Meet Nicole

  • USEF “r” Dressage Judge

  • USEF “r” Western Dressage Judge

  • USAWE “S” Judge

  • USDF Certified Instructor

  • USDF Bronze Silver Gold Medalist

  • USAWE Bronze Medalist

  • WDAA Advanced Train the Trainers Graduate

Nicole brings years of experience from multiple disciplines to her training programs.

After a few years of western riding she found her way to Fortuna Farms, home of renowned trainer, founder of Mid-America Dressage and Combined Training Association (MACTA) and founding member of the American Trakehner Associaton (ATA) Max VonBleucher. There she gained an invaluable start in a traditional European riding school learning Eventing but becoming impassioned about Dressage after watching Max and his early morning high school Dressage schooling sessions. A family move led to Kansas, a foray into hunter/jumpers but still maintaining a love for the art of Dressage. There she was able to ride with Jane Schweiger and clinic with such great trainers as Laurie Falvo Doyle, Tom Poulin and Chris Kappler.

Fonteyn, 8.2 high score Hanoverian Mare. Photo Credit: Susan Sexton

As a young adult Nicole moved to Boulder, Colorado and was fortunate to come under the tutelage of Dressage trainers Sarah and Clayton Martin of Autumn Hill Farm and was able to become a professional rider and teacher under their guidance and also with the help of Julie Barringer Richers. Through Sarah, Nicole was able to study with Kathy Connelly, Carol Lavell, Axel Steiner, Janet Foy, Hilda Gurney and many other wonderful instructors.

Through their wisdom, guidance and experience Nicole was able to form her own business and continued her career with the support of Meg and Chad Bishop at Full Moon Farm in Boulder where she resided, trained and taught a large junior and adult amateur program with many HOY and Regional Championships with winter trips to train in Florida and California. Another move brought a partnership with Klarmond Trakehners of Baldwin City, KS and backing from private customer Melinda Waldrop she was able to come to California in 2002 to study with Hilda Gurney and bring several young horses along for sale while working towards her silver and gold medal aboard Melinda’s Danish Warmblood gelding Fuji.

After achieving those goals in 2004 Nicole went on to form a partnership with Delta Farms in Camarillo operating a high-end Sport Horse Sales Barn. She then went on to lease, manage and train out of Canada Larga Stables in Ventura, California for five years. She now resides in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley and maintains her training, sales, showing, lesson and clinic business catering to clients from many different locales.

Nicole continues her education with USDF educational programs, symposiums, forums as well as attending regular riding clinics with top International clinicians. She has competed in Dressage, Eventing, H/J, IFSHA/IALHA rated shows, AHA Shows, and for fun in team penning, team sorting, the reining division, reining cowhorse (including on her mule!). She has presented Stallions and Mares to almost every Warmblood Breed Registry including the high scoring stallion and mare for the Holsteiner Verband in 2003/2004, the Champion of Champions at the Fiesta of the Spanish Horse in 2009, as well as prepped stallions and mares for both the PRE and APSL inspections. She has produced numerous USDF HOY award winners in multiple breeds and levels.

Nicole welcomed the addition of the young Lusitano stallion, Esbelto CL, owned by Terry Chastain, as a 2 yr old in 2011 and he went on to become 2014 HOY Training Level Open Lusitano and has sired some lovely babies. He currently is now a APSL Approved Stallion advancing his training as an FEI horse and standing at stud to select mares.

In addition to regular training programs regular clinics, we host clinics and educational events. Nicole is committed to building the best horses through her skills and years of experience and providing her clients the tools, support and knowledge to meet their goals.