Nikki Jewell - Owner, Head Trainer
Phone: (847) 867-5113
E-mail: nikkijewell@aol.com
Pictured is Nikki on Pacifico and Million Dollar Baby.
Owner of, and head trainer at Gem Stone Farm, Inc. Nikki has specialized in the Hunter and Jumper disciplines since 1994. She is an active member of the professional equestrian community, serving as the Zone 5 USHJA secretary from 2001 to 2009. She currently serves on the USHJA Scholarship Task Force. Nikki also has years of experience in training and developing young horses to become solid performance horses. She has trained many students and horses to excel in the hunter, jumper and equitation rings. Her student, Caitlin Maloney, qualified for and attended the Medal Finals and the Maclay Regionals. Nikki has a solid team of professionals and colleagues that assist in keeping the horses and riders healthy and competitive
at every level.
Nikki comes from a diverse background of horsemanship. Spending most of her youth in hunter, dressage and event training. While attending college in KY she managed and trained at an eventing barn and worked with pony club. After graduating from college in 1993, Nikki worked with Trainer and Judge Jeff Wirthman and Arcadia Farm, a top A level Circuit Show stables of the time where she gained invaluable experience in developing individual training and management programs for each horse designed to help them to perform at their best at the top levels. In 2000 Nikki opened Gem Stone Farm in Lake County, IL.
Nikki believes in utilizing many cross training techniques in addition to proper flat work including swimming, ground work, long lining, lunge work and free jumping to keep the horses fit and happy. She feels that being fit and happy is imperative for horses to perform well. Nikki’s interest and investment in the ‘art and science’ of equine management and training goes well beyond simple hobby or avocation. Nikki holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Equine Administration and in Business Administration from the University of Louisville. In addition to her considerable Hunter and Jumper credentials, Nikki has thirteen years of direct experience in barn, breeding and equine facilities management.
Meaghan McCue Orange - Assistant Trainer
Phone: (414) 916-4443
E-mail: lovemeags@yahoo.com
Photo credit to OC Photos.
Meaghan has been a professional in the horse business for over 15 years. She has spent the last 11 years as owner and head trainer of her own business, Old Burlington Farm, Inc. in St. Charles, IL. Her successes include: IHSA High Point Rider in her region on the Notre Dame/Saint Mary's Equestrian Team, 7th place that year at Finals in the prestigious Caccione Cup (with George Morris judging), many Tri-colors as a professional in the hunter and jumper ring with her clients horses as well as her own on the A Circuit and NIHJA Circuit, riders and horses/ponies qualifying for the Washington International Horse Shows, Marshall and Sterling Finals, IHJA Medal Finals and Pony Finals.
Betsy Anderson - Assistant Trainer
Phone: (630) 865-8708
E-mail: jump4it82@aol.com
Betsy is pictured on her horse Trouble
Betsy started riding as a young child taking lessons at a local stable in the summers but it quickly progressed into more. She started leasing different horses and showing hunters from age 12 until she left for college. While in college Betsy took a year off from riding to pursue collegiate swimming and decided afterwards it was time to return to her true passion, horses. During her sophomore year at Illinois Wesleyan University she started the equestrian team there and competed in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, eventually qualifying for regionals individually. Betsy also found a great barn close to school, Hunter Oaks Farm, where she was introduced to the world of eventing, dressage and pony club. She continued coaching the IWU team even after graduation for a couple of years and is proud of the teams continued existence.
After college Betsy pursued the corporate path for a few years while still riding and competing her horses and teaching lessons on weekends. Betsy still wasn’t happy, decided to quit her job, rent her house out and move to Virginia, to pursue a career strictly in horses. During that time in Virginia, Betsy had many great opportunities to further herself as a rider and trainer but decided to move back home to Illinois to be closer to family. Upon her return, she took a job managing and training at a non-profit retraining facility for off the track thoroughbreds in Barrington, IL. When that business closed she took her existing customers and started her own business at Countryside Turf Club in Mundelein, IL. Betsy is very excited to now be a full time employee at Gem Stone farm and hopes to continue to grow as a trainer and rider.
Caitlin Maloney - Assistant Trainer
Phone: (847) 791-2485
E-mail: cmaloney9@gmail.com
Pictured is Caitlin riding Peron at HITS Ocala
Caitlin grew up riding and showing in the Zone V and national A-circuit. She has extensive experience with both hunters and jumpers, critiquing her equitation style under Nikki Jewell’s training. Caitlin has ridden with Gem Stone Farm since 2003 and began her professional career in 2011. In 2008 Caitlin moved to Charleston, South Carolina where she rode with Brick Church Farm, working and showing some of the horses under Karen Kelley’s management. After three semesters at the College of Charleston, Caitlin moved back to Chicago in 2009, continuing school at DePaul University where she is studying for degrees in both International Studies and French. She expects to graduate in Winter 2011. Until then, she continues to ride and work part-time for Gem Stone Farm where she is eager to begin her professional career.
In greater detail, during her junior years, Caitlin concentrated on the Equitation ring. In her last 2 junior years she qualified for and attended the Medal Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show while training with Nikki Jewell with additional tutelage by Missy Clark and Bob Braswell. She qualified for and attended the Maclay regionals in her last junior year and had help from Derek Braun. She showed for several years at WEF and had additional tutelage from Mindy Darst and Geoff Teal. While at college she attended the Ocala circuit with Bob Braswell and Quiet Hill. After aging out she spent a year focusing on the USET Talent Search and moving into the jumper ring and doing USHJA Hunter Derbies. More recently she has had the opportunity to spend time showing some young hunter prospects in low adult divisions.