Authority Board Members

Todd Trewin - Chairman

Started riding western when he was seven; he joined Evergreen Pony Club and participated in vaulting, eventing and many other equestrian sports; competed successfully in 3-day events from Canada to Texas. In 1991 represented US in the Pan American Games; in 1992, won USET Spring Championship and completed on the US Olympic team in Barcelona, Spain. Since then Todd has run an active training program, competed locally, conducted clinics, and designed and built cross country courses in the Northwest. In 2004 Governor Gregoire appointed Todd to the Authority Board; he was elected Chairman in 2006. Currently Todd lives with his family in Carnation

Lisa Cohen - Secretary

Lisa has 25+ years experience in broadcast news, served as communications advisor for Governor Gregoire and freelance producer for CBS News. Currently Lisa coordinates an alliance of global health organizations in Washington state, is a member of the Leadership Council at PATH, a global health organization, and has served on various other boards. Lisa has revered horses all her life and currently spends every moment possible with her 12-year-old Rocky Mountain mare, Belle, exploring trails in the Cascade foothills and Bridle Trails State Park. She lives in Bellevue with her family.

Barbara Funk - Treasurer

Barbara is the owner of Battle Ground Tax Service. She breeds horses, competes in dressage and serves as the Treasurer for the U.S. Dressage Federation.

Rep. Bill Hinkle

Bill is a construction industry consultant and project manager, while also representing the 13th Legislative District in the State House in Olympia. He has served in a variety of other government positions including chair of the Municipal Research Council, Kittitas County Planning Commission and the Resource Conservation and Development Council. He is a former horseback rider who just might get back in the saddle one of these days. Representative Hinkle and his family have lived in Cle Elum since 1990.

Mitch Williams

Mitch has owned MF Williams Construction Company for over 28 years during which he has been involved in a wide variety of land development and construction projects. He has built and developed in Kittitas County since 1989. Mitch is a state director with the Building Industry Association of WA; previously regional chairman of the Central WA Home Builders and now serves on their board. Mitch has had horses all his life. He has competed and been a member of NW Cutting Horse Assoc., the Northern Ranch Roping Assoc. and an avid participant in ranch roping and the art of Vaquero horsemanship traditions. He’s a 15 year member of Ellensburg Rodeo Gold Buckle club, a founding member of Reata Club which supports the Ellensburg Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering. Mitch has been critically instrumental in nurturing the Horse Park throughout the past 15 years. He and his family live on their ranch in Ellensburg.

Foundation Board

Steve Busick – President

Steve grew up in a farming community in central Illinois where his family raised beef cattle and hogs and grew corn and soybeans for feed. He majored in Business Administration after which he joined IBM, and continued his career in the computer field until his recent retirement as a network engineer from Nintendo in Redmond. He and his wife purchased a small ranch and moved to Cle Elum in 2000 where they board their own horses plus a few others. They host horsemanship clinics and particularly enjoy taking clinics with natural horsemanship pioneer Buck Brannaman and other notable trainers. Steve is two time past president of the Roslyn Riders where his efforts were rewarded by growth in membership, new records for attendance at events and several improvements to the grounds.

Gail White – Secretary

Gail’s involvement with the Horse Park dates back to its early beginnings and over the years she has served as an interested party, Equestrians Institute’s liaison and in a variety of Board capacities. She brings a broad knowledge of finance having worked as bank branch manager/loan officer, and in financial planning and engineering research and development. Her horse experience started as a Pony Club mother and she advanced to organizing events for EI at Mt. Meadows, Hidden Valley Ranch and Donida Farms. Gail has attended the Olympics and World Equestrian Games. She lives with her husband on a horse property in Enumclaw.

Martha McCready – Treasurer

Martha purchased her first horse with babysitting money in 1967 and cared for him until he died in 1993. During that long period Martha developed an interest in eventing including serving as event secretary and Treasurer for Equestrians Institute for many years. She became a dedicated 4-H leader and mentor to many young horsemen and women. Martha is a CPA and her career includes public accounting and over 14 years as Controller for an international hardware/software company. Martha lives in the Maple Valley with her family.

Jim Halstrom – Government Affairs

 Jim has been a professional lobbyist in Olympia for many years during which he has developed close connections with the Governor’s office and other key decision makers at the State level. Jim and his wife live on a horse property in Ellensburg and are energetic supporters of endurance riding.

Karen Bailey – Community Affairs

Karen grew up riding any borrowed horse possible until she became the proud owner of twin Quarter horses; she spent every available moment riding with her friends and competing in local 4-H events. In 1991 Karen moved to five acres in Cle Elum with her family and has spent the last 16 years creating their “horse property”, attending various natural horsemanship clinics and riding in the backcountry. Karen is an active member of Alpine Lakes Backcountry Horsemen; committee chairmen of the Leave No Trace and Volunteer Hours programs for their local chapter. She works locally as a Project Management Assistant for a national construction firm and was employed 15 years with the Cle Elum Roslyn School District where she developed many contacts with local community members, coordinating school events and community service activities for the high school students.

Lothar Pinkers – Events and Operations Planning

Lothar is a retired Trauma Surgeon who first learned to ride at the age of 8 and in college worked summers as an assistant wrangler leading trail rides at a summer camp. He became involved in the horse world in earnest when his youngest daughter started hunter lessons. He bought his own (second) horse when he also began to ride regularly, during his practice years. He and his wife started managing the hunter/jumper shows for the Lake Washington Saddle Club. Later appointed dressage director for the Equestrians’ Institute and began to manage their dressage show program; also added the position of Show Secretary for USDF Region 6. Currently Lothar handles both those roles and is an active Dressage Technical Delegate. He serves on the board of The Bridle Trails Park Foundation and several emergency services organizations.

John Turner – Capital Campaign

A California native, John established Thumbs Up Farm with Jack Hammond in 1986. A veteran of the show ring for over 35 years, John has consistently trained riders and horses to numerous hunter and jumper championships in the WSHJA, Zone 9, thus qualifying for USA finals and Northwest Region World Championship Hunter Rider Awards. John is currently on the USHJA Junior Hunter Task Force and a member on the USHJA Zone 9. In addition to conducting highly successful clinics, John has an uncanny ability to match horses and riders and his affable personality and no-nonsense approach to teaching account for the continued success of his clients. Thumbs Up Farm training stable is located at RockMeadow Equestrian Center in Sammamish.

Executive Director - Leslie Thurston

Leslie’s career includes senior management positions with responsibility for strategic and operations planning, new business development, financial management, investor relations, communications and marketing. Her experience ranges from international assignments with major corporations to operating her own local company, and spans various businesses including insurance, information technology and retail. She began riding at 10 in Pennsylvania where she won local hunter/jumper championships and qualified for the national Medal finals; she later took up eventing and now mostly enjoys dressage and riding in open countryside on her Irish Sport Horse. She travels to international competitions, is cross country steward for a local horse trials and lives in Woodinville.