Staff

General Staff /Care Team

• Bay Hill Equine: Dr. Julia Petersen, Dr. Alicia Yocom, Dr. Margo Crausaz
• Farrier: Steve Wilberg, Butch Coggins
• Holzworth Chiropractic, Inc.
• Custom Covers by Cheryl
• Reality Hill Designs

Photographers

• Damian Marhefka
• Hope Hudson
• Jerry Miller
• Joel Simon
• Steven Rice

Supporters

• Ariat
• Boehringer Ingelheim
• CWD
• Equifit
• Equitex
• Heritage Glove
• OneK
• Ovation

Vanessa Bartsch, Head Coach

A former student-athlete at Stanford, and assistant coach, Bartsch returned to the Red Barn full-time during the 2004 season to lead the renovation and reopening of the stables under the management of Stanford Athletics. As the Executive Director of Equestrian and Head Coach of the Equestrian Team, Bartsch has led the team to thirteen consecutive Regional and Zone Championships, as well as a dozen Top-Ten National Championship Finishes (7 in the Top-Five), including 26 individual National Championships and Res. Championships. Bartsch was awarded the IHSA Coaches Award in 2006.

Tina Davey, Coach

Davey joined Stanford’s team in 2016, bringing extensive experience as a trainer and coach, most recently at Mississippi College where she served as the as the Director of Equestrian Programs and maintained a boutique show barn with private clients. Prior to that, Davey ran Elvenstar’s Orange County training barn, where one of her roles was coaching the University of California, Irvine equestrian team. Tina was a student-athlete (and co-captain) on the University of California, Santa Cruz Equestrian Team. Davey helps teach and mentor Stanford’s IHSA, AEL and IEA Teams, in addition to helping manage Stanford’s horses and serving as a program director to the Riding Academy.

Katie Steiner, Coach

Steiner joined the Stanford coaching staff in 2018, and works closely with both the IHSA and IEA teams. With a B.S. from Centenary College, where she won the coveted Cacchione Cup in 2017 at the IHSA National Finals, Steiner has worked for Denize Borges, Scott Stewart, as well as spending time at the USHJA’s EAP under equitation legend, Karen Healey. A California-native, Steiner is happy to be home and excited to lead the Red Barn’s successful IEA teams, as well as work with the IHSA team.

Ashley Griffith, General Manager & Western Coach

Griffith brings over two decades of experience in the equine industry as a Farm Manager, Coach, and Athlete. The child of two AQHA and NRHA Professionals, Ashley’s career began early and spans NRHA World Champion titles to an NCEA National Championship as a scholarship athlete on Auburn University’s team. She served as a coach of Autumn Rose Farm’s IEA Teams as well as served as Assistant Coach to Ohio State’s IHSA Western Team, helping both squads to National and Reserve National Championships. After moving to California, Ashley joined Stanford as a Western Coach for the Stanford Equestrian Team, as well as starting our first-ever Western IEA team, helping bring athletes to the IHSA and IEA National Finals in just her first year at the helm.

Kate Douglas, Dressage Coach

Douglas began competing in dressage in 2005 under the tutelage of Katie Hoefs Martin. She won the 2013 Region 7 Second Level Jr/Yr Champion on Fein Style, the 2014 Reserve Champion Silver Stirrup National Award on Don Marco, and was top 20 Third Level Open at the 2015 US Dressage Finals on Don Marco. Kate has consistently placed top three in Year-End Awards from USEF, USDF, CDS, Performance Horse Registry, and the American Hanoverian Society. She has ridden in multiple clinics with US Olympian Lisa Wilcox as well Former FEI 5* Judge Axel Steiner. She has trained multiple horses up from prospect to successful upper level dressage horses and uses her training and show experience to guide the Stanford Dressage team

Gwyn Gordon, Hunt Seat Coach

Gordon, a co-founder of the Stanford Equestrian Team, spent stints working for Richard Spooner, Patty Ball, Constance Kilmartin, Lucie Wharton, and Steve & Jenny Newell. Gordon served as the Head Coach of the Team in the 90′s, a volunteer position at the time, after starting Cardinal Farms in 1993. In addition to being a co-collaborator with Coach Bartsch, and former Wester Coach, Jana Cain in the efforts to renovate the Red Barn in 2004 (she still serves on the Red Barn Advisory Board), Gordon returned to the coaching staff where she has served as a clinician and coach for the Hunt Seat Team for the past dozen years, helping coach riders to the Zone and National Finals.

Rachel Williamson, Clinician

Williamson is USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, currently working on earning her USDF Gold Medal and USDF “L” program participant. Rachel was the recipient of the 2010 SFP CDS Open Intermediare I and II Annual Rider award. She has trained with Heidi Gaian & Pam Nelson of Villa Rosa Dressage for the last 20 years. Rachel was instrumental in founding the Stanford Dressage Team and has dedicated herself to coaching team members. In addition to coaching the Team’s dressage riders, Rachel often coaches the team’s Hunt Seat riders. Her unfailing ability to help a rider get the best out of her horse makes her an invaluable set of eyes on the ground for riders in both disciplines

Jim Hagman, Clinician

Hagman is the founder of Elvenstar Riding Academy and Show Stables with locations in Morepark and Orange County, CA. His riders have achieved success at the top levels of the sport, including top finishes at the Medal and Maclay Finals.

Jim partnered with Stanford during the initial concept phase of the barn’s redevelopment using his vast experience to help provide a vision of the new facility. After recognizing his talent as an instructor, Stanford asked Jim to work with the Stanford Team as a Clinician. He makes the trip up to Palo Alto as often as he can around Elvenstar’s busy show schedule to do intensive clinics with the team. Jim works with all levels on their riding and presentation in the show arena and the team appreciates Jim’s focus, energy and never-ending sense of humor.

Stephanie Simmonds, Coach

A top trainer and grand prix rider, Stephanie Simmonds has spent the last three decades coaching riders from the IEA all the way up to the international FEI Grand Prix’s, including top ribbons at NAYRC, and the USET, Medal, and Maclay Finals. A current member of the Zone 10 USHJA Committee, who has served on the Zone 10 Jumper Committee and NorCal Hunter Jumper Board, Simmonds has been published in Practical Horseman, and served multiple times as the Chef d’ Equipe for the Zone 10 Prix de States, North American Young Rider Championships, and Spruce Meadows Prix de Nations NorCal Jumper Teams. Simmonds credits her desire to teach at the highest level to years working for, and alongside, equestrian greats including Julie Winkel, Karen Healey, her former student Andrew Ramsay, and her mentor Linda Hough.