About Melanie Smith- Taylor
Melanie Smith - Taylor became one of only two riders to ever win the Triple Crown of Show Jumping, The American Invitational, The International Jumping Derby and the American Gold Cup! She was also the only person to win all three on the same horse. After winning the World Cup Final in 1982, she was names the US Olympic Committee Sportswoman of the Year and inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Two years later, she capped off her show-jumping career with a team gold medal in the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Today Melanie serves the horse world as a clinician, a television broadcaster for major events, including the Olympics and World Championships, and a recognized judge for hunter/jumpers and hunter seat equitation.
About Alicia Landman
Alicia is a lifelong student of the horse. From a very early age she sought out every opportunity to be around horses. She was fortunate to live near a barn growing up where she could work after school and on the weekends in return for lessons. Hard work eventually paid off with a dream job in Northern Michigan.
Alicia managed a trained a Bay Harbor Equestrian Club for 14years. Her curiosity in all things equine allowed her to bring many of the top Riders and trainers to teach clinics in a wide range of disciplines. During her time there she coached riders to become independent, self sufficient students of the horse.
Alicia has spent 24+ years learning how to give horses and riders their best start as well as helping older horses that were cast aside because they were missing great basics. Buck Brannanman has been Alicia's mentor and greatest influence. Proper groundwork and a solid foundation that helps balance the horses mind and body is her priority. Dressage will always be a part of every ride but her passion lies in bringing along horses in the Vaquero method. Cow work and Ranch Roping is a big part of each horses foundation to give them confidence and great exposure.
Alicia currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee where she starts young horses, teaches weekly group lessons and enjoys riding and progressing her own personal horses. Alicia is a United States Dressage Federation Silver medalist, regularly competes in Stock Horse competitions with her own personal horses and enjoys sharing her passion with her 10 year old daughter Rivka.
