We spend a lot of time highlighting the riders and the programs at the top of the sport, but we also should be talking more about how to grow the sport’s base. It’s no secret that membership and competition entry numbers aren’t exactly exploding. Many programs around the country (and the world) have found ways to make headway into the broader world by attracting budding riders to well-run riding school programs. This year on EN, we’ll be paying a virtual visit to several of these programs to ask them what drives them, how they’ve set their business up and what, perhaps, we can all take away when we think about growing the sport from the bottom up. Look for new installments of this series coming your way regularly.
Many a recent written article, show recap, and podcast devoted to eventing have included the sentiment that our sport is “in danger’”or “at a crossroads” due to concerns about social license to operate or the actions of upper-level riders. As those stresses continue to be chewed over, if one digs deeper into our sport’s challenges it is easy to find a very real and growing difficulty: the loss of our bedrock riding schools and academies.
Frankly, how do we support the base of our sport? How do we make sure that quality riding programs are available nationwide to teach the actual skill of horseback riding and proper horsemanship. How can we shepherd a young person from up-down lessons into the sport of eventing? Is it possible for riding horses to be somewhat affordable in this day in age?
While this forum might not be able to resolve these salient issues, it can highlight some of the successful programs that are actively developing next generation riders and eventing fans — and perhaps inspire something or at least provide a takeaway that’s useful for other programs who have the same goals.
Introducing the McFall Family and Dragonfire Farm
The professional life of an eventer almost always involves teaching in some form, even if only to support the competition side of the business. But for the McFall family, Jennifer, Earl, and Taylor, their Dragonfire Farm is more of lifework.
Based in Northern California at their long-standing family farm, the McFalls operate a dedicated program for properly developing their students into successful eventers. “Our students just learn over time what a fun sport eventing is. I think we’ve had very few people who didn’t decide to stay in the sport,” Jen said. “We just want to turn people on to loving horses. I think bottom line is that the horse world needs more fans.”
Jen and Earl began building their 20-acre property from the ground up in 2005. Now 21 years later, Dragonfire Farm can fully service the human and equine athlete. They have multiple barns, all-weather turnouts and irrigated pastures for year-round grazing. There are several arenas including a full-size dressage area with mirrors and a huge acre large all-weather jumping arena that Earl built. The farm also features a complete cross country schooling field that has a full water element, multiple banks and ditches and tons of portable jumps. Conditioning tracks wrap around the whole facility.
Jen McFall and High Times at Rolex 2017. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
The facility supports 35-45 horses, the majority of which are owned by clients. Jen and Taylor have a few of their own personal horses and the farm also has a boutique breeding operation so that at any given time they have a baby or a yearling or two on the ground. But the heart of Dragonfire Farm is The Academy, the lesson program which supports five-year-old littles being led around on saintly ponies all the way up to students competing at the Advanced International level. Jen says, “When Earl and I first built this place, we built it with the idea of having a progression of levels for people. We’ve always been cognizant of the necessity for grassroots in all horse sports. If you don’t bring people along, the sport ends up absolutely suffering.”
Earl McFall and Tropic Delight. Photo courtesy of Nancy Dein.
Jen and Earl had The Academy running from Dragonfire Farm’s inception. Taylor, who was just a tot when the farm began, went through the program herself and at about sixteen really started to take over its management. “It’s really evolved into a strong program with two summer camps and two shows of its own that are here on the property,” Jen said.
“I had several instructors that were my Mom’s students. They brought me along and taught me everything on my little ponies when I was running around wild,” the now 22-year-old Taylor said. “I was so inspired by all of the instructors when I was younger and they are basically my role models. I wanted to continue that and keep the lessons really fun and encouraging so that everyone knew they were doing a good job.”
Developing The Academy
Photo courtesy of Dragonfire Farm.
It is important to recognize the business side of establishing a flourishing riding program. The Academy has a strong 35 student roster that has grown over time thanks to the McFall’s promotion of the program in social media and word of mouth. They’ve also been able to take advantage of local charter schools who enable their students to participate in sports thanks to a bursary. Earl credits his mentor Yves Sauvignon from Oak Ridge Farm in Sonoma for having a similar, larger, program which helped act as a feeder for his operation. “Out of 60 people maybe 10 will continue and maybe 5 will be good at it and keep you going,” Earl said. “It’s just been a really foundational and important part of our business.”
The McFalls credit the most important part of their operation, their horses, with The Academy’s continuing success. Unique for their farm is the Morgan breeding program that Jen’s Mom, Cheron, began about 50 years ago. Jen trained several of the homebreds to competitive success and many of them were funneled into The Academy. Those horses combined with others that were acquired from students allow their wide range of students to progress happily and safely up the levels. The lesson horses’ reward for their service is a lifetime at Dragonfire Farm. Jen said firmly, ‘None of our lesson horses ever leave. They all stay here, until the end.’
