Meet the trainers

Leading the way at Alliance Stud are trainers Jesse and Emily West. Both graduating from William Woods University with bachelor's degrees in Equestrian Science, this is where the team met and began their careers together.

Jesse found his passion for horses in his hometown of Gaston, Oregon. His mother had always had a horse for trails, so naturally Jesse was a horse lover. At the age of fourteen, one of his neighbors acquired an American Saddlebred.  Jesse says, "The American Saddlebred was unlike anything I had ever seen before and I was immediately hooked." He then began to dedicate all his time to grooming, breaking, and learning everything he could about this amazing breed. His two last summers of high school, he groomed and traveled with Singing Hills to Kentucky. He says that Bill and Barbara Blacklaw were very good to him and even flew him out to William Woods for his first visit. At that visit, it became clear to him that that was the school for him.

During his time at William Woods, he interned for Paul and Betsy Boone, Burt and Miriam Honaker, and Mike Roberts. His last semester of school, Jesse got the opportunity to work for a horseman he had heard so much about in Oregon; Virgil Helm. He worked under Virgil in New Bloomfield, Missouri for over three years and absorbed as much knowledge from him as he could. He had a lot of opportunity to start and work many young horses, and also got a lot of opportunities in the show ring.

Emily West, formerly Abbott, grew up in the thick of the business. Daughter of Kathy Abbott Conflenti, owner and instructor of High Spirit Farm, Emily grew up in Westfield, Indiana, living on the farm. Mike McIntosh trained at High Spirit and was also a huge mentor in Emily's life. Emily was lucky enough to be able to ride daily and have the opportunity to start showing at the young age of seven years old. Throughout her junior exhibitor career, Emily showed competitively in equitation. In the end, she earned the titles of UPHA Pleasure Challenge Cup Senior Finals Champion, Pleasure Equitation Medallion Senior Finals Champion, along with both reserves in the UPHA Senior Challenge Cup Senior Finals and the USEF Saddle Seat Medal Finals. Emily also stepped into the amateur ranks and borrowed a horse (Louisville Lass) to the UPHA Adult Challenge Cup Finals Champion. She was also a proud member of the 2008 United States World Cup Team.

Emily then went on to attend school at William Woods University where she had the opportunity to work for Kent Swalla and Jim and Fay Lowry during her summer internships. During this time, Emily was very fortunate to get the opportunity to catch ride many great horses. She then joined the team at Virgil Helm Stable with her husband after graduating. She too was very influenced by Virgil and his amazing way with young horses and also got the opportunity to show young horses.

Jesse and Emily West then made the move to Mays Landing, New Jersey to work for the Bruggeworth family. During this time, they were very fortunate to have the opportunity to work a barn of very nice horses, to include but not limited to, Sir Silver Knight, My Hail Mary, CH Attache's Crown Royal, Famous Kiss, and the great friesians Gooitzen fan Teakesyl and Ilus Waldman. Jesse West expertly boarded Sir Silver Knight to the Lexington Junior League Three-Gaited Grand Championship in 2013.

Jesse and Emily West are now at Alliance Stud and could not be more excited for what the future holds. 2014 was a great first year for the new team with wins and reserves at Kentucky Spring Premier, Rock Creek, Lexington Junior League, Kentucky State Fair, All American Horse Classic, Kentucky Fall Classic, Southern Saddlebred Fall Finale, and the UPHA American Royal Horse Show. Looking forward to a great 2015!

Please feel free to give us a call or send us an email if you have any questions:

Jesse: (503) 929- 6318
Mrwest_Jwest@yahoo.com

Emily: (317) 938- 3047
Emilyshobby@aol.com