Lawson Walston Joins College

Lawson Walston joined Martin Community College's (MCC) equine faculty on January 4. Walston comes to MCC from North Carolina State University (NCSU) where he was the Equine Unit Manager since 2005. Walston also works as a Bloodstock Agent, a buyer and seller of horses on behalf of clients in the thoroughbred racing industry. He worked as a horse trainer for Cool Breeze Stables in Zebulon, NC for thirteen years.

Walston earned his BS degree in Animal Science from NCSU in 1989 and is currently working on a Master of Science Degree in Agriculture Education from NCSU. He is also a licensed race trainer in four states, as well as a licensed Steeple Chase trainer. He also holds a certificate in Equine Breeding Management.

While at NCSU, Walston managed the day-to-day barn operations as well as the daily maintenance of up to 60 horses on property, including both preventative and routine medical care. He routinely evaluated the stock to determine their temperaments, abilities, and aptitudes for training. He also developed a robust and well-trained volunteer base to assist the university in managing the herd.

Walston describes himself as being, "an accomplished rider and trainer with a passion for equine education. I enjoy mentoring and teaching students, as well as the public, and I work diligently to create a safe environment in which that teaching can occur."

In 2015, Carolina Hoofbeats Magazine polled its readers to nominate and choose their top ten (five men and five women) "movers and shakers" in the state's equine industry. Walston's success in starting and training racehorses, as well as his dedication to training others in the profession had not gone unnoticed, and he was selected. He noted in the article, "I didn't have an 'in' within this industry. I had to earn it among the trainers and owners."

Tammi Thurston, MCC's Director of Equine Training and Business Technology states, "Among the many reasons that Lawson Walston fits into MCC's equine program is his grasp of the wide range of day-to-day tasks that come with managing an equine teaching facility. He understands the extremes a program like this require. Typical days are filled with teaching the students how to safely and effectively care for the horses as well as management tasks like fixing fences and stacking hay."

Thurston adds, "I am very happy that we could attract a candidate of Lawson Walston's caliber to MCC. His expertise in training, especially with racehorses, will add a whole new dimension to our equine program. Our students will certainly benefit from his vast experience and knowledge of the equine industry."