Danny Desmond – Get To Know Your Fellow Competitor

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204 – November/December, 2014

By Mackenzie Patterson

Danny Desmond was raised and still resides in Georgetown, Ontario, Canada, where he grew up as the middle child along with two other brothers. Danny recently graduated from Bishop’s University in Quebec where he received a biology degree in Health Science. “The grand plan is to become a veterinarian like my dad [Dr. David Desmond],” he says. As for his future in the equine industry, Danny dreams of one day winning a championship title at the All American Quarter Horse Congress as well as the AQHA World Championship Show.

This young and talented horseman specializes in training and showing young Western Pleasure futurity horses that are owned by his family. You can find him on the road with his horses at three major events each year: the All American Quarter Horse Congress, the Reichert Celebration, and the NSBA World Championship Show.

“When I was five years old, my mom introduced me to the world of showing horses by letting me ride her Western Pleasure horse in Lead Line classes,” Danny says. After conquering Lead Line, he moved on to participate in all-around events on his very first horse, Ms Laced In White. “I even did barrel racing!”

When the time came to narrow his equestrian pursuits down to one particular discipline, Danny says Ms Laced In White was the main reason he decided to pursue Western Pleasure. “The early success that I had in Western Pleasure on Lacey made me want to pursue the event further,” he says. “If I were to try another equine event, I would like to try roping or reining. I have ridden both types of horses a couple of times when I was younger, but I decided to stick with Western Pleasure because I knew and enjoyed the discipline, and I didn’t have enough time to learn another event.”

Another huge reason why Danny chose to pursue Western Pleasure was because of his best friend, Pat Heeley, who also trains and shows in the event. “From the ages of 16 to 25, I traveled to all of the horse shows with Pat,” he says. “He changed everything for me.” When it comes to portraying an air of confidence and having the ability to throw nervous show jitters aside, Danny says he learned how to conquer those fears by observing Heeley’s calm and poised example.

In the beginning of Danny’s career, he learned everything about body positioning and body control of the horse from Brock McCauley, a Western Pleasure and Reining trainer from Canada. “In Western Pleasure, body positioning and gaining control of the horse’s every movement is absolutely crucial, and I love that part of it,” Danny says. He also shares how much he enjoys finding and observing horses that truly have natural Western Pleasure talent.

Danny’s involvement in the equine industry isn’t just a one-man show. “Every year, my family and I go to yearling sales where we search for new pleasure prospects,” he says. After the family finds a nice yearling to buy, they bring it home where Danny starts the training process, working to prepare the horse for its new career as a two-year-old. After the training process is complete and the horse has competed in a few big shows, the Desmond family will usually sell the finished horse and move on to their next project.

When the time comes to search for a prospect, Danny has certain expectations that a horse must meet before it can be considered. He first looks into the history of the prospect’s dam. “The dam of the prospect has to have good bloodlines and a show record for herself, or the mare must have produced foals with a good show record,” Danny says.

The second quality Danny looks for in a prospect is conformation. “The horse has to be completely balanced with perfect hocks, or I will walk right on by them,” he says.

As for his personal horse training idols, Danny enjoys observing Angie Cannizzaro and Jay Starnes. “They are so aware of their horses,” he says. “I strive to be like that. I cannot say one bad thing about any horse that I’ve ever watched them ride. Their amount of focus is very admirable.”

In 2012, Danny won the limited division of The Equine Chronicle Color Classic 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure at the Reichert Celebration aboard Chocolate N Jack. “I was ecstatic,” he says. “It was my first time competing in the class, and winning meant so much to me. I worked really hard on Jack, and he completely came through with everything he could give me. I had never won anything that big and cool before. It was such a huge spectacle.”

Chocolate N Jack is an Appaloosa gelding by Chocolatey and out of a Jack Bar Quarter Horse mare. “Jackson” was proudly bred and raised by the Desmond family. “He turned out to be exactly what I thought he was going to be. I knew he was great from the beginning, and I tried my hardest to give him the best chance I could,” Danny says.

