Kelli Marie Wainscott has been involved with horses her entire life. She likes to joke that she was in the show ring before she was born, due to the fact that her mother showed her Arabian horse Nigotto up until she was eight months pregnant her. Soon after, her mother had her in the saddle and competing at horse shows at the age of nine months old. Since then, she has been consistently showing and has never missed a season in the show pen. She took over as head coach of the Mount Holyoke College western team in 2010.
Wainscott was actively involved in 4-H for twelve years and believes that 4-H was an integral part of her success not only in the show pen, but also her success in academics and in life. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in criminal justice and a Paralegal Certificate from Westfield State University and works full time for the Massachusetts State Police. In addition, she is also a New England 4-H and Open Horse Show carded judge and enjoys judging all over New England as well as teaching clinics in just about everything related to horseback riding and horse showing. Wainscott is now the leader of the Hampshire County 4-H Cavalry Horse Club.
Because of the passion that she has for horses, Wainscott is involved in many organizations and helps run many equine activities in the area. She is an active member of the American Quarter Horse Association, the Appaloosa Horse Club, the International Buckskin Horse Association, the Massachusetts Quarter Horse Association, the Western Massachusetts Appaloosa Association and the North Atlantic Buckskin Association. Additionally, she sits on the Board of Directors for many of these groups and has held titles of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer as well as Point Keeper and News Reporter.
Some of her most memorable accomplishments include winning the Best in Fitting and Showmanship Award at the Western Massachusetts Regional Horse Show several times over with her appaloosa, Plenty O-Plaudit. She was also the WMAA Queen for four years and the MaQHA Queen in 2006. In that year, she attended and competed at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in the Queen Competition and placed in the top ten her first time at the show, riding a horse she met and rode only 24 hours before the competition.
Wainscott's most recent accomplishments include breeding her mare, Playgirl Premonition, and raising her colt, Isa HyFashion Tesign. She showed the latter to many wins in halter classes and Futurities as a weanling in 2009 and as a yearling in 2010. Roswell earned 2010 WMHSS Colts and Fillies Champion, WMHSS Quarter Horse Halter Champion, NABA Colts and Fillies Champion and NABA Colts and Fillies Trail Champion. Wainscott's IBHA Buckskin, Hez Dun Doin Time, also proved himself in the show ring in 2010, earning the titles of IBHA All Around Senior Horse Champion, NABA Dun Color Champion and IBHA Aged Geldings Reserve Champion.
Wainscott feels very blessed that she has had the opportunity to work with, raise, train and show horses. She understands that she is very lucky and is thankful for all of those who have helped her reach her goals. Although western pleasure and western events are where her heart is, she has ridden and trained in hunt seat events, jumping, saddleseat, gymkhana, cow events, drill teams and even vaulting. Wainscott is very well rounded, and her teaching methods are very personalized. She takes time with her students to learn where there are weaknesses and strengths and teaches through positive reinforcement and encouragement.
She currently resides at her country home, Triple R Ranch, in Chesterfield, Mass.
In her first season at the helm, Wainscott led Mount Holyoke's western team to its first regional championship and a seventh place showing at the IHSA Semi Finals in Missouri. One of her riders qualified for the IHSA National Championships in Kentucky, placing within the top ten in advanced horsemanship. It was the first time in program history that Mount Holyoke was represented at the event.