brett and marjie becker — becker stables
by Carol Earnest
The Beckers’ 125-acre ranch in Grass Valley, California.
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rett and Marjie Becker have been a National winning team for many years, winning championships in multiple divisions. The year 2008 was truly a spectacular one for Becker Stables. In fact, it is their most successful show year ever. With a phenomenal Canadian Nationals, they brought home eight Championships, six Reserves and 31 Top Tens. U.S. Nationals was filled with garlands as well. Becker Stables earned six U.S. Championships, three Reserves and 22 Top Tens making 2008 a year filled with roses. Brett has been named one of the USEF Equestrians of Honor for 2008; Equestrian of the Year has yet to be decided, but Brett will receive the Barbara Worth Oakford Trophy, which goes to the rider, driver, or handler of any horse or pony breed shown in a non-reining western discipline. Both Marjie and Brett grew up showing Arabians in California and rode in multiple divisions; both have backgrounds rich in top trainers and horses. “I must have horses in my DNA. My grandfather came here from Russia, and his family operated a horse-drawn taxi service,” says Brett. “Neither of us has worked with breeds other than Arabians — it’s the breed we know and love. As a kid I rode with Murrel and Randi Lacey, Bubbles Hiller, Skip Carpenter, and Bill Melendez. I learned a lot from my good friend Wendy Griffith Potts as we showed together in California — she really taught me a lot. I was also with Mike Neal, Ron Bechtel, Gordon Potts, Greg
Harris, and Kit Hall.” Adds Marjie, “I started out at Nicasio Valley Arabians in the ’70s and was there when Bey Shah arrived as a yearling. Brett and I worked for Bill Melendez at the same time. I worked for Rob Bick, Ray LaCroix, and also with Bob Bradburn up in Canada. Even after I left Canada, Bob would send me anywhere from two to six three-year-olds at a time to start and then get them sold for him. These were top horses that Bob had bred, horses like Indecent Proposal, Magalad, Mattaroyale, and Mamage, whom I purchased for myself and later sold.” It was with that tremendous training and showing experience under their belts, and each with their own training stables established, that the two joined forces in 1994, and three years later, they married in January 1997 and bought the farm in November. Today, Brett and Marjie keep about 60 horses in training for clients from all over the country. “We stand a number of stallions, breed two or three of our own each year, and own about 20 horses,” Marjie says. “We are so fortunate to be here in Grass Valley — you really get the best of both worlds,” she continues. “We live in a wonderful historic mining town tucked away in the Sierra foothills. It’s a small town atmosphere, yet we still have easy access to the big cities. We have 125 acres with rolling hills, flat meadows and pastures that stay green all year. We are lucky as we are able to irrigate with the runoff from the Sierra Nevada. The weather is perfect; we are high enough to be
2 ▪ BECKER STABLES ▪ WORLD