Chickering Traverse City

An Equestrian Estate Worthy of Its Environment

Design Master Class: Inspiration from Premier Designers

For 13 weeks every summer, Northern Michigan becomes the center of the equestrian world. From June through September, Traverse City Horse Shows hosts Olympic-level jumper, hunter, and equitation competitions at the state-of-the-art Flintfields Horse Park, a few short miles from Lake Michigan.

Across the street from the facility known for providing a top-tier experience for horses, riders, and spectators alike, another stunning equestrian facility appeared just in time for the 2025 events: Chickering Traverse City, an 18,500-square-foot custom barn and residence built for businessman, philanthropist, and decorated amateur-owner hunter champion John Ingram and his family.

John’s robust résumé encompasses multi-generational family business interests, philanthropic efforts, and equestrian pursuits. He is chairman of Ingram Industries and one of the company’s two operating units, Ingram Content Group, as well as the team owner of Nashville SC in Major League Soccer. John serves on the board of trustees for numerous organizations, including the National Book Foundation, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and Vanderbilt University, among others.

As a child growing up in Tennessee, the Nashville native was surrounded by horses. His uncle, Henry Hooker, was master of hounds at the illustrious Hillsboro Hounds hunt club, and his earliest memories involve riding with his cousins and his Aunt Alice at the Hookers’ farm.

“Back then, we’d get on our ponies, go right across the street, jump a little coop, and we were off into the countryside, visiting other cousins an hour’s ride away,” he recalls. “We were free to go—just be home by dinner.”

A Family’s Passion

John’s wife, Stephanie (Currey) Ingram, is an avid rider who also comes from a family of equestrian enthusiasts. Her parents were part owners of Touch of Class, the jumper Joseph Fargis rode to individual and team gold in the 1984 Olympics.

This combined legacy now continues with John and Stephanie’s daughter, Martha, an accomplished amateur rider who has been competing since her junior days. In 2022, she and her father swept the Amateur-Owner Classics at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival in Traverse City, with Martha winning the 3’3” division and John taking the 3’6” division.

The Ingrams compete at world-class equestrian facilities throughout the United States, but Traverse City has a unique appeal that compelled them to invest in building there. The high quality of the Flintfields Horse Park itself played an integral role in the decision. John is quick to praise the investments the team at Traverse City Horse Shows has put into the properties. In particular, he calls out the excellent footing.

“For most horsemen, that is one of the top things you care about,” John says. “Good horses are all fragile—they’ve only got so many jumps in them. As much as possible, you want to show them on footing that is as good as they are.”

But Traverse City is more than horses—a fact the non-equestrian members of the Ingram family has appreciated for years, and another key reason John chose to build there. Located on the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan, the area offers water recreation as well as tennis, golf, hiking, and more during the summer horse show season.

The third reason John cites for building in Traverse City is an infinitely practical one: the weather. “Tennessee is home, but Tennessee gets really hot in the summer. And it stays hot,” he emphasizes. “Traverse City can see a few hot days, but they’re isolated, making the weather much nicer for people and horses.”

John makes it clear that the horses were always the priority, pointing out the biggest difference between equestrian sports and other pursuits: “It’s not like a golf club or tennis racket that’s an inanimate object,” he says. “These are living, breathing animals, and when you’re competing, you’re a team.” Creating a peaceful respite for them just a 10-minute walk from the show ring where they can decompress was the real mission. It keeps the horses at their best when they can go out to the paddock, roll around, eat grass, and “just be horses,” as John describes it.

John, Stephanie, and Martha Ingram, along with members of their professional equestrian staff, shared their perspectives with the design team from B&D Builders. John credits his wife with much of the aesthetic vision. Trainer Tom Wright’s sharp eye for quality and detail was also important, while Barn Manager Torrey Hardison was there to ensure that the design remained functional and efficient.

The combination of utility and beauty was the north star for the Ingrams through the design process. As the first barn built in the area, John felt a responsibility to make Chickering TC worthy of its environment and of being seen by everyone approaching the entrance of the horse show. B&D fully embraced that goal and worked in partnership with the Ingrams to achieve it.

“I appreciated that we were really a team working on this,” John says of B&D’s collaborative approach. “It was a nice process, dealing with someone trying to create what you want, not shoehorn you into whatever they want to do.”

The team met on weekly Zoom calls for nearly a year, sharing pictures, ideas, and inspirations that the builders integrated to create the design. Staying in close contact throughout the design and building process was essential to the success of the project.

Designed for Generations

Balancing multiple uses in a single structure influenced how the designers approached the project. “The Ingrams wanted a space that worked hard day-to-day for the horses and staff, while also supporting lifestyle amenities and entertaining,” explains Daniel Glick, B&D co-owner and co-founder.

Rather than looking at this as a series of separate rooms and objectives, the designers viewed the project holistically, designing Chickering TC as a complete environment. Thoughtfully created zones within the structure ensured the functionality of the barn, allowing equestrian operations to operate efficiently while residential and recreational spaces remained distinct yet connected. Circulation paths were intentionally planned to keep horses, equipment, and people moving safely and intuitively.

While the beautiful summer weather of the horse show season attracted the Ingrams, the facility had to be built to perform reliably through harsh Michigan winters. The team carefully considered temperatures, snow loads, freeze-thaw cycles, and moisture management and focused on constructing a building envelope, material palette, and interior finishes that could maintain comfort and safety year-round.

At 65, John isn’t content to look back on past accomplishments. He believes the future still holds more opportunities to achieve greatness in his sport and his life. And Chickering TC is part of that future for him and his family. “What we’ve designed here will be as functional a facility in 50 or 100 years as it is today,” John says, “And it will be just as beautiful.” He envisions a time when the barn’s residents may include some little ponies to inspire the children of future generations of Ingrams to begin their own love affair with horses.

Project Team and Materials

• Architect: Eldon Stoltzfus
• General Contractor: B&D Builders
• Timber Frame: Mid-Atlantic Timberframes
• Stall Fronts: Blackwood Equestrian Stalls
• Custom Doors, Cabinetry, and Millwork: Vintage Millwork & Restoration
• Siding: Boral
• Roof: Standing Seam Metal Roof

Photography by Jana Bannan and Gary Howe. This story appears in the Fall 2026 issue of Equestrian Living.