Julie Johnston

Owner, Hawk’s Rest Ranch

Born of an equestrian family, Julie was on a pony by the time she was 3.  Her grandfather and father began the Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Julie was right in the middle of things starting over 400 horses for the race track on her father’s thoroughbred farm in Iowa by the time she was 15.  She was active in 4-H, the old RCA, WPRCA, and finally the PRCA trailering over the country pulling for points.  She took 1st and 3rd place honors in year end standings of the American Stock Horse Association for barrels, poles, and western pleasure.  Again, number one in the Iowa Barrel Racing Association and in the 7 state Ohio Valley Regional, she and her team again placed first!
She was honored by the American Quarter Horse Association with a Register of Merit in arena performance events for both barrels and poles, a distinction reserved for only the best.
Julie received her degree from the University of Kentucky, where her family had moved, and continued her horsemanship career at the family's farm in the Bluegrass State, just outside of Lexington.  She also placed first in a go-around at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo for barrels and was active in the Licking River Hounds Club fox hunting and hunter jumping.
After moving to Wyoming in 1981, she kept her horsemanship alive by training and exercising polo horses for almost every participant of the local club, riding up to 20 head per day.

She still travels back to Kentucky to work the Keeneland Thoroughbred sales where she has managed sale barns for Jonabell Farms, Plum Lane Farm, 3 Chimneys Farm, and Kentucky Derby winner, John Ward.

Julie most recently completed working with noted Australian born trainer Clinton Anderson and returns to Kentucky twice a year to train with world class riders and trainers Mindy Cook of Hawkeye Farm, and Nori Scheffell of Scheffell Ridge Farm, both  of Lexington.

In 2004 she started to fulfill her dream of having her own facility and after years of hard work and perseverance established Hawk's Rest Ranch, a Wyoming farm dedicated to the care and pleasure of the horse. She loves working with horses and imparting her knowledge and experience with others.
You can book Julie to work with you, you and your horse, or just your horse.

Tricia O’Connor

Instructor, Hawk’s Rest Ranch

Starting to ride at a very young age, Tricia moved from Pony Jumpers to Junior Jumpers and Equitation, training with the likes of Mark Jungherk, qualifying and showing at Devon, Washington International, Harrisburg International, and the Maclay Finals at the Meadowlands N.E.H.C. finals.

While in Juniors she also competed at North American Young Riders, twice, taking team silver at Bromont, Canada, and team bronze at Wadsworth, Illinois.

Her training and competition continued with the Olympic Festival in Burbank, Calif. with an individual 7th and a team Silver Medal.  She won individual Silver at prestigious Prix de States in Harrisburg, with placings at Washington and Devon all while still in juniors.

She went professional in 1994, and her career continued as she spent time riding and training in Germany and training and showing young horses and competing in Grand Prix competitions with many placings competing in the Grand Prix and at Socrates, New York, HITS Ocala Fl, New York HITS, Kentucky Horse Park, Lamplight Wadsworth Illinois, and the Devon Gold Cup, nationally placing with young horses (m/130-140), Grand Prix level meter 150 and taking 9th in the Kiel International.

She accomplished all this while owning and operating Clover Lea Farm in Massachusetts, a boarding, training, and showing facility, where she taught many students, young and old, with many of her students qualifying and competing at a national level.
She is accepting students of all levels and we feel very fortunate to have such an accomplished and talented instructor here at Hawk’s Rest.