Carolina Region Camp Instructors 2017

Sali Gear – USPC National Examiner from Virginia Beach, VASali is an active clinician and national examiner testing through A Trad and C3 Dr. Sali grew up riding horses in St. Croix, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Summers were spent in New England as a working student for different trainers or as a “catch rider” for different stables on the horse show circuit. She rode western reining horses, gaited horses, as well as hunters. During college she drove Morgan horses and exercised trotters/pacers in New Hampshire, “stick and balled” polo ponies in Aiken, and “breezed” racehorses in Ocala. During this time she progressed through the ranks of the U.S. Pony Club through HA with a focus on eventing all this without ever owning her own horse. Upon graduation from the University of Florida she was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and headed to flight school. After primary training in Pensacola, she went to advance jet training in Kingsville, Texas…home of the famous King Ranch where she would unwind by working cattle.

Eric Dierks – USPC Grad A, Board of Governors Tryon, NC Eric is a graduate "A" from Fox River Valley Pony Club and was recently inducted into the United States Pony Club Board of Governors. He splits his time between competing, training and teaching. He has competed in the North American Young Riders Championships and since then has brought up several horses through the ranks to go advance including the Rolex CCI****.  Eric was also long listed for both the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Fontera, Spain on Eveready and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece on Stonehedge Heritage. He is active in the Show Jumping and Dressage rings. Eric has served as coach and selector to the Area IV Young Rider Event Team and continues to produce riders and horses to compete to their best potential. A strong advocate of education, Eric believes that “the equestrian world is an art of peace, rhythm, and communication, no matter what discipline, success is measured through horse and rider understanding.” Eric was crowned winner of the Retired Race Horse Trainers Challenge in the Spring of 2012 from which each participant was given an off the track thoroughbred for a month of training and judged in front of a panel of three judges.

Kathi Hines – USPC National Examiner from Mocksville, NC

 Kathi is an active pony club instructor, coach and examiner testing through A traditional. Began riding lessons over thirty years ago at a small barn with an enthusiastic instructor who was very new to horses herself. Because of this, I quickly was able to start training and teaching, because I was "very experienced" after a year of lessons! We would go pick up horses from the local trader and I would get to train them until they could be used in lessons. It was all very seat-of-the-pants, but fun and a great education! Eventually, someone loaned me some old US Eventing Magazines and I have never looked back. Pony Club came along and I really directed my energies into eventing progressing through A level. My first really awesome instructor was Brian Ross. Nanci Lindroth then brought me up through the levels to Intermediate 3 Day, combined with Cindy Sydnor, these excellent and accomplished horse women are the basis of much of my education. More recently, I get down to Denny Emerson when he is in Southern Pines.

Jodi Lees – USDF Gold medalist, ‘S” judge, USDF Instructor certification

Jodi Lees moved to Campobello, South Carolina with 35 years of riding experience. Jodi began her career in Combined Training Horse Trials and Three Day Eventing where she competed a number of horses successfully through the Preliminary Level. Though she still enjoys jumping, Dressage has become her focus. She has worked diligently with some of the nation's leading trainers to accomplish a high level of both riding and teaching skills. She attributes her success to a philosophy that has a number of key components.

USDF Gold, Silver & Bronze Medallist USEF Licensed "S" judge  USDF Performance Awards at 2nd, 3rd, 4th, Prix St. Georges and Intermediare 1 levels Silver Medal Rider Award from South Carolina Dressage and Combined Taining Association (SCDCTA)

Successful completion of all USDF Instructor Certification Workshops and Pre-certification exams

Janna Ritacco – USPC National Examiner from Greenville, SCMember USPC Instruction Council. Manager/instructor Riverbend Equestrian Park. Carolina Region Instruction Coordinator for upper level testing.   Coach for the Furman University Intercollegiate Dressage Team.   Coach for USPC InterPacific Exchange program. Graduate H-A of Western North Carolina Pony Club She has competed and coached through the Preliminary level. Janna is coordinating the USPC International Exchange this year in the Tryon area and will be coach for Carolina Region Eventing team at Championships. She is an active National Examiner testing through A Trad.

Allyson Hartenberg – Colorado Springs, CORegional Supervisor Rocky Mountain Region USPC, USPC Activities International Exchange committee, Owner/operator Hartenberg Equestrian. HA Graduate of Carolina Region. In addition to her private clients, she has worked as a barn manager for 4**** eventer Jennifer Wooten/Trinity Eventing in Santa Ynez, CA, and as head trainer at Dutch Meadows Equestrian Center in Santa Maria, CA from 2014-2015. She served as head coach of the United States Air Force Academy Equestrian Team, which competes in Zone 8, Region 5 of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) from 2015-2016. She has been involved with Pony Club in many roles, including Team Manager for the 2015 International Exchange team in Toronto, Ontario. Before graduating as an H-A certified member in 2014, she traveled to instruct at clinics across the US with the Visiting Instructor program, and helped develop national policies and programs as a member of the National Youth Board. She has been an active member of USPC since 1997. Allyson is a 2016 graduate of the Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage (RMSAAM), she believes a balanced, holistic approach including training, healthcare, and nutrition is key to success. She is a certified Equine Therapeutic Massage Therapist (ETMT).

Jody Hoffman – USDF Bronze

Jody Hoffman USPC Board of Governors, USPC Finance and Audit committee, DC Sandy Ridge Pony Club, Mary B. Hoffman, “Jody” moved from Chicago, Illinois to a horse farm in the Waxhaw area twenty years ago with her husband Rich and four children, Michael, Alexandra, David and Christina.. An avid horsewoman, Jody competes in Dressage and earned the USDF Bronze medal. She is very involved in the local equestrian scene, most especially with The United States Pony Club, Inc. and served as the National Treasurer. Jody is an advocate for Quadrille in USPC. Her daughter, Christina Pack nee Hoffman, is Grad HA of Carolina Region now in Georgia.

Denise Ritacco

Denise is a two-time Pony Club mom (of Shelby, current HB member and Casey Delap, graduate B member), a USPC Horsemaster, and now a pony club grandmother! Denise is former GFPC District Commissioner. Denise has been competing in dressage including Pony Club Championships where she performed a pas de deux with daughter Casey. Denise has gained expertise in creating musical freestyles for competition and enjoys teaching pony club lessons on musical riding and cross country pacing.