Ianna Spirit Riders
Featured Troupe

The Ianna Spirit Riders is currently the only youth circus bareback riding act in America. The troupe is made up of the most talented students from Circus Flora’s circus vaulting program, which is trained and choreographed by Jennifer Buck. The program was born from a unique collaboration between Circus Flora, The Circus Day Foundation (providing circus training) and Therapeutic Horsemanship, to keep alive the fine art of dancing and gymnastics on the back of a galloping horse - the very origin of the modern circus. Buck has toured the U.S. as a competitive vaulter and trainer and coach for several national and international vaulting teams. Buck attended William Woods University’s Equine Science program, where she founded a college vaulting performance team and class. Buck manages, teaches and trains horses and students in many disciplines focusing on dressage and vaulting and currently works as the Equine Director at Therapeutic Horsemanship and trains the Ianna Spirit Riders year round. Buck has worked with Circus Flora since 2000. This year’s Ianna Spirit Riders include: Rosie Eastman, Lemond Carmickle, Elliana Hentoff-Killian, Claire Kuciejczyk-Kerman and Matthias Staley.