Ellen Witterstaeter - FT WALTON BEACH, FL.  Ellen rode horses as a kid, then found horses again as a young adult in her 30's.  She discovered dressage at Gray Lily Farm in Havana, FL with Debbie Lillibridge, an event rider.  In 1994, Ellen moved to FWB and chose Southern Cross Equestrian Centre as the ideal location to board Dusty her appendix quarter horse.

After several years of forcing her trusty steed to be a dressage horse, he discovered the hunter world with Ellen's daughter, Lora Kay.  Ellen then purchased Jappy, a Dutch Warmblood, through Jodie Kelly Dressage.  The pair won the high point trophy in 2005 at the Blue Angel Dressage Show in Pensacola, FL.  Jappy and Lora Kay also had a successful Junior season in 2006, qualifying for the North American Junior Championship team.

After being sidelined for two years to recover from a suspensory injury, Jappy was poised to capture the 2008 USDF Region 3 Training Level Championship in the Adult Amateur Division only to be sidelined again by a case of cellulitus on the first day of competition.  He quickly recovered and is currently on his way back to qualifying for next year's Championships.

Ellen is the President of the Emerald Coast Chapter of Deep South Dressage and Combined Training Association and the USDF Region 3 Youth Coordinator.

Cindy Carpenter - SOUTHPORT, FL.  Cindy has been riding since she was 8-years old.  She has been training with Jodie since she purchased her 9-yr old, 17.2h Oldenburg gelding by Riverman named Raconteur, in early 2005.

Cindy and Raconteur qualified for the USDF Region 3 Dressage Championships in their first two show seasons topped off by a top 10 finish in the AA Training Level Championship in 2006.  After the 2006 Championships, Cindy's 9-year old Oldenburg gelding wasn't sure he wanted to move up the levels.  Raconteur just wasn't sure Dressage was his sport.  So, he had all of 2007 and most of 2008 off to 'find himself'.  Raconteur returned to the Dressage ring at the November, 2008 Blue Angel Dressage Show capturing the High Point award for the show with a score of 73.600%.

With Jodie's help and expertise, Cindy purchased her second dressage partner in 2007, Utrillo.  Utrillo is a 16.3h Dutch Warmblood gelding by Neptune.  In their first two outings at Training Level in 2007, the pair recorded a median score of 70.870%.  

Cindy qualified both of her horses for the USDF Region 3 Dressage Championships in 2009.  Raconteur at both Training and First Level and Utrillo at First Level.  Utrillo finished 8th in the First Level Championships in the Adult Amateur division.

Cindy and her husband, Glenn, own Morningstar Farm - a small private farm in Southport, Florida.  Cindy trailers to Destin weekly for lessons.  Her husband maintains the Jodie Kelly Dressage website.

Alexis Baker - NAVARRE, FL.  Alexis has been riding since the age of 4 and rode hunter jumpers until the age of 11 when she began eventing and dressage.  She began riding at Southern Cross in the summer of 2007 with her 19-year old thoroughbred gelding, Tucker and in the winter of 2007 started with her 14-year old thoroughbred mare, Annie.

"Jodie encourages me to pursue challenges and I always walk away from my lessons feeling like I moved forward and I learned something new.  I look forward to the years to come riding with Jodie!" - Alexis Baker

Savannah Simmons - MALBIS, AL.  Savannah started riding with Jodie with a punky, Dutch warmblood pony in 2003.  She is a former eventer turned dressage teen. She rode the pony through first level.  After outgrowing the pony, she turned to a Friesian mount.  Savannah rode only in exhibitions for a number of years because juggling school, varsity volleyball and riding became difficult.  The experiences at the National Horse Show in front of major crowds became her outlet in the horse world.

Now Savannah is riding once again under the coaching of Jodie.  She is riding a ster Friesian mare that has the Sport Predicate from FPS.  Klaske is the only mare in the United States that has that special designation that means she was shown successfully at 4th level.  Savannah and Klaske are looking to finish the required scores for the bronze medal this year- after volleyball season!

