Taupo Educator List 2023
A combination of seminars, clinics and demonstrations will feature as part of Equifest’s educational lineup.
Our experts will cover a wide range of topics and disciplines relating to horse care and riding. While opening doors to new disciplines in a fun and interactive way, regardless of discipline or ability. Check out our educator list below. We will be adding new people all the time.
Yvet Blokesch
Horsemanship
Travelling to New Zealand from the Netherlands, we are pleased to welcome Yvet Blokesch to Equifest. With an immense love for special horses in need, Yvet is a specialist in starting young horses and working with horses who face strong difficulties in life. Her stable is filled with horses in training that she helps work through their problem to see the world differently.
Along with her love for liberty training, she performs with her horses. Her online academy Feather Light Academy is where she shares honest insights and teaches people about her way of training. Every horse teaches her something valuable, and she likes to share these learnings and pass that on.
Sunday's Problem Solving Masterclass
Find out more about Yvet's exclusive Sunday Masterclass here.
Dan Steers
Horsemanship & Liberty
Dan is an accomplished horseman making up one-half of Double Dan Horsemanship. As a highly skilled horseman, Dan is sort after for his ability to entertain and thrill audiences of horsey and non-horsey people alike.
Dan's philosophy is to create well-rounded horses that can go on to do any discipline or job and achieve that perfect equine relationship. Taking his audience through principles of horsemanship, Dan aims to get people to communicate with their horses better and learn how a horse can react as well as get some more manoeuvres.
Key learnings from Dan's clinics:
Horsemanship
Performance Mentoring
Sunday's Problem Solving Masterclass
Find out more about Dan's exclusive Sunday Masterclass here.
Lynda MacCallum
Cutting Horse & Mindset Coaching
Lynda grew up on her family’s sheep and cattle property in a little district called Timor, in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. In 2018 Lynda was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Being diagnosed with a life -changing illness turned her world upside down. In an effort to try and overcome this diagnosis, Lynda and her family have made many lifestyle changes that she believes have changed her life for the better. She now live's life in a different way by making the most of life and living with intention every day.
Lynda has gone on to train horses for aged events ever since and has had several milestone achievements such as Reserve Open Futurity Champion on ‘Metallic Storm’ in 2018, Non-Pro Classic Challenge Champion on “Catsasmart” in 2018, and several Open and Non-Pro aged event championships at smaller futurity shows. Lynda has represented Australia twice in the USA as a member of the non-pro team and was inducted into the non-pro hall of fame in 2019. Lynda and Jim sell horses through the premier performance horse sale each year, the ‘Nutrien Classic sale’. They love the unique nature of the Australian Performance Horse Industry and strive to breed and train horses that suit a number of disciplines from cutting to camp drafting and cow horse. Lynda credits the many professional and non-professional trainers who have assisted her and shared their knowledge along the way, and she believes the secret to training and showing great horses is to never stop learning and integrating training techniques.
Key learnings from Lynda's clinics:
Creating Power Through Adversity - Competition Mindset (suitable for all disciplines)
By owning your unique life-story and adversity you can create a powerful and unique performance mindset that will enable you to go to the next level in your chosen equine discipline
Hear Lynda talk about her journey with Multiple Sclerosis and the opportunities that she has created in the Equine Training, Health & Wellbeing space
Kelly Wilson
Horsemanship & Author
Number One Bestselling author, award-winning photographer, reality television star, wild horse tamer, motivational speaker, equestrian, and adventurer – Kelly Wilson is a woman whose passion permeates into everything she does. Back in 2012, when her journey with the Kaimanawas began, Kelly had no idea where her affinity for wild horses would take her. Now, alongside a list of bestselling books and award-winning photographs of wild horses, Kelly is the only trainer in the world to have achieved top six finishes in the Extreme Mustang Makeover, Australian Brumby Challenge and Kaimanawa Stallion Challenges.
In recent years, she has continued to advocate for wild horses on a global scale, taming almost 100 wild horses, and from 2018 to 2020 she spent several months living out with wild horses in Canada, America, Australia, Portugal and New Zealand to observe herd behaviour for her bestselling book Wild Horses of the World.
