Dawn Baker: Trainer, Wife, Mother, Quarter Million Dollar Rider

By: Brittany Bevis

The talented, multi-breed horse trainer we all know as Dawn Baker wears many different hats. In the hunt seat arena, she can be seen piloting young prospects to multiple Congress and Futurity champion wins. In the western pleasure pen, she rides alongside her husband and accomplished trainer, Brian Baker, as the other half of the highly successful Baker Futurity Horses. She’s also daughter of industry veterans, Heidi and Duane Piper, and mother to 5-year-old Bradley.

Recently, she’s added yet another impressive designation to her resume with her induction into the NSBA Quarter Million Dollar Club. How does she do it all? The ever modest Dawn simply takes each day in stride.

“I grew up doing this,” she says. “I was riding horses while I was in a diaper.”

As a couple, the Bakers are admired throughout the industry for their work ethic, consistent performance, and emphasis on family values. In fact, everything that involves the Baker/Piper clan is a family affair. Brian and Dawn run their business out of the same Sunbury, Ohio location as Dawn’s parents and brother Chad, who run Piper Performance Horses.

“Growing up with them has made me into the trainer I am,” she says. “Without them, I know I wouldn’t be where I’m at. We support everybody, and it’s fun to be around family. We definitely have our own businesses, but it’s pretty cool that we’re all right here to help each other if we need anything.”

“They specialize more in Quarter Horses, and they have some youth kids. They have a youth kid who’s going to run for the all-around this year. Brian and I are more into the younger horses. They do have younger horses, but they also have a bunch of kids and some hunt seat and western all-around horses. Mom has some pretty cool hunt seat horses as well.”

Dawn’s journey to the Quarter Million Dollar mark wasn’t a fly by night accomplishment. She’s been training for the public since 2006. Before giving up her card, she had a decorated career as a youth and amateur competitor. Some of her more recognizable partners have included Congress and World Champions such as I’m Tuff By Choice, Only Worthy, Sonnys Sweet Jazz, and Hey Monn.

Although she’d won at the Congress as both a youth and amateur, her first win in the open division came in 2006, the same year she gave up her card, on Decorated By Mito for Joanne Taylor. That first open division win was the validation she needed and foreshadowing of what was to come.

“I’ve had a ton of really cool horses,” she says. “I won the Congress Masters 2-Year-Old Hunt Seat on BMQ The Jig Is Up. He’s actually a double-registered horse that I won the Paint World on as well. That same year, I won the Congress on his full brother, BMQ Without A Doubt, and Joanne Taylor owned both of them.”

“Zippos Mr Good Legs is another hunt seat horse that I won the Green Hunter Under Saddle on at the Congress two years ago. Doodle Jump is a horse my mom bought and Joanne and I showed at the NSBA World. Mom won the Limited 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle last year at the Congress.”

With approximately $120,000 of her winnings earned in the hunter under saddle discipline, the remainder was earned in western pleasure. Some of the horses she’s had the opportunity to show over the years include multiple futurity champions like Endless Breeze, Only Ever After, Just a Little Lazy, and Allured to Chocolate.

“I think the fact that I can do both events definitely helped me get to the total pretty quick,” she says. “I think it’s an honor to be on the list. It wasn’t an out of the ballpark difference [between western and hunt seat]. I like them both, but I don’t have a favorite. Really, I don’t. I enjoy both the western and the hunt seat.”

As a newly inducted member to the Quarter Million Dollar Club, Dawn joins only a handful of women who have made the list in the past including, Trisha Yamber, Beth Case, and Tina Kaven. As a trainer, wife, and mother to an active 5-year-old, there’s a delicate balancing act of weighing priorities that must come into play.

“It’s nothing abnormal to me,” she says. “While other people might say, ‘How do you do it?,’ this is what we’ve done every day. It’s what we’re used to. I like the fact that Bradley is on a farm and not playing video games all day.”

“I have a babysitter that watches him during the day when we go to the barn. It’s literally within walking distance, right across the street. Sometimes, I’ll pick him up early and he’ll want to come out and ride. I’ve always had a babysitter at the Congress. Now that he’s older, even if I don’t have a babysitter at a show, he’s pretty cool about finding some friends. As long as I know he’s right there, I can go ride. I’ve pretty much covered all of my bases making sure I have plenty of help.”

When it comes to the question of whether or not young Bradley will carry on the family’s legacy in the horse industry, Dawn and Brian have adopted a supportive but not overbearing policy.

“It’s one of those things where we’re not going to push it,” she says. “If he decides to do it, he has plenty of opportunity. Brian’s really into baseball too, so he’s kind of hoping he goes in that direction. He’s really more into dirt and tractors than horses, and that’s fine too.”

Looking towards the future, Dawn has her sights set on claiming her first AQHA World Championship in the open division. She also hopes she and Brian might have the opportunity to share the Quarter Million Dollar Club designation in the same year.

“I think Brian’s earnings are close to $230,00, so it would be pretty cool if he could hit the [Quarter Million] mark too this year,” she says. “We’re each other’s biggest fans, but it’s not like other people who say they don’t compete against each other. We do. It’s our job and our business. We both show the same classes sometimes, and we both want to go out and win, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter. It’s definitely a team effort.”