Feel free to contact our board by email board@southerntrailriders.org
The general membership is invited to attend quarterly board meetings. Although members cannot vote on official matters, your opinions and input are welcome and encouraged. If you would like to attend a board meeting, please call one of the STA officers or board members to confirm the meeting location.
Meet Our Board Members
Fortunately for me, my mom was horse crazy too so it was 2 against one and dad lost. They borrowed a 30-year-old sway-back Quarter Horse named 7-Bar from friends and that’s who I learned to ride bareback on at the ripe old age of 6. I’d crawl up on him any way I could and be gone riding all day on the weekends and any time I could get away from my chores. Mom bought my first horse when I was 9, (that’s a whole story in itself) and my first saddle a couple years later. I can still hear Dad saying, “We need a horse like we need a hole in the head.” We ended up with 14 horses at one point. It didn’t take long before Mom (of course), Dad and all my siblings were riding too. I’ve had horses ever since and will have them till I can no longer take care of them.
I’ve been in 4H, competed in gymkhanas, competitive trail rides, endurance races, southeastern rodeo circuit barrel racing, member of and competed in National Barrel Horse Association, flag bearer in rodeo grand entries, worked cattle as a summer job growing up, and of course miles and miles of trail riding. In south Florida, I was a member of, and later a board member and newsletter editor for, the Jupiter Horseman’s Association. During my membership, I helped coordinate a 25-50 Competitive Trail Ride. In my younger years, I even trained horses to both saddle and harness, I’m now
leaving that up to folks with bones that heal faster than mine. I moved to north Florida in 1992 and joined the Gadsden County Horseman’s Association and Southern Trailriders Association. As a member of STA, I served as newsletter editor and general board member and after a 10-year absence from STA, I’m back.
Looking forward to many more miles of trails, camping, and laughter with good friends that have similar horse crazy minds.
Sue and her husband, Frank, moved to Tallahassee in 1983, after completing BA degrees in Management at Eckerd College. She worked as a lobbyist for Progress Energy Florida and soon recognized the need and opportunity for equestrian public trails. The FL Recreational Trails Council was created by law in DEP and Sue was appointed and served on it for 11 years. She was the first elected Chairperson of the council and she helped develop trail standards for the construction and maintenance of passive trails in Florida. At this same time, Sue was instrumental in the formation of Southern Trailriders Association and was elected President, a post she held for seven years. Sue was then appointed to the 40-member Greenways Commission by Governor Chiles. The commission unanimously recommended that the governor and the legislature create a greenways and trails system throughout Florida with Preservation 2000 funds to protect endangered flora and fauna in the state. Sue then served on the 23-member Greenways Coordinating Council and developed guidelines and policies for all land-buying agencies in Florida so the greenways and trails vision would become reality. When this was completed, Sue was appointed to the FL Agriculture Center & Horse Park Authority and later the Friends of Florida State Forests.
Sue is now retired and devotes her time to representing STA trail riders in the promotion, development and maintenance of public horse trails. She lives near Miccosukee with her husband, two dogs and three horses.
Working for the German automotive company Bosch as a mechanical engineer brought me to Charleston, South Carolina, from Germany in 2001 and I called South Carolina my home until moving to Tallahassee in 2018. Fortunately my neighbor quickly introduced me to her horsey friends and that way I met Sue Noyes who introduced me to STA. Being a member since 2019, I have enjoyed riding the trails in and around Tallahassee immensely. My current mount is a tall spirited Paint/TB cross and he is a big mover – that said, he wants to be in front when it comes to riding in a bigger group. Besides trail riding I am passionate about dressage and have participated in several local shows.
I live East of Tallahassee on a small mini farm with my partner, four horses, three dogs and two cats. I am currently raising two young horses, one QH and one warmblood. And soon you will see me and my partner joining you either on foot or mounted on green horses on the trails!
Becoming a board member for STA was the logical step for me in order to support the trails in and around Tallahassee through the work of this wonderful group!
When she’s not spending time with the horses, she works as the office manager for an environmental consulting firm in Tallahassee. She was a member of Leon County Horseman’s Association, served on the Association’s Board of Directors, served as Treasurer and showed horses in the gaited classes.
Sharon has been a member of the Southern Trailriders since 1996 and has recently joined the Board of Directors, hoping to help STA continue their mission of developing new trails and maintaining existing ones, along with developing a local campground for horse enthusiasts. Sharon and her Tennessee Walker, Cricket, have been riding partners for 16 years and hope to continue riding many more together.
local western show circuit, where we also taught ourselves to ride hunt seat to get one more pointed class (circa mid-1970s). I switched to Arabians after high school, often riding my Arabian gelding Ibn from home out into the ANF Vinzant Trails. I added Paso Finos in 2007. I currently have two Arabians and two Paso Finos.
