Karen Pautz

Karen Pautz returned in 2002 as William Woods dressage instructor after an extended . . . well, let's just call it a sabbatical.She taught in the WWU dressage program from1987 to 1994, and was then temporarily lured away by the emerging technology of the World Wide Web. She spent two years working as a faculty member and online journalist (aka web goddess) at the University of Missouri's School of Journalism, during which time she developed The HayNet, then the web's largest directory of online horse-related web sites. She spent another five years at The Blood-Horse Publications in Lexington, Ky., where she was New Media Director, developing web sites for major companies such as Bayer Animal Health and for numerous internationally known Thoroughbred farms.

Eventually she decided that sitting at the edge of the arena and hollering at students was far preferable to sitting at a desk and hollering at her computer, and so she returned to William Woods.

Karen graduated summa cum laude from William Woods in 1981 with a double-major in English and Equestrian Science, with Distinguished Scholar honors in both disciplines. After graduating she worked for an international-level dressage trainer and judge before taking a teaching assignment at Virginia Intermont College.

Karen has had extensive success in the dressage competition arena, including a regional championship at Third Level, and her students are successful at the local, regional and national levels. She has managed award-winning dressage shows, announced professionally, judged locally and given countless clinics.

When Karen's not in the barn, she tries her hardest to be on the water. She's an avid sea-kayaker and sailor, as well as a hiker and backpacker, and recently tried her hand at skydiving, which was, as expected, a "definite rush." Photo by Works of M'Art