Meet our Team of Handlers
Michelle
miniature horse handler
Along with her husband Kevin and their two sons, Michelle runs Coal Creek Stables in Aurora, Colorado. They have run their full-time boarding facility since 1989 and both Rainbow and Fancy (two of the other McNicholas horses) have boarded there before the barn at McNicholas Farms was finished. Michelle was the first official team member and handler of McNicholas Miniatures and now also volunteers with the Arapahoe County Mounted Patrol unit.
Kris
miniature horse handler
Kris is a mother of four and a retired Registered Nurse. She spends her time volunteering with the Arapahoe County Mounted Patrol and McNicholas Miniatures. If you can’t find her whipping up something delicious in her kitchen (Big Sis and Little Sis McNicholas say that her cinnamon rolls are the best) then be sure to check McNicholas Family Farm! Her favorite time is spent there with the minis and the family.
Colette
miniature horse handler
Colette might be a sophomore at Regis Jesuit High School now but her connection with the McNicholas family goes all the way back to first grade! A former first grade student of founder Audra McNicholas, Colette now volunteers with the Arapahoe County Mounted Patrol. She also participates on the Precisionette team at Westernaires (a mounted precision drill organization), practices mounted shooting, and sings in the Regis Jesuit Choir.
Sadie
miniature horse handler
As a sophomore at Grandview High School, Sadie is a part of the gifted and talented program and involved with many school activities. When she’s not at school you’ll find her helping on her family’s small goat farm and volunteering with the Arapahoe County Mounted Patrol Unit. She also travels the country competing in rodeos but her love of horses started young- Audra began teaching her horseback riding lessons when she was just four years old!
In addition to volunteering with McNicholas Miniatures, all handlers are honored to participate in the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Patrol Unit. This includes an extensive background check, additional and ongoing training with officers from the Sheriff’s Office, and exposure to crowd control and other various situations. All handlers with McNicholas Miniatures also engage in personal further training and skill development. For more information about our handlers and volunteer requirements please contact us HERE.