Approved Coaches
Danielle Hirkala
Grand Prix dressage rider, trainer and coach. Actively competing. Equine Canada Certified Coach. Based out of the beautiful Serendipity Farms in Kelowna, BC. Danielle Hirkala of Hirkala Dressage trains, competes and coaches horses and riders of all levels ranging from Training level to the FEI levels. She is passionate about teaching riders, helping riders reach their goals whether that be recreational or competitive, and developing horses to their fullest potential in a relaxed, positive and fun atmosphere. Offering lessons, training, coaching and promotion of sales horses in dressage.
Danielle has trained several horses from training level to the FEI levels, including the Grand Prix. She enjoys training all types of horses and seeing them develop to their full potential. As an instructor and coach she strives to create independent and successful riders in and out of the show ring. Danielle enjoys working with all riding disciplines and riders of all skill levels. Danielle is also a lifelong student of dressage. Danielle continues to learn from her coach, Olympian Leslie Reid, and to pursue opportunities to further her dressage and horsemanship skills.
Amanda MacCormack
Amanda MacCormack has been active in the Equine Industry for over 25 years. She has been a competitor in show jumping, hunters, dressage and eventing. She has competed from California to Kentucky and all across BC. Amanda had her own barn for over 10 years, but now has shifted her focus more toward teaching and evaluating the Rider level program.
Amanda can evaluate up to and including Rider level 8. Amanda enjoys the challenge of bringing along young horses and taking the time to figure out what niche that horse would excel in. Amanda strongly believes in cross training her horses and enjoys teaching them new things and exposing them to new experiences. In her extensive travels to shows and clinics Amanda has met horse people from all over the world and feels so very privileged to have had an opportunity to met and train with top professionals from across all the different disciplines such as Bernie Traurig, Denny Emerson, Mike Plumb, Ray Hunt, Kip Rosenthal, Leslie Reid and Tiffany Teeter to name a few.
