Mason Phelps, Jr.
mpjr at phelpsmediagroup dot com

Founder & President
Mason Phelps, Jr. is a lifelong horseman who has participated in many aspects of the equestrian world including as a rider/trainer, event manager, governance leader, charity organizer, and multi-media executive.

Phelps was a rider and trainer in his early years, competing in eventing and the hunter/jumper ranks. He earned national and international recognition as an equestrian athlete. In 1968, Phelps was named Alternate to the U.S. Three Day Team that competed in the Mexico City Olympic Games. That same year, he was named the U.S. Combined Training Association’s Rider of the Year. Phelps began his career as a trainer in 1972, working for two years as an Assistant Trainer to the legendary Jimmy Williams at Flintridge Riding Club in Pasadena, California. Phelps later developed his own training stable for hunter/jumpers, working with riders on both the east and west coast until his retirement from competition in the late 1990s.

While still in his twenties, Phelps expanded his role in the horse world to include event manager. In 1970, Phelps created and produced the “AA Rated Xmas Show” in San Antonio, which is now a popular annual event and an integral part of the Texas equestrian community. In 1976, Phelps founded, produced, and managed the first International Jumping Derby in Newport, Rhode Island, which drew top athletes and was a major show on the jumping circuit through 1988. In 1977, Phelps founded and created the New England Horsemen’s Association Hunt Seat Medal, which is still a popular event today, held in Springfield, Massachusetts. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Phelps produced a driving event for the Newport Preservation Society in Newport, Rhode Island. The event was held over three days and included as many as 16 four-in-hand carriages that drove to Newport mansions for lunches, teas, and dinners; classic Newport stables that had ceased operation were opened for the event. In the early 1990s at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, Florida, Phelps created innovative classes including the first equitation class for previous winners of the Maclay or the Medal Finals; an equitation class for riders who had represented the U.S. in an Olympic Games, Pan American Games or a Nations’ Cup; and the first hunter classic for the American Hunter Jumper Foundation, which was held in the grand prix Internationale Arena. Currently, Phelps is Chairman of the National Horse Show of America Ltd.

Phelps has also played an important role in horse sport governance, primarily in the 1980s. He was Chairman of Zone I for the former American Horse Shows Association (AHSA, now USEF), and was on the boards of both the AHSA and the USET. Phelps also served as president of the New England Horseman's Council from 1985 through 1988.

As a philanthropist, Phelps has been instrumental in numerous charity and fundraising events in the equestrian world. In the 1980s, Phelps produced the Newport Roundup in Newport, Rhode Island, as a charity event for equestrians, with topnotch entertainment that included Sleepy LeBeef, Asleep at the Wheel, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and Tammy Wynett. In 1996, Phelps was one of the founders of the Equestrian Aid Foundation (EAF, formerly the Equestrian AIDS Foundation), a fundraising and charitable organization for equestrians in need. In 1998, Phelps produced the first Denim and Diamonds, a benefit party for the United States Equestrian Team (USET), and presented the popular event again in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004.

Currently, Phelps is involved in equestrian media. In 2001, he founded Phelps Media Group, Inc. International, an equestrian public relations firm, and counts as clients the USET Foundation and the National Horse Show, as well as many top-tier equestrian events, organizations, companies, athletes, and trainers. In 2006, he founded PhelpsSports.com, an equestrian news website. In addition to bringing international equestrian coverage to subscribers of the website, PhelpsSports.com has also sponsored numerous events including the PhelpsSports.com Palm Beach Dressage Derby in Loxahatchee, Florida; Horse Shows by the Bay in Traverse City, Michigan; and the Junior/Amateur Grand Prix at the Syracuse Sport Horse Invitational in Syracuse, New York. Representatives of PhelpsSports.com have been credentialed for top international events around the world including the World Cup Finals for dressage and show jumping, and all three equestrian sports at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Jake Cormier
jc at phelpssports dot com

Web Developer
As a web developer, videographer, photographer, writer and computer guru, Jake is a jack of all trades. He designed and built PhelpsSports.com. Other successful web sites in the horse industry include Phelps Media Group and The USET Foundation. Jake has also written columns, news coverage and satirical pieces for online media. His photography has been published in national magazines and other publications, and as a freelance video producer, his work has been seen on major newscasts in Canada and the USA. Jake is the only person at Phelps Media Group with no horse experience.

Lauren Fisher
lef at phelpsmediagroup dot com

Account Executive, Writer, Photographer
Lauren grew up in Doylestown, PA, and has been riding and competing horses since the age of seven. Lauren was captain of Elon University’s intercollegiate equestrian team for two years and graduated from the university in 2007 with a degree in corporate communications. Lauren is excited to join the PMG staff to combine her professional skills with her love of horses.

Kenneth Kraus
KennethKraus at aol dot com

Account Executive, Writer, Photographer and Executive Director of PhelpsSports.com
Ken has been involved in the equestrian industry since 1960 – first as a top junior rider and then as an announcer. He’s announced every major horse show in the country including The National Horse Show, World Cup, Devon, American Invitational, and the Winter Equestrian Festival. Ken is also an R-rated USEF Jumper Judge. Towerheads.com was Ken's creation and this website flourishes today as one of the equestrian world’s most popular destinations on the Internet.
Ken was an on-air personality for four years in the Cleveland, Ohio, radio market and also spent a number of years in rock’n’roll as road manager for Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Outlaws.

