The Friends of NEER North Group is a volunteer group of talented and respected equine enthusiasts and professionals developed to provide support to the NEER North Board and staff. They will help to further NEER’s exposure to the public, support fund raising efforts and provide hands on help when the need arises. They offer varied expertise across many specialties that will aid NEER North in our continued effort to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome equines in need in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Lynda Angstadt- www.bradfordequestriancenter.com
Lynda holds a BS in Chemistry, MBA & former career as a scientist and project manager. Having put aside riding western, hunters, OTTB’s, and whatever else came her way as a kid, that passion was rekindled when she met her husband, a professional dressage and eventing trainer. Now her resume reads Co-owner & Manager of Bradford Equestrian Center LLC, a 23 acre horse farm established in 1992. Lynda is a USDF bronze medalist, USDF L judge graduate, licensed instructor, trainer, coach, groom & horse show manager. She also navigates and grooms for her husband Keith and daughter Kaylee who have trained and competed at the FEI levels in dressage & combined driving. Also a member of various horse organizations over the years, she was very active with Pentucket pony club from ~ 2004-2014 serving as DC for 3 years. NEDA, WNRDC & GMHA have also been among some of her favorite equine organizations with whom to volunteer. NEER is topping that list as well.
Olana Laffey – www.evenstrideltd.com
Olana has more than 30 years of experience training equitation and hunter/jumper riders of all ages. As owner and manager of Evenstride, LtD, she has helped competitive equestrians reach goals of showing at regional and national finals, including the Massachusetts Horseman’s Council Days of Champions, the New England Equitation Championships, Regional Maclay Finals, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show and the Washington International Horse Show. Olana hosts and manages events, ie Hunter/Jumper horse shows, IEA shows and 2 phase events, throughout the year, including many at her indoor Evenstride Training facility. She is passionate about supporting equine related causes and the local horse community, including NEER North.
Elena Jesperson
A rider and horse owner and former NEER Board member for many years, Elena is a Reiki master who works with both equines and humans. She was a board member of the Wentworth Hunt Club from 1990-2001 and served as Wentworth’s president for two years. In addition, she is a longtime board director of International Cars, Ltd. Active in numerous community organizations, she is a former Cub Scout den leader and currently serves on the board of Newburyport’s Theater in the Open.
Eric W. Dickson MD, MHCM, FACEP
Dr Dickson is President and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care, a 4 hospital healthcare system located in central Massachusetts with over 900 acute care beds and 1100 employed physicians, he also serves as a Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Prior to being named CEO Dr Dickson served as President and Senior Associate Dean of UMass Memorial Medical Group, Professor and Head of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and Interim Chief Operating Officer for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Dr Dickson completed his medical degree and residency training in emergency medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and
has a Masters Degree in Health Care Management from Harvard University. Dr Dickson has served as a member of the Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Examiners, lectures nationally on the use of the Toyota Production System in healthcare and is an active faculty member for the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, where he works with health systems around the world to reduce healthcare costs while improving quality. He is also a USTA licensed horse trainer specializing in training future race horses during their first two years of life.
Jaclyn Gagnon – srhveterinary.com
Jaclyn Gagnon grew up in Andover MA and started riding at the age of 8. As the oldest of 4 in a non-horsey family, Jaclyn sought every second she could around horses doing barn chores in exchange for a few extra minutes in the saddle. She has been involved in many different disciplines including hunt seat, saddle seat, driving, eventing and starting young horses of all shapes and sizes. Jaclyn graduated with a degree in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut where she rode on the IHSA hunt seat equitation team and worked in the horse barn. Jaclyn also had the opportunity to work for Morgan horse trainer, John Bennett, at John Bennett Stables during the summers through college. In 2003, Jaclyn was accepted to the Kentucky Equine Management Internship in Lexington, Kentucky and took a semester off to explore the heart of the Thoroughbred industry. During this time she worked for Juddmonte Farms starting yearlings and worked the January sales at Keeneland. She came back to graduate from UConn and took home a UConn bred Morgan. After graduating, Jaclyn worked at a Percheron breeding and show farm for a couple years before pursuing a job with Cargill Animal Nutrition representing the Nutrena brand in 2007. Today, Jaclyn works for SRH Veterinary Services and can still offer her extensive knowledge in the field of equine nutrition. She resides in North Andover MA with her husband, 2 children, cat, dog and 2 guinea pigs. She continues to ride with her daughter at a local hunter jumper farm.
