Eric Davison understood that his future wife Julie “had horses” when they were dating.
The extent to which they’d be woven into their lives over 27 years of marriage was an unknown. Along with Julie having at least one horse through most of that time, their daughter Mackenzie rode seriously throughout her youth and now runs a growing riding school and training business at Galway Downs.
Mackenzie trained and worked for Eric’s sister-in-law, Erin Kellerhouse and her Swift Ridge Eventing program, which is based at Galway Downs. Eric’s brother-in-law Robert Kellerhouse helmed the evolution of Galway Downs Equestrian into the world class competition venue it is today.
Eric’s one attempt at riding as an adult didn’t end well, and he has no interest in trying it again. But he’s fully at ease being a ground guy around horses. The Davison’s 2.5-acre home property in San Diego County’s San Marcos has a small barn and arena. Stall cleaning and tractor work are all part of his immersion in the equestrian lifestyle. Looking back, he wouldn’t change a thing even if he’d known what he was in for marrying a horse girl.
Volunteering has been part of that immersion for many years and Eric is a relied-on regular at Galway’s eventing competitions and at events held throughout USEA Area VI.
On The Scene
When he was less needed as a horse show husband and dad, Eric recognized volunteering as a good way to be occupied and on the scene.
His volunteer resume includes almost every role: jump judging, finish timing, starting, score running, dressage scribing and managing the in-gate for show jumping – along with occasional stints helping the hospitality team. “Basically almost everything that’s available,” he says.
Sending riders off on cross-country as a start box timer is Eric’s favorite position. “You’re doing something from start to finish, basically every second of the day,” he says. Interacting with riders at that magic moment of anticipation and excitement is fun and gratifying.
No matter the considerable hours Eric has racked up volunteering over the years, he emphasizes that it’s the Galway Downs volunteer coordinators who should get all the praise and attention. “I think that group of people deserves all the recognition for the entire thing,” he says. “Without them, nothing would happen out there.”
He likes how volunteering has helped him learn about the sport of eventing and its rules. He jokes that he could be a technical delegate himself thanks to the interchanges he’s observed and overheard from licensed officials. Being surrounded daily by serious riders gives him an understanding of horsemanship’s ups and downs and all that goes on behind the scenes to cross the finish line or timers in good shape after three phases of eventing competition.
As horse savvy as he’s become, Eric is not quite smart enough to refrain from sharing his knowledge and observations in the form of advice, his wife Julie chimes in. He acknowledges that he loves relaying snippets heard from trainers and officials and acting like it’s his own idea. He also knows his place as a pit crew member and stays in his lane if and when the horsemanship conversations get serious.
Away Shows Are Ideal
When he’s not volunteering, Eric “tries to stay out of trouble!” He also serves as Mackenzie’s personal photographer and videographer, along with keeping tabs on how she and the rest of the Swift Ridge Eventing riders are doing. He finds away shows the most relaxing because he’s not going back and forth from the show to home, where animal care and other daily tasks await.
He appreciates the equestrian lifestyle as one that mandates hard work and helps to shape good human beings. Seeing Mackenzie’s efforts throughout her junior years and now as owner of Sky Ridge Equestrian Academy, Eric says “I love that she’s following what she loves. They are long, physical days and she’s such a hard worker.”
As a volunteer, Eric is like his daughter in his willingness to do good work through long days in service to those pursuing their passion for horses.
