Veterinarian-in-Residence, Assistant Professor in Equine Studies
Assistant IHSA Western Coach and Barn Coordinator
1700 Dogwood Mile | Laurinburg, NC 28352 | (910) 277-5555
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Spring classes begin January 7th!
A 1971 graduate of Sweet Briar College, Peggy is the director of the St. Andrews Equestrian Program. She oversees everything in the program from coaching and recruiting riders to looking at prospective donation horses. She is also a member of the St. Andrews faculty, serving as an instructor in Equine Studies. Prior to joining St. Andrews in 2000, she served as the coach of the N.C. State and Peace College intercollegiate riding teams at MacNair’s Country Acres in Raleigh. She served for 16 years as the associate director of the Raleigh YMCA Camp Seafarer and is a certified camp director with the American Camping Association. In the 1970’s, she coached the University of South Carolina intercollegiate riding team. She is a dedicated member of several committees and boards serving the equestrian community including service for the American National Riding Commission, Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, the United States Equestrian Federation, the United States Hunter Jumper Association, and the North Carolina Horse Council. Peggy was recognized in 2011 by the United States Hunter Jumper Associate as the Affiliate Instructor of the Year and in 2012 by the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association with the prestigious Pioneer Award.
Dr. Laura Kellam attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia with a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Biology. Then Dr. Kellam continued her education at Virginia Polytechnic University in Blacksburg, Va., obtaining her DVM degree. She took an Equine Surgery and Medicine Internship at the University of Guelph, in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. She completed her residency of Equine Internal Medicine at the University of Missouri, in Columbia, Missouri. Dr. Kellam has been a member of the St. Andrews equestrian staff since August 2004. She is the Veterinarian-in-Residence and Assistant Professor in Equine Studies. Dr. Kellam is responsible for the veterinary care and maintenance of the 140+ herd at the St. Andrews Equestrian Center. She is also the professor of the equine science-related classes and pre-veterinary studies program. Dr. Kellam’s riding interests resides in three-day eventing with some hunter/jumper experience as well. Dr. Kellam is a musician who plays piano and sings as a mezzo-soprano. She loves cold weather and enjoys skiing and snowboarding and dog sledding. However in the southern climate, Dr. Kellam has picked up sea-kayaking to keep her happy in the warmer weather.
Carla is a University of Georgia Alumna, graduating in 1981 with a B.S. degree in Animal Science. Carla joined the equestrian staff in 2006 as the head Western Coach and teaches dressage instruction as well. Carla is responsible for coaching the IHSA Western Team, and teaching horse judging classes. Carla has won three World Championships at AQHA Youth Worlds, and was All Around Youth at American Quarter Horse Congress. Carla has also won a bronze medal in dressage. She has been an AQHA judge for 34 years, and spent 31 years as a NRHA and NSBA judge. She has judged in eight foreign countries. Carla has also worked at other universities prior to coming to St. Andrews. She spent six years at Colorado State University, five years at the University of Georgia, and almost five at Martin Community College.
In 2008 Carla was honored as AQHA Horseman of the Year and in Oct. 2010 she served as a FEI steward for reining at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. In 2012 she was awarded IHSA Sportsmanship Coach of the Year and in 2016 and 2017 Carla’s IHSA Western team were National Champions. In 2019, Carla was awarded the IHSA Lifetime Achievement Award. A multi-faceted horsewomen she also has earned her United States Dressage Federation Bronze and Silver medals.
“Making the horse’s welfare foremost is the job of the FEI steward and by working at the World Games justified to me this work as a steward is exactly that!”
Nancy Demus joined the St. Andrews staff in March, 2015 as the Equine Program Operations Manager. A graduate of North Carolina State University with a B.S. in Animal Science, she has been a full time horse professional for over 35 years. Nancy moved from Raleigh, NC where she served as the special events coordinator, an instructor and coach, as well as managing the day to day business activities of a large hunter seat barn. She has trained under nationally recognized trainers in both hunter seat and dressage and has numerous successes for both herself and her students in horse shows from local, regional, and national competitions. While in Raleigh, Nancy founded the NCSU Equestrian Club and IHSA hunter seat team and led one of the county’s largest 4-H clubs.
