENCE "RIDE"
Complimentary sea salt soiree dark chocolate. Champagne. Fine art by Arden Ward Upton adorning the walls. Attentive & knowldegeable service. Sleek furnishings. Fresh flowers. Impeccably arranged clothing and accessories. A chic fashion boutique in Manhattan, correct? No. This is the experience that awaits each visitor at RIDE.
Located on Old Post Road in Bedford, New York, this is the vision of proprietor Courtney Caverzasi. Courtney explains, “RIDE is an equestrian retail boutique outfitting riders, horses and canine companions. We traveled the world to bring clients a unique and often exclusive product assortment featuring the highest quality brands available in the marketplace today. Our stellar client service combined with depth of product knowledge and beautiful shopping environment will make RIDE your favorite retail destination."
THE VISIONARY
We all know someone where style is just inherent to his or her personality. It comes effortlessly. This is Courtney Caverzasi. Style, combined with the fact that she is a horsewoman with extenisve experience at the highest echelon of equestrian retail management contributes to the uniqueness of RIDE.
Image: Courtney Caverzasi
At the age of 14, Courtney procured her first job at a small saddle shop called the Tack Box in her hometown of Tappan, New York. She did so on the advisement of her parents that in order to ride, she needed to finance her sport. A few years later after leaving for university, she started working for the legendary Miller’s Harness Company at their flagship store in Lower Manhattan. She eventually was drawn back to the Tack Box where she rapidly expanded the business and successfully solicited and marketed the legendary Hermes brand to be distributed at this location.
Courtney’s understanding of the impeccable craftsmanship and appreciation for the rich equestrian legacy of Hermes drew her to accept a position with the heritage company. At this time, Hermes had just opened their flagship store on Madison and 62nd, and over the next 7 years Courtney successfully grew the business by acting as a conduit between the French and US equestrian worlds. She ultimately earned the position of Senior Manager and rolled out the new strategy/operation for the Hermes US Equestrian Division.
Yet deep down in her heart she knew that she wanted to own her own equestrian business. She committed to the very difficult decision of leaving Hermes and took a giant leap to execute her own retail concept, RIDE.
THE RIDE CUSTOMER
Image: Customers enjoying the RIDE experience
Although the boutique just recently opened its doors, RIDE is already successful due to the strong managerial skills that Courtney acquired throughout her focused career including marketing, promotion, management, etc. What makes RIDE even more unique & special, though, is that Courtney understands the lifestyle from the perspective of an authentic horse lover.
Image: Courtney enjoying her passion
“As a lifelong equestrian, I have always felt most at home with other 'horse people' regardless of discipline. I have traveled extensively both in the US and abroad and was always struck by certain commonalities among equestrians regardless of age, sex, or discipline. For example, horse people are inevitably dog people, that's part of the equestrian lifestyle. Although some of us may have homes in a metropolitan area, there is also a second home in the country with horses on the property or near a barn that we live. We are all nature lovers and spend as much time in the greater outdoors as possible. We are happy to go to a show and watch the classes all day and want to be no place else. So for me, it is something I understand very well. It is an inherent part of me, “ explains Courtney.
Courtney's comprehension of the horse enthusiast is apparent in the quality and breadth of products, the technical assistance offered and the atmosphere within the store.
RIDE at the American Gold Cup & The RIDE VIP Grand Opening
(RIDE VIP Party photo credit Sarah E. Latterner Photography)
HAND-SELECTED
“We stock a nice selection of small leather goods and accessories and gifts, complete line of tack and technical bits, complete line of riding apparel, always with a good-better-best pricing strategy for everything we have in the store, so we always have the best value for clients, and can accommodate riders of all levels.”
"(Brands are curated) and hand picked, one by one. I have always been someone who cares about quality as a consumer, as well as when I was a buyer and working with buyers to help create their assortments. Both myself and my Sales Specialist, Diana Vassallo (also a rider), are involved collaboratively in everything we pick for the store …we don't limit ourselves to just the equestrian shows … (we) also attend the fashion and home trade shows to hand select our complete assortment. -Courtney Caverzasi
A sampling of brands carried by RIDE include Equiline, Sarm Hippique, Sonnenreiter, Equine Couture, British House, Dubarry, Horze,Claudia Anderson, Leatherock, Fabbri, DeNiro, Heritage, Antares, Liberate Sellier, Dy'on, Smith Worthington, De La Coeur, Equstar, Blue Ribbon Blankets, Samshield ,IRH, Toklat, Ogilvy, Waldhausen, Back on Track, The Engraver, Gigi New York and Graphic Image, Park, Found My Animal, Empowered By You, Edward Goddard.
CASUAL
Image Source: RIDE Facebook
SHOW TIME
Image Source: RIDE Facebook
MAN'S BEST FRIEND
Image Source: RIDE Facebook
{CONTACT INFO}
Online Web-Store Arriving 2015!
1 Comments
Nov 9, 2014, 9:32:48 AM
Kelly - Congratulations Courtney on the grand opening of RIDE. Your lifestyle boutique surely elevates equestrian shopping to a whole new level. We are very excited that EQUILINE is one of your featured brands and delighted to be working with you.