Randy Abernathy - General Training

Sponsored by Elite Fence

Randy grew up on a family farm in McKenney, VA with cattle and horses. He has been riding horses since he was 10 years old and training horses for the past 20 plus years. He has had the opportunity to study under and learn from some of the top trainers in the United States and Canada. Randy has a natural talent when it comes to helping riders with their horses, which is what makes Randy’s training unique. From what Randy has learned from other trainers and his own experience with horses, he has come up with his own unique style. This special insight he has with horses helps riders accomplish things they never thought possible. He now operates Randy Abernathy Horsemanship, LLC on his family farm where he trains horses and gives riding clinics and Demos up and down the East Coast. Most of all, Randy enjoys teaching people how to communicate with their horse in way that the horse understands. Randy’s motto: It’s not what I can do with my  horse, but what I can teach you to do with yours.

Randy was selected as one of the trainers for the 2006 East Coast Trainer Challenge.

R.L Adams, Attorney

Since 1999, R.L. Adams has been the attorney of choice for hundreds of equine professionals, businesses, non-profit organizations, and individual horse owners, throughout North Carolina and in twenty five other states.  He has represented plaintiffs and defendants in equine-related claims and lawsuits of all sorts, guided owners of dozens of facilities, businesses and organizations through the start-up process,      resolved disputes between breed organizations and their members, and helped horse owners buy, sell, and breed horses, understand their insurance policies, avoid one-sided contracts, protect themselves from tort liability. 

R.L.'s clients show, trail ride, race, show jump, compete in dressage, fox hunt, cut cattle, carriage drive, barrel race, participate in reining, and just enjoy caring for their horses.  His clients own Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Arabians, Irish Draught Horses, Morgans, Saddlebreds, Paints, Trakaners, Sport Horses, Appaloosas, Standarbreds, Clydesdales, Hannovarians, Swedish Warmbloods, Rocky Mountain Horses, Tennessee Walking Horses, Mustangs and almost every cross in between.  

A trial lawyer and litigator by training, R.L. is an equine lawyer by choice.  He seeks out--and actually prefers--clients from the horse industry or others facing legal problems related to equines.  He has twenty years of litigation experience, a necessity in the high-risk, liability-intensive environment of the horse industry.  He understands how both the equine industry and the legal system work--and they don't always work together. 

Most of R.L.'s practice, whether horse-related or otherwise, is in the areas of personal injury, real estate/construction litigation, unfair and deceptive trade practices, breach of contract, fraud, and products liability.  He is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, but regularly works with clients who reside elsewhere.  He appears in the courts of other states through the association of local counsel and admission pro hac vice.  R.L. refers matters outside his areas of experience or which might create a conflict of interest to other qualified attorneys.

 R.L. monitors emerging business trends in equine industry and stays current on developments in related areas of the law.  He is a regular contributor to regional equine publications and speaks about legal issues to equine organizations and at equine events. 

Angelia Almos-Horse Schools

Angelia Almos is the author of Horse Schools: The International Guide to Universities, Colleges, Preparatory and Secondary Schools, and Specialty Equine Programs published by Trafalgar Square Publishing. Almos has written many articles on horse schools which have been published in equine publications such as Horse Illustrated, Young Rider Magazine, and Blaze Magazine, and she currently writes a monthly column for EquinePost.com where she offers advice and discusses the often daunting aspects of choosing the right horse school or equine-oriented career. She travels nationwide speaking on this topic and provides one-on-one counseling to prospective students through her web site, www.horseschools.net. Almos lives in Lake Tahoe, California, with her husband and two daughters.

Big Horse Productions

Equus Extraordinaire Performance

Erik Martonovich, 28 years old and the son of professional dressage trainers, is from Golden, CO. Although exposed to horses all of his life, Erik saw his first valuting demonstration at the age of six. Shortly after, he began vaulting with a local team. As he grew in skill and in his love for the sport, Erik realized he liked to do things to take his performances to the edge. They stood out in a crowd.

In 1994, he and his parents used their resources to start a new vaulting team, the “Golden Gate Vaulters”. Erik was named head coach. He had the opportunity to practice freely and to create new and innovative acts without restriction.

As Erik developed skills as a vaulter and Roman rider, he also became skilled in dressage, stadium jumping, and cross country. Training in dance (Russian, hip-hop, break dancing, Native American, folk, and more) and gymnastics greatly improved his vaulting and performance skills. If you couldn't find Erik in the vaulting arena, you could almost always find him at the gym, cross training to build strength.

