By Britney Grover
Portraits by Isabel J. Kurek
While you won’t see Ron Davis in the show ring, you’ll see the show ring in his work. Ron is the director and producer of documentaries such as “Harry & Snowman,” chronicling the journey of Harry deLeyer and his plow-horse-turned-show-jumper, Snowman; “Life in the Doghouse,” shining the spotlight on Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta of Danny & Ron’s Rescue; and “ParaGold,” which follows four para dressage athletes hoping to make it to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Based in Wellington, Florida, Ron is now using his talent and experience to create films celebrating the lives and achievements of private individuals or companies. “LifeStory Docs is exciting because we get to bring personal and business stories to life that would otherwise not be told,” he said. “Every person and every business has an interesting story to tell, and we get to do that on the big screen. It offers our customers a new way to preserve legacies and celebrate lives well lived.”
What was your life like growing up?
I grew up in northern New Jersey. My dad owned a demolition and land-clearing company and my mom worked at Morristown Memorial Hospital and wrote medical books. We lived an upper-middle-class life and enjoyed the privileges of fun hobbies, good education, travel and horses. My family thought I would take over my father’s company, but that was not in the cards for me. I wanted to be in the media/entertainment business, ultimately. Acting in front of the camera was my initial dream, especially when I went to Syracuse University. But being behind the camera was a better fit for me.
How did you become part of the horse world?
We grew up with horses our entire lives. My father had racehorses as a hobby and my sister and I had backyard horses at a local stable. We competed in local shows and 4-H for years before I met Mike Hennaghan and he invited me to ride with him at Springbrook Farm in Northern New Jersey. Over the next several Junior years, I competed in hunters and equitation. I owned my own and rode for others as well. I won big equitation classes at all the major horse shows, won the Northeast Region Medal finals and racked up 18 USET equitation class wins before I quit competing.
Although I stopped competing, I remained in the horse world for several more years post-college managing River’s Edge Farm for Ken Berkley and Gary Zook. Even after I moved to New York City, I was always visiting my equestrian friends in Wellington during the winter, as well as any summer shows in good locales. My best friends since my childhood riding days are still my best friends today.
How did you become a filmmaker?
I was working in New York City as a sales executive for Simon & Schuster Book Publishing when I came up with the idea to produce an “E-True Hollywood”-type film for Ken Berkley’s 40th birthday. I had no idea how to make a film, so I reached out to my college friend who worked as a producer in Hollywood and asked him to help me. From that point forward, I was hooked on filmmaking. I needed to learn the craft, so I took filmmaking classes at night. After about 6 months, I ventured off and made my first documentary about Miss Gay America. Several years later I got a deal with HBO on my feature documentary, “Miss You Can Do It,” about a pageant for young girls and women with disabilities. Then my career took off.
How have each of your horse-world films impacted you?
Documentary filmmakers are always looking to make an impact with their films, but it’s often very hard or impossible to measure that impact. “Life in the Doghouse” had a measurable impact on Danny & Ron’s Rescue. They and their mission of rescuing dogs gained national attention, and the money they raised helped them save and adopt out more dogs. Since the movie was released, they’ve published four children’s books, an autobiography and a puzzle, all related to dog care and rescue. The film helped them launch their message on a national level and I gained two great friends in the process.
“Harry & Snowman” was an equestrian history lesson for me. I knew of Harry deLeyer, the “Galloping Grandfather,” from the 1980s but had no idea about the story of Snowman. Directing and producing the compelling story of a Dutch immigrant and his ex-plow horse propelling to national show jumping champions was one of the most inspiring projects I have worked on.
“ParaGold” came to me from executive producer Karin Flint, a sponsor of the para dressage program. I knew nothing about para dressage and was extremely proud to bring these remarkable stories of perseverance and strength to the big screen. I was inspired by their determination and their ability to overcome some of the most severe of disabilities. They were an example to me of courage.
Now you have embarked on a new adventure called LifeStory Docs, creating documentaries for individuals, celebrating their lives. How did you come up with this idea?
We came up with the idea after being asked to produce documentaries for several legacy birthdays, including Ken Berkley’s and Becky Gochman’s. Both have been supporters of previous films of mine and so we created life story documentaries for each of them that were premiered as surprises at their birthday celebrations.
What has been the reaction to the individual documentaries?
The recipients have described the experience of watching the finished films as cathartic. “I couldn’t believe how in-depth and deep the film went into my life,” Becky Gochman said. “It was a great surprise and the experience of a lifetime.”
Her husband, David, said, “Making the film was an exhilarating and easy experience for our family and the final product exceeded all of my expectations.”
Ken Berkley said, “It was the most special gift I ever received.”
How do you create your LifeStory Docs?
To produce a LifeStory Doc, we use the same production and post-production team that I use on my commercial documentaries so that the film quality and experience are that of a feature theatrical documentary. The list of industry professionals that we work with to produce a documentary includes the best in the business. They have been on producing teams that have created some of the most critically acclaimed Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award- and Peabody Award-winning documentaries.
Each film is a heartfelt journey into personal life stories or captivating business narratives. We delve deep into each story through extensive interviews with those who matter most—friends, family and colleagues. Our storytelling is brought to life with the rich tapestry of photos, home movies, historical media, vibrant graphics, evocative voiceovers and carefully crafted reenactments. The result is a lasting family or corporate legacy film designed to be treasured by generations.
What challenges do you face?
One of our early challenges with LifeStory Docs is getting the word out about who we are and what we’re doing. Since there’s nothing like us out in the market, it takes a moment for people to understand what we’re doing and how we do it. Once they do, they love it.
What great things have happened because of your filmmaking?
As a documentary filmmaker, you’re afforded the luxury of meeting and getting to know people from all walks of life and probably people you would never meet otherwise. I’m offered a window into unique stories from pockets of our country that many people might not be aware exist. Due to this career, I’ve forged new friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime.
What are your goals?
My goals for the future include producing at least four LifeStory Docs per year and continuing with my commercial documentary projects. We’re also working on creating a script for a feature narrative film adapted from our award-winning documentary film “Harry & Snowman.”
What advice would you give to others considering entrepreneurship?
Becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own company takes determination, focus and patience. My advice to other 
entrepreneurs is to know exactly what you want to achieve, but to leave yourself open and flexible for what may come your way. I’ve learned that the way you plan and expect something to roll out is likely not the way it will.
What’s the best thing about your life?
My life is filled with so many wonderful things. The health and love of my family have always been the most important things in the world to me. I’m fortunate that they are all happy and healthy, which includes my four rescue dogs. Walking them in the preserve every morning is one of my favorite parts of my day. I also have amazing friends who have been in my life for more than 30 years.
For more information, visit LifeStoryDocs.com
Photos by Isabel J. Kurek, www.isabeljkurekphotography.com
