Jester

Equestrian Center Staff

Jester Park Equestrian Center

Claudia Starr
Equestrian Center Manager
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Riding a horse before she could walk, Claudia was a successful “A” circuit youth competitor in Oregon, showing nationally in both Stock Seat and Hunter Jumper events before moving to Kentucky to follow her dream of becoming a jockey. Riding races helped fund bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Louisville, initiating a lifelong career as an executive in the horse industry.    Claudia has owned and operated full-service equestrian centers in both Kentucky and Arizona and held executive positions for Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby, and the Breeders Cup, as the Director of Al Shaqab in Doha, Qatar, and as Division Chair and faculty member of the Equine Studies department of William Woods University before becoming Manager of Jester Park Equestrian Center in 2018.  Claudia’s key leadership roles include strategic planning, facility and risk management, bond acquisitions, stakeholder communication, and team oversight.

Liz Peitzman
Barn Supervisor
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Liz grew up in southern Iowa on a cattle and row crop farm where her family raised and trained horses for ranch work. Liz attended Iowa State University and obtained her Bachelor of Science Degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Business with a minor in Microbiology. She competed successfully on the Horse Judging Team for ISU at the American Quarter Horse Congress and the National Reining Horse Association while also working at Jester Park Equestrian Center on weekends throughout college from 2009-2013, guiding public trail rides and driving wagons and sleighs. Liz became the Barn Supervisor in 2016 and currently heads the Guided Trail program and manages our part-time team members for the day-to-day horse care operations. 


Curtis Kentner
Operations Coordinator
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Curtis is a Master Level Driving Coach with six years of professional driving and training expertise with the Budweiser Clydesdales. He certifies all public horse carriage drivers for Polk County Conservation and Jester Park Equestrian Center and provides driving clinics throughout Iowa, most recently to Ellsworth College.  Curtis Kentner grew up on a family draft horse farm, which included breeding and showing Percherons and Clydesdales. He also participated in 4-H driving miniatures and Haflingers. In 2007, Curtis participated in an internship at Alpha Equine Breeding Center in Granbury, Texas, where he shadowed veterinarians learning advanced equine husbandry skills. He attended Iowa State University and received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science. While attending Iowa State University, he received the Youth Educational Scholarship from the Percheron Horse Association of America.  Curtis leads the driving program, along with facility maintenance and veterinary care.



Alyssa Scott
Program Coordinator
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Alyssa is from Pleasant Hill, IA, and graduated from Des Moines East High School. Alyssa grew up riding and taking lessons on her Off the Track Thoroughbred, Zorro, who taught her both the English and Western Riding styles. Today, you can find Alyssa down the trails or in the arena teaching her trusty steed, Nash, the barrel pattern. Before working at Jester Park, Alyssa was a site supervisor for the after-school and summer programs at Des Moines Public Schools. Alyssa joined the Jester Park Equestrian Center team in June 2022, managing our online booking software, social media accounts, volunteers, and co-leads summer camp!

Donna Carter
Equestrian Center Clerk
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Donna grew up on a farm in Iowa where she was fortunate to have a pony named Heidi, who taught her how to ride. She received a bachelor's degree in Leisure Services with an emphasis in Outdoor Recreation from Iowa State University. During summers in college, she gave trail rides and cared for the horses at a summer camp. After graduating from ISU, she worked for Apple Vacations as a Resort Representative in the Caribbean and Florida. In subsequent years, she has been in customer service, meeting planning, and executive administrative assistant roles. Donna has been the welcoming voice on the other end of the phone since October 2020, when she joined the Jester Park Equestrian Center team. She loves to be near the horses and promote the Equestrian Center’s activities to our customers.



Kelly Blair
Riding Instructor
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Kelly started showing horses at a young age and grew up competing at the national level. She has been heavily involved with horses ever since. She owned and operated her horse training business and lesson program for almost 20 years, focusing on youth and amateur riders. She now enjoys coaching the Iowa State University Western Show Team. Kelly and her husband Rand have lived in Grimes for almost 30 years, where they raised their two sons, Brandon and Connor. She now loves being Gramma to her two granddaughters and can’t wait for them to start riding horses! Kelly started at JPEC in June 2020 and co-leads the youth camps, Horse Powered Leadership youth volunteers, and other programming for the public.  

Eric Moorman
Equine Mental Health Specialist
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Eric is from Carlisle, IA, and grew up in the Quarter Horse business of breeding, training, and showing at national and world championship shows. He has been training Quarter Horses for competition for customers for 40 years. Eric served as a United States Marine for six years and is a Gulf War Veteran. After serving in the military, he received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and served as a Des Moines Police Officer for 30 years. Eric is actively involved in Veteran service activities in Iowa and has been an integral volunteer in Horses Helping Heroes programs since 2021. He is the Treasurer for Veterans of Valley Junction and the Quarter Master for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8879 of West Des Moines. He joined the Equestrian Center full-time in 2024 and will complete the EAGALA certification process in April. Eric leads the Horses Helping Heroes program and other wellness programs.