Our People
The husband and wife team
of Lionel and Georgia Ferreira founded the United States location of Monnington Farm together in 2010, and have been breeding, developing,
and training world-class horses ever since. Their twin children, Cora and Lucian, enjoy the family passion both at home and in the show ring.
Lionel
Lionel is originally from Welkom, South Africa. His parents bought him his first Saddlebred at 8 years old, and as they say, the rest is history. Lionel studied the training methods of top South African trainers Harold Poil and Bill Rowan. When he turned 18, he moved to the US
to further his education, where he studied under Joe Becker and George Knight. Next, he accepted a position with the Bulmer family's Morgan horse farm in Hereford, England - where he met Georgia Bulmer, his future wife.
Lionel and John Bulmer expanded Monnington into Saddlebreds,
making several trips to the states to purchase young Saddlebreds to raise in England. In 2008, Lionel met Carolyn Koch of Riverdreams, LLC, who owned a young stallion named Marc of Charm, and a friendship was born. Lionel and Marc blazed an iconic trail of wins and championships including the 2015 Five-Gaited World's Grand Championship.
In 2010, Lionel and Georgia established the permanent location for Monnington Farm in the United States. Since then, Lionel has trained countless World's and National Champions, including many of CH Marc of Charm's own foals.
Lionel prides himself on being an industry-leading trainer, developer of young horses, devoted husband, and loving father.
Georgia
Georgia Bulmer Ferreira was raised at the original Monnington Farm in Hereford, England. She grew up riding Morgan horses at her parents' farm. before developing her own interior design business in London.
Georgia met Lionel when he moved to England to work at Monnington. The two became an unstoppable team, and have been so ever since. In 2010, Georgia and Lionel established the permanent location for Monnington Farm in the United States. Georgia oversees all aspects of the farm operation, which has dozens of show horses, broodmares, and foals.
"It's wonderful to have reached a point where we have a great team working with us, and it is such a team effort," Georgia said. "Everyone at Monnington, from the staff to the customers, is doing their part to make this an enjoyable and successful place."
Monnington prides itself on providing outstanding care for broodmares, raising foals to grow healthy and strong.
Sarah
Sarah MacKenna is a trainer
at Monnington Farm, where her passion for developing riders and show horses shines through in every aspect
of her work. She is originally from New Hampshire, and is a graduate from William Woods University. Known for
her calm demeanor, sharp eye, and commitment to excellence, Sarah plays
a key role in daily training sessions and horse care, ensuring that each horse
in the program receives individualized attention. She brings a strong foundation in horsemanship and a fundamental understanding of the Saddlebred industry, making her an invaluable part of the Monnington team. Sarah’s ability to connect with both horses and riders makes her a trusted mentor and a vital part of the farm’s success in and out of the show ring.
Katey
Katey Smith is the Monnington Farm breeding manager. She handles the care of our broodmares and oversees the operations of our breeding division. Katey is originally from Michigan, and she has spent her entire career dedicated to the care and development of American Saddlebred horses. She is known for her meticulous attention to detail, hands-on care of the horses, and close relationship with the horses, especially WGC CH Marc of Charm. She is a true cornerstone of Monnington Farm.
Grace
Grace McFarland, assistant trainer, is originally from Palos Park, Illinois.
Grace graduated from William Woods University in 2021 and then began working for Monnington Farm. Grace loves every aspect of horse care and preparation for the show ring. She assists Lionel and Sarah with the training and preparation whilst also learning from Lionel and Sarah’s training styles. She also enjoys learning from Katey about the breeding side and foal care.
