Meredith Landy first fell in love with Paints as an 11-year-old in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She found family in APHA, first through horse shows and later as a leader at the regional, state and national levels. As an adult, Meredith makes her home in Southern California, where she enjoyed a successful career as a lawyer and is raising her daughters, Ashlyn and Aidyn. In March 2026, Meredith was elected to her second three-year term on the APHA Board of Directors, and she remains a passionate supporter of all things Paints.
The Catalyst Moment
“I bugged the life out of my poor parents to let me have horseback riding lessons. For whatever reason, in a twist of fate, the trainer who had a barnful of Quarter Horses ended up putting me on the only Paint in his barn. I fell in love with him; his name was Nifty Dun.
“I started showing when I was about 11, and we worked our way up gradually. I remember the trainer took me and the other kids to a small open horse show, which was a stroke of genius because it got all of the parents excited. My dad hadn’t been terribly enthusiastic [about riding lessons], but I got a fourth place at that open show and my dad got so excited that he bought me my first horse, a palomino Paint mare. He got very involved and later was the president of the Louisiana Paint Horse Club. My parents became just as involved as I was.
“I got hooked from a very young age. We kids had so much fun. I couldn’t wait to get to the horse shows, not just to show my horse but also to see all of my friends. It was a very close-knit community, and it was very fun. I can honestly say those were some of the best days of my life.”
The Leadership Journey
“I was elected AjPHA treasurer in 1976—the Youth meeting was at the APHA National Show, which was in my hometown of Baton Rouge. The next year, I was elected president of AjPHA. I learned a lot; it was a fun year and a great learning experience.”
Good Horses …
“My dad and I bred Paints back in the ’70s. One of our foals was the national champion weanling filly in the 1974 nationals in Jackson. I did a little bit of breeding in the early 2000s and then started up again after I retired from my job, around 2017. One of my broodmares is a daughter of Shesa Real Pleasure, a mare we just inducted into he APHA Hall of Fame.
“As an exhibitor, I’ve really been blessed with some wonderful horses over the years. A few special ones are:
-
- Red Wampum, my Youth horse. I saw him at a horse show in Memphis; he was reserve halter champion as a weanling. I remember thinking what a beautiful horse he was. We bought him as a 2-year-old, and he turned into a wonderful horse—he was way before his time.
-
- All Good, my most recent hunter under saddle horse. “Jameson” is a one-event horse, and I decided I would just show him at a few shows each year, since my daughters were growing up and involved in a lot of activities that required me to be more present. He’s absolutely stunning. We won Masters Amateur Hunter Under Saddle world championships four times, along with a lot of NSBA championships as well.
-
- Real Me In. I bought him in 2003, and he forced me to elevate my game. He was one of the kindest horses I’ve ever been around. He was known as a hunter under saddle horse, but he learned the all-around and we did the pattern classes, Western pleasure and hunt-seat events. He helped me win my first world championship in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle in 2004. After I sold him, he continued to have a marvelous career.
-
- Certified Stride: Every time we went in the show arena, he was trying as hard as I was. He was always with me: every step, every stride. He now lives a wonderful life in my barn and is spoiled rotten.”
… Great People
“You’re not going to find any better people on the planet than those who are involved in APHA. It’s a wonderful group of people. If you invest your time in the organization, the organization will invest in you, and you’ll end up with friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Leaning into Leadership
“I’ve gained an appreciation that things on the inside are not quite as simple as they appear from the outside. Being involved on the board has given me a bird’s eye view of the inner workings of the organization—what makes it tick, what makes us successful and what might not. I’m proud of being part of the board’s efforts to affect change that can improve our stature in the breed association world.
“I’m really proud of our Paynt Points program. There was some initial skepticism, but I remember thinking people just need to be patient and see how it plays out. We don’t yet know what the long-term effects will be, but I will tell you that once people started getting those checks, a lot of the criticism evaporated. That was a feel-good moment for a lot of us on the board because we really want the program to work. We want it to benefit our exhibitors and make more funds available for them to show their Paint Horses. I’m really excited to see how it might impact our participation levels long term. Anything we can do to support our regional shows is for the good of the entire organization.”
Leading with Passion
“I would like people to know that no one wants more and better things for APHA than those who are devoting a lot of time to serving in leadership, whether that’s as a state director or on the board or on a committee. I have not met a single person who is anything other than well intentioned. They all want our breed to succeed.
“If you think there are things that can be done better, get involved. I’ve found that when you get involved, people welcome you with open arms and embrace your ideas. We have a hard-working, energetic group of people who are very dedicated to making this breed world class. At the end of the day, you won’t regret it. You’ll get a lot out of it, personally and professionally.”
Why APHA?
“These are my people, and this is my breed. I’m very loyal to the brand and I always will be.”
Photos courtesy Meredith Landy
##
About APHA
The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association. Since it was founded in 1962, APHA has registered more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses. Learn more at apha.com.