About Us
Co-owner and trainer at JCEC, Jojo Levy Kyger started working with horses as a young child at summer camp. Her lifelong passion for horses has amounted to 20+ years of horse experience in the hunter/jumper industry and a strong desire to be the very best she can be. After a successful career riding ponies, Jojo turned her focus to the jumper ring, where she found a place to shine throughout her junior and amateur career. She was able to compete with several wonderful mounts during these years such as the spectacular horse Just Cruising (aka Tom), pictured with Jojo at left. She won numerous championships and classics at "A"-rated shows such as HITS Ocala, Brownland Farm, River Glen, and Lake St. Louis. She has been fortunate enough to have learned from and/or worked for well-known equestrian professionals Micaela Kennedy, Dennis Mitchell, and Linda McClaren Parkhurst. Jojo hopes to pass on to her students the best of what she has learned from these individuals and from riding with many other top professionals, using her own unique teaching style. She wants her students to understand the value of being a lifelong learner, because she believes that learning to ride and develop one's horsemanship skills is a journey that is never over. Being open-minded to various schools of thought and ideas is also important to Jojo, and she wants to teach her students to do the same.
Jojo is proud to hold her undergraduate degree in Equestrian Science as well as her Masters in Education from William Woods University. She also attained PATH certification as both a therapeutic riding instructor and as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. In January 2018, Jojo received the Missouri Hunter Jumper Organization's inaugural Sportsmanship Award in the professional category. This annual award recognizes one professional, one junior, and one adult amateur in the Missouri hunter/jumper community who "embody the attributes of horsemanship, integrity, and sportsmanship."
Jojo enjoys riding horses and teaching people of all learning styles and abilities, and she will constantly strive to make Just Cruising Equestrian Center a place that promotes self-esteem as well as excellence.
Jojo is proud to hold her undergraduate degree in Equestrian Science as well as her Masters in Education from William Woods University. She also attained PATH certification as both a therapeutic riding instructor and as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. In January 2018, Jojo received the Missouri Hunter Jumper Organization's inaugural Sportsmanship Award in the professional category. This annual award recognizes one professional, one junior, and one adult amateur in the Missouri hunter/jumper community who "embody the attributes of horsemanship, integrity, and sportsmanship."
Jojo enjoys riding horses and teaching people of all learning styles and abilities, and she will constantly strive to make Just Cruising Equestrian Center a place that promotes self-esteem as well as excellence.
Joe Ross Kyger is co-owner and Facility Manager at Just Cruising Equestrian Center. Joe grew up on a farm and is a terminal do-it-yourselfer, which makes him perfect for his job as Facility Manager. Joe's incredible hard work and vision for the farm have been crucial to the development and execution of each and every project we have undertaken thus far. He has been the man with the plan in regards to building our Kingdom City facility and making it amazingly better, adding an awesome outdoor arena, revamping the stable with many amenities (automatic waterers, fully matted stalls, a concrete aisle with drains and mats, and more) adding a restroom and additional plumbing to the facility, and is the mastermind behind many other plans that are in the works at our new facility in Columbia! Joe is also our Safety Coordinator, and he makes sure that everyone knows that "taking risks is about having fun, not about being stupid or ignorant." A Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Joe had another life as Assistant Professor of Chemistry at William Woods University. Now he dedicates all his time to producing hay, keeping the facility in top-notch condition, and helping Just Cruising Equestrian Center be at it's best every single day. To say the least, our Joe is a very busy and totally amazing guy!
