Debbie McDonald is a small but mighty dressage rider who captured the heart of America while also capturing countless victories, including becoming the first American to win a World Cup Championship in 2003. Debbie and the Hanoverian mare Brentina, owned by Parry and Peggy Thomas of River Grove Farm in Sun Valley, Idaho, had an outstanding career together that includes Olympic medals and representing the United States throughout the world.

While Debbie captured the heart of dressage riders everywhere, she also captured the heart of Deborah Witty, President of Trilogy Saddles and Performance Saddlery, Inc. Over the years Debbie McDonald and Debbie Witty have become great friends, and together the two Debbie’s have formed a bond based on friendship and respect.

“Since 2002 I have had the good fortune to have been along for the ride with Debbie McDonald and what an exciting ride it has been. Even more than the celebrations for the competitive aspect of Debbie, it has been on a personal level where I have gained the most,” says Witty. “When I decided to take the huge risk and the gigantic plunge to create the Trilogy saddle line it was Debbie and Bob McDonald that were by my side immediately with their support for the future. I had no patterns or proto types to show them, they just had the confidence to entrust their saddle fitting needs to me.”

Through Debbie’s many successes, to Brentina’s moving retirement ceremony at the 2009 World Cup in Las Vegas, Witty said she has watched Debbie invest her heart and soul into everything she does. That includes being a strong advocate for Trilogy Saddles. “Debbie and I have regularly reviewed the cause and affect of what we are seeing in saddle fittings and saddle performance and comparing how the training of the horse and rider is proceeding,” Witty offers. “For example, if there is too much bend in the horse’s neck, it can create a very crooked horse and it will not give the saddle a solid place to sit.”

Witty said she and Debbie have shared all sorts of training ideas, along with the pros and cons and effects of the exercises on the rider and saddle. “This all helps to develop my eye biomechanically, so I that can be more analytical with my saddle fittings,” Witty said.

In addition to sharing training and saddle fitting ideas, Witty was able to celebrate with Debbie and Brentina when horse and rider helped the United States Equestrian Team win a team silver and team bronze at the World Equestrian Games and a team bronze at the 2004 Olympics. In 2003, Debbie became the first American dressage rider to win the World Cup Championships. She and Brentina also came in third place in the 2005 World Cup and Brentina was named the 2005 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year.

Debbie’s other accomplishments include wins at both the 2004 and 2005 U.S. Grand Prix Freestyle/Championships/US League Finals, winning the 2003 Bayer Festival of Champions and the US Equestrian Team Grand Prix Championship and winning both individual and team gold medals at the 1999 Pan American Games.

Despite her long and decorated dressage career, Debbie grew up in a non-horse family and began her career on a pony. She then pursued show jumping until a dangerous fall caused her to rethink her priorities. Her husband, Bob McDonald, a jumper trainer encouraged her to try dressage and the rest – as they say – is history.

Trilogy Dressage Saddles shares a wonderful relationship with Debbie, which includes a line of saddles called the Debbie McDonald Signature Series, which features The Debbie McDonald Dressage Saddle and The Debbie Special, designed for the petite rider. The Debbie Special was developed so that the saddle would accommodate a rider that is physically unable to establish their position in a regular size saddle because there is just too much leather and saddle surrounding them. Instead everything is tailored to suit the smaller in stature so that they can effectively put their leg on the horse, shift their seat bones and communicate clearly to the horse without the bulk of the saddle getting in the way.

Debbie is also thrilled with her relationship with Trilogy and took a moment to share her thoughts on the saddle company. “When it comes to perfection, Debbie Witty, owner of Trilogy Dressage Saddles and Performance Saddlery has it down. I have been with Debbie for over seven years and she doesn’t settle for just all right. Debbie wants quality – not just quantity, and quality is what you will get. Not to mention the people who work for Performance Saddlery. Debbie has trained some of the most qualified fitters in the world. This is a company that stands behind their products and takes it seriously! I recommend the Trilogy line to anyone who wants to be a serious competitor!”

When Debbie began to think about retiring following the Olympics, Witty wrote her a heartfelt note that described what a special person Debbie is and what a great representative she is for Trilogy Saddles.

Witty’s note read:
A look through my eyes…
Six year has passed and I have had the wonderful opportunity to observe you in so many different ways. You are humble and so unique. You are surrounded by people hired to help but who do I see pulling Brentina's mane, or wrapping Brentina's legs after your surgery, as well as hers? Most recently, it was you that jumped in the truck with Adrienne to do an enormous truckload of laundry. Your heart and soul are selflessly invested in everything you do!
Never, ever have I seen an ounce of a prima donna or a sense of entitlement – that is so rare. Instead, I see a generous spirit that makes those that come in contact with you into a believer. Because of you they believe; in the beauty of the sport, with your help they come to believe in their horse, they learn to believe in their own abilities, they come to believe that there are people with integrity, they actually believe that there is someone that sincerely cares about the welfare of the horse and after they encounter you each person will walk away believing and knowing that they have just met a truly exceptional person.
I for one will not be interested in seeing you retire any time soon. You have too many more souls to convert into believers. You have so much more history to write! As I see it we are only in the middle of this book, I cannot seem to put it down because the characters are so near and dear to me. Some day? But not yet … not yet…
I too am a believer.
Deborah L. Witty
President, Trilogy Saddles and Performance Saddler Inc.