I first became a member of ERAHC in 1996 after the purchase of my Alter Real Lusitano/Hanoverian cross mare Karma DF. I later bred her to Linda Denniston’s stallion, Jalifa GS, and have a lovely mare out of the pairing. I had been an exhibitor at the Virginia show for many years and was asked to be on the Board. I eventually became vice president for two terms before taking a sabbatical to focus on my young children. While taking a break from showing I still wanted to meet up with my friends and volunteered to serve as the Ring Steward at both the Virginia and New England shows and have done so for many years now. In that role I got to meet more wonderful owners, trainers, and officials.

I have a degree in Computer Science/Meteorolgy and was a software engineer for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NOAA, and IBM. Horses and riding were my escape from the cerebral world of computers. I started in the hunter/jumper world with my off the track thoroughbred and was introduced to the Andalusian world through a friend who owned one. I became enamored with the breed and left the world of jumping for French Classical Dressage.

Not only do I love this breed but I’ve also enjoyed the people I’ve met through them. It didn’t matter what our political views were, our backgrounds, or beliefs. What connected all of us was this very special horse. Our love of this breed united us to seek knowledge, preserve their history, and enjoy the richness they have brought into our lives.

Sarah is located outside of Boston, MA.  She is totally emersed in the world of Iberian horses. She enjoys raising, and developing young horses and is also involved in rehabilitation. Sarah has several P.R.Es, some of which she competes at amateur status. By day, she and her husband run a busy veterinary clinic. She is committed to the breed and has recently taken on the responsibility of Club Secretary.  ERAHC is proud to have her on board.   

Lisa Diersen is an avid equestrian, she has spent her life in the company of horses. Riding since she could sit in a saddle Diersen has a great appreciation for all types of equestrian disciplines. She is the Founder and Director of the EQUUS Film Festival. The EFF empowers storytellers to show the rich history and diverse tapestry of horses in human culture through equestrian content, film, art and literature. The EQUUS Film Festival is the first film festival oriented around equestrian themed content from all over the world that also travels the world. Screening feature films, documentaries, shorts, music videos, commercials, training educational materials, art and literary, covering all equestrian disciplines, creating a home for the storytellers of the horse world. 

EQUUS Film Festival ON DEMAND is a broadcast channel for all people who love horses, for all equestrians and equine professionals, giving those involved in the equestrian industry, an opportunity to share their story to a growing global audience. Created for Horse Lovers… by Horse Lovers!   Lisa is passionate about the education and enlightenment of others to the wonderful world of horses and everything they can do to enrich our lives. 

With a background in engineering and construction management, she has a wide based ability to get projects up and running. She is a published equine author with many articles to her credit. Diersen spent the early part of her career with General Motors in engineering, then moving into the subdivision development and home/barn building market, before returning to her first love….... working with horses! She spends her time, when not promoting equestrian film, having fun promoting the new equestrian sport of Working Equitation and raising and training Lusitano horses and spending time with her faithful Jack Russell Terrier, Amore, the silver stallion love of her life, Urano VO and the herd.   

Suzette King: As a heritage native of the oldest city (St Augustine, FL) in the United States with deep Spanish and Mediterranean cultural roots, I have always been an admirer of horses and especially the Spanish ones. I saw my first Andalusian horses in Costa Rica in the late '70s and have been a continuing fan ever since. 

Suzette is particularly drawn to the traditional Baroque disciplines, i.e., doma vaquera and doma classica.  
Suzette has over 10 years professional experience in the horse industry, including breed association management and TB training and sales facilities as well as a master's degree in communications with a specialty in horse management, she brings an ability to understand the complex audience of equine enthusiasts and highlight the importance of communications to reach organizational goals.

Tina Cristiani Veder is the co-creator of The Baroque Equestrian Games & Institute with Bruno Gonzalez. From 1986-2000, her farm Caballos de Cristiani was an acclaimed breeding and training facility, selling champion Iberian horses for competitive dressage to many top riders in North America, Europe, and Australia, including several US Dressage Team members and 3 Olympians for their clients. She retired her breeding operation in 2000 to form New Dawn Equestrian, LLC. and concentrate on training and teaching.

