high school she went to work for rider Duncan McFarlane, who had just arrived in California from his native New Zealand. After a year and a half with Duncan, she stepped out on her own, forming Crystal Image Farm in the East Bay hills that overlook the sweeping San Francisco Bay Area.
A Place of Her Own She settles into a chair outside the
tidy barn office and looks out at the view. Crystal Image Farm overlooks a green valley in Sunol, and sits on land that Denize bought in 1999. In the last 11 years she has gotten to know the hilly property, from its sloped levels to its hidden water lines. Currently she is in the process
of tearing down and rebuilding the 100 year old farmhouse that sits in the shadow of the main barn. Just another thing she’s added to her to- do list.
tailed she is, Denize’s turquoise painted toenails give her away. They conspicuously match her turquoise blouse, turquoise ring and ear- rings, and every Crystal Image logo stitched into the trunk covers that align down the barn aisle. Natu- rally, barn colors are turquoise and black. So it’s not surprising that until re-
cently, she ran her entire show solo. From beginner lessons to summer camp, feed schedules to show plan- ning, “I’d go from 7am to 4pm on a Saturday, teaching lessons back to
Before she can explain how de-
back,” she says. Rachel Hutches is only the second assistant trainer at Denize's, and she’s been with Crys- tal Image for six years. A former student, Rachel came back after college and handles much of the lower-level teaching, and all the rid- ing. On this quiet weekday morning, Rachel is walking up and down the barn aisle, straightening up already- straight tack trunks and looking af- ter the small details of the barn. Her support system gives Den-
ize more freedom to work with NorCal; “I’ve been a member of NorCal since I was 11 years old,” she says. “That gives me a pretty unique perspective. I thought I could help an organization that had become dated. Since I’ve been President we’ve updated
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