Josh Faulkner has been appointed head trainer at Leavell Farms in Simpsonville, Kentucky.

The announcement was made recently by Shane and Darla Leavell, who established their own breeding and training operation in 2013, just 23 miles east of Louisville.

“Josh was recommended highly by a trusted friend,” Shane said. “We were very interested in Josh’s experience with 2- year-old and junior horses.  After speaking with him and getting a better grasp of his coaching experience with youth and amateur riders we were even more excited to have him join our team.  His kindness and integrity also really shine through.”

Faulkner will focus on getting young prospects started under saddle and on marketing horses owned by Leavell Farms.

“I am excited about the opportunity to help Shane and Darla make some of their dreams come true,” Faulkner said. “I’m already hard at work riding 2-year-olds and cutting down on numbers. I also want to get Shane and Darla’s young sons (Alexander, 9, and Liam, 6,) ready to show in Small Fry events.”

Leavall Farms is a 22-stall breeding and training operation situated on 32 acres in Shelby County, Kentucky. It includes a 14-stall heated show barn, indoor riding arena, round pen, seven outdoor paddocks and an outdoor ring for riding in fair weather months.

The Leavells breed several high quality AQHA mares each year including multiple World Champion producer Vitalism; A Fancy Impulse, a World Champion producer; and Moonlight Made Over, a full sister to Only In The Moonlite.

“We have GREAT mares, including Vitalism and two other World Champion producers, so Leavell Farms is putting great babies on the ground,” Faulkner said.

With the addition of Faulkner, the Leavells are excited about the future of their operation.

“We have a lot of terrific stock to get marketed and sold, and Josh has made great strides in doing that,” Shane said. “We will have six exceptional foals this year, including a full sister to Vital Signs Are Good born this month.  Ensuring them the best start is very high on the to do list.  Selling three of these foals is a goal by year’s end.  We have a longe liner to prep for the Tom Powers Futurity, NSBA World Show and the Congress and we would like to have a 2-year-old for the (Quarter Horse) Congress, so Josh is going to be busy.”

Faulkner was born in North Carolina and got his start working for Dana and Wendy Jones in Raleigh and Tracey Hehr in Charleston, South Carolina.  Over the years, he’s had the opportunity to work beside such successful trainers as Alan Fisher, Shane and Cindy Young, Ronald Bartlett, Paul and Tammy Thurston, Shirley Roth, Brian Isbell, Shane Pope, Erik Martin, Doug Pratt, Andy Cochran, Chris Grey, David Miller and Scott Jones. This, he says, helped him become the horseman and trainer he is today.

“This is a great opportunity for me to grow and further my career in an industry I love,” Faulkner said.

For more information on Leavell Farms you can contact Josh Faulkner at (336) 693-4001 or by email at jgfhorses@gmail.com.