My “heart horse” was Carbonero Sin Par, a Paso Fino gelding. He came to me as a “problem horse” who “never walked on a trail ride”. We did trail riding, horse shows, exhibitions at the Red Hills Horse Trials and Mission San Luis, worked a few cows and finally tried endurance riding – BINGO! Carby was a rock star of a horse, whose motto was “time to go!” as soon as your foot hit the stirrup. We earned the 2015 AERC SE Region Limited Distance High Mileage Award. I lost him to colic in January of 2016. I still miss him every day.
My current riding horse is Katmandu del Cardo, a flashy, high drama, pinto Paso Fino gelding. I had hoped he would be my next endurance horse but it didn’t work out for him. He is a lot of fun to ride on our local trails although never a dull moment.
I joined STA in March of 2017, feeling that I should support the Association as it creates and maintains most of the trails I enjoy riding on. The longer I serve on the Board (this is my second turn at Newsletter Editor), the more important I realize STA is in advocating to create and maintain the equestrian trails in our area.
I’m currently the STA liaison for the Lake Talquin State Forest, primarily the Ft Braden trails. I try to participate in as many state forestry meetings as possible, to continue to advocate for not only equestrian trails, but GREAT locations for equestrian trails.
I’m a retired graphic artist, with four cats as well as the four horses. I frequently bore my riding companions with plant trivia along the trail.
I am a native of Puerto Rico where the Paso Fino breed has its foundation. When I was growing up I watched horse shows and the usual “Cavalgatas” held on Sundays afternoon in the town where my dad had a coffee and sugar cane plantation. My dream came true on my 13th birthday when my dad gifted me with an old chestnut mare which I named Nina. I rode Nina during my teenage years in the beautiful mountains of the island. But I soon got involved in sports, academics and then married life and took a 33 years hiatus from horse ownership.
My family moved to Tallahassee in 1985 to pursue graduate school. We fell in love with the Panhandle and soon became homeowners in the Tallahassee area. We moved to Crawfordville in early 2000 to a 5 acres property which we now call home. We currently own two Paso Fino horses, one cat and a few chickens. In 2012 I decided to breed my Paso Fino mare who gave birth to a beautiful buckskin baby which I named “Trovador de Collores” aka Trovi. Trovi is now 7 years old and is quickly becoming my riding partner.
I have been married for 41 years to my soulmate José Morales. We raised three sons and have two beautiful granddaughters. My husband supports all my equine activities. Although he will quickly tell anyone that he is the best rider of the two of us, he mainly rides his tractor.
I have worked for the State of Florida for over 31 years. I was co-founder and board member of the North Florida Volleyball Academy. I represented the North Florida Paso Fino Horse Association as the designated delegate to the Board of Directors. I am currently a member of the following organizations: Paso Fino Horse Association, North Florida Paso Fino Horse Association, South Eastern Distance Riders Association, American Endurance Ride Conference, Southern Trailriders Association and North Florida Hispanic Association.
I am looking forward to enjoying activities sponsored by STA.
I grew up a military brat in a golfing family. At about age 10 I told my parents no more golf I wanted to ride horses. My best friend started lessons at Wimberly’s Riding Academy and after my relentless persistence, Mom signed me up. By age 16 I bought a Thoroughbred mare and was competing in Eventing, Combined Training, Dressage and Hunter Jumper anywhere from Mobile to Tallahassee. What a great way to grow up. I was able to bring her to FSU by telling my folks she was for sale and there was a much better market in Tallahassee. I would ride my bicycle from campus to Chaires to visit that beautiful black mare. She sold and I was without a horse for a many years.
Paul and I married in 1986 with the understanding I would have a horse one day and he could have a cow. We bought our farm in Miccosukee the summer of 1995. Thanks to Wanda Coffield, I fostered a senior snowflake Appaloosa mare named “Sugar” from a girl headed to college. Thank you to Sue Noyes for hauling Sugar and I to several STA rides. The most memorable ride was at Moore Lake in the Apalachicola National Forest. Sue turned the Presidency over and delivered a passionate speech about the importance of STA and its mission. This inspired me to join STA because without organizations like STA there would not be any equestrian trails on public lands.
Sugar is long gone. Paul and I now have 5 horses, 2 Great Danes and 1 cow, our “kids with fur”. I have scouted, ridden, camped and explored, 100’s of miles of fabulous trials with these horses and my STA family. I can’t imagine a life without horses or STA. Happy Trails!