Wilmington, Ohio – This week’s Wilmington Sunday Spotlight shines on Haley Dietrich from Vancouver, Canada. After three years based in the Netherlands with her family, Dietrich now resides in Louisville, Kentucky, with her family and makes a monthly trip to WEC – Wilmington with her string of young horses. We met up with Dietrich to learn more about her impressive educational background, her journey to Europe and back and the development of Airborne Stud.
WEC: How did you get started riding?
My dad was into racehorses as a hobby and my mom did dressage, so I started when I was two. I started taking lessons and the dressage was a bit too boring for me! I wasn’t going to be a jockey because I was too tall, so I did the hunter/jumpers. I grew up in the jumpers because I had a pony that was a really dirty stopper, so the only way to get around was to go fast.
I am originally from Vancouver, and I rode with Bobbie Reber in Canada. She is a big equitation coach and judge. I took a bit of a break from riding to go to university and moved around a lot with my husband. He is from Kentucky so now we live just outside Louisville. My background educationally was in Counterterrorism and Substate Violence and my husband was a diplomat for the U.S. State Department, but it just didn’t make us happy. We were based overseas in the Netherlands for three years and I got back into the sport when we were in Europe. The horses started out as a hobby and a side passion, but we decided that this was way more enjoyable and if we could make it work then we would do it.
WEC: Tell us about your business, Airborne Stud.
When we were posted overseas in the Netherlands, we managed to go crazy and buy too many horses and we brought them all back over here. We were trying to figure out what to do with them, so we decided to start Airborne Stud. We do a little bit of breeding, young horse development and some competition horses. For the most part, we really like working with the young ones. The prices right now are crazy, so we decided that the best way to ensure our own access to good horses was to breed them ourselves. We started investing in good mares, good foals and good stallions. We brought them here and we are starting our own breeding stud!
WEC: Tell us about the horses that you have at WEC.
We imported three horses over here with us. Most of our breeding and young stock are over in France and Holland. We are going to see what we have with those and then decide if we want to import them or sell them there.
Amarena Z is the mare that I jump the 1.35m on. I got her when she was six and now, she is eight. She has really stepped up nicely. She is a super cool mare with great bloodlines. She is a really easy, rideable horse.
The stallion, Ulixes Van De Markvallei, I bought as a three-year-old off a video in the United Kingdom! I bought him sight unseen with half a set of x-rays. It was just dumb luck that we got as nice a horse as we did! I always loved Liver Chestnuts, and I thought he was beautiful, and I love his bloodlines, so I just decided I wanted that one. We saddle broke him and realized how well he could jump. He is hopefully going to be my future grand prix horse.
The other little chestnut, Comme Calia, recently came from Germany. I bought her off a video from a friend of mine. This is only our second show with her. She is super sweet and super brave. She is quirky but really competitive and cool once you get to know her.
WEC: How has WEC – Wilmington been beneficial for you in developing your horses and business?
One of the toughest things about developing young horses in America is both the expense and, in our opinion, adequate footing for young ones with developing joints. To find somewhere with good footing that you can come and get exposure in big, overwhelming arenas is great. You can’t get this exposure for the horses anywhere else in a cost effective way. The horses like it, and they are happy here. I love it in the winter, it is a bit like being in Las Vegas! It is always warm here and you never have to go outside.
WEC: What are your goals for 2025?
I was selected to go on the Global Amateur Tour at Longines Sao Paulo. That will be my first time in South America, and it will be a really fun show to do. The other goal for my mare Amarena is to qualify for the Markel/Platinum Performance Jumper Championship in the 1.30/1.35m.
Thank you, Haley, for taking the time to share your story with us! We wish you continued success in your journey at Airborne Stud.
