WILLISTON, FL — Verne E. Batchelder, born June 23, 1953 in Woodsville, N.H. succumbed to a cardiac event over the weekend of October 18th while on a business trip in Ogunquit, Maine.

Verne grew up in Fairlee, Vermont one of six siblings born to dairy farmers Verne C. Batchelder and Kathryn George. He attended Fairlee Elementary, Bradford Academy and the University of Vermont.

Verne taught math and sciences for seventeen years at Thetford Academy, simultaneously developing a herd of quality Holstein cattle. Verne claimed to be a farmer first, embracing animal husbandry and care of the land. He made hay from childhood until close to his death. However, from childhood horses were his passion. He always had them and selling his cattle herd in the early eighties allowed him to purchase the Piermont, N. H. property that would become River House Hanoverians. From this base, Verne continued his riding education with various horse masters and Olympians.

Verne attended an equine breeding techniques program at the University of Colorado and traveled to Germany many times to improve his knowledge of bloodlines. He and his family developed a nationally known breeding program: standing stallions, raising and training young horses and teaching lessons to aspiring riders. He imported over 200 Hanoverian horses for US breeding and riding.

The farm was eventually moved to Williston, Fl becoming a base for his clinic travels, sometimes teaching riding twenty or more days a month. Verne was a sought after clinician attending some sites for more than thirty years. His students loved him, his caring and his humor.

Verne was a USDF bronze and silver medalist having show success with a variety of horses. In later years he was a breed inspection judge for the American Hanoverian Society. He has many friends and colleagues throughout the United States as well as Germany.