Melissa Smith (Kansas City, Mo.) and Kent Swalla (Columbia, Mo.) have been named as coaches of the home team. Their team will be competing at the U.S. Saddle Seat Invitational at Cascade Stables in June.
Kelly Kraegel (Guthrie, Okla.) and Sarah Lawson (Rockport, Ind.) will be coaches of the team travelling to South Africa in September.
Melissa Smith (Kansas City, Missouri) has dedicated her professional career to teaching the art of Saddle Seat riding. Currently, Smith trains at Ever Glades Farm where she has instructed equitation and performance riders to World and National Championship wins. She is a member of the UPHA Equitation Committee and managed the 2008 World Cup team.
As the owner of Cottonwood Creek Ranch, Kelly Kraegel (Guthrie, Oklahoma) has trained over 100 World and National Champions. In 2013, Kraegel was named AMHA’s Promoter of the Year. She also earned recognition as the 2012 Horse World’s People’s Choice Instructor of the Year and reserve Instructor of the Year for 2013. Kraegel recognizes the importance of educating and introducing the public to the sport of equestrian and looks forward to promoting the competition worldwide.
Sarah Lawson (Rockport, Indiana), the assistant instructor at DeLovely Farm, brings her experience to the team as both an international competitor in the Saddle Seat Equitation discipline and a coach of champion riders. She has won classes including the UPHA National Pleasure Finals, Saddle & Bridle’s National Pleasure Medallion Finals, the National Pleasure Olympics, and she was the 17 year old World Champion Saddle Seat Equitation rider in 2009. Lawson looks forward to utilizing her leadership and teaching techniques to help create a cohesive and successful team.
Kent Swalla (Columbia, Missouri) is the owner of Glendale Stables LLC and has over twenty years of experience conducting one-on-one training sessions for riders. He was named the 2011 UPHA Chapter 5 Horsemen of the Year and the 2010 MHSA Horse Person of the Year. Most recently, Swalla received the 2013 UPHA Equitation Instructor of the Year award. As a USEF “R” Licensed judge, Swalla has officiated at prestigious events including the Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show and the Kentucky State Fair World Championship.
The 2015 Young Riders Team efforts are supported by USA Equestrian Trust and the United Professional Horsemen’s Association, and generous donors as listed on the Young Riders Teams website. To learn more about contributing to and supporting the 2015 Team efforts, go to www.usasaddleseatworldcup.org, or contact Lori Nelson, USEF Assistant Executive Director, National Affiliates, at [email protected].