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{We apologize that this page has not been updated recently.}

The successes of Centaur Rising (CR) can be measured in many ways, some of which are more easily identified than others.  We intend to employ formal and rigorous program evaluation to measure the extent to which we are in fact accomplishing our missions.   In the meantime, we will introduce to you several youth who have been dressage students of the founders of CR for five years or more.  These young people have demonstrated achievements with their horses, in academics and in service to others.  We are proud to present these young people below.  Please note that we are proud of the accomplishments of all of our students.  There are many more than those listed here.

Lindsay Dolan was a student of Kris and Jim Cooper for over ten years (student: 1992-2003).  Lindsay’s grandfather introduced her to riding lessons when she was just four years old!  Lindsay has earned her distinction through Arabian horse shows.  With her first horse, Kara’s Kajie +, Lindsay won seven Top Ten Awards at Arabian Youth Nationals. She has shown in almost every discipline there is, and started playing polo while she as in school at Colorado State University. No stranger to dressage shows, Lindsay campaigned Aldeberon in 2003 to third place Rocky Mountain Dressage Society’s (RMDS) Jr/YR Horse of the Year at training level and second place United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Westfalen training level horse, nation-wide.   Lindsay graduated in 2006 from Conifer High School and in 2010 from Colorado State University with a Bachelors of Science in Equine Science. After graduation, Lindsay accepted a position in the Kentucky Equine Management Internship and moved to Lexington, Kentucky. She is now working for the United States Polo Association and playing polo at Bluegrass Polo Club.

Derek Trask first started as a riding student of the founder in 1996.  He has worked in the riding stable almost continuously since then, helping to turn out horses, clean stalls and do maintenance work around the farm.  Derek wants us to use the slogan from his Mullen High School 2005 year book:  “Success comes before work only in the dictionary”.  Derek was a member of the state champion football team in 2005.  Derek graduated from the Colorado School of Mines majoring in chemical engineering.  Derek is always quick to mentor and tutor others.

Audie Shushan (student: 1999-2004) has trained and shown three horses now used by Centaur Rising: Bellisima, Kaseem (Amsel), and Donntano.  In 2004 Donntano won the RMDS Horse of the Year – Jr/YR – training level, the Highest Median Junior score, and the Oldenburg Breed Award.  Donntano was first place in the USDF as a Jr/YR training level Oldenburg, fifth place open.  He was 12th in the nation first level Jr/YR.  Meanwhile Audie also successfully campaigned “Amsel”, winning RMDS Jr/YR sixth place horse of the year at training level and 4th place USDF Half-Arabian open.  Audie also distinguishes herself scholastically and in vocal music.  (Audie is pictured on Belle on each page of this website above “Events”.)

Brooke DeVore (student: 1997-2006) was featured on the Youth Continuity page.  Brooke has assisted in the training of many of the horses used by Centaur Rising, including Belle, Shade, Kaseem, Aldeberon, Donntano and Weltmann.  She has distinguished herself in 2005 by winning the USDF Region V championship at training level with a horse that she has trained by herself, Wild Magic LHF.  Magic will finish the 2005 season ranked seventh Jr/YR at training level in the USA.  On top of that, Brooke also campaigned Kris Cooper’s horse, Donntano.  With him she won the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society’s reserve championship at first level.  She finished 2005 with Donntano at 14th place nationally Jr/YR at first level.  Brooke also won first place in the US for a Pinto Jr/YR at training level in 2002 on “Bo”.  Brooke showed both Donntano and Weltmann at second level in 2006.  It is Brooke who is featured on our "Youth Continuity" page.  (She's in the middle of the photo below on Donntano.)  Brooke now trains at Noble Acres Farm in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and is a student at Oklahoma State University.

Katryna Evans (student: 1998-2004) has distinguished herself by training her own horse, Roswell Wizard.  Roswell finished the 2005 year as Second Level, Jr/YR USDF Region V Reserve Champion.  At third level, she won Jr/YR RMDS Champion, USDF Region V Reserve Champion.  Roswell was Reserve RMDS Horse of the Year at both second and third level.  Roswell finished 11th in the US at Jr/YR second level.  Katy also helped train and show numerous horses now used in Centaur Rising's programs, earning many scores over 70%.  Katy has traveled to Germany on several occasions where she earned both bronze and silver performance medals.  (That's Katy on the left in the photo to the left.)  Katy was an apprentice at Stall Ramsbrock in Menslage, Germany, for five years.  She has since earned her Bereiter certification and is employed as a trainer at Indian Hills Equestrian Center.

Lindsey Ebersbach (student: 1993-1999) has evented with her horse, “Born All Decked Out” (Mac).  The pair earned Reserve Champion for overall awards in the Novice Eventing Division for the Mountain States Eventing Association in 2005.  Lindsey is also no stranger to the dressage show arena.  In 2005, she and “Mac” won 4th place USDF Region V first level, Jr/YR.  (That's Lindsey and Mac on the right in the three-horse photo above.)  They have been active in the United States Pony Club.  Lindsey graduates from Platte Canyon High School in 2006.   She was accepted into the journalism program at Colorado State University.

Claire Filkins (student: 1997-2006) has been an effective trainer of both her own horse, Rogue’s Respiro, and her mother’s horse, Rhythm and Blues (RaB).  RaB won Horse of the Year, Junior Young Rider at Training Level, in 2007 from the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society.  Claire is currently training RaB at second level.  Claire is an excellent student and has been accepted to Colorado State University on scholarship in the "Vet-Start" program.  She graduated in 2006 from Evergreen High School.  Claire has distinguished herself in service.  In September 2005, Claire donated the money she would have used for the RMDS championship show to Katrina hurricane victims.  Her efforts resulted in a $100,000 check written for disaster relief.  Claire epitomizes CR’s vision of “helping to effect a more compassionate world”.  After earning her bachelors degree from Colorado State University, Claire was accepted into vet school at Kansas State University.

Christina Rudman (student: 1997-2002) has also given a new dimension to the founder's slogan “giving people the skills knowledge and confidence to train their own horses…”.  Christina received her training level Oldenburg mare, Releve, as a gift in 2001. With the help of USDF-fourth-level-certified dressage trainer, Sarah Martin, Christina has trained through the levels to earn respectable FEI scores at Prix St. George.  Christina closed the 2005 show season at 9th place nationwide at 4th level, Jr/YR.  Releve was first place open Oldenburg horse at fourth level.  Releve has furthermore won the following RMDS Jr/YR Horse of the Year honors: 2003, Champion Second Level; 2004, Champion Third Level and Sweepstakes award; 2005, Champion Fourth Level. Releve was RMDS high point mare third level and above in 2005.  Christina graduated from Conifer High School in 2005.

In 2007 Christina qualified the Dutch warmblood mare, Oebalia, for the North American Young Rider's National Championship show.  The pair also won the Prix St. Georges Championship for Junior/Young Riders at the 2007 RMDS Championship Show and were Reserve Champion 2007 Horse of the Year for RMDS at FEI level.  You can read Christina's story in the October edition of the RMDS "Centaur".

Please note that all of the youth featured in this section have trained their own horses.  They have all also taught less experienced children in Horse Camp and After School at the Stable programs.  More students are “waiting in the wings” to achieve what these students have done.  Your donations to CR’s Sponsor a Student program will make this possible.