Achieve Equine Staff Jim Chiapetta | Principal (staying out of the Achieve Equine Team's way) Riding: Starting in Penning, Sorting, and the Reined Cowhorse with my new horse, Gunner. Fun Fact: Essential food groups: pizza and red wine. Michelle Chiapetta | Principal (helping wherever needed) Riding: I’m just getting to know a brand new Andalusian mare named Liberty. Fun Fact: My other career for the last 30 years has been as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Yay CRNAs! Hanna Hartman | Director of Operations Riding: My 15-year-old quarter horse, Playboy CJ (“Red”), and I have fun competing in ranch horse versatility events. Fun Fact: When I was a kid, I had a pig and her name was 'Stanley'. Ann Lutnucki | Annie-thing You Need aka Office Manager Riding: All my life I have cared for and played with horses – too many to name. Imagine how exciting it was for me to go to work with the maker of FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strips several years ago. I have the pleasure of designing our limited edition Strips. Fun Fact: My administrative assistant is my 7 lb. terrier, Tonka Toy. He protects all of us at the office from the scary delivery truck drivers. Lexi Robinson | Customer Service Representative Riding: I have competed and trained in eventing for most of my life. My favorite breed is the thoroughbred and I have successfully retrained several OTTBs in the sport of eventing. The past few years, I have been taking a break from competition and am currently enjoying my horses, doing a lot of flatwork, and trail riding. I have a chestnut gelding aptly named Dorito, and my newest addition is a grey filly named Baby. Fun Fact: I am studying to achieve an Equine Behavior Certification and have recently begun the learning process of clicker training with horses. It is a challenge but has been fun! Kate Loecken | Administrative Services Riding: Although I don’t ride, I do love animals. I have two rescues, a Pekingese Primm and a Shepherd/Lab mix puppy Valerie. Also, Midge the Hedgehog is a unique member of the family. While not wrangling pets, I enjoy traveling, photography, and watching my kids’ soccer games. Fun Fact: If one of Jim and Michelle’s pets are in the office, I probably let them in! Boo | Office Celebrity Draft Cross Everybody loves Boo. He has starred in two small films, one of which premiered at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. Jim's proudest moment was when Boo galloped down the driveway without bucking off his co-star. Like most movie stars, Boo loves attention. But beware, if you get too close, he has been known to empty a glass of wine with one efficient swirl of his tongue. Gunner | New Guy on the Block Quarter Horse Gunner is Jim's newest addition. Gunner is a mellow guy and is proving to be very tolerant (Jim's words) of his new owners. Gunner also loves attention and has been a patient subject in FLAIR® photo shoots. Liberty "The Mare" | New Gal on the Block Andalusian Libby is Michelle’s newest addition. She’s an 11-year-old princess from Montana. As a former range horse, Libby is curious of her new environment, including the mirror in the arena. Like most princesses, she has a love/hate relationship with the mirror. She’ll run towards the mirror, but then be startled by her own reflection. Libby stands her ground amidst her new barn-mates Boo and Gunner. Though Gunner could use a lesson or two on how to act around a lady, Boo has her back as peacekeeper. Bailey & Nala | Welcome Committee Chiweenie & German Shepherd Jim and Michelle's dogs, Bailey and Nala, are frequent office visitors. Bailey thinks she's the "big dog" while Nala is content to let her believe it. Bailey loves riding on the tractor with Michelle and sneaking into the chicken coop for scraps. Nala loves greeting staff and can often be found perched at the office door hoping to be let inside. This duo has been known to hop into UPS trucks and to resurface with an unsuspecting driver's pizza box. Zuko | The Temp Australian Shepherd While Jim and Michelle's son Alex is away training with the Air Force, Zuko is making his home at headquarters. Zuko is a sweet city boy, although our resident country girls Bailey & Nala may disagree on occasion. Our city boy is quickly learning rural office etiquette to not scare away the UPS driver and to refrain from cat quests and horse harassment. Welcome Zuko! Tonka Toy | Assistant Office Admin Jack Russell/Miniature Pinscher Mix Ann's sidekick "Tonka" is a dedicated staff member. He can be found buried under a blanket in the crate below Ann's desk or perched in the office window. Tonka often helps Ann make USPS drops. Tonka has an unrequited love for Nala.