Kelly will join Hannah Catalino (USA) and together they will showcase the liberty horsemanship methods they use when training wild Kaimanawa and Mustang horses. This two-day clinic will feature two Kaimanawa horses, as Kelly and Hannah train them around a challenging obstacle course at liberty.
Key learnings from Kelly's clinics:
Liberty Horsemanship over Obstacles, with Kelly Wilson and Hannah Catalino (USA)
Wild Horse Behaviour & Herd Dynamics - Kelly Wilson & Kaimanawa Legacy Foundation (Seminar Room, Day 1)
Rehoming Initiatives for the 2024 Muster - Kelly Wilson & Kaimanawa Legacy Foundation (Seminar Room, Day 1)
Vicki Wilson
Rehabilitation, Jumping & Horsemanship
In Vicki's world, there is no such thing as a problem or naughty horse, Just a horse that has a problem- painful symptoms that are the hidden cause of that unwanted behaviour.
Every horse needs to be treated like an athlete, both physically and mentally. We need to give them the tools for them to succeed in life. In these clinics, we will look at a couple of problems and sore horses and walk through issues in their body and how we would go about helping the horse going forward.
Key learnings to take away from Vicki's Clinics:
Colt Starting
How to identify I have a sore horse and the road to recovery
Amanda Wilson
Showjumping & Mindset
Amanda is one of New Zealand’s leading coaches and showjumpers, having competed to World Cup level. She has a passion for starting and producing young horses up the levels and has earned a reputation for her keen eye for a good horse and her gentle yet effective approach to developing horses for top-level competition.
Sharing her in-depth knowledge on the mechanisms of rider position, finding the correct balance in the horse, how to produce happy and sound horses, Amanda will help with rider confidence and more. For the last five years, Amanda has been studying human trauma, which she has tied strongly to her work with horses and largely influences how she trains today.
Key learnings to take away from Amanda's Clinics:
- Human trauma - steps to understand yourself a little better and how to understand how your horses can make all the difference to reaching success
- The ability to read the horse's body language and gauge how they are feeling and what they need
Tori Jeffress
Classical Dressage, Biomechanics & Bridleless
Tori lives and works on her Dad’s sheep and cropping property in central west NSW. At age 13 Tori started open level eventing and at the age of 16 left school to pursue a career with horses. At the age of 18 Tori’s focus was more or dressage, this is also when she found Rocco! That’s where the story really starts, the beginning of one very big, expensive but rewarding learning curve and irreplaceable knowledge. Rocco experienced some soundness issues and spent a ridiculous amount of time at the vets, nerve block, after x-Ray, after cortisone injection. He was sound for short spurts and then would go lame again.
In 2014 Tori started learning more about classical dressage, around the same time she also began training Rocco bridleless. Training with a more classical approach and knowledge of biomechanics proved to be very beneficial for Rocco's strength and soundness. In 2017 Tori started training under classical trainer Belinda Bolsenbroek, who she says has been an amazing mentor and coach for her and still is. With Belinda's guidance Tori helped Rocco rehabilitate back to a sound riding horse and has since helped many other horses and owners rehabilitate from injury and behavioural problems.
Key learnings to take away from Tori's Clinics:
Tori teaches and trains according to classical dressage principles, with a strong focus on spinal alignment, the function of the body beneath the surface of what we can see and how we as riders are effecting the functioning of the horse biomechically when we work them
Understanding anatomy allows us as riders and horse people to be able to promote correct muscle development, the stronger the structural foundation the more physically able, balanced, therefore willing to perform is the horse
Lisa Coupe
Jumping
Professional show jumping rider and coach Lisa Coupe has 20+ years of experience in the equestrian industry as both a rider and coach. Lisa understands what it takes to produce horses to the sport's top level and the dynamic required to build successful coach/rider relationships.
She is passionate about working with her clients and their horses to reach their maximum potential and help navigate the pathway to achieving their goals. Lisa brings her international experience home to focus on developing horse and rider talent here in New Zealand.
Ellie Harrison
Horsemanship & Liberty
Like many equestrians, Ellie grew up with the love of horses from an early age. She has an Honours Degree in Sport and Exercise Science that she incorporates when coaching and working with humans to help them become more confident leaders for their horses. Her unique blend of horsemanship skills allow her to use subtle soft communication to get the most out of the horse.
