The CPI Horse Show requires participants to be coached by a trainer during the horse show competition. If a student-athlete’s trainer is not available to coach the participant, the CPI provides experienced coaching services for a fee of $175. per participant if they pre-register for The CPI Hire-A-Coach program by the following dates:
CPI Florida Horse Show: December 15, 2024
After, the dates above participants will be required to enroll in the Hire-A-Coach program during registration at The CPI Florida Horse Show events for a fee of $225.
Each participant will be coached in the flat class and the over fences class by a CPI trainer
All CPI Hire-A-Coach fees are NON REFUNDABLE
Meet the CPI Trainer(s)
Chris Mitchell joined the Albion equestrian coaching staff in September 2022 after serving as head coach of the Randolph College WildCats in Lynchburg, VA for seven years and, prior to that, a 13-year tenure at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. During Coach Mitchell’s first year at Albion, his students won the Regional Individual Open Fences Championship and the Regional Introductory Reserve Champion, Zone Introductory Reserve Champion, and 10th place at the IHSA National Championships in the Introductory Division.
Mitchell’s time at Randolph saw three National Qualifiers, including one National Champion and while at Cornell, he led many members to the regional and zone championships. His teams claimed 27 collegiate horse show team crowns, including four Ivy League titles. Mitchell led his team to a brand new level during the fall of 2011, guiding the group to six invitational titles in eight meets, already matching a school record for victories in a season (six show titles in 2003-04). Mitchell’s teams won a pair of shows (Skidmore, Hartwick) en route to a regional reserve champion showing in 2009-10. His 2010-11 team won its first-ever regular season regional championship after claiming four team blue ribbons during the season.
Prior to Cornell, Mitchell was an instructor and trainer at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Scarborough, N.Y., and was the barn manager and trainer for Lion Hill Farm in Easton, CT. During that time, he also served as an equestrian instructor for Sacred Heart University and was an assistant coach and instructor at Pace University. He coached one of his riders to a national championship in walk-trot equitation at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association competition and had other riders place among the top 10 nationally in the novice flat, novice fences, intermediate fences, and open levels.
Mitchell was a member of the NCAA steering committee for equestrian and is also a member of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA), and a board member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Most recently, he served as Director of Jumper Programs for the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association.
He is a graduate of Longwood University in Farmville, VA, with a degree in business administration and marketing.
Clark joined Centenary’s faculty in 2007 as an Instructor of Equine Studies, and co-coach of the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) hunter seat team. Since joining Centenary, she has helped coach the IHSA team to three national championship titles, a reserve champion title, and three Cacchione Cup champions.
In 2003, Heather coached the Lafayette College IHSA Team and was named Coach of the Year in 2005 for IHSA Zone 3 Region 4. In 2002, she formed HCL Stables in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, where she trains beginners through advanced riders, in all aspects of hunters, jumpers, and equitation. Her students compete in shows throughout the Northeast including finals in all three rings.
Earlier in her career, Clark was a show and sale barn rider/trainer in the Alan Waldman in the Netherlands. She was the assistant rider, trainer, and road manager for Andre Dignelli of Heritage Farm, and the assistant rider/trainer for Olympian, Nona Garson. As a junior, she worked with trainers Leslie Burr Howard, Linda Kossick Langmeier, Sarah Dalton Morris and Jenny Martin.
During her own intercollegiate riding career, as a senior at the University of Massachusetts, she had a top-10 finish in the Cacchione Cup at the IHSA Nationals.
If you would like to pre-register for the 2025 CPI Hire-A-Coach program, please click on the button below.
Not sure if you have already signed up for the 2025 CPI Florida Hire-A-Coach Program?
Click on the button below for a list of riders already enrolled.