Matt Brown
As a Young Rider, Matt Brown competed through the Advanced level of Three Day Eventing with his Appaloosa Maximum Speed, who was his mount for the North American Young Rider CCI3*-L Championships in 1993.
Matt has been a lifelong student of the sport, studying under some of the most respected and experienced figures of horsemanship and upper level sport, including Derek DiGrazia, Volker Brommann and Denny Emerson. He also credits horseman and rancher George Kahrl for imparting the importance of creating a trusting relationship between horse and rider, even at the top levels of competition. Matt’s abundant natural feel, partnered with George’s teachings in horsemanship and Volker and Derek’s further instruction in classical techniques, have fused to form an integral foundation for the relationships Matt forms with his equine partners as well as his training and teaching philosophies.
In 2004 Matt and Cecily founded East West Training Stables in Matt’s hometown of Petaluma, California. Together they operated a thriving training and competition business in USEA’s Area VI until they made the tough decision in 2015 to pull up roots and relocate to Cochranville, Pennsylvania in order to pursue Matt’s dreams of joining the US Eventing Team.
The Olympics serve to inspire many, and in 2012 Matt was no exception. After following the Eventing portion of the games, as he had during all the Olympics since childhood, an old dream resurfaced, having been packed away beneath the day-to-day responsibilities of running a rewarding and established local coaching and training program, and compelled Matt to renew his efforts to compete at the top levels of international Three-Day Eventing. Since his re-commitment to that goal in 2012, Matt has gone from being a fixture in his regional eventing community to one of the top riders in the country.
October of 2015 marked a milestone for Matt when he was the top-placed US rider at the Boekelo CCIO4* in the Netherlands, as well as a member of the Silver Medal US Nations Cup team there. Boekelo was the highlight of a breakout year for Matt that included being named as an alternate to the Pan American Games team, as well as several top finishes on multiple horses in CCI4*-S and CCI4*-Ls across North America. In 2016, Matt completed his first CCI5* at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event as the highest-placed rookie, and had the honor of being named as a reserve for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games US Eventing Team. In June 2016, Matt was named to the Land Rover US Eventing Team for Aachen CICO4*, where he helped the team secure their 6th place finish in July. In November 2016, Matt and Super Socks BCF won the competitive Ocala Jockey Club International CCI4*-S.
In 2017, Matt finished 6th at the Rolex Kentucky CCI5* with Super Socks BCF and was the USEA Gold Cup Advanced Champion at the American Eventing Championships with BCF Belicoso.
Always seeking to improve, Matt works regularly with his mentors Volker Brommann, Derek di Grazia, and US Eventing Team Coach David O’Connor. Matt also studies extensively in the self-defense art of Kenpo Karate, achieving the rank of Shodan (black belt) in 2000. Matt incorporates the philosophies, body awareness, and balancing techniques that he has learned in the martial arts to enrich his riding and training.
