Board of Directors' Biographies

Barger, Polly Haselton	Treasurer	Polly Haselton Barger is a lifelong horse woman who has spent her entire adulthood teaching others to ride in a correct and safe manner. She is a CHA Master Instructor/Clinician and was the 2005 CHA Clinic Instruct or of the Year. She is also a CHA Clinician for Riders with Disabilities and Equine Facility Management. Polly has been actively involved with the Tennessee and Kentucky Horse Councils, chairing and/or participating on committees on safety and education. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and ran a large riding program for thirty years. Polly has also specialized in fear management for riders, as well as working with at-risk youth. She is a knowledgeable and experienced horsewoman, whose main concern is safety and correct education in the horse world.
Conyers, Edith		Edith Conyers has been involved in the horse community for her whole life – from being a founder of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, to training young horses, fox hunting, leading tourists on Equestrian Vacations, and driving cross country in a 100 mile caravan. Edith has dedicated herself most recently to the development of trails and trail organizations in Kentucky, is the President of the Central Kentucky Back Country Horsemen affiliate, and has been instrumental in developing a Kentucky state chapter for Back Country Horsemen In her spare time, Edith trail rides all around the country and world, always bringing back fresh perspectives of what trails can be in Kentucky. She is also an avid fox hunter. Edith lives in Mount Sterling with her dogs, horses and sheep.
Fisk, Jeff		Jeffry Fisk has been involved in the equine industry for more than 40 years. He is the founder of Firesteed LLC.'s Placement Organization for Unwanted Horses, an organizer and consultant for the Kentucky State Fair Association, the national director for Region 4 of the American Cutting Horse Association, was the president of the Kentucky Horse Association for 5 years and is now a member and state director, and is a member of the AQHA, the American Paint Horse Association, KEEP, and the North American Livestock Exposition. On top of that, Jeffrey is a handler, sales agent, and sonsultant for Keeneland Thoroughbred Sales and is a board memeber at the Kentucky Horse Park He was a also named world champion for hrse and rider in 1991 by the American Paint Horse Association.
Jackson, Lisa		Lisa Jackson is the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Since assuming that role in the fall of 2000, she has been responsible for all media relations, promotional efforts, and advertising, and has represented the park to the equine, travel and tourism, and convention industries. Ms. Jackson has been with the park since January 2000, when she was the Assistant Director of Marketing and PR, and worked in the park marketing department, from 1991 to 1994, as her first professional position after graduating from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. She has also worked as an Account Executive for M&A Companies, a San Diego marketing and consulting company; as Bicentennial Coordinator for the University of Louisville’s Development Office during their 200th anniversary; and, she has worked for the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center, in Louisville, as a Senior Event Coordinator. Ms. Jackson serves on the board of the Bluegrass Tourism Marketing Association, and served as that organization’s president in 2005 and 2006. She also serves on the board of the Kentucky Horse Council, and is also a current member of the Kentucky Tourism Council and the Bluegrass Hospitality Association, as well as the Media Committee and the Kentucky Experience Committee for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010.
Kirby, Brian		Brian Kirby is the founder and managing partner of Bluegrass Equestrian, LLC, which is a Hunter/Jumper show promotion and management company. The company manages a year awards program that includes over 12 shows hosted at facilities in the Lexington and Northern Kentucky areas. This includes management and promotion of the fundraiser show that supports the equine facilities at Masterson Station Park. The company and it's programs are sponsored by McCauley's Bros. Inc of Versailles, KY, Kentucky Performance Products of Versailles, KY, and starting in 2011 Hagyard Medical Institute of Lexington, KY. Brian was born in Bowling Green, KY, attended WKU, and now resides in Louisville. He has been the Sr. Network Architect for Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) for the past seven years, ARC is based in Washington, D.C., but houses it's technology center in Louisville, and processes all of the financial transactions for airline tickets sold and originated in the United States.
Lane, Otis Jean		Ottis Jean has been involved with horses for over 50 years. Over the years, she has owned, bred, and showed Mountain horses, Tennessee Walking Horses, and American Saddlebreds. She currently owns 9 Mountain horses. Ottis Jean began her judging career in 2000. She is currently license to judge all Mountain breeds and all flatshod gaited breeds affiliated with Friends of Sound H orses (FOSH). Ottis Jean is the 2011 President of the Mountain Pleasure Horse Association, as well as a member of the Kentucky Horse Council, United States Equestrian Federation, FOSH, and Kentucky Equine Education Project. She is currently the Morgan County Farm Bureau’s Equine Committee Chairperson as well as a member of the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s Equine Advisory Committee. Ottis Jean received the following degrees from Morehead State University: Bachelor of Science, Masters of Biology, Masters of Secondary Educatio n, and a Rank I. She taught biology, chemistry, anatomy, and other science classes at Morgan County High School for 28 years before retiring in 2002. Ottis Jean was also an adjunct professor at Lee’s College and Morehead State University. In addition to her equine activities, she is also the chairperson of the Menifee County Extension Board, Secretary of the Menifee County Beef Producers, and a member of the Menifee County Ag. Development Board, the Morgan County ARH Hospital Advisory Council, and the Gateway Community Action Board of Directors.
