Sue Payne is the Director of Riding and Head Coach of the Smith equestrian team. She has directed the College Riding Program since the 1970's and has coached the team since 1981. Payne has been on the IHSA Board of Directors since 1989 as president of Zone I, Region III and has been chair of the Personnel Committee since its inception. In 2000, she was the recipient of the IHSA's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Payne has sent three High Point Teams to the IHSA Nationals, two Cacchione Cup Riders, two individual champions, four Reserve Champions and numerous others who placed in the top ten. She is a life member of USEF and USHJA and served as past president of the Pioneer Valley Equine Association. Payne received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts. Before coming to Smith, she taught in the Springfield Public Schools.
When not in the classroom, she taught riding at her home-based farm and took students to shows all over New England. As a junior rider, Sue rode and competed successfully in the Equitation division with Captain T. Fred Marsman at the Dana Hall School. After college, she turned to showing hunters and jumpers. She raised and trained two horses who foaled at Smith and loves starting other young horses to use in the programs at the Equestrian Center. Her true passion is and always has been teaching riders of all levels.
Sue lives in Northampton with her husband, Bill, and her Jack Russell terrier, Keeva.
