Allegra Valberg began riding at the age of 9 eventually competing in Junior Jumpers with support from a sponsor.  In 1989, Allegra moved to Stepping Out Farm to train with Lauren Stevens.  She competed in the Medal/Maclay and Junior Hunters.  Allegra is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College.  After graduation Allegra taught and rode for a handfull of New England farms before founding Ridgetop Farm.  Allegra has spent the last several years developing a winning IEA team and is now excited to take on the head coach position at Stonehill College.

 

 

April Barrachina graduated, magna cum laude, from Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI, in May 2006, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Equine Business Management. She began riding in 1991 and has competed in hunt seat equitation and eventing, receiving numerous year-end awards. She worked as a riding instructor and Assistant Director for the Bonnie Castle Summer Riding Program at Stoneleigh Burnham School, Greenfield, MA. April worked for Olympic Silver Medalist, Kim Severson, as a Barn Manager and Show Groom. April’s duties included the full responsibility for therapeutic care, conditioning, and maintenance of all horses, and general office/administrative duties.

Kelly Frasca joined Ridgetop Farm in 2004. She began riding at age 7 and has been teaching locally for 16 years. Her students have shown in Hunters and Equitation from local to national level. Some of their successes include champion and reserve at MHC, RIHA, SEHA, Equitation Finals, Ribbons at the National Pony Medal Finals and numerous year-end awards in the hunter divisions

Laura Martino, as a lifetime horsewoman, has worked and competed in many areas of the horse world.  She started out as a working student riding whatever was available, learning to adapt quickly to any particular horse.  As an adult, she became involved with the TB racehorse industry, holding her rider's license on multiple New England tracks and spending several years breaking young horses to run.  Laura then shifted her focus by working, including teaching for high level hunter/jumper barns that allowed her to develop her riding skills at some of the biggest shows on the east coast, including Lake Placid, HITS, and WEF.  Her most recent years have found her looking to satisfy that "need for speed" that she enjoyed on the track by developing and competing her horse, Sinatra, as an eventer.  She also works as a saddle fitter, traveling throughout New England.