Meet the Team
Call +1(800) 291-4774 to speak with an equine insurance specialist.
Leadership
Office Team
Agents
Emma Wooten
Emma has been with Taylor, Harris since 2019. She has held various roles in the horse racing industry, including as an assistant, exercise rider, and whipper-in for hunt clubs in the U.S. and Canada. Originally from Vermont, Emma grew up on a rural family farm and began riding at a young age. She now lives in Boyce, Virginia, with her husband, niece, and their two dogs, Goose and Maverick. Contact Emma directly.
Catherine LaBarre
Catherine has been with THIS for more than a decade. She has a background in riding and showing Morgan Horses, both on the open circuit and at A-rated Morgan shows. Catherine was a member of the equestrian team at Mount Ida College. She has served as treasurer for the Vermont Horse Shows Association, been involved with the Vermont Morgan Horse Association, and served as secretary for the Vermont Total Doberman Club. Catherine also trains and competes with her Doberman in IPO at local and national levels. In 2017, she was the Doberman National IPO3 Champion. Email Catherine directly.
Mandy Hulver
Born and raised in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Mandy grew up surrounded by horses. She has been riding since the age of 4 and has worked with almost every kind of horse, from cow ponies to Grand Prix dressage horses and competitive driving teams. Mandy attended Radford University where she competed on the Equestrian Team and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Human Performance with a concentration in Strength and Conditioning. After working in the Medical Fitness and Sports Performance fields for several years, she is happy to be back in the Equine Industry. When Mandy is not spending time on the farm, she’s busy taking care of her many pets and plants. Email Mandy directly.
Carron Smith
Administrative Assistant
Originally from Bermuda, Carron manages a busy farm with her husband and 4 boys when she isn’t helping to keep the THIS team on track. Email Carron directly.
Meredith Christiansen
Meredith grew up in Culpeper, Virginia regularly participating in local and rated Hunter/Jumper shows around the area. She attended college at Hollins University where she competed successfully for their IHSA, ODAC, and Open Show teams and graduated with a degree in Political Science.
After graduating, she made a career in the Hunter/Jumper industry working for top trainers on the east coast including several years with Don Stewart Jr. before starting her own small training business. As a professional she enjoyed coaching children and adults of all levels from those just starting out in the Cross-rail/Short Stirrup Divisions to those competing in the Junior/Amateur Hunters, Jumper, and Equitation rings. Over the years she helped many students qualify and compete at Devon, Indoors, and various other regional and national finals.
In early 2022 Meredith made the career transition to Equine Insurance working as a Claims Adjuster and most recently as an Underwriter for Great American’s Equine Mortality division before joining the THIS team. She enjoys spending time with her husband, stepdaughter, and two hound dogs around their home in Ocala, FL and is looking forward to riding again as an amateur in the near future.
Courtney Lloyd
Courtney grew up in Southern Illinois and competed in A-rated Hunter/Jumpers before shifting to Fox Hunting and 3-Day Eventing. She competed through Intermediate/CCI 2* level of 3-day eventing, specializing in restarting thoroughbreds off the track. Courtney also graduated from the MFHA Professional Development Program in 2013, expanding her hunt knowledge as a whipper-in and huntsman. After college she transitioned to grooming for Doug Payne full time where she groomed through 5* Eventing and Show Jumping, as well as team competitions such as Nations Cups, the Pan American Games, and Tokyo Olympics.
When she retired from grooming full-time, Courtney stepped into Equine Insurance as an Underwriter with Great American’s Equine Mortality division. She is a founding board member and participates in the International Groom’s Association, freelance grooms at the FEI levels, and is an FEI Eventing Steward. She lives in Durham, NC with her husband, their two dogs, and has Doug’s Olympic horse Vandiver in his semi-retirement years.