Ellie’s horsemanship journey has seen her study with some top horse men and women from all around the world and consequently, she has fused together a unique style of traditional horsemanship with positive reinforcement.
Key learnings from Ellie's clinics:
- Trailer Loading - creating the Horse that Self Loads
- Soft, Calm, Willing at Liberty
Debbie Barke
Dressage
Debbie was Born in Kenya, East Africa and educated from age 12 in the UK. She has a wide and varied amount of experience in the equine world. She is a British Horse Society Instructor (BHSI) having trained in UK for these exams completing them whilst doing her honours degree in Equine and Business management.
Debbie coaches riders from all disciplines at all levels from grass roots and riders and horses just starting their journeys to 5* eventing riders and FEI level dressage also SJ and SH riders, PC and starting young horses .
Key learnings from Debbie's clinics:
Debbie will present her system of developing the horses to be mentally and physically able to enjoy and develop on the journey we have planned for them.
Everyday Dressage for Everyone and Every horse.
Russell Higgins
Horsemanship & Liberty
Russell, along with his partner Ruth, owns and runs Brumby Farm Horsemanship Centre in Te Awamutu along with offering On-Line education to students around the world.
The connection Russell gains with his horses at Liberty is a by-product of his Foundation programme. Russell has been teaching horsemanship clinics and starting young horses professionally since 1999. To date he has taught in 18 different countries and started young horses on four continents.
Key learnings from Russell's clinics:
Liberty Academy Demo
How to develop bridle-less riding, the four keys of bride-less riding
Chloe Phillips - Harris
Wild Horses & Miniature Horse Racing
Adventurer and horse lover Chloe is passionate about combining the two! Whether it is training wild horses, riding camels or running with minis, her incredible skills ensure she is safe and successful in all she does.
Chloe’s always had a fascination for wild places and the incredible people and animals which inhabit them. She has ridden reindeer in remote mountains, crossing deserts with camels and racing across Mongolia in the Mongolia Derby. In New Zealand she’s trained wild horses, completed domestic horses and trained for various endurance events before setting up Born to Run Adventure Racing with her friend Debbie.
Key learnings to take away from Chloe’s clinics:
Wild Horses
Eventing & Ground Work
Sarah Cruickshank
Veterinary Physiotherapy
Have you ever wondered if your horse is in pain? Or if the pain may be affecting your horse's ability to perform the job or task that is being asked of them? As a physiotherapist, Sarah feels strongly that we are advocates for our animal and non-verbal patients. Sarah aims to identify the root cause or source of the pain so prevention methods can be used. Sarah does this through exercise modification, environmental management and appropriate and specific rehabilitation.
Key learnings to take away from Sarah's sessions:
- Does this hurt? How can we assess, objectively measure and effectively treat pain in equine athletes using novel technology and physiotherapy techniques?
Sarah Linton
Saddle Fitting
Sarah has been a full-time Equine Therapist and Independent Saddle Fitting Assessor for over 12 years full time (and part-time before that) and involved in natural therapies for over 35 years. She was one of the first therapists in NZ to professionally promote professional bodywork on endurance horses and also educate them about saddle fitting. Sarah applies many different bodywork techniques such as Equine Sports Massage, Stretching, Acupressure, Myofascial Release, & Light Therapy - to name a few. Sarah works with all breeds & disciplines - from minis to racehorses, show jumpers to pleasure horses and everything in between.
Understanding how horses' bodies change shape and learning to look for signs of soreness, is something that all owners can learn the basics of. Working with real horses, join Sarah to learn how to do a few massage moves and stretches.
Key learnings to take away from Sarah's sessions:
- What to look for in soreness in the horse and common areas
- Signs of soreness and massage moves
Jo Bard
Working Equitation
Jo spent many years in England, Portugal and Ireland training, schooling, instructing and competing in several equestrian disciplines, including representing Great Britain in Working Equitation.
Whilst in the UK she gained her HND in Equine Studies and her BHS AI in instructing (both internationally recognized qualifications). Jo is a huge advocate for both Working Equitation and the Lusitano breed. She is passionate about promoting Working Equitation and ensuring a good understanding of this fast-growing discipline.
Key learnings to take away from Jo's sessions:
Learn how anyone regardless of experience or background, can get started in this exciting sport and progress through the levels.
