OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHIES - 2024
Raimundo Coral Rubiales (Pleasure Driving International Guest Judge)
Señor Raimundo Coral Rubiales’s passion for horses began very young. His father had a great love of horses, and hoping to pass that on to his children, he brought home a Spanish-Arabian mare named Canastera. When she came to live with them, Señor Coral rode like crazy, impatiently waiting for his father to get home each day so they could ride together. A Daughter of the Wind, Canastera was both noble and gentle. She taught Señor Coral many things, including, he says, how to fall from the horse and keep quiet about it, lest his mother put an end to the riding as well as his father’s and his hobby.
In the mid-1980s, Señor Coral’s father began collecting carriages, and consequently, the number of horses at their home increased. Señor Coral began driving a hitch of mules and then a pair of Spanish horses, Novato and Periodista, who, he says, taught him more than he ever taught them.
Since 2002, Señor Coral has been a prominent figure in the European carriage-driving community. His expertise has been recognized through his role as a judge in various shows across Europe and the United States. Notably, he has served as the International Judge of Traditional Harness for the Association Internationale d'Attelage de Tradition (AIAT), a carriage-driving judge at the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla (Royal Cavalry Mastership of Seville), the carriage driving judge at the Feria del Caballo de Jerez (Horse Fair of Jerez), and a judge at the Concurso Exhibición de Enganches (Carriage Exhibition Contest) held at the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda (Royal Cavalry Mastership of Ronda).
Señor Coral has also served as director, professor, and lecturer for numerous courses on traditional harness judging in Spain and Portugal. He specializes in Calesera, English, and Continental harness styles. He also teaches courses on coaching. Señor Coral has been a contributor to the Real Club de Enganches de Andalucia’s (RCEA - Royal Carriage Club of Andalucía’s) magazine El Engache since 2002 and is a member of the drafting committee of the AIAT as well as the drafting committee for the rules and regulations for both the Sevilla and Ronda carriage events. He is a member of the RCEA and has shown at the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla as well as the invitational Concurso Exhibición de Enganches at the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda.
He now serves on the RCEA's Board of Directors and the Board of Judges and has served as a Vice President since 2010.
Señor Coral joins us for the 2024 Villa Louis Carriage Classic from his home in Sevilla, España, where he lives with his wife and two children. His family owns a collection of antique carriages and two Pura Raza Española (PRE) horses.
Señor Raimundo Coral Rubiales’s passion for horses began very young. His father had a great love of horses, and hoping to pass that on to his children, he brought home a Spanish-Arabian mare named Canastera. When she came to live with them, Señor Coral rode like crazy, impatiently waiting for his father to get home each day so they could ride together. A Daughter of the Wind, Canastera was both noble and gentle. She taught Señor Coral many things, including, he says, how to fall from the horse and keep quiet about it, lest his mother put an end to the riding as well as his father’s and his hobby.
In the mid-1980s, Señor Coral’s father began collecting carriages, and consequently, the number of horses at their home increased. Señor Coral began driving a hitch of mules and then a pair of Spanish horses, Novato and Periodista, who, he says, taught him more than he ever taught them.
Since 2002, Señor Coral has been a prominent figure in the European carriage-driving community. His expertise has been recognized through his role as a judge in various shows across Europe and the United States. Notably, he has served as the International Judge of Traditional Harness for the Association Internationale d'Attelage de Tradition (AIAT), a carriage-driving judge at the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla (Royal Cavalry Mastership of Seville), the carriage driving judge at the Feria del Caballo de Jerez (Horse Fair of Jerez), and a judge at the Concurso Exhibición de Enganches (Carriage Exhibition Contest) held at the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda (Royal Cavalry Mastership of Ronda).
Señor Coral has also served as director, professor, and lecturer for numerous courses on traditional harness judging in Spain and Portugal. He specializes in Calesera, English, and Continental harness styles. He also teaches courses on coaching. Señor Coral has been a contributor to the Real Club de Enganches de Andalucia’s (RCEA - Royal Carriage Club of Andalucía’s) magazine El Engache since 2002 and is a member of the drafting committee of the AIAT as well as the drafting committee for the rules and regulations for both the Sevilla and Ronda carriage events. He is a member of the RCEA and has shown at the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla as well as the invitational Concurso Exhibición de Enganches at the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda.
He now serves on the RCEA's Board of Directors and the Board of Judges and has served as a Vice President since 2010.