Competition vaulting did not satisfy Erik. He built routines more for the public than for the judges. Having an audience was what Erik loved most and what drew him into private equine entertainment. Competition vaulting gave him a great background for becoming an amazing equestrian acrobat. He created Big Horse Productions just three years after starting the Colorado team.

Since then, he has impressed audiences worldwide with his talents. Erik was born to be on horses, and he stands out above the rest. Taking people by surprise with skill and creative expression brings him to life. “People need to experience new things. Otherwise life is just boring. That's why I like to shake things up and throw in a little shock factor!” And so Erik continues to stir excitement with Big Horse Productions , taking the performances on the road to share with the world.

Alethea Shelton, 27, began modern dance and ballet at the age of three. It was quickly determined that she was talented in rhythm and movement and had a passion for costumes and choreography! At age ten, Alethea received her first horse. She discovered that she was both enthralled and intimidated by the animal. When invited to a local vaulting practice by a family friend, Alethea's first wondrous moves on a Belgian ignited a desire to do more, in spite of the fear! In the sport of vaulting, Alethea found a perfect place to combine her love of animals with her passion for choreography and dance!

Competing from Virginia to California, Alethea won several regional and five national titles. Always happiest when performing, she continued to grow and excelled in other horse disciplines as well as performing arts, including: dressage, hunt seat, western pleasure and trick riding; gymnastics, dance, voice, and theater arts.

In 1999, Alethea left Virginia and vaulting for a year to obtain licensure as a massage therapist. After ten months she knew that she never wanted be away from horses or vaulting again and desired to make them a career. She moved to Colorado to perform and train with her vaulting mentor, Erik Martonovich. Knowing that Alethea had a flair for coaching younger children, he asked her to coach the Golden Gate Vaulting Team. Two years in a row the team took first place nationally. Alethea shares what she loves with others while encouraging them to believe that they, too, can accomplish their goals while facing fear or challenge. These days, Alethea is a well-known equestrian acrobat, nationwide. Her passion for what she does runs deep and she still believes it is the most beautiful, expressive performance art in the world. "I believe there are no limits to our creativity when it comes to our shows. I love to be free with my ideas and run with them. My horses are everything to me and I think there is nothing that shows the harmony between human and horse better than what we do! When I step into an arena or onto the stage, everything disappears but me, my teammates and my horse-it's the most amazing feeling ever!"

Colin Dangaard - Saddle Fitting

Judge, Trainer Challenge

Colin Dangaard - Saddle Fitting

Colin has personally fit over 70,000 horses to Australian stock saddles in a career that has stretched over half of a century. He was the first to successfully market the saddle in the US, starting the Australian Stock Saddle Company in 1979. 
 

Colin was raised in North Queensland, Australia, where his family had a cattle property. As an early teenager he captured wild brumbies (Australia's mustangs) and sold them to immigrant (and impoverished) tobacco farmers, so they could haul their harvest from the fields. Many could not afford tractors.  When Colin wasn't riding horses, he was writing, and went on to become one of Australia's most well known print journalists, eventually working with Rupert Murdoch in the US to help establish what is now a vast media empire, including Fox Television. In the early days of cable television, Colin had his own show.

Today he runs the Australian Stock Saddle Company from his ranch in Malibu, California, in partnership with his wife Linda Fox. Here he designs saddles for manufacture in Australia and around the world, for exclusive distribution in the US. He was recently awarded a contract to saddle horses for the US Special Forces in Afghanistan, along with scabbards for their M-4's.   In his spare time, Colin trains horses, races steeplechase and cross-country, competes in mounted shooting, and performs in Wild West shows, with sabers, whips and lance.  

Gilbert Gonzalez

Lead Judge in Trainer Challenge

Julie Goodnight - Goodnight Horsemanship

Brock Griffith

BJ Hartmann - Equine Massage and Alternative Therapies

Barbara "BJ" Hartmann has been an equestrian instructor and trainer for over 35 years, specializing in physically and mentally traumatized horses, frightened riders and evaluation of improper behavior and movement assessment.  "I work with all disciplines:  Hunter/Jumpers, Dressage, Saddleseat, Western, Racehorses and more..."

Since 1996 she has been giving demonstrations, lectures and sessions at various locations -  horse facilities, private farms, 4-H clubs, pony clubs, dressage clubs, Horsefest Ohio, therapeutic riding centers, Findlay University, national expo's including the Horse World Expo, Equine Affair and also the North Carolina Expo.  She has also competed in the Great Lakes Modern Pentathlon competition, a five-sport event involving fencing, pistol shooting, swimming, running and horse show jumping.

