• HOME
  • BEST OF PARTY PHOTOS
  • FEATURES
    • Best Of Cover Shoot
    • Pet Owner’s Stories
    • People
    • Places
    • Issues
    • Remembering
    • Things
    • To Do
  • DEPARTMENTS
    • Finance / Real Estate
      • Financial Articles
      • Real Estate
        • Real Estate Experts
        • Top 10 Most Expensive Homes Sold
        • Articles
    • Around Town
    • Business
      • Belle Hall Shopping Center
      • Lowcountry Women in Business
      • MP Business
    • Dwellings
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Drink
    • Giving Back
    • Health & Wellness
    • Love & Marriage
    • Pets
    • Relax & Retire
    • Sports & Fitness
  • Read Magazine
  • MORE MAGS
    • Charleston Women 👩‍🏫🏢
    • Lowcountry Cuisine 🧀🍷
    • Best of Mt Pleasant Mag 🏆🏆
    • MP Business Mag 🏢
    • MP Pets 🐶🐱
    • Charleston Independent School Directory 🏫
    • MP Senior Living 👴👵
    • More Mags
      • IOP Mag
      • SI Mag
      • MP Town Hall Magazine
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Attorney Directory
    • 2025 Charleston Wedding Venues
    • Pool Builders/Services Directory
    • Financial Planners
    • Mount Pleasant Area Hotel Directory
    • East Cooper Worship Guide
    • East Cooper Fitness Directory
    • Senior Living Directory
    • 2023 Local CPA Tax Directory
    • Mount Pleasant Apartment Directory
  • SUBSCRIBE

Mount Pleasant Magazine

Mount Pleasant Magazine is the premier lifestyle magazine for Mount Pleasant, SC. Read about local news, events, businesses, people, and more. Subscribe today or read our digital magazine online.

  • Best of Mount Pleasant
    • 2025 Best of Mount Pleasant Including Previous Years
    • Best of Mount Pleasant Winner Articles
    • Best Of Party Photos
  • Podcasts
    • Mount Pleasant Podcast
    • Carolina Real Estate Podcast
    • Georgetown the Podcast
    • Coastal Home Podcast Video Tour
    • Best of Mount Pleasant Podcast
    • Hammock Coast Podcast
    • More Podcasts
      • Charleston Women Podcast
      • Isle of Palms Podcast
      • Charleston Pet Podcast
      • Charleston Wedding Podcast
  • Top Ten Homes Sold
  • Advertise
    • Advertise With Us
    • Media Kit
    • Video Testimonials
  • About Our Team
  • MORE
    • Real Estate Experts
    • MP Town Hall
    • Attorney Directory
    • News
    • MP Neighborhoods
    • East Cooper Online Network
    • Contact

A Horse is a Horse: The 2012 Charleston Cup

Posted by MPM 2 Comments

Mark Watts rode southern admiral to victory in the 2011 Charleston Cup.

Whether you’re a posh aficionado or scruffy smatterer, there is certainly a place for you amid the masses at The Charleston Cup.

Last year marked the first time in nearly a decade that hooves graced the grass at Stono Ferry for the celebrated steeplechase races. The increasingly popular event – a Lowcountry tradition since 1986 – returned to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2011 after an eight-year hiatus.

Thankfully, according to Karl McMillan, who has been a part of every Charleston Cup since its inauguration, the clamoring hooves weren’t the only things gracing the grounds of Stono Ferry; last year’s attendance, more than 10,000, reached near record-breaking levels. For McMillan and other organizers of the event, the turnout was reassuring, especially since they acquired the contract for last year’s race just three short months before showtime.

“We definitely didn’t have a lot of prep time,” McMillan said, adding that he is both impressed and awe-struck at the growing buzz surrounding the Cup.

“Eight years ago, we thought the Charleston Cup was fairly well-known, but there’s been so much growth in the tri-county area in the past eight years that we were really amazed at the number of people who had never heard of the event,” he confessed.

Now, with the help of tools such as Facebook and Twitter, McMillan feels like he and his team have been able to get the word out to an even wider audience, and they hope to see even more people come out to the Cup in 2012.

Last year’s race was special for Joe Bartone of Mount Pleasant. A thoroughbred breeder, he was the owner of the pregnant filly which, just a day after he sold it to Jeff Madden – also a Mount Pleasant resident – gave birth to Southern Admiral, the horse that would go on to take the 2011 Charleston Cup crown.

“The same night that Jeff took the horse home, the baby was born, and he slept with that baby all night long,” Bartone said with a sense of emotion in his voice.

Southern Admiral, only 2 years old, had begun race training, but, according to Bartone, had competed in only one jump race before running in the 2011 Charleston Cup steeplechase. Regardless of his experience, or lack thereof, Southern Admiral put on a show.

