Danielle French

Chief Instructor

Danielle has been coaching aspiring young riders for over 20 years and has herself been riding for 33 years.  Danielle has trained a number of horses to the FEI ranks including, Hazelwoode Tennesse, WF Kool Alibi and more recently Hallo Special.  Today she trains a team of young potential superstar young horses headed by the stunning HB Skyfall, who in April this year finished Top 3 at the prestigious Australian Young Horse Championships.  Danielle has been training under the guidance of Dianne Jenkyns, Australian Squad Rider and Grand Prix Trainer for over a decade and is today also trained and mentored by 5 time Bundeschampion, Anna Sophie Fiebelkorn. 

Danielle started riding as a 7 yr old at the local riding school and has been riding ever since. She started competing at the age of 10 yrs showing horses at local agricultural shows, including Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. Danielle’s and her horses have won many Supreme Champion exhibits & countless Rider & Lady Rider classes. At the age of sixteen Danielle started teaching other young aspiring competition riders. At eighteen Danielle moved to Canada to train and compete young warmbloods for Southern Warmblood Stud where she rode and trained young horses for 12 months, upon returning to Australia she turned her focus to Dressage. At twenty three Danielle moved to Brisbane to ride and train with Australian Squad Rider and Grand Prix trainer Dianne Jenkyns, were she trained and competed young horses for 3 years and in 2003 was awarded Queensland State Novice Champion with WF Kool Alibi (Ray). Danielle trained and competed Ray to FEI level dressage before he retired abruptly due to injury. 

Danielle is an Equestrian Australia (EA) Level 1 coach, Level 2 dressage specialist rider and is currently working towards obtaining her EA Level II Dressage Specialist Coaching  and Skills Specific Training Assessor qualifications

Danielle says she loves all our horses but two of her favourites are Mardi and Savannah. 

Amanda Clark

Business Manager/Senior Instructor

Amanda Clark: Riding Instructor. Amanda has been riding horses for as long as she can remember she joined her horse mad sister and commenced riding at the young age of 9 years old. Amanda started competing at shows from a young age and has been riding and competing in the dressage arena since the age of fourteen.

In 2005 Amanda travelled aboard working with horses in Germany at the world renowned Kasselmans Sport Horses International/Performance Sales International (PSI) in Hagen, Germany. Upon returning to Asutralia Amanda trained and compete her self trained young Warmblood, Coldstream Donatello (Donnie). Amanda and Donnie competed at NSW State and Nationals at Prix St George/Intermediate 1 level, they were named the ACT Dressage Association FEI horse of the year for 2014-2015.

Today she trains a team of young potential superstar young horses under the guidance of Olympic rider and coach Rachael Downs. HB FindersKeepers (Fleur - 5 yrs old) finished Top 5 at the prestigious Willinga Park Dressage by the Sea competition in 2021 and Furstine (Tina - 3yrs old) the baby of the team arrived safely from Germany in late November 2020.

Amanda is an Equestrian Australia (EA) Level 1 coach, Level 2 dressage specialist rider and is working towards obtaining her Level 2 dressage specialist coaching qualifications

Amanda's favourite school horses are Mishka, Zeke and Rupert.

Ira Davies

Instructor

Ira has been coaching new and developing riders since 2011 and is passionate about helping people through the trials and joys of learning to ride. Ira began riding as a child while living in Indonesia with his family.  What began as an excuse to get he and his brother out of the house quickly became passion shared by the whole family. Ira was first drawn to the thrill of jumping and cross country, competing for the most part in showjumping competitions on ‘Mustang’ the family horse. Later in life however Ira’s focus turned to Dressage. It was his interest in learning and coaching dressage that eventually brought him to Gooromon Park. Ira has an introductory coaching certificate from equestrian Australia and is currently working towards his level one.

Ira’s favourite school horse is Ella, followed closely by the ever charming Rupert.

Kayla Smith

Instructor - Stable Manager 

Kayla started riding when she was  6. She first sat on a horse at 7 months old thanks to mum, who had horses all her life and passed on the passion.

Kayla tells us she 'loves working at Gooromon Park for the environment/atmosphere. The clients are wonderful, the staff are all fantastic, and I love coming into work  to see what each day holds for me.'  Her absolute favourite horse is Doc. Kayla says, 'I’ve been part of the coaches lessons, and have been riding Doc. I’ve improved my riding so much thanks to him!'