Barbara completed her video production in 2001 called Grooming For The Health Of Your Horse.  This excellent video shows how to combine acupressure and sports massage into a daily grooming routine, which will improve a horse's productivity and performance.

She is a mother of three, and after competing and playing college basketball years ago she has continued the love of this sport by helping coach a local basketball team.  Barbara has been around horses since the first grade and competed in both the hunter/jumper circuit and Pinto circuit as a youth.  After being crowned Pinto Queen of Ohio she was in a very serious car accident that left her partially disabled, which in turn led her to alternative modalities which have helped her success in her current profession.

Barbara "BJ"  Hartmann is the owner of Miracle Farm, Ohio 's first rehabilitation facility that merges traditional therapies with alternative modalities for horses, dogs and people.  Miracle Farm is the home of Alternatives For All, the company that she founded in 1995.  She attended Lakeland Community College and Cleveland State University .  She is certified and trained in Human Sports Massage, Chiropractic Assisting, Equine Acupressure Level's 1 & 2, Equine Sports Massage, Geobiology Research, Canine Acupressure Level1, Reiki Level 1 and small computer programming.  She is the author of the video production Grooming for the Health of your Horse and the just-released book, The Missing Link - Understand the True Connection Between Horse and Rider.  She has been featured on the radio and published in Enlightenment's Magazine, Healthy Referral.

Colleen Kelly - Rider Biomechanics, Vaulting, Balance

If you like to have fun while you learn, Colleen is the clinician to see!  Biomechanics Lecturer Colleen Kelly, MISRB, MISBS, EFA - NJAS Official Judge, President, Vaulting Victoria, started her career in exercise physiology, and now, some 30 years later, is one of most sought-after speakers around the world.

After 8 years in research with the University of NSW, and as the previous Spokeswoman for the WorkCover Authority of NSW, Technical Delegate & head gear checker for the Australian National Titles, Colleen’s elite lecture circuit includes the Equestrian Federations of Australia, New Zealand & Canada and Championship Federation Events.

Her easy way of connecting to crowds of all ages, and the fact that seat & posture applies to all horse sports, has seen her invited many times to return to speak at world-class conferences such as Sporthorse Expo, EquineXpo and the world's largest trade fair: Equitana.
If they say "you get it from your family", then Colleen's family history was always going to see her raise to the top. Colleen's great grandmother Mary Louise Berry (b.1836) was well known for training animals and breaking horses, and, probably because of her petite size, was unable to do the rough "rope them down" methods. This kind method of breaking was followed by Colleen's Grandfather, Alan Manuel. Colleen has always trained animals learning carefully from her mother, Gwen Kelly who not only was a master horsewoman, but able to train trick animals - even able to train cats to do every animal trick you can think of!

Colleen owned, trained and performed with the well known 'Rex the Wonderhorse', and Patch the Wonderdog at shows and performances around Australia.

Colleen always rode, but first started riding seriously in endurance riding, later switching to the fun of polocrosse and doing a few highly successful campdrafts, then for many years showing with her famous show horse "Thendara Old Times". After the massive 18hh Old Times was injured & scared in a paddock accident, Colleen switched her training talents to dressage, and now is the Trainer and President of both the Vaulting Victoria riders and horses.

Colleen has judged at Agricultural & Royal Shows, State Titles and National Championships in arabs, appaloosas, quarter horses, warmbloods, eventing and dressage, and has many pupils on State and National Squads around the world.

Now settled in Melbourne, Australia, Colleen and her partner Nick Tsopanis have a team of roughly 15 horses from champion ponies to massive Holsteiners, the Victorian Vaulting horses, and has FEI level schoolmasters for visitors.

Colleen is well-known for receiving a remarkable 100% in her Official Judge's Exam, however it’s her “Irish Sense of Humour” and fun presentations that keep audiences around the world laughing, and has seen her awarded with 3 separate awards from Riding for Disabled.

James Lamm and Rocky the Trick Mule

James and Rocky have been showing together since Rocky was 3 months old, today Rocky is 6 yrs old and does over 50 tricks. They have shown and performed doing tricks in the Mid-Atlantic region including Virginia, as well as North and South Carolina.  James and Rocky have received a variety of honors including being named as America’s Ultimate Horse Idol in 2007.