At St. Andrews, Nancy is the voice on the other end of the phone when you call our Equestrian Center. She works closely with the Director on the organization of the program, record keeping, scheduling and keeping track of all staff and students. She also works as the IHSA Zone 4 Region 3, Points Secretary by keeping track of all of the points for every team and rider that competes throughout the competition year.
Kelsi grew up in Colorado Springs competing in the 3’6 equitation, hunters, and jumpers on several mounts, and attended St. Andrews from 2005-2009, continuing to show her own horse while moving up in the jumpers, as well as showing school owned horses. During her time at school, she competed intercollegiately in IHSA (including St. Andrews’ first western show!) and ANRC.
After graduating with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Equine Studies, Kelsi rode professionally in Pennsylvania and Maryland, then came home to St. Andrews from 2012-2017 as show team coach. For the last 5 years, she ran a training and show program in Southern Maryland, dedicated to bringing out the best in each horse and rider.
Kelsi loves teaching the how’s and why’s of form and function, riding forward, and allowing the horse to do their job; likewise, she loves teaching horses to understand and enjoy the task at hand. She is constantly on the hunt for new paths to better horsemanship, as well as more effective ways to impart knowledge and feel. Kelsi aspires to stay in tune with each horse and rider to overcome daily challenges and maximize short- and long-term progress.
Cailey Culp joins the equestrian staff as an instructor and as Assistant IHSA Western Coach. Cailey graduated from St. Andrews in 2017 with a degree in Equine Business Management. Cailey returns to St. Andrews having worked as a groom and barn manager for Peter DeFreitas who is a Reining Trainer in Wilmington, NC. After graduation she also spent some time working at Heart Ranch in Myrtle Beach, SC turning her part time college job into a full time opportunity as a barn manager and instructor.
Lindsey Trockenbrot returns as an Assistant Professor in the Equine Studies Department. In 2013 she received her B.A. degree from St. Andrews followed a few years later by her M.B.A. As an undergraduate student at SAU, Lindsey competed on the IDA Team and qualified for and competed in IDA Nationals three years. In her senior year she rode to a third place finish at First Level at the IDA National Championship in Massachusetts. Additionally she rode for the IHSA Western Team.
After graduation, Lindsey worked as the Assistant Western Coach at St. Andrews. During her time as Carla Wennberg’s Assistant Coach, the St. Andrews western team won the IHSA National Championship twice. Lindsey has also worked as an assistant dressage trainer at Encore Sporthorse, as a groom for international show jumper and Olympian Kent Farrington, as the VIP coordinator for Split Rock Jumping Tour, and as a rider and conditioning trainer for the horses at Midway University in Kentucky.
Professor Abbey grew up in Western NY state and graduated from Houghton College in 1996. It was at college that Melissa got to take horsemanship and riding classes for the first time. She fondly recalls her time at the college farm and especially staying after lessons to groom and bond with the lesson horses.
Melissa moved to CA and worked at Mission Springs Outdoor Education from 1996-2005. She served as Assistant Director of Outdoor Education, writing curriculum and training new teachers. In 2006 she began graduate school at Western Seminary San Jose, graduating with a Masters in Marital and Family Therapy. She got involved with horses again during this time when she attended a workshop entitled “An Introduction to Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy” being held at DreamPower Horsemanship in Gilroy CA.
For over seven years Melissa volunteered at DreamPower, earning her Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning credentials through PATH International, and completing the requirements to become a licensed therapist in CA.
In 2021, Melissa earned her board certification in equine interactions for education through CBEIP. Professor Abbey enjoys wearing multiple hats and working on a wide variety of tasks. Her passion and expertise in fostering relationships between humans and horses is evident in her work at St. Andrews. She recently joined the PATH International Mental Health and Learning Subcommittee, where she is helping shape the field of Therapeutic Horsemanship.
Katherine graduated as a transfer student from St. Andrews University in 2022 with a bachelors in Equine Business Management and a minor in Therapeutic Horsemanship.
She has competed in multiple English disciplines with her horse Dakota including dressage, eventing, and hunter/jumpers, with her focus on dressage.
During her undergraduate studies Katherine rode on the 2021-2022 IDA team and qualified for and rode at IDA nationals finishing as reserve champion in her division.
When not at the barn she enjoys hiking in the mountains with her husband and spending time with her dog.
