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Betty Beran
Owner & Trainer
(602) 524-7627

Betty Beran is the head rider, trainer and instructor at Smoke Tree Ranch. She grew up in Evanston, Illinois and attended ASU and Stanford University, where she majored in Elementary Education with a minor  in Psychology.
 

While at Stanford, Betty  was a working student for Jimmy Kohn ( Berry Hill Farm) and Richard Keller(Fox Tail Farm) before returning to Scottsdale to marry  Bill.   Bill and Betty have three children - Amy, Jeff, and Billy. Betty also has six granddaughters – Grace, Reagan, Kelsey, and Claire Gallagher and Olivia and Emma Beran, as well as two grandsons – Danny and Tyler Beran.

Betty has been a USEF "R" judge for 30 years, is a member of the Zone 8 Committee for Hunters & Equitation, serves on the National Hunter Seat Equitation Task Force and the Special Projects committee. She is a US Hunter/Jumper committee member.

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Ariel Marx
Trainer

Ariel Marx grew up in Sandy, Utah, where she began her career riding ponies. She was in love with the sport after her first riding lesson. Throughout high school, Ariel was a working student for Michael and Jon Knight at Alta Hills Farm and Promontory Equestrian Center in Utah. During that time, she moved from the ponies into the Junior Hunters, medals, equitation and finally into the jumper ring. Ariel was selected for the Emerging Athletes Program regionals, as well as participating in the George Morris Gladstone Program. Currently competing in the National Grand Prixes and International Derbies.

 

Ariel graduated from Arizona State University with a Business Management degree. Ariel has been riding in the Grand Prix classes. She is grateful for every ride and every opportunity. 

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Jenny Rousey
Trainer
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Dana Rutherford
Trainer
 

Dana Rutherford grew up in Mission Viejo, California. She attended Saddleback College in Mission Viejo studying education.

Dana started riding at the early age of 3 years. As a young adult, Dana worked for Katie Berney in San Juan Capistrano. and in 1993, moved to England where she worked at a private facility and earned her first teaching certificate from the British Horsemanship Society. Dana moved to Portland, Oregon after completing a BHS program where she worked for Rich Fellers at Whip N'Spur Farm and then rode professionally for Linda Worley at Cornerstone Farm.

 

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Maddie Tracy
Trainer

Maddie Tracy grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona. Maddie took her first lesson at Smoke Tree Ranch when she was 6 years old  where she learned to ride her first pony and is now an assistant trainer. Maddie has been helping with STR's summer and winter pony camps for 5 years now. She attended Arizona State University and graduated with her Bachelors degree in Business Management.

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Maddie is grateful to call Smoke Tree Ranch her home for over 20 years now and is excited to continue her career with Betty. Maddie has a daughter named Hudson born in 2023 who is already in love with the horses.

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Kate Koehl
Trainer

Jenny Rousey grew up in Alaska. She moved to California and attended college in Santa

Barbara where she earned an Associate Art degree.

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While in California, she showed hunters, rode young horses, and continued her education in hunters, jumpers, equitation, as well as expanding into dressage and eventing. She had the privilege of training with Ralph Hill and Jean Phillip Giacomini. This lead to an assistant trainer position with Victor Hugo-Vidal and Mark Mullen [To & Fro Farms] in Huntington Beach.

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Jenny moved back to Alaska to marry her husband Jim, where she established a successful training business [Northgate Farm] for 30 years. She also partnered to build and manage Alaska’s premier equestrian facility Sindorf Equestrian Centre.

Jenny is a USHJA Certified Trainer, USDF Bronze Medal recipient, and founding member of VHSA horse show association.

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Jenny is now happy to be part of the Smoke Tree Ranch family, and excited to continue sharing her knowledge and experience in a warmer climate.

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