Casey O’Connor Bounds

Casey was immersed into the horse world at a very young age.  Her mother, Denise M. O’Connor established Banbury Cross, Ltd. In 1986 and Casey has been riding ever since.  As a child, Casey rode any pony she could, at her mom’s farm and, in horse shows, pace events, paper chases, fox hunts and even races.

As a junior Casey met her horse of a lifetime, Sir Rupert III, when a customer brought him to her mom to train.  Casey and “Rupert” won Champion and Best Child Rider at Zone II Finals twice, and then moved on to compete multiple times at Devon, Harrisburg, Washington, and even Madison Square Garden, ending up 3^rd in the country in the Small Junior Hunters in 1995.   From there Casey was able to “catch ride” many horses for prominent trainers on the East Coast.

After graduating from University of Richmond, Casey joined her best friend Kristin Lutcher (Bracken) and worked for her mom at Banbury Cross.  There, she coached students ranging from beginners to advanced, and rode, trained and showed horses of all levels.  At BC, Casey showed at local through rated horse shows including spending summers in Vermont and New York and winters in Florida, bringing along riders and horses through the ranks.  Each year Banbury Cross was represented at Devon and the Indoors with their high quality training staff.

Casey loves working with young horses and training them with patience and understanding.  She loves teaching and strives to share how important the basics are to success, whether you are on a trail ride or in the Dixon Oval.

Casey lives in Manheim Township with her husband James and her beautiful and active children Ainsley, Eva and Mac.  When she is not at the barn you can find her supporting her children in any of the following sports: wrestling, swimming, field hockey, soccer, lacrosse, skiing, football OR walking/running her dogs OR at Albright & Thiry Orthodontics, where she also works!

Kristin Bracken

Kristin Bracken has been teaching and riding professionally for 25 years. She co-managed Banbury Cross, Ltd, in Chester County for 15 of those years, teaching riders from the beginner to national level and taking riders from the local level of showing to National Pony Finals, Devon, and Indoors. Kristin spent 10 winters of her career working, teaching, and showing on the winter circuit in Ocala, FL.

Kristin has enjoyed starting young horses from scratch and bringing them along slowly and correctly. Her specialty is bringing riders
along and watching them progress and learn how to communicate with their horses. She makes sure that the riders know that all horses are different, have different needs, and have good and bad days just like people do.

Kristin lives in Lancaster with her husband Mike and their two children, Avery and Gavin.