The Equestrian Reserve - Our Staff

Donna Romeu is the Owner/Manager of The Equestrian Reserve. Because of her previous years as a teacher and elementary school principal in the school system, she has truly created a unique equestrian academy and horseback riding school that has sound educational practices with safety always at the forefront. Her career as an educator is extensive as well as her years of affiliation with 4-H, Pony Club of America, CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association), AQHA, CQHA, and GQHA. She has trained young horses from the ground up, competed extensively with numerous Championship titles.  Her passion now is to see that each of her riding students succeed with their own individual goals with horses. Whether it is for pleasure, enjoyment or to be highly competitive, Donna takes a special interest in each individual student.  Parents can schedule conferences to set goals or meet at any time to address any concerns.  This is your school!  This is the place where we don’t just say we have a program to fit your goals and desires but where we make sure it does happen.  Read more about Donna’s philosophy by returning to the home page and clicking on About The Equestrian Reserve.

Julie Power is the Assistant Manager and Head Instructor of The Equestrian Reserve.  Julie Power started riding at the age of seven. Every year since then, her love for horses has grown stronger. After graduating from North Georgia College and State University, with a bachelor’s degree in business management, she started her own riding business in the North Georgia area before coming to us. She has trained and shown English and Western disciplines with American Quarter Horses and has competed at the GQHA level with multiple circuit champions, year end champion and reserve champion awards. She was also a finalist at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in 2005.  She is currently showing her five year old at the AQHA level, which she bought as a yearling and trained herself.  She enjoys sharing her expertise with horses and the mastery of skills necessary for the show ring. 

Laury Kale is the Director of our Young Rider Programs. Laury has had a love of horses since childhood and has been here at The Equestrian Reserve since our opening. She has two daughters who are also avid riders at our facility.  Previously, Laury spent five years as a birthday party teacher for children. Whether it is with our Fun With Ponies Program (Private lessons for ages 4-5) or our Introductory Program For The Love Of Horses (ages 6-9), Laury has the innate ability to make the youngest rider feel comfortable, confident and proud of the skills he or she is learning.  Her gentle approach and mastery of teaching the basic foundation skills are delivered with the understanding of how each child progresses through their own unique developmental stages. 

Jaclyn Beckley

Jaclyn Beckley is currently a senior at South Forsyth High School. Jaclyn was one of our first students and has been with us since she was eight years old. She has owned Chief and Cowboy.  While a student with us she has shown horses at RHSC acquiring five year end championships, two reserve champions and eight additional year end awards, also being presented with the honor as one of the top five high point winners for the open ring.  She has also competed in GQHA novice and youth shows.  Now on her second green horse, she has developed the skills to train a green horse.  At SFHS she has participated on their Equestrian Team the 2006-07 and 2007-08 where she qualified individually for zones those two years.  Then Jaclyn moved onto the AQHA show circuits.  She became actively involved in the Georgia Quarter Horse Youth Association as she also began training her new three year old horse, Wyatt. In just her first year, Jaclyn made it to the AQHA Youth Worlds.  She made it to the finals for the Youth Leadership/Speech Contest and with Wyatt qualified for the Gelding Halter division.  As a senior at SFHS and in the work study program, Jaclyn will be a great asset to The Equestrian Reserve as an instructor in both English and Western classes.

Stephanie Rucci began her love of horses at The Equestrian Reserve when she was 9 years old. After years of being a part of The Equestrian Reserve Show team and winning multiple championships in both English and Western divisions, she then moved on to the Georgia Quarter Horse and the major AQHA circuits since 2007. She completed her first Novice Youth year as the GQHA All Around Novice Champion and qualified for the AQHA World Show in Trail and Showmanship. In August 2008, Stephanie and her new horse - This is Dee One - started showing as a new team, winning multiple Champion, Reserve Champion titles and Top Ten honors in the largest AHQA circuits in the country. They just completed showing at the AQHA Youth World Show in Showmanship  Trail, Horsemanship, Western Riding and Performance Halter. Stephanie is a senior at Alpharetta High School where she maintains a 3.9 GPA and is part of the National Society of High School Scholars and National Spanish Honor Society. She is participating in the work study program her senior year while will enable her to teach lessons again. Stephanie is very excited to return to The Equestrian Reserve as an instructor, as this is where her love of horses and showing all began !!

Liz Pennington

Liz Pennington is currently a senior at Northview High School.  She has shown with The Equestrian Reserve at RHSC horse shows the past two years, placing 4^th overall English Novice with Samson in 2007 and Reserve Champion spot with Toby in the English Novice Division in 2008.  She has been on Northview’s  Equestrian Team since 2006.  Last year she qualified for the Zone 4 Finals for the year.  She is an excellent student currently holding a 4.1 GPA.  Liz is an educator at heart and wins the affection of all of her students here.

Erin Blake has also joined our staff of instructors. Erin’s love of horses brought her to The Equestrian Reserve in 2006. In her first year of showing with us in 2008 she was the Novice English Champion and Year End Third Place winner in Western.  Her interest in horses also includes her involvement with volunteer work in hippotherapy.  Hippotherapy is a treatment that uses the multidimensional movement of the horse to help children with disabilities.  Erin also plans on becoming an equine veterinarian.  Erin is also on the yearbook staff and a cheerleader for Northview High School where she currently is a junior. Erin loves working with the young riders at The Equestrian Reserve.