Notable Results
2019
-9th Place, Ocala Jockey Club CCI4*-S (Big Berry, November 2019)
-4th Place, Bromont CCI4*-S (Big Berry, August 2019)
-11th Place, Bromont CCI3*-S (Big Berry, June 2019)
-3rd Place, Carolina International Intermediate (Big Berry, March 2019)
2018
-7th Place, Fair Hill International CCI3*-L (Big Berry, October 2018)
-11th Place, Bromont CCI3*-S (Big Berry, August 2018)
-5th Place, Bromont CCI2*-S (Fernhill Chico, August 2018)
-6th Place, Horse Park of New Jersey CCI3*-S (Big Berry, July 2018)
-7th Place, Horse Park of New Jersey CCI2*-S (Fernhill Chico, July 2018)
-3rd Place, Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Intermediate (Big Berry, July 2018)
-1st Place, Flora Lea Spring H.T. Preliminary (Big Berry, May 2018)
-5th Place, Stable View H.T. Preliminary (Lagerfeld, January 2018)
2017
-Named to 2017 USEF Eventing High Performance Elite Training Lists
-2017 American Eventing Championships Advanced Champion (BCF Belicoso, September 2017)
-Top 20, Millbrook Advanced (BCF Belicoso, August 2017)
-6th Place, Bromont CCI3*-S (BCF Belicoso, June 2017)
-3rd Place, Virginia CCI3*-S (BCF Belicoso, May 2017)
-6th Place, Rolex Kentucky CCI4* (Super Socks BCF, April 2017)
-2nd Place, Carolina International Advanced (Super Socks BCF, March 2017)
-1st Place, Carolina International CCI2*-S (BCF Belicosco, March 2017)
-2nd Place, Carolina International Advanced (Super Socks BCF, March 2017)
-5th Place, Pine Top CCI4*-S (Super Socks BCF, February 2017)
2016
-Named to Land Rover US Eventing Team for Aachen CICO4* (Super Socks BCF, June 2016)
-Named as Reserve for 2016 Olympic Games US Eventing Team (Super Socks BCF, June 2016)
-3rd Place, Jersey Fresh CCI4*-S (Talking Point BCF, May 2016)
-21st Place and Highest-Placed Rookie, Rolex Kentucky CCI5* (Super Socks BCF, May 2016)
-2nd Place, Fair Hill International Advanced (Talking Point BCF, April 2016)
-2nd Place, Pine Top CCI3*-S (Talking Point BCF, February 2016)
2015
-Ranked 8th on the USEA World Equestrian Brands Top 50 Riders (2015)
-Ranked 6th on the USEA Top Advanced Adult Riders (2015)
-Named to USEF High Performance Winter/Spring Training List (November 2015)
-6th Place and Highest Placed US Rider, member of Silver Medal Nations Cup Team, Boekelo CCIO4* (Super Socks BCF, October 2015)
-Recipient of the Jacqueline B Mars Training Grant to attend Boekelo CCIO4* in the Netherlands (October 2015)
-Named as Alternate and Reserve for 2015 Pan American Games US Eventing Team (BCF Belicoso, June 2015)
– Named to USEF High Performance Summer/Fall Training List (June 2014)
-5th Place, Jaguar Land Rover Bromont CCI4* -L(Super Socks BCF, June 2015)
-5th Place, Jersey Fresh CCI4*-L (Happenstance, May 2015)
-10th Place, Jersey Fresh CCI4*-L (BCF Belicoso, May 2015)
-Recipient of Land Rover Competition Grant for Jersey Fresh CCI4*-L (May 2015)
-1st Place, Fair Hill International CCI4*-S (Super Socks BCF, April 2015)
-4th Place, Fair Hill International CCI4*-S (Happenstance, April 2015)
-3rd Place, Galway Downs International CCI4*-S (Happenstance, March 2015)
-2nd Place, Galway Downs International CCI3*-S (BCF Belicoso, March 2015)
-1st Place, Fresno County Horse Park CCI3*-S (Happenstance, February 2015)
2014
-Recipient of the Rebecca Broussard International Travel Grant (December 2014)
-Named to USEF High Performance Winter/Spring Training List (November 2014)
-Champion USEA Area VI Advanced Adult Rider of the Year (2014)
-Reserve Champion USEA Area VI Overall Rider of the Year (2014)
-Reserve Champion USEA Area VI Advanced Horse of the Year (BCF Belicoso, 2014)
-Reserve Champion USEA Area VI Irish Sport Horse of the Year (BCF Belicoso, 2014)
-Reserve Champion USEA Area VI Intermediate Adult Rider of the Year (2014)
-Reserve Champion USEA Area VI Intermediate Horse of the Year (Happenstance, 2014)
-Recipient of the Jacqueline B Mars Training Grant for Fair Hill International CCI4*-L (October 2014)
-3rd Place, American Eventing Championships USEA Adequan Gold Cup Final – Advanced (Super Socks BCF, September 2014)