Clay Maier – Long Rein Training

Rein Dance

Equus Extraordinaire Performance

Matt McLaughlin – Dressage, Trick Horse Training

Equus Extraordinaire Performance

Matt McLaughlin – Dressage, Trick Horse Training

Matt studied under both Chuck Grant, USDF Hall of Fame member and recognized father of American Dressage, as well as Mari Monda Zdunic, USDF bronze, silver, and gold medal holder and Olympic Sports Festival Team member.  As a working student he not only furthered his dressage skills but also learned the art of training horses in Haute E’cole for exhibition work.  Matt spent the next seven years as the Principal Rider, Head Rider and eventually Head Trainer for the Royal Lipizzaner Stallion Show where he trained as many as 16 stallions and riders for the daily performances all over North America, Europe and Australia as well as performing his own high-energy solo acts. He has successfully trained several horses through Grand Prix and in Haute E’cole including Capriole, Courbette and Levade. His dedication to the training of horse and rider is based on classical principles of dressage coupled with the requirements of today’s competitive dressage. Matt is currently based in Florida.
 

Debi Metcalfe – Horse Theft and Horse ID

Often referred to as the “John Walsh” of the horse industry, Debi Metcalfe is perhaps the most recognized expert in the field of horse recovery, theft prevention and horse identification.

More than just a pasture fence was broken when thieves took Idaho, from Debi Metcalfe’s husband in Shelby, North Carolina, in 1997. Important ties binding her family together were stressed by the abduction of a horse they viewed as a member of their family. They reacted with confusion—people still steal horses?!—and fear. When she realized local law enforcement considered her family’s loss a minor matter, she took action.

Debi began what would prove to be one incredible journey. Her quest led she and husband Harold into the dangerous world horse thieves inhabit. Along the way she discovered unexpected allies and recovered Idaho in a church parking lot 51 weeks later in Tennessee.

She didn’t see it coming but Stolen Horse International had started forming itself as soon as she sent out her first plea on the Internet by email to anyone who would listen. Little by little people joined this unnamed group linked together by big hearts, kind hearts and broken hearts.

Stolen Horse International, Inc., located at www.netposse.com, sometimes referred to as NetPosse or SHI, is a one-of-a-kind, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with hundreds of thousands of visitors to the website each year. Information ranging from stolen horse listings to theft protection, from recovery tips to disaster planning and much more are on website. NetPosse, a volunteer group of people who forward IDAHO Alerts for missing horses via email, print flyers and post in their communities, and watch for stolen horses at auctions, numbers into the thousands and is responsible for many of the recoveries.

Debi’s book, Horse Theft: Been There, Done That, is a must read addition to every horse owner’s library. Stolen Horse International, Inc. has been featured in many international magazine articles such as America’s Horse, Dressage Today, Horse and Rider, Paint Horse Journal, Equus, Practical Horseman, The Appaloosa Journal, as well as television newscast and shows. Debi, recently featured on the cover of The Gaited Horse magazine, can be seen on RFDTV on Best of America by Horseback and HorseCityTV’s In the Barn series. She has presented programs at all the Equine Affaires, Equine Extravaganza’s in NC and VA, and many more throughout the US. Debi has been a contributing columnist for PhelpsSports.com and does a radio segment on Monday nights with host Tom Seay of Best of America by Horseback. She has also been on radio with Rick Lambe, Jim Campbell and Lisa Ross-Williams.

Debi is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and lives on a farm in North Carolina with her husband, Harold, and son, Casey. The entire Metcalfe family has been instrumental in the growth of Stolen Horse International and continues to contribute to the organization, including daughter Cory, who assists with public relations and copy editing.

Terry Myers - Ride in Sync

Judge, Trainer Challenge

Terry Myers is a leading trainer, champion rider and breeder, and national clinician. Myers has trained stock and hunter horses for state, national and world competition for over 30 years. His training incorporates work with both horse and rider to achieve balanced movements. His Ride-in-Sync™ philosophy helps students understand how body position affects horse performance. Myers is available for training sessions, clinics, horse training and boarding, and interviews.