Señor Coral joins us for the 2024 Villa Louis Carriage Classic from his home in Sevilla, España, where he lives with his wife and two children. His family owns a collection of antique carriages and two Pura Raza Española (PRE) horses.
Jessica Axelsson (American Driving Society Registered "R" Pleasure Driving Judge)
The Villa Louis Carriage Classic proudly welcomes Mrs. Jessica Axelsson to judge again in 2024. Mrs. Axelsson wears many hats: a triathlete, a mother of two young children, and a carriage-driving judge. While in high school, Mrs. Axelsson began her career in horse-drawn carriages as a commercial driver for the Cape May Carriage Company. After high school, she attended Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where she studied driving education and discovered her passion for competitive carriage driving. One of her mentors at Delaware Valley was Audrey Bostwick. She also worked for several other carriage barns in the Mid-Atlantic region, learning from many top driving trainers. Mrs. Axelsson’s driving resumé includes driving single, very small equines up to six-horse hitches of Belgian draft horses. Currently, she drives ponies and operates a training facility specializing in starting ponies for pleasure driving and helping new drivers get started in a fun and safe environment. She and her crossbred pony have successfully competed at pleasure driving shows on the East Coast, including Orleton Farm, Walnut Hill, and Lorenzo. Mrs. Axelsson judges nationwide and continues to compete and attend clinics, seminars, and lessons with top driving professionals. Her goal is to constantly be working to improve her education and the sport of carriage driving.
The Villa Louis Carriage Classic proudly welcomes Mrs. Jessica Axelsson to judge again in 2024. Mrs. Axelsson wears many hats: a triathlete, a mother of two young children, and a carriage-driving judge. While in high school, Mrs. Axelsson began her career in horse-drawn carriages as a commercial driver for the Cape May Carriage Company. After high school, she attended Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where she studied driving education and discovered her passion for competitive carriage driving. One of her mentors at Delaware Valley was Audrey Bostwick. She also worked for several other carriage barns in the Mid-Atlantic region, learning from many top driving trainers. Mrs. Axelsson’s driving resumé includes driving single, very small equines up to six-horse hitches of Belgian draft horses. Currently, she drives ponies and operates a training facility specializing in starting ponies for pleasure driving and helping new drivers get started in a fun and safe environment. She and her crossbred pony have successfully competed at pleasure driving shows on the East Coast, including Orleton Farm, Walnut Hill, and Lorenzo. Mrs. Axelsson judges nationwide and continues to compete and attend clinics, seminars, and lessons with top driving professionals. Her goal is to constantly be working to improve her education and the sport of carriage driving.
Kail Palmer-Miller (American Driving Society Registered "R" Pleasure Driving Judge)
Kail Palmer-Miller is not only a judge, technical delegate, clinician, and trainer but also a leader in her field. She is a licensed official with the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), American Driving Society (ADS), and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Her “R” status in Pleasure Driving as a Judge and Technical Delegate with the ADS and USEF, and her “R” Dressage and Coaching Judge status with the ADS, are a testament to her expertise. She also holds “Senior Status” for Combined Driving with the ADS, “R” with the USEF as a Combined Driving Judge and USEF Driving Measurement Certification. Her recent achievement of level 2 status with the FEI as a Driving Official further solidifies her position as a leader in the equestrian community.
Kail's lifelong dedication to carriage-driving horses is a true testament to her unwavering passion. She began competing at the tender age of eight, driving singles, pairs, tandems, unicorns and four-in-hands in both pleasure and combined driving. Her journey led her to study ridden dressage with Robert Hall at Fulmer International in Aiken, SC. A car accident in 1996 redirected her path towards a career in judging, a decision that was driven by her deep love for the sport. Kail's commitment to the equestrian community is further exemplified by her role as Chef d’Equipe and Coach for Team USA at the World Championships for Drivers with Disabilities, held in the Netherlands.
Kail has worked with many different breeds and has produced numerous Championships/Reserve Championships in driving and in-hand. Her Coaching Champion title at the Devon Horse Show with her family’s team of Hackney Horses is a true testament to her skill. She won the prestigious Concours d'Elegance at the Brandywine Carriage Driving Show and the Single Hackney Horse Championship at the Devon Horse Show. She is a member of the World Coaching Club. Kail also has been the organizer and course designer for many shows. Kail travels throughout the country, officiating and conducting clinics for all levels of driving. Kail enjoys spending time with her family on their farm in Elverson, Pennsylvania.