How bringing elements of Working Equitation into your regular training schedule regardless of discipline can enhance both your and your horse’s performance
Kelly Keenan
Reining
Kelly grew up in California, riding and jumping Shetland ponies while her mother competed in Western All-Around events. When Reining became more popular in the USA, they both switched! From there, Kelly worked every weekend and during school breaks at her local Reining trainer to afford her horse and lessons. "I was breaking colts and showing successfully by 14 years of age".
After a ten-year break, Kelly returned to the Reining scene to work for Boyle Ranch, a successful Reining program aimed toward Amateurs, receiving coaching from Casey Deary, Arno Honstetter, Jordan Larson and more.
After five years with the Boyle Ranch and successfully coaching clients into the winner's circle at events all over the West Coast, she took a position at Larson Performance Horses, training and learning under Jordan Larson and helping many of his Amateurs at home and in competition. That year they had two NRHA Non-Pro Futurity finalists. In 2020 she relocated to New Zealand.
Key learnings to take away from Kelly's sessions:
Reining principles and fundamentals which make reining horses so easy and pleasurable to ride
Similarities between Reining and Dressage, which can increase understanding and appreciation of the finer points of reining to those with English backgrounds
Michelle Logan
Equine Veterinarian
Michelle grew up in a non-horsey family in England and Wales but always loved horses. She worked in mixed practice in Wales before moving to NZ in 2003 and worked as a vet in Gisborne and the East Coast. "I even bought my first horse from an East Coast auction," says Michelle. Following several opportunities to advance as an equine veterinarian, the result was further qualifications in equine surgery and medicine and finishing with becoming a Registered Specialist in Equine Medicine.
Michelle works remotely for Massey University teaching veterinary students, writing articles for NZ Horse and Pony Magazine, and running an online Horse First Aid Course. Her course aims to give some confidence and knowledge to reduce panic in stressful situations to help provide the best outcome for the horse.
Key learnings to take away from Michelle's sessions:
Michelle helps you feel confident you have a plan, knowledge & skills, & can do the best for your horse in an emergency
Her seminar will introduce horse first aid and cover when the vet needs to be called, what you can do until they arrive, how you assess your horse's vitals (heart rate, temperature, respiration rate etc.) and, importantly, what is expected
Bex Tasker
Clicker Training
Bex is a teacher of positive horsemanship, dedicated to enhancing compassion, clear communication and cooperation within horse-human partnerships. Bex has loved horses all her life, with pony club and show jumping filling her childhood and teen years.
In her early twenties, however, her world pivoted when an encounter with a positive reinforcement dog trainer ignited a spark. Intrigued by the concept of clicker training and impressed by the incredible results she was seeing, Bex became obsessed with learning everything she could.
Bex has helped countless horse owners improve relationships, solve problems and enhance performance by incorporating positive reinforcement into their horsemanship. There are also enormous benefits for the human end of the lead-rope. Those who are anxious or distracted learn to be calm and present in the moment, focusing on what is going well, rather than on their own fears or worries.
Key learnings to take away from Bex's Clinics
Rude with food, or just confused? Clicker training 101
Solve problem behaviours - no force, no fear!
Why the long face? Fun and useful tricks with purpose
Casey Evans
Horsemanship, Liberty & Singer
Songstress Casey Evans combines her love of horses, horsemanship and music for a heartfelt performance of the connection, trust and partnership. Her childhood was spent at pony club, showing, show jumping and helping drive their wagon string of horses. In Her late teenage years, Casey took up Barrel Racing and spent a lot of years singing in the rodeo arena. Music has been in her life from a young age and afforded her many opportunities both nationally and internationally.
See Casey in Saturday's Nightshow: Journey of discovery through Horses and Music
Holly Blue
Equine Veterinarian
Dr. Holly Blue has been consulting on horse health for nearly two decades, particularly the effects of work-related diseases in horses. She is so passionate about horses' health and owners' education around effective deworming strategies that she now brings Worm-Ed to the NZ horse world.
Holly has a strong motivation to protect our pastures from dangerous worm resistance. She has developed this evidence-based, scientific approach to deworming and provides long-overdue, worthwhile horse health services to owners nationwide. Holly has been recognised for her work by receiving the MPI Rural Women's Entrepreneur activator opportunity. She is now leading an action group to provide best-practice deworming guidelines through the NZ Equine Veterinary Association for our industry.
