When it comes to impactful businesswomen in Johnson County, Amanda Cottingham-Johnson embodies the gold standard of excellence. She owns and runs several businesses, including the Barn at Bay Horse Inn, a 10,000-square-foot wedding and event center hailed as one of the best event venues in the state. Open since 2016, the facility houses a giant country-chic barn, pergola, patio, saloon, and stables. In addition, Cottingham-Johnson owns The Stables at Bay Horse Inn, which she established in the summer of 2023 to provide an immersive experience for local kids to discover their passion for horses. There they offer horse training, boarding, periodic one-day camps, parties, and weekly riding lessons for ages 5 and up.
She and her husband, Dallas, also own Johnson’s Hauling & Excavating, which specializes in commercial hauling and excavating. This family-owned business, which started in 2001, has been generational. They recently started a job in Bargersville for O’Reilly Auto Parts at the corner of Whiteland Road and State Road 135.
In addition to being a real estate agent at Cottingham Realty & Appraisal, owned by her mother, Debbie Cottingham, Cottingham-Johnson was involved in the development called Shiloh’s Corner, named after her daughter’s first horse, Shiloh, a chestnut-colored quarter horse. Located on the land in front of the Barn at Bay Horse Inn, Shiloh’s Corner will be similar to The District in Fishers, as it will include retail shops and eateries such as Bru Burger and Stone Creek. Shiloh’s Corner, scheduled to open in the spring of 2025, is being developed by Cunningham Restaurant Group, one of the premier restaurant developers in Indiana. Cottingham-Johnson has been working with Founder Mike Cunningham for the past four years on this project.
“I’m super excited about this development,” says Cottingham-Johnson, who is thrilled to see such an exciting project blossom in the Center Grove community. “It wasn’t easy to get it approved with zoning. We had lots of roadblocks, so to see it come to fruition is pretty cool.”
Through the years, Cottingham-Johnson has continually made a positive impact in the community, not only by providing venues and opportunities for area residents, but also by supporting local nonprofits and schools. She sponsors a number of local fundraisers, and particularly has a heart for organizations that aid hungry and/or homeless children and youths. For instance, she sponsors Blessings in a Backpack and KIC-IT, both of which provide support for youths who need food and/or shelter.
On their properties, they have held celebrations of life and hosted other memorable events that have helped uplift those who live and work in Johnson County. One of the spectacles that brings her the greatest joy is watching children interact with the horses at the Stables at Bay Horse Inn.
“I love going down to the barn and seeing these kids so happy as they take riding lessons or feed apples to the horses,” Cottingham-Johnson says. “To see a kid’s reaction to the horses is priceless. Every new adventure with the Bay Horse brand is rooted in the connection a child can have with a horse.”
Many of Cottingham-Johnson’s dreams were originally inspired by her daughter, Emma, who has been obsessed with horses ever since she was 4 years old.
“I was determined to make Emma’s dreams come true, so that’s what started us down the equine path,” she says. Emma is now 18 and a freshman at the University of Georgia, where she’s on a scholarship to ride on a Division I equestrian team. Very few students are recruited for horsemanship, so this was quite special.
“This is an amazing opportunity and I’m so proud of her,” says Cottingham-Johnson, who has three other accomplished and driven children, Dallas (a senior at CGHS), Eli (a junior CGHS) and Ellie (a freshman at Indiana Agriculture & Technology School). Both boys play football and run track while Ellie shows pigs nationwide. Cottingham-Johnson loves nothing more than to witness growth in her kids, and watch them develop and pursue passions of their own.
As for her own passions, Cottingham-Johnson enjoys leading by example as a woman business owner.
“There are not a lot of us, so I want to empower others,” says Cottingham-Johnson, who works day by day to strike a balance between being a multi-business owner, a partner, and a valued community member. “I have so much going on, but I also have really good people surrounding me. You’ve got to have the right people in place at each business, and I make sure to take really good care of my employees.”
Cottingham-Johnson has lived in Center Grove for the past 20 years. Prior to that she lived in Greenwood. Five years ago she moved to Bargersville.
“I love the small-town feel, and I absolutely love the farm,” she says.
She has fond memories of marrying her husband in 2019 at Horseshoe Bend in Arizona, and then returning home and inviting family and friends to the Barn at Bay Horse Inn.
“Everyone thought they were coming for an engagement party, but we surprised them with a wedding reception,” says Cottingham-Johnson.
Down the road, she plans to expand Bay Horse so they can continue bringing more to their beloved community.
“We still own quite a bit of land over here,” she says. “We’re not done. In fact, we’re just getting started!”
For more information on The Stables at Bay Horse Inn, Shiloh’s Corner, or the Barn at Bay Horse Inn, call 317-760-8778 or visit barnatbayhorse.com.
