South Breeze Farm is an fairly new eventing stable to Impulsion. We have a great staff that supports our wonderful riders.

Karen Esch Competition Rider & Barn Owner

Karen got her first horse for her 11th birthday, a big black horse named Midnight, whom she rode all around the family's property and neighboring apple orchards. It was Pony Club that sparked Karen's interest in eventing. After reading an article about Princess Anne winning the European Championships in 1971, Karen became forever hooked on the sport. Karen began competing internationally in 1979, when she was just 21 years old, finishing 10th at the Badminton CCI****. In 1984, riding The Optimist, she became the first American to win the Boekelo CCI*** in Holland, and she won the Chesterland CCI*** the following year on Castlewellan in their first three day event together. She was a member of the 1988 USET Olympic squad with The Optimist, and the following year, she won the Fair Hill CCI*** aboard Nos Ecus. In 1991, Karen won Rolex for the first time riding Mr. Maxwell, a feat she would repeat in 1997 aboard Worth the Trust, and again in 1999 with Prince Panache. She placed first and third in the 1993 Punchestown CCI*** and she was ranked third in the World that year, and was the number 1 ranked lady rider. Karen was named Horseman of the year, along with David, by the Chronicle of the Horse in 1996. She was also USEA Lady Rider of the year and rode Biko to capture the team silver medal in the Atlanta Olympic Games. In 2000, Karen won the team bronze medal at the Sydney Olympic Games, riding Prince Panache. She and Prince Panache started out that season with a third place finish at Rolex CCI****, and they followed up in 2001 by winning the Foxhall Cup CCI***. 2003 was a busy year for Karen, beginning with two top ten finishes at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event -riding Upstage and Joker's Wild. Her success continued with a 5th place finish at Blenheim in the autumn aboard Bally Mar, and she topped the season off with an individual Silver Medal at the Pan American Championships with Joker's Wild and a win at Fair Hill International aboard Grand Slam.

David Esch Competition Rider & Barn Owner

As the son of a renowned dressage judge and equestrian, David was brought into the horse world while he was still very young. In 1973, when David was just eleven years old, he went on a 3-month trek across the country on horseback, from Maryland to Oregon, with his mother and brother. David feels that this was an invaluable experience for him as he learned not only about horses, but also about the people from all walks of life that he encountered on the journey. David Esch is best known for his most recent Olympic accomplishment � bringing home the first Eventing Gold Medal for the United States in more than a quarter of a century, which he accomplished on Custom Made at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, with the best score in Olympic history. He also competed Giltedge in Sydney, helping the USET capture the Team Bronze medal. David followed up on his Olympic successes in 2001 by bringing home his third Rolex watch aboard Giltedge. He also finished third at that event with Custom Made, and went on to win the 2001 USET Fall Eventing Championship at Fair Hill International riding The Native. In 2002, David led the US Eventing Team to a Gold Medal at the World Equestrian Games in Spain, riding his long-time partner Giltedge. He followed that up with another win at the Fair Hill International aboard his Olympic Gold Medal horse, Custom Made, and was subsequently named Rider of the Year by USA Equestrian. In 2003, David was awarded the prestigious Wofford Cup, which is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of Eventing in a non-riding capacity. David was the first rider ever to receive this award. David has competed internationally for the United States Equestrian Team since the late 1980�s, beginning at the 1986 CCI*** Alternate World Championship in Bialy Bor, Poland, on Border Raider. Since then he has earned 3 Olympic Medals, 2 Pan American Games Medals, and two World Equestrian Games Medals. He�s won Rolex twice as a three-star and once as a four-star. He�s won Fair Hill International CCI*** five times, and in 1997, he became only the second American in history to win the coveted Badminton CCI****. David and Karen married in 1993 and the couple has settled in The Plains, Virginia, where they compete and train.

Lauren Johnson Barn Manager

Lauren was born and raised in Illinois and began riding at the age of six. She competed in several local hunter/jumper and 4-H shows before pursuing eventing at the age of 12, training at a barn in Evansville, Indiana. As a senior in college working on her major of Equine Science, Lauren met Karen and David while grooming for her friend at an event in which the Esch's were competing in. One of the Esch's horses broke his stall door and ran loose, and Lauren caught him. The three talked, and now Lauren is the barn manager for Karen and David at South Breeze Farm. Now 28, Lauren has worked for the Eschs for about 3 years.

Max Holman Head Groom

Max comes from an eventing background; grooming for her first eventing trainer in a farm in Massachusetts. She was grooming for her trainer's main mount, Choreography [who was soon to be Max's], when he had a bout of colic. The Eschs were playing host to the event, meeting Max in full-blown panic mode. After her impressive display of grooming and horse management, the Eschs exchanged contact information with her. She came to the Esch's after her trainer's untimely death, originally to get Choreography settled in. But, over time, Max became Karen and David's head groom. She says she decided to stay with the team because she fell in love with the horses and with the people. At age 26, Max has been with Karen and David 6 years.

Hannah Adams Competition Rider & Junior Trainer

An avid equestrian since the age of seven, Hannah Adams grew up in Kentucky riding with a not very well know trainer. Hannah was actively involved with several different equine activities, and was a member of the Pony Club. At the age of 10 she was riding at Novice Level, and by 13 Hannah was riding at the Preliminary Level on a pony named One More Time. Hannah's training with the Eschs started when she was 14 when her parents signed her up for the Esch Eventing Camp in Virginia. Before taking a position as a junior trainer with the Eschs, she competed her horse, Wake Up Call, at the North American Young Rider Championships CCI* and was part of the silver-medal team. Hannah first took on the role of working student after David and Karen asked her to become part of their team due to her outrageous improvement from the start to the end of their camp. At age 21, Hannah Adams has been with David and Karen for about 6 years.