Shannon is a U.S. Dressage Federation Bronze, Silver and Gold Medalist, and three-time National Championship competitor: on Luxor in 2007 when the two were crowned Reserve National Champions Intermediare I; on Flor de Selva in 2009 when they took home 4th place in the Intermediare division; and on Akiko Yamazaki’s Odyssey in 2011 after winning the Grand Prix Special at Del Mar and Burbank CDIs.
Shannon loves to bring young horses through the levels, one of the most successful being Weltino’s Magic, with whom she won Reserve National Champion at the 2008 Young Horse Championships.
The creator of ShowRingShine, The Boot Care Kit, (www.showringshine.net), Shannon is well known for her attention to the details of riding and competing. A native of Michigan, Shannon’s early riding life included success competing as a western and saddle seat rider and working in a tack shop as a teenager, which was one of the places where she learned how to create the elegant, finished look of an accomplished rider.
College brought her to Boulder, Colorado. It was there that she developed her successful dressage training business, which she moved to San Diego in 2002. Her own dressage education began with Nancy Baker and “S” Judge Debbie Riehl-Rodriguez. For the past 20 or so years, her mentors have been Karl Mikolka and Steffen Peters.
Today, as a popular clinician, teacher, coach, and wife to Steffen, she is featured in dressage symposiums around the country, often focusing on a subject most important to her, the rider’s position.
“What we may not realize is the extent to which the rider’s position affects the execution of movements by the horse. It’s about so much more than just pretty riding – it’s effective riding, and preparing our horses to perform their work correctly.”