Thanks once again to Chris Thompson and the Pratt Athletic Department!

Page One of our 2021-2022 brochure - our thanks to Chris Thompson and the Pratt Athletics Department!

Assistant Coach Joyce Danza
 
Joyce is Jamaica Bay Riding Academy’s General Manager and a Professional Therapeutic Riding Instructor certified by Path International (the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International).  Fluent in both English and Western equitation, she has trained green (inexperienced) horses to prepare for the show ring, and trained/coached equestrians both in and out of the show ring.  In her own show career, she’s been the North East Regional Champion in Adult Equitation, and shown successfully in Western (American Quarter Horse Association) Halter and Pleasure Divisions.

Associate Head Coach & Faculty Advisor Kathryn Cullen-DuPont
 
At Pratt, in addition to her position as Associate Head Coach & Faculty Advisor of the Pratt Equestrian Team, Kathryn teaches in the Humanities and Media Studies Department and serves as Chair of the Institute's Academic Integrity Standing Committee. She's also an award-winning author of a number of books. 

In her equestrian life, Kathryn's a Certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist, who's had the very great, good fortune to have shared her life with three amazing and beautiful Thoroughbred mares.

Head Coach Jacobi “Jake” Pittari
 
Jake started riding as young as two years old at his family’s riding facility near Prospect Park in Brooklyn NY. At an early age he discovered his passion for competition and began a life of showing in the Equitation, Hunter and Jumper rings. In his teen years he lived and worked at Winterbrook Farms in Lisbon CT.
 
Winterbrook is a working breeding farm where, under his trainer Edna Pobuda, Jake honed his craft as a rider and trainer. Upon returning to NY Jake stepped away from the horse community and worked in the Athletics Department at Brooklyn Friends School, where he coached Varsity Baseball as well as Middle school Soccer and Basketball for over 15 years.
 
Having worked with children for so many years, Jake has developed a passion for teaching and communicating concepts to expedite the growth and confidence of young and adult riders of all skill levels. Ever the competitor, he relishes the opportunity to work with riders who have an eye on the competitive component of horseback riding, and helping these competitors prepare for the show ring.

Since 2019, Jake has been a trainer at Jamaica Bay Riding Academy, where he has developed bonds with both horses and students alike. Always the educator, in his return to the equestrian arena Jake has found a way to combine his unique upbeat style of teaching with the science and art of horseback riding

Back Row, Left to Right:  Associate Head Coach & Faculty Advisor Kathryn Cullen-DuPont, Pragnan Bachala, Annie Moultray, Co-Captain Ana Sierra, and Head Coach Jacobi ("Jake") Pittari
Front Row, Left to Right: Erin Collinge, Amy Wu, Assistant Coach Joyce Danza, Co-Captain Edy Tabor, and Lauren Morgan
Missing from Photo:  Libby Linliu
Photo Credit:  Joe DuPont

We hope you enjoyed this tour of Pratt Equestrian's home barn, Jamaica Bay Riding Academy, and also the chance to cheer two of our team members on their birthdays!  We're going back to eating grass now, but hope you come around again sometime soon - and thanks once again to JBRA!

And all of this is at Jamaica Bay Riding Academy  -  thank you for being the home bard of Pratt's varsity equestrian team!

Jamaica Bay Riding Academy also hosts Seaside 4 Therapeutic Riding, which is certified by PATH International to help children "with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges find strength and independence through the power of the horse."  Our team loves volunteering at Seaside!