• Clinics: Myers has hosted clinics in horsemanship, showmanship, trail, and body positioning at Equine Affaire Massachusetts, Equine Affaire Ohio, Equus America Texas, Equus America Missouri, and Equitana USA.
• Media: Horse & Rider magazine selected Myers to judge Conformation Clinic. He is also a regular advice columnist for Horse & Rider's Sound Advice column. Myers hosted an Internet chat on EquiSearch.com, an online magazine, and continues to answer visitors’ training questions.
• Coaching: Myers was formerly the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association coach for the Ohio Wesleyan University Equestrian Team. The team competed in Zone 6 Region 3 of IHSA—against schools such as Michigan State University, Otterbein College, and the University of Findlay. As well as coaching the team, Myers taught university physical education classes at OWU. The OWUET competes in English, dressage, and Western events. Each spring, Myers aided team members as they hosted a show in conjunction with The Ohio State University team and stables.
• Training: Myers trained his Paint Stallion, Reckless Obsession, to achieve American Paint Horse Association champion status, as well as to titles as Superior Halter Horse, Superior Trail Horse, and Superior Western Pleasure Horse. In 1992, Reckless placed fourth in the world in both open and amateur halter competitions. Reckless won the Ohio Paint Horse Club High Point Stallion award and was named horse of the year in 1994 and 1996. Reckless was also named OPHC High Point Performance Horse. Reckless sired futurity winners in halter, lunge line, and Western pleasure, and won the Get of Sire Award at the OPHC Futurity four years in row. At the 1995 Ohio State Fair, Reckless-bred horses achieved titles as Grand Champion Stallion, Grand Champion Mare, and Two-Year-Old Snaffle Bit Futurity Horse. In 1999, Reckless Image, a 2-year-old stallion by Reckless, was the world champion 3-year-old stallion at the APHA World Show.
• Horses: Stone Horses made a model of Myers’ Stallion, Reckless Obsession, in 1998. For its 2002 Western pleasure line, Stone has added a model of Ima Lil Reckless, a daughter of the stallion.

Lynn Palm - Palm Partnership Training

Lynn Palm - Palm Partnership Training

One of the foremost equestrians in the world, Lynn Palm is a pioneer among women in the horse industry.  Lynn Palm has championed the partnership of horse and rider for more than thirty years, bringing her unique perspective to hundreds of thousands of horse enthusiasts around the world through her Palm Partnership Training ™ educational schools and clinics held each year throughout the United States and Europe.  Palm’s extensive worldwide experience makes her one of the most knowledgeable equine clinicians in the world.

She is a regular commentator on Horse TV and RFD-TV, and is a regular contributor to many equine publications, such as Horse & Rider, Dressage Today, Western Horseman, Horse Illustrated, the Paint Horse Journal, and the American Quarter Horse Journal. 

The only female four-time World Championship Quarter Horse Show Super Horse rider, Palm has excelled in a number of competitive arenas with many top American and European championships to her credit, as well as being named 2000 AQHA Female Equestrian of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation, the 2003 Equine Affaire Exceptional Equestrian Educator Award and most recently 2006 AQHA Professional Horsewoman of the Year.

Other accomplishments include over 34 World and Reserve World Champions, 14 European Championships, and over 50 Bridleless Dressage Exhibitions to Music throughout the country with 2-time AQHA Superhorse “Rugged Lark,” including the 1996 Atlantic Olympic Games, and now with her stallion, “Rugged Painted Lark.”   Palm served as a Judge in the 1990 and 2000 World Championship Shows, and is the author of “Longevity Training,” and over 40 educational equine videos. 

Lynn’s most recent endeavors include the launching of Alliance Saddlery and Women Luv Horses ^TM Event. The Alliance saddle line boasts three models, two hunt seat and one dressage, designed specifically for stock horse breeds.  At the same time, Women Luv Horses is an educational event for women by women, including demonstrations, lectures, round table discussions, fashion shows and shopping.

Palm owns and operates Royal Palm Ranch, Ltd. in Bessemer, MI and Fox Grove Farm in Ocala, FL.

PALM PARTNERSHIP TRAINING
Fox Grove Farm
9445 NW 60th Avenue
Ocala, FL  34482
352-629-3310 (office)
352-629-3470 (fax)

Melissa Pearce - Touched by a Horse

These are just a few of the words that can be used to describe Melisa. She has a background in Psychotherapy, graduated Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University, and is certified in Gestalt Therapy. As a highly successful entrepreneur, business and personal coach, and motivational speaker, she and her coaching staff, work with a wide variety of business owners, athletes, executives, sales personnel and entrepreneurs. Her leadership skills have taken her one of the top positions in a direct sales company. She is often a keynote speaker, emcee and corporate trainer.

Aside from her many business ventures, Melisa is a highly accomplished horsewoman. Her love of horses began as a small child and she has devoted her life to raising championship APHA Paint horses on their Lil Bit North Ranch, which is nestled along the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies. She competes on both the Regional and World levels in a variety of categories. Her pride and joy is her gorgeous 3 time World Championship stallion, Go Robin Bar, who has sired many other champions in the making. Raising horses has been a long and productive endeavor. For most of her adult years she has also hosted boarders at two of her large facilities and been active in the horse community overall.

