Under the tutelage of top-notch local instructors, you and your horse will shine…
Christine Vitkus, Owner
Christine began her love of horses at age 10, where she attended weekly riding lessons and summer riding camps in Fairfax County. At age 16, she acquired her first horse, which she cared for daily and showed locally. In college at the University of Maryland, she taught weekly riding lessons to children and college students, and competed on the University of Maryland’s Equestrian Team in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. By her senior year, she was captain of the team. After graduating, she married and worked a corporate job (ExxonMobil) for 14 years, but also continued to instruct individuals in pleasure riding, specializing in young children. She also rode and trained horses. After the birth of her first child, Christine ran a busy home daycare business for 4 years in Great Falls, Virginia. In 2003, she purchased Red Gate Farm and has managed all aspects of the farm business, including planning, construction, boarding, sales, summer camps and instruction. After competing in eventing for several years, she now fox hunts with her husband, Mark, with the Loudoun Fairfax and Middleburg Hunts. Red Gate Farm has succeeded in teaching students and developing life-long equestrians for over 20 years, and we have earned a solid reputation as a premier equestrian center in Loudoun County.
Lisa Herman, Barn Manager, Instructor, specializing in dressage/eventing/hunters
Lisa is a lifelong horsewoman who has been riding, training as well teaching and bringing along students for decades. She began riding at age 6 at a hunter/Jumper barn on Long Island, in her teen years she
enjoyed doing some barrel racing as well. In her freshman year at MSU she discovered dressage and fell in love. She graduated from Centenary college with a BA in equine studies. She then became a USDF Certified Instructor as well earning her Bronze medal. Lisa has competed thru 4th level dressage but schooled FEI. She has also brought along students thru the FEI levels. Lisa has also excelled in eventing and fox hunting, as well as earning many regional championships and year end awards. She has helped many “problem horses” over the years. She believes a strong foundation in necessary for long term success. She uses traditional methods but also practices natural horsemanship that includes lots of groundwork.
Judi Novak, Instructor specializing in Hunter/ Equitation, Adults and Teens
A rider and competitor since childhood and an instructor / trainer for 3 decades, Judi Novak has worked with students and horses in Loudoun County for 23 years. After graduating with a BA in Equestrian Studies from Lake Erie College in Ohio, Judi traveled to Ireland, where she studied under Iris Kellett in the British Horse Society AI program. Later in Michigan, Judi partnered with a friend to own and operate a boarding / lesson facility with 30 horses and 120 students. An opportunity to train with Olympic Gold Medalist Torrance Watkins prompted the move to Virginia, and after three years with Torrance, Judi went to work with Trip Hoffman in Chantilly, training and selling horses. The years subsequent to that of free-lance work with competitive event horses and riders led to a 7-year position teaching in the riding department at Foxcroft – a private girls high school in Middleburg. After the birth of their first child, Judi and her husband Mark moved the family to Purcellville from where she has worked part-time to coach both pleasure and competitive individuals for the last 35 years, 20 of which have been at Red Gate Farm. Judi coaches our 3 winter equitation teams: JEL, NCSSEL and NCEL, as well as coaching in hunter shows.
Ginny Joyner, Hunter/Equitation/Jumper Team Coach
Ginny for al intents and purposes grew up in the horse business; learning early on to show, hunt, and develop horses and ponies. She was also lucky enough to work with top professionals in other aspects of the industry, prepping and showing top level prospects. She won numerous prizes in the grand prix and amateur owners jumpers–notably at Washington International, USPGL, and NAL finals. Later, as a professional, she developed both competitive young horses and students for competition at the national level–including indoors. Ginny was the coordinator the Zone 4 jumping team for several years during which time the team won a gold medal and several of her students medaled individually. Ginny is well known as a horses preparer, young horse specialist, and remaking misunderstood horses.
Katie Decker, General Instructor, specializing in dressage/eventing / hunters
Katie grew up in the horse world, and began riding at age 5. She is a USDF Silver Medalist with a special love for dressage and many years’ experience bringing along horses in dressage, eventing, and hunters, as well as starting young horses and working with OTTB’s. She has brought along her personal horse to the FEI level and has shown through 3’6″ hunters and jumpers, and is currently developing her other horse in eventing. In 2022, Katie had the opportunity to work at and FEI dressage barn in Wellington, Florida where she was able to get instruction from top level trainers and successfully show her horse at Prix St. Georges and Intermediate-1 levels. Concluding the season, she was ranked 6th in the United States at I-1 for Jr/TR, In 2021, she also attended the D4K Summer Intensive Training program under the training of Olympian Lendon Gray with who she’s worked for many years. Katie enjoys teaching riders of all levels and focuses on good basics and having fun!
Sara Zettersten, Past Eventing Instructor
Sara Vitkus Zettersten grew up riding horses and has been eventing for many years under the instruction of top-ten world-ranked Hannah Sue Burnett. In 2012, with her horse Season O’Reason, she won the Area II Junior Preliminary Championship and Thoroughbred of the year, finished 3rd at the American Eventing Championships, and 5th in ranking in the USA at that level. She has ridden and trained numerous horses up through the Novice and Training levels. She ranked 8th and 10th in 2015 year-end USA Young Rider at the Novice and Training levels. She has also successfully coached many students that had never evented up through the recognized Beginner Novice and Novice levels. She graduated valedictorian with a master’s degree in Systems Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. Sara grew up participating in Pony Club and attained a C3 rating. She is working full time now outside of the horse industry, but rides and fox hunts on occasion.
Connect with us!