Lindsay McCall
lym at phelpsmediagroup dot com

Account Executive
McCall began riding at age six, competing on the Hunter/ Jumper "A" circuit throughout her equestrian career. She has ridden with many different trainers over the years including Betsy Lewis from Chagrin, Ohio and Patrick Bostwick from Cleveland, Ohio. One of McCall's ponies was the infamous Touch Me Not, a large pony hunter that took her from winning the "A" shows to Pony Finals. After leaving the ponies and entering into the Adult Amateurs McCall continued to compete with her Thoroughbred all the way through college. Upon entering college McCall rode on The Ohio State Equestrian Team while also serving as the Club Secretary. Even though The Ohio State Equestrian Team is not yet considered a Varsity sport, McCall was selected to compete in varsity trials at colleges, which included Fresno State and Georgia University.

"Riding multiple types of horses from green Warmbloods to hard mouthed Thoroughbreds taught me how to read horses the moment I sit on them," explained McCall. Upon graduating in 2007 with a major in Animal Science and a minor in business, she began working at AT&T in Columbus, Ohio as a Marketing Manager. McCall remarked, "I feel as though the horses were always in the front of my mind whether going to classes or working in the corporate world. I seemed to always find ways to ride, teach, or just be around horses."

When McCall moved to Orlando, Florida, Heather Bristol offered her the opportunity to begin riding and training beginners for Meliora Stables LLC in Sanford, Florida. In addition to riding and teaching, McCall also worked as the lead marketing and public relations professional for SuperTech Media, an Orlando based web design firm. There McCall mastered how to market online, how to search marketing works, and how to stay within strict guidelines for online advertisements.

Beyond her equestrian and marketing experience, McCall possesses extensive photographic knowledge, much of which was acquired through involvement with Yosay Photography, her parent's professional photography operation. From a young age, McCall participated in the business, gaining experience by shooting action photography, portrait photos, and particularly, sports photography. McCall proclaimed, "I have been groomed for this career at PMG my entire life."

Jessica Nemzoff
jmn at phelpsmediagroup dot com

Account Executive
Beginning her riding career at the age of six, Nemzoff has competed on the “AA” circuit as both a junior and an amateur. Riding with Scott Stewart and Ken Berkley of Rivers Edge for the vast majority of the last ten years, she has added multiple victories and awards at the Winter Equestrian Festival to her list of equestrian accomplishments. Outside of her time at the horse shows, she has also spent time galloping Thoroughbreds at the racetrack. “I had ridden and shown hunters and jumpers my entire life, and thought the racehorses would be an exciting change,” Nemzoff explained. Thus, she couldn’t resist when the opportunity came to gallop racehorses with Michael Matz, Olympic Gold Medalist and trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. In addition to riding, education has also taken a top spot on Nemzoff’s priority list. She graduated cum laude from the University of Miami, with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance. Beyond her knowledge of finance exists a wealth of talent in both writing and photography. While she enjoys finance, Nemzoff says her “true passion has always been the horses.”

Susan Stickle
hoofprints1 at aol dot com

Photographer
Susan has been shooting professionally since 1995, covering local, regional and National Dressage championships. Susan, an award winning photographer has had her work published in equestrian magazines such as Dressage Today, USA Equestrian, The Chronicle of the Horse, HorseSport and numerous other publications, including book covers. Her print of the World Trade Center Tribute in Lights hangs in the US Customs Department Headquarters in Washington DC. Susan rode dressage competitively with her chestnut Thoroughbred mare, Bonnie. The pair were high score champions at training level and went on to compete thru the lower levels. Her love of horses and her knowledge of dressage have given her a wonderfully keen eye that shows in her work.

Susan keeps up to date with all the technology offered in the photo industry. As a result, she offers the best quality photograph to her customers. For more information, please contact her at HoofPrints1@aol.com or visit her website at www.SusanJStickle.com.

Julie Tannehill
jmt at phelpsmediagroup dot com

Office Manager and Marketing Development
Julie has a great passion for horses and natural horsemanship. She trained with Melanie Smith Taylor's mother, Rachel Smith, in Memphis and follows the teachings of Pat Parelli. Julie brings more than 25 years of experience in sales and marketing in areas such as the ski industry, hospitality industry, radio and charitable organizations to PMG. she is happy to join PMG as the office manager and head of marketing development.

Rebecca Walton
rjw at phelpsmediagroup dot com

Writer, Photographer, Graphic Designer
Rebecca began working for PMG during the summer of 2008 as an intern before she graduated from James Madison University in December of 2008. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts and Design with a Corporate Communication concentration and a Studio Art minor. She has been riding and showing hunters in Baltimore County since she was 8 years old. Rebecca’s skills include writing, photography, graphic design and web design. She has done work for the New York Racing Association, ST-Publishing, The Exchange, and numerous other companies. Rebecca comes to PMG with a desire to combine her professional skills with her passion for the equestrian industry.