Rachel L. Niceley- Trainer

Rachel has ridden and driven her whole life here at Riverplains. She has competed since childhood in hunter/jumpers, eventing, dressage and driving. She began foxhunting when she was only 9 years old and still continues to hunt every season. Rachel started driving her shetland pony at the age of 5 and competed a pony pair as a Jr. driver in CDE's and pleasure shows. Through out the years she has ridden (and won) point- to-point races, competitive trail rides and evented (riding) through the preliminary level. She has bred and trained many horses for hunter/jumpers and eventing. She currently is competing a pair of friesian x saddlebred mares at the Intermediate level in Combined Driving Events.

She has her "colors" with the Tennessee Valley Hunt and has hunted with Belle Meade, Hillsboro Hounds, Iroquois Hunt, Moore County Hounds, Andrews Bridge Foxhounds, Red Rock Hounds, Tryon Hounds, Wildlife Manor Hounds, Bull Run Hunt, Mells Foxhounds, Beech Grove Hunt, and Shakerag Hounds to name just a few. Many other hunts have enjoyed coming to Riverplains for joint meets throughout the years.

In 2006 she decided to concentrate her focus and training on Combined Driving Events and training ponies & horses to carriage drive and fox hunt. She married Brian Beauchene of Pluto Sports in 2007 and had her son Skyler in May 2008. Member of the American Driving Society, Carriage Association of America, TN Valley Hunt & the Master of Foxhounds Association.

Recent Accomplishments:
March 2010 2nd place Intermediate Horse Paris at the Live Oak International CDE in Ocala, FL
Jan. 2010 3rd place Intermediate Horse Paris at The Little Everglades International CDE in Dade City, FL
Nov. 2009 1st Intermediate Horse Pairs at Katydid CDE in Aiken, SC
June 2009 3rd place Intermediate Horse Pairs at Metamora CDE (MI)
May 2009 2nd place Intermediate Horse Pairs at Gayla Bluegrass CDE. (KY)
April 2009 Invited by Equine Affair to drive a unicorn of gypsy horses in the Fantasia performance. (OH)
Jan. 2009 1st Training Single Pony & Training Dressage CH at Black Prong HDT (FL)
Nov. 2008 2nd place Prelim Horse Pairs at Katydid CDE. (SC)
Nov. 2008 3rd place Training Single Pony at Pine Tree CDE. (NC)
Oct. 2008 Won Prelim Horse Pairs at the Lexington Combined Driving Classic. (KY)
Sept. 2008 Reserve Single Pony Champion at the Nashoba Carriage Classic. (TN)
Oct. 2007 2nd in Prelim Horse Pairs at the Lexington Combined Driving Classic. (KY)
Sept. 2007 2nd in Prelim Horse Pairs at the Indiana CDE. (IN)
Aug. 2007 Won Prelim Horse Pairs at the Iron Horse CDE. (IL)
Oct. 2006 Top 10 in MFHA Centennial Hunt Horse Challenge. (KY)
May 2006 2nd in Training Single Pony & Reserve Cones Champion at the Gayla Bluegrass CDE. (KY)
April 2006 4th in Training Single Pony at the GA International CDE. (GA)

Rachel's pictures

Live Oak CDE March 2010 in Ocala, FL.

Rachel's pair of Friesian X mares, Bella & Ritza.

Driving Romeo- a gypsy vanner stallion for Villa Vanners.

Iron Horse CDE 2007.

Happy Holidays 2006 from Rachel, Brian, Fiji & Cruze.

Rachel & Frank, Beech Grove Hunt, TN 2006.

Foxhunting on Johnney! (Her hunt horse for 14 years)

"Cruze" welsh pony. (Pictured at 4 yrs old and a stallion.)

Driving Cruze.

Huntball!

Rachel showing in the pony hunter breeding.

Rachel foxhunting with friends at Riverplains.

Rachel winning a point-to-point race on Johnney.

Rachel competing her pony pair in a combined driving event at Riverplains.

Rachel eventing Johnney.

Rachel driving her single pony in a combined driving event.

1992 Hunter Trials riding June!

Rachel showing her first pony, a sheltand, name Pony Bill.

Rachel riding "Pony Bill" at age 5.

Rachel Niceley graduated from The Webb School of Knoxville in 1998. Following a desire for International Business, she moved to Durango, Colorado and went to school at Fort Lewis College. After a brief semester at Carson-Newman College she transferred to The University of North Carolina, Asheville. From there she continued studying International Business in Costa Rica at La Universidad Veritas. From 2001 to 2007 she worked as a Realtor selling horse farms. In 2002 she walked the El Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile spiritual pilgrimage across northern Spain. Rachel is also trained in past life regression therapy, bach flower essences and is very interested in animal communication.