Tara Haywood- Owner/Barn Manager
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Tara started riding at 11 years old at Triton Stables in Raleigh, NC. Her passion for the sport blossomed while training with and working under Matthias Hollberg at Apex Equestrian Center whose focus was hunter/ jumper horses and riders. With over 10 years experience working for boarding facilities and trainers, Tara has a strong understanding of the detailed care that goes into boarding horses. Tara's top priority is your horse's health and happiness!
Shayne Forester- Trainer/Instructor
Originally from Raleigh NC, Shayne started riding horses at the age of 8 with his grand father where his love for the sport grew from there. With many years traveling the country and working for multiple trainers, he developed a strong understanding of horses and the care that comes with owning horses. Shayne has many years of experience starting young horses through getting them in the show ring. With a foundation and multiple years of experience with western all around as well as hunters and jumpers, his focus is strictly on bettering you and your horse together to become the best team you can be!
Mary Von Werne Jones- Trainer/Instructor
Mary Jones is originally from Miami Fl and has been showing hunters since she was a kid. She graduated from Lake Erie College in Painesville OH with a BS in Equestrian Teacher/ Trainer, where she also rode on their Intercollegiate Team. After college, she spent 4 years as the Head Hunter/ Jumper trainer at Stony Hill Stables in Amagansett NY. Mary moved to NC in 2003 to start Cedar Hill Sport Horses located in Moncure. When she moved to NC she took a bit of a break showing and training hunters to pursue her dressage career. She trained and showed multiple horses through FEI level, and rode with top FEI trainers in lessons and clinics. Mary has earned both her USDF Bronze and Silver medals. After her Dressage horse retired, she returned to concentrating solely on hunter jumpers and she and her students have received numerous championships and year end awards at local rated shows. Mary strives to get the most out of each horse and rider combo developing her training program which caters to each duos needs. With her strong dressage background, she has the ability to address flatwork issues and put a good solid dressage foundation on the hunters and jumpers that she works with. Through her new business, Top of the Woods Equestrian, that she will be running out of Brinnwood Farm, she’ll be offering lessons, training, and showing.
