Meet Our Team
Meet Our Team
Deborah Bright
Owner
Deborah took a trail ride at seven and was hooked. She began consistently riding both English and
Western at nine years old, eventually focusing on Dressage, dabbling in Eventing in her teens. She
continued riding off and on through college. After completing her MBA, she took a job in Management
Consulting, putting her riding on hold.
In 2008, when she arrived in Auburn, she spotted some land that she hoped her family would own
someday. This dream became a reality in 2018 and Bright Farms was born.
Deborah is married to John Bright and is mother to their son Jack and two future equestrians, Kate and
Addy Burke.
Kristen Goldin
Head Trainer
Kristen Goldin is an eventing and dressage trainer based in Auburn, Alabama. Kristen started riding at the age of 4 in Mobile, Alabama. By the age of 15, she had taken her first horse, a thoroughbred named Raven, from never having seen a dressage arena or cross-country course to the Preliminary Level — nearly always placing within the top 3. As she continued her eventing training, she was fortunate enough to serve under USDF Gold medalist Judy Pirtle at Sucaro Ridge in Montgomery, Alabama. She also worked under USDF Gold medalist and 5-star eventer Werner Geven at Poplar Place Farm in Hamilton, Georgia.
In 2007, Kristen and her current horse Vharaan, a 16.3 hand Dutch Warmblood, moved to Auburn. She began attending Auburn University. Along with pursuing her degree in actuarial science, she began working and teaching as the assistant trainer at Sucaro Ridge. During this time, Kristen was fortunate enough to clinic with many well-known top trainers, including Conrad Schumacher, Greg Best, George Morris, as well as many other top eventing riders. Additionally, she gained experience schooling upper-level dressage and eventing horses, working and backing young warmbloods, and coaching riders from beginning cross rails to the Intermediate Level of Eventing. Perhaps most importantly, Kristen has had multiple students go on and pursue their own professional riding careers.
Kristen’s training and teaching philosophy focuses on classical dressage principals, kindness, and positivity. Currently, Kristen is pursuing her own dressage medals, as well as coaching several eventing and dressage students.
At home, Kristen is also a proud wife to her entrepreneur husband, Michael, and mother to her adorable little boy, Ollie.
Stephanie Erdmanis
Barn Manager
Stephanie Erdmanis began her career with horses at Rocking Hearts Ranch in Southwest Missouri during her teenage years. There, she exercised horses and eventually began competing in western pleasure and barrel racing.
In 2002, she joined the United States Army as an air traffic controller. After finishing her tour in 2006, she became a certified Veterinary Technician in Missouri. She worked with Angel Animal Hospital as the Lead Technician for four years as well as Galloway Village Veterinary Hospital. During this time, she returned to riding, exercising trail horses at a private barn. She decided to take on a new challenge, running “A Parrot’s Perch”, a Not- For-Profit parrot rehabilitation center for ten years. During this period, she also served as the emergency vet tech for Lost Tails Animal Rescue.
After relocating to Alabama in 2018, she rekindled her love of horses and joined the Bright Farms team. She now serves as Barn Manager, responsible for the day-to-day care of the horses.
Stephanie is married to her husband Andy Erdmanis and has a daughter and three stepdaughters.
Andrew Burch
Farm Manager
As the Bright Farms manager, Andrew Burch is the glue that holds the farm together, both literally and figuratively. An Auburn native, Andrew (widely known as Burch) graduated from Auburn high school, began his career in construction and, effectively, was team member number one of Bright Farms. Few farms are as fortunate to have someone like Mr. Burch as part of the onsite team.
If it needs to be built, repaired, maintained, or discussed, Mr. Burch has the skill sets and will find a solution to the problem. Wood, steel, glass, lighting, arena, engines, plumbing, electricity, you name it, and Mr. Burch can handle it. Andrew’s skill set is only matched by his extraordinary character as a person.
Andrew takes an equal amount of interest in the people of Bright Farms as he does in keeping the farm running. As an example, Andrew often grows a garden on the property and gives away plenty of vegetables to friends and coworkers. Much of the rest he donates to his local church’s food bank.
Andrew and his wife, Nesha have a son named Reuben and a black Labrador Retriever named Leroy.
Kim "Kimbo" Benni-Azza
Assistant Farm Manager
Kimbo is the right hand of Mr. Burch, overseeing and assisting with the management and operation of the farm. Kimbo assists with landscaping, maintenance, and construction. Kimbo also holds the responsibility of being the only staff member on the property 24/7. Prior to moving to Auburn in 2018, Kimbo was a professional chef. Now, Kimbo lives on the property and has a rescued cat and dog named Stanley and Dogi.