By: Liam Fenwick, Reporter
OMAHA, Neb. – Dan Urban is a professional trainer and rider at the Quail Run Horse Centre. He said that he spends a significant amount of time preparing for equestrian events.
“We primarily compete in what’s known as the hunter, jumper discipline. It’s a section of English riding. That’s what most of our faculty is geared towards,” Urban said.
Patrice Urban is Dan’s mother and a co-owner of Quail Run Horse Centre. She said that taking care of horses is a family affair.
“We started off with just Tim and I and then we built from there. We added employees to do the barn chores and the boys grew up here,” Urban said.
According to The World of Showjumping, over the past 10 years there has been a 73% increase in horse jumping events internationally.
Equestrian riding has growing support worldwide but locally it’s viewed as a novelty. Urban said he’s doing his best to get the Omaha community involved in the sport. There are several Equestrian competitions taking place locally next month.
“In Omaha downtown at the CHI Health Center is a major event. It’s called the international Omaha. That’s put on by the Omaha Equestrian Foundation,” Urban said.
Urban also said the International Omaha is an entertaining exhibition.
“We’ll have high caliber show jumping events down there. Also we’re adding the FEI vaulting, which is basically gymnastics on the back of a horse,” Urban said.
The International Omaha will take place from May 5-8.
