24 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Abby Westmark
The lovely country of Australia has undeniably given us many
wonderful things - the Sydney Opera House, the boomerang
and the ever-gorgeous movie star Hugh Jackman. But it has
much more to boast than just sand, sun, waves and fabulous
accents; the land down under is also the home of Double Dan
Horsemanship, the new sensation in natural horsemanship that is
taking the world by storm.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Dan James, one of the two
namesakes of Double Dan. He and his business partner Dan
Steers joined their formidable forces under the Double Dan banner
in 2008 at the El Caballo Spanish Horse Center in Wooroloo,
Western Australia, conducting daring bareback demonstrations
to entertain the guests on the ranch, or, as James calls it, “the
station.”
Although they started out as entertainment, taking their
performing horses on the road all across Australia (and even to
the TV show Australia’s Got Talent,) Dan and Dan are all about
the horsemanship. “We want to make the public aware of the
possibilities with horses,” said James.
And it’s no wonder, considering his start in the equestrian world.
Dan’s frst time in the saddle was at the ripe old age of 6 weeks,
on his parents’ small cattle farm in Queensland, Australia. When
he was 10, he got his frst pony, but he already had many years
of experience under his belt - riding the family’s milk goat! “I’ve
always had a belief, a dream, seeing myself having a life that
revolved around horses,” James said.
Due to their success in Australia, Double Dan has decided to
expand stateside. James now lives in Lexington, Kentucky, where
he is based out of Taylor Made Farm, a prominent thoroughbred
breeding facility in Lexington. “There are lots of people here, big
freeways,” said James, when asked how he feels about America.
“It’s a very different lifestyle.”
“We love being across here,” continued James, referring to
Lexington. “Everywhere you go is about the horse.” Dan Steers,
who is currently still in Australia, will be joining James in the states
for a number of clinics and events and will eventually be making
the jump to living in America along with his wife, veterinarian Pia
Steers. But this doesn’t mean that Dan and Dan will forget their
roots down under.
“We have a responsibility to Australia. They’ve made such a
big impact on helping us get where we’re at,” said James. “We’ve
never had a small dream [about Double Dan.]” Double Dan was
even invited to perform as part of the opening ceremonies for
the World Equestrian Games 2010 and was one of the featured
clinicians there.
Dan and Dan will be doing a number of clinics and events
throughout the rest of the year and Sidelines highly encourages
their readers to stop by and see Dan and Dan in action (Hugh
Jackman’s got nothing on them in the looks department!) You
might even get the chance to talk to them and if you’re lucky, the
conversation might even end with a charming “G’day, mate!”
About the writer: Sidelines staff writer Abby Westmark grew up in
Wellington, Florida where she rode and competed everything from ponies
to jumpers. She is a college sophomore still trying to fgure out what she
wants to do with the rest of her life.
Photos: All photos by Laura W. Donnell of Laura Whitney Photography
Australian horseman Dan James
G’Day Mate
Down Under’s Double Dan Horsemanship