About

Meet Laura – Recognized Senior judge – USEF “R” Judge

Laura Kelland-May is a familiar face on the show circuit for many years. She rode as a local hunter and jumper rider in the Ottawa Valley circuit and now officiates as a judge and steward.

Laura has over 20 years of judging experience ranging from training shows, one day regional shows as well as top rated national and international competitions.

Laura is a EC Senior Judge (Hunter, Jumper, Hack and Equitation), EC Senior Steward (Hunter, Jumper), USEF “R” (Hunter, Jumper, Equitation) and also officiates as Stadium Judge at Horse Trials and Events.

In addition to judging horse shows Laura is a Certified Level 2 Coach High performance trained and also travels as part of her Certified Equine Massage therapy business.

Why I do what I do

Hunter Judge
Laura Judging at a Horse Show

I am passionate about helping people ride and train their horses to reach their maximum potential. Horse showing is about the thrill of your ride, the excitement  of competing and the care and treatment of your horse.

Whether you ride once a week at your local stable or you travel distances to show at national or international shows, we all belong to the equestrian community and support one another in building our skills.

I help people get results from their horse, and identify solutions so equestrians can reach their potential. Be a part of the Thistle Ridge network and join with other like minded equestrians on their road to success.

 

Thistle Ridge Stables Blog

This is your ‘go to’ horse community think tank where you can share and discuss your solutions and develop new connections. We share tips on showing, training, business and marketing. I welcome your input, I encourage you to get involved. Please send your topics suggestions and recommendations in a comment below.

On a personal note…

I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I have credentials from the British Horse Society and Equine Canada. I back up those credentals with a ‘can do’ attitude and have spent several years successfully showing.

Now I spend my time as a Recognized Senior Horse Show Judge (Hunter, Jumper, Hack and Equitation). When I discuss common and unusual showing ‘techniques’ at yearly judges seminars, I get the comment “that will never happen” yet I have seen it happen.


I have been a featured guest of the Equestrian Movers and Shakers on How to Market Your Horse Business, Tweetchat on #horsechat, and admin on several  Facebook fan and business pages. My HunterJudge Twitter account was an International top 10 finalist in the Equestrian Social Media Awards.

Please Check out my Facebook Page – Thistle Ridge Skill Builders. I started the Thistle Ridge Skill Builders series to help riders, coaches and trainers develop their horse showing skill before heading out to a recognized show. Come see for yourself how you can know what the judge is lookin for and get the secret for having a good show.