About Us

Joe was raised in the farmlands of the Midwest and worked with all types of livestock before drifting to horses as a young teenager. Since then horses have been his life's passion.

Joe majored in Animal Science with horse-related scholarships at OCC and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and he also served as the saddle bronc riding director. During his tenure at Cal Poly he qualified for the intercollegiate rodeo finals all four years.

He has worked as a farrier, serving his apprenticeship under the renowned farrier and author, Dr. Doug Butler. He is an accomplished writer himself, with several horse-training articles to his credit. Among many of his accomplishments have been a dozen trips to the International Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc and bull riding events. Additionally, his expertise

Katie has a wealth of equine knowledge in her background, and has had success in nearly every English riding discipline. As a child she competed in the challenging sport of eventing alongside some of the best in the business at Northern California's Pebble Beach Equestrian Center.

Katie spent several years showing in hunters and medals with noted Bay Area trainer Michelle Rush. She also gained solid dressage experience from Olympic dressage rider Gwen Stockebrand.

Transitioning into the jumper division in the 1980's, Katie quickly moved through the amateur ranks with her then trainer, now husband Joe. She went on to national, then international level competion in the early 1990s and is still actively competing at major Grand Prix events. Katie is renowned for her unique ability to bring out the best in her horses and students, and has a wonderful way of incorporating sports psychology. She is in demand as a coach at horse shows.

in livestock care, coupled with a strong business sense led him to manage equestrian centers in South Orange County, including the Irvine Equestrian Center (for the Irvine Corporation). Training exclusively hunters and jumpers for more than 20 years, Joe has built an international reputation for producing world-class horses and riders.

Joe is a sought after clinician with many excellent professionals as students.

Pacific Coast Jumpers Inc. offers full service training for hunters and show jumpers, from green to grand prix. Operated by Joe and Katie Lifto, PCJ offers premium training and care for both horse and rider. Joe is a cornerstone in Southern California showjumping and Katie is an accomplished international showjumping competitor and trainer. Together with their team of assistant instructors, PCJ has a program to suit any riding and training needs. From young children on the leadline, to seasoned professionals, PCJ has a lesson and training plan that is created for the unique needs of each client. PCJ stresses education and enjoyment of riding, and also strives to provide a safe, fun experience for both rider and horse.