About Janna
Janna got her start as a young equestrian at the Windy Ridge Ranch in Minnesota under the guidance of Mark Ward. While learning to safely enjoy riding horses on the flat, over fences, on the trail, and playing games, Janna developed a passion for dressage riding, which she pursued further with the help of grand prix trainer Anne McKay of Aux Chevaux Dressage Center. Working as an apprentice at Aux Chevaux through high school and college, Janna gained experience riding everything from green young horses to advanced school-masters, as well as insight into the operation of a successful dressage breeding and training facility.
In 1997, Janna had her first opportunity to spend a summer as a working student at the private stables of Hans Riegler, former chief rider at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, where he worked for 39 years. With over 40 high quality sport horses stabled at his facility, including Olympic horses and several Lipizzaner stallions from the SRS, Janna learned a great deal about European methods of training and horse care. Through daily lessons with Herr Riegler on advanced school-masters and working privately owned horses at the stable under his guidance, Janna gained firsthand experience in the classical principles of riding and training. She has since returned for several additional summers of training with Herr Riegler, and spent the entirety of 2005-06 in Vienna training with him on privately owned horses. In recent years, he has also traveled to Minnesota to work with Janna and her clients on their horses.
At the recommendation of Herr Riegler, Janna traveled to Switzerland in 2010 to train with Christine Stückelberger and Georg Wahl on Frau Stückelberger's horses. Herr Wahl was one of Herr Riegler's primary teachers at the Spanish Riding School, and also coached his partner, Frau Stückelberger, through six Olympics and five medals, including an individual gold medal on the legendary Granat. Janna now represents Frau Stückelberger's high quality warmbloods for sale in the USA.
For the last 10 years, Janna has provided dressage lessons and training in a variety of settings. She returned to Minnesota in 2006, where she now resides and trains a dedicated group of riders and horses at Chinnock Farms. Janna owns the Dutch Warmblood mare Godiva, with whom she has successfully competed through FEI Grand Prix and earned her USDF silver medal award in 2009. She also holds the USDF bronze medal award, earned on horses that she has trained and shown for her clients, and is on her way to earning a gold medal.
