Here are a few of our most amazing instructors.
Justin Haefner
Justin Haefner, partner and trainer of Riding Far, LLC, specializes in the training and handling of young performance horses.
He rode his first horse at 2 years old and has committed his life to horses since. He is passionate about studying classical dressage and the teachings passed on by students of Ray Hunt and Tom Torrance. This combination has led to the belief that it is essential to understand how horses’ function physically, as well as how they think and feel, in order to effectively communicate with them.
Justin committed to transforming the experiences of horses and their riders through his work with his business partner and father, psychologist Dr. Paul Haefner. Justin’s knowledge of horses in combination with Paul’s knowledge of humans provides a basis to create powerful opportunities for riders to transform their relationships with themselves and their horse in large and small ways.
Lisa Barry
Lisa Barry is a 5 star event rider who has been riding since her mom was pregnant with her. She’s been through pony club and young riders and has trained under Karen O’Connor for 30 years. I’ve produced 35+ horses that started from homebreds to OTTBs to difficult rides and everything in between. She loves all horses and enjoys being able to share her compendium of knowledge she’s been lucky enough to learn along the way. She teaches in a very positive and progressive way no matter what your goals.
Woods Baughman
Woods Baughman is a 4 star rider and assistant trainer at Last Frontier Farm with Sharon White. From Lexington, KY, he started riding at age 6 with Maggie Wright at her Champagne Run Farm. At 10 years old, he convinced his parents to purchase a quarter pony named Smoothie with whom he competed at his first events and achieved his C3 rating with the Keeneland Pony Club. In 2014, he qualified for the NAJYRC 1* and finished 12th individually with his horse Truckee Bash as well as Area VIII Team Bronze.
In 2015, Woods met Sharon White and joined Team Orange. That year he qualified for the NAJYRC 2* and finished 6th individually on Montesquieu, and in 2016 he placed second in the CIC 2* with Maverick McNamara. Sharon orchestrated the opportunity of a lifetime for Woods in 2018 by sending him to Germany for a year with Dirk Schrader. There he continued to excel at the upper levels. He came home with his current competition horse, Ces’t la vie with whom he finished 6th at the CCI3-S at Bromont in 2019.
Heidi Berry
Horse enthusiast from an early age, rider, trainer, instructor, and judge. Heidi hunted and evented in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, but since that time has focused her equestrian talents exclusively on dressage. She has competed successfully at FEI levels, earning the USDF bronze, silver, and gold medals. She teaches at her farm Kinsman Farm in Loudoun County, Virginia and at several other facilities in Northern Virginia. Her students have ranged in age from 10 to 75 and most are successful competitors. Heidi teaches clinics and often works with pony clubs, promoting dressage for young riders. Heidi is a Senior dressage judge (“S”), having completed USEF’s highest level of certification in 2013. She also received her FEI 3* license in 2018. She travels all around the country, judging at all levels of competition. She is currently competing on a 12-year-old American Warmblood gelding at PSG and is bringing along a newly purchased 5-year-old DHH that she feels is very exciting. Heidi is married, active in her local church, and homeschooled both of her sons through high school. Heidi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Towson State University in Maryland.
Mary Flood
Mary Flood is renowned in dressage circles for her FEI level success as a competitor and trainer of scores of successful dressage horses and riders, but to Tri-State, she is a voice of reason to a group of enthusiastic equestrians, many with little or no formal dressage show experience.
In addition to her long list of accolades in the saddle, which include numerous USDF Horse of the Year Awards from second level to Grand Prix, Mary, a USDF Certified National Level Instructor, is adept at breaking down the complicated and the sophisticated for novice level consumption. She will get to the root cause of issues and provide exercises to help riders help their horses find balance and progress.
Since 2010 Mary has generously provided regularly scheduled group and semi-private lessons, generally twice weekly, woven in among her full training business at her expansive Wildfire Farm in Lovettsville. Her facility provides both indoor and outdoor riding arenas, facilitating all year lesson opportunities. Mary has also participated as an instructor in Tri-State’s adult summer camps, hosted at her farm.
