Following
The Grand Design
Doug Russell celebrates more than 20 years designing courses for Horse Shows in the Sun By SHANNA BELLINGHAM
R
Russell looks over jump equipment while laying out a grand prix course at HITS Ocala.
16 Horse Capital Digest • February 22, 2013
iders and trainers walk the Grand Prix ring analyzing the course, mentally calculating the distance, height and level of difficulty. If there’s a question on its design, they seek out the man in the cowboy hat. It’s not hard to find him. Doug Russell is usually roaming the ring, being just as critical on his work. According to Russell, there is always room for improvement. “This is a never quit learning job,” he said, watching his crew set up a course one early morning at Horse Shows in the Sun Ocala. “Every day that you think you know everything, you’re not even close.” Russell proudly lives by this motto in his career. The Texas native was born to be in the ring. As the son of John Russell, two-time Olympian for the equestrian team, it was only natural for him to enter the horse show world.
Russell began riding at the age of four. He followed in his father’s footsteps with a love for jumpers. As an adult, he rode for the equestrian team for four years. In 1995, Russell became a member of the Pan America team riding in great competitions around the world. It was his side job, however, during his years as a professional rider that ignited his passion. The Ocala resident credits his time riding with Steve and Debbie Stephens for teaching him the ins and outs of course design. Riding with the Stephens’s, Russell had taken a fall off a horse and had to have knee surgery. Unable to ride, Steve took him along to help him set up a course, Russell recalled. “If you know anything about Steve, there’s a passion for what he does that is incredible. He’s a master mind,” Russell said. “He’s the one that actually, kind of got me as passionate about it as I am from watching him.” In 1990, Russell obtained his course designing license through the United States Equestrian Federation. Russell explained his moment of truth came in 1992 from Tom Struzzieri, President and Chief Executive Officer of HITS, when he asked Russell to help him design at Horse Shows in the Sun Culpeper, which began his long relationship with the event. “I (had) done seven, eight or nine (courses); I was cocky about the whole thing,” he recalled. “I get to Culpeper and find out I’m doing a $50,000 (course). If anybody stuck their head out for me to get started, it was Tom. He just said, ‘Get on with; let’s do it.’” More than twenty years of designing courses, Russell is accredited for being one of the bests in the business.