Key learnings to take away from Holly's sessions:
Opening a can of worms on equine drench resistance
The latest scoop on best practice de-worming
Get peace of mind to reduce worm burdens and drench resistance, making for happy healthy horses...and farms!
Julie Malcolm
Rider Biomechanics, Dressage
Julie of Ridewell Trainwell, is a dressage coach and judge with a passion for working with riders to help them overcome imbalances, fear, asymmetry, and the effects of injury or disability and be a better load for the horse to carry. Her training philosophy has been influenced by Equitation Science and learning theory for horses. Julie's greatest pleasures are to help riders find ways to be more aware, secure, balanced and in synch with their horse AND to help horses be more balanced and calm through creating a greater understanding in their riders and handlers of horse biomechanics and how horses learn. Watching horses change as their rider's "get it" is the best thing ever!
Key learnings to take away from Julie's sessions:
The how and why of rider biomechanics and trying some things for yourself on the sidelines - whether it be a breathing technique, finding your seatbones, checking in on your own asymmetry or movement preferences or defaults
You'll see the demo riders put things into practice and see the effects it has on their horses, as well as their own confidence or well-being
Rhys Evans
Horsemanship
Horses came into Rhys' life at the same time as his now Wife Casey did, and this was nearly 15 years ago. As their relationship grew, so did his love of horses, as he experienced all the joy they could bring. Eager to learn, he ran into limitations when working with younger and inexperienced horses, which led him online to discover the wonderful world of horsemanship.
Understanding our own stresses and emotions and what causes them helps us understand what is needed to help horses release their stress and trauma and start to trust. Rhys aims to build a strong partnership through trust, understanding and empathy. He loves nothing better than to see a happy rider on a happy horse.
Key learnings to take away from Rhys clinics:
- Using a balance of horsemanship and an understanding of what we as humans bring to the equation to help a horse relax and be in a learning state, also diving into the sticky subject of why we behave and think like we do, and why horses bring it out in us.
Lucy Scott
Horsemanship
Lucy spent her childhood riding around the British countryside and constantly wondering why her animals did the things they do! After emigrating to NZ in 2018 (and bringing a New Forest Pony with her) she continued this through Pony club and into her career as a veterinarian. She graduated from Massey University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) and went into mixed veterinary practice in the Waikato before deciding to do further qualifications in animal behaviour. Through doing this extra learning, and seeing the impact of behavioural problems on human-animal relationships in practice, Lucy decided to start Veterinary Behaviour Services NZ in 2021 to address this need.
She is now a mobile and virtual consultant based in the Lower North Island helping owners of dogs, cats and horses with the big behavioural issues that can arise, and the ongoing effect this can have on the bond between human and animal.
Key learnings to take away from Lucy's clinics:
Do I call the trainer or the vet? Which professional in the team do you call? We will explore research about medical conditions and behaviour and give you some tools to decide where to start.
Dominance- does it have a place in horse training? Does this affect our own relationships with horses and how we train them?
Kirstin Kelly
Equestrian mindset coach for Dressage, Show-jumping and Eventing
After working through the pony club system, competing at champs and progressing to horse trials, Kirsten studied in the UK achieving her British Horse Society Intermediate Instructors certificate which enabled her to coach riders to fund her own three-day eventing dreams and lead to her having a long, successful career representing NewZealand and producing a string of fantastic advanced horses. Recently Kirstin has developed her coaching platform helping mentor riders from around the world. Kirstin’s workshops help riders find-tune the competition mind to be focused, confident, resilient and optimistic.
Key learnings from Kirstin’s clinics:
- The correct, balanced, and secure position ensuring you safety, effectiveness and fabulous looks
- Building a positive mindset to have faith in yourself
- How to structure schooling sessions that build your horses skills, athleticism and desire to give you 100%
Bryan McVicar
Horsemanship & Colt Starting
Bryan grew up in the rugged New Zealand back country, where much of their farm was only accessible by horseback. Learning to ride was a necessity on the farm. As a teenager Bryan found himself competing at local events, both dressage and jumping, and soon realised that horses were to be more than just a hobby for him.
