Equistride International Dressage

Tonya Grant-Barber started riding at the age of 3 under the guidance of her parents Carole and Chuck Grant. She began jumping at age 6 and remained jumping and competing in the hunter and jumper ring until the age of 32
Tonya always rode dressage when home from jumping competitions, training with parents Chuck and Carole. Tonya began working more and more with Carole in 2000 and started training dressage horses at home. In 2001 Tonya began thinking about a career change and in 2002 was a full time competitive dressage rider.

Jumper career wins include many junior championships in the 1980s and in 1988 Tonya qualified for the prestigious Medal and Maclay finals. Competing in Harrisburg Pennsylvania in the Medal finals and Madison Square Garden in New York City. She also competed on the Junior Young Rider Team on a horse named Such-A-Man. Such-A-Man was bought in Holland for Tonya when she was 12 years old. Such-A-Man and Tonya showed in the Junior Jumpers and was a pair to be reckoned with across the country. They won championships at such prestigious shows as the Hampton Classic, and Palm Beach Derby to name a few. This pair was also Silver medalist at Harrisburg in 1988 riding on a national junior team. During the jumping years Tonya rode with many top trainers including Olympians John and Beezie Madden and Chris Kappler. Tonya also trained with Michigan natives Cindy Carlson, Rodger Turner and Katie Prudent. Other trainers included Donald Cheska, George Morris, Frank Madden and German legend Hans Winkler.

Tonya trained with Hans Winkler when living in Germany in 1983-1984 while mother Carole Grant was training there preparing for the 1984 Olympic Games. After her junior years were over Tonya went on in 1989 to compete professionally. She placed in many Grand Prixs with a horse named Dirty- Dancing and ran a jumping business in Michigan for many years before deciding to ride Dressage full time in 2002.

In 2005 Tonya received her USDF Gold and Silver Medals and placed in Regional Finals with a Prix St. George horse named Jumbo D
She competed successfully with a Dutch Stallion named Kevekko from

2008-2009. Winnings with Kevekko include, 2008 MDA l-ll Champion and Grand Prix Reserve Champion 2008 USEF Silver Stirrup award for Grand Prix and I-II Champion USDF 4th. Place nationally ranked for l-ll. Tonya and Kevekko qualified for 2008 Regional championships for both I-II and Grand Prix but were side lined with an injury.

In 2009 Tonya headed to Wellington Florida and competed respectively against many of our best horses and riders, placing in almost every class and winning the Grand Prix at The Winter Equestrian Festival Classic. Tonya had plans to put together freestyle with Kevekko and compete at Devon in 2009. She had also hoped to do some World Championship trials with Kevekko but in late March Kevekko was diagnosed with a severe injury to his rt. Front pastern and had to be humanely put to sleep in June of 2009. Tonya is now concentrating on working out of Equistride International in Fenton, Michigan. She teaches, rides, competes, sells horses and is now concentrating on bringing up young horses.

Tonya's dressage trainers have included her late father Chuck Grant, Carole Grant, the late Sally Swift, Carlos Torrell, Klause Balkenhaul, Michelle Gibson, and Balimo instructor Nancy Baker. Tonya continues to study the art of Dressage and has goals to follow in her parents footsteps bringing horses along to the Grand Prix level and competing for the United States of America.
She brings many years of experience to the table both from her jumping and dressage background, making her an all around horsewomen.

Tonya is married to Brian Barber owner of Cashel Rock Insurance Group and has 3 sons; Austin, Charles, and Grant.