The Bradfordlane Farm Team

Laure Connelly, co-owner, has more than three decades of experience as an owner, trainer and breeder in the thoroughbred industry. Her perfect score on her trainers test made her only the second applicant in more than half a century to get 100 on the written exam. Only one of three licensed women trainers at the New York Racing Association tracks and being only 18 years old at the time, she started making headlines. She was named one of America's Top Ten Working Women by Harpers Bazaar magazine, was featured in the New York Times, New York Daily News, The Post, The Dallas Morning News, US Magazine and on numerous television spots including To Tell the Truth.

Working as a trainer in New York during the 70's she made the move to the mid-atlantic region in the 80's and raced at Philadelphia Park, Monmouth Park, The Meadowlands and Atlantic City. Winter months were spent in New Orleans or San Francisco racing at Bay Meadows, Golden Gate and Santa Anita. After returning to Belmont in 1985 and enjoying her most successful year as a trainer, she changed gears and moved to the Carolinas to develop young runners and raise a family. During the 1990's she had forty or more trainees at a time that went on to win hundreds of races for their connections. Currently, Laure devotes her time to rehabilitating runners at her Bradford Lane Farm with her husband Kevin Welk. In an effort to introduce their children Allaire 17 and Jonathan 14, to the colorful life on the backstretch they ventured to Colonial Downs the past two summers and enjoyed being back in the winners circle once again.

Kevin Welk was raised in the heart of Pennsylvania hunt country. He started riding horses and ponies as a child and was an active participant in horse shows and events. While attending high school, he moved on to race horses and the world of steeple chasing. He rode for trainers Doug Small Jr. and Dr. John R S Fisher. He won jump races for the latter at hunt meets and race tracks including Delaware Park, Monmouth Park and Saratoga proudly wearing the silks of such fine stables as Woodcrest and Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Janney.

He changed pace and started exercising flat horses in the early 80's for Bob Camac at Delaware Park. In 1982 he moved south to the Fairgrounds in New Orleans where he joined Laure as a rider and assistant trainer. They have worked together since that time having racing stables at Bay Meadows, Golden Gate, Santa Anita, Monmouth, and Belmont Park.

In 1986 Kevin moved to North Carolina with Laure and helped with the care and conditioning of the more than 40 horses in their program. Kevin and Laure were married in 1990 and have 2 children Allaire and Jonathan.

Ginger Wright has been riding horses since she was a small child. Growing up in New England, she rode show horses and eventers. In 1981 Ginger became the farm manager for well known eventer, author, and trainer, Denny Emerson. She continues to have a working relationship with the Emersons to this day, in addition to running her own facility. She is also employed at the Moore Regional Hospital as a Registered Nurse working for 14 years in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit. She now works in the Cardio Critical Care Unit at the hospital. In her spare time, she has been helping with the riding at Bradford Lane Farm. For the past 18 years, she has brought her keen knowledge and strong background to assist in teaching our thoroughbreds to use themselves correctly. She is one of the rare individuals that have made the transition from event rider to exercise rider effortlessly. Her energy and enthusiasm is a source of inspiration to us all.