One of Danny’s most cherished wins was achieved at the Appaloosa World Show in the Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure Limited Open Futurity in 2008 on the first two-year-old he ever trained, Two Timin Charlie.

Danny also reminisces about successful performances aboard A Good N Hot Machine, a horse he placed third with at the Quarter Horse Congress in the Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure Futurity. He also takes pride in his win at the Reichert Celebration and his reserve win at the Tom Powers Futurity on Crystals Finale in 2011.

“Before I enter the show pen, I keep my mind completely focused on the horse I am riding and how that horse is going to feel during each stride it will take going around the arena. I take two deep breaths, every single time, the exact same way before a class. Then, I say to myself, ‘It’s show time.’”

Danny considers the greatest show horse he has ever trained to be an Appaloosa named Laced By Chocolate, a mare out of his first show horse, Ms Laced in White. “Smokey [Laced By Chocolate] is the ultimate show horse. I could put someone’s grandmother on her, and she would go around the pen perfectly. Smokey always tries so hard. She knows her job, and she doesn’t stray from it. She is an absolute soldier and the best show horse I have ever had,” Danny says about the mare that is a two-time National Champion, Reserve National Champion, and Buckskin World Champion.

The most difficult part about showing and training horses, according to Danny, is being able to drive through the obstacles that a horse may have trouble grasping. “Getting through those times can really test your patience, and horses can deceive you. However, in my experience, they always seem to end up surprising me,” he says.

The best part about working with his horses is the sense of accomplishment he receives after a horse has gone through a particularly rough spot, followed by the horse’s true understanding of conquering the problem that was once so difficult for them. “I really enjoy the parts leading up to the show and getting excited about what the horse has conquered and what it can do,” he shares. “I have had to work really hard to be where I am today. I wasn’t born with a natural gift to train horses, but I was born with the drive and motivation to become a good horse trainer.”

Currently, Danny is training a two-year-old Quarter Horse mare named Simply Ziprageous, also known as Patsy. “Patsy has absolutely perfect conformation, and she shows me a whole new level of talent every time I ride her. She hasn’t necessarily been easy to train, but when she trusts me, she gives me her all. The sky is the limit for her,” he says.

Simply Ziprageous already has a very impressive show record; she has won over $23,000 this year. Patsy won the Open Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes at the 2014 Reichert Celebration with David Archer in the saddle. She was also the 2014 Reserve Champion in the Intermediate Non-Pro Western Pleasure at the NSBA World Championship Show and the Reichert Celebration with Danny aboard.

“The best part about showing is when you get to go in a class and show off what you think you have. I love to show the horses that I have trained and worked so hard on,” he says. “When issues arise in the show pen and things don’t go as well as you had hoped, it’s so important to remember that there will always be another show after that one.”

Overall, the main benefit Danny has learned by working with horses is patience. He has learned to adapt to different horses, instead of forcing situations. “Horses are just like people, and you have to learn to accept them like you have to accept people and the real life situations you encounter each day,” he says. “Not only have I learned to accept all different kinds of horses and people. I have also learned to be patient with my own individual thoughts.”

When he’s not training or showing his horses, Danny likes traveling to places like Ocala, Florida and to his family’s cottage. He also really enjoys snowboarding and playing hockey. “My brothers and I were extremely into hockey growing up. I played the game up until this last year,” he says.

“I have never second-guessed my decision to train and show horses.” He is extremely thankful for the guidance and support that has graciously been given to him by many wonderful people including Patrick Heeley, Tim Zuidema, Brock McCauley, Dave Davis, David Archer, Tate Oakley, and most importantly, his parents, Dr. David and Suzanne Desmond.

“Looking back, I never even dreamed of accomplishing all that I have so far. It’s a dream come true, and I’m beyond grateful to be in the position that I am with the ability to be involved in training and showing horses. My family and I get to travel in this journey together. Without them and the values we share, I would never be here.”