Website: https://www.wildfirefarm.com/
Mike Jennings
Website: https://prohorseservices.com/
Stephanie Jennings
Horses have been the center of Stephanie’s life since she was a small child. As a youth she participated in both 4-H and pony club; and has ridden and competed successfully in many disciplines and events. She competed successfully at a national level and her awards include 1987 NRHA World Champion Limited Non Pro Reiner, 3-time Champion Amateur Working Hunter at All American Quarter Horse Congress; and 3rd place finish in Amateur Hunter Hack at the AQHA World Championship Show. More recently she has become involved in Working Equitation and was 2019 Reserve High Point Open Level 2 Rider in the Confederation for Working Equitation; and High Point Open Level 2 rider in the Northeast Region. She has years of experience competing in Dressage, Combined Training, USEF and AQHA All Around classes, including western pleasure, western riding, horsemanship and equitation. With her husband Mike, Stephanie co-manages Professional Horse Services, an online auction service used to market and sell horses. She and Mike also hold clinics and give private lessons from their farm in Round Hill, Virginia.
Website: https://prohorseservices.com/
Rebecca “Becky” Lee
Rebecca Lee is a seasoned professional eventing competitor with a growing following of young to mature students who compete in three day events and dressage shows. “Becky” began her riding career at 11 in Edmonton, Alberta and had a successful junior career and went on to represent Alberta at the North American Young Riders Championship finished as the highest placed Canadian in the CCI** division. She was long listed in 1995 for the Canadian Equestrian Event Team and continued riding (specializing in young horses) and showing while she completed her Master’s Degree in the field of Clinical Psychology. Becky is a thoughtful and motivating instructor and an accomplished rider and her positive demeanor is contagious. She competed successfully in numerous events throughout Canada and the United States, which she now calls home. Rebecca Lee Evening is located in Purcellville, VA
Contact email: [email protected].
Bruce Leland
Bruce Leland has been a professional horse trainer for more than 40 years. As a young man he rode with and learned from Mitch Steege, Henry Hulick, Gordon Wright and Bertalan DeNemethy. He also studied Classical Dressage for ten years with Elvira Luehr, the trainer of Dr. Reiner Klimke.
Suzanne Liscouski
Suzanne Liscouski, owner and trainer of Briar Creek Farm, grew up in the horse world the traditional way; pony club as a child and competing in local, state and regional equine events in her home state of Connecticut.
Given her passion for horses, she attended Sweet Briar College in Virginia, renowned for their Hunter Jumper program. A horse owner since the age of 10, Suzanne’s life forever changed when she started her first colt with Ray Hunt in 1999. From that moment forward, her methods and riding philosophy have been focused on giving the horse a “better deal,” as Ray taught. At Briar Creek Farm, Suzanne can now focus on linking these principles to any and all disciplines, such as English Hunters, Dressage, Western, Western Dressage, jumping, trails/obstacles and Working Equitation. With her methodology, you will be able to link the skills taught by horsemen with whom Suzanne has studied over the decades to your specific equine goals. Hence, the business name was born for Briar Creek, “The Foundation Link.”
The concept of The Foundation Link means doing more with less, making your horse a willing partner, and approaching training in a way that builds confidence in the horse and in the rider. You do not have to be a cowboy to adapt these foundational methods to your discipline; rather, this holistic approach provides a solid foundation to develop confidence, safety, and a true connection with your horse.
Jaclyn Sicoli
Jaclyn Sicoli is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist and a USDF “L” Graduate with distinction, who operates a full training barn at her Peace of Mind Farm in Waterford, Va. Jaclyn is passionate about helping riders to develop a deeper connection with their horses through progressive dressage training. As mentors and trainers, Heather Mason and Nicholas Fyffe have had a great impact on Jaclyn’s career. She enjoys following the teaching of Tristan Tucker and JJ Tate for inspiration.
Sharon White
Sharon White, an established advanced level event rider, operates out of her Last Frontier Farm in Berryville, VA. Sharon, and members of her team, have been providing dressage, stadium and cross-country lessons to Tri-State members for over a decade. Also, Sharon has generously provided several weeks of adult summer camp for Tri-State riders.
Sharon is known for her absolute dedication to her horses, her students, and Last Frontier Farm. Sharon credits her success as a rider to the years of quality training she received from the best international event riders in the world. These include Bruce and Buck Davidson, whom she worked for at their Chesterland Farm, Torrance Watkins, for whom she worked while obtaining her degree, and Mary Flood who steadfastly built the foundation Sharon needed to succeed. More recently the coaching of the inimitable Jimmy Wofford and Jules Nyssen has been instrumental in giving Sharon a competitive edge.
Website: http://www.lastfrontierfarm.com/