Debbie McDonald Bio

Debbie McDonald is an American dressage rider who has competed in the Olympics and many international competitions. She now lives in Hailey, Idaho, with her husband Bob, a hunter/jumper and trainer. Debbie trains and teaches riders on Peggy and Parry Thomas’ River Grove Farm in Sun Valley, Idaho.

McDonald and Brentina began by winning the Individual and Team Gold medals at the 1999 Pan American Games. In recognition of this accomplishment, McDonald was named the 1999 Equestrian of the Year by the United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year. 

In 2003, McDonald become the first American rider to win the Dressage World Cup, and the pair placed third at the 2005 World Cup. As members of the United States Equestrian Team they won a team silver and team bronze at the 2002 and 2006 World Equestrian Games. 

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, the pair won the team bronze and were individually fourth overall, and McDonald was dubbed “First Lady of American Dressage.”On January 22, 2010 McDonald was named the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Developing Dressage Coach, a role designed to identify and cultivate future US Dressage stars.