Staff

Riding Instructor

Ainsley grew up riding in the Southlands community and has loved horses for as long as she can remember. She learned to ride on the Maynard’s school horses and gradually worked her way through the ranks to instructor. Her favourite horse-related experience was getting to be there to watch Canadian show jumper Eric Lamaze won gold at the 2008 Olympics with his horse Hickstead. She also enjoys traveling (35 countries and counting!), puppies, and exploring the great outdoors.

Riding Program Manager

Tasha has been part of the Southlands Scene since age 12. She is mother to Justin (indifferent to horses) & Callie (obsessed with horses!) She is a true animal lover and never hesitates to jump in with a helping hand for the messy jobs! Her husband Telf was born across the road from the farm and has lived in Southlands all his life.

Riding Instructor

Full-time riding instructor at the Southlands Farm Outdoor School.

Charlotte grew up riding horses in North Vancouver, competing in local hunter/jumper competitions, leasing horses, and spending as much time as possible at the barn. She began riding at the Southlands Heritage Farm and studying with Rick Maynard in 2020, with whom she has completed her Equestrian Canada English Level 6 certification.

Charlotte has her BA (Honours) in English from the University of British Columbia and her MA in English from the University of Alberta. Having personally experienced the incredible bonding and joy that being around horses can provide, she is passionate about sharing her love and knowledge of horses with others. Charlotte has been teaching riding lessons at the Southlands Heritage Farm since 2021 and is currently also working on her therapeutic riding instructor certification.

Riding Instructor

Riding Instructor

Katie grew up and around the Maynard family, she trained with Rick and did pony club at the Maynards every Friday and even used to babysit Farmer Jordan. Katie not only teaches lessons here but is also a leatherworker and repurposer, and rescues ferrets and other animals. You can often see her followed by her retriever puppy Tyco.

Office Admin & Riding Instructor

Owner, Advanced Riding Instructor

Coach to the Vancouver Police Department Mounted Squad, Olympic Horse Riding Coach for Modern Pentathlon, elite show jumper and coach of 50 years, Rick has produced top riding athletes in the sport including Brian Morton and Tik Maynard. Rick was short listed for the Olympics in 1972 and is an EC Competition Coach Specialist.

M. Sc. Wildlife and Range Management
NCCP Competition Coach
Olympic Team Coach ( London and Rio Modern Pentathlon)
​Trainer for the Vancouver City Police Mounted Squad
​First Aid

Master Gardener, Farm Educator

Farrier

Connie tends to all the horses feet in the barn! She makes sure they are all sound and happy. A Farrier is a blacksmith specially trained to shoe horses. It is a very tough job. Did you know that 85% of the students in farrier school today are women? (In 1965 there were zero) Connie has also taken it upon herself to look after our retired ponies and give them the best possible quality of life before it is time for them to go to the greener pastures in the sky. She has loved so many... Kiwi, Katana, Sierra, Nikita, Splash, Towhee, .... and all had better lives because of Connie.

Owner, Manager

Jen has an extensive dressage background, both competing and judging at FEI levels. She is proud of her role in creating the STARS programme, and is passionate about judging para- equestrian competitions. She is always followed everywhere by Ginny her dog. And... she is a proud Grandmother to Justin, Callie, Brooks, Mera & Violet.
FEI 4* Para equestrian Judge
MSc. Ecology and Ethology
Favourite sayings:
If not you, who? If not now, when?
Don't pass it up, pick it up!
Don't hesitate.... innovate!
Jen's 80:20 rule... ask her about it!

SFOS Teacher

SFOS Teacher

Farm Educator

Farm Educator

Johnny works full time at the Southlands Farm Outdoor School, and running our Farm Kids' Club.

He trained at the University of East London in the United Kingdom. His distinction degree included dramatic training, applied theatre, performance-based knowledge and theatre in education.

His University programme allowed him to work with the prestigious TIE company, London Bubble, which utilised drama as a medium for education to children who had difficulties grasping English reading and writing or who has English as a second language. From that he gained a great number of techniques and teaching methods which he continues to implement in his teaching today.

After University, Johnny trained at the London acting school East 15 to receive his Master of fine arts degree. Johnny also continued TIE after University with the UK touring drama company, Flying Pizza, which brought classic children’s stories to life through dramatic performance and succeeded in getting young children interested and engaged with reading and story-telling.

Along with acting and drama, Johnny is a trained Lifeguard, earning a UK National Pool Lifeguard Qualification in 2018 which including such knowledge as CPR, First Aid and Pool-side safety.

Farm Educator

Alex works full-time with the Southlands Farm Outdoor School.


Alex holds BSc in Natural Resource Conservation from UBC and has a professional background in Forestry and Silviculture. Alex also holds an 80 hour Wilderness First Responder Certification and is an Accredited Silviculture Surveyor.



Alex is an avid outdoors enthusiast spending time backpacking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, and mushroom foraging.

Farm Educator

She holds B.A. (Hons) in Physical Education & Recreation Management and completed her teaching certificate in Hong Kong.

When she is not teaching outside, she is definitely playing outside! Some of her favorite activities include hiking, camping, sea kayaking, and scuba diving. She always wishes to share joy with others, by creating a conversation from outdoor recreation.

Farm Educator & School Admin

Madelaine works full-time as educator and admin for the Southlands Farm Outdoor School.

Madelaine attended UBC to receive her degree in American History and has experience in outdoor education through previously volunteering at the Squamish Outdoor School. Madelaine is a big nature enthusiast and truly just enjoys her time spent outside whether it's hiking, skiing, biking or walking my two dogs, Harry and Henry.

SFOS Teacher

Chris is a teacher at the Southlands Farm Outdoor School. Among other things, he is responsible for planning the literacy component of the program, and the school's music program.

Before switching his focus to teaching, he went to school for, and worked as, a mechanical engineer. He has bachelor’s in education from the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Both his parents were journalists, and he is an avid reader. His hope is to help students learn to enjoy both reading and writing through finding material they are interested in reading and writing about.

He is also an avid outdoors enthusiast who loves rock climbing and exploring. He has travelled a lot, including a two-year stint backpacking through south-east Asia (HK, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia), live and worked in New Zealand, and then spent a month in Egypt. He plays both saxophone and guitar.