Biography

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.

Dan James

Achievements

2021 QH Congress Open Freestyle Reining Reserve Champion
2020 TX Extreme Mustang Makeover Reserve Champion
2020 Mustang Magic Celebrity Freestyle Reserve Champion
2020 Ram Invitational Freestyle Reserve Champion
2020 Ram Invitational Freestyle People’s Choice Winner
2019 NRHA Futurity Freestyle Reining Reserve Champion
2019 QH Congress Open Freestyle Reining Champion
2019 Run for a Million Freestyle Reining Reserve Champion
2019 Founder of the International Liberty Horse Association
2018 QH Congress Open Freestyle Reining Champion
2018 Australia Reining Team Member World Equestrian Games
2018 World Equestrian Games Selected Performer & Presenter
2018 Jack Brainard Horsemanship Award Winner
2018 Road to the Horse Competitor
2018 KRHA Reining Open Champion
2017 NRHA Futurity Reserve Champion Freestyle Reining
2017 QH Congress Reserve Champion Freestyle Reining
2017 Open Champion, Buckeye Limited Reining
2017 Presenter & Performer at Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event
2017 Freestyle Judge RRP Thoroughbred Makeover
2016 Ram Invitational Freestyle Reining Champion
2016 Ram Invitational Freestyle People’s Choice Winner
2016 QH Congress Reserve Champion Freestyle Reining
2015 Kentucky Gold Cup Reining People Choice Award
2014 Kentucky Gold Cup Reining Freestyle Champion
2014 Quarter Horse Congress Freestyle Champion
2013 Mustang Millionaire Finalist, Top 5
2013 Featured on TV series “Mustang Millionaire”
2012 Kentucky USA – Dan begins the North American branch of Double Dan Horsemanship by setting up operations at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, KY
2012 Dan won the “2012 Road To The Horse” as a member of Team Australia
2010 Kentucky USA – World Equestrian Games – Dan Roman rode 2 Friesian horses in the opening ceremony before a worldwide crowd. Double Dan Horsemanship were also clinicians throughout the games.
2009 Dan & Dan relocated their training business to North Arm Cove, NSW
2008 Dan won the “Way of the Horse” at Equitana Asia Pacific where his horse breaking skills were recognized as world class

Biography

Elizabeth James

Born and raised in Montana, Elizabeth is a lifelong horsewoman and an accomplished equine educator. She has been an equine professor at the University of Kentucky, the North American Racing Academy, and the Bluegrass Community and Technical College where she lectured on breeding and genetics, anatomy, sales, marketing, career coaching and business management. Elizabeth started her career as an instructor at Laramie County Community College where she taught colt starting. During her time there two of her students won the Broke by Sunset Colt Starting Challenge in 2006 and 2007. Elizabeth received her Master’s Degree from UC Davis in equine genetics and her Doctoral Degree from the University of Kentucky in experiential education.

Elizabeth now manages the business side of Double Dan Horsemanship and the Australian Equine Performance Center located in Midway, KY. In 2018, she performed for the first time alongside Dan James in select DDH shows and also competing in the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover Trainers Competition. Elizabeth’s days are filled working on the farm, traveling with Dan, and raising their daughter, Isabella.

Elizabeth James

Achievements

2018 Top 5 RRP TB Makeover Freestyle
2018 Top 10 RRP TB Makeover Ranch Riding
2018 Member of Board of Directors, Kentucky Horse Council
2015 Ken Freedman Outstanding Advisor Award, Nominee
2014 UK Teacher Who Made a Difference Award
2012 Academy of Learning and Teaching Scholar
2008 LCCC Outstanding Educator Award