About Pam & the Team
Pam Andrews
Pam began riding at an early age on her parents ranch in the Napa Valley and took lessons as a child at the Oakland Riding Academy in the East Day Hills. Pam started her competitive career as a Junior in 3 Day Eventing, and Hunter/Jumper, as well as the Western disciplines, including Vaquero. Pam’s first introduction to dressage began in 1975, was with Lockie Richards, who was later an important coach in Eventing and Dressage for both the United States and later the New Zealand national team. In 1984, Pam began to focus on classical dressage, and trained regularly with Eicke von Veltheim for 18 years. Eicke was one of the first German master coaches to teach regularly in the West Coast. Eicke also co-owned and showed the renowned stallion Grundstein, one of the most successful German breeding stallions of all time.
Pam has trained many horses to FEI, and has helped many riders move up through the levels. Personally, she has received her USDF bronze, silver and gold medals on horses she has trained through the levels. Her students have achieved high levels of success both in and out of the show ring, with many top placings at nationally and regional championships. Pam’s training system is goal oriented and based on classical methods, combined with modern operant conditioning theory. Pam puts safety first, for both the horse and rider. She believes that every horse and rider combo, no matter what their level or development, deserve to be carefully nurtured so that they may achieve their personal best. Pam develops a custom training plan for each horse/rider combo, and has skilled teaching team of assistant trainers.
Pam and her husband Gordon have four children, and have lived in Marin County for over 35 years. Her horses that are in training live at Baywood Equestrian Center, and horses that are retired from showing and active training live on her property in the Napa Valley. Outside of the horse sports, Pam enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and playing tennis with friends.
Laura Andrews De PEDis
Laura began her dressage career at an early age, riding since the age of 2, and competing since since age 9. Laura grew up showing her Ponies, “Thunder” and “Firefly”, and soon moved to horses with her own “Perception”, a Hanoverian gelding whose show career took Laura through the Junior and Young Rider FEI, and resulted in multiple top US standings and national and regional championships for CDS, USDF, and USEF. Laura and Perception (aka Sweet Pea) were a championship team. Laura is married, and lives in nearby in San Anselmo. Laura continues to ride, train and teach outside of her full time job, where she is a regulatory manager for EO, the very successful organic health/skin care products company. Laura brings to our team years of valuable show and FEI training experience to her students and horses. Laura is currently training her own 2 show prospects, Roxie, 9, and Joe Bretton, 4. Laura has studied extensively with many top ranked world FEI trainers, including Frances Verbeek, “O”judge, Jan Ebeling, Dane Rawlins, and George Williams.
Maggie Andrews
Maggie began her riding career at a very early age, practically before she could walk. As the youngest of 3 sisters, Maggie soon learned that the fastest way to chase her sisters, was to gallop on her beloved Shetland pony, Brandy. Fast forward to today, Maggie achieved her gold medal in 2015 on her own “Tic Tac”, a Dutch warmblood by Flemmingh, trained by herself and Pam Andrews. In summary, Maggie and Tic Tac successfully competed together for many years, from 2nd level through the junior and young rider FEI, and then ultimately the Grand Prix. After many years of showing at both the lower and the FEI levels, and winning many Championships and high points, Tic Tac is now very happily retired on pasture in the Napa Valley. Maggie and Tic Tac ’s success is a wonderful example of the many benefits gained from pursuing the ultimate goal of Grand Prix dressage.