St. Andrews is excited to welcome back Conner Smith as Assistant Director of the Equestrian Program. Conner was with Midway University from 2019-2024 as the Western Coach where they had 10 IHSA Reserve National Champion riders and 3 IHSA National Champion riders. He also taught as an Adjunct Professor in Business Communications.
Currently, he is an AQHA Level 1 Judge and serves on the IHSA Board of Directors. Conner is a graduate from St. Andrews with a B.S. in Equine Business Management and rode on the Western Team. He received his Master of Business Administration/Leadership degree from Midway University.
During his time at SAU, the Western Team was the National Champion Team in 2016 and 2017. Conner was the 2018 Team Open Horsemanship National Champion and 2018 IHSA/AQHA National High Point Rider Champion.
Emilee was raised in Oviedo, FL where she grew up riding and showing. After two years at Virginia Intermont College, Emilee transferred to St. Andrews. Emilee graduated from St. Andrews in 2015 with a B.A degree. She will complete her MBA in the Fall of 2020.
As an undergraduate student, Emilee competed successfully on the IHSA Hunter Seat Team. In 2014 she represented the team at IHSA Nationals in Harrisburg, PA. After graduation, Emilee worked as a Barn Manager and Trainer at a farm in Vanceboro, NC. Then moved to Wilmington, NC to serve as an IHSA coach for UNC-Wilmington as well an IEA coach for Old Homestead Farm.
As the Assistant Hunter Seat Coach, Emilee has helped coach several students on to IHSA Regionals, Zones, and Nationals alongside Coach Duda! In addition to serving as the Assistant Hunter Seat coach and event Manager, Emilee has also spent the past 5 summers serving as the Riding Director at YMCA – Camp Seafarer for girls.
Originally from South Lyon, MI, Hannah Waroway spent her collegiate career attending Midway University in Kentucky while competing on the school’s IHSA hunt seat team and earning a degree in both equine management and equine rehabilitation with a business minor. While in Kentucky Hannah worked for SpyCoast farm under David O’Brien, the Kentucky Horse Park, and Stevie McCarron at Cloud Nine farm among other farms. Following graduation, Hannah moved to New Jersey to work with former five-time Olympian Anne Kursinski where she worked as the barn manager and traveled to shows. Hannah started at St. Andrews as one of the barn managers but has now moved to become the Assistant Hunter Seat Coach!
Izabelle Flynn is originally from southern Wisconsin. She moved to Fargo, ND, during high school. She then went to North Dakota State University (NDSU). There she got her B.S. in both equine science and animal science with an emphasis in biomedical science.
At NDSU, she also worked at the equestrian barn for four years. There she got to work with an array of animals from lesson horses, starter colts, steers, and calves for the rodeo team and racehorses during the summer months.
Izabelle likes to ride for fun, but her favorite thing is taking care of horses. Izabelle is now at St. Andrews University working as one of the barn managers!
Gretchen Burgan was born and raised in Central NY. She is the first in her family to go down the horse route. When she was about 8, she participated in a summer horse program called “A Horse of Course”. Then a few years later the barn owner came back into her life so the need for a horse fix continued. She volunteered at the same barn in high school for about 5 years and in August of 2017 started at Morrisville State College. September 2020 she went off on an internship in Smithfield, NC with a ranch versatility trainer and graduated at the end of December 2020 with a Bachelor and Associate degree in Equine Science and Management. After graduating, she stayed in Smithfield, NC until August 2021 then went back to New York to work at Cazenovia College from October 2021 to May 2023. In mid-May Gretchen came to Laurinburg, NC to start her journey at St. Andrew’s.
Heather was born in Missoula, Montana and has lived in Nebraska, Utah, Idaho, Missouri, and Kentucky. She started with horses at 10 years old when she attended Trefoil Ranch Girl Scout Summer camp and fell in love with them. After graduating high school, she decided to make horses a career and pursued a BA in Management and an ASS in Equine studies at Southern Utah University. Throughout her college journey she worked summers at Trefoil Ranch Summer Camp, 2 years as a riding counselor and 3 as the Equestrian Director. She also completed an internship through KEMI (Kentucky Equine Management Internship) in the Spring of 2022 at Denali Stud’s Broodmare operations.
Heather enjoys drawing, writing, reading, and horseback riding.
