BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2022-23

Mrs Jane Williams

Chair
chair@abrs-info-org

Jane is a Chartered Director and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and has worked over 30 years in global business, specialising in business and people transformation. Jane became Acting Chair of the ABRS+ in 2019, and the confirmed Chair in 2021. Jane is a regular speaker at professional forums, press contributor and qualified coach. Jane attained her BHSAI in 1982 and previously competed regularly for the Langshot Riding Club in dressage and show jumping, and in Affiliated Dressage to Medium level. Alongside a love of horses, she has a great interest in politics, sport and the arts.

Air Cdre George Baber OBE RAF (Rtd) BSc

Director of Member Services and Operations
george.baber@abrs-info-org

George deals with our member applications, licensing and support. He holds a Diploma in Business Administration (Institute of Directors) and a Bachelor of Science (BSc). George is an established business development director responsible for strategic business and marketing planning, and previously served in the RAF for many years including team leadership and project management roles.

Mrs Carolyn Fiddes CMIIA, QIAL, BA (Hons)

Treasurer
accounts@abrs-info.org

Carolyn is an experienced qualified internal auditor and former Council Member of The Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors. She has significant global corporate leadership as Director of Audit, Risk and Control working in major Financial Services organisations.

Carolyn came to riding late in life. When not working, she enjoys riding and spending time with her horses with occasional competing through local riding clubs and unaffiliated events. Also supporting her daughter in her equestrian career. She is keen to ensure riding is more accessible with good quality teaching and support available.

Mrs Debbie Parker

Coaching Co-ordinator
coaching@abrs-info.org

Debbie has been the proprietor of Santolina Stables in Berkshire, a riding centre specialising in teaching children, since she opened it in 1990.  Debbie holds various equestrian qualifications and is currently undertaking her CIEC Coach levels to provide ABRS coaching in the future.

Mrs Julie Pedley BHS AI

Competitions and Test League Coordinator

Julie holds the ABRS Teaching Certificate, Principal’s Diploma and is also a BHS AI. Together with her husband, son and daughter she runs Follifoot Park Riding Centre in Yorkshire. It is also home to Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group and Follifoot Park Young Riders Club.

Mrs Paula Leverton

Equine Education Coordinator

With a lifelong passion for horses, Paula has been the proprietor of Four Winds Equitation Centre in Lincolnshire in since 1980 and has served as an ABRS Trustee since 2000. She is a Level 4 coach, Assessor and BHS Riding and Road safety assessor. Having competed successfully at novice and intermediate eventing, Paula now focuses on dressage.

Mrs Carol Boulton BHS SM

Riding Centre Liaison Officer (Europe)

With almost 50 years’ experience in the equestrian industry, Carol has attained the level of BHSSM, level 3 Coach and Assessor as well as being a Ride With Your Mind ™ Accredited Coach. Carol is proprietor of Russells Equestrian Centre in Hampshire which she established in 1974 and is a very experienced teacher of clients with special needs. Carol has also been a local councillor for over 20 years, serving on many planning committees.

Ms Rudina Suti EMBA

Marketing Trustee

Rudina is a Co-Founder and Director of Minerva Venture, a VC investing in women founders and entrepreneurs. She has an extensive experience of marketing leadership in the UK luxury consumer area and has also lectured on Luxury Brand Management at among others, at Goldsmiths University in London. Educated to primary and secondary level in Athens, she went on to obtain two degrees in Edinburgh, respectively an Honours degree in Marketing Management and a BA degree in Business and later an MBA at the University of Oxford. Rudina has also been serving as a project manager for the EU in relation to their strategies and support for the Western Balkans and as a senior government adviser.

NON-BOARD TEAM MEMBERS

Mrs Sue Beasey

Projects and Training Manager

Sue is an administrator, specialising in HR, in various industries for more than forty years, including 15 years working in the corporate world responsible for a team designing and delivering training courses globally. Many of you will be familiar with Sue having previously been our main administrator and Membership Manager.  Sue is now our Projects and Training Manager and will be developing our offerings of Certificates in Equestrian Coaching.  Sue will also be the main contact for our Spring Conference and membership renewals process.

Membership Manager

Janice Hawkins

Members Support Officer

Janice has joined the team and will be in the office for a few hours each week.  She is mainly dealing with the fulfillment of Test and Rosette orders, CIEC portfolios, setting up new members and learning all about the ABRS+.

She has many years of experience running livery and competition yards and equally as many office based as a Support Manager for a food ingredient company. 

Mrs Debbie Melville

Independent Quality Assessor (CIEC)

Debbie is an accredited freelance coach, coach educator, lead assessor, quality assurer and mentor for the ABRS+, the British Horse Society (BHSI) as well as British Eventing, the Pony Club and British Dressage She works with riders and coaches across all disciplines from novice to advanced, whilst having a particular interest in eventing, being a National Steward for BE Events. For over 25 years she was also a part-time Lecturer at Plumpton College.  In 2016 she completed the rigorous British Equestrian Federation UKCC Level 4, going on to complete a Master’s Degree in Professional Sports Coaching. She is very pleased to be involved with promoting Coach training, qualification and quality assurance within the ABRS+. She is based near Lewes in East Sussex.

PRESIDENTS AND VICE PRESIDENTS OF THE ABRS+

Julian Marczak

President

Julian was the co-proprietor and Chief Instructor of Suzanne’s Riding School in Harrow for many years, and now run Kings Barn Equestrian in West Sussex. He is a keen horseman, experienced trainer and a published equestrian author on the subject of teaching and training techniques. He is a Fellow of the Association (FABRS), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), ABRS Principal’s Diploma and Licentiate of City & Guilds (LCGI). As well as a career with horses, Julian works in the charity world and is a partner of a fundraising consultancy. His other passion is music and a number of his compositions have been performed by professional orchestras.

FELLOWS OF THE ABRS+

Mrs Tina Layton-Elliott