SARA HAYNES

Head Trainer

Sara Haynes is a lifelong equestrian and professional member of the United States Equestrian Federation. She has over 30 years of experience in hunters, jumpers, and equitation with numerous accomplishments at the local, regional, and national levels as a rider, trainer, and coach of people and horses of all ages.

Sara grew up on a horse and enjoyed a successful career in the junior divisions in the southeast, showing to much success in the children's, junior hunter, and jumper divisions as well as the equitation on horses such as Shameless, Count On Me, and Finally under the guidance of top area professionals.

Sara attended college at Clemson University in South Carolina where she majored in Political Science and Economics and rode on the school's IHSA team. It was during this time that Sara truly built a foundation as a rider for a professional equestrian career. Competing under the tutelage of Pam Baker at Hillcrest Farms, Sara rode the venerable Rumours Follow to many top hunter finishes on the national stage, including championships at Ocala, Upperville, Loudon, and Keswick Hunt Club. She was recognized six times as Best Amateur Rider at HITS Culpeper, also qualifying for indoors.

Later, with guidance from to North Carolina professional Lee Cone and Windbrook Farm, Sara would develop amateur horses Follow Me and High Flight, going on to win many championships in the amateur hunters and equitation. During this time she would also break and train 15.2hh Country Grammar, with whom she would achieve many wins in the children's/adult jumpers. After many top finishes over the years in the GHJA, BRHJA, and PSJ medal finals, Sara culminated her amateur career in 2005 by taking the win in the PSJ and BRHJA Adult Medal Finals and became a professional equestrian the following year.

In 2005, Sara and her family relocated to Northwest Indiana. It was there that Sara built her training and show business, Teneriffe Enterprises, from the ground up. Under Sara's guidance her students won at all levels, claiming wins and top finishes in the IHJA medal finals as well as top year end ribbons in divisions from short stirrup through the children's jumpers. They were also successful nationally, qualifying and ribboning at national indoor finals, USEF Pony Finals, and by being selected for the USEF Emerging Athletes Program. Many of these riders were mounted on horses and ponies who were purchased as green prospects and carefully brought along in a consistent program with greatest consideration always given to affordability and appropriateness of match between horse and rider. Many of Sara's students from the midwest are now industry professionals themselves, and Sara considers this one of her greatest achievements.

As Durham Equestrian Club's head trainer, Sara strives to us her passion for teaching and developing horse and rider to elevate the club's success to a new level. Her dedication to finding the best possible horse and rider match and working together to foster a relationship of trust and understanding set up each pair to tackle any obstacle they encounter. Starting with a proper foundation of flatwork and building on that an understanding of the importance of not only the ride given over the jumps but also the between them. Sara gives the riders the tools to achieve their dreams.

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Assistant Trainer

Carly Parent

Carly is an assistant trainer at DEC with a solid background in both hunt seat and dressage. She is equally passionate about training the horses in her care, developing her students at DEC, and taking the team to compete in horse shows.

She is a 2021 graduate of Saint Andrews University with a BA in Business Administration with a specialization in Equine Business. While at college she was a member of the IHSA Hunt Seat team for 4 years, the IHSA Western team for 2 years, the IDA Dressage for 2 years, the ANRC team, and the Show Team. As a premiere equine facility in the region, with over 120 horses, the IHSA and IDA teams hosted many regular season, regional, and zone competitions. Though COVID-19 did disrupt team competitions junior and senior year, she was able to compete at ANRC nationals her sophomore year and won the Novice Horsemanship Test, and was ale to compete at IHSA regionals and zones her sophomore year. She was also able to travel and show her mare, Alpine's Ruby, at C and A rated shows in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Carly discovered her love of working with youth as an instructor in YMCA Camp Seafarers Horseback Riding Program in 2019 and as the Director of the Horseback Riding Program in 2021 and 2022.

In the 2021 and 2022 camp off-season, she sharpened her dressage skills working as the assistant trainer to USDF Gold Medalist Susie Wiedman at Encore Sporthorse in Sanford, NC. Carly and her mare Alpine's Ruby are working towards earning their USDF Bronze Medal.

Carly joined DEC in March of 2023. She and her dog Gronk are enjoying supporting the horses and students of DEC in achieving their riding goals and showing off their skills in competition!

Assistant Trainer

Katie Jaworski

Assistant trainer Katie Jaworski is a lifelong equestrian from New Jersey with background in the Hunter Jumpers, western pleasure/games, and Pony Club. She is currently expanding her dressage skills, and looks forward to stepping into that arena in the coming year her pony Sutton.

She has been riding and training for over 20 years, and started her equestrian career serving as a working student for fox hunting and hunter jumper farms in her hometown of Red Bank, NJ. She worked and trained under Mimi Kesselmen of Hidden Hollow Farms until she retired and then went on to be a working student and pony rider for Jody Lancaster at Lancaster Equestrian. There, alongside Jody’s daughters she helped start their show and lesson program schooling and showing the ponies and assistant taught the popular pony camp. She competed in pony hunters, baby greens and hunter paces. Under Jody, Katie learned a lot about Welsh Ponies and developed a passion for the breed.

Before heading off to college in the summer of 2012, she won Monmouth County’s Scallywag Pony Derby aboard Dazzle. At Rider University she rode on the IHSA team and participated in Pony Club.

She has served as the head trainer and stable manager for Edgewood Stables, stable manager for Last Chance Ranch and warmed up horses and ponies for IEA shows throughout NJ and PA. She holds a masters in plant biology from Rutgers where her concentration was in natural products and human health. She spent time researching and analysing animal behavior as part of natural product development studies for humans and animals.

Since moving to NC two years ago she has taught lessons and camps locally around the triangle at Hunter jumper and eventing barns and put training rides on horses and ponies for lesson and therapeutic programs.

Katie is passionate about helping riders build confidence in and out of the saddle and instilling sportsmanship between our equine partners and fellow riders. She emphasizes safety, horsemanship and fun. Katie is also a certified yoga teacher and incorporates yoga philosophy, poses and body awareness in her lessons.