A horse girl since age six, Mary K. Thomas made her mark on the equestrian industry at an early age. Founding EQUIstaff in 1982, Mary has built a thriving career in the equine industry, and now has the pleasure of passing this experience to the next generation of professionals.
Lifelong lover of thoroughbreds, Mary proudly fronts Team EQUIstaff, her racing stable representing everything EQUIstaff stands for. Aside from managing a barn of actively racing horses and EQUIStaff, Mary is happiest when contributing to preserve the horse racing industry and improve the lives of horses through the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Learn more about Mary at www.maryk.com or email at jobs@equistaff.com.
Kaitlin Veltkamp began riding at 5 years old. At 19, she reached the 4* level of Eventing with her self-made partner, Flashpoint D and was named to the 2015 Eventing 25 team. That same year, she relocated from California to Ocala, FL and began a Working Student position with Olympian, Leslie Law. Ocala instantly felt like home, and in the years that followed she managed an 80-horse Thoroughbred training farm, spent 2 years as a sports medicine vet tech, and started her own 7 stall training/boarding facility. She now brings her passion and experience to work serving Equistaff’s unique clientele.
Croix Darwin began riding at a very young age. Throughout her childhood she helped rehab, restart, and resell many horses with a strong focus on Thoroughbreds off the track. She spent her young equine career eventing and foxhunting throughout central Florida. She was selected to participate in the Emerging Athletes Program under Geoff Teall as an older junior on her self-made thoroughbred gelding. After her junior career, she became a hunter/jumper professional teaching clients and training horses throughout Florida and Georgia. Prior to joining the Equistaff team, she was a professional saddle fitter. Her passion for the growth of the industry has lead her to want to assist Equistaff’s quickly growing clientele.
