The Worldly-and local-success of a California Native

Jennifer Wooten is a small, soft spoken, fair skinned redhead from small town Buellton, Ca.  But don’t let her petite frame fool you, this is one sassy lady.  She is determined and driven, something that is immediately evident as she discusses her goals for herself and her mare.  Wooten’s current success in the Eventing world with her nine year old Irish Thoroughbred mare, The Good Witch, has established her as one of the most promising up and coming riders in our sport. 

In August of 2006, Wooten and her mare were asked to participate in the World Equestrian Games in Malmo, Sweden, where they placed an impressive 17th.  This was Jennifer’s and The Good Witch’s-Pooh’s-first trip overseas together to compete, and along the way they tried their hand at Blenheim Castle, where they competed in the four-star.  They completed the course and the show, a feat that Jennifer says earned her instant respect, given the stature of her mount. 

A first look at The Good Witch reminds me of Jennifer herself: small-15.2 hands-and slender, she too packs a hidden punch.  The mare has shown herself to be extremely scopey and brave, and an excellent competitor.  When asked if her competitiveness comes from her being a mare, Jennifer smiles.  “She is the first mare I’ve ridden that has the competitive edge,” she explains.  “She is a sassy individual, and she grows more mature physically and mentally each year that we compete.  I truly believe that she is so good because she loves her job.” 

That’s good, because Pooh’s job is about to get accelerated to the next level.  Jennifer laid out her competition schedule for me; their next event is the upcoming Gold Cup qualifier at Galway Downs at the end of March, and then to Jersey Fresh to compete in the Pan-Am qualifying four-star.  After that, Jennifer hopes, the pair will be on their way to Brazil to compete in the Pan Am Games.  Wooten plans to throw in a few dressage shows in between it all, to strengthen their performance.  “I know that Jersey will be very competitive, and I know that I must be scoring in the 40’s in dressage to have a good chance at qualifying,” she says.  She took Pooh to Ram Tap this February for her first outing of the season, and placed 3rd after adding only 3 time penalties to her original dressage score of 37 to finish with a 40.  She was quite happy with this score, and hopes to improve it to increase her competitiveness.   

Jennifer’s eventing success and partnership with Pooh relies not only on her hard work but also on her dedicated sponsors and owner.  Daisy Tognalzinni, of Los Olivos, Ca, purchased The Good Witch in 2002, and has given Jennifer the opportunity to compete the mare for the past 5 years.  Likewise, Jennifer is sponsored by Antares Saddler, Auburn Laboratories, Show Toes, Source One Naturals and most recently IceHorse.  With monetary donations and products, Wooten is able to keep her mare going, and pack her season full of competitions.  She rides in Antares gear and feeds Pooh Source One and APF-donated by Auburn Laboratories-and on top of it all, Pooh’s hooves are graced with the special homemade formula in Show Toes hoof conditioner and polish.                

            Growing up in Buellton, Ca, Jennifer always knew that she wanted to ride and one day compete in the Olympic Games.  She started riding young, at her mother’s boarding farm.  She has ridden a variety of horses in a variety of different genres and venues, from exercising young racehorses at the age of 17 to jumping around pony hunters on a client’s 13 hand pony, Snerdly.  She showed Peruvian Pasos for two years, during which time she was a member of Santa Ynez Pony Club.  Pony Club, Jennifer says, gave her her first taste of Eventing, and she soon realized that jumping was much more fun than anything else she was involved in.  At the age of 18, Jennifer attended dressage clinics with Sandy Phillips, and started competing in local events. 

She was presented with the opportunity to travel to England and train with Captain Mark Phillips soon after she became active in eventing, and she and a friend, Michelle Emmerman, embarked together over seas to spend their time in England riding, grooming and showing.  She raised money to have her two horses flown over to the U.K. with her, and competed them extensively.  When Jennifer returned to Buellton she felt “very confident” in her ability to Event, having watched “the Greats of our sport ride horse after horse after horse around huge cross-country courses, pretty much showing us how it was done.”  Two years after her adventure, Jennifer produced her horse to Intermediate level under her own training, and founded her business, Trinity Farm.   

Trinity Farm has been operating for seven years, primarily in Buellton.  Recently, however, Jennifer has re-located to Copper Meadows Equestrian Center in Ramona, Ca.  Her move hasn’t kept Jennifer out of the competition circle, though.  Jennifer has a number of horses in training, and routinely takes up to five mounts to shows all over California, Arizona and even Montana.  With her travel her students and long-time friend and groom Char Eurick.  When asked about what kind of students she likes to teach, Jennifer replies almost immediately, “Riders with goals.  They don’t have to have lofty or huge goals, but they do have to want to work on their skills and relationship with their horse.” 

This seems to echo her slogan for Trinity: Commitment, Achievement, Success.  Jennifer tries to coach by the same standards, she says.  She mentions that the hardest part of her job, and the one that she takes most seriously, is building a relationship between herself and her students that inspires trust.  She strives to have the kind of relationship in which a student trusts what she has to offer, and in turn trusts their own skills and abilities.  She looks forward to increasing her client base, and offering clinics throughout California.  If you would like to email Jennifer for more information on her business, please send queries to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Look for her results in 2007, and keep an eye out for this pair!