About Fox Lane Farm ES

A Colorado native, Sheila’s lifelong journey with horses began on her family’s ranch, where she developed a strong connection to cow and racehorses. Her early years were spent mastering disciplines like reining, working cow horse, and barrel racing, even venturing into race riding as a teenager. These formative experiences, alongside training with top professionals like Marlene Edelman, Louis Plagge, Sis Steffan, and Bub Poplin, shaped her into a versatile and accomplished equestrian.

After high school, Sheila balanced raising a family with a successful career in the show and rodeo circuits. She coached her daughter to multiple victories, including the prestigious Area IX Championships, while continuing to build her own expertise. Today, Sheila owns and operates Fox Lane Farm and The Riding Academy of GJ in Grand Junction, where she dedicates herself to teaching riders of all levels. She believes that the future of the sport horse industry depends on educating the next generation with passion, rigor, and a deep love for horsemanship.

With nearly 50 years of experience in riding, training, and competing, Sheila’s expertise spans from her early days as a working cowgirl with LBRA, PRCA, 4H, and AQHA, to her later transition into English riding and eventing. Her unique perspective allows her to tailor her training methods to suit both horses and riders, ensuring a well-rounded approach.

For over 30 years, Sheila has been a dedicated educator, developing The Infinite Core, a holistic curriculum that blends horsemanship with life skills. Her mission is to provide students with a personal “toolbox” for success, helping them thrive both inside and outside the equestrian world.

Away from the barn, Sheila is also a professional photographer and graphic designer, working part-time as a substitute teacher. A lover of classic and retro films, she enjoys exploring cinematic history in her free time. Sheila is the proud mother of a daughter currently pursuing a master’s degree in forensic science, as well as a grandmother to an honor student. Both her daughter and granddaughter share her passion for horses, competing as amateur riders and continuing the family tradition of excellence in the equestrian world.