Teresa Simmons - MALBIS, AL.  Teresa Simmons began riding with Jodie in 2003 with her Friesian gelding Matthais.  It was the first time she began showing at recognized shows.  The first show with Matthias was at Chateau Elan and was very intimidating.  It took all of Jodie’s encouragement to get them both through the show with terrific scores at Intro level!  Now Matthias is working on flying changes to win some blue ribbons at 3rd level.  Matthias and Teresa worked with Jodie in Wellington during the winter season of 2008.

Teresa earned her bronze medal in 2007.  She bought an FEI gelding, Supermann, to help her work through the USDF medal program.  Jodie is working with her and Supermann patiently helping the partnership grow in understanding and classical skills.  Supermann and Teresa earned 2 scores this spring toward the silver medal and are looking forward to the next show season to debut at PSG.

Teresa, Matthias, Supermann, Savannah and Klaske have their home stable at Southern Cross Farm in Malbis, Alabama, and commute to Destin for lessons.

Caroline Adams - LAFAYETTE, LA.  Caroline is the daughter of Ben and Dawn Adams of Morgan City, Louisiana.  Jodie accompanied Caroline and her family on a trip to Holland in 2007 where she had arranged for Caroline and her parents to look at several horses through Toine Hoefs.  Together they decided that Uniek was the horse for Caroline.

Caroline and Uniek spent the Winter down in Wellington, FL with Jodie.  They spent the summer training with Jodie at Southern Cross in Destin, FL.  Caroline shadowed Kristine and Jodie all summer long working at the barn.  And when we say she worked, we mean she WORKED!!!!  The theme for the summer for this young lady was WORK HARD, PLAY HARD.  Caroline never missed a day at the barn, never bowed out even a minute before Kristine and Jodie were done and did so with a smile on her face.

"I saw Caroline blossom this summer into an AMAZING, and I do mean an AMAZING, horse woman.  She rode Uniek fantastic, along with everything else I put her on.  She and Gaby Collins tacked up and untacked, cold hosed and hand walked more than any 12 or 13 year old has ever done.  On top of working at the barn till the wee hours of the morning, Caroline NEVER missed a day at the beach or a jetski ride or a Sunday at Crab Island, whichever opportunity presented itself to her, she was there." - Jodie Kelly

Kristine Lundblad – DESTIN, FL.  Kristine has been riding since the age of 8 and originally started out on the path of becoming a hunter/jumper rider.  Eventually her family moved to Florida and found both Southern Cross and the Kelly Family, who have turned into her extended family for nearly the past 11 years.  She was introduced to Jodie and realized how just one person can make a difference; her perception of dressage changed significantly and she wanted to become a dressage rider.

Kristine fell in love with the sport after only a few lessons with Jodie, experiencing her genuine commitment toward her students and her innate ability to instruct different horse and rider combinations at any level.

“Jodie is my best friend, my boss, my trainer and my mentor.  She in an incredible, passionate, and hard-working individual who motivates and inspires me to be the best rider I can be - and I am proud to say that my foundation in dressage has come from her.  She taught me to understand the sport in a way I never had before and I owe everything I know today to her.”

With Jodie’s help, Kristine was able to achieve multiple high point ribbons, training level regional champion, USDF 2nd level Jr/YR reserve national champion, and her bronze medal.

At the end of 2007 Jodie assisted Kristine in purchasing a filly from Holland, Cover Girl, through Toine Hoefs.  She plans on having Jodie break Cover Girl in the spring of 2010!

Gabriella Collins - DESTIN, FL.  Gabriella has been riding with Jodie since she was 7.

In 2008 Gaby worked her way into the top 150 in the standings for the prestigious Marshall & Sterling League's Child Horse Medal.  The Marshall & Sterling League currently has over 2,500 members.  The League's members compete at more than 220 shows nationwide throughout the year for an invitation to the East Coast Finals at the Washington International Horse Show and the West Coast Finals in California.

