Photo by Robert Alford

About

Diane Creech was born in the United States but after moving at the age of five, spent her life growing up in Germany. She began riding as a teenager when, as a reward for taking care of his animals, Diane took a veterinarian's horses out for rides in the country. After four years of 'doing time' working for a big company in Germany in business management, she decided to fulfill her dream of working with horses. For the next three years, she apprenticed in order to achieve her German Bereiter. On Christmas Eve in 1989, Diane arrived in Canada in her quest to 'see the world'. She never left, instead establishing herself as a trainer of quality dressage horses. Her business is based at the farm of Mr. Ferdinand Haupt in Haegersville, Ontario, who imports and breeds the sales horses that Diane trains and shows. One of the current stars is Fabienne, a black States Premium Westphalian mare that was imported as a five-year-old.

In addition, Diane currently competes with several quality horses owned by Doug and Louise Leatherdale of Leatherdale Farms, based in Minnesota. Their partnership was struck at a horse auction when Doug purchased a mare that Diane had been training. Impressed by the quality of the horse's training, Doug left the mare in Diane's care. Soon after, he purchased the mare's full-sister, Wiona, that Diane brought up through the basic levels and began showing at the Intermediaire level in 2005. Diane describes Wiona as very bold and one who carries her emotions on her sleeve, letting you know immediately how she feels about something.

Spectators are often confused as Diane also competes with another one of the Leatherdale's chestnut Hannoverian mares, Weltkoenigin, at the same level. Diane has been riding Weltkoenigin for three years, and while she also has incredible talent, Diane says she is the opposite of Wiona in that she is extremely sensitive and takes more time and assurance. Both mares exhibit great potential for the Grand Prix level, and when Diane moves them up, it will mark her own Grand Prix debut as well.

She also has high hopes for yet another chestnut Hannoverian, this one a gelding named Devon L. Bred at Leatherdale Farms, Devon L is by De Niro by Donnerhall, out of a Wolkenstein II dam. After earning the 2005 Canadian FEI Five-Year-Old Championship title, he started the 2006 season with wins in the Six-Year-Old Division in Florida. Diane describes Devon L as very hot and temperamental, but also very sweet. While not an easy horse, he is good-looking with great movement, including a phenomenal canter.

Diane is married and has two children, Patrick, 10, and Vanessa, 5.