Bryan decided to try his hand at breaking in some young horses. Bryan’s initial methods were heavily influenced by his father and uncles, who demonstrated ‘the old stockman’ styles of working with horses. However, roping of legs and tying horses up never sat well with Bryan and he went in search of other horsemanship styles wherever he could.
Dale Logan
Equine Nutrition
Through DL Equine Nutrition, Dale provides independent horse nutrition services tailored specifically to the individual needs of your horse. Having witnessed the same metabolic problems, laminitis, and colic, Dale sought more education and knowledge of horse nutrition and has spent more than 12 years of university education, where she qualified with a BSc in Mammalian Physiology, with a Post Graduate Diploma, including Equine Nutrition from Massey University. She then gained further tertiary qualifications in Animal Nutrition and Welfare, including Equine Nutrition Advanced at the University of Guelph. Qualifying also with the Certificate in Animal Welfare Legislation in New Zealand.
Conscious that today's horse owner perceives complete horse health to involve overall holistic management, she became certified in Herbal Medicine for Horses with the NCTM (Australia). She is also a practitioner in Equine Herbal Medicine with a further 2 years of study with renowned Australian equine herbalists and is accredited with the IICT.
Key learnings from Dale's clinics:
Revitalize Your Horse: "Feed your horse from the inside out”!
When you understand what the essentials are for feeding your horses gut, you will witness your horse's transformation
Many equine challenges – from performance slumps to weight troubles, bad hooves, digestive woes, ulcers, and laminitis – stem directly from the gut
Unravel the secrets of fostering optimal health through targeted gut care. Discover practical insights and evidence-based feeding facts that will empower you to guide your horse through stressful times and towards peak well-being
Sue Pennington
Rider and Horse Biomechanics
Sue’s coaching focuses on improving the biomechanics of the rider and the horse, for improved soundness as well as building harmony and connection between rider and horse. Rider Biomechanics isn't about "sitting pretty." Correct rider biomechanics allows the rider to be independently balanced, matching the forces that the horse exerts on their body and be an effective rider, says Sue.
Sue works with the rider to create a more balanced and aware posture that helps the horse and rider combination to excel in their chosen discipline, whether that be Show Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Western, Endurance or pleasure riding.
Key learnings from Sue's clinics:
Improving rider biomechanics through increased rider body awareness
Improving horse biomechanics by utilising polework exercises to correct horse compensatory patterns for improved straightness, rhythm, balance and gymnastic ability, no matter the level of the horse, rider or chosen discipline
Gavin Welsh
Farriery
A former dutyman in the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, Gavin studied farriery trade at the Army School of Farriery, part of the UK Defence Animal Centre, United Kingdom. Attaining the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers in 1993, he operated businesses in London and Lincolnshire. In 1997, he was employed as the Senior Farrier to HH Sheikh Zayed, President of the United Arab Emirates, at the Royal Stables, Abu Dhabi. There, they had around 350 horses, concentrating on a breeding programme, annually producing 40-50 locally-bred pure Arabian horses, strengthening the historic UAE bloodlines, alongside racing, showing and endurance disciplines.
Moving to New Zealand in 2007, he now runs a successful farriery business on the Kapiti Coast, training his two young apprentices, Kate and Miniah, and performing all aspects of equine hoof management across all equestrian disciplines.
Key learnings from Gavin's clinics:
An in-depth look at some aspects of farriery and hoof management that should prove interesting, useful, and hopefully entertaining
Covering subjects such as shoeing for performance, laminitis, traditional and modern materials, the topical and nutritional building blocks of great feet etc.
Sabina Holle
Veterinarian
Dr Sabina Holle is a veterinarian with a special interest in alternative therapies, a horse breeder, internationally accredited breed judge and a dressage trainer.
She holds a veterinary degree from Germany, a PhD in Veterinary Science from Massey University and a Graduate Diploma in Veterinary Acupuncture from CIVT, Australia. She combines this knowledge with her experience and interest in horse training and postural rehabilitation and re-training of horses with musculoskeletal issues. Additionally, training in kinesiotaping, and ongoing training in equine biomechanics further her understanding of how to help movement and training associated problems in the equine athlete.
Key learnings from Sabina's clinics:
The what, why and how of your horse's top line
Bending and flexion - why it turbo charges your training.
