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David Blake's Equestrian
Profile
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David Blake began
riding horses when he was four years old with his mother, who also
rides Dressage. His first love was show jumping, which he did
until he was fourteen years old. He began competing through Pony
Club going as far as the Pony Club National Show Jumping
Championships in Lexington, Kentucky. In 1993 David began riding
dressage and competed in the Pony Club National Dressage
Championships in Lexington, Kentucky as well. While apprenticing
under Jan Ebling, David trained his mother's Hanoverian, Dante, from
a young horse to Grand Prix earning his USDF Gold medal.
In 2004 David
purchased his first horse, Catapult, from Suze Randall at Dark Horse
Canyon Ranch. When David first saw him in 2003, he was passaging
around the turnout and jumping anything and everything he could.
Suze asked David to start Catapult under saddle to prepare him for
the stallion approvals. During that six month process, David fell in
love with his personality and spirit, he felt he would always try
for him. Since then Catapult has done just that. They began their
career together in Lexington Kentucky at the 2005 FEI 5 year old
National Championships where they took 7th place. The team returned
the following year to win the FEI 6 year old National Championships
with a score of 7.95%. The following two years were remarkable for
Catapult and David, his dressage dream was in motion. David
intended to move Catapult up to the small tour after a quiet year at
Prix St. Georges while in his seventh year. Unfortunately, Catapult
sustained an injury in the fall of 2007 that put his career on hold
for all of 2008 and most of the spring and summer of 2009. Dressage
Getaway in Thermal, California was this teams first time back in the
show arena. It also marked their first attempt at the Intermediare
I. They started off the show with a 75% at Prix Saint Georges
receiving first place and ended the show on Sunday with a 69.73% at
the I1, receiving second place.
In 2006 Steffen
Peters called David regarding a young stallion that was running out
of options. A client of Steffen's owned Lord Albert, who was
extremely unruly and deemed un-ridable. After trying him a couple
times, David felt that they could develop a partnership; David
purchased Lord Albert and brought him home to Thousand Oaks,
California. Within six months, Lord Albert and David qualified for
the Young Horse Breeding Championships in Verden, Germany.
Qualifying for the Championships was the easy part. Raising the
$50,000 it took to get there without sponsorship or help from the
Federation proved to be more difficult! With the help and support of
family, friends, fundraiser's and generous donations, they made it.
Albert and David ended up placing 16th overall and left satisfied
knowing the challenges they had overcome to get there. Lord Albert
made his first showing debut since Verden, at Dressage Getaway too
placing 2nd on Sunday with a score of 65.5 % at Prix St. Georges.
Davids ultimate
Dressage goal, like any professional athlete, is to compete in the
Pan American Games and FEI World Cup and ultimately the Olympics. He
fully understand that to make these dreams possible he will not only
have to train diligently, but will also have to finaicial
support. David made an important move in the fall of 2009 and feels
extremely fortunate be at Arroyo Del Mar, where he is able to train
on a daily basis with Steffen and Shannon Peters. Steffen has
developed a program for Catapult and Shannon for Lord Albert; they
have both taken a great interest in his horses and in his career, a
dream come true for any rider
David Clyde Blake
was born April 8, 1979. He is married with no children and resides
in Encinitas, CA. David can be reached via cell phone at
310.435.2204, fax at 858.756.0134 or email
david@davidblakedressage.com. You can also visit his web site at
www.davidblakedressage.com
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EQUINE EDUCATION:
2006-Present:
Training with Steffen and Shannon Peters
2004-2009:
Trained with Christine Traurig
2005-2008:
Trained with Scott Hassler
2000-2005:
Trained with Janet Brown
2002-2006:
Apprenticeship to Jan Ebeling
2003:
Trained with Axel Steiner
2002:
Trained with Harry Boldt
NON-EQUINE EDUCATION:
2000-2002: Northridge University - Los Angeles,
CA - Psychology
1998-2000:
Santa Monica College - Los Angeles, CA - Psychology
EMPLOYMENT:
2004-Present:
David Blake Dressage Training, Inc.
7070 Black Mountain Road San Diego, CA 92130 310.435.2204
Training clients and horses through the Grand Prix, clinics and
equine sales
2002-2006:
Apprenticeship to Jan Ebeling
13375 Broadway Road Moorpark, CA 93021 805.532.2118
Daily grooming, riding and teaching of lessons
SHOW RECORD:
2009:
· 1st Place, 75.00 Catapult PSG Dressage
Getaway Thermal, CA
· 2nd Place, 69.73 Catapult I1 Dressage Getaway
Thermal, CA
· 2nd Place, 65.52 Lord Albert PSG Dressage
Getaway Thermal, CA
2007:
· 5th Place, 7.98 Lord Albert FEI 5 yr old test USEF/Markel
Young Horse Championships Lexington, KY
· 16th Place Lord Albert FEI World Breeding
Championships Verden, Germany
· 1st Place, 8.40 Lord Albert FEI 5 yr old
test West Coast Regional Final Championships Pasadena, CA
· 1st Place, 8.36 Lord Albert FEI 5 yr old
test West Coast Regional Final Championships Pasadena, CA
· 1st Place, 66.62 Catapult PSG Dressage at
Flintridge Pasadena, CA
· 1st Place, 7.80 Lord Albert FEI 5 yr old test
Del Mar National Del Mar, CA
· 3rd Place, 66.37 Catapult PSG Del Mar
National Del Mar, CA
· 1st Place, 72.5 Catapult PSG LA Winter
Dressage Burbank, CA
2006:
· 1st Place, 7.95 Catapult FEI 6 yr old test
USEF/Markel Young Horse Championships Lexington, KY
· 3rd Place, Catapult FEI 6 yr old test - West
Coast Regional Final Championships Pasadena, CA
· 2nd Place, 7.38 Catapult FEI 6 yr old test
Del Mar National Del Mar, CA
2005:
· 7th Place, 7.32 Catapult FEI 5 yr old test -
USEF/Markel Young Horse Championships Lexington, KY
2004:
· 2nd Place, 62.5 Dante Grand Prix Del Mar
Classic Del Mar, CA
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
· 2007: FEI Highpoint Award, Los Angeles Chapter, Catapult
· 2007: PSG Overall Highpoint Award, Flintridge, CA,
Catapult
· 2007: The American Holsteiner Association PSG Open Reserve
Champion, Catapult
· 2007: USDF FEI 5 year old Reserve Champion, Lord Albert
· 2006: USDF FEI 6 year old Reserve Champion, Catapult
· 2006: Invited to participate and ride at Young Horse
Trainers Symposium at Hill Top Farms with Scott Hassler and Dr. Ulf
Moller
· 2002: Obtained Gold Medal, Del Mar National Championships
Del Mar, CA
· 1997: Obtained Silver Medal, Los Angeles Equestrian
Center, Burbank, CA
· 1995: Obtained L Judge certification with Janet Brown in
Denver, CO
· 1994: Obtained Bronze Medal, Lamplight Equestrian Center,
Chicago, IL
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