"Our mission is to encourage, promote, and advance the elegant art of side saddle riding through educational , practical, and competitive forums, and develop fellowship and sportsmanship through side saddle equestrian activites"

Danielle is the quintessential amateur owner and rider. As a full time Sales Manager, she balances her professional life with her “horsing around” time. Riding horses has always been a passion. Riding aside has combined her love for things equestrian, her competitive nature and her love of history. Danielle’s show ring experience includes several Zone 2 Hunter Champions and horses well ranked nationally. Her side saddle mounts have included “Naïve,” “Heartlight” and her current show horse “Count On Me.” Her horses have been awarded with many Championships or Reserve Championships including the Metropolitan National, the Pennsylvania National, the Washington International and Side Saddle at the USET.

Danielle resides in the Hudson Valley of New York State with her 4 American Thoroughbreds and 2 Labradors. She has undergraduate degrees from Colorado State University in Animal Science and French and an MBA from Fordham University. Her spare moments are devoted to collecting art and antiques with a specialty in sporting motifs.

Danielle served on the Board of Directors of Liberty Network for many years as its Vice President and Editor of “The Balance.” She also is LSSN’s affiliate representative for the USHJA, as well as on the Board of Directors of New England Aside.

Heidi has been riding Side Saddle for 27 years and has been an A grade instructor with the Side Saddle Association for 24 years.

She moved to the USA 6 years ago, after her marriage to Paul. They met whilst on a horse riding holiday in Peru. They now live in Rural Sussex County, New Jersey, with their 4 year old daughter Grace. They currently have 8 horses at home and 3 dogs.

Heidi has been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to be taught by some of the following Side Saddle Instructors in England: The Late Billette Mackie and Betty Skelton, and also Roger Philpott. All of these people being heavily involved in the instigation of the current Side Saddle Association. In 2008 Heidi attended the National Side Saddle Show in England, was Reserve Overseas Champion. In 2008 she also received a USEF Regional Professional Award.

Heidi prides herself on being an all rounder Side Saddle, having ridden most disciplines this way. She showed to the highest standard in the UK, and now hopes to show more in the next couple of seasons here in the US with her mare, Cavallo Grigio, whom she bought off the tack at Penn National. Grigio is now being slowly (as time allows between work and Child) re-educated to become a show horse.

Heidi also regularly, Hunts aside, with Spring Valley Hounds where, she is also the Honorary Secretary, Hunter pace, Trail ride etc.

Heidi encourages all to ride Aside to what ever level they are comfortable with and will help and enable them to become the best that they can be. She tries to create the most elegant picture that she can whilst maintaining the most secure seat possible and hopes to be able to promote Side saddle riding to a wider audience and encourage all aside riders to have fun and achieve their goals.

Photo courtsey of Janice Thompson

Arlene is an amateur rider with a diverse background including showing in A/O, Adult Hunter, Equitation Dressage over the last 25 years.

Her interest in riding side saddle developed when the Abington Hills Hunt established at a stable a few miles from her house in NE Pennsylvania. The Hunt Master’s mother had ridden side saddle for many years in Brooklyn, NY. Equipped with all the tack appointments generously shared by this woman, and a most wonderful mare named Terra Nova, Arlene was able to qualify for the National Horse Show her first year of riding aside.

Since then, riding aside has been her main focus, competing in many of the “A” shows in Zone 2. In addition, she has shown side saddle in dressage competitions, Hunter Trials Paper Chases, and a few parades thrown in, for fun.

Arlene owns operates a busy insurance agency in her spare time.

Jacqui is a third generation rider.  Initially riding hunters on Long Island where she grew up, when at college she rode with the Genesee Valley Hunt and discovered point-to-point racing.  She continued to hunt and started eventing after college. To improve her riding took some dressage lessons and having the opportunity to work with many clinicians and attending the early Violet Hopkins clinics provided a background in dressage.  Jacqui’s equestrian path has come full circle, with her 18h mare, Just Amy, she started riding last year with the Amwell Hunt.  

Jacqui is currently the Director of the Bucks County Horse Park in Revere, PA and coordinates 50 horse shows and events at the Park doing the year as well as supervising the maintenance of 25 miles of equestrian trails. 

The way she found herself involved with riding aside is through her daughter, Kathryn. Having found an old western side saddle in the attic of their old upstate NY house, Kathryn spent a year riding without stirrups and no balancing girth to try and learn. After attending a clinic at Liberty Side Saddle show with Heidi, she is now looking for a “real” sidesaddle to continue her education.

Fran has been around horses all her life, and, as she says, "that is a long time!" Fran has shown in many different classes, including in-hand classes. In her early years, she rode western. She was associated with the Windy Hollow Hunt for some time, where she whipped-in to the hounds and was on the Board of Directors.

Also, Fran held the office of President of the Hunt for two terms. Fran was one of the early founding members of the Orange County Dressage Association, served on the board as membership chairperson, and, from that position, moved up to Vice President. She became President when Nancy Lowey moved to Virginia and served two terms.

Recently, Fran has shown in the Pennsylvania breed shows in in-hand classes. She was ranked fourth in the Amateur Handler classes, and her horse Autumns Equinox (known around the barn as Knoxy) was Reserve Three Year Old in 2003.

©2004 by BHS Photography and used with permission.