Inspired by the relationship with horses as well as her background in psychotherapy, the event Touched by a Horse™ was born. The program incorporates time with the horses and deep personal exploration. As the equine partner mirrors the person's traits and emotions, the process unfolds. The feedback and communication from the participants following their "Touched by a Horse" experience has been truly inspirational. As one past participant stated "the unique nature of the program allowed me to recognize various behavior patterns that have limited me. This new level of awareness has increased my capacity in both my business and personal life. Thank you Melisa."

Whitney Piatkopwski

Digestive Animal Health

Whitney grew up around horses, at her parents show barn in Florida, in the early 70’s.  She has been riding since the age of 3 in the hunters and later competed in the Medal Maclay division as a junior.  Whitney rode under some of the top instructors early on, including Katherine Burdsall (the first American to win the World Cup).  She has the opportunity to lean from renowned US trainers in the Hunter discipline including Michael Page & George Morris.  Whitney now resides in Connecticut, where she currently rides, trains and breeds her own horses.  Whitney currently works as a Regional Manager for Freedom Health, LLC makers of Succeed Digestive Conditioning Program; and travels the US doing clinics for larger organizations in the dressage and hunter/jumper associations.  She works with Olympic competitors, trainers and breeders in addition to regional riders.  She teaches on better horse health management from a digestive point of view.  How we can improve overall quality of life for horses and the relationship between horse and rider as it relates to performance, body condition and temperament, and how digestion is the missing piece of the puzzle in the big picture.  Whitney is a Dale Carnegie trained speaker, and recently has presented at the USDF FEI Trainers Conference in Florida, as well as presenting at Avrette University, in addition to presenting at several clinics for chapters of the USDF; in New England, Virginia & Massachusetts.

Steuart Pittman- Eventing

Steuart Pittman- Eventing

Steuart Pittman, Jr. (Eventing) - operates a breeding and training business on his family's 550 acre farm in Davidsonville, Maryland. He conducts clinics throughout the country, has a busy teaching schedule, and generally has ten or more horses in training.

As a child, Steuart fox hunted, rode in pony races, and rode in local hunter shows. As a teenager he discovered Three Day Eventing while in Pony Club, and competed through the Preliminary level. After graduating from the University of Chicago and then spending ten years as a community organizer in the lowest income communities of Chicago and Des Moines, Iowa, Steuart returned to his family's farm and went into business with horses. Since 1990 Steuart has competed dozens of horses at every level of eventing, including his Thoroughbred stallion Salute The Truth, on whom he completed many Advanced horse trials and the Fair Hill CCI***.

Steuart was the first Maryland trainer to be certified by the United States Eventing Association's Instructor Certification Program. His lessons and clinics are as varied as the horses and riders he teaches. He mixes challenges with humor, and explanation with practice. His passion for dressage, cross country, and show jumping are contagious, and his fascination with the horse's mind and body make his clinics exciting for anyone who appreciates these animals.

Mikey Porter and Zima - American Mustang

Equus Extraordinaire Performance

"Mikey" Porter was riding horses before she could walk.  One of the first female jockeys in the early 1950's, she began training horses in that same decade.  She has specialized in the unique art of taming and training Mustangs for the past twelve years.  She has been an avid ambassador for the wild horse since 1993 by exhibiting her own Mustangs, conducting workshops, demonstrating training techniques, and performing at major horse expositions.  She and her Mustangs have won many awards in various disciplines and she is widely credited with increasing the respect of the Mustang in horse circles.  PORTER

"Mikey's" overwhelming love for the horse is manifested in her unique approach to training horses.  In stark contrast to the "cowboy" method of hard breaking a horse, "Mikey" prefers a style of training self-fashioned around winning the heart and respect of the horse.  She shows unwavering care for the equine by using a progressive training program customized to fit the individual horse and its learning aptitude.  The results are no less than superlative.

Scott Purdum - Advantage Horsemanship

Scott has ridden, owned, and worked around horses all his life. He was riding by age 3 and immediately his parents recognized his love and natural abilities towards these animals. A few months after he had been taking lessons under the guidance of his trainer Jill Price, Scott became anxious to get his own horse. After a brief search Scott picked out his first horse which his parents purchased for him. Scott began his show career at age 6 and has continued riding and showing hunters and pleasure horses since. He attended the University of MD for 1 year as a student in their Equine Management Program. He also worked as an intern with top rated Quarter Horse trainer Ken Adkins in West Virginia , whom Scott also has assisted at the Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio . Scott has recently dedicated himself to bringing horses and people together through mutual respect and trust.

