About/Team

Marie and Marisa take great pride in their program, and in the success of their students and horses.

Whether it is matching a customer with a prospective mount, sending the client into the show ring or competing on their own horses, both strive to do the best job possible. Working together as a trainer and assistant since 1992, Marie and Marisa have a great foundation for running a successful barn. Well known for selling top quality dressage horses, as well as training and showing, Marie and Marisa can always be found at their beautiful facility in Moorpark, or at the next show!

Marie Meyers

Marie began her riding career as a teenager at Foxfield in Westlake Village, CA, riding hunter jumpers. Shortly after, she made the transition to dressage and began working with the late Jane Jackson. At the age of 18, she packed up her horse, Dark Forest, and moved to England to study with Franz Rochavansky, a former head of the Spanish Riding School. During her three year stay in England, she found the young Dutch Warmblood, Dimitrius, who later went on to become Marie’s mount with the US Equestrian Team.

After returning to California with “Dimi”, Marie worked with Hilda Gurney and later with Robert Dover, who Marie credits with teaching many of her training philosophies that she still uses today. Robert finished Dimi’s training to Grand Prix and the pair was on their way. They went on to compete in Europe with the USET many times, including the WEG in 1990, and competed together until Dimi was retired at the age of eighteen.

During Marie’s years spent on the US Equestrian Team, she had the privilege to work with dressage masters including Herbert Rehbein, George Theodorescu, Christilot Boylen, and Jan Bemelmans. Marie currently clinics with Robert Dover and works with Guenter Seidel on a regular basis.

Throughout her career Marie has trained many horses to Grand Prix and many riders to FEI. She is well known as an excellent coach and help amateurs and professionals achieve their goals in competition and training. Marie enjoys matching horses and riders, and has created a niche for selling super amateur mounts. She regularly imports horses from Europe for sale in addition to selling domestic horses on a consignment basis.

Marie’s current horse Don Juan, is making his start this year at the PSG/Int.1 level and shows great talent for the Grand Prix. Marie is looking forward to competing him in the Adequan West Coast Dressage Festival in 2019. Memorable horses have included Dimitrius, Extraordinaire, Kir Royale, First Class and No Doubt, and Fandango.

Career Highlights

2008 USDF Int-2 Horse of the Year with Fandango

2006 USET Int'I Championships, 4th with Fandango CDS Int-1 Horse of the Year

1997 USET European Tour with Extraordinaire competed at Hickstead, England CDI; Winner of Del Mar Grand Prix, Special & Freestyle

1992 Competed in Olympic Festival with Extraordinaire

1990 WEG Stockholm, Sweden with Dimitrius

1989 Member of USET European Tour with Dimitrius Stockholm, Sweden CDI, 1st Gold Medal; North American Championships “Horsewoman of the Year” the Chronicle of the Horse

1988 Alternate for Olympics, Seoul, Korea with Dimitrius

Marisa Festerling

Marisa began her riding career as a child on her grandparents’ Quarter Horses. Always horse crazy, she took up English riding lessons in 1991 and soon after found trainer Marie Meyers. Marie took Marisa under her wing as a working student and taught her everything from the ground up.

During the years that followed, Marisa started with young horses Jetsetter and Remy Martin. Both horses were quite successful at the lower levels and Jetsetter went on to compete through PSG. Remy Martin later became the National Reserve Champion at the 2003 USEF Young Horse Championships. These experiences all led to Marisa’s partnership with the Belgian Warmblood gelding, Big Tyme, which culminated in a Team Gold and Individual Bronze Medal for Team USA at the 2011 Pan American Games.

Marisa is the assistant trainer at Marie Meyers Dressage and has the privilege of riding many special horses, and of teaching many wonderful people. Besides competing and teaching Marisa enjoys preparing sale horses for prospective buyers. Many of the horses are imported from Europe or come from other trainers. Marisa finds working with all of the different equine personalities interesting and feels it’s been a job well done when a person finds their dream match.

She is looking forward to competing her up and coming horse, DeRussie, this season at the PSG/Int. 1 level.

Career Highlights

2016 Qualified for UDSF Region 7 Championships PSG and Int.1 with Andreo

2011 Team Gold and Individual Bronze Medal with Big Tyme Pan American Games, Guadalajara, Mexico; Del Mar CDI *** Reserve Champion Int-1 Freestyle with Big Tyme; Burbank CDI*** Res. Champion PSG

2010 USEF National Int-I Championships, 5th Place overall with Big Tyme; CDS Int-I Horse of the Year and USDF Region 7 INT-I Champion

2009 Young Horse Challenge Winner, FEI World Cup, with Big Tyme

2008 CDS Horse of the Year 4th Level with Big Tyme

2006 World Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany with Big Tyme; USDF Horse of the Year, 1st Level; USDF Region 7 Champion, 1st Level; CDS Horse of the Year 1st Level

2004 USDF Region 7 Champion, Training Level with Top Secret

2003 USEF Young Horse National Res. Champion FEI 5 yr old with Remy Martin; Qualified to represent the US at FEI World Breeding Championships with Remy Martin

1998 Graduated Magna Cum Laude from California Lutheran University