Debbie Barke

Debbie was Born in Kenya, East Africa and educated from age 12 in the UK. She has a wide and varied amount of experience in the equine world. She is a British Horse Society Instructor (BHSI) having trained in UK for these exams completing them whilst doing her honours degree in Equine and Business management.

" After leaving school I spent several years travelling and teaching and riding. In Kenya I would ride out racehorses in the early mornings before teaching and riding all day. In Kenya all our competition horses were crosses or failed TB racehorses and during those years I was lucky enough to show jump and event many different horses all retrained from racing. I gained a huge amount from riding and teaching all the different horses that I came across. I also spent a season back in England running a hunting yard and hunting the young event horses.A nine month spell in Germany at the famous Nadine Capplemans yard was an invaluable

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experience and eye opener! At that stage I wanted to complete my professional qualifications so opted to go back to university and do a degree and upgrade from my BHSII to the full BHSI. During my time at Warwickshire I evented two lovely horses up to Intermediate level.On gaining my degree and BHSI I lectured in Hull for a year before returning to Warwickshire to work at Broadstone Stud starting all the young horses. With six top stallions at the stud we were very busy and I was also charged with riding the stallions Broadstone Ladys Man and Amerigo Vespucci as well as eventing Broadstone Dutch Power. I left Broadstone to take on a position at Millfeild School as Director of Riding and that is a whole story in its self! During that time in UK I became involved with the British Paralympic Dressage Team and that was a fantastic journey that lasted about ten years and took me to amazing countries — Israel, Atlanta Paralympics, Denmark, France, Holland, Ireland, Australia twice (where I met Peter) not to mention the truly AMAZING people and riders I met on the way.

After the Atlanta Paralympics I became joint trainer and selector for the British Paralympic team. We had some really stunning International and National results on both 'borrowed' and 'own' horses. World Champions 1998 Individual and Team both borrowed and own horse. Own horse included Broadstone Dutch Power who I bought after leaving Broadstone and had Grade One Diane Tubbs riding. Team Paralympic Champions at Sydney 2000 was amazing as well as the individual medals gained by 'my' riders. This high performance team environment gave me huge experience at top level coaching as well as the skills involved with coaching Para Equestrian riders who competed up to open medium level.

I left the team in Sydney after the Paralympics in 2000 and flew from Sydney to Auckland; in January 2001 Peter and I married in Paihia with lots of friends and family in attendance.

Life, horses and achievements in New Zealand. I had only been here a year when Mzungu found me, a find of a life time for me. He has truly been a horse of a life time and every day he makes me smile, for just being him. He has achieved numerous Championships at regional level as well as gaining the following National titles:

Three HOY titles Champion at Level 2, Level 4

Advanced Horse of the year 2007

National Advanced Champion 2007

FEI Challenge Champion at Advanced and Prix St George level

We also achieved a dream this year by competing at Inter II and Grand Prix level this year (2009 -2010) "

In 202 Mzungu won the Bates National Int 11 Championship at the Nationals.

Mzungu (Tom) was retired from grand prix after his final National win. He has found the most amazing home with a young rider who has has a truely amazing first season with him. They have won any test at level 3 and 4 and Tom is very happy and totally loved andspoilt in his new home. We miss him hugely but see him regularly and he is very happy and spoilt.

Debbie now has the lovely Luke (Lcrative SW) to compete and we are thrilled with how he stepped up and is proving to be a very very exciting horse for the future. In his first season he was

Reserve Champion level 5 at both the North Islanf and Horse of theYear 2013

He stepped up to Advanced with the joy and ease he lives life and we are now seriously excited about the way forward. More info on Luke is in "News" and the videos.

Peter Barke

Peter has been involved with horses most of his life going through Pony Club with a strong interest in eventing. This lead to competing several horses up to Advanced level. An unfortunate fall from a young horse resulting in a broken pelvis put a halt to the eventing however it opened a new door to the world of Dressage.

" It has been a fascinating journey starting from the beginning and have worked my way up to Prix St George level with my horse Aachen, who I have had for five years.This has all been possible with the surport and help from my wife Debbie. I have been coaching riders for over thirty years. I qualified as a British Horse Society Instructor in 1992 having passed the BHSAI and BHSII before passing the Stable Managers and Riding and Teaching exams. I have been involved as an Association and National Pony club Instructor for 22 years. This work includes coaching riders at all levels, examining and training coaches.

Debbie and I met while she was training the British Para Equestrian Team and I was training the NZ Team in Australia. Thankfully Debbie was happy to come to NZ to marry me in early 2001 and we have together been developing our equestrian facility to the stage we are today".

Aachen 11 (Jerry) was retired in 2012 due to ongoing lameness issues and is retired here on the farm being very helpful "Uncle" to the babies and broodmares, he has lost is figure a little but I think he is the happiest he has ever been :).

Peter has had some great result witht two young mare Parkridge Donnamour (Doris) Don Frederico/Anamour and RM All About Me (Acorn) home bred B Anamour out of Miss Dit (Witbola/Didi) They are both lovely lovely mares and have huge potential. Peter has the patience of a saint andthese two mares have gained confidence at shows and have often scored into the 70%.