Thoughtful course design
About Nick Granat
Nick Granat is a horseman and course designer who specializes in designing and building courses that appropriately challenge and enhance the training of horse and rider. He attended the Aachen School of Course Design where he studied with Arno Gego and Olaf Petersen Sr.
Nick is listed with only a handful of approved course designers by the North American Riders Group (NARG). He is a United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) "R" licensed course designer for both hunters and jumpers and an FEI Level 2 international course designer.
Nick trained with Marty deLeyer in his youth on Long Island, New York. At 13 he became a working student for Olympic silver medalist Peter Leone at Lionshare Farm in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 2000, Nick launched his professional equestrian career.
Nick worked behind the scenes riding, teaching and managing operations for top professionals. He worked with Leone, Olympian Margie Engle, top equitation coach Missy Clark, Olympic gold medalist Leslie Howard, international grand prix rider Georgina Bloomberg and Olympian Yann Candele. While working with this elite group of riders and trainers, Nick discovered his passion for creating courses and gymnastics in preparation for competition.
An invitation from Olympic gold medalist and legendary course designer Conrad Homfeld to assist with the 2007 Hampton Classic prompted Nick to seriously consider a career as a course designer. While continuing to ride and train he sought out opportunities to assist and work for the most respected course designers in the sport, such as Frank Rothenberger, Alan Wade, Steve Stephens, Linda Allen, Guilherme Jorge, Michel Vaillancourt, Olaf Petersen Jr. and Uliano Vezzani.