Kristi grew up in Colorado, riding on the A circuit with Laura Baker. Her mom wanted her to be a ski racer, but there were horses next to her house in Denver and that was all she could think about. She moved to California to attend Cal Poly to study AgBusiness, but she missed the horses and continued to dream about riding at the Grand Prix level. Under the tutelage of Robert Blanchette, she imported and developed Bella Luna, a Holsteiner mare by Lordanos, and in 2021 began competing in the Grand Prix. In 2022 she and her husband Max built Corralitos Riding Club, and she brings her passion and enthusiasm for the sport every day in her role as trainer and business owner.