Assistant Trainer

Anika Pirkle began riding at 4 years old, and began competing at 9. She has been a serious, committed rider since the beginning, with hundreds of wins and championships in the hunters and jumpers up to 1.35m. Anika has traveled all around the midwest and East Coast for competitions, at prestigious venues such as HITS Saugerties, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Washington International Horse Show, WEF, HITS Ocala, and the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival. Her most notable accomplishments include wins in the $10,000 Futures Prix at WEC OHIO, $10,000 NAL Children’s Jumper Finals in Pennsylvania, $25,000 Children’s Jumper Classic at HITS OCALA, individual and team gold medalist at USHJA Jumper Championships at HITS Saugerties, individual gold and team silver at USHJA Jumper Championships at HITS Chicago.

Anika spent her childhood and early teen years riding with Dave Dorner and Skip Masten. Since then she has spent time training with Wilhelm and Ryan Genn, Sam Pegg, Lisa Goldman, Robert Mendoza, Stephen Foran, Jimmy Williams, Michelle Arnold, and Nathan Rabensteine. Riding with these trainers has given Anika the training and knowledge that she is so excited to continue passing on to her students and clients in the future. Anika is most interested and involved in working with young or quirky horses, enjoying the process of giving them the skills they need to be successful as show horses.

Anika is also currently a student at Indiana University in Bloomington, where she is working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Community Health. She is the president of the Indiana University Equestrian Team, and is an active, success participant in the Open division of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Last season, she was Reserve High Point rider for the season in her region.