Judy Westlake
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Judy on Bolero EF winning 4th Level test 2 Oct 2017

Judy Westlake

Judy Westlake is a USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze  medal rider and United States Dressage Federation (USDF) certified instructor.  Judy's passion to learn has led to a degree in Animal Sciences from The University of Rhode Island and Olympic level dressage instruction from world-renown dressage trainers.
  
The Beginnings

Mentored by her equestrienne mother Mary "Pudge" Whitford, Judy started her life long equine career at the age of three. By the time Judy was 8 years old, she was successfully showing her own pony “Sugar Cookie," taking the  “Pet Pony Champion” at her second show. Judy continued to compete in local hunter shows in Rhode Island as a pony hunter, in junior equitation, children's hunters and jumpers. As a young adult, Judy worked in the Thoroughbred industry, often galloping race horses at the track and eventually
  becoming a successful eventing competitor                                                                                                                                 

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Judy in her eventing days, on her TB Kidron Valley


The Dressage Focus

Picture Judy at White Fences winning with Norton at 3rd Level

                                                                                                                                   Upon graduating from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Judy was employed by Johnson and Wales University as an instructor in their Equine Studies Department where she taught riding as well as giving regular lectures in various equine-related topics. 
A wonderful opportunity to lease a barn in New Hampshire became available  and she established Windcroft Stables in Madison, NH, Her business grew into a thriving lesson and training facility with an emphasis on eventing and dressage.
It was during this time that Judy met Sue Blinks, one of the nation’s top dressage riders at the time.  Sue earned medals at the Olympic Games and FEI World Equestrian Games and through Sue Blinks' education and mentorship, Judy acquired her enduring love of dressage. Sue helped Judy find two foundation dressage warmbloods, Iggy and Livian, which Judy went on to successfully train to Prix St George and Grand Prix.  The first of many horses she would take to FEI.


PictureJudy on Iggy winning the Region 8 Prix St George Championships


 The Education Continues

In 1991, Judy established Broad Park Equestrian Center in Gray, Maine.  Broad Park was successfully owned, designed and built by Judy to be a full-service board and training facility on  20 acres  and housing 28 horses. 

During this time, she become a United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Certified Instructor earning her USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals. She credits the foundation knowledge contained in the USDF Certification curriculum, along with exceptional mentoring from Major Anders Lindgren for giving her the next level of training knowledge needed to produce top horses and riders. This is where she was first introduced to Long Lining and working horses in hand.

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Judy on Iggy winning Prix St George at GMHA
Judy also spent many years as a regular student of  Gunnar Ostergaard, a Danish legend who has trained many horses and riders through Grand Prix, and who had won competitions in Europe, and the United States.  Gunnar’s incredible education helped Judy take her horse Iggy and several students horses up through Grand Prix.  In order to maintain her working relationship with Gunnar, Judy began to winter in Florida so she could continue her own education.  Even with a growing national clinic schedule, Judy’s focus on her own  elevated education was a priority to be able to offer premier coaching                            
and teaching to her students.
PictureJudy on Lyric winning the Grand Prix at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby

The FEI Winning Begins !

 

Her next grand prix dressage horse was sponsored by a dedicated group of her students.  Judy competed Lyric at Grand Prix and earned her USDF Gold Medal and also endeavored to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games.

          
         

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Judy, Iggy and Reiner Klimke
PictureJudy and Iggy winning the Region 8 USDF Intermediare 2 Championships

With the help of Gunnar Ostergaard, Judy and Iggy were able to win the USDF Regional Prix St George Championships and the USDF Regional Intermediare 2 Championships. As well as many local and regional wins.

They were also chosen to be Demos at Intermediare 1 for the Reiner Klimke Symposium in Maryland. 

Judy and Iggy continued on to Grand Prix. after a success run at that level, Iggy became a schoolmaster for an FEI Young Rider and also helped other Students of Judy's earn their Silver Medals.



