As a baby, Melina had contact with horses. She inherited her love for horses from her father, who bred show jumpers and was a successful show jumper in his youth. At the age of four, she competed in her first competition with Pamela, her first pony. Then came the pony Suleika, a very competitive pony that increased her ambition to continue competing.
Under her father’s guidance, Melina achieved many successes and began winning numeros gold ribbons. At fourteen, Melina rode her first Grand Prix with a gelding bred by her father. Her success led her to become a member of the German Team, representing her country at junior championships.
Career
For Melina, there is no world without horses
She studied at the German Equestrian Federation, where she obtained the certificate to train young riders to become professional riders.
Pius Schwizer
Pius Schwizer, leader of the world rankings in show jumping in 2010, recognized the potential of this 17-year-old rider and hired her to work in his world-famous show jumping stable.
" Pius has a fighting spirit and strong discipline. He not only gave me the opportunity to compete with many different horses but also the knowledge to optimize my riding ."
Stud Dobel (Otto Becker )
Melina´s next career step took her the southern Germany, where she trained young horses and breeding stallions, presenting them at the highest level. At the same time, she learned everything about modern breeding, bloodlines, as well as the marketing and handling of breeding stallions.
Paul Schockemöhle
In Mühlen, Melina gained further experience in the renowned show jumping stable of Paul Schockemöhle.
"Supported by great trainers, I learned everything about training of show jumpers, presenting in jumping, and the marketing business ."
Due to her knowledge, she was selected to be part of the team that presented and rode horses at the Holsteiner auction.
Qatar Equestrian Federation
At the Baumeisters’ equestrian facility, Melina was responsible for the management, training, and presentation of the Qatar Equestrian Federation’s show jumpers. In this phase of her career, she achieved many important victories in national and international competitions. Melina also coached one of the Qatari show jumping teams, leading them to top placements, such as the international 5-star competition in Wiesbaden.
" A great moment, having worked with the best trainers and veterinarians in the equestrian world."
Phoenix Bay Equestrian Club (Chongqing/重慶市)
"A very exciting time in my life, witnessing how equestrian sports developped in China and how the love for the sport grew."
Continent : Mexico
Nations Cup Rider Manuel Alvarez
A job offer from international show jumper Manuel Alvarez brought Melina to a new continent- Latin America, specifically Mexico.
She trained aspiring horses and introduced them to the international competitions. She also coached his children, who, under her guidance, represented Mexico in junior Nations Cups.
" Manuel and his family opened many doors for me and introduced me to Mexican culture. I am very thankful for this time. "
Owner and Operator of Kulturestables in North America
Her step into self-employment came in 2018.
" North America was definitely a very formative time for my professional career. There I simply learned to rethink things and approach them differently. In addition to my classic German foundation, a little American riding style was added here. I was also able to further expand my network there and met many great people with whom I still continue to work with and have build a trustful friendship with.
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Kulturestables
Europe/Germany
At the end of 2023, Melina returned to Germany and from now on She runs a Competition and training stable in the heart of Europe. In her hometown Trier, bordering Luxembourg, France, Holland and Belgium, she finds the best infrastructure for reaching international circuits in Europe. Melina Schwaab continues to dedicate herself to the training of young and older horses and their age-appropriate competition performance. She also trains students, with a particular focus on supporting young talent from different countries and enabling training stays in Germany.
" I am very happy about taking another and new step back to my homeland. Here in Germany I will focus on investments, development and competing up to international Grand Prix Level. I am very grateful for the trust placed in me by my horse owners and customers. As a trainer, I would like to focus on bringing young talents from different countries and cultures together in Germany. "
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