Tiffany Wyman – www.nutrenaworld.com
Tiffany is a representative for Nutrena feeds. Cargill has more than 120 years of experience in animal nutrition solutions. We come to work every day to research, innovate and create success in your animal’s feeding program. With a local, ionophore free mill in Albany New York, Cargill Animal Nutrition manufactures the Nutrena brand and supports the local community through programs such as the feed fund that NEER North benefits from. To find a Nutrena distributor near you visit www.nutrenaworld.com or contact [email protected] to determine which Nutrena products are right for your animals!
Josh Noble – www.burklandfarm.net
Raised in the shadows of his grandfather Dr. Bob Orcutt, Joshua Noble grew into a talented and respected horseman. While earning a business degree at Kentucky Wesleyan College, Josh worked for one of the top saddlebred farms in the country. During this time he also worked for Rob Turner of LM Turner stables, one of the most respected Saddlebred trainers on the East Coast. After Pat’s passing in 2005, Josh returned to Burkland Farm. Josh was able to enjoy many late night talks about breeding, judging, and training techniques with his mentor and grandfather Dr. Bob. After Doc’s passing in 2006, Joshua assumed responsibility to carry on the Burkland Farm tradition. One of those traditions is to seek the silver lining of every horse by placing them in a role best suited for their personality and athletic ability. Josh is a licensed Massachusetts equine instructor, as well as the 2014 YAA Judging Scholarship recipient and currently holds a USEF ‘r’ judging card for Morgans.
Kelly Clark, Dodge Grain Co.Inc. – www.DODGEGRAIN.biz
Kelly (Burke) Clark is the fourth generation in their family feed company, Dodge Grain Salem, N.H. Working intensely under her father (Frank) for the last 15 years and as an adolescent, Kelly is well versed in nutritional knowledge of feed, has an expertise in hay and is also an equine hobbyist.
Studying communications and broadcasting in college, going on to work for WGIR Rock 101 in Manchester, the family business was not always in her plans but when her father became ill, the heartbeat of the family business called, and she has not looked back.
Growing up with horses on the family farm, riding and showing in both hunter/jumper and dressage, Kelly has always had a love for horses and animals. Although these days she spends most of her time taking care of her 6 and 1 ½ year old boys she enjoys visiting her client’s farms, helping with special need diets and riding her father’s two quarter horses.
Kelly resides in East Kingston N.H although the family store is in Salem, N.H. The store has a lovely store front and lawn and garden center as well. Kelly is there daily and enjoys developing personal relationships with clients. The Burke family prides themselves on setting the highest level of exceptional customer service and training each employee to smile as part of their uniform.
Visit Kelly at the Salem, N.H store or email her at [email protected]
Helen O’Reilly – www.helenoreilly.com
Helen grew up in the North East of England and began riding in 1976. Involved in many equestrian activities including UK Pony Club she later studied Horse Management and completed her British Horse Society Intermediate Instructor & UK Coaching Certificate. Helen then traded her original career in the insurance industry for the equestrian world.
Helen’s pursuits led her to Management and Coaching positions in England & Ireland where she developed many educational programs for young riders and led young rider teams to victory. Further, in Arabia, Helen had the privilege of working for the Qatari Royal family training A rated Arabians and coaching international students. While there a consultant position with the Asian Games Organizing Committee, Equestrian Department followed.
During her career, she has worked extensively with stallions and previously unridden horses planning their training course for disciplines including: Eventing, Dressage and Foxhunting. Helen has trained with numerous international renowned riders and continues to do so, gaining a deeper understanding of the physical & mental welfare of the horse and how we (horse & rider) interact as working partners.
Sarah McEachern – www.poulingrain.com
