ShowBiz Feature
to Australia for 9 months before returning to even-
tually a home base in Westlake Village. The horse
Columbian, was one of the highlights of this time for
Debbie. “We bought him from Gary Ryman during
his first year at Indio. He was a really nice First Year
Green Hunter; I would put him in my top three horses
of my career along with Snow Cat and River Train.”
When this decade long personal and professional
door closed, another one opened for Debbie. “In
1984 I started working for my good friend Sharon
Stewart Wells on a 40 acre, 150 horse, thoroughbred
farm in San Diego. Breaking babies, doing rehab,
conditioning them for the track and I even foaled a
few mares. While I was managing the thoroughbred
farm, I had the highest selling yearling two years in a
row, 1999 and 2000. Interestingly enough, they were
full brother and sister. I was there until the property
was sold about 7 years later to Mary Shirley, and
became known as Rocky Mountain Warmbloods.”
In hindsight, Debbie has two milestones as a
rider that really standout for her. “Going back to
Indoors in 1966 from California was a big one.
Not many people were doing it in those days. I
can remember them (the east coast riders) ask-
ing me if we had television in California. I said
‘have you ever heard of Hollywood?’ It was amaz-
ing when you think back about it. Another high-
light for me was winning the Barbara Worth Medal
Finals which has sort of evolved into the WCE.”
Debbie has been judging and stewarding, almost
exclusively, since 2001, and has a unique perspec-
tive on the horse industry then and now. “One
thing that I miss about horse shows, since they
have gotten so big, is the lack of multiple disci-
plines (at the same show). When I was a kid they
This Page Top to Bottom: Snow Cat at State Fair;
Tyler; Debbie on Footnote at Indio; River Train &
Debbie at Indio; Columbian and Debbie Sands.
Opposite Page: Debbie's Dog Blazer.
44
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