QBS Equestrian Is Shaking Up The Sport Of Show Jumping Game Changers

QBS Equestrian Is Shaking Up The Sport Of Show Jumping Game Changers

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 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, and to that end they have committed to being flexible in order to work with many people. No matter the trainer or the rider, they believe in finding the best combination for the horse to be successful. Their goal is to support top horses and top riders, both nationally and internationally.

“We are trying to have a more encompassing and open approach to developing high-performance horses with the best riders we can attract in the world,” Sisco explained. “There’s a tendency in our sport to think that once people sign up for one thing, it goes on forever. We feel that it’s much better to be able to reach out and work with multiple high-performance people and high-performance horses.”

QBS Equestrian has been working closely with Morrissey of Imperial Show Stables since the early days of their partnership because it was such a natural fit for everyone involved. “We started to work with Michael because he is a hard worker who has always done the right thing,” Meller said. “He has had a very good career, but he needed some backing. It was the right fit for both of us, and we have been thrilled with how he has helped produce the horses.”

Morrissey enjoys working with the team at QBS Equestrian.

“It’s great to be part of a team that is always putting the horses first,” he said. “The three of us have invested our lives into this sport, and we all collectively consider the best and most positive path for each horse we are developing. We have had success working together because of their trust in me and my program.”

To date, Morrissey’s most successful partnership has been with Sam 1091, a 10-year-old Rhinelander gelding by Stakkatol. After gaining momentum with several Grand Prix placings, the horse-and-rider combination capped off the year with multiple clear rounds at the FEI CSI5* in Tyron, N.C., this fall, an achievement in itself as the 5* ranking is the highest level in show jumping competition. 

“Sam is a horse that we have had for two years now, and we have put together very carefully,” Meller explained. “He’s a brave horse with a lot of scope and speed, but we always wanted to be sure that he was ready for the next step up in his career. We are very excited for 2020 with this horse.”

As the competitive winter show season begins, QBS Equestrian is excited for the start of the 2020 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington.

“It is so unique here because it’s where everybody is, and it’s where the action is for the eastern part of the country this time of year,” Sisco said. “Certainly, from a business point of view, if you are developing horses at the top level for sale, then this is where you want to be.”

With a young string of talented horses and a rider ready to take them to the next level, the team at QBS is ready to showcase their skills at the best venue in the country as they continually strive to reach the pinnacle of the sport. To learn more about QBS Equestrian, visit www.qbsequestrian.com.

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