Meet Our Trainers
David Murdoch
David is the owner of the Glenoaks Equestrian Center and is a veteran international Grand Prix competitor, with extensive training and showing experience in both New Zealand and Europe. He trained at the Spanish Riding Club in Vienna, is certified as a British Horse Society Riding Instructor and has competed in numerous international Grand Prix shows.
David has spent his life riding and training horses, starting to ride at an early age and managing his first pony club when he was 16. As a young man, he rode for the New Zealand National Team and managed the largest horse show in New Zealand -- the Isola International Festival.
During this time he trained the New Zealand horse, Charisma, who later won gold medals in the Los Angeles and the Seoul Olympics with Mark Todd, and trained Fairway, a multiple Grand Prix winner with Hap Hansen.
David is actively involved in teaching, and continuously pushes his students to aim for the highest possible level of successful riding. Since his riding career ended David has become more involved producing Top Performance Horses.
They Include:
Bastion who has just debuted in his first 1.40m, and getting Champion at the start of the show season.
Arcadia who is now owned and ridden by Willow Tree Farms competing in the 1.40ms.
Bentley, an up and coming Hunter who has proven him self with top placings and recently becoming reserve Champion in the 3ft Hunter in Flintridge.
Please see this horses in our photo gallery
Sierra Valencia
Sierra has grown up around horses her entire life. She started riding lessons at Golden Gate Stables at the young age of 2 years old. As she got older she joined Pony Club and started moving up in her ratings. All through high school she worked starting young horses, training, and assisted in instructing her local pony club. During this time she made it to area 6 Three Day championships on her young horse bringing home the optimum trophy.
Achieving her C3 rating before going off to college to continue her riding education at William Woods University. Here she focused on her Equine Science degree and competed on the Hunter/Jumper circuit in Missouri.
When Sierra moved back to the Bay Area, she joined Isola stables. She has a large lease program that has become a very successful show team. With her group of students she has also taken the Isola IEA team to both zones and finals for the first time this past season. Sierra continues to compete competitively in the local show ring on both young horses and client horses.
