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The Committee
Sue Lee
Area 1 Representative & Countryside Partnership Liaison
Many of you will know Sue from her BHS work as an accredited coach, running courses and exams for riding and road safety, horse owners’ certificate, training and one-to-one teaching. Although semi-retired, she continues private and BHS/Pony Club work and Achievers Club sessions. For LMDBA, Sue runs regular work parties and is passionate about keeping bridleways rideable. She is also the liaison point with Shropshire Countryside Partnership who provide equipment and expert manpower. Sue and her husband live high on the Stiperstones, together with their little dog Maggie and two horses, Prince and Paddy.
Area 1 North West with Stiperstones at its centre, stretches east towards Bridges, north to Minsterley, west towards Corndon Hill and south to Bishops Castle.
Mary Williams and Helen Liebscher
Treasurer & Area 6 Representatives
Mary Williams, Treasurer (left) and Helen Liebscher have been LMDBA members since 2005, taking part and leading many guided rides. Between them they have been on every riding holiday since joining. Mary grew up in Cardington, riding her father’s semi-broken Welsh Mountain ponies over Caer Caradoc and local bridleways. She is still a fearless rider! Her local knowledge is invaluable at committee meetings and a career at Lloyds Bank has given the association an efficient and knowledgeable Treasurer. Helen grew up in Baschurch, the eldest of four sisters of non-horsey parents. All the girls were members of the North Shropshire Pony Club. Helen went on to work with horses in Vienna, Austria, and then spent ten years as assistant part-time waggoner at Acton Scott Historic Working Farm. Both Mary and Helen ride the local bridleways regularly, whenever possible together, albeit at a much slower pace!
Area 6 East Central starts at Easthope and runs along Wenlock Edge to Culmington, back through Peaton and Bouldon, up to Ashfield, down to Stanton Long, and north to Brockton and Easthope.
Sally Mellor
Area 3 Representative
Sally lives and farms at Asterton and is lucky enough to ride on the glorious Long Mynd most days. The hill work keeps her endurance horses competition fit and, together with her daughter, regularly competes in national rides of up to 80km in a day.
Area 3 South Long Mynd covers Bridges, Knolls, Linley, Hardwick, Plowden, Marshbrook, Little Stretton and Pole Bank.
Nino Binns
Membership Secretary & BHS Access Officer
Nino grew up in West Yorkshire and was lucky to have ponies as a child, enjoying Pony Club, hunting, and plenty of hacking out. Later in life she lived in Ireland for eight years, where she got back into riding and was involved with an active riding club scene. Ten years ago she came to Shropshire with the Irish mare Saphron (pictured). Her current ride is a Connemara mare called Annie. Since returning to the UK, Nino has enjoyed TREC training and competitions as well as LMDBA activities. She is the West Midlands Regional Access & Bridleways Officer, working on vital historic route research for Project 2026 and the restoration of lost ways.
If you’d like to get in touch with Nino, please visit the Contact Us page.
Pam Jordan
Editor & Area 2 Representative
Pam rode her Arabian/Appaloosa, Fire, in the White Rose 100 miles in a day race, one of only six combinations to finish from a field of 23, and winning top veteran horse. Together with her homebred palomino, Oriole the Gold, she has completed two of Britain’s toughest hundred-milers at Golden Horseshoe and Red Dragon. She is pictured here with the Crabbet Arabian mare, Mimi. Pam lives at High Park, on the eponymous Portway, and loves bringing all your stories together for the newsletter.
Area 2 North Long Mynd runs from Picklescott & Pease Lane in the north; east to the A49 at Leebotwood; south as far as Little Stretton; west to Pole Cottage, Shooting Box and Ratlinghope, and back to the northern outliers of Cothercott and Wilderley.
Lucy McFarlane
Committee Secretary
Lucy worked for the Outdoor Partnerships Team at Shropshire Council for many years and continues to have an interest in public rights of way. A point-to-point jockey in times gone by, Lucy has evented, team chased and showjumped. From her smallholding in Ratlinghope, she rides daily over the Long Mynd on her cob cross Otto, or her Connemara, Conor. When not riding, she is a regular long distance walker and also takes part in motorsport and tractor runs.
Debbie Hill
Area 9 Representative
Debbie moved to Shropshire seven years ago from Hampshire. She learnt to ride when she was nine at an Army stables where the Army Pentathlon Team trained. When she was twelve she lived at a stables and worked there before and after school and weekends. Her first horse, Sparkle, was a gift; then her Nan bought her a two-year-old called Lady. Twenty years later along came Fern, now 28; they had the best time. Willow, a Part Bred Arab is 13 and retired, but still enjoys a gentle potter. Two years ago, Debbie acquired Polly, whom she describes as “a total joy”; fun rides and holidays together is what they have in mind.
Area 9 Kerry Ridgeway follows the Kerry Ridgeway from Bishops Moat in the east to just beyond Upper Short Ditch in the west; south to Riddings, Black Mountain, Pound Gate Farm and Brookhouse Bridge; east to Quabbs, Lower Wain, Teme Valley; north to Hurgin, Stoney Pound, Newcastle, Whitcott Keysett, Mardu and Reilth Top.
Emily Collyer
Area 5 Representative
Emily grew up with ponies and Pony Club was a big part of her childhood. She used to trek across the Welsh mountains from Shropshire to the coast each year with friends and family. She has captured these memories in her book Cambrian Dreams. Emily got involved in competitive Endurance as a teenager, and in Switzerland in 1994, she represented Great Britain as a young rider on her Arab gelding, Shalawi. Later, Emily spent 17 years as a firefighter and today lives with her children and cares for her mother in South Shropshire. Having recently got back into the saddle after many years out, she now rides the local bridleways, goes to fun rides and takes her daughter and other young riders to Pony Club.
Other interesting facts. She’s a living kidney donor, used to run ultramarathons, and is a qualified Forest School Leader.
Area 5 South East borders Church Stretton to the north, east to Wall-under-Heywood, down to Bache Mill and Pedlar’s Rest, west to Craven Arms and back up the A49 through Strefford and Felhampton.
