Melissa Joannides' Event Yard is based in Wiltshire.
Melissa is an event rider based in Wiltshire in the South West of England. Here, the team runs the yard producing event horses and ponies. Currently competing in British Eventing and British Show Jumping, Melissa has been riding her whole life. Starting out on ponies competing in Pony Club, she was one of the youngest competitors at the Pony Club Novice championships at the age of 12.
Melissa is aiming for the very top. With a strong team of support behind her, including her sponsors, she has every intention of fulfilling her goals. If you want to be part of the team, please contact us.
Melissa joined BE at the age of 14, riding for her first owner. In 2012 she was the leading U21 event rider in the South East Eventers League as well as the leading BE90 combination with Kilmurray Bay Mirah. In the start of her career she qualified and rode three different horses at the Badminton Grassroots Championships. In 2014 she finished 8th in the BE90 on the 6YO Cullintra Jane. In August 2014 she finished 9th in her first CIC* at Firle Place International on Foxglove II. In 2015 she qualified and rode at the Festival of BE in the Novice Restricted Final on Brighton Rock II. She also won the Blenheim Palace Eventer's Challenge on Skip To The Beat.
In 2016 she was 2nd in the CIC* at Firle Place on In Vogue II and finished in the top 20 in her first CIC** at Aldon Int. She had 9 BE wins in 2016 and 10/12 BD wins. In 2017 she completed her first Advanced and went on to complete the Intermediate Championship at the Festival of BE. She had 12 wins and 44/60 top ten placings.
In 2018 she was crowned Leading Foundation Points rider in the whole of British Eventing amassing a total of 516 foundation points. In the same year she was also the leading BE90 combination and rider of the leading mare in the South East Eventers League, as well as picking up 3rd place in the Mark Todd Bridging the Gap Scholarship. It was a great season with 19 wins and 75/95 top ten placings. In the world of BD, she was 8th in the Novice Winter Dressage Championships and winner of the Elementary Petplan Area Festival Championship.
Highlights of 2019 included 8th place in the Novice Championship at the Festival of BE and rider of the leading stallion in the SEEL. It culminated in 14 wins and 40 top ten placings. She also had one of best results in BD with a 2nd in the Petplan Elementary silver National Winter Championship and a 3rd in the BD National Winter Dressage Elementary silver Championship and the highest placed BD Youth member.
In 2020, despite a short season due to Covid, Melissa picked up 5 wins and 4th / 105 at Wellington CCI2*S on the pony stallion Prometheus. In 2021, Melissa was selected onto the BEF Young Professionals programme. During the season she picked up 11 wins and was crowned Area Festival Champion on Quality Quick Decision and was placed 3rd / 101 in the CCI2*S at Cornbury House on Prometheus. She also completed her first CCI4*S on Patch Ali. She completed the young horse 5 and 6yo championship at Osberton and completed the season with a 3rd / 65 in the BE100 3-day at Bicton on Quality Quick Decision.
In 2022, Melissa had 7 wins, including being crowned the first ever two Intermediate Masters champion at both Rockingham Castle and Nunney International with Patch Ali as well as a win at Aston Intermediate. She also won the Intermediate-Novice at both Cirencester Park and Little Downham on the pony stallion Prometheus. The season culminated with Silver Venture completing the 7yo 3* championship at Osberton and a 3rd / 70 in the BE100 3-day at Bicton with Bathleyhills Burglar Bill Mar.
In 2023, Melissa was selected onto the Wesko 4/5* Pathway. Despite a disrupted season due to a broken ankle, Melissa picked up 2/3 placings at 4* level with Patch Ali, including 12th at Thoresby CCI4*S and 6th at Ballindenisk CCI4*L. She was also 7th in the CCI3*L on Silver Venture. In a limited number of runs, she secured 7 wins, including 5 aboard the pony Ringfort Jack Sparrow.
In 2024, Melissa accumulated 7 wins eventing as well as some wins BS. The highlight of the season was completing her first CCI5L aboard Patch Ali, who had a fantastic season including jumping double clear at Kronenburg CCI4S, qualifying for the BS Winter Championships and completing Blenheim Palace CCI4L. She notched up 2 placings at CCI3S with Norma Gii at Mallow and Little Downham, and finished in the top 5 with both Silver Venture and Norma Gii at Lisgarvan House 3L. Her wins came aboard Silver Venture and 5yo Hallmarked, who had 5 wins in total to his name.
'We believe each horse is an individual and as such requires 5 star care. By keeping the yard small and intimate we can give each horse the time and attention that they deserve.'
