About 

Ali's Story

Ali began riding at the age of six. She grew up on a small horse farm in North Yarmouth, Maine. Ali was a member of the United States Pony Club and achieved up to her HB rating. Outside of USPC, She competed in three phase events on her ponies and Off-The-Track Thoroughbred through the Training level. Ali also started a small summer horse camp at her parent's farm. 

Beginning in 2012, Ali attended college at the University of Maine at Farmington and obtained degrees in Elementary Education and Art. During college, Ali started an intercollegiate dressage club for UMF. The team competed in IDA competitions all around New England with Ali as their coach, captain, and First Level competitor. Ali purchased Piper, a fifteen-year-old Dutch Warmblood, in 2012. Piper kick-started Ali's passion for dressage. She competed him through third level during college. 

In 2013, Ali applied for former olympian, Lendon Gray's Winter Intensive Training Program. The WIT program gives talented youth dressage riders an opportunity to spend three months training in Wellington, Florida. The program consists of daily fitness, lectures, stable management, volunteering, and  training with Lendon Gray. Ali attended the WIT program in 2013 and 2014 with Piper. During the 2014 program, Ali also had the opportunity to ride two of Tuny Page's horses and train with Tuny daily. The following year, Ali returned to the WIT program as Lendon's assistant. She organized the program's schedule, tutored students, and led the fitness program. Ali balanced working for WIT with grooming for Argentine international competitor and judge, Cesare Lepardo-Grana, in the Global CDIs. Participating in the USDF Instructor's Certification program was another opportunity generously given to Ali in 2015. She received her USDF certification through first level. 

At the end of the 2015 WIT program, Ali was offered Santé, a grand prix horse donated to Dressage4Kids. Santé was donated by Barbara Westerlund and had been trained by former olympian, Michael Poulin. Ali spent the next year teaching eighth grade in Maine and forming a partnership with Santé. In the summer of 2016, Ali competed Santé in the Prix St. George, Intermidiare, and U25 Grand Prix levels. With this success, Ali decided to out her teaching career on hold and continue with dressage. 

In the winter of 2018, Ali returned to Lendon's WIT program as the Stable Manager. Ali also received grants from the Dressage Foundation and Dressage4kids to train with Mica Marbrugana during the season. Ali competed in the U25 Grand Prix at Gloabal. After the program, Ali went with Mica to her stable in New York to continue training and competing. 

During the 2018 WIT Program, Ali formed a friendship with the program's fitness trainer, Tonya LaTorre. In September of 2018, Tonya purchased Rouxtano Farm in Hillsborough, NC. Ali relocated to Hillsborough with the LaTorre's and began her business. She competed Santé in the Open Grand Prix and also completed a graduate certificate in business from Stanford University. 

In 2021, Ali purchased Viva Las Vegas, a green fourteen-year-old, Welsh Cob/Trakehner cross gelding.  Vegas had never left the farm that he was born at. Ali and Vegas received The Dressage Foundation's George Williams Young Professional's Grant. She was able to train with Liz Austin in Wellington, Florida for an entire month. Ali competed Vegas at in shows in Florida and North Carolina at first level with scores up to 75%. 

In 2022, Ali studied Horse Powered Reading and became a certified facilitator. Ali currently keeps Vegas and training horses at HighClere Farm in Burlington, North Carolina. She also travels to Hillsborough to teach dressage and equine-facilitated literacy instruction. 

Highlights:

USDF Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalist 

USDF Certified First Level  Instructor

USPC HB Rating

USEA Training Level Competitor

Elementary Education, Business and Art Degrees 

Training:

Lendon Gray

Michaela Marbrugana

Tuny Page

Patrick Tiglarchaar

Liz Austin

Clinics:

Conrad Schumarcher

Kate Poulin

Scott Hassler

Jeremy Steinberg

JJ Tate

Patrick King

Lauren Spriser 

Jennifer Heiskell, Assistant Trainer's, Story 

Jennifer Heiskell moved to Durham from Atlanta, GA where she has been a freelance dressage trainer and riding instructor part-time. She also works from home as a Systems Engineer in IT during the day. In her younger years, she was a barn manager and assistant trainer for Dressage trainers including Tom Harvey, Jodie Kelly, and Tami Batts for several years. Jennifer currently has her USDF silver medal and has over a decade of experience training young horses to FEI and beginner to professional riders in not only Dressage but also incorporating Dressage principles to riders in other disciplines as well.