Leifheit, Darryl		Darryl Leifheit was raised on a livestock, grain, and dairy farm in northern Illinois. His great grandfather and grandfather raised Percherons and owned S addlebreds. In the ‘70’s and 80’s Darryl owned Leather Ridge Farm in Illinois and showed Saddlebred three gaited and five gaited pleasure horses. In addition he was on the ground floor of the founding of IASPHA, Illinois American Saddlebred Pleasure Horse Association, and for a short time he authored a humorous column in their newsletter titled, The Last Straw. He has a degree in Biological Science from Northern Illinois University and had a very successful career with IBM and later with Dell. In 1999, Darryl retired from the world of high tech and became a fulltime Fredericksburg, Texas rancher breeding Friesians and Saddledbreds. In 2002 he moved the entire horse operation to Kentucky where he already had show Saddlebreds in training. His life experiences with American Saddlebreds has included using them as: working western horses; western gaming competitors; saddle seat - three gaited, five gaited and fine harness show horses; dressage competitors; combined driving competitors; cross country eventing and jumpers. His top brood mare won the KY State Fair, KY County Fair Five Gaited Championship in 2002. Currently he drives a Saddlebred gelding, a former champion five gaited amateur show horse, in the world of Combined Driving. This horse was the 2009 ASHA FEI Combined Driving Champion and he was Reserve Champion Combined Driving in 2008. Recently he was the Intermediate Single Horse winner at the international Iron Horse CDE in Illinois and the Indiana CDE at Hoosier Horse Park.
Leshney, Kristin		Kristin graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Political Science and Sociology in 2002 and from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2005. After serving as Legal and Administrative Coordinator for two and a half years, Kristin moved into her current role of Legal Associate in January 2008. In this role, she works with other members of The Jockey Club’s legal team as well as each of The Jockey Club’s for-profit subsidiary companies and not-for-profit organizations on a wide variety of contracts, legal issues and industry initiatives. A part time employee of The Jockey Club all through college and law school, Kristin has been with the company since 1999.
Loeser, Margie		Margie Loeser has been responsible for developing and promoting the KHC Natural Pleasure class, which is now part of horse shows across the state. She began riding as an adult, and owns and shows American Saddlebred horses. She has been a board member of the Kentucky American Saddlebred Pleasure Horse Association (KASPHA) for over eight years and is a member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association. Margie is a practicing attorney in Louisville where she focuses on construction law issues. She received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kentucky in 1980 and her law degree from the University of Louisville in 1988. She is a member of the American, Kentucky, and Louisville Bar Associations, and is an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.
Mendell,Chad	Vice-President	Chad Mendell is the former executive editor of The Horse magazine and TheHorse.com. He has authored more than 300 articles and produced nearly 200 educational videos. Over the years, he has worked with companies such as Pfizer Animal Health, Intervet, Merial and Bayer Animal Health to launch new products and educational projects. In 2010, he founded CowDog Media, an inbound marketing company. CowDog Media focuses on attracting new customers and retaining current ones through the use of articles, newsletters, podcast, videos, websites, white papers, and more. He helps business to communicate, listen, and engage with their customers without constantly having to push for the hard sale, and he helps to position companies as a thought leader and a resource in the industry, not just a point of sale. Currently, Chad also writes and speaks on marketing and business for the top horse professional websites, EquestrianProfessional.com and EquestrianSocialMedia.com, and associations such as the American Equine Trade Association and the American Horse Publications.
Millard, Madelyn		Madelyn currently manages the Equine Division of Waterwild Farm, LLC, a 530-acre family owned farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The primary service of the Equine Division is boarding 50-60 sport/pleasure horses. Madelyn rides American Saddlebreds. In addition to farm activities, Madelyn is Board President of the Kentucky Horse Council and Vice Chair of the State Horse Council Advisory Committee of the American Horse Council. Madelyn also has career experience in corporate human resources and elementary education and is an alumna of the University of Kentucky.
Platt, Dr. Tammy	Secretary
Wright, Diana L.		Diana is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, and has been a registered respiratory therapist for over 30 years. Her equine background includes: extensive trail riding in Kentucky and the surrounding states, being a horse show mom for her daughter on the Mountain Horse circuit for 9 years, and general knowledge of foaling and medical horse care. Diana rides both english & western, and gaited & non-gaited horses. She has a diverse interest in several equine disciplines. To increase her equine knowledge and to lend a helping hand, Diana has volunteered with: Park Equine Clinic, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, as an Adult Advisor for the United Mountain Horse Youth Association from 2006-2008, United Mountain Horse Show Committee Member, and on the Board of Directors with the Three Phase Event. Her latest equine adventure is with the Buffalo Trace Mounted Patrol Search and Rescue Team. Here she serves as the Fayette County Lexington, Kentucky Team leader and is certified in Search and Rescue. Currently, Diana owns seven horses, ranging from Rocky Mountains, Tennessee Walkers, and Kentucky Mountains to Paints and Arabians.
Zinkhon, Anna	President	Anna Zinkhon is the Past President of the Northern Kentucky Horse Network (NKHN), a strong alliance of horse owners in Northern Kentucky which was formed in 2006. She is also the owner and operator of Misty Ridge Farm in Campbell Springs, Kentucky. Anna enjoys involvement with youth and is working with a group of young people who participate in Endurance Riding. She has also been instrumental, along with other NKHN board members, in getting trails added to the AJ Jolly County Park.