Jeanne McDonald – Biography
Jeanne McDonald’s lifelong passion for riding began at age eight with the New
Canaan Mounted Troop in Connecticut. She competed successfully in Medal/Maclay
classes as a junior and then turned to eventing, and in 1980 her primary focus became
Dressage.
In 1982, she purchased her first horse; Moleque, a 17 year old TB. They were
AHSA East Coast Champions at Fourth Level Freestyles in 1984 and "Mo" helped her earn
her Bronze and Silver USDF Medals and one leg of her Gold, on the way to Grand Prix at
the age of 22! Con Brio was not owned by Jeanne, but for five years, she trained and
competed him from Prix St Georges to Grand Prix. She and Brio also obtained her final
score for her USDF Gold Medal, and were chosen as the PSG horse in the first Dr.Reiner
Klimke Clinic in 1990 and also the GP rider in 1993.
In 1990 Jeanne opened her own boarding/training facility in PA, Turning Point
Farm. In 1993, she found her second horse, Tantris, an approved Oldenburg stallion
(immediately after his successful 100 day testing in Germany). They competed successfully,
from Training level in ‘93 up through the levels to GP in 2004, and came back again in 2008
for a wonderful last year in the Competition ring and did their GP Specials!! And ended that
year as the GP demo horse for the NEDA Fall Symposium with Debbie McDonald
Turning Point Farm has since expanded into a breeding farm as well, keeping her busy
training both students and Tantris offspring, and hosting every year since 1998, a German
Oldenburg Verband (GOV) Inspection.
Jeanne has bred & trained & competed many of Tantris offspring over the past the
15 years, and with Tahiti, won many Championships and USDF honors from Training
Level through Third level in 2007. Talisman, a 17.4 hand gelding purchased from his
breeder, was multiple times Champion at Training and First levels. They were 2010
USDF HOY at Training level with an average 76%! And Won the BLM Ch. at Training
Level and USDF/UESF First Level Freestyle Champions in 2010. Most Recently, Tela
has been competing at Training and First Levels and getting ready to do 2nd & 3rd levels
this year.
Jeanne is a FEI “I” Dressage Judge, an USEF “S” Dressage Judge, an “r” (now
retired) Dressage Sport Horse Breed Judge and is also a certified FEI “YH” Judge. She
officiates at more than 30 shows each year in the United States, Canada (judging their
first Eventing Young Horse Championships in Ottawa in 2005), Mexico, Costa Rica and
the Islands. Jeanne has judged the USEF National Young Horse Championships in
Kentucky and at Lamplight, many times. In 2009 she judged the European Junior &
Young Riders Dressage Championships in Ermelo, Holland.
In between competing and judging, Jeanne has been doing clinics regularly in the
Boston area since 1995 and Cape Cod since 2000, as well as clinics in Virginia,
Kentucky, Illinois & the Detroit area on a regular basis.
Teaching and seeing her students improve and ENJOY their horses is her favorite
job (riding is not a job!) She has three students this year (and one with her favorite
Tantris son that she bred) ready to show their FIRST Ever Grand Prix tests this spring.
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