About Sue
Sue Lightner has been involved with horses all of her life. Sue has been fortunate to be able to be involved with many breeds and disciplines. Though the Hunter Jumper discipline has been the primary focus of her professional career, Sue has been involved in and competed with western and reining horses, cutting horses, Saddlebreds, Arabians, Morgans, and Quarter Horses as well. She had the good fortune to study colt starting with Ray Hunt. This varied background has given her a unique perspective on horses and horsemanship.
Sue owned and operated her training business, Lightacres from 1979 to 2017. During that time she produced and rode numerous year-end winners. Such horses as Streisand, Masquerade, Swingtime, Glencoe Town, High Society, Tantalizin’ , Dear Prudence, Forever Tango, Evan, Loverboy, Okoboji, Night Tracks, Wishful Thinking, Steppin’ Out, Astronaut, Tule, Tiger, Ragtime, Pia’sadorable, Raggedy Music, Ragtime Cowboy, Rendezvous, Maillisko, Winning Ticket, Rubicon, Cruising, Catira and Valentine, (to name a few) have been trained, ridden, shown or started by Sue.
Students coached by Sue have won the NorCal Jr. Medal Finals three times, the NorCal Pony Final, the Horse and Hound Final, the Carousel Final and the Almaden Finals. Sue’s students have also had top placings in the Onondarka finals, the PCHA Horsemanship Finals, the CPHA finals, the CPHA Foundation Finals, Maclay Regionals and USEF regionals. She has trained riders in the top 5 of the USEF Talent Search Finals and the top 30 in the Maclay National Finals. Payton Potter, Sue’s longtime student, won the inaugural USHJA Jumping Seat Final West Coast.
The breeding and young horse program Sue developed at Lightacres produced many champions. From 2009 to 2016, Sue’s breeding program produced USEF National and Zone 10 Champions, and the PCHA and NorCal Champion in the Hunter Breeding. Every year from 2008 to 2016, Sue’s program produced the Champion and/or Reserve Champion in the International Hunter Futurity West Coast. Sue was the leading handler at the Sallie B. Wheeler USEF Hunter Breeding Championships West from 2009 through 2016.
Sue is a USEF “R” judge and has served on numerous boards and committees governing our sport. Sue judged the USEF, Sallie B. Wheeler Hunter Breeding National Championships in 2018. She has helped fellow professionals and coached young professionals in the hunter/jumper, three-day and dressage disciplines. Since selling her farm in 2017, Sue is enjoying judging, teaching clinics, and consulting with other professionals.