Andrea Hails

Horse: TS Winchester
Level: EA Novice Dressage Rider
Location: Terrey Hills, NSW

Andrea is a passionate horsewoman and horses have been part of her life, in a multitude of ways, for over 45 years. She is currently training her super talented Warmblood X gelding TS Winchester (aka Bentley) at Elementary/Medium Level, competing at Novice Level.

As a naturally competitive person, Andrea’s primary focus while working with Dressage Plus is to learn how to overcome her self-confessed demons; perfectionism, fear of failure and the very popular “imposter syndrome”.

Andrea’s belief in better self-awareness and willingness to absorb new ways of learning will help her unpick and learn how to overcome her psychological riding roadblocks.  She is determined to use the skills she learns as part of the Dressage Plus team to create a new toolkit that she can constantly access in her everyday riding and help achieve her goals in 2025 & beyond.

Welcome to the Dressage Plus team Andrea!

Fiona Barker

Horse: Borderview Morocco, Penrhos Gamble, Remi Cruise
Level: EA Prelim & YH 5yo Dressage Rider
Location: Cranbourne South, VIC

Fiona is a busy woman, with three horses, a son and a full-time job with a long commute funding her riding dreams!

Borderview Morocco (AKA Rif) is Fiona’s talented 5yr old WB gelding and currently her main focus in her training. With the goal to work through young horse training and development, improve her competition mindset and get him out competing by the end of the year.

With Fiona’s biggest strength being her ability to commit and set her heart to something, I know she has it within her to find her competition confidence and support Rif into his competition career.

Welcome to the Dressage Plus team Fiona!

Liane Mitchell

Horse: Celestino
Level: EA 80cm HT, 95cm SJ & Prelim/Novice Dressage Rider
Location: Alexandra, VIC

Liane is a passionate rider who enjoys both the thrill of jumping and the precision of Dressage. With her talented horse, Celestino (AKA Tana), she’s competed across Eventing, Showjumping, and Dressage, always bringing determination and a love of learning to the arena.

An EA-accredited coach, Liane also runs her own workshops through Freedom Valley Equestrian. You can see her upcoming clinics on her Facebook page.

I’ve had the pleasure of coaching Liane over the past few years, and her commitment to self-reflection and growth makes her a standout rider. In 2025, she’s focusing on her journey in consolidating herself in the levels she is riding in and through her coaching, helping riders achieve their own goals.

Welcome to the Dressage Plus team, Liane!

Margie Hepner

Horse: Furstenlight K
Level: EA Prelim Dressage Rider
Location: Somerville, VIC

Margie is a dedicated rider with a love for both learning and building a deeper partnership with her horse. She’s currently training her beautiful 6-year-old Warmblood gelding, Furstenlight K (AKA Fergus), and together they’ve already had an impressive start, achieving a 4th place with 74% in their first competition.

Margie’s biggest challenge is staying out of her own head and believing she is “good enough”—but she’s determined to break through these mindset blocks in 2025. Her goals this year include competing consistently at Preliminary level, training towards higher movements, and riding at the Victorian Dressage Festival by the end of the year.

Passionate about both growth and connection, Margie describes riding as her “happy spot” and loves the endless opportunities horses give us to learn and improve. She is committed to working on her mindset and riding skills so she and Fergus can continue to progress as a team.

Welcome to the Dressage Plus team, Margie!

Natalie Waters

Horse: Freemans Lodge Daiya
Level: HRCAV Level 3 & EA Prelim Pony Dressage Rider
Location: Walmer, VIC

After losing her confidence in riding and feeling stuck at the same level for too long, Natalie came across the beautiful German Riding Pony, Freemans Lodge Daiya (AKA Daisy), in late 2023.

In just a short time together, Natalie and Daisy have made remarkable progress. They began their EA journey in June 2024 and quickly rose to success, earning the title of top-scoring Preliminary Pony in Australia for 2024. Currently, they are leading the scoreboard for 2025!

