About Us
Brad and Esther Pagh have been residents of Ocala Florida since 2005. They enjoy living in Ocala being part of the local community both in business and raising their family .
"We love Ocala and Florida in general because there is so much to do here and yet a small town kind of feel. The horse business has been very good to us and we can't thank all of our customers enough for that!"
Brad Pagh
Brad has been a cowboy at heart all his life. By the time he was two years old all he wanted for Christmas was boots and cowboy hats. Growing up in the suburbs of Minneapolis he had to work a little harder than some folks to get around horses. Every chance he had he found a way. Friends or relatives with horses or who lived near horses were his constant destination. Then came summer camps followed by working at the summer camps; ...teaching horsemanship classes and leading pack trips. By the time he was in highschool Brad was shoeing horses part time and was an avid rodeo competitor in the bareback bronc riding.
After two years of college Brad took a year off to work and attended North Texas Farrier's College in Mineral Wells Texas. the next year he moved to California to pursue his destiny in the horse business. He made a living by shoeing horses and attended Clarence Chown's vocational horse college for one year. He then took a job as an assistant trainer at Warner Ranch in Pala, California starting all of the cutting horse prospects. After a year Brad struck out on his own, and for about the next five years learned through trial and error how to train reiners and cow horses. Brad says, "it was mostly error in those days, but I learned a lot that way". Eventually, Brad took a break from full time horse training and worked as a police officer in San Diego for eleven years... "I was still shoeing every weekend and riding a few horses, but I was definitely focused on the police career. The interesting thing was that during those years I also had a chance to ride with some very good horse trainers. I came away with a better perspective on life and a slower attitude toward how I trained a horse."
Brad moved to Tennessee in 1997 and began training horses full time again just south of Nashville. This time success soon followed. Brad won the first of many NRHA bronze trophies that year, and gives all the credit to the good horses he's been able to ride. Brad has now lived in Florida since 2004 and love's it. " The weather along with a booming horse cul
ture makes Florida a great place to train and show horses." Brad's biggest year was in 2006 earning over $32,000 in NRHA pize money and an additional $7,000 in NRCHA money along with being a steady name on the top twenty professionals list. "I love training futurity and derby horses and I continue to pursue that part the business but great owners and clients are what really make all the work worth while!" Brad loves to show good horses as well as coaching youth kids and non pros. "Seeing the horses I train and the riders I coach succeed and reach their goals is very exciting and the real payoff of this whole thing!"
Brad began shoeing horses at age 15 and then went through farriers school in Texas at age 20. Brad has always shod the horses he has had in training and thinks its a big asset to be a rider/farrier...according to Brad "knowing how these horses are suppose to feel makes a huge difference in how you shoe them!"
Brad is an NRHA Professional as well as an NRHA, NRCHA, and an AQHA Judge. Brad was part of the NRHA Futurity Judging team in 2009 and judged the NRHA Open Derby in June of 2011. Brad enjoys judging horse shows through out the country each year. Brad is also currently one of 11 directors of the Florida Reined Cow Horse Association.
These are Brad's five daughters! From ages 23 to 4 months... Andrea, Jennifer, Julia, Grace, and Garnet.
Esther Lauren Pagh
Esther grew up here in Florida, just north of Tampa, and has always had a great passion for horses. Being exposed to reining as a youngster she knew this sport was for her. She got her first reining horse at age 18 and and began showing while she lived in Tennessee. Esther is busy being mom to two beautiful girls and rides as often as she can.
Esther showing Dually in Perry Georgia.
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