IWD 2025: Equitas Welcomes McKrell Baier as IWD Speaker
Date: 8th March 2025
Time: 19:30 - 21:30 GMT
Register: HERE
Equitas is proud to announce that McKrell Baier – Equestrian Educator, Innovator & Advocate will be joining the speaker line-up for International Women’s Day 2025.
McKrell Baier is a highly accomplished equestrian, coach, and educator dedicated to increasing accessibility and raising standards in equestrian sport. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, McKrell earned a BS in Biology & Anthropology from the University of Miami (Florida) in 1999. She made history as the first professional equestrian inducted into the university’s Phi Beta Kappa Society, all while working and competing at the international level as a young rider representing the highly competitive southeast region of the USA.
A Career in Equestrian Sport & Education
Since turning professional in 2000, McKrell has competed at the highest levels of equestrian sport, earning multiple Grand Prix showjumping placings (1996-2003) and finishing fourth individually at the 1998 North American Young Rider’s Championships. She has also coached successful students across the United States. In 2009, after partnering with her husband, Christian Baier, her focus shifted from competition to education, working on initiatives designed to improve access to equestrian sport and develop solutions for some of the biggest challenges in horse care and welfare.
Community Outreach & GiddyUP Riders
In 2013, McKrell single-handedly produced fundraising events that financed the launch of the Urban Equestrian Program, providing over 200 children aged 6-16 at the Whitehaven Community Center in Memphis with the opportunity to engage with horses. Her work in equestrian outreach continued in 2021 when she was awarded grant funding by the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation to expand the initiative. The resulting GiddyUP Riders programme has now been running for over three years, providing young riders with access to a rigorous equestrian curriculum aligned with international standards. Participants train five days a week, all year round, travelling 35 miles each way to the stable to pursue their passion.
Global Equestrian & The United States Equestrian Society (USES)
In 2020, McKrell and Christian launched Global Equestrian, an online education platform for riding instructors. Designed to raise standards across the equestrian industry, the platform provides structured curricula that include checklists of practical skills and theoretical knowledge, ensuring ethical horse training and care. Since its inception, over 100 instructors across the USA have used the platform to enhance their programmes and streamline their riding school operations.
In 2025, this initiative evolved into the United States Equestrian Society (USES), a new alternative to the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). The organisation was founded to provide a more agile and transparent governing body for equestrian sport, demonstrating that ethical equestrianism at the highest level is not just possible, but essential for the future of the industry. The first USES competition, scheduled for April 2025, will be live-streamed globally to highlight riders committed to ethical equestrian education. The competition will also address ongoing concerns about the USEF’s failure to require licensure or certification for riders, instructors, or trainers in its Olympic and sport horse disciplines.
Expertise & Contributions to Equestrian Sport
McKrell has learned from some of the world’s most respected equestrians, including Olympic medalists Melanie Smith Taylor, Joe Fargis, and Albert Voorn. She has contributed to the sport as a course designer and educator, assisting at prestigious events such as the 2008 Olympic Showjumping Trials (Wellington, FL), Spruce Meadows (CAN), and Maastricht (NED). She also designed courses for the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Emerging Athletes Program in its inaugural years.
Her notable achievements include:
🏆 Legacy Cup Hunter Winner (2008)
🏆 Completed Aachen School of Course Design (2008, 2009)
🏆 Graduated from the World Trainer’s Forum Programme in Aachen, GER (2009)
🏆 Developed a multi-species non-inflammatory equid feed (2018)
Endorsements from Industry Leaders
Joe Fargis (USA): “Great people!”
Arno Gego (GER): “McKrell’s and Christian’s school is a most persuading example of how to bring the best from all continents together for improving equestrian skills.”
Melanie Smith-Taylor (USA): “McKrell and Christian have the passion and desire to not only ride and teach well but to be complete horsemen.”
Albert Voorn (NED): “Dedicated people to do a good job.”
Speaking at IWD 2025
At Equitas’ International Women’s Day event, McKrell will share her insights on equestrian education, accessibility in sport, and the future of ethical equestrianism. She will discuss the impact of outreach programmes, the role of alternative governing bodies in shaping the industry, and how structured education can revolutionise rider development and horse welfare.
Join us for IWD 2025 as we welcome McKrell Baier and continue the conversation on creating lasting change for women in equestrian sport.
📅 International Women’s Day 2025
📍 Hosted by Equitas
For updates and event details, visit www.equitas.ie.
