Everyone enjoys capturing milestones and memories in photographs so that the joy can be relived through the generations.
Here in Union County, KH Equine Event Rentals focuses on the happiness of clients and the take-home factor for moments like these. The creative business offers photo shoot setups and themed shoots as well as the very popular unicorn interaction at shoots and parties.
In August of 2017, Kallie Hopper Noblin created her equine and event business. She works with photographers in offering a wide imaginative range of props and background views for their themed photo shoots on her farm and with her animals, as well as the natural props on the land such as the pond, barn, and mountain views.
Holiday photos, senior photos, engagement sessions, family photos, and themed shoots are most popular. Last summer she transformed two of her horses, Kit and Avery, into unicorns for a magical session. With all the little princes and princesses adoring them with love and attention, this drew much interest.
Recently, Kallie married her beau of five years, Jeff, who has seen the growth of the business firsthand. When she first shared her wistful idea, he was astounded that she would let strangers near her animals.
She says, “I explained that it meant a lot to me that 20 years from now, families would still value the pictures and memories that my animals and I have helped them create. What better way to share what I work so hard for and love so much than to let others discover it too?”
The idea of the business came to Kallie when she was a student — working, as well as carrying a full course load — no doubt she was looking for a way to earn some extra income. With the heavy responsibilities she had to which she was already so loyal, another job was out of the question. Using her smarts, she knew that the best business plan is one that takes the least amount of investment and will yield the most return.
After some thought, she realized that local photographers did not always have access to diverse backgrounds, setups or animals that they needed to achieve in aesthetics for photo shoots. She reached out to a few photographers to get a gauge of interest and it took off as simply as that.
Kallie has grown up on the very farm where this all takes place, raising horses and cattle. She graduated from Union County High School, continuing her education with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with two minors in Food and Agriculture Business and Agriculture Leadership from University of Tennessee Knoxville.
She joined the workforce and was able to obtain a Master of Science in Agricultural Communication while working. Over this period of time, she continued to work daily with the horses and cows, as well as adding a few other animals, to carry on expanding her knowledge of agriculture and animals.
Kallie articulates, “I am very close to my family, and I value the support and connection that families have. My whole family comes together to help with the farm and the animals. This extends to my business as well. If I need two horses for a photo shoot, or if I need a horse and a cow, I can ask my husband, mom, or sister and I know that they will all be happy to lend me a hand. They feel the same as I do in that we worked so hard to have animals that are so well behaved and versatile and we want to share that experience with others.”
Kallie has a special bond with her animals. She has a true animal lover’s heart and has raised the majority of animals from birth on the farm. Working with them every day, she was confident that the horses would be comfortable in front of a camera and interacting with clients.
Kallie shares, “My husband and I do not have children yet, so our animals take up a lot of space in our hearts. After thinking about it, I was excited for a chance to share what I love so much with other people so that they could love it too.”
Although the endeavor initially began as a source of extra income, even now as a full-time academic advisor at UT, Kallie enjoys the sessions so much that she has continued with passion. She values and appreciates the experience people gain from the sessions.
Kallie says, “I have worked with many children and families, and to see the happiness radiate from them during their time with my animals makes my heart happy. I love that they will always remember Unicorn Avery and Kit, or that time they got to pet and hug the fluffy baby calf, or even just run wild through the field like all kids should.”
The three horses that get photographed most are RC, Avery, and Kit. All three of the gentle creatures were born and raised on the farm; RC and Kit were trained by Kallie while Avery was sent to a professional trainer. RC is a 19-year-old buckskin who loves food and is most tailored to the themed shoots, as he is a gentle giant.
Kit is a palomino of 18 who loves nothing better than to be brushed and given attention around the clock. She is most often seen in unicorn shoots and themed shoots.
Avery, the daughter of Kit, is six years old and adores all the attention and being involved in any type of event, especially the unicorn shoots.
Recently, registered miniature Herefords cows have been added to the herd and will be available for photo props as well. They are show quality and are used to being handled regularly and being in close proximity to people. They are fluffy and so docile that the kids can lead them around like they were a big puppy.
Kallie plans to continue growth and improvements to the small business with things such as adding to the unicorn herd and increasing marketing. KH Equine Event Rentals has a unique place in the community with its presence in assisting in recording lifetime memories. Kallie is always welcoming new ideas and looks forward to additions in the future.
If interested, reach out to the KH Equine Event Rentals page on Facebook. There is also a website under construction in addition to the new marketing initiatives.