Staff Bios
Captain Skip Nicholls
Captain Skip Nicholls served with the Household Cavalry for 32 years and rose through the ranks to finish his tenure as the Riding Master. The Riding Master’s role is responsible for all equational training and sustainment to enable the Household Cavalry to deliver all mounted State Ceremonial duties to the Royal Palace on behave of the Ministry of Defence. Also, as the Riding Master he choreographed and trained the world-famous Household Cavalry Musical ride for National and International shows on many continents. During his military career he competed at National level in British Showjumping and British Eventing flying the flag for the British Army with notable success. In 2014 he became the Chef d’ équipe and trainer for the British Army’s show jumping team and reinstated the eventing team in 2018, which are now competing at National level. Capt Nicholls is the Director of the Equestrian Horsemanship program, and trains the Junior and Varsity Jump teams, Honors class, and the Lancers display team, as well as the mounted parade work for the Black Horse Troop in preparation for all parade work.
Savannah Kranich
Savannah Kranich CGA ‘05 has been a United States Polo Association member since 2005 and received her USPA Certified Polo Instructor certification in 2016. She made the switch from showing hunters and equitation to polo during high school at the Culver Academies. Polo was a new aspect of horses for her, and she wanted to give it a try. Fast forward to today; Savannah is the Assistant Director of Admissions at Culver Academies and the coach for Culver’s Interscholastic teams. Savannah originally coached the JV Jumping team at Culver but could not stay away from polo! She switched to coaching polo in the fall of 2012 after four years of coaching the jumping team. Savannah works with the polo program’s Junior Varsity, Varsity, and Novice teams. Savannah also coaches the Equestriennes, a girl’s mounted drill team and honor organization at Culver. In her time coaching, the Girls Varsity team has won both the 2013 and 2016 Girls’ Interscholastic Central Regional Tournament. The ’13 and ’16 regional wins earned them a spot in the Girls’ Interscholastic National Tournament during those same years. Savannah currently has multiple former students playing Intercollegiate polo across the country.
Robin Siems
Robin Siems started riding as a youngster in the US Pony Club. After high school I went to England to do some training with the British Horse Society for riding instruction certification. While in England I also did 6 years in the British Army doing mounted ceremonial duties with the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery. When I came back to the US I soon started working at Culver’s Horsemanship Dept. as coach for the Summer and Winter Schools. While at Culver I have worked with military aspects for the Troop drill, helped with coaching the Lancers and Jump teams.
Melissa Alexander
Melissa Alexander started her love for equine pursuits at the age of five and it has never stopped. Showing in 4-H, Open Shows and breed shows were a part of my growing up. My equine enthusiasm carried me to Findlay, Ohio where I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Equestrian Studies from the University of Findlay. While attending Findlay I was a member of the judging team, showed at the national level, worked for various trainers, represented the University of Findlay Equestrian Department at various events, and coached at the Indiana State Horsemanship Camp. After graduation I came back home coached the 4-H Horse and Pony Judging Team and have been involved as a judge or coach in various counties within Indiana, showed in open shows, coached riding lessons with varying disciplines, involved with IHSA, been a part of various show administrations and announcing at local and regional levels. While at Culver, I have co-coached the Western Team and been a JV coach of the jumping team. I developed and implemented a new curriculum for the Foundation and Basic Equine classes for Woodcraft as well as coached both with the main emphasis on the Foundation course. Prior to my fulltime employment in the Equestrian Department, I enjoyed coaching the Basic Equine classes and worked with the Honors in Equine Science class.
Anthony Strange
Anthony Strange joined Culver Academies in its renown horsemanship department in 2022 as a riding instructor. He will also be the Rough Riding Team Coach. Anthony was born and raised in the UK and grew up in the Lake District and his passion for horses began at an early age. In 2011, Anthony joined the British Army (Household Cavalry) where he furthered his education in coaching and riding. He has participated in state occasions like the Queen’s Birthday Parade, as well as the Household Cavalry mounted display team, the Musical Ride. In 2016 Anthony competed in and completed in Mongolian Derby, the world’s longest and toughest horse race. From 2016 until 2021, Anthony was a member of the Cavalry’s Riding Staff. In 2021 he emigrated to the US where he resides with his wife and son. Anthony is an avid outdoorsman and when not riding can be found, hiking with his dogs, running, cycling, and working around his mini farm.
Grace McKay
Grace McKay grew up in Wilton, CT, where she rode hunter-jumpers. She attended UVa (known as "THE University" to anyone in Virginia); there she was introduced to the wonderful sport of Polo. After a number of years without riding, in 2006 Grace participated in an "Adult Beginner's Polo" summer session at the Brandywine Polo Club. This motivated her to get back into riding more regularly. Grace began to study with Bonnie Wallace of Cruickshank Holsteiners, whose background is in Eventing, another riding discipline Grace has come to love. Under Bonnie’s direction, Grace worked with young, green horses, doing both jumping and low-level dressage work.
Grace joined Culver Academies in 2012, taking a position in the Huffington Library. In addition to her duties there, Grace is also involved in the Horsemanship Department, serving as the Assistant Coach of the Equestriennes. In that role, she has participated in preparing for three Inaugural Parades, two invitational performances at the Fort Worth Stock Show, a Drill Team Competition in Lexington, KY (the Equestriennes earned a 2nd place trophy), and an appearance at the Kentucky Oaks Stakes Race, as well as numerous local parades and of course the Equestriennes’ performances at home in the Vaughn Equestrian Center.
Jill Strange
Jill Strange has been a part of Culver since 2014 as a CGA Counselor in Ciel dorm. Jill began coaching jump team in 2016 to help facilitate communication and flat work. She has a relational approach to coaching given her counseling and equestrian background. Jill believes success starts on the flat, and classical training is essential for all disciplines. Jill competes in the Dressage ring as a member of the United States Dressage Federation. She holds multiple level championships and high percentage awards. Jill also competes in the National Barrel Horse Association, where she is four-time World Qualifier.
Honor Beeler
Honor’s passion for riding started at an early age. She grew up riding and competing at events throughout the Midwest. She successfully competed on both the Illinois Hunter/Jumper Association (IHJA) “A” Circuit and the Northern Illinois Hunter/Jumper Association (NIHJA) local circuit, taking many top honors along the way. Honor graduated Suma Cum Laude from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in 2015, where she majored in Photography and minored in Equine Science. While at school, Honor competed on SCAD’s top-ranked equestrian team. During her years on the SCAD equestrian team, she won numerous classes and placed top three at Regionals, helping her team win the National IHSA title in 2015. One of the highlights of both her riding and academic career, Honor won the SCAD female Athletic Director Award, given to the female athlete with the highest-grade point average. Shortly after graduation, Honor joined a highly competitive AA circuit barn as a trainer, instructor, and summer camp director for over seven years. Honor is certified in SafeSport under the United States Hunter/Jumper Association and an ARIA certified trainer in both Hunters and Jumpers.
