FEI - Status O
Official International Course Designer
USEF - Status R
Registered Jumper Judge (USA)
Appointed Course Designer:
2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China
A Florida Native, Steve Stephens began riding and competing as a young boy. He later went on to train with the United States Equestrian Team and to become a champion numerous times all over the World. He has won many events such as the Cleveland Grand Prix, American Gold Cup, AGA Championships, the Grand Prix of Montreal and has also been a member of many top finishing Nations Cups teams in the United States, Italy, Belgium and Mexico.
In the 1970s Steve's artistic talents became more defined as he began to develop his passion for building show jumps. He started STEPHENS DESIGNS and is now the official jump supplier for the most prestigious events in the country.
Steve also grew increasingly involved in course designing. Studying and assisting such course designers as Dr. Arno Gego and Bertalan Denemethy with World Cup finals and Olympic Games gave Steve a great platform early on in his career as a course designer. He is now one of the world top course designers and has been appointed co-course designer along with Leopoldo Palacios for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Today, Steve focuses his attentions on STEPHENS DESIGNS jump building/rental, show managing (Hampton Classic, WEF, and the American Invitational), and course designing.
Jumper Rider Experience…….Grand Prix Level from 1968 to 1986
· Trained with The United States Equestrian Team
· 1st Cleveland Grand Prix, USA… … … … … … 1970
· 1st American Gold Cup, USA… … … … … … ... 1971
· 1st Grand Prix of Montreal, Canada… … … … 1977
· Silver Medal CAN/ AM Tournament… … … … 1980
· American Grand Prix Championship… … ... …1986
· 1st AGA Championships, Tampa, Florida… … 1986
Event Organizer
· Hampton Classic Horse Show, manager since 1984
· Winter Equestrian Festival, management since 1989
· American Invitational, management since 1986
CSIO Teams
United States Equestrian Chef d’Equipe
· 1991 Pavarotti International, Modena, Italy……………4th
· 1991 CSIO Nations Cup Finals, Lanaken, Belgium……1st
· 1992 CSIO, Mexico………………………………………..2nd
· 1992 National Horse Show, New York………………….1st
· 1993 National Horse Show, New York………………….1st
· 1994 National horse Show, New York…………………..1st
Technical Delegate
· 1984 World Cup Final, Goeteborg, Sweden
· 1990 World Cup Final, Dortmund, Germany
· 1992 WS-Trials for Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain
· 1996 World Cup Final, Geneva, Switzerland
· 2002 World Cup Final, Leipzig, Germany
Course Design Teachers and Mentors
Bertalan de Nemethy and Dr. Arno Gego
International Course Designer (assistant)
· 1980 World Cup Final, Baltimore, Maryland
Bertalan de Nemethy
· 1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, California
Bertalan de Nemethy
· 1989 World Cup Final, Tampa, Florida
Bertalan de Nemethy
· 1996 CHIO, Aachen, Germany
Dr. Arno Gego
· 1998 CHIO, Aachen, Germany
Dr. Arno Gego
· 2000 Olympic Games, Sidney, Australia
Leopaldo Palacios
Responsible Course Designer
· 1980 CSIO Washington International, Landover, Maryland
· 1981 CSIO Washington International, Landover, Maryland
· 1982 CSIO Washington International, Landover, Maryland
· 1983 CSIO Washington International, Landover, Maryland
· 1984 CSIO Washington International, Landover, Maryland
· 1984 Olympic Games Trials, Oxridge, Connecticut
· 1985 CSIO Washington International, Landover, Maryland
· 1987 Pan American Games, Indianapolis, Indiana
· 1990 CSIO, National Horse Show, New York, New York
· 1991 CSI, National Horse Show, New York, New York
· 1991 CSIO, Royal Winter Fair, Toronto, Canada
· 1994 World Equestrian Games Trials, Gladstone, New Jersey
· 1996 CSI, Devon, Pennsylvania
· 14 years CSI-W American Gold Cup, Devon, Pennsylvania
· 20 years CSI-W American Invitational, Tampa, Florida
· 7 years American AGA Championship, Wellington, Florida
· 2001-02 CSI-W National Horse Show, Wellington, Florida
· 2002 CSIO, Wellington, Florida
· 2003 CSIO Wellington, Florida
· 2003 CSI 4* Wiesbaden, Germany
· 2003 CSI Valkenswaard, Netherlands
· 2004 Mexico National Championships-2 years, Monterrey, Mexico
· 2005 Washington International CSI-W, Washington, D.C.
· 2005 USEF National Championships
· 2006 CSIO 5* Wellington, Florida
· 2006 & 2007 CSI Saint Tropez, France
Additional Course Design
à Lake Placid, New York CSI
à CSI-W, Baltimore, Maryland
à Del Mar, California CSI
à Old Salem, New York CSI
à Wa. Alate, USA CSI
à Mexico City, Mexico CSI
à Cocoyoc, Mexico CSI
à Guadalajara, Mexico CSI
à Hampton Classic, NY CSI
à Radnor3Day Event Pennsylvania
à Kentucky Horse Park,CSI-W
à CHIO, Aachen, Germany
à CSI, Indianapolis, Indiana
à AGA Championships---CSI
à Pennsylvania National ---CSI-W
à Lake Placid Horse Show---CSI
à Devon Horse Show---CSI
American Course Designer Award….1981 and 1982
Certified by Aachen School of Course Design…2004
United States Equestrian Federation / FEI------Lecturer/Clinician
