Magnolia Run Equestrian Center is excited to welcome Melanie Conley into an expanded head trainer role. Mel has been working with MREC for some time as a part-time trainer and expanded her role several months ago to also oversee our equine care management. Mel has over thirty years of experience as a professional hunter jumper trainer on the local and A rated show circuits throughout New England and along the East Coast. She has guided her students and their horses to championships at prestigious venues such as Vermont Summer Festival, Fairfield June Benefit Show, HITS Saugerties, HITS Ocala, and more. Mel also brings two new capabilities to Magnolia Run with her well known reputation for starting and training horses, as well as her experience with Liberty work. We will be partnering with Mel to expand into full training board, rehab board, and liberty work options (truck-ins and in house). We are pleased to have several trainers working with Mel who also offer experience in young horse development which will allow for individualized training, rehab, and nutrition programs.
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Naomi Haney, TrainerNaomi is a life long horsewoman who grew up both riding and working at farms in CT. Her love for horses set her on a path to explore all types of equine experiences from western, gymkhana, saddle seat, driving, hunter pacing and endurance before finding her now favorite, the hunter jumper world.
Naomi also brings past experiences in horse rehabilitation, breeding and foaling, yearlings, sales, racetrack groom, a completed 2-year blacksmith apprenticeship which all build into her work as part of our training, rehab, and commissions offerings. Her partnership with her horse Valhalla has taken her from cross rails to showing in the 3’. Currently, she is bringing along her new 5 year old Czech warmblood, Michelangelo. The pairing made early appearances on the A circuit in late 2023 and is looking forward to the summer circuit. We cannot wait to see where this partner ship brings her! Naomi is an animal lover in every sense of the word, but horses have always been her passion! She’s educated, patient, and her warm demeanor creates a safe environment whether you’re learning to ride, brushing up on some old skills, looking to step up or into the show ring. |
Shannon Gorsky, Trainer & IEA Assistant Coach Shannon Gorsky has been riding for nearly 20 years and began showing at small schooling shows at a young age. At age 12, she began showing in the IEA, qualifying for regionals almost every year until she graduated high school. In 2017, while representing IEA Zone 1 as their Youth Board Representative at the IEA National Finals, she placed 1st in the Holy Innocents Horsemanship Test for Upper School riders and also placed 3rd in the practical horsemanship test. She has been showing on the local rated circuits for the past many years and has competed at CHJA Finals, CHSA Finals, as well as the New England Equitation Championships. She graduated from Stonehill College in May 2021 with a major in business management and a minor in entrepreneurship. She was also a captain of their Varsity Equestrian team. Having spent the past few years as Magnolia's summer program coordinator, she is currently looking forward to joining MREC as a trainer as well as the assistant coach for the IEA team.
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Michelle Lewis, TrainerMichelle joined us after her graduation from UConn in 2013 where she got her bachelors in Animal Science with a concentration in Equine Science and a minor in Equine Business Management. Michelle grew up on a horse farm in Vermont where she raised miniature horses, trail rode and did gymkhana and more recently began jumping and driving. Michelle teaches both hunt seat and western lessons and enjoys giving people positive first experiences with horses and riding. Her passion is starting young horses for both riding and driving.
Jen Potamianos, Instructor & Summer Program CoordinatorJen Potamianos has been with Magnolia Run for several years, first as a client and now in the role of stable manager, beginner instructor, and summer program coordinator.. Jen particularly enjoys giving kids a positive first experience with horses. which is what makes the summer riding program so enjoyable! Jen is an active rider at Magnolia who has been working with several different equine partners to continually grow her time in the saddle and to build on her show experience.
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