Jacobs Run Equestrian Center
Brittany Jacobs
Brittany Jacobs has been an avid participant in the horse world since she was old enough to sit on a horse. Prior to the start of her horseback riding lessons in the fall of 1993, Brittany’s mother introduced her to horses as an infant to share her lifelong love of the sport. Brittany started her riding career taking lessons at Hidden Valley Ranch in Cape May, New Jersey. There she learned the basics of riding from Rhoda Piccirelli as well as the experience of some small horse shows at the farm. In the summer of 1998, the riding program was moved to Sea Horse Farm, also in Cape May, under the new instruction of Ginna Riker.
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At Sea Horse Farm, Brittany was presented with many opportunities that shaped her to be the rider and instructor that she is today. In her early years at Sea Horse Farm, Brittany gained experience in the larger show world through the instruction of Patti Borroughs. She won several championships through the English Circuit of South Jersey and another local circuit in Buena Vista, NJ. She was provided with the opportunity to be a horse camp counselor for several years. At the age of 16, Brittany was given her first opportunity to teach riding lessons under the supervision of Ginna Riker. The greatest opportunity presented itself to Brittany in 2000 when she was offered the opportunity to work under professional quarter horse trainer, Gary Weeks. Under his mentorship, Brittany became familiar with the quarter horse world and the great care that is needed to run a show bar, show program, and understand the communication between horse and rider. She was given the opportunity at the age of 17 to own and break her first horse, “Stars On My Sneakers.” Sneakers is still with Brittany to this day.
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In 2004, Brittany attended college at Randolph Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia. She was presented again with opportunities that were new to her. As a freshman, she tried our for the college’s Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) team. Out of many participants that tried out, She was selected as of the top 3 riders in her division to participate on the team. Brittany spent her college career riding as a member of RMWC’s team, participating in SWVHJA shows, and working at the college’s barn. In the fall of 2007, Bob Williams, owner or North Wind Stables in Lynchburg, Virginia offered Brittany the job of becoming the riding instructor of his facility. Since then, Brittany has created a riding and training program that is well known throughout the community.
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In the fall of 2014, Brittany and her program moved to its current location at Jacobs Run Equestrian Center. She know owns and operates the facility and manages the lesson program, breeding program, boarding opportunities, and show program.
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In addition to her job as a riding instructor, Brittany is a Life Science teacher at Monelison Middle school and holds a masters in teaching and an undergraduate degree in Biology. She incorporates her teaching skills learned through her academic job into her riding lessons, providing children with disabilities the opportunity to have hands-on experiences with horses.
Lucy Gordon
Lucy was first put on a horse at the age of three months old and has been immersed in the Virginia horse industry ever since. Growing up in the Shenandoah Valley, she rode under Debbie Forrest, who she credits fully for her strong foundation as a rider. As a kid, Lucy foxhunted with Glenmore Hunt Club and was a member of the United States Pony Club, earning her C3 national rating. She competed avidly on the local SWVHJA circuit with top results including 2006 Pony Medal Finals Champion and 2007 Medium Pony of the Year.
As a teenager, Lucy tried out Eventing and was instantly hooked. At age 16, she took a summer working student position with Cynthia Brickley at Elysian Hills Training Center in Marshall, VA. This was the opportunity of a lifetime for Lucy. For years to follow, she assisted Cynthia in starting, training, competing, foxhunting, and selling her homebreds. In exchange Cynthia provided Lucy with the horses and training opportunities required to become an upper level event rider. Throughout these years she was able to ride with many incredible trainers, including Sharon White, Tim Bourke, Stephen Bradley, and Jimmy Wofford.
Lucy attended college at the University of Virginia, serving as President of the school’s Eventing and Dressage team and successfully competing in the Intercollegiate Dressage Association. Throughout college she also trained with and worked for Emily Beshear of Brickland Eventing in Somerset, VA.
These days, Lucy works full time for the Staunton-Augusta Rescue Squad as an Advanced EMT, in addition to teaching at Jacobs Run. She still makes the time to pursue her own riding goals as well, competing her horse, Swan’s Glory, at the Preliminary and CCI**-L levels of Eventing.
