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Williams Dressage at Hillcrest, Franktown Virginia Hillcrest is a stately Georgian manor house and farm on the picturesque Eastern Shore of Virginia. Richard and Frances Williams offer unique, customized services for the serious equestrian. The Williams philosophy promotes Classical Dressage methods. The rider's development and education parallels the education and training of the horse. We encourage training the horse and rider together, so that riders can benefit fully from the training the horses receive while at Williams Dressage. Richard Williams' Biography Richard Williams began riding in Canada at the age of eleven. He was introduced to Dressage at the age of fifteen and has devoted his life to the promotion of Classical Horsemanship. Mr. Williams is widely read in the equestrian literature, and has attended many lecture series and symposiums on the subject. He has completed judge's forums and instructors' seminars and other significant educational events dealing with classical equitation. Since 1983, Mr. Williams has instructed private students in dressage, and has presented clinics in many different states.
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Richard's Mentors For twenty-six years, Mr. Williams has studied with, and co-taught with Charles de Kunffy. In addition to riding skills, he learned the theory of horsemanship and the attitudes and character development suitable for equestrians. Mr. Williams has co-taught more than thirty comprehensive equestrian courses with Mr. de Kunffy. He is the only instructor invited to co-teach in-depth riding courses and USDF accredited courses for riding instructors with Mr. de Kunffy. In 1980 he began studying under the watchful eyes of Herr Arthur Kottas-Heldenberg at his private stable near Vienna. Kottas is the former First Chief Rider of the Spanish Riding School. Since 1995 Mr. Williams has studied regularly in Budapest, Hungary and in USA with internationally recognized dressage competitor, Gyula Dallos. Mr. Dallos is best known for competing on the gray Dutch stallion ACTION. Over the past 12 years Mr. Williams has studied for extended periods of concentrated private instruction with Mr. Dallos. His further experience on all levels of horses, under Mr. Dallos' coaching has given him invaluable knowledge and skills in riding, training and teaching at all levels Mr. Williams has attended World Championships of Dressage, World Equestrian Games, and the Dressage events at the Olympics. He has been an accredited member of the press with the privileges of admissions to the warm up and coaching sessions, as well as the opportunity to meet and converse with top competitors and trainers. Mr. Williams has traveled widely to visit the world's finest training centers, riding institutions, breeding sales and auction centers. Has visited the greatest breeding farms and stallion centers in the world. He has also audited many performances and training sessions at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and Jerez and visited the Lippizan breeding farm at Piber. Mr. Williams' equestrian education has been very selective and includes attending the best in contemporary dressage competition, training, schooling and marketing. Mr. Williams has written and published articles on the subject of classical equitation. He supplied many of the admired equestrian photographs in Mr. de Kunffy's books. He edited three of these books, thereby reinforcing the clarity of his equestrian theoretical knowledge. His academic depth regarding the subject is exceptional. Mr. Williams has taught for many years with great success. Always asked to come back, and to expand his riding clientele, he works with many successful and dedicated equestrians. Mr. Williams' strengths are founded in his thorough understanding of the classical riding tradition. He has the skills and courage to apply these age-old principles in his daily training and schooling work with popularity and success. His instruction is always well targeted because of his ability to correctly diagnose the needs of his riders and their horses. His insight and skills in applying the correct remedies enrich his instruction. He is an exceptionally talented practitioner, who can transmit his knowledge to others with verve and lucidity. Mr. Williams has successfully trained campaigned, qualified and competed horses at state and national dressage championships. Now based on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Mr. Williams has many loyal students at all levels that have been studying with him for years. His current focus is to travel to a limited list of clinic locations where students show commitment to the on-going learning process. He and his spouse Frances train student and horse combinations at their facility, Williams Dressage at Hillcrest. | Curriculum VitaeEducation - 1995 - Present Private Intensive Instruction with Gyula Dallos, Olympic and World Cup competitor, Budapest, Hungary
- September 1994 Equestrian Course, Reitinstitut Egon Von Neindorff, Karlsruhe, Germany
- 1982 - Present Private Instruction with Arthur Kottas - Heldenberg, Chief Rider of the Spanish Riding School, Vienna, Austria
- 1978 - Present Continuous Instruction on Riding, Teaching and Training with Charles de Kunffy, International Instructor, Judge, Author and Lecturer, Northern California
- 1977 - 1980 Private and Quadrille Lessons with Rex Rhodes BHSA, Kelowna, Canada
Experience - 1997 - Present Co-teaching USDF certified instructors course
- 1989 - Present Popular clinician in California, Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Colorado
- 1986 - Present Instructing local students in California
- 1983 - Present Co-teaching Equestrian courses with Charles de Kunffy
- 1980 - Present Training and showing horses continuously for clients
- 1973 - Present Riding a wide variety of horses from diverse breeds
Publications - 1991 - Present Articles for Dressage & CT magazine
- 1990 - 1994 Edited manuscripts for Athletic Development of the Dressage Horse, Ethics and Passions of Dressage, Training Strategies for Dressage Riders by Charles de Kunffy
References - Charles de Kunffy Palm Springs, California
- Gyula Dallos Budapest, Hungary
- Arthur Kottas-Heldenberg Vienna, Austria
