46 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Alessandra Shultz
Jill Pelzel, of Fort Lupton, Colorado is one busy horsewoman.
Besides owning and operating Fall River Farm, Jill trains and
rides horses for Colorado’s hunter/jumper circuit, is President of
the Colorado Hunter/Jumper Association (CHJA) and coaches
the University of Colorado-Boulder Equestrian Team. And she
does it all with great success. Under her tutelage for the past fve
years, the CU team and its members have consistently pinned
in the Regional, Zone and National Championships. Under the
Fall River Farm banner, she has instructed riders to numerous
State and Regional year end awards and wins at the state Medal
Finals. Her philosophy for training hunter/jumper champions is the
expectation of good horsemanship and good sportsmanship from
her riders.
How did you begin your career with horses?
I have always ridden; but did not start teaching until after I had
graduated from CU Boulder with a Business Degree. At that point
I was teaching to help pay for the cost of my horse. My business
has grown and changed every year since.
How did you get involved with the CU Equestrian
Team? How does coaching differ from instructing and
training riders and horses for the A shows?
I was approached to coach the CU team by several of the
members. I love the challenge of coaching riders to fgure out
how to ride a horse they have never ridden before. The biggest
difference in coaching is simply the prep....you teach a student
how to ride their own horse; you coach a college student to handle
any kind of horse.
How has the CU team developed under your tutelage?
Our CU program has grown immensely the past four years and
our success has become more frequent and consistent. It should
be fun to see where we are a few years down the road.
Of all the ways you are involved in the equestrian sport
(rider, instructor, trainer, CHJA board member, etc.),
which capacity is your favorite?
I don’t have a favorite. I enjoy being able to give back to my
horse community through the CHJA, I love riding and teaching
e
and I like the challenges of coaching the CU team. My favorite
thing to see is my horses and riders succeeding!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever followed and who
gave it to you?
The best advice I have ever gotten has been to continue learning
and to keep an open mind. There is always someone with a new,
different or better idea to almost everything we do. I only wish that
I knew back ‘then’ what I know now....
What’s you favorite thing to do when you aren’t riding
or instructing?
I love to cook and spend time with my family, even though it is
limited sometimes.
Who are your equestrian heroes, horse and human?
My horse hero is Rox Dene. I love a successful, classic
Thoroughbred. I only wish that I could have sat on her. I don’t
have one true human equestrian hero, since there are so many
“masters” that have shaped my career. I think my husband and
my son are my heroes. The men in my house put up with endless
days of horse shows, horse laundry in the house, frozen hoses in
the laundry room and dogs that can’t stay clean on the farm.
What are future goals for Fall River Farm and the CU
team?
As far as my goals, I would like to see both my farm and my
CU team continue to be successful. My defnition of success is to
increase horsemanship and send people out of my program that
have a passion for horses and riding.
About the writer: Alessandra Shultz grew up in the mountains of
Colorado, but now lives in upstate New York to study Apparel Design
Management at Cornell University. She currently has two mares which
she trail rides and shows in the jumpers.
Jill Pelzel
All photos by Katie
Murray Photography
Jill competing with
the magnifcent
Colorado scenery in
the background