Scott works primarily by giving individual, customized attention to students, teaching private or small group lessons to his clients. He also maintains approximately 12 horses for full training or breaking. Some of his work includes breaking and training BLM Mustangs, Sport Horses, Quarter Horses, ex-race horses to make hunters, and he has broken 2 year olds for the track. He travels to people's homes or farms to teach trailer loading sessions to clients and their horses. In his spare time, he shows Western Pleasure at both local and AQHA shows with either his own horses or his client's horses.

Phil Rogers- Trainer Challenge Clinician

Neva Scheve - Trailer Safety

Neva Scheve - Trailer Safety

Neva Kittrell Scheve has authored three books on horse trailering.  Her latest, along with husband Tom, is The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining, and Servicing a Horse Trailer. With over 22 years in the horse trailer industry, Neva has led the way in promoting horse trailer safety through innovative designs, research, and education – her most recent design being the 3 Horse SafeLoad ™. Bedsides doing clinics and seminars throughout the country, Neva, with husband Tom, write numerous articles on horse trailer safety for national magazines.  Their latest, Tow Vehicle Math Made Easy, appeared in the July issue of Practical Horseman. And later this summer, Driving A Horse Trailer will appear in Equus. Owners of EquiSpirit Trailers, Tom and Neva reside in Southern Pines, NC. For more info, visit www.equispirit.com. Or call, 1-877-575-1771.
 

Muffy Seaton - Driving

Muffy Seaton - Driving

Muffy Seaton from Williston, SC, is a well-known driver, trainer and breeder of driving ponies.  She has been an active CDE and Pleasure Driving competitor, judge and clinician for the past 28 years.  In addition Muffy has served on ADS & USEF driving committees and has been the Mid-Atlantic Regional ADS Representative for three years.  She is a Registered USEF and ADS judge in Pleasure, Combined Driving and Driving Dressage.  She also is one of very few worldwide to hold the prestigious Light Harness Horse Instructors license given out by the British Driving Society.

Driving her Dartmoor pair of “Fleas”, Muffy has won every major Combined Driving Event in the East and in 1997 was invited to represent the United States at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in England where she placed third overall and was the highest placed American.  She has been the USEF National Pony Champion 4 times, first with a four-in-hand and then with her pair. In 2005 she trained and qualified the single pony who won the gold medal at the World Pony Championships in England. She is now training and competing a new large pony, with the Pony World Championship as a goal.

She and her husband, Doug, run a residential driving program from their farm in South Carolina open to any and all drivers and their horses to come and learn more about driving.

As a clinician, Muffy believes a strong bond of confidence has to exist between the driver and the driving horse in order to have a safe and happy turnout.  She stresses communication and trust in all her training sessions.  She feels that without communication, there can be no trust and therefore no teamwork between driver and horse.

 Muffy and Drive On Productions have released a book and a video called “Bending the Driving Horse” that outlines her training methods of producing balanced happy driving horses, as well as the videos “Turnout and Presentation” and “Combined Driving 101”. Her newest video, Navigating 101, helps with questions from would be navigators. Drive On Productions is now working on a new video addressing the basics of harnessing for those new to the sport of driving.

 Her website is www.muffyseaton.com where you can keep up with clinic schedules, in house training, and current events.

Paul D. Siciliano, Ph.D.

Paul D. Siciliano, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at North Carolina State University where he teaches courses in equine management and conducts research in equine nutrition.  Siciliano received a B.S. (1987) from The Ohio State University and an M.S. (1992) and Ph.D. (1996), both from the University of Kentucky.  He was previously a faculty member in the Department of Animal Science at Colorado State University.  Siciliano is a past member of the Board of Directors (2000-2005) and Secretary/Treasurer (2005-2007) for the Equine Science Society and currently holds the position of Vice President of the Society.  He served on the National Research Council Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Horses (2004-2007) and currently serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Animal Science. 

Doug Sloan - Movie Horses Hobo and Diablo

DIABLO
An American Quarter Horse, Diablo is 15.2 hands and 18 years old.  He was born in Missouri, where he caught the eye of owner, Doug Sloan, who purchased him when he was 6 months old.  Diablo is one of Doug's best movie horses and has been in over 40 films and commercials.

HOBO
An American Paint Horse, Hobo is 15 hands and 10 years old.  Doug found Hobo at a riding school in 2002 , where he had developed a devilish reputation.  Doug saw his potential and gave him a second chance.  He is now one of Doug's favorite mounts and future trick horse.

