Our Team

Lyn Stickland – Owner, Manager & Instructor BEES1 (France) and BHSAI (UK)

I am owner and the manager of Sports Equestres de Belle Ferme. I first sat on a pony on a pony family pony trekking holiday in Wales at the age of 6, and decided there and then what I wanted to do with my life.. We didn’t even own a goldfish at the time! From the age 10 to 25 I participated in many different competitions in various disciplines, particularly show jumping. Throughout my holidays I spent my time with the well know Show Jumping rider, Michel Parot. (Check out Tanqarville, who holds the World Record for Puissance, 2m 47). I passed my teaching instructions in France and England. After this and throughout my twenties with the help of my family and particularly Angela – we began building from scratch the Equestrian Centre we have today. Since my daughter Clarissa was born, I spent many years travelling to Germany and mostly Holland to improve and train in dressage.

Throughout these passionate and at times difficult years, I spend my time doing all equestrian jobs, many years of mucking out stables early mornings, to turning out and bringing in horses, teaching all disciplines, dressage, eventing, showjumping, hacking, camps, secretary, lorry driver, competition coach, many years of 7 day weeks in a job were holidays didn’t exist. Today have the pleasure of working in the equestrian centre we created from nothing.

In 2003, we suffered a family tragedy. My to be husband Bernard Ibos died suddenly, the day before our wedding. I decided it was time to make the most of life and I wanted to get back to riding more and teaching less. I decided to focus on dressage and continue this dream with some of Belle Ferme’s students. I pursued this passion for many years. June 2019 saw another big change. I was diagnosed with leukemia and had to spend many months in hospital also for a bone marrow transplant. I returned to Belle Ferme for my recovery, however I was not allowed near the horses or the stables for many months. For now, on the road to recovery I am slowly getting back to a resemblance of a normal life, step by step!

Angela Koppanyi – Family

Angela is the ‘Grandmother’ of Belle Ferme. Mother to Lyn and Robert, and Grandmother to Clarissa, Jeffrey and Enzo. Without her Belle Ferme would not be as it is today, or maybe not even there at all! Angela started the riding school – at that time it was called the Pony Club of Cessy – in 1983. Angela looks after the office, but also the exterior repairing fences, taking care of horses and sometimes teaching. She has an eye on everything!

Christophe Fournier – Instructor BEES 1 option CSO – Galop 8

Christophe Fournier – Instructor BEES 1 option CSO – Galop 8
Born in Bourg en Bresse, I’ve been riding since the age of 12. A former student of Jacques Robert, master-esquire and vice-president of the FFE, then a student of Patrick Martin and apprentice to Hubert Bourdy, Olympic rider, I have worked with many horses and trained students of all levels with passion up to BPJEPS and in amateur 1 competition.
I started competing in CCE and was selected for the French Championships in 1995. Military service in Fontainebleau at the CSEM where I coached a show jumping team.
Since then, I’ve never stopped passing on the desire to progress and the passion to win in show jumping competitions to those who want to.
Students took part in the Inter-Caribbean and La Motte competitions. As a dressage judge and show jumping ring leader, I enjoy being a technician at the service of our sport, helping it to go from strength to strength.
I’m happy to be at Belle Ferme, in modern facilities, listening to you and passing on my passion and desire to learn and win together

Lina Maruzzi BPJEPS instructor

I was born in the heart of the Alps, in Chamonix Mont-Blanc. Supervised by my father, a ski instructor, and my grandfather, a mountain guide, surrounded by snow and cold … I chose to go horseback riding! My path seemed to be all mapped out, and yet I followed a very different road from that of the mountaineer: that of the horse world. I first studied languages at the universities of Lyon and Paris. I worked and had the chance to live abroad. Enriched by these multiple experiences, I resumed horse riding intensively to become a teacher. Fascinated by animals, I deepened my knowledge of equine behavior by observing wild horses alongside scientists. Convinced of the importance of understanding the horse in order to live alongside it, I chose to follow a course at Haras de la Cense, combining scientific knowledge with the practice of equestrian sports. Now holder of the BPJEPS equitation and the Federal Ethological Equitation Certificate, I am proud to share my knowledge with you at Belle Ferme.

Alizée Adamek BPJEPS

Born in 1985, I come from Provence and I have been riding since the age of 6, with a few breaks to study according to my family’s wishes… From age 10 to 26 we had two horses with us at home, their contact and presence taught me a lot and helped me learn about them. My artistic sensibility allowed me to leave home and become a graphic designer in Paris, but the love of horses and the desire to have a healthy and active lifestyle caught up with me. I have been preparing for my professional retraining for years and I have finally arrived at my destination, ready to pass on my passion and to accompany you in this wonderful school of life by developing your qualities as riders.

Clarissa Stickland – Family

Clarissa (born in 1999, daughter of David & Lyn, and sister of Rachel) has only ever lived at Belle Ferme, and grew up surrounded by horses and ponies. She rode for the first time long before her birth (so got a head start!) And participated in her first international competition at the CDIP of Zwolle, Holland, in 2010, to represent France at the age of 11 years old. Since then, Clarissa was a member of the France team with her pony Diana from 2010 to 2014. They were both reservists for the European Championships in 2011, and were taken on the team in 2013 (Arezzo, ITA) and 2014 (Millstreet, IRL). In 2015 Clarissa proceeded to horses and took on Don Bencedor Van Het Lisperhof (Ben!) With whom she was the French Junior Champion in 2016, and participated in the French Team at the European Championships in Oliva in Spain. Clarissa now lives in England where she studies at the university.

Lukasz Wrycza – Groom

Lukasz has been with Belle Ferme since August 2018 and like Darek, he does an excellent job in the stables. He is an asset to the team and since arriving has learnt an incredible amount of English. Lukasz is originally from Slupsk, Poland and also has family back in Poland. He enjoys volleyball, swimming, reading books on history and psychology. So far, he has had one lesson on Betise but hopes to have more!

Lola – Groom / Stable’s helper

Lola arrived with us at the age of 16. She came for 15 days to do her ‘3e’ work experience, without any knowledge of the equestrian world, and discovered a new world for herself. After her experiance, she came to ask if she could do an apprenticeship with us. Not wishing to take on any apprentices, the answer was no. Lola kept coming back and insisting, gently but firmly, until she wore us out and got her way! After two years of apprenticeship, and with the same insistence on staying with us, and given the evidence of her commitment, here she is, hired on a permanent basis! Lola’s main responsibilities are caring for the club ponies and horses, taking them in and out, helping to get them ready for lessons, as well as maintaining their areas, tack rooms etc. Lola is now an integral part of the team, and remains a great addition to Belle Ferme!

Kelly – Groom / Stable’s helper

Born in 2005, I started riding at the age of 11. My childhood dream was always to work with horses. I’d say this passion comes from my mother, who rode a lot when she was young and managed to get her own horse. I spent 2 years studying for a CAP (vocational training certificate) in grooming, which I obtained in June 2022. I’ve been working on a beautiful farm since August 2022, starting with a year’s apprenticeship in the Bac Pro CGEH. I decided to stop after a year because I didn’t like the school anymore. I managed to get hired by Lyn as a stable assistant. I’m very proud of this and enormously grateful for the chance I have to be in this stable, with such a good family atmosphere.

WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO OFFER YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF RIDING WHILST HAVING FUN AND MAINTAINING RESPECT FOR THE HORSES!

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