POSITION: President

CANDIDATE: Lisa Simmons - oregon (incumbent)

How long have you been a member of the USLF?  Since 2007

Introduce yourself by giving a brief description of your journey with Lipizzans: 

My Lipizzan journey has been a compelling thread weaving through my life since the late 1990s. First riding and showing, which lead to breeding and importing, to my current favorite activity of spending time with my Lipizzans and watching how they touch hearts.  My family currently has four Lipizzans at our ranch in Oregon: two mares Alsea and Gabriola (ages 25 and 30) who have graced our barn for 22 years, a 20-year old gelding Siglavy Acatherina, and our newest family member 11-year old Siglavy Melodia 56-I, imported from the Spanish Riding School in January. Early on I felt compelled to volunteer for the breed in numerous ways and this has provided me exponential returns as I have had the pleasure of connecting with and meeting our Lipizzan community all over North America and Europe.

If asked by someone new to the breed "Why are you so passionate about Lipizzans?" what would you say? 

I grew up riding a variety of breeds including a Welsh Mountain Pony, multiple Appaloosas, a Quarter Horse, and a Thoroughbred. After college I would catch rides on various Warmbloods in my trainer’s barn. Then one day my trainer asked me to start riding a Lipizzan mare named Nikia. I was hooked. Her kindness, her sensitivity, her willingness, her in-tune-ness was unlike anything I had experienced even as a relatively green mare. 

As I continued to learn more about the breed, it became my family’s mission to contribute to the breed’s conservation.

Describe your volunteer and/or Committee experience, events, attended and time spent with the USLF:

I have had the privilege of volunteering in numerous areas of USLF over the last 15 years. Primary areas include serving as USLF President since in 2016, being active on the Registration Committee, Virtual Office Team, USLF Lipizzan News Committee, GSRBI Committee and helping to facilitate USLF Breed Evaluations. Previously I served a term as Director of USLR. Starting last fall, I’m working to develop international interconnectedness by serving as the VP of the Lipizzan International Federation (of which USLF is a member). 

What specific interests, skills, and talents will you bring to the position of director?

I think the greatest strength I bring to USLF is my ability to facilitate communications and build community - both on a national and international level. Over the last 20 years I have committed myself to learning about the Lipizzan breed and finding methods to further conservation. This is supported by my professional background as a Civil/Environmental Engineer. I have owned my own consulting firm since 1999 and understand the passion part of running the USLF as well as applying my business and analytical skills and experience.

If you could tell the world one thing about the USLF and our work with Lipizzans-what would it be?

USLF members inspire me! For such a small organization we have an incredibly large number of members who passionately volunteer their time and skills contributing to the mission: preserve, protect and promote the breed.