QBS Equestrian Is Shaking Up The Sport Of Show Jumping
Game Changers BY REBECCA WALTON
Finding the right horse and partnering it with the right rider is something that takes a great deal of experience and intuition. That is the fundamental principle behind QBS Equestrian, a partnership formed in 2016 by longtime equestrians Dennis Sisco and M. Michael Meller. Together, Sisco and Meller have helped find and produce some of the top show jumping prospects in the country. Meller has been a show jumping athlete and trainer since he was a child, helping develop top horses such as Waterloo, Robin De Ponthual and Camillo VDL. Sisco joined the sport 18 years ago at age 55 when his daughters began riding ponies. Meller and Sisco met at the Winter Equestrian Festival many years ago and since then have participated in the sport as friends, enthusiasts and business partners. With both men sharing in a mutual belief for the betterment of the sport, forming QBS Equestrian was a natural progression. One of the initial major steps for their business, the first horse Meller and Sisco purchased together was Chance STE Hermelle, a Belgian Warmblood with all the skills to go to the upper level. With rider Michael Morrissey Jr., nephew of WEF founder Gene Mische, in the irons, the horse has slowly grown from a young prospect to a proven contender at the Grand Prix level. “It is so important to take your time with a young horse,” Meller said. “So many owners and riders are focused on
QBS Equestrian partners Dennis Sisco and M. Michael Meller.
the win and the next show, but Dennis and I always want to be thinking about the horse. We put far more emphasis on a clear round than a win, and it’s a system that has really paid off for us.
We have horses that love their job and jump beautifully every time they go in the ring.” Meller and Sisco also believe in finding the right partnership for each horse, wellington the magazine | january 2020 81