Effective July 1, 2012 - Chris Mitchell was named as the Directory of Riding at Randolph College in January 2012, as he comes to the College after a very successful 13-year tenure at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.
In his 13 years as the Big Red's mentor, he led many members to the regional and zone championships. His teams claimed 27 collegiate horse show team crowns, including four Ivy League titles. Mitchell led his team to a brand new level during the fall of 2011, guiding the group to six invitational titles in eight meets, already matching a school record for victories in a season (six show titles in 2003-04). Mitchell’s teams won a pair of shows (Skidmore, Hartwick) en route to a regional reserve champion showing in 2009-10. His 2010-11 team won its first-ever regular season regional championship after claiming four team blue ribbons during the season.
Mitchell had previously been an instructor and trainer at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough, N.Y., and was the barn manager and trainer for Lion Hill Farm in Easton, Conn., from 1996-98. During that time, he also served as an equestrian instructor for Sacred Heart University and was an assistant coach and instructor at Pace University. He coached one of his riders to a national championship in walk-trot equitation at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association competition and had other riders place among the top 10 nationally in the novice flat, novice fences, intermediate fences and open levels.
Mitchell is a member of the NCAA steering committee for equestrian and is also a member of the American Horse Shows Association. He is a graduate of Longwood University in Farmville, Va., with a degree in business administration and marketing.
Tamara
Wenning has over 18 years of equestrian experience. From 1990-1993,
Wenning worked as a trainer and exercise rider for Pine Tree Farms in
Columbia, Missouri. Wenning has also worked as an exercise rider and
groomer for Summerhill Farm in Kansas City, Missouri where she performed
daily maintenance of barns and horses. She was a member of the Intercollegiate
Riding Team at Southern Seminary from 1989-1990. She received her Bachelor
of Arts degree in Business Administration with a minor in Equestrian
Studies from William Woods College in Fulton, MIssouri in 1994. She has also worked at the Randolph Riding Center in previous years as an assistant and stable manager.
Contact: 434-384-3231, e-mail
Matt Arrigon has a strong background in equestrian competition both as a rider and a coach. Arrigon most recently worked at David Beisel Stables where he worked shows across the Midwest including Kentucky Bluegrass Festival, KHJA, Kentucky National Horse Show, Horseshows by the Bay, Washington International Horse Show, Capitol Challenge, and Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Prior to his time at David Beisel Stables, Arrigon worked at Beckett Run Farm where he trained horses in hunters, jumpers, and equitation.
He also has coached Beckett Run High School IEA team where he led the school to three top five national finishes. Arrigon graduated from Miami University of Ohio in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Management with a minor in Supply Chain Management and Business Statistics. As a rider at Miami University, Matt finished the 2005-2006 IHSA show season with a third place finish at IHSA nationals in Intermediate on the flat rider.
Contact: 434-384-3231, e-mail
Caitlin East begins her second season as a resident groom and stable manager at the Randolph College Riding Center in 2011. East came to Randolph College after working at Spring Hill Farm in Casanova, VA and Cady O'Daly Farm in Bedford, VA. Her duties included preparing throughbred yearlings, operating farm equipment, handling stallions, mares and foals and other day-to-day stable tasks. East has also worked at Western Ways in Forest, VA and on the White Oaks Farm as well as at both the Gentle Care Animal Hospital and Riverside Veterinary Hospital.
East graduated from Virginia Tech in May of 2010 with a bachelor of sciences in Animal and Poultry Sciences with an emphasis on Equine Production and Business. East also possesses 14 years of riding experience.
Contact: 434-384-3231, e-mail
