Beyond her competition career, Lellie served as Joint Master of the Aiken Hounds for 13 years and was appointed Regional Safety Director by the Masters of Foxhounds Association in recognition of her innovative foxhunter safety clinics. Her leadership and commitment to rider safety have made a lasting impact on both the eventing and foxhunting communities.

Lellie’s extensive education includes training with many of the world’s leading riders and instructors. She spent four years in Germany studying classical dressage with Egon von Neindorff, two years in Ireland with renowned show jumper Iris Kellett, and galloped racehorses in Spain and New York. As a young rider, she worked for Olympic gold medalist Torrance Watkins for 10 years, developing a deep understanding of stable management, turnout, and horsemanship — knowledge that still shapes her instruction today.

For more than three decades, Lellie Ward trained and competed in both the United States and Europe, riding and teaching across some of the most respected venues in the sport. She owned and operated Paradise Farm in Aiken, South Carolina, where she hosted national and local-level competitions and clinics for over 20 years. Paradise Farm became a nationally recognized training facility, known for its exceptional footing and challenging cross-country courses. The United States Eventing Association (USEA) and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) held multiple training sessions there under her direction.