About

Our Desert Home

With nearly 1.3 million square feet of competition and riding space, the Desert International Horse Park is one of the largest equestrian facilities in North America. Offering 15 weeks of world-class competition from October through March, the facility is a destination location for thousands of equestrians, their horses, family and friends for several months annually. Competitors from all over the world travel to Thermal, CA to not only compete but to enjoy everything the desert has to offer.

Surrounded by the beauty of picturesque mountains, the Desert International Horse Park is close to Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, La Quinta, Coachella and more unique places to discover. The area is known for its resort lifestyle with a selection of fine dining, art & film festivals, golf & tennis, outdoor adventures, and wonderful warm, dry weather in the winter months. As the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau claims, come #findyouroasis in the desert.

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Our Team

Finding a fantastic team that puts horses first, while having a keen focus on the rider, trainer, owner, and sponsor experience, is a key aspect of our vision. Welcoming a mix of fresh and familiar faces, our goal is to bring in individuals who specialize in creating an excellent show experience.

Having just begun to make our vision a reality in August of 2019, we now have a core group of experts to kick our plans into gear. The Desert Horse Park International team continues to grow as we seek to achieve our goals for an excellent customer experience. This section will continue to grow as our desert team comes together.

work with us

Our Team

Steve Hankin

President & CEO

A horseman and a rider himself, Steve Hankin starts with a “horses first” philosophy when it comes to the horse park. He and his wife have been avid participants of the sport on both the East and West Coasts, and he is eager to transform the equestrian community on the West Coast for the better.

Pat Boyle

Technical Coordinator

Pat has been putting on fantastic horse shows across the country for over 30 years. He has been a staple in the Chicago show world, running small and large shows at his home base, Ledges. More recently, he took the reins of Pennsylvania National and the USHJA National Championships in Las Vegas. Pat shares a passion for creating beautiful rings with Steve – simply wanting to create rings that people can’t wait to compete in!

Skyler Brittner

Stabling Manager and Technical Coordinator

Skyler comes to DIHP as our Stabling and Scheduling Manager, bringing 15 years of equestrian experience with him. He has worked in various roles within the equestrian industry, including operations and management. Brittner approaches his work with horses first and is always aiming to create a fantastic show experience for our exhibitors.

Phil Devita

Show Manager

From boutique events on the West Coast, including Franktown Meadows and The Menlo Charity Horse Show, to decorated events on the East Coast, such as The American Royal and the popular series of CFHJA shows in Tampa, Phil DeVita brings a host of accolades and experience to the DIHP. He has also worn many other ‘hats’ in the sport, including as a competitor, course designer and judge.

Kyle Gould

Footing Manager

Kyle is simply the best in the business. He splits his time between Traverse City, Michigan, assisting Matt Morrissey, and the desert, here at DIHP. Here at Thermal, Kyle oversees 1.6 million square feet of competition, schooling, and lunging space. Kyle’s design of the new Grand Prix arena has been instrumental in turning DIHP into a destination for high-performance competitors from around the world.

Ashley Keeler

Show Office Manager

Ashley has been in the horse industry for over 30 years as a trainer, rider, and as horse show staff. She has shown all over the country and earned USEF AO Hunter of the Year in 2006. Keeler’s experience in and out of the horse show arena help her understand all the details that go into a horse show and to better serve our exhibitors.

Eleni Mauromoustakos

Director of Sponsorships

Eleni has a passion for connecting influential brands and corporations with the equestrian community. She has a background in sales and data analytics as well as elite equine event sponsorships and pharmaceutical marketing. She plans to use her unique experience to continue to grow the sponsorship program at DIHP, and provide the highest level of hospitality in the industry to all individuals that choose to compete, sponsor, and attend events in the desert.

Joe Wilson

Facility Manager

Joe and his family have been in the construction business for as long as they can remember, including over 20 years building horse show facilities. Joe joined a year and a half ago for a few projects, and we never let him leave California. More recently, Joe took over managing the entire 239 acres, overseeing construction, maintenance, and landscaping. Everything you see about DIHP that has changed, Joe has had a hand in shaping.  Joe has been a key player in helping transform DIHP to what it is today.

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