Our Board

Muffin Smith, Treasurer (VA)

Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by the Lipizzan breed and its noble history when my husband and I bought our first two Lipizzans in 1997, it was a dream come true.  Currently, three Lipizzans live with us and grace our barn.  I have served as a USLR/USLF Director since early 2003 and served as Secretary from 2005 to 2017.  As Treasurer, I chair the Finance committee.  I also currently chair the Bylaws committee, serve on our Show and Awards committee, and am the occasional “scribe” for the Breeders Committee

To the USLF Board I bring my education and my work experiences in the Federal Government as well as my love for Lipizzans.  After earning an MBA in 1976, I did PhD. work in 1978-79 in Business Administration, while working for the U.S. Department of Treasury.  I retired from the Treasury in 2001 after serving as financial analyst, economist, and general computer geek for 24 years.  I’ve been a rider most of my life, am focusing on my dressage skills, and am adding pleasure driving to my repertoire.

Esther Buonanno, Director (il)

I am Esther Buonanno, Program Director of the Tempel Lipizzans and granddaughter of the founders of Tempel Farms. I had the privilege of being born into a family with a great passion for the Lipizzan breed. My grandparents imported not just Lipizzan horses in 1958 but also the traditions of breeding, raising, and training Lipizzan horses in the classical way. In the 1980’s my mother and aunt took the reins to the program and developed a performance program and opened the doors to the public. In short, through decades of commitment to excellence in the mission, an important legacy is established. In my 10 years as Director of the program, I have been dedicated to carrying on the preservation of the Lipizzan breed and classical riding with specific interest in finding new ways to educate about our horses and our training process. We currently have 74 Lipizzan horses. Our mission is closely aligned with that of the USLF and for that reason, there has been solid opportunities to team up for the benefit of our special breed.

I bring a strong commitment to the preservation of the Lipizzan along with knowledge and experience with management of Lipizzan breeding, raising, training, promotion, and sales. I am passionate about fostering high quality breeding; with each new foal that is born there is a respect for the past and a commitment to the future. I am interested in teaming up with the historical committee to find creative ways to gather our breeds history in a way that may grow over time with the contributions of many.  

Jenn Mikulski, Secretary (MD)

My name is Jenn Mikulski. I am from Baltimore, MD and I am passionate about Lipizzans. I am passionate about Lipizzans because of the breed’s beauty, athleticism, intelligence, and personality. I am also passionate about Lipizzans because, as a result of careful breeding, they are a living, breathing, direct connection to history, virtually unchanged for centuries. And I am passionate about my fellow Lipizzan lovers as well.  I have yet to meet a more welcoming and positive group of people, from many walks of life, united by one purpose; to love Lipizzans and further the USLF mission to preserve, promote, and protect them. 

While I did not grow up around horses, even at a young age, I was obsessed with Lipizzans.  As a child, I saw Hermann’s Royal Lipizzan Stallions perform while on a family vacation in Florida. And my first few dressage lessons were at a barn that also stabled a Lipizzan stallion (a Pluto). That said, though I was infatuated with Lipizzans, as a non-horse person, I never thought that I would ever meet or ride a Lipizzan, let alone own one. Lipizzans were just a beautiful daydream. And were it not for a small dressage barn in White Hall, MD (Four Winds Farm), a farm that also bred Lipizzans, for me, the breed might have remained just a daydream. Fortunately, I found that small dressage barn and, in 2014, I met and rode my first Lipizzan, Conversano Melora II. After that, that daydream slowly began to transform into reality.

In 2015, I joined the USLF as an enthusiast. I first began volunteering with the USLF in 2017. This year, while still an enthusiast, I was appointed to the Board as an Interim Director, to fill a sudden vacancy. Very recently, I had the opportunity to claim my own Lipizzan. Daydream-to-reality transition complete. 

Steph Mussmann, Director (MI)

I have been riding for nearly 30 years. I am a USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold medalist, USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold Freestyle Bar Medalist, and WDAA Gold Medalist. Like many people, my first experience with Lipizzans was seeing a traveling Lipizzan performance troop, but it wasn’t until I met my dream horse, Siglavy Aga (“Aga”), that I became actively involved with the breed. Since becoming partners with Aga, we have been on an incredible journey, representing the breed in 3 USDF Regional Championships, including winning Grand Prix AA Champion of Region 2 in 2017. Together, Aga and I have represented the breed at USDF Finals two years, placing in the top 10 of all of their national championship classes.

The USLF is such a special organization, full of people who love their horses and encourage one another on their horse journeys. I am grateful for all of the friendships and support that I have gotten from USLF, and I am honored to be a part of continuing that great tradition.

Judy Downer, Director (FL)

Like many horse crazy girls, I first viewed the Lipizzans in a performance at Madison Square Garden with my 4-H club.  I am a lifelong horsewoman, riding and training different breeds and disciplines.  Luckily, my Dad insisted I attend college and after 9 years there, I had qualifications to be employed in veterinary pharmaceutical research and development, which allowed me to afford horses.  My judging career (USEF “S” dressage and “R” western dressage) brought me into friendship with Mississippi View Farm’s owner, Kate Phillips, and introduced me to Lipizzan ownership.  I am currently competing two offspring of MVF’s program in dressage: Favory Vereina and Ravenna.

While new to the USLF Board of Directors, my experience and connections throughout the horse industry bring an outward look to Lipizzan promotion and support in the U.S.  My academic work (17 years developing and teaching Equine Studies at College of Central Florida) provide expertise in conformation, gait biomechanics, exercise physiology and nutrition of the horse.  My goal on the board is to enhance education of USLF members in the care, breeding and training of their beloved Lipizzans.  Additionally, through the larger equine industry, domestically and internationally, I hope to grow membership in the USLF and facilitate our connections to international breeders and trainers.  

Rennie Squier, Registrar (OR) 

I first became interested in the Lipizzan breed back in 1988 when I began trimming and shoeing for June and Leonard Boardman at White Horse Vale in Washington State. I was so impressed with the feet and the temperaments of their Lipizzan horses! We brought our first mare home from WHV in 1989 (she is still with me at the ripe old age of 34!). I took over as Registrar from Melinda Suydam in 2010. While I no longer breed regularly, I ride two Lipizzans we bred on a regular basis. I practice Classical Dressage, enjoy trail riding, a bit of Working Equitation and have dabbled in several other pursuits.