Kail Palmer-Miller is not only a judge, technical delegate, clinician, and trainer but also a leader in her field. She is a licensed official with the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), American Driving Society (ADS), and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Her “R” status in Pleasure Driving as a Judge and Technical Delegate with the ADS and USEF, and her “R” Dressage and Coaching Judge status with the ADS, are a testament to her expertise. She also holds “Senior Status” for Combined Driving with the ADS, “R” with the USEF as a Combined Driving Judge and USEF Driving Measurement Certification. Her recent achievement of level 2 status with the FEI as a Driving Official further solidifies her position as a leader in the equestrian community.
Kail's lifelong dedication to carriage-driving horses is a true testament to her unwavering passion. She began competing at the tender age of eight, driving singles, pairs, tandems, unicorns and four-in-hands in both pleasure and combined driving. Her journey led her to study ridden dressage with Robert Hall at Fulmer International in Aiken, SC. A car accident in 1996 redirected her path towards a career in judging, a decision that was driven by her deep love for the sport. Kail's commitment to the equestrian community is further exemplified by her role as Chef d’Equipe and Coach for Team USA at the World Championships for Drivers with Disabilities, held in the Netherlands.
Kail has worked with many different breeds and has produced numerous Championships/Reserve Championships in driving and in-hand. Her Coaching Champion title at the Devon Horse Show with her family’s team of Hackney Horses is a true testament to her skill. She won the prestigious Concours d'Elegance at the Brandywine Carriage Driving Show and the Single Hackney Horse Championship at the Devon Horse Show. She is a member of the World Coaching Club. Kail also has been the organizer and course designer for many shows. Kail travels throughout the country, officiating and conducting clinics for all levels of driving. Kail enjoys spending time with her family on their farm in Elverson, Pennsylvania.
Steve Holm (American Driving Society Recorded "r" Pleasure Driving Judge)
Returning to Wisconsin to judge the Villa Louis Carriage Classic, Mr. Steven Holm has had a lifelong passion for horses and ponies. He grew up in Oregon, Wisconsin, and started driving at age twelve. His earliest show was at the Dane County Fair. He has gone on to train carriage horses and ponies professionally for the last forty-eight years. During this time, he has worked with many breeds and shown various hitches, from singles to coaching teams. He has been fortunate enough to manage and train for some of the top carriage stables in the country, including Robert Weaver, Sally Busch Wheeler, and David Rockefeller. As the trainer for these stables, he trained the winners of the coaching championship twelve of fifteen times at the Devon Horse Show and coaching championships at the Royal Winter Fair, Walnut Hill Farm Driving Competition, and the Carriage Association of America’s Carriage Festival. He has competed with singles, pairs, tandems, unicorns, and four-in-hand teams. Mr. Holm was also an equestrian entertainer, once sharing the stage with Bob Hope. He is an evaluator for the Carriage Association of America's Driver Proficiency Program and was instrumental in working with John Parker to develop the program in the United States. Mr. Holm is a former vice president of the Carriage Association of America and is an honorary lifetime director of that organization. He is a recorded "r" judge with the American Driving Society and has officiated at many major shows, including the Walnut Hill Farm Driving Competition and the Devon Horse Show. In 2010, he was chosen as the American judge for presentation at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. Mr. Holm and his wife, Sherry, reside in Jackson Springs, North Carolina, with their Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Returning to Wisconsin to judge the Villa Louis Carriage Classic, Mr. Steven Holm has had a lifelong passion for horses and ponies. He grew up in Oregon, Wisconsin, and started driving at age twelve. His earliest show was at the Dane County Fair. He has gone on to train carriage horses and ponies professionally for the last forty-eight years. During this time, he has worked with many breeds and shown various hitches, from singles to coaching teams. He has been fortunate enough to manage and train for some of the top carriage stables in the country, including Robert Weaver, Sally Busch Wheeler, and David Rockefeller. As the trainer for these stables, he trained the winners of the coaching championship twelve of fifteen times at the Devon Horse Show and coaching championships at the Royal Winter Fair, Walnut Hill Farm Driving Competition, and the Carriage Association of America’s Carriage Festival. He has competed with singles, pairs, tandems, unicorns, and four-in-hand teams. Mr. Holm was also an equestrian entertainer, once sharing the stage with Bob Hope. He is an evaluator for the Carriage Association of America's Driver Proficiency Program and was instrumental in working with John Parker to develop the program in the United States. Mr. Holm is a former vice president of the Carriage Association of America and is an honorary lifetime director of that organization. He is a recorded "r" judge with the American Driving Society and has officiated at many major shows, including the Walnut Hill Farm Driving Competition and the Devon Horse Show. In 2010, he was chosen as the American judge for presentation at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. Mr. Holm and his wife, Sherry, reside in Jackson Springs, North Carolina, with their Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Dana Bright (American Driving Society Registered "R" Pleasure Driving Technical Delegate)
Ms. Dana Bright began carriage driving in 1982 with a tiny black pony that had been purchased as her event horse's buddy. With only a first-edition copy of “On the Box Seat,” she harnessed and hooked him well enough so that all of them stayed attached as they moved off. Little did she know that day, as she carefully followed the instructions in “On the Box Seat,” that years later, she would not only meet the author, Mr. Thomas Ryder but also officiate with him at Walnut Hill. Ms. Bright says, “One of the best things about the carriage driving world is the support, mentoring, and friendship its participants offer so generously.”