Beyond being a passionate rider, Natalie is a creative soul with a passion for equestrian art. She is a talented painter, specialising in equestrian portraits, and has recently launched her new business, Capall Equestrian. Her brand offers beautifully designed Dressage stocks and competition tops.

If you love stylish and high-quality competition attire, be sure to check out her products on her Facebook page, Capall Equestrian.

Welcome to the Dressage Plus team, Natalie!

Priscilla Blackadder

Horse: Ribbleton Fürst Whisper (Fendi), Glenhill Silver Lining (Doug), Glenhill Fairytale (Fairytale)
Level: EA Medium Dressage Rider
Location: Kyneton, VIC

Priscilla is a lifelong rider with a true passion for producing horses from foal to FEI, building not just skill but an unshakable bond along the way. Her current team includes her 12-year-old homebred Ribbleton Fürst Whisper (AKA Fendi), who is competing Medium and training PSG, as well as her two promising 4-year-olds, Doug and Fairytale, who will be stepping into their first Prelim and Young Horse classes towards the end of the year.

Like many dedicated riders, Priscilla has battled her share of “imposter syndrome” and perfectionist tendencies, often doubting if she’s “good enough” despite her decades of experience and hard work. She’s been working on shifting this mindset, and 2025 is all about self-belief, staying present, and enjoying the journey as she returns to the competition arena.

Her goals this year include taking Fendi out at Medium/Advanced, building strong foundations with Doug and Fairytale, and—most importantly—focusing on mindset growth to ride with confidence and clarity.

Priscilla’s journey is a reminder to all riders that mindset can be just as powerful as the hours we put in the saddle.

Welcome to the Dressage Plus team, Priscilla!

Steph Halligan

Horse: Bonsai New Lace
Level: EA Elementary Pony Dressage Rider
Location: Seville, VIC

Steph is a former show horse rider who made the switch to Dressage in 2019, and she’s never looked back! She’s currently out competing with her super talented 6-year-old German Riding Pony, Bonsai New Lace (AKA Nala).

In just two short years, Steph has taken Nala from the 4-year-old classes to competing at Elementary level. They’ve had plenty of success along the way, and, more importantly, have grown together as a team.

One of Steph’s biggest challenges in the competition arena has been staying focused after small mistakes. In the past, a minor error would sometimes lead to test errors or a spiral of overthinking. That’s why her performance goal for 2025 is to stay more present in the moment, learning to let go of what’s happened and ride forward with confidence.

Cross-training is also a big part of Steph’s routine. She enjoys beach rides, pole classes, and even takes Nala out on the cross-country course. These varied experiences are all helping to build a well-rounded partnership as she works towards her long-term goal of climbing the EA levels.

Welcome to the Dressage Plus team, Steph!

Melissa Taafe

Horse: Revelwood Martini
Level: FEI Small Tour Dressage Rider
Location: Warragul, VIC

Melissa is one of the most passionate Dressage riders and horse owners I know! She is currently competing and training her 16yr old Warmblood gelding, Revelwood Martini (AKA Marti) in the FEI Small Tour.

Successfully qualifying and competing at the Victorian Dressage Festival every year since 2012, and multiple Australian Dressage Championships, Melissa always strives to qualify and compete at the Australian and Victorian CDI’s and Championships.

After an especially difficult year in 2024 losing her beautiful up-and-coming young horse, Melissa’s 2025 goals are to work through the heartache and learn how to establish new riding dreams, While also working towards progressing toward Medium Tour with Marti. She will also be focusing on developing and fostering her bond with her two new foals, Blue & Squiggles.

Melissa has a very high level of commitment, enthusiasm, and passion for Dressage. She is very driven and motivated, always striving to achieve her best.

This is why this will be Mel’s eleventh year in a row on the Dressage Plus Sponsored Riders team. Mel is exactly the type of rider I love working with and watching grow!