It all started with Donna King (1939 – 2021)

In Donna’s own words:

“My love of horses goes back as far as I can remember. I had the privilege of training under Jack Baker and began showing horses at the age of 13. At the age of 16, I began my career of riding stock

 horses and at 19 I turned professional. I became a carded judge with the American Horse Show Association in 1972. Currently, I am honored to be a carded judge in several organizations (see below). I have enjoyed conducting riding clinics in Hawaii, judged metal finals in Inglewood, California; Santa Barbara Nationals; and the Bishop County Fair.

At our stables, King Performance Horses, I enjoy coaching all types of riders at varying skill levels, from beginners to National champions! In my “spare” time, I have been able to experience horseback riding in such exciting places as France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, and Africa. Donna is a carded judge with the following associations:
NRHA (National Reining Horse Association)
USEF (United States Equestrian Federation)AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association)
ABRA (American Buckskin Registry Association)
POA (Ponies of America)
ETI (Equestrian Trails, Inc.)”

Donna met Joe King shortly after he had completed his service to his country in the Marine Corps. Together, Donna and Joe trained first with Jack Baker and later with Mack Lynn. Then, they married and continued to train horses together as professionals. Together, they traveled around the country, working on ranches in  Idaho, and Washington before settling in California, where the business they founded remains today.

Joe & Donna King were inducted into the CRHA Hall of Fame in February 2009. In August 2017, Donna King, who sadly lost her husband, Joe, in 2012, received a standing ovation at the Jack and Linda Baker Show at the LA Equestrian Center. Fitting tributes to two giants of the Reining world.