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Frances Williams' Biography | Frances Williams began riding at age nine years old with the Junior Fox Hunts in central New England. After ten years of riding hunters and jumpers, she moved to Colorado where she lived and trained at Iron Horse Stables, one of the finest quarter horse breeding and training facilities in the western United States. From highly regarded cutting horse trainers, Robbie John and Cindy Parker, protégées of Tom Dorrance, she learned the classical art of starting horses for any discipline. Many horses were bred, born, and started at this top notch facility. Simultaneously, Dr. Williams continued riding, learned the science of developing a breeding program while concurrently pursuing medical studies in Denver. She not only backed for the first time countless quarter horses, appaloosas, and Arabians, but learned from the Parkers (and the cows) the techniques of cutting cattle. |
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Dr. Williams moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to study dressage with Charles deKunffy and Richard Williams, during which time she continued horse-starting, and began a business rehabilitating thoroughbred horses off the racetrack for a future as sport horses. She showed superior progress in dressage, and was named by Mr. DeKunffy “most improved rider” over the next five years of training in California in this discipline. The reason for this improvement is centuries old. The Spanish Riding School of Vienna has utilized for hundreds of years a protocol for the complete training of the rider. Dr. Williams lunged five days a week on multiple horses for literally the next five years, without stirrups or reins, performing all the exercises in all the gaits which are to this day performed at the Spanish Riding School by the eleves (young trainees). This method was recommended to her by Mr. Williams and Mr. DeKunffy and she took this advice literally, went to the Spanish Riding School to observe the training of the eleves directly, and performed the same protocol as advised by her mentors. This is the creation of the independent seat, so often discussed in articles and documents about riding. The torso, through a combination of strength and flexibility, learns to work and influence the horses back and torso without depending on reins or stirrups for security. After complete security while mounted is developed, the rider then learns “quiet lunging” where the aids are applied and made more and more subtle. In this manner the seat can deliver aids without the “noise” of unnecessary motion or inappropriate rigidity. This method of teaching imparts torso stability, physical and mental discipline, and rider confidence, and is a cornerstone of Dr. Williams’ current teaching methods. After studying pathology in San Francisco, she moved to Louisiana to study primary care medicine, and furthered her studies with Mr. DeKunffy and Mr. Williams via hosting and attending many of their clinics throughout the south. She also received sabbatical time for study with her two mentors in California, and for studies in Europe at the Reitinstitut Egon Von Neindorff, Karlsrhue, Germany, and at da escola Pedro Sao Luis in Montargil, near Lisbon, Portugal. She furthered her studies, in the French method, with Miguel Pineda, in Viseu, Portugal. After returning to California, Dr. Williams became the assistant trainer to Mr. Williams, and after an exciting horse filled collaboration, and courtship, they married. Together they have trained and shown horses for clients since 1998. Dr. Williams has traveled repeatedly and extensively to Austria to ride FEI horses at top barns and most notably to Budapest, for further training through the FEI levels with Gyulla Dallos, rider for the Hungarian team. As a medical fitness and nutritional biochemistry expert, Dr. Williams bring an ever growing base of biological knowledge to a pre-existing art form which certainly has progressed very little if any over the centuries. With devotion and dedication to the well-being of every horse, and to maximize the physical capabilities of every rider. Dr. Williams continues to pursue her vision and skills as a top trainer, medical doctor, and rider of horses. Dr. Williams strives to develop an attitude of improvement moment to moment both within herself and for her horses from training level to Grand Prix focusing on symmetry, relaxation, clarity, and rhythmic integrity. |
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Directions from the north: take 13 south into Virginia, go to Exmore, the next town is Nassawadox, in Nassawadox turn right on Rogers at the Valero Station this will be the turn turn off the highway to the county hospital, there is a large blue sign about 1 mile ahead of the turn announcing the hospital turn follow Rogers back about 1 mile to Bayside road. at the stop sign, turn left on Bayside road. On your left you will see "Franktown Road" and opposite it you will see "Wellington Neck Road" We are the first house on the right after this intersection Look for a small white sign that says 7518 HILLCREST There are two houses a shingle bungalow and a brick house take the driveway between them back to the gate and the barn/arena. Please keep your vehicle on the Right Hand Side of the Pasture in front of the Barn. When you go through the gate be sure to close and lock it right away as you are now in a horse enclosure. Directions from the south: take 13 north onto Virginia's Eastern Shore, go past Eastvile and Machipongo, the next town is Nassawadox, in Nassawadox turn left at the traffic light on Rogers at the Valero Station this will be the turn turn off the highway to the county hospital, there is a large blue sign about 1 mile ahead of the turn announcing the hospital turn follow Rogers back about 1 mile to Bayside road. at the stop sign, turn left on Bayside road. we are on the right in Franktown about 1 mile south. On your left you will see "Franktown Road" and opposite it you will see "Wellington Neck Road" We are the first house on the right after this intersection There are two houses a shingle bungalow and a brick house take the driveway between them back to the gate and the barn/arena When you go through the gate be sure to close and lock it right away as you are now in a horse enclosure. Please keep your vehicle on the Right Hand Side of the Pasture in front of the Barn.
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