This is a different kind of story from what I typically share, and today, I’m asking for your support.
There is no travel guide, hospitality insight or celebration unfolding somewhere around the world. Instead, I’m sharing something deeply personal: the story of a place, and a very special horse, that have held a piece of my heart for many years.
Horses have been part of my life since I was nine years old, and Reese, now known as Prince Charming, is one of those horses who forever changed me.
Help Team Prince Charming Reach Our $15,000 Goal
This year, I’m honored to serve as a Storybook Stakes Team Captain for Reese during the 2026 Storybook Stakes.
My goal is to raise $15,000 for Storybook Farm by October 1. Every contribution, no matter the size, moves Team Prince Charming closer to the finish line while supporting the year-round care of the farm’s animals and the meaningful experiences Storybook makes possible for approximately 4,500 children each year.
Whether you’re able to give $10, $25, $100 or another amount meaningful to you, every dollar brings Team Prince Charming closer to our goal.
HELP TEAM PRINCE CHARMING REACH $15,000
My Story With Reese
To understand why Storybook Farm and this fundraiser mean so much to me, I want to share the story of Reese and the extraordinary journey that brought him there.
I met Reese when he was seven, and from the beginning, there was something extraordinary about him. His temperament, his incredibly kind heart and the way he connected with people made him special. He was gentle and generous, but he was also remarkably tenacious.
We faced some significant health challenges together, and Reese met them with the same determination he seemed to bring to everything.
We were fortunate to come through those challenges and go on to have a wonderful partnership, including many meaningful moments together in the show ring.
Eventually, though, I had to ask myself a difficult question: Was asking Reese to continue being my partner in the show ring allowing him to have the quality of life he deserved?
When the answer became no, my responsibility to him became very clear. He had given me so much. It was my turn to find the place where everything that made Reese extraordinary could have an entirely new purpose.
Finding Reese’s Next Chapter at Storybook Farm
Around that time, I met Dena Little, the founder and force behind Storybook Farm in Opelika, Alabama. Dena founded Storybook in 2002 with the belief that relationships with animals and nature can help children facing adversity find confidence, connection, resilience and joy.
The more I learned about Storybook, the more certain I became that Reese belonged there.
In 2018, he began his next chapter at the farm as Prince Charming. In so many ways, the name could not have been more perfect.
The qualities that made him such an extraordinary partner to me are the very qualities that allow him to give so much to the children who meet him: his patience, his gentleness, his ability to make you feel safe and his quiet way of asking nothing from you while somehow giving you exactly what you need.
I thought I needed to retire my horse.
What I was really doing was giving him the opportunity to become something even more meaningful.
Reese has spent these years filling hearts with joy, love and healing. I could not be prouder of the life he has built at Storybook Farm or more grateful to Dena and her team for recognizing the gift that he is.
If Reese has taught me anything, it is that sometimes the most beautiful purpose comes after the chapter you thought was going to be the whole story.
—Michelle
What Is the Storybook Stakes?
Storybook Stakes is a 14-day online fundraising race taking place from September 18 through October 1, 2026.
During the event, each donation moves participating horses along a virtual racetrack. Together, the teams are working toward an overall fundraising goal of $150,000 to support Storybook Farm’s animals and the programs they make possible throughout the year.
I’m racing for Reese as Team Prince Charming, with a personal team goal of raising $15,000.
The competition may be virtual, but the impact of every donation is very real.
Every Dollar Moves Team Prince Charming Forward
Team Prince Charming is working toward a $15,000 fundraising goal, and your donation can help carry Reese across the finish line.
Every gift, no matter the amount, supports Storybook Farm’s animals and helps create moments of confidence, connection, healing and joy for thousands of children and families.
If Reese’s story touched you, I hope you’ll consider making a donation or sharing this fundraiser with others. Every gift and every share moves Team Prince Charming one step closer to our goal.
Thank you for helping me support the organization that gave Reese his most meaningful role yet—and that continues to create meaningful new chapters for so many children and families.
DONATE TO HELP TEAM PRINCE CHARMING REACH $15,000
