Our staff

 Farm owner & Head Trainer  

About the trainer!

The face of Bopegan Farm is Melissa Gordon, owner and head trainer! 

Did you know that Melissa has been in the saddle since the young age of 4?! Riding and showing has been a staple in her life ever since! Melissa had a great start campaigning her small pony, Windleas Tickled Pink. This pair trained with Harry Duce, and won many great ribbons in the small pony hunters all over the East Coast, won year-end awards, and retired a trophy at Devon together.

Melissa then went on to do the large pony hunters with her next partner, Scammony. Training under the infamous Jack Trainor, Melissa and Scammony qualified for major horse shows and earned even more year-end awards! She also did some fox hunting along the way.

What came next? College! Melissa graduated Delaware Valley College (now University) in the first graduating Equine Business class. While there, Melissa rode on the school’s IHSA team and qualified for Nationals in the Open division every year! Outside of class, Melissa was working and grooming for top hunter/jumper trainers. Braiding, grooming, riding, cleaning stalls, you name it! One of her core values has always been to keep learning and becoming a better horsewoman every day.

After college, Melissa was able to further her career as well as build her home farm and business. She continued to work in breeding, groomed, braided, and clipped for top trainers and hunter/jumper breeders in the area all while riding and showing her personal horses in the Amateur divisions. Melissa started with breaking and training babies for many in the show circuit and horses preparing for a career on the race track. She even went on to breed at home, producing some amazing hunters like her gelding Stop the Music aka Derby and his full sister Melody aka Mel, who you all know as she is still the first to greet anyone walking into the barn! Derby and Melissa did everything together. They started in the breeding classes, and moved through the young hunters all the way to the 3’6 Amateurs. Melody and Melissa also have an extensive show record together, and have had some amazing times training with top professionals in many disciplines. 

In 2010, the Bopegan Farm training and boarding facility came together as Melissa decided to begin teaching and training to help other horse and rider teams with the knowledge she has gained throughout the years. The program has grown tremendously and it warms Melissa’s heart to bring the joy of the sport to many riders, young and old! Melissa still continues to take lessons from many reputable professionals to further her own skills and knowledge, which can then be passed along to her students. Always learning! 

Be on the lookout for Melissa and her young horse Play It Again aka Pip in the show ring!! 

Have questions about training with Melissa at Bopegan Farm? Shoot us a message or give us a call!!