Dana Bright served as the American Driving Society (ADS) Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for ten years. During that time, she and a group of Mid-Atlantic ADS members created and organized the American Driving Society’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Recreational Driving Weekend at Fair Hill, Maryland (now called MARD). She has been chair and member of many ADS committees, is currently the chair of the ADS Pleasure Driving Committee, and is a member of the Education, Driven Dressage, and Safety Committees. Ms. Bright is one of the current Vice Presidents of the ADS. She received the ADS President's Award in 2006 and has earned the Bronze, Silver, and Gold ADS Driven Dressage Medals.
Dana Bright has held Combined Driving, Driven Dressage, and Pleasure Driving licenses with the ADS since 1997. Additionally, she has found officiating to be an excellent way to travel all over the country and meet people, having judged and been the technical delegate for pleasure competitions in every ADS region and Canada. “It has been delightful to return to venues periodically and see drivers' progress with their animals,” Ms. Bright shares.
Ms. Bright looks forward to starting to compete with her youngest pony, a Connemara, and pleasure shows will be part of his education. To this point, Ms. Bright has competed in pleasure shows with singles, pairs, a unicorn, and a tandem, as well as CDEs (though no unicorn there!), and once, when everything aligned (the stars, enough good help, etc.), she even put a randem of ponies together.
Dana Bright is excited to finally come to Prairie du Chien and join us for the 2024 Villa Louis Carriage Classic!
Ms. Dana Bright began carriage driving in 1982 with a tiny black pony that had been purchased as her event horse's buddy. With only a first-edition copy of “On the Box Seat,” she harnessed and hooked him well enough so that all of them stayed attached as they moved off. Little did she know that day, as she carefully followed the instructions in “On the Box Seat,” that years later, she would not only meet the author, Mr. Thomas Ryder but also officiate with him at Walnut Hill. Ms. Bright says, “One of the best things about the carriage driving world is the support, mentoring, and friendship its participants offer so generously.”
Dana Bright served as the American Driving Society (ADS) Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for ten years. During that time, she and a group of Mid-Atlantic ADS members created and organized the American Driving Society’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Recreational Driving Weekend at Fair Hill, Maryland (now called MARD). She has been chair and member of many ADS committees, is currently the chair of the ADS Pleasure Driving Committee, and is a member of the Education, Driven Dressage, and Safety Committees. Ms. Bright is one of the current Vice Presidents of the ADS. She received the ADS President's Award in 2006 and has earned the Bronze, Silver, and Gold ADS Driven Dressage Medals.
Dana Bright has held Combined Driving, Driven Dressage, and Pleasure Driving licenses with the ADS since 1997. Additionally, she has found officiating to be an excellent way to travel all over the country and meet people, having judged and been the technical delegate for pleasure competitions in every ADS region and Canada. “It has been delightful to return to venues periodically and see drivers' progress with their animals,” Ms. Bright shares.
Ms. Bright looks forward to starting to compete with her youngest pony, a Connemara, and pleasure shows will be part of his education. To this point, Ms. Bright has competed in pleasure shows with singles, pairs, a unicorn, and a tandem, as well as CDEs (though no unicorn there!), and once, when everything aligned (the stars, enough good help, etc.), she even put a randem of ponies together.
Dana Bright is excited to finally come to Prairie du Chien and join us for the 2024 Villa Louis Carriage Classic!