-1st Place, Copper Meadows Advanced (Super Socks BCF, September 2014)
-1st Place, Copper Meadows Intermediate (Happenstance, September 2014)
-Invited to participate in Summer/Fall Training Sessions with US Eventing Coach David O’Connor (September 2014)
-1st Place, The Event at Rebecca Farms CCI4*-S (Super Socks BCF, July 2014)
-1st Place, The Event at Rebecca Farms CCI3*-L (Happenstance, July 2014)
-1st Place, Woodside Advanced (Super Socks BCF, May 2014)
-2nd Place, Woodside Advanced (BCF Belicoso, May 2014)
-2nd Place, Woodside Intermediate (Happenstance, May 2014)
-1st Place, Twin Rivers International CCI4*-S (BCF Belicoso, April 2014)
-4th Place, Twin Rivers International CCI4*-S (Super Socks BCF, April 2014)
-1st Place, Galway Downs International CCI3*-S (Happenstance, March 2014
-1st Place, Copper Meadows Advanced (BCF Belicoso, March 2014)
-1st Place, Fresno County Horse Park CCI3*-S (BCF Belicoso, February 2014)
-1st Place, Fresno County Horse Park Intermediate (Happenstance, February 2014)
2013
-Invited to participate in Winter/Spring Training Sessions with US Eventing Coach David O’Connor (November 2013)
-Champion USEA Area VI Overall Rider of the Year (2013)
-Champion USEA Area VI Intermediate Rider of the Year (2013)
-Reserve Champion USEA Area VI Intermediate Horse of the Year (BCF Belicoso, 2013)
-Reserve Champion USEA Area VI Irish Sport Horse of the Year (BCF Belicoso, 2013)
-1st Place, Galway Downs International CCI3*-L (BCF Belicoso, November 2013)
-3rd Place, Galway Downs International CCI3*-L (Super Socks BCF, November 2013)
-1st Place, Woodside International CCI3*-S (BCF Belicoso, October 2013)
-2nd Place, Woodside International CCI3*-S (Aida, October 2013)
-1st Place, The Event at Rebecca Farms CCI2*-L (BCF Belicoso, July 2013)
-2nd Place, The Event at Rebecca Farms Intermediate (Aida, July 2013)
-1st Place, Woodside Intermediate (Super Socks BCF, May 2013)
Past Results
Prior to 2013
-2nd Place, Twin Rivers International CCI3*-S (Jasmine, September 2006)
-1st Place, The Event at Rebecca Farms CCI3*-S (Jasmine, July 2006)
-1st Place, The Spring Event at Woodside Intermediate (Jasmine, May 2006)
– 1st Place, Ram Tap Intermediate (Jasmine, 2006)
Matt is a good bloke
Matt is a good bloke, smart horseman, great rider, and an excellent teacher.
Cecily Clark
Cecily began riding at the age of six under the guidance of Northern California Hunter/Jumper trainers Sue Riggs, Diana Field, and Audrey Goldsmith. Their dedicated coaching and countless hours spent without stirrups or in two-point helped her to achieve success in the Hunter and Equitation ranks on the West Coast, including championships in the Children’s and Junior Hunters as well as top placings in West Coast Equitation and Medal Finals.
Cecily took a break from serious riding to attend The California College of Arts and Crafts to study photography, and later graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in History from the Dominican University of California.
Since meeting Matt in 2003, Cecily's focus shifted from Hunters and Equitation to Dressage, and upon graduation, she joined with Matt and established East West Training Stables.
Cecily is an integral part of the daily running of the business, wearing the many hats of manager, rider, and coach. Her uncanny eye for detail, deep love for and ability to connect with her equine charges, graceful harmony in the tack, and thoughtful precision help her methodically guide each horse and rider to their best.
Cecily counts Volker Brommann as her most inspiring mentor. While she finds the joy and accomplishment gained by the daily training process outside of the competition arena to be most compelling, she has also achieved competitive success in dressage, most notably having brought a former eventer, Ringwood Galaxy, through the levels to Intermediare. She is currently training the Grand Prix movements with him.
Read more in the Warmbloods Today article, “Where East Meets West: Eventer Matt Brown’s Distinctive Approach to Training”