Doug Sloan
Film veteran, stunt man and horse trainer, Doug Sloan and his string of stunt/trick horses have to their credit such movies as The Last Samurai, Gods and Generals, Buffalo Soldiers, Gettysburg and the soon to be released HBO mini-series, John Adams.  He has worked on movies across the continental US, Canada, Argentina and New Zealand.  Doug has more recently been known as the co-host on the weekly RFD-TV series, Best of America by Horseback.

Now Doug is sharing his special horses and training techniques through live performances, educational clinics and videos which are entertaining and informative for all of today's equine disciplines.  Doug is also working on a new television show under development which will showcase the powerful ways that horses make a difference in our lives.  It is Doug's goal to inspire people to work with their own horses with a new purpose which will produce the results and confidence that both horse and rider are looking for.
 

Skip Turnbull, president of Turnbull Brokerage & Sale Company, has been involved in the horse industry for the past 26 years as a breeder, trainer, and sales agent, and has been a licensed and bonded auctioneer since 1989. As a breeder, he understands the importance and strength of pedigrees, conformation, and show records. As a trainer, he has won at the national level in pleasure, reined cow horse, cutting and reining. He has expertise in equine marketing with several breeds and disciplines including the race horse industry. He has managed consignment, dispersal and race horse auctions throughout the country. This knowledge and experience contributes to his ability to achieve the highest value for the consignor. Skip's appreciation for the buyer and consignor is evident in every horse he sells.

Wayne William - "Speaking of Horses" Radio Host, Announcer

Listen to Wayne on

Wayne Williams, the quintessential voice of the horse industry and or horse expos and fairs everywhere, is the Host of "Speaking of Horses" radio and our esteemed announcer at Equine Extravaganza.  Speaking of Horses radio is a program dedicated to supporting the horse industry and its expos and fairs by providing the latest information on all horse and Equine related topics from training, support products, and care to Health and Legal issues.  Wayne travels to horse expos and special events throughout the United States where he interviews the movers and shakers within the horse industry and broadcasts the interviews on HorseTradeShow.com for "on demand" listening by horse enthusiasts around the world.

With over 40 years of horse experience and over 35 years of radio background, Wayne brings unparalleled knowledge and experience to his radio program as well at to the horse expos he announces.

Be sure to check our schedule to see where we will be appearing.  

Elizabeth Wood - Web Marketing

Elizabeth Wood - Web Marketing

Elizabeth Wood is an ardent supporter of off-the-track-Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) for all types of equine sports and leisure riding activities. Elizabeth owns and operates Bits & Bytes Farm in Canton, Georgia, 45 miles north of Atlanta, GA. Bits & Bytes Farm specializes in retraining Thoroughbred race horses for new careers in pleasure, eventing, dressage and hunter/jumper competitions. Elizabeth’s real job as a Web site developer supports her “horse habit” and steadfastness of finding new homes for OTTBs.

Training OTTBs is extremely rewarding. Most Thoroughbreds love to work. They love and crave attention. The more attention you give them, the more attention they want. They want a job! Last year, Bits & Bytes Farm placed almost 100 Thoroughbreds into loving homes. The only marketing done was through the farm’s Web site and a few strategically placed ads which linked to the Bits & Bytes Farm Web site.

Elizabeth has been involved with horses all her life. She grew up in upstate New York near the historic Saratoga race track. Elizabeth has successfully competed at horse shows and combined training events in the United States and Canada. She also enjoys fox hunting on her OTTBs.

When Elizabeth is not retraining OTTBs, you’ll find her behind the computer designing and developing Web sites for equine clients and other industries. Elizabeth is an award-winning graphic designer and is president of the Web site design and multimedia firm of Egeland Wood & Zuber, Inc. She is a noted author and speaker at international computer conferences where her presentations offer practical advice, direction and solutions using the latest tools. Elizabeth also shares her expertise and knowledge of Web design and presentation development by providing custom training around the country.

It is a natural extension for Elizabeth to share her expertise and knowledge of Equine Web Marketing and Design at this conference. For a sneak peek at a few of the Web sites she has designed, go to the Design Services page (http://www.bitsandbytesfarm.com/design_services.htm) on the Bits & Bytes Farm Web site. Look over the Bits & Bytes Farm Web site to learn what is possible. Elizabeth designed and maintains www.BitsandBytesFarm.com to promote the Thoroughbreds she is getting off-the-track. The site averages 800 or more visitors per day!

Learn how to create a Web site and make it work for your equine business!

If you are interested in becoming a clinician at one of our event please fill out our clinician application.