Many people outside the AQHA hunter and USEF circuit may have never heard of multiple Congress and World Champion hunter trainer David Warner. This native New Yorker is somewhat laid back, low key, and doesn’t like to “toot his own horn.” But many of his clients. friends, and fellow trainers will tell you that he is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.
When GoHorseShow asked if he was really that nice, he laughed and said that for the most part it was true with the exception of being a little bit competitive.
“I try to do the right thing and be nice to people,” Warner says. “I am a perfectionist which helps spur me on to do better and continue to try and improve myself everyday. I think that desire and drive to be better every time I go in the show ring helps me remain at the top levels of the hunter world.”
David talks about his passion for coaching, “I love helping someone achieve their goals with their horse. Horses teach a lot of lessons including patience and discipline.”
Warner has shown and won on top hunters such as: This Skys The One, Mr. Tobano Bay, Larks Manifesto, Shes Got The Blue, GI Jazz, High Flying Assets, Not A Minute Too Soon, and Chagull to name a few. Just this year, David and his clients had five Congress Championships and one World and Reserve World Championship in the hunter events.
David and his best friend, Lainie DeBoer, have worked tirelessly to take former hunter under saddle horses and create World and Congress Champion hunters out of them. “They work closely as friends, calling each other up when they see the potential in a horse and help each other out when one client or anothers is horse shopping,” Warner’s long-time client Kim Johnson told GoHorseShow. “He is also a great ambassador of quarter horses on the USEF ‘A’ hunter circuit too.”
DeBoer calls Warner her, “Horse Show Husband”, because sometimes she is with him more than her husband, Karl. “He is the hardest working professional I know. He is a person I want to start my day with before I show, and end my day with to share about our experiences. We have blended our business together for many years either training horses, selling horses, or putting new idea’s together. He always has the future of the AQHA hunter in his sights and is an asset to our industry in every way, shape, and form.” (Pictured at 1990 World Show – far left)
Warner grew up in upstate New York and worked for hunter trainers Joe and Linda Connors who were his mentors. At first, he grew up doing more AHSA, than AQHA, but says he now does an even amount of both circuits. According to his friend DeBoer, elite hunter trainer David Connors was like his big brother growing up. They all rode with “Auntie Linda.” When the trainer went out on his own, he moved to Michigan and started his training program there. Last year, this AQHA Professional Horseman and Specialty Over Fence judge, relocated to Kentucky where he works out of Bruce Brown’s place known as Huntsmark, LLC located in Frankfort.
“I love being in the heart of horse country,” Warner tells GoHorseShow. “The weather is also better than in New York and Michigan–so there are some definite plusses in being in the South.”
Another client Mark Llewellyn also talks highly about his trainer. David helps him and his partner, Wally Battles, with their riding. This year, Battles had a great Congress, winning the novice amateur working hunter, the novice amateur hunter hack, and the amateur select hunter hack on Skippers Moondance. He also placed in the amateur select working hunter, the amateur select equitation over fences, and the amateur select hunter under saddle, all on the same gelding. All of this meant he was the reserve high point novice amateur and the reserve high point select amateur at the Congress. Llewellyn says this never would have been possible without David. “He’s a one-in-a-million trainer!”
When we asked David if he has any advice for someone wanting to start showing in the hunter events, he said for them to make sure they get professional help due to safety reasons so they can have a fun and rewarding experience learning to jump. Warner also mentions that he enjoys showing on both USEF and AQHA hunter circuits.
“The AQHA circuit is more economical and riders can show at a higher level a lot faster. Whereas, the USEF circuit is more expensive, but they have more levels and opportunities to jump at those shows,” he says. “AQHA hunter people could be described as more do-it-yourself type whereas the USEF people are a little more pampered,” he says and laughs. “But I think the AQHA group is catching up in that regard. But seriously, I love showing at both circuits; there is a lot of good people involved with both groups and I genuinely love working with horses every day and help my clients achieve their goals.”