The Success Continues

Judy continued to develop horses and riders with great success. An opportunity with work with The Spanish Riding School master, Karl Mikolka, expanded her training and teaching knowledge to another level. His timing and gymnastic exercises revolutionized Judy's teaching and training. With his help, she developed more FEI horses and students.
Judy's long time student Barbara West earned her USDF Gold Medal on her horse, Cannonball, that Judy trained to Grand Prix. She also brought along sales horses, including Delamere, who with Judy, was high score at 2nd and 3rd level for the GMHA and UNH competitions. And she had a wonderful opportunity to show Daniel DG Prix St George in White Fences.

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Judy horse shopping in Finland
In 2002, Judy met Eckart Meyners, Kinesiologist PHD from Lunenburg, Germany through Jill Hassler Scoop. Eckart's work in coaching the rider to improve their position and coordination through Kinesthetic exercises was a huge influence in Judy's work and instruction. She studied with Eckart and traveled to Germany to work with Hannes Muller at The German Riding School. The "Balimo" System that Eckart  developed has become an integral part of the training of Germany's riders.


Clinics Galore!

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The Infinity Farm crew, where Judy teaches regular clinics, collecting their year end awards from MDS, Congratulations to all!
With the increase in clinic demand and traveling to Florida for the winters, Judy decided to dedicate herself solely on her teaching and training and decided to sell Broad Park Equestrian Center. Her clinics brought her regularly to California, PA,FL and throughout New England. She has had many successful students, check out her LATEST NEWS page to keep up with their successful stories

Also check out Judy's Clinic Schedule for the next time she is in your area.
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Schooling Logan, owned by Dana Butler Moburg, in CA

Heading West!

  2014 saw another big change for Judy. She had established a growing clinic clientele in California for many years and was offered an opportunity by The J.F. Shea Theraputic Riding Center to become their "in house" clinician. This has given Judy the ability to have a beautiful facility to consistently develop students and train horses  in Southern California. Her very successful Westlake Dressage clientele can be followed in her Latest News Page and on Facebook. Judy continues to fly east now, keeping her east coast contingent happy with monthly clinics.
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Judy schooling Tango, owned by Nicki Lucas
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The Westlake Dressage ladies enjoying an evening out, thanks to Terry Johnsen
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BIG CHANGES For 2019
After spending over 4 wonderful, successful years, working out of The Shea Center in San Juan Capistrano, Judy has moved her base of operation back to the East Coast to be closer to the heart of the dressage world in Wellington Florida. She will miss her CA clients ,and horses, but  will be  returning there monthly to do clinics.

Judy's facility in Loxahatchee, Florida, will once again become a hub of education for dressage. She has an exceptional group of educated horses to  offer lessons on  and will also be offering lessons to clients on their own horses as well as training year round in Florida.  

She will be traveling regularly to the Northeast and California for clinics throughout the year. Check the clinic page for updates.




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2020/2021
Challenges Galore!
The Global Pandemic brought with it many obstacles and the need to think and develop outside of the box. Shows were canceled, travel and clinics were canceled . Judy continued to develop her teaching skills and began Virtual Lessons. With the help of Skype, Facetime and Zoom, many of Judy's students continued their education. Some were  for the first time in their riding careers, able to get regular weekly instruction. 
The summer of 2020, found Judy based in Maine. With a very busy teaching/training schedule, she was able to stay "socially distanced" and continue to keep her clients and horses advancing.







The shows returned  in Florida in the fall of 2020, and her students continued to have great success into the spring of 2021

Judy continued her own education and was fortunate to have regular weekly help from Oded Shimoni. She gained great insight into developing FEI movements and gaits on Bolero.
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Once again, Judy will be spending her summer in Maine, so please feel free to contact her for lessons and training. She is looking forward   to coaching at the New England shows this summer 

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  • HOME
  • Latest News!
  • STORY
  • SERVICES
  • Clinic Schedule
  • CONTACT
  • STUDENTS
  • PUBLISHED WORK
  • BALIMO CLINICS