Elle

Competitive Polo Player · Investor · Entrepreneur

Elle has over twenty years of experience in investment and corporate management, working for MSD Capital, Highbridge Capital, and Merrill Lynch. She has also worked in the corporate world focusing on M&A, strategy, and business development globally. She left corporate America to pursue entrepreneurship. Galop is her third start-up, growing past businesses from $0 to over $10MM and becoming the market leader in their industries. Ms. Williams received a BS from the Stern School at NYU, an MBA from Wharton, a Master's from Johns Hopkins University and her Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust.

Elle is a generational horsewoman, in a long tradition beginning with her grandmother. Her mother was a professional trainer and competitor and their family is in the breeder's Hall of Fame. Elle began her equestrian pursuits as a 4-month-old, barely able to sit up, but very happy to sit on the back of a horse. Her equestrian experience includes show jumping, showing, fox hunting, rodeo and polo. Polo has become her true passion, and she has dedicated her free time to its pursuit. In doing so she has been confounded by the fact that there is no attractive and truly well-made polo apparel. Indeed, over her decades of equestrianism, she has found no truly flattering and technically proficient clothing. There are technical items that perform well but are either uncomfortable or unbecoming.

Her extensive background in finance paired with her passion and experience with horses make her uniquely placed to build Galop with her partner Elizabeth.

"I wanted to wear something that understood both the intensity of competition and the sophistication of my life outside the arena. When it didn't exist, we created it."

Elizabeth

Dressage Competitor · Designer · Entrepreneur

Elizabeth combines technical expertise with a passion for innovation in sports apparel. She spent over a decade at ExxonMobil, where she honed the research and problem-solving skills that underpin her design process. Her first foray into sportswear earned international recognition, including the ISPO Award for Innovative Design and Mountain Bike Magazine's "Short of the Year" for advanced material innovation (Leather with Lycra®). Elizabeth later founded Mastermind Equestrian, a high-performance, fashion-forward riding apparel brand. The brand enjoyed a fiercely loyal customer base, was featured in numerous equestrian publications, and was among the top five global equestrian brands in quality and price. Elizabeth holds BS and MS degrees from Cornell University.

"Dressage taught me that excellence is in the details. Every movement, every line, every choice matters. The same is true in design."