Text © World of Showjumping

Originally from Scotland, Dale Hailstones has gone from theater studies and singing in a band to managing one of the world’s top showjumping barns. The 30-year-old got his first taste of professional grooming life when working for USA’s Laura Kraut, and ended up never looking back. To World of Showjumping, Hailstones tells about his journey that began with Kraut and that took him to his current position as a stable manager for the Deslauriers-family.

“Unlike a lot of grooms, I did not grow up thinking this was something I would end up doing fulltime,” Dale begins. “I studied theatre and worked as a singer for many years. I used to be a part of a band who did a lot of events, weddings and parties. We travelled up and down the country every week. I struggled to do the horses and the singing at the same time, so one had to go – and the horses won. Now, I sing only in the shower – it is a chapter that is closed, but it was a great time in my life.”

“I grew up in Scotland and went to school and university there,” Dale continues to tell about his background. “I rode horses for the Babes-family and Williams-family, who are some of Scotland’s best horse people. They gave me a great foundation, also for the horse trade business. They taught me the trade of buying and selling horses, which I think has helped me a lot as I moved into a bigger, professional system.”

“In 2014, a friend of mine suggested that I should work for Laura Kraut, get some more experience with the horses, and travel a bit,” Dale tells about the idea that ended up changing his life. “It sounded like a fun summer! Six years later, I was still there, working for Laura – so it’s safe to say that I loved it.”

“Now I am in a position where I am guiding a whole team of people and it is only possible through what I learned with Laura. The experience I got there is invaluable. It was the first professional barn I worked in and I am very fortunate to have been able to learn from the best. Everything I know stems from always being around the absolute best people in the sport. Laura and Nick truly set me up so well to be ready to take on my next role with more responsibility. I got a lot to thank them for, and we are still close,” Dale smiles.

“When I decided to leave Laura, I was not sure if I wanted to continue full time with horses. I took a few months off and spent some time with my family, just took a deep breath,” Dale tells. “I have always loved living in America though and have visioned myself settling full time here, so when the opportunity came up to work for the Delauriers-family, it really seemed like the right thing for me at that time. It was a lot less traveling, and I liked the geographical split between Florida and New York where I have very close friends. I came over on a trial basis and the rest is history. We have had a super successful year with lots of exciting things happening. I guess it was just luck that the right opportunity showed up at the right moment.”

“I manage the entire barn for the Deslauriers-family, and I take care of Lucy’s Grand Prix horse Hester – so I still do a bit of grooming and whenever he travels I also go with,” Dale explains. “We have a small team here: We only have twelve horses, so it is a close-knit group with two other show grooms and home grooms."

“It has been a busy summer, we were everywhere,” Dale tells about the past months. “The highlight for us was the Olympics, where Mario rode Bardolina and shortly after we had Aachen for Lucy where the US team won the Nations Cup. That same weekend, Mario was showing at Spruce Meadows where he won the Queen’s Cup so that was a pretty big week,” Dale smiles.  “To have two teams of people on two different continents was a lot logistically though. The time difference was huge, which made it hard to keep up with what was going on at both venues. Thankfully, Lucy’s twin-brother Jack is a huge support when it comes to the logistics and it takes pressure off. I guess the most important thing for me when we are split up like this on opposite sides of the world, is that the staff that we have know the system and what to do. It is important to have total faith in the people in your team.”

“As Lucy’s mum Lisa also has been on a winning Nations Cup team for the US in Aachen many years ago, that added a very personal touch to the whole experience,” Dale continues. “I think it is a horse show that is incomparable to any other in the world. To go there and be so successful was definitely a very special moment, also because Laura was on the team.”

“Aachen was a really special place for us this year, as that was also where we did the quarantine for the Tokyo Olympics,” Dale continues. “Mario was there with Bardolina, Lucy with Hester and also Teddy Vlock with Mario’s former horse Amsterdam. At one point, I was watching them ride around and seeing them together was a very rewarding moment: Three horses out of our small barn in that pool of the best horse-and-rider combinations of the world.”

When Lucy takes Hester to the shows, Dale goes with him. “Hester is the ultimate sport horse,” Dale says. “First of all, and most importantly, I believe he truly loves what he does. He is about to be 17 and is still super fresh, cheeky and playful and always rises to the occasion. He has this phenomenal ability to just know when it is important, and he thrives on big atmosphere. He will canter into the ring, stop and then raise his head to take it all in before he starts. It is a funny expression to see on his face, it is a very humanlike treat he has: It seems as if he is thinking: ‘Ok, good to start, I have an audience’. Hester is just super nice to take care of, he enjoys the attention and is like a family pet. He is definitely the star of the show here; he knows he is very important. He has the first stall as you enter the barn, he knows he is very special to the entire family and the team. He is beyond spoiled and rightly so. He is just a really special guy and he knows it.”

Having the time to truly focus on the horses is what Dale loves most about his current position. “I have a lot of time here to really make sure that the horses are getting the best possible care, and I think that is what I enjoy the most,” he smiles. “Furthermore, I really love being predominantly based in the US, and I also really love that this is a small, family-run business. I learn a lot here as the whole family is so insightful. It is really cool to have different opinions and suggestions.”

Being based in the States comes at a cost, though. “The most challenging part is that I am so far from home,” Dale tells. “As much as I love living here, I truthfully underestimated how difficult it is to get home and see friends and family. I think if you ask anyone who is a show groom, a manager, or a rider for a professional – it is ultimately the biggest sacrifice, how much time with your own friends and family you need to give up. However, it is a real family atmosphere here and that for sure helps.”

Looking ahead, 2022 looks exciting for the team at the Deslauriers’. “We have an amazing group of horses, with both Lucy and Mario having some new ones coming through. We would be aiming to jump some World Cup qualifiers and of course the World Championships as well as the Pan American Games. Following a year that has been full of huge shows and championships, you kind of fall right back into it in 2022. Right now, the horses are enjoying a little down time in New York,” Dale tells.

“This is an addictive job,” Dale says when asked about his plans for the future. “It is hard to see a future without horses, and this is a special place. Finding the perfect balance between your career and personal life is so hard to achieve in this industry, and for me it is still a work in progress.”

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