Trainer joins equestrian community

Stephanie Garcia of SMG Performance Horses is a horse trainer with lofty goals of competing in professional rodeo, and she's willing to share the journey with her clients.

While Garcia can take just about any horse from a variety of disciplines and help it become a better citizen, that is no longer her specialty. Focusing these days on the timed events of barrel racing, poles and team sorting, Garcia and her clients enjoy their success by performing well, being nice and having fun. Garcia's training philosophy has her "striving to make great horses for other people, starting with sound bodies, minds and quality training."

SMG Performance Horses is now based at Emerald Ranch on Cloverdale Road after outgrowing a previous facility near Redmond. Emerald Ranch owner Don Chelew said the arrival of Garcia, 28, and her family - husband Mark, 33, and three young sons - occurred by a happy coincidence. He'd been given notice that the previous leasee was relocating, when just hours later Garcia called to inquire about the availability of the facility, unaware that it was indeed available. Chelew was looking for someone to lease the entire property, using it to full potential. He's very happy with the present arrangement.

The Garcia's offer full board and pasture or drylot boarding. They live on site and Mark is a farrier with an extensive racetrack background. He worked for Ed Allred, owner of the Rolling A Ranch in central California, starting colts. Rolling A Ranch is renowned for breeding premium running quarter horses. Both Garcia's have a love for racehorses, and spent several years working on and around racetracks until their family began to grow. Both are Oregonians by birth - Mark is from the Medford area and Stephanie was raised in Prineville.

Stephanie's background is varied, with experience in many disciplines. Most of that experience is hands-on and lifelong. She began her love affair with horses at her grandfather's knee, riding his horses at his property out of Prineville. She graduated early from high school and headed to Georgia to work for a cutting-horse trainer. After many years of working for other cutting and reining trainers in various locations, she branched out on her own in 2005. She and Mark teamed up in 2002. Since then she has trained reiners, barrel racers, endurance and eventing horses and re-trained many off-track racehorses.

Garcia brought 24 of her horses with her. They all have a purpose, be it for lessons, performance, or brood mares. "I love my horses, but we don't have pets," she said. Potential clients may have interests ranging from winning money in a barrel-racing jackpot to gaining confidence puttering around the pasture. It doesn't matter to Garcia, as long as her clients follow that philosophy of having fun and being nice.

The youngsters aren't left out either. With an active, growing family, the Garcias know how to instill that sense of fun coupled with a good work ethic in budding horse people. "I love working with junior rodeo kids," said Stephanie.

An open arena for barrel and poles practice is being held each Wednesday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. in the indoor arena at the ranch. Cost is $25/person, and RSVP is required by calling Stephanie's cell phone at 805-952-5455.

Call ahead to make arrangements.

For more information, visit SMG Performance Horses at www.smgperformancehorses.webs.com.