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C H R O N O F H O R S E . C O M FA L L 2 014 93 coarse rock and soil, minimizing odors. "At the time we were still planning to develop and sell a lot of young horses," Bob said, referring to what had, up until that point, been the meat and potatoes of the McDonalds' training business. But the couples' priorities would eventually shift to rep- resenting the United States on the international stage. Debbie and Brentina made their mark with individual and team gold at the 1999 Pan Am Games, team silver at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games (Spain) and team bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the mare became the first U.S. horse in history to win the FEI Dressage World Cup Final in 2003. eir many achievements between and after those milestones were critical in establishing the U.S. Equestrian Team as a force to be reckoned with at the highest levels of the sport. Many of those moments are captured in large framed photos of Debbie and Brentina and other River Grove stars that line the wooden walls facing the barn's open grooming area. e gal- lery also includes pictures of Debbie in her hunter/jumper heyday before a bad fall turned her, at Bob's suggestion, toward dressage. All are illuminated by light flooding into the airy environment, thanks to the raised roof design. With increasing show ring success, River Grove Farm under- went some appropriate "gussying up," Bob explained. ey added river rock to the barn's exterior and hung gold chandeliers in the indoor arena, the latter specifically installed for the 2003 Sun Val- ley Symphony Benefit, in which Debbie and Brentina performed their Olympic freestyle accompanied by the live orchestra. e indoor was converted into an elegant dining area from which the equally elegant guests watched the pair's delightful dance. e McDonalds rearranged their interiors to accomodate fewer horses and more equipment to support their elite equine athletes; ten stalls were converted to a solarium, an icing area, a ermaplate vibrating floor, a farrier workspace, storage and a crosstie area devoted to showcasing horses for visitors. More recently, River Grove's arena footing underwent a major upgrade. Premier Equestrian took on the task of refresh- ing the facility's four rings last fall. ese include the flowerbed- bordered Brentina Arena that's nestled in a grove of cottonwood trees, another dressage ring, a jumping ring for Bob's prospects, and the indoor. A combination of GGT footing additive, sand matched to the base's existing sand, and ground-up Nike tennis shoes resulted in a riding surface the team considers ideal. A Setting For Snowbirds For most of River Grove's last two decades, the barn's been a little lonely through the winter. Debbie and her riding successor, 2012 Olympian Adrienne Lyle, head to Florida for the season, while Bob has taken his hunters and jumpers to ermal, Calif. But come April, the grass is greening; impatiens, sunflowers and daisies are blooming; the river is roaring; and the barn is full. e omases' horses live alongside Bob's prospects and those owned by the McDonalds' handful of training clients. ere's also a regular stream of visitors in town to work with Debbie, who became the U.S. Developing Dressage coach after retiring from competitive riding in 2009. Creeks and wooded trails run throughout the property, part of which is beautifully manicured and much of which has been left to nature's wild design—both to great effect. You might find a student taking a cool-down hack or see Debbie or Adrienne putting their horses through piaffe or passage in a different set- ting, just to keep things fresh. "We use the trails for everything," Bob said. Hiking with their dogs to nearby mountain lakes is one of several favorite activities during the Idaho downtime—not that Left: Bob McDonald's lab, Shooter, hams it up in the barn. Right: Memora- bilia on display in the trophy room.

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