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Not only does Melanie ride, but she also sponsors dressage shows, including the $5,000 Canaan Ranch Pas de Deux at the EEMI Dressage show

As well as owning winners Gucci, Floriano, Donates, and Ikaros in the FEI ring, and many winning horses at the lower levels, Melanie has also won a few USEF “Breeder of the Year” awards.

During the 2010 show season, Devotion, Declaration, and Fuertin Tina CR made successful debuts in the training and frst level divisions. Donates and Ikaros showed at Grand Prix and Intermediaire.

Devotion, Pai’s favorite ride, a 6 year old by Donates, was recently sold to John and Amy Schaff of Davidson, NC; Declaration (by Donates) to hunter rider Edna “Issy” Kelly, who with trainer Paul Valliere, is in love with the fve year old’s disposition, movement, and personality; and yearling Fuente de Mar (Fluersco x Love Tale) to Mason Dixon, LLC.

“Now, I have two FEI horses being ridden by Lynda Alicki and I’m ready to turn my focus back to the international FEI ring,” Melanie explains. “Ikaros is my Danish Warmblood Grand Prix horse that we are hoping to campaign successfully for a spot on the 2012 Olympic team in London. Donates is my Oldenburg stallion who Lynda has been showing successfully for the last 3 years. Lynda and Donates are currently getting ready to campaign for a place on the 2011 US Pan American Games Team,” Melanie says.

Her outlook on life is inspiring. She has been through the roughest times one can go through as a parent, and still believes that “dreams are what life is about. I have achieved many of my dreams and am working on achieving many more of them.”