“We brought the horse to the Stono, and the horse won the first jump race. It was unbelievable,” Bartone said. “Jeff was so happy he was crying. He was really excited, and I was so happy for him to see that.”

Always set for the second weekend in November, this year will mark the 19th running of the Charleston Cup. McMillan said the race at Stono Ferry occupies a unique spot in the National Steeplechase Association’s circuit, taking place two weeks after the Aiken Steeplechase and just one week before the Colonial Cup, the grand finale of the steeplechase season.

As with all great sporting events, there is more to the Charleston Cup than the race itself. The weekend’s events include the traditional Charleston Cup Ball on Friday night, a golf tournament Saturday and then the races, four steeplechase and one flat, on Sunday. Even on race day, tailgating fashionistas flock to the parking lots for classy debauchery.

“It falls on a holiday weekend, so that should make for a good complete package for people,” McMillan said.

By Ryan Overhiser

Photos by Stephanie Smith

Sharing is Caring

Possibly Related:

No related posts.

Filed Under: Entertainment

Advertisement

Comments

  1. erika says

    August 14, 2012 at 9:24 pm

    what is the date and time?

    Reply
    • MPM Editor says

      August 15, 2012 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Erika, the date is November 11 which is a Sunday. The gates open at 9 a.m. and the race starts at noon. Thank you for reading Mount Pleasant Magazine, and be sure to LIKE us on Facebook!

      Reply

Leave a Reply to erika Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search The Site

We're on Facebook We're on X (formerly Twitter) Mount Pleasant Magazine Youtube Channel We're on Pinterest Mount Pleasant Magazine Facebook Community We're on Instagram
Ad: South Carolina Federal Credit Union, enjoy life banking on the best.
Ad: Visit Woof Gang today!
Mount Pleasant Magazine Sep/Oct 2023 magazine coverREAD DIGITALLY
Read the digital magazine
now.
GRAB A COPY
Where can I pick up a copy of Mount Pleasant Magazine?
SUBSCRIBE
Get Mount Pleasant Magazine Delivered.
Ad: Premier Health and Wellness in Mount Pleasant, SC. Let’s Redesign Your Health & Wellness.
Read about the History of the Bridge Run
Visit Palmetto Christian Academy.org
Ad: 1st Choice AC, Heating, Plumbing and Gas, for the best AC Service for your home in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Pleasant Family Dentistry in Mount Pleasant, SC. Experience the BEST, and find out why we've been awarded 7 times in the BEST of MOUNT PLEASANT!
Ad: Visit Front Beach IOP and SHOP, DINE and DRINK in the SUNSHINE.
Ad: Get Carried Away - Real Food, Real Southern, Really Good!
Click for Stores & Services
on Coleman Boulevard
Coleman Blvd Merchant Alliance
Best of Mount Pleasant logo is a registered trademark
Ad: Every Day is a Good Dog Day at Michael's Barkery

Most Recent Posts

Palmetto Christian Academy Mount Pleasant’s #1 Private School 11 Years Running!

Emily Faile, Academic Counselor with Palmetto Christian Academy, sat down for a chat with host Brian Cleary. Their opening discussion revolves around why she believes the Academy was named Best … Continue Reading

Georgetown’s New Gem: The Making of The George Hotel

Get the inside story on The George Hotel, Georgetown's exciting new addition! Host Bill Macchio sits down for a compelling conversation with Christy Whitlock, a Realtor and developer with The … Continue Reading

Georgetown, SC Rising: A Look at the City’s Dramatic Growth & Downtown Revival

Join host Scott Richards and Main Street Director Al Joseph for an insightful look into the remarkable transformation sweeping across Georgetown, SC. This video dives deep into the revitalization of … Continue Reading

Front Street Georgetown

Opening Batch: Georgetown Crafts First Brewery

A craft beer fan and teacher from Cincinnati, Chase Runyan started brewing in his house by tinkering with kits and learning how to bottle the beer after fermentation. After making five or six batches … Continue Reading

Revolutionized: Georgetown’s Downtown Makeover

When the port city of Georgetown was laid out in 1729, merchant-oriented businesses and homes lined the land side of Front Street, originally called Bay Street, overlooking the sparkling Sampit River, … Continue Reading

Gold Standard: Georgetown’s Own Crowned Olympic Champion

When 23-year-old Nike athlete and Georgetown native Melissa Jefferson arrived at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June, she was determined to secure her … Continue Reading

More Front Street Georgetown

SEARCH

Get Our Free Newsletter!
Mount Pleasant Apartments
Pleasant Family Dentistry
Water's Edge Dentistry
34 Waterway Island Drive

Copyright © 2025 · Mount Pleasant Magazine, All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy

▲