MEET OUR TEAM
LANCE HAYES
TRAINER
Lance has been around horses since childhood. He has trained hundreds of horses and shown them all over the country to much success. Lance started his career in the horse business as a groom, and eventually became the caretaker of the famous World's Grand Champion five-gaited horse, CH Imperator. In 1998, Lance opened his own stable and has been breeding and training top horses ever since. He has trained three World Champions as well as two Reserve World Champions and several National Finalists. In 2017, Lance was named the American Saddlebred Association of Wisconsin Horse Person of the Year. Lance has served as the President of the Winnebago Saddle Horse Association for several years, and he also manages the annual Oshkosh Charity Horse Show. Lance truly loves the horses and ensures that they receive the best possible care.
LUIS RODRIGUEZ
TRAINER
Luis has been riding horses since he was a young kid. He has trained horses and successfully shown across the country. Luis started his career as a groom, and eventually became a trainer working his way up through the industry learning from some of the best horsemen in the business. Luis has developed a niche for starting horses and training them to be either 3-gaited, 5-gaited, or perform in western classes.
ALAN BURNISON
BREEDING MANAGER & TRAINER
Alan has been working on the farm and with horses since he was a young boy. Growing up on an Iowa farm, he found his passion in breeding and training weanlings for futurity classes. Ever since, he has been closely following and studying the American Saddlebred and developing breeding matches that are producing some of the best prospects in the country. A jack of all trades, Alan helps to ensure the farm is running at its best both inside and outside the arena.
ANDREW HITT
OWNER
Andrew grew up in rural Wisconsin and had lots of opportunities to be around horses and do some occasional riding. His daughter first caught the horse bug at age 5 and his son at age 7. With one more child getting to that age, he and is wife Stacy are wondering if all three kids will eventually be riding. His children's love of horseback riding brought Andrew closer and closer to the horse world and eventually he decided it was time to combine his business skills and love of entrepreneurship with the family's passion for horses. Starting Rose Tree Farms and buying the farm that was home to the historic Brockman Stable and Lance Hayes Stables has been a dream come true for the Hitt family. Andrew brings his experience as a parent, rider, and a stable client to Rose Tree Farms to ensure that you have a positive, educational, and exciting experience. His goal is simple: bring his family's love of horses and the horse show experience to more families.