Jan Ebeling
Born: September 14, 1958
Hometown: Moorpark, California
Jan Ebeling. (Photo by Shannon Brinkman)
Jan Ebeling and his well-known partner Rafalca became a team when the mare moved to Ebeling’s stable in 2006. Competing later that year at the USEF Festival of Champions in Gladstone, NJ, Ebeling and Rafalca finished third in the National Intermediaire I Championship.
In the fall of 2007, Ebeling was awarded a USEF training grant and made the decision to train in Germany, taking his three horses. Ebeling’s string was successful there; proving European experience is invaluable to U.S. dressage competitors.
In 2007, Ebeling and Rafalca debuted in the Grand Prix arena during the FEI World Cup Final in Las Vegas where they performed a Grand Prix Exhibition Test in front of a full house prior to the actual competition. After receiving a standing ovation for their performance, Ebeling realized that Rafalca had the talent to become an international Grand Prix horse. The pair had top finishes on their way to the FEI World Cup Final in 2009, including at the CDI-Ws at Pebble Beach, Saugerties and Devon.
In 2010, Ebeling took Rafalca and Sandrina to the 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions. On the second weekend, Ebeling and Rafalca were sixth in the Grand Prix Test and third in the Freestyle.
Ebeling and Rafalca had a strong 2010/2011 World Cup Qualifying season finishing second in the North American League. The pair entered the 2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final after having won both the Grand Prix and the Freestyle at the Festival of the Horse CDI-W in Burbank, CA during the first weekend in April.
At the 2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final, Ebeling and Rafalca were the top-placing Americans in both the Grand Prix Test and the Freestyle.
Ebeling started off 2012 by winning the Grand Prix Special at Dressage Getaway Inc. At the Mid-Winter Dressage Festival, the pair was first in the Freestyle and second in the Grand Prix Test. Ebeling and Rafalca finished second in both the Grand Prix for Freestyle and the $5,000 FEI Rancho Valencia Grand Prix Freestyle. The pair went on to represent the U.S. at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Finals, where they finished 17th in the Grand Prix Test and 15th in the Grand Prix Freestyle. Ebeling and Rafalca continued to impress at the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions and Selection Trials for the U.S. Dressage Team in June when they finished in third place at the Grand Prix Championship. Ebeling and Rafalca represented the United States at the 2012 London Olympic Games later that summer.
Ebeling and his wife, Amy, own and operate their own training and sales facility, The Acres, in Moorpark, CA. In the spare time that Ebeling can find away from the horses, he enjoys playing soccer, biking and driving the tractor with their son, Ben. Ebeling and Rafalca also enjoy relaxing on the trails by their farm with Ben.