Taylor also emphasizes the importance of horsemanship for all Academy students. “We have summer camps mostly so that we can introduce more advanced horse care to the students. We have a lot of people who started their whole riding career here so they don’t know what it takes to maintain a horse or own a horse. They’re learning how to do a graining schedule, how to clean their tack, what bit should work for their horse. Cooling out, fitness work. How to wrap its legs. I want them to understand what it takes to be a good horseman because that’s going to help them as the move up the levels,” she said.
Photo courtesy of Dragonfire Farm.
The progression of The Academy’s students knowledge also extends to the show ring. Becoming a proficient competitor is separate skill into itself and Taylor makes certain that her students have proper experiences from the beginning. Beginners go through show grooming clinics where she teaches them how to braid, clip, and give a bath. “I grew up with a bunch of grey ponies, so I’m an expert in bath time,” she laughed. Dragonfire Farm hosts small in-house only shows that include poles only classes but students still must braid. After a student is comfortable at the in-house show, they are able to move on to the Farm’s Derby series which is open to the public. Jen continues, “It feels like a bigger competition but it’s still at home. We have several students that take it seriously and get up at 4:00am. It gives them a larger opportunity to feel some competition but we still keep it fun and with good prizes.” From there, students that are wanting more can access the active local show circuit with trips to Ram Tap, Woodside, Twin Rivers, and Montana.
But still a lot of students are happy competing at just the in-house shows and the McFalls do not pressure them to do more. “There is no pressure to accelerate you,” Jen said. “Students are welcome to ride here whether their aspirations are no showing, showing locally, or showing nationally. We are unique in that we don’t pressure anyone to become a high performer, but we are certainly capable of supporting a high performer.”
This supportive vibe extends to how The Academy’s tiers its rates. The McFalls organize their lesson pricing structure in a way that allows them to charge less than other area programs which helps to keep their lessons affordable even though the program is run by three FEI level horse people. “I’ve always been adamant (about keeping lessons affordable) because I really hate the idea of education being out of reach for people. And that is what stops people from wanting to try horses.” said Jen.
Helping Students Find Their Path
Earl rightly points out that lesson barns need to give their current and potential students a reason to be a part of program. Dragonfire Farm is located in small town Wilton but conveniently just 30 minutes outside of Sacramento. He notes that they have a great facility and horses, along with a fun and educational program but there are other fancier barns that people can choose to go to. “You have to figure out how you’re going to be unique,” he says. “You also have to understand your competition and how you’re going to set yourself apart from them.”
For Taylor, The Academy’s success hinges on the most basic element. Their horses. “The kids get really excited about moving up from the first pony to the slightly harder horse, to the cool horse,” she says. “It makes milestones for them.” As a student gains more expertise in and out of the saddle, the McFalls are careful to ensure that ambitious students set proper expectations for themselves and their horse. Active goal setting is another important part of The Academy’s ethos with annual sit downs to figure out what a student wants to do and how they can get there. “We give them the path because we’ve been there and can take them to whatever level they want,” Jen said. Taylor had a student make it to the American Eventing Championship last year and others have progressed to the 3* and Advanced International level.
Earl is quick to credit Taylor for properly driving her students to help them reach their potential. “She really makes them better riders. She makes them ride without stirrups and pushes them hard. It’s great to get kids having fun with their ponies but ultimately we all want to get better at what we’re doing.”
It can be a fine edge that separates a riding program from being one that is too casual with their student’s development against one that propels them too fast and too hard. The McFalls have found a way to balance The Academy so that it is equally fun, educational, and targeted for success. The enjoyment of a riding program tends to be focused on the student, but it should not be glossed over how fulfilling this work is for the instructors. And it is work that Jen hopes more young trainers jump into. “I want young trainers to think this is a fun thing to do, we certainly need more of them. The more programs out there creating new riders the better.”
Jennifer McFall is an Eventing International CCI 5***** rider, with several Top Ten Finishes at the CIC4**** and CCI4**** Level, along with being the recipient of the Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant. She is also a winner in the USEA Young Event Horse Program, through the National Championship level. Earl is a graduate “A” Pony Clubber and is still actively involved in the program, teaching at several of the local pony clubs and giving clinics at the pony club summer camps, as well as being the DC of the Deer Creek Pony Club based at Dragonfire. Earl has competed successfully in Grand Prix Jumpers and through the Advanced International level. Taylor has competed up to the CCI 3-star level and is Head Academy Instructor. Together they run Dragonfire Farm, a sport horse breeding, training and sales facility, in Wilton, California. To learn more about the Academy and Dragonfire Farm, click here.
Helen Casteel grew up as a horse crazy kid outside of Houston, TX. She was able to purchase her first horse after graduating college and discovered eventing soon after. An avid follower of the sport, Helen lives in Maryland where she manages access to a cancer research database for a government contractor. Helen was the first recipient of the Strides for Equality Equestrians Ever So Sweet scholarship and remains active with the group as a member of the steering committee.
