
Coaches Network
A Community of Professional Coaches Sharing Their Passion and Knowledge for the Sport
What is a WE Coach?
- An experienced trainer or instructor
- Someone who LOVES working equitation
- A person looking to help promote the sport in their area and to support other trainers across the country
- Someone who has invested time and energy into their working equitation education
- A professional seeking to expand their clientele in this growing sport
- The United States of America WE Coaches Network specifically recognizes WE Coaches residing in the United States. We hope that other North American WE Organizations follow suit with similar programs for their members.
What qualifications do USAWE Coaches have?
- A minimum of 5 years of training or instructing experience.
- A minimum of 3 years practical WE experience to include instructing, coaching, training, or competing.
- Must pass a WE rules test with a score of 90% or higher.
- Recommendations from: “R” or “S” Judge, two clients, two equestrian professionals (e.g., clinic host, equine veterinarian, farrier, farm manager, show manager, official licenssed with an equestrian organization).
- Within the 4 preceding years, they must fulfill TWO of the following THREE requirements:
- Earned average Dressage & EOH scores of 60% or higher at Novice A level or higher without DQing in any trial, from at least two different “R” or “S” judges on horses that have been in WE training with the applicant for at least 60 days prior to competitoin date.
- Be present for all trials of two licensed WE shows as either a Scribe, TD, or Shadow Judge.
- Attend an official USAWE recognized Licensed Officials Seminar.
What are the perks?
- National recognition as a working equitation professional
- Promotion on the USAWE website including a bio, photo and link to your business website
- Be part of a diverse network of trainers and instructors committed to improving horsemanship through working equitation
2023 Grants are finished. Please apply for 2024 Grants now.
USA WORKING EQUITATION TRADE SHOW GRANT is designed to facilitate educating the equestrian community about the sport of Working Equitation. It will also promote USA Working Equitation (USAWE) by helping USAWE Coaches and Licensed Officials presenting, and Affiliate Organizations (AOs) manning a Working Equitation booth at large trade shows to offset expenses associated with attending the event.
The next opportunity for the WE Rules test for WE Coaches will be from September 16 – October 16, 2023.
Please email leslie@usawe.org, and cc coaches@usawe.org during this testing window to request the WE Rules test for WE Coaches.
Thank you for your interest in joining the Coaches Network!
WE Coach recognition is valid for two years.
Proof of USAWE membership and insurance will need to be provided ANNUALLY.
To renew, a member of the WE Coaches Network will submit documentation of having completed a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education, two positive evaluations, and a renewal fee. The renewal fee will be $75 (half the current application fee).
The application for renewal, with documentation of having fulfilled the continuing education requirements, may be submitted at any time within the two-year membership.
Recognized Coaches By Region
Region 1 Coaches
Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana
Kimberlee Barker of KB Dressage
Connect with Kimberlee on Facebook: KB Dressage Corvallis, OR Offering: Lessons, on and...
Laura Stutesman of Rising Hope Stables
Laura Stutesman Connect with Laura via Social Media Ashland, OR Offering: Lessons on-farm Clinics...
Trisha Kiefer-Reed of Run-A-Muck Ranch
Finesse + Joy = Working Equitation! From Affiliate Organization Run-A-Muck Ranch in Montana, Trisha instantly fell in love with a sport that offered so much to so many….
Region 2 Coaches
California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Hawaii, and U.S. territories in the Pacific
Judy Mackenzie of Payson Riding Lessons
Judy Mackenzie Connect with Payson Riding Lessons or her website: paysonridinglessons.com Payson,...
Jessica Mosbaugh Panighetti of Pacific Performance Horses
Jessica Mosbaugh Panighetti Connect with Jessica via her website: Pacific Performance Horses...
Tessa Nicolet of Cohesive Horsemanship
Tessa Nicolet Connect with Tess on her website: www.cohesivehorsemanship.com Payson, AZ Offering:...
Ashley Bowers of Rising Phoenix Equestrian
Located in Cave Creek, Arizona, Ashley stays active in the Working Equitation and Competitive Dressage communities. She is a USAWE Lifetime Achievement medalist. She has been year end Champion in Region 2 and State numerous times in WE.
Region 3 Coaches
Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado
Chris Stanko
Chris has been teaching and training for over 40 years, and working as a clinician for 15 yrs. She teaches Working Equitation, In – Hand work, Classical Horsemanship, the Art of Garrocha,…
Region 4 Coaches
New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana
Coming Soon!
Region 5 Coaches
Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky
Michelle Lackey
Michelle’s diverse 40+ years of horsemanship has allowed her to learn from and work with a multitude of breeds, levels, and disciplines of horses. Michelle’s extensive Natural Horsemanship background brings an understanding of equine psychology….
Erica Peet of Peet Equestrian
Working Equitation entered Erica Peet’s life in 2013. She quickly fell in love with how the sport tests all aspects of horsemanship, fosters growth and improvement that rider and horse can achieve….
Kemp Horsemanship
Emily has traveled the country studying with some of the world’s best trainers in a variety of disciplines. Her training style is a blend of natural methods that carefully consider things from the horse’s point of view….
Region 6 Coaches
New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia
Rose Watt of Edgewood Stables
Rose Watt Connect with Rose via Social Media at Edgewood Stables and Northwestern Pennsylvania...
Breanna Sprik of BR Sporthorses
Breanna Sprik Connect with Breanna via www.Breannarenesporthorses.com Ancram, NY Offering: ...
Holly Linz of KeepStables LLC
Holly operates a training facility in Central MD, where she offers training, lessons, and occasional sales of proven Dressage and Working Equitation horses….
Stephanie Hayes of the Center for America’s First Horse
Stephanie has been a professional in the horse industry for over two decades as a natural horsemanship clinician, trainer, coach, and competitor in a variety of disciplines….
Region 7 Coaches
Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and US territories in the Atlantic
Shannon Yee of Running Y Ranch
Shannon Yee Connect with Shannon via email: ryranch@yahoo.com Bradley, SC Offering: Lessons on...
Jody Fontanetta of Fairfield Farms Equestrian Center
Jody Fontanetta Connect with Jody via Social Media or her website: FairfieldFarmsTN.com Milton, TN...
Polly Limond Dressage & Working Equitation
For over 35 years Polly has been a dressage rider, trainer, breeder and importer in the Southern CA area. Since 2004 she has been selecting and importing sport horses from Germany, Portugal, Spain and France….
Check out our application to become a member of the USAWE Coaches Network!