She also won the National Children's Medal Class at HITS 2008 in Ocala, FL and qualified for National Junior Hunter finals; one of the youngest to be competitive in the Junior Division.  The National Children's Medal is a 3-foot equitation class.  This twelve year-old rider trains with Jodie and Christina Schleusemeyer out of Quiet Hill Farm in Ocala, FL.  She and her horse Phantom are now competing together in the Juniors 3'6" and Equitation divisions.  She purchased the 10-year old Dutch Warmblood by Concorde in May 2007.

Gaby spent the summer training with Jodie at Southern Cross in Destin, FL.  She shadowed Kristine and Jodie all summer long working at the barn.  And when we say she worked, we mean she WORKED!!!!  Gaby never missed a day at the barn, never bowed out even a minute before Kristine and Jodie were done and did so with a smile on her face.

Jodie also asked Gaby to take on Cindy Carpenter's Raconteur as her summer project in 2008.  Jodie can put Gaby on just about any horse and Raconteur was no exception.   She did a good job getting Raconteur started over fences.

"I saw Gaby blossom in the summer of 2008 into an AMAZING, and I do mean an AMAZING, horse woman.  She also tacked up and untacked, cold hosed and hand walked more than any 12-year old has ever done." - Jodie

"Jodie is so descriptive and really explains what I need to do with my horse.  I ride a very forward horse and she has really helped us a lot.  And her lessons are fun too." - Gaby Collins

Kalee and Paige Keener - DESTIN, FL.  Kalee and Paige are the daughters of Nancy and Don Keener.  Ages 11 and 8, these young riders travel to various shows across the Southeast competing against some of the top riders and trainers in the area.

Kalee has been riding since she was 5-years old.  She is currently showing two horses; Flaschback and Ferazzi.  Among her accomplishments in 2008 are a Championship at the Coastal Classic, Reserve Champions in the Pony Equitation Division at the RMI Mid-Florida Series, Reserve Circuit Championship - Pony Equitation Division at the RMI Mid-Florida Series, Champion - Small Green Pony Hunter Division at the HITS V Ocala Winter Finals, Circuit Championship - Schooling Pony Hunter Division at HITS V Ocala Winter Finals, and a Reserve Championship at the Jacksonville National show.

Kalee and Flaschback are currently ranked fourth nationally by the USEF in the Green Pony Hunter-Small Division and will be competing in the prestigous USEF Pony Finals National Championships in Lexington, KY August 8-13.  Kalee is also 29th on USEF's new Leading Owner Rankings for 2008.

"I think lessons with Jodie give me an edge that the other hunter/jumper kids don't have.  I learn alot of control techniques that they don't have.  My sister and me have alot of fun riding with her.  I am fourth in the nation on my small pony Flaschback and Jodie helps me so much training my 5-year old pony, Ferazzi." - Kalee Keener

Her sister, Paige, is also having a successful 2008 aboard her pony, Would You Please.  The highlights of this year's show season include a Championship in the Short Stirrup Hunter Division at the Ocala Masters, a Circuit Reserve Championship in the Short Stirrup Equitation Division at Ocala HITS V Ocal Winter Finals, a 3rd place finish in the Short Stirrup Division at the RMI Mid-Florida Series and a Reserve Championship in the Coastal Classic.

"I always do well in the Equitation Divisions I think because of my lessons with Jodie. She is helping make my legs strong and I jump better now.   I like doing no stirrups and transitions and lead changes.  My 17-year old pony is perfect.  Everybody wants him." - Paige Keener

"We feel extremely fortunate to have this high level training right here where we stable.  There is no doubt in our minds that it has contributed to our success.  We have access to expertise any time we need it.  Thank you Jodie, you have the MOJO!!" - Nancy Keener

Tammy Key - NICEVILLE, FL.  Most little girls dream of owning their own horse.  This dream can last well into adulthood; many people who never had a chance to ride, when young, find themselves able to buy a horse later in life.  After postponing her dream to ride in order to give her daughter the opportunity to pursue her riding dreams, Tammy was able to purchase her first horse in 2003.  Her daughter, Erin, was a teenager at the time and Tammy found that when Erin got on her horse and rode away she talked about her life, good and bad, with the people she rode with.

