MEET THE TRAINERS
bOBBY kERR
Bobby has a career rich in western heritage that spans over 45 years and his is the founder of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Born in Ontario, his passion for horses and the western lifestyle led him to pursue his dreams of training and showing in cutting, reining, roping, and working cow horse. His relationship with mustangs began in 2011 and he has since gained 2 Extreme Mustang Makeover Championships, 1 Mustang Magic Championship, and was a finalist in the Mustang Million. His renowned Mustang Act is the highlight of rodeos nationwide and garnered national attention on Good Morning America.
Dan James
Born in Queensland Australia on a small cattle farm, James’ lifelong passion for horses began when he was just six weeks old. From the family milking goat to his first pony to the first colt he started in his early teens, Dan’s hunger to learn about training and understand horse’s thinking patterns has only increased. After studying at Longreach Pastoral College, Dan began traveling the world to gain a better understanding of horses. From starting colts in Hokkaido, Japan to starting over 300 horses a year at Washpool Lodge, Australia to working cutting horses for trainer, Punk Carter, to learning Liberty training from world renowned Heath Harris to managing horses on a cattle station in Western Australia, Dan has studied with and learned from the best of the best. Dan has successfully competed in Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing, Camp Drafting, Cutting, Reining and Colt Starting. Along the way James met his Quarter Horse stallion, Ari, Australian Stock Horse mare, Amelia, and Quarter Horse, Apollo, who were his first performance horses and remain part of the DDH Team today.
James is a two time international World Champion Colt Starter, a multiple time Freestyle Reining Champion, a muli-discipline Crowd Favorite several times over and a Mustang Makeover finalist. From winning the “Way of the Horse” at Equitana Asia Pacific in 2008 to winning the coveted Road to the Horse International Cost Starting World Championship in 2012 to winning two consecutive Quarter Horse Congress Freestyle Reining Championships and earning Reserve Champion multiple times to representing Australia in the 2018 World Equestrian Games James continues to wow judges, fans, and audiences alike with his incredible training techniques, elite showmanship, and unique understanding of how horses learn.
In addition to competition, Dan has worked on multiple TV, film, and photography projects featuring his horses and their unique skills. From the fan favorite TV show, Heartland, to the 2016 Versace Spring campaign, to the Vogue 125th Anniversary to a feature in Country Music Weekly Magazine, Dan’s famous horses and elite horsemanship are in high demand.
GINGER DUKE
Ginger has been training horses for 20 years. She got her first mustang when she was 20, fell in love and decided that she would start competing in the Extreme Mustang Makeover program. She now uses her mustangs in her own program where she showcases their talents and abilities traveling all over the world with them.
mIRKA cREW
Mirka Crew is a dual citizen of the Czech Republic and the USA, residing in Richland, Georgia with her husband Brandon and their son Grady. She has spent 20 years training horses for the public, teaching clinics, judging competitions and competing in western disciplines; Stock-Horse/Versatility, Western Dressage, and the discipline of Liberty. Mirka is a 7x World Champion, has placed TOP 5 in several Extreme Mustang Makeovers and Invitational Freestyle performances. She seeks lightness in responsiveness, connection and harmony with each horse. Over the years, through influence of many great human and equine mentors, Mirka has discovered that collection can be achieved even at liberty and bridle-less, she calls this approach Posture Focused Training. Mirka believes that the sky is NOT the limit and her passion is helping her students establish their unstoppable mindset. She believes that there is only one true limit, the one we place upon ourselves.
Elliot Holtzman
Elliot Holtzman works to incorporate his formal and informal education and experiences into his operation each day. He works to hone his skills and to learn more as he continues to study under experienced horsemen in the industry as often as he can. Elliot is a 2014 Legacy of Legends scholarship recipient.
A combined foundation of horsemanship, experience, and education is what his equine enterprise is based upon. His goal is to help clients with their horses, be honest with them, and give them the best experience they can possibly have in the horse industry.
At the foundation of any equestrian sport or discipline is horsemanship, and a true love of the horse.
Justis Jacobs
Justis Jacobs hails from Harrisburg, PA, where he runs a self-made business called Centaur Horsemanship. He works with a variety of horses, from colt starting, western performance horses, problem horses, and starting mustangs. Justis started his training career by interning under Val Geissler in Cody, Wyoming where he learned to become the horse hand he is today. Justis competed in his first Mustang Makeover in 2022 and was the 2023 Tennessee Extreme Mustang Makeover champion. Justis also finished reserve champion in the 2022 Fort Worth Extreme Mustang Makeover and followed that performance with a 3rd place finish at the 2023 Mustang Magic and in 2024 finished reserve champion at Mustang Magic.
Mark Lyon
While working he continued to improve his cowboy skills, Mark’s study of horsemanship led him to seek out Buck Brannaman, Martin Black, Peter Campbell and was blessed to learn from these and many other great horsemen. He discovered that the Vaquero style suited his style of riding the best. The Vaqueros took the practicality of getting the job done in the real world while incorporating the style, grace and finesse of Dressage and combining them into an art that was beneficial to the horse and human. In 2004 After learning from many clinicians and developing his horsemanship he started training horses full time for the public.
Mark competed and was named Champion in the 2008 Extreme Mustang Makeover against 200 other trainers.
Marks philosophy is based on some foundational principles. These bedrock facts allow you to determine the best way to work with any horse, just as it is possible to figure out the best way to communicate with a person and the most beneficial ways are dictated by the skills, knowledge and experiences each side of the conversation has. After helping the owner understand what is important to your particular horse and how horses communicate with each other the relationship can begin to build. When training Mark uses his years of experience gained with knowledge from the best horsemen he could learn from. You and your horse learn the cues that will be used and the correct response to each one, these cues are important they direct the feet and are the building blocks on which the rest of the horses movement and action will be built on.
Elisa Wallace
Elisa Wallace is a 5 star three-day event rider, YouTuber, and advocate for American Mustang adoption, off the track thoroughbreds, rider safety, and women in sport. She was listed as an alternate for the 2016 US Olympic team, and continues to work toward achieving her life-long dream of representing the USA in international competition. Elisa is passionate about her work with American mustangs, aimed at demonstrating the potential of this misunderstood breed by developing one up to the Advanced level in the sport of three-day eventing.In 2012, Elisa attended and won her first Extreme Mustang Makeover with her mustang, Fledge. Elisa now has five personal mustangs: Fledge and Rune her main demo mustangs; Hwin, who is immortalized as a Breyer and has competed up to preliminary eventing; and Eton and Wyeth who are talents she is bringing along in eventing.
The Deden Family
The Deden’s are a family of seven from Houston, Texas. Their love of agriculture comes from their family’s cow calf operation and pine tree plantation in East Texas. They began adopting mustangs in 2003 and started competing in the Extreme Mustang Makeover challenges in 2011. They have adopted, trained and rehomed over 100 mustangs and competed in collectively 19 mustang training challenges. The team representing the Deden family is Elizabeth, mother, and her youngest daughters Virginia and Jennifer Deden.
We feel incredibly honored to be able to preform at the Mustang Heritage Spectacular and are excited to represent what all can be done together as a family!