Meet the Owners

Amethyst Acres Equine Center, Inc. opened in October of 2000 and is owner operated by a husband and wife team with over 30 years experience in the horse industry, and a tremendous love and respect for horses. Mark and Deb are dedicated to providing a flexible, professional, customer oriented environment, focused on helping clients achieve their breeding or training goals, or just having fun with their horse.

Mark Burke is responsible for all aspects of the breeding operation, as well as health care, foaling, training, showing and general horse management. Mark is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Animal Science. He has worked with horses for over 30 years at such well known farms as Glorieta Ranch, Colonial Wood Arabians, Deerhaven Farm and Arabians, Ltd. For the last 20 years, Mark has specialized in equine reproduction and is well respected in the industry for his success using artificial insemination methods and his patience working with young stallions. In addition, Mark has foaled over 600 mares, has trained and shown halter horses professionally, and has worked as a consultant to Saddlebred, Paint and Quarterhorse owners. He also teaches Equine Reproduction at the University level.

Deb Burke takes care of the business side of Amethyst Acres and assists Mark with the breeding, health care and general horse management. Deb is a graduate of Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a Masters of Humanities. She has over 20 years experience in the corporate world, helping customers achieve their business objectives, but her first love has always been working with animals. She has been a horse owner the last 22 years and has shown amateur in halter and performance classes.

Our Facilities

Amethyst Acres Equine Center’s 12 stall barn was built by MD Barns and includes two 12′ x 16′ foaling stalls, a breeding lab and raised breeding shed area with phantom and breeding stocks, an office and tack room and two wash racks. There are also three 4-stall barns, a 10-stall barn, and a 2-stall isolation barn, providing a total of 36 stalls.

We have gone to great lengths to build a safe and clean environment for your horse. We live on-site, providing 24-hour security for the facility.

Amethyst Acres is located in Southwest Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley in the County of Botetourt. We are just 30 minutes south of The Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia, and in sight of the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

The farm is in an area known as “Springwood” beside the James River,  just outside of the town of Buchanan. We are easily accessible from Interstate 81, US 11, US 220 and US 460 and are just 30 minutes from the Roanoke Regional Airport.

Associates

Mike Cimino

Colthill Crescent Arabians – Folsom, Louisiana

Shawn Crews

Shawn Crews International – Waco, Texas

Mark and Deb work closely with Mike Cimino of Colthill Crescent Arabians and Shawn Crews of Shawn Crews International. Theirs is a longtime and unique relationship in which the combined diverse knowledge and areas of expertise of each – has resulted in a powerfully successful team with common goals. Not to mention we have a lot of fun!

By working closely together, the clients of each of the three farms have “people” they can call on for just about any need or question they have regarding their Egyptian Arabian horses.