"I needed to be that person, the one she was getting advice from, not someone else," Tammy recalls,  "so I got my horse.  It worked, our bond only got stronger.  I ALWAYS wanted to ride, but couldn’t afford for both of us to have lessons.  I am inspired by my daughter, she’s my hero.  I want to ride/be like her one day!"

The horse Tammy purchased in 2003 was Kist Bayou, a thoroughbred gelding off the track.  He raced for three years in seven different states, won a fair amount of prize money and was actually registered for the Breeder's Cup.  Tammy stables Kiss at Eglin Air Force Base and trains with Jodie on her regular visit to the Base on Thursdays.

"Kiss has great movement but lacks confidence.  Jodie challenges both him and me, pushing us to the edge of our abilities without pushing us over the edge.   I truly appreciate her ability to maintain that balance and understand the personal challenges and limitations that are specific to our situation.  Jodie is a very talented instructor and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to train with her.” - Tammy Key

Lily Hall - NICEVILLE, FL.  Lily has been riding all her life, showing initially from age 5 in hunter/jumper and western pleasure with her 11 hand Welsh pony, Gambit.

She began dressage training at age 7, and with Gambit was crowned the Deep South Dressage and Combined Training Association (DSDCTA, a USDF Region 3 GMO) 2005 Grand Champion in the Sport Horse Pony Division.  The following year the pair was once again honored by the DSCTA as the Grand Champion of the Introductory Level Junior Division (age 21 and under).

She has continued to show Gambit in hunter/jumper and combined training, but late in 2006 found her new dressage partner Heart of Gold, a 13.2 hand palomino pony.  With her new pony, Lily was named the DSCTA 2007 Grand Champion at the Introductory Level in the Junior Division and 2007 Reserve Champion at the Training Level in the Junior Division.

Lily began training with Jodie in 2008 at age 9, and under her guidance finished in the top 15 in the 2008 USDF Region 3 Training Level Championship in the Jr/YR Division with a score of 59.2%.

This partnership also finished 5th in the Jr Dressage Seat Semi-Final for riders 13 and under with a score of 60.5%.  Lily says, "Jodie shares such good simple visuals that really help you remember to do something right.” - Lily Hall

Ali Howard - DESTIN, FL.  "In June of 2005 I made a trip to Holland with Jodie in hopes of finding my perfect horse and we found him. We actually found him in Belgium, he is a Belgium Welsh; and he is perfect in everyway.  I had previously been training with Jodie in dressage and she is an awesome trainer.

Nelson was a young 4 year old stallion when we bought him, but we decided to train him for a show in October 2005.  He was a little green but seemed to take to shows just fine. He has shown in Regionals every year.  Jodie has done an amazing job with my horse, Vinkenhove Nelson."

Kimmie Taylor - SOUTHPORT, FL.  Kimmie Taylor has been riding since before kindergarden. Her Dad bought a mini pony that she rode on her farm in Iowa.   After marrying, Kimmie lived in Adana, Turkey for 5 years before moving back to the states and settling in Colorado.  She moved from Colorado to Florida in 1998, where she was first introduced to Dressage by Sandy Filippi and was bit by the Dressage bug.  Her husband's work then took them to the Tacoma, WA area for 3 years where she trained with Kari McClain (R Judge), then with Jennifer Schrader Williams who is working to qualify for the Olympics.  Before training with Jodie, Kimmie schooled in Germany at a Riding Hall and then in the states, with Bill Woods (R Judge), Jan Gill (R Judge), and Richard Williams.

Kimmie trained her latest mare, Princess Fire on Star, from a yearling up to 3rd level Dressage.  Showed her at rated shows winning the USDF All Breeds award 3 years in a row, Region 6 Great American Insurance Championships 3 years in a row placing in the top 10, Sliver Strip Awards with performance horse Region 6 placing first and second, 3 years in a row.  Numerous awards thru our Local GMO, EI Region 6.  Kimmie has recently purchase an Oldenburg that she will be starting this summer from the ground up.