Tina studied under three generations of the famous Konyot family, as well as other noted European Classical trainers of the last century. Steeped in the principles of Classical riding and training, she shares her passion through articles and teaching, along with exhibitions showcasing the upper levels of balance and collection. Her special focus is in helping riders attain the elegance and effectiveness of the Classical seat.

I and my husband Joe own a small horse farm near Catoctin mountains (home of Presidents’ retreat Camp David) in Maryland. We bred Lusitanos for ten or more years and owned two great stallions. Jalifa GS a gray and Tonico Do Top a chestnut. Jalifa was a great breeding horse and son of the famous Portuguese bull fight stallion, Zimbro II. Tonico was a famous Grand Prix horse, who was trained and shown by Felicitas von Neuman-Cosel.

My contributions for ERAHC are the following:

ERAHC’s secretary for one year

ERAHC’s president for two years

Show Manager for ERAHC’s dressage shows both in New England and Virginia for several years

Show Manager for ERAHC’s breed shows both in New England and Virginia for several years

From 1995, my wife Alice and I owned and operated a beautiful 30 acre farm in Frederick, MD. We enjoyed our Andalusian and Azteca horses. We showed at ERAHC shows and rode for pure pleasure.  After retiring from my day job, I decided to pursue photography and have been travelling around doing  horse shows and farm shoots for the past 15 yrs.   I became ERAHC's photographer in 2013 and have been involved with ERAHC ever since. In 2023 Ive taken on the role of the club's Treasurer. I keep busy in the off season riding my iron horse Harley Davidson as much as I can.

Suzanne Kopp-Moskow grew up in Wisconsin and is a non-practicing lawyer who found the wonder of horses about 12 years ago. As child she loved horses but was unable to have experience with them because of a medical birth defect.  As she approached her 50th birthday, she decided to take her childhood back and she bought Hercules, a Lusitano foal. Her initial goal was to use Hercules as a therapy horse and quickly learned that he was pivotal in the healing of her inner child from what she faced as a young person.

Given this relationship with Hercules, Suzanne created a children's book character, Li'L Herc, whose mission is to spread messages of healing, kindness and laughter for folks of all ages. The Li'L Herc Horsin' Around Series has been softly launched and more books are in the works. She also has created the Li'L Herc Hobby Horse Working Equitation Academy to introduce kids to the discipline of Working Equitation.

Suzanne also has experience in the non-profit world through her role as a Trustee of the Brain Research Foundation, which she joined following the death of her first husband who died of a rare brain disease. After his death she also embarked on creating and managing a patient facilitation program for the University of Chicago to help individuals facing difficult medical situations. She is very task oriented and, in her career, dealt with a wide array of personalities and varying initiatives, sometimes competing.

Suzanne also formed and spearheaded The Chicago Horse Center of America, the goal of which was to repurpose the General Jones Amory on the south side of Chicago that could house various non-profits for the community (e.g., education, sports, arts).  
Dedication and commitment are very important to Suzanne. She enjoys being involved in causes she believes strongly in, which is now horses. She has learned a lot about the Iberian breeds and has traveled to Portugal several times and to southern Spain. Two years ago, she welcomed an approved PRE gelding, named Nimbus de Mythos.

Suzanne and her husband, and her two dogs, split their time between Palm Beach Gardens, FL and Chicago, IL.
 

Dressage trainer and instructor, Patricia Norcia, owns and operates Idlenot Farm in Connecticut. Trained in Spain and the United States, Patricia is certified by the British Horse Society and the American Riding Instructors’ Association. She trains and instructs in the French classical style; and, while she works with horses of any breed, her passion is for the Iberian horse, the Andalusian and the Lusitano.

Patricia is also an accomplished actress and stage director. An acting graduate of the Yale School of Drama, she was introduced to tai chi as part of the required curriculum. She has performed on and off Broadway, in television, and in films. She has also taught breathing and spinal alignment classes at Yale, Columbia, and Rutgers Universities.

Originally from Rome, Italy, Patricia’s love for the horse, dance, and theater has created a diverse career that has allowed her to travel extensively. Closer to her Connecticut home, Patricia has performed with the company Dancing with Horses, an exhibition group that combines modern dancers on the ground with horses, either ridden or at liberty. She also recently created and choreographed her own Idlenot Quadrille that has performed at various events throughout New England.  She recently produced the opera "Carmen" featuring the Iberian horse and is on the Board overseeing the educational component of the Connecticut Dressage Association.