Meet the team
Nicci velocci
farm owner
Nicci is one of the owners and original founder of Hilltop Equestrians. She began teaching and training after spending her junior years competing in hunter, jumper, and equitation rings with a background in dressage. Nicci started the business at her parents breeding farm where the bloodlines are still seen at Hilltop as well as in show rings across the United States. She began teaching riders of all ages and quickly grew too big for the boutique breeding farm. She transferred the business to a larger facility where she boarded horses and had a successful training and show program for 12 years. July of 2017, that facility sold and she purchased a new farm to continue the vision and keep the long time residents together as a family. Nicci is the heart and soul of the Hilltop Equestrians family and has helped instill good habits and values in many young horse men and women.
Her most often used quote:
”Your horse is doing the best it can with the information you are giving them”
Allison Daigle
Farm Owner and Senior Trainer
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Ali is the head trainer and co-owner of Hilltop, bringing a wealth of experience since joining in 2015. Her expertise spans hunters, jumpers, equitation and dressage. Her detailed style focusing on intentional biomechanics transfers beautifully in the show arena. Ali is ideal for the dedicated competitor seeking genuine learning and wanting to see improvement in their skills. She has had decades of training with diverse professionals and she imparts invaluable insight to her riders. She has a keen eye for detail for both the horse and the rider and is able to explain in a way that you can understand what the goals are and the proper steps to take to obtain them. Ali is passionate about helping riders of all ages unlock their potential and master the nuances of both riding and horsemanship. Beyond safety she insists that the horses needs come first and that we, as riders, have to do our best to ensure they understand what we are asking so they can do their best for us.
Most often used quote in the arena:
“Can you feel that difference? or Does that make sense?”
Cara Jensen
Head Assistant Trainer
Cara has been a part of the Hilltop team as a rider since 2016. She has steadily put in the long hours and hard work leading along the way to become a top young rider in the hunter, jumper, and equitation rings and qualifying to compete in the 2023 WEC Equitation Cup. She started teaching lessons as a junior and now competes on the FSU IHSA team as well as her own horses. As a rising professional, Cara is also bringing along our young horses in addition to training and teaching riders at every level.
Andrea Whiting
Assistant Trainer
Andrea recently joined the Hilltop team bringing over 20 years of teaching/training experience. She specializes in helping young riders explore the sport and expanding their equestrian horizons through weekly lessons!
May Abbeloos
Assistant trainer
May's passion for horses began in Canada as a young child. It truly blossomed when she moved to Florida with her family and joined the Hilltop Team in 2019. She began weekly lessons with Nicci and decided that riding was “her sport”. She was eager to strengthen and deepen her skills. She made a commitment to the barn multiple days a week and quickly became a dedicated member of Hilltop's IEA show team. May's success is a testament to her unwavering work ethic, often seeking out the more challenging horses to better develop her timing and technique.
We are so proud to have her as a coach on our Hilltop Team, she not only continues to excel in her own riding but also plays a crucial role in mentoring new riders, helping them to develop into the best they can be.
Brianna Thompson
Assistant trainer
​Brianna has a lifelong passion for horses, with experience in Hunter/Jumpers and Eventing. She grew up spending summers as a camp counselor at her family’s equestrian facility in Brandywine, MD. Later, she became an Assistant Barn Manager/Trainer there, teaching riders from beginner to intermediate levels, exercising and schooling client horses as well as training her own. Brianna has worked with many different breeds, however has grown quite fond of off the track Thoroughbreds. After her family’s facility sold in 2020, she became a working student for Valerie Pride, a 5* Eventer and Level 3 FEI judge, gaining valuable experience. Now that she is based in Florida, Brianna is excited to bring her skills, passion, and love for teaching to the Hilltop Team!
