About Janelle

A legacybuilt inthe saddle.

Janelle has been training horses since 1992. She still loves watching a new rider and horse figure each other out.

Read her story
Portrait of Janelle Schaefer in a royal blue Central Iowa Equestrians polo shirt.

Janelle SchaeferOwner, trainer & coach

Two names, one barn.

The business

Janelle Ward Performance Horses

The business came first, so it carries the name Janelle trained under from the start.

The place

Schaefer Barn

The barn is named after her married name. It’s the same program either way.

Janelle’s logo carries both: a barn roof over an “S”, above the two arrows of the JWPH mark.

How it started.

  1. 1992

    It starts in high school

    Janelle begins training horses while she is still a high-school student.

  2. First

    Janelle Ward Performance Horses

    The business comes first, built under the name Janelle started with.

  3. Along the way

    Riders, horses and results

    Her program’s record includes multiple IEA National Champions, AQHA state show and year-end high-point all-around awards, AQHA Congress finalists, and multiple Pinto World Championships and all-around wins, alongside Buckskin World Championships. Numerous riders continue to Division I college riding.

  4. Home

    Schaefer Barn

    The barn takes its name from Janelle’s married name, Schaefer, and becomes home base in New Virginia, Iowa.

  5. Today

    Lessons, training and the IEA team

    Janelle coaches the Central Iowa Equestrians IEA Western team and serves as President of IEA Western Region 6, alongside lessons, training and sales and leasing help at the barn.

What guides the program

Finding the perfect match for every rider.

New riders welcome

Janelle loves welcoming new riders into the competition world of horses and watching them find their own love for horses.

Entry level to breed shows

Her focus is riders from entry level up through breed shows.

Family first

No drama, family friendly. It’s the same family atmosphere she loves at AQHA, Pinto, Buckskin and open shows.

A youth riding team and their coach in matching shirts in front of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association National Finals backdrop.
A pile of IEA and Central Iowa Equestrians rosettes in blue, red and gold, with a High Point ribbon.

Beyond the barn

The IEA team.

Janelle coaches the Central Iowa Equestrians, an Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) Western team based at Schaefer Barn. She also serves as President of IEA Western Region 6, which covers Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Over the years, numerous riders she has coached have gone on to ride for Division I college teams.

Competition & IEA
Next stepRide with Janelle