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North
Carolina
Clinicians
Clinicians are listed in alphabetical order.
(Clinicians are subject to change without
notice.)
Look
for the
to
find the Trainer Challenge participants! |
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Randy Abernathy - General Training
Sponsored by
Elite Fence
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Randy Abernathy - General Training
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. |
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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.
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Angelia Almos-Horse
Schools |
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. |
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Big Horse
Productions
Equus Extraordinaire Performance |
Big Horse Productions - Vaulting,
Evening Show Entertainment
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!" |
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Colin Dangaard
- Saddle Fitting
Judge, Trainer Challenge
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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.
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Gilbert Gonzalez
 |
Gonzales Horse Training is a family
owned and operated business. Gilbert, his wife Charlotte and their
children Richard 15 and Jessi 14 all assist in the training and day
to day working of their business.
Gilbert was raised on a ranch in Central Texas where he started
and broke his first horse when he was 13 years old. He has been
training and working with horses ever since.
He uses resistance free training techniques. As for his
horsemanship, Gilbert takes his philosophy from the Vaquero style of
riding, the way of the Spanish Cowboys...The authentic vaquero way
is the way of patience. His favorite discipline is cutting horses,
working ranch horses. Gilbert also trains all other breeds and
disciplines.
Gilbert's philosophy is simple: The most important part of training
is to train the owners. It's also the hardest part of
training. A trainer can put all the training in the world and get
the horse to do whatever he asks but is imperative that the
owner/rider follow through with the training.
"I love what I do. In my years of
training I have trained some absolutely wonderful horses. If
we ask the horse properly, the horse will perform willingly.
Every trainer trains differently. I incorporate a little bit from
everyone I have admired into my techniques.
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Julie Goodnight - Goodnight Horsemanship
Lead Judge in Trainer Challenge |
Julie
Goodnight - Goodnight Horsemanship
Julie is known for her
upbeat and logical style of teaching, and for her ability to bridge
natural horsemanship techniques with the principles of classical riding,
Julie's extensive experience
training horses and riders has earned her the moniker, “Communicating
Clearly with Horses and Riders.” She travels coast-to-coast and beyond
much of the year to horse expos, conferences and clinics to teach horses
and people about each other. Her training and teaching techniques are
frequent features of Western Horseman, Equus , Certified
Horsemanship Association's The Instructor and many other
excellent equine publications and websites.
Julie Goodnight is also the Program Director for
Certified Horsemanship Association, a non-profit organization dedicated
to improving the safety and quality of riding programs. CHA offers
instructor, trail guide, facility manager, and other certifications as
well as facility accreditation and a wealth of resources for horse
professionals.
Julie Goodnight resides near Salida, Colorado, at her
private horse ranch with her husband, Rich Moorhead, the CEO of Monarch
Ski and Snowboard Area. |

Brock Griffith
 |
Brock is a talented Horseman, Trainer, and
Clinician with a pleasant mild manner
towards both equines and their human
partners.
Eight years ago Brock traded a bull riding
career for a career working with horses. He
immersed himself in the study and practice
of Natural Horsemanship working diligently
to advance his natural horsemanship training
and abilities.
Every horse and owner Brock has had the
pleasure of working with has added to his
ability as a Trainer and Teacher. Anyone
who has had the pleasure of working with
Brock will testify to his kind gentle manner
working with both horses and their owners.
Brock currently trains horses and their
owners while also managing the equine
facility at the 938 acre Uwharrie River
Farms, located in the heart of Randolph
County near High Point, North Carolina.
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Lisa Guffey -
Equine Insurance
|
Lisa Guffey - Equine Insurance |

BJ
Hartmann -
Equine
Massage and Alternative Therapies |
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 |
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 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 |
Clay Maier – Long Rein Training
Clay Maier recently moved his operation to
the Kentucky Horse Park as an in-house
trainer, consultant, and performer. He will
continue to take his Friesian Spectacular
show on the road across the country along
with his long-reining and driving clinics.
Before he moved to bluegrass country, Clay
lived near the small central Oregon town of
Sisters, where he was the full-time trainer
of the Knapp Friesians. He trained those
horses for equine entertainment performances
using the techniques and philosophy he
shares in his DVDs and clinics. And Clay had
a successful competitive carriage driving
career prior to his arrival in Sisters 17
years ago.
He spent his youth gaining an ideal horse
experience. The Maier family operated Riata
Ranch, one of California's largest and most
diverse youth riding programs. Top
instructors of the day taught a wide variety
of equine disciplines. Summers spent at a
camp in the Sierra Mountains included
clinics with these instructors, as well as
Wild West Shows put on by the students. Clay
learned to ride with discipline, and he also
learned how to have fun with his horses and
the people around him.
With this solid grounding, Clay spent his
life traveling the world of horses. Stops
along the way include professional saddle
bronc riding, performing in Wild West Shows
in Europe and Asia, and stagecoach driving
in Yosemite National Park. The latter led to
the years of competitive carriage driving.
Eventually, he left that to concentrate on
what he does today — The Friesian
Spectacular.
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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.
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Debi Metcalfe – Horse
Theft and Horse ID |
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 - Ride in Sync
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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)
www.lynnpalm.com |
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Melissa Pearce
- Touched by a Horse
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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." |
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Whitney Piatkopwski
Digestive
Animal Health |
Whitney Piatkopwski
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. |
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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. |
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Shannon Pratt
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Shannon Pratt
Shannon E. Pratt, Ph.D. is an Assistant
Professor in the Department of Animal
Science at North Carolina State
University. She teaches courses in
Equine Science and Anatomy & Physiology
of Domestic Animals and conducts
research in equine nutrition and
physiology. She received her BS in
Nutritional Sciences from the University
of Guelph (in Canada), her MS from the
University of Kentucky in Equine
Nutrition and her PhD from the
University of Guelph in Equine
Nutrition. She taught at Otterbein
College in Ohio for two prior to coming
to NC State. She is a Member at Large
for the American Academy of Veterinary
Nutrition, is a Professional Animal
Scientist and is a member of the Equine
Science Society and the American Society
of Animal Science. She used to compete
in the hunter divisions with her horse,
Jay, who is now retired at 28, and is
living happily in North Carolina
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Mikey Porter and
Zima - American Mustang
Equus Extraordinaire Performance
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Mikey Porter
and Zima - American Mustang
"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. |
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Scott Purdum
- Advantage Horsemanship
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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. |
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Phil Rogers- Trainer Challenge Clinician
 |
Phil Rogers- Trainer Challenge Clinician
Phil Rogers grew up in Cashiers, N.C. on his
family's horse and cattle farm where he
still lives today half the year. The other
half of the year Phil lives in northern
Florida
when he isn't traveling nationwide helping
horse owners and their horses to come to a
better understanding so that they work
together as a team. He works with horses any
age or breed at clinics, store openings,
training demos, farm shows, and expos.
At a young age, Phil decided to be a cowboy,
and has never lost sight of that dream. In
high school he started riding in rodeos and
worked on some ranches out west. Phil then
started riding cutting horses and happened
to meet Ray Hunt at a clinic. He liked his
ideas and soon after that began using some
of the techniques he learned which led to
the idea of training horses himself in 1994.
After studying the skill of horsemanship, he
conducted his first public clinic in 2001
and constantly continues to expand his
knowledge to help people see the world
through the horses eyes.
Phil's positive approach to respectful
horsemanship is Patience, Persistence, and
Practice. Phil says, " I am very proud of my
work and want to continue learning and
teaching you how to have a respectful
relationship between you and your horse."
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Neva Scheve - Trailer
Safety
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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.
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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. |
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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. |
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Doug Sloan -
Movie Horses Hobo and Diablo |
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.
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Skip Turnbull - Buying
and Selling Horses
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. |
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Wayne William - "Speaking of Horses" Radio Host,
Announcer
Listen to Wayne on

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Wayne William - "Speaking of Horses" Radio Host,
Announcer
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.
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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! |
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If you are interested in becoming a clinician at
one of our event please fill out our
clinician
application. |
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