Carolyn Penna has been involved with side saddle for about 10 years. She was a charter member of the Liberty Network when the organization was formed. Carolyn,s side saddle interests include saddle history and costume. She has written numerous articles on several phases of side saddle, and continues to actively support the sport. Carolyn is also very fond of the Canadian Horse, and promotes the breed at every opportunity. She has high hopes for her new horse, Homestead Bayard Noël as an all around pleasure horse and as her side saddle mount. Carolyn calls Belford NJ home, and lives with her husband Joe and son Justin, both of whom also have been involved with horses.

Shelly has returned as a trustee. She was one of the original Liberty Network founders, serving on its board for the first three years.

Through the years she has held positions with what were then both major Side Saddle groups in the US, ISSO and WSFI. She sat on the ISSO (International Side Saddle Organization) board of directors, served as ISSO membership chair, and was one time regional rep coordinator for WSFI (World Side Saddle Federation). As far as riding aside, she has placed in the ISSO top ten, is an ISSO certified Judge/Instructor, was granted a "B" instructor certificate by the SSA (Side Saddle Assoc. of the UK) and at some=2 0point in the foggy past, managed to finish third in U.S. in Ladies SS Hunters.

She's been riding aside, as a novelty, since childhood, but not in any 'educated' fashion. She says the equitation aspect entered her life about 20 years ago. Since then she's taken clinics and lessons with some noted side saddle instructors such as Audrey Bostwick of PA, and Roger Philpot, from the UK, trainer of multiple UK SS National Champions. Her current 'mission' is starter-clinics. She LOVES helping people get started aside.

Susan has lived in Bedminster, NJ and has ridden side saddle for approximately 10 years on Paso Finos.

Primarily riding in Parades and Sidesaddle Demonstrations, she began riding Susquehanna Magico (Mac) in 1999. They traveled from NJ to Milwaukee, WI to ride in the Great Circus Parade in 2001, 2002 and 2003. They have ridden in many local July 4th, Memorial Day and other small town Parades as well as Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Parades and the loudest parade of all, the NYC Puerto Rican Day Parade, twice.

When Mac passed in 2006, Susan adopted a rescue Paso Fino, named Oscar. Oscar is 20+ years old with a few health issues. Like Mac, Oscar is a sweet guy. He likes parades and trail rides. They started side saddle in 2007, riding in small demonstrations and will continue to learn together. She hopes to have the confidence to ride Oscar in Parades, aside, in 2009.

Susan is active in many other horse organizations including:

• Somerset County Horse & Pony Association (NJ) - President
• Hunterdon County Horse & Pony Association (NJ) - Vice President
• NJ Horse Council - Corresponding Secretary
• NJ Equine Advisory Board- Gladstone Equestrian Association Representative
• Mason Dixon Paso Fino Horse Association - Breed Ambassador for NJ
• Paso Fino Horse Association - Life Member

Committee Member -

• Hunterdon Horse XPO
• D&R Canal 175th Anniversary- Horse Representative
• East Coast Greenway- Horse Representative

Photo Credit: Oscar and Susan at Fosterfields (NJ) at Side Saddle Day

Photo by John Samtak.

Maureen Kearney holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science Degrees in Elementary Education. She retired from teaching four years ago.

A member of the now defunct Abington Hills Hunt Club, she indulged her interest in riding to the hounds.

She has owned two horses, and ridden countless others here and abroad. A yearly autumn trip to the Virginia Hunt Country keeps her riding skills sharp.

It is with great pleasure that she will serve as the Recording Secretary of the Liberty Side Saddle Network.

Dianne "Dede" Parisi graduated from Colorado State University with a BS degree in Health & Physical Education. She taught physical education for 8 years while still working at Hasty Acres.

Dede's parents started Hasty Acres Stable when she was 9 years old, by purchasing 11 lesson horses and taking in boarders. Today, there are 42 horses, 140 students a week, and a very rewarding handicap riding program. Having a family business provided Dede with the opportunity to work in all capacities of the business, making her a well-rounded person in the horse world.

Dede has had many horses in her career, and showing was always a big part of her life. Nothing seemed to be as rewarding as what she achieved riding side saddle, however. After purchasing her first side saddle from a classified ad, and after 7 weeks of self-teaching, Dede went to her first aside horse show - the Middlesex County Horse Show. From there, it was continuing success and reward. Dede credits a good part of her advancement to the guidance, training and support of fellow Liberty Network board member Kit Roszko, which led her and her horse Senator Mickey to win 7 USEF Zone 2 awards and 2 USEF national awards. As Dede says, "So many great experiences and other awards to numerous to mention, have come from just changing my saddle!"

Photo by Carolyn Penna

Roger is well known as a leading international sidesaddle instructor, and has produced the Sidesaddle Rider of the Year in England for the last 14 years. His home base is Pittern Hill Stables, in Warwickshire, UK (http://www.pitternhillstables.co.uk). He frequently travels to the US and to the European continent to conduct sidesaddle clinics and give instruction. He is a class A instructor for SSA, as well as a past chair of SSA, and past chair of the Judge Examination and Training Board. Roger's specialties include saddle fitting, with emphasis on improvement of the rider, and sidesaddle jumping.

The photo of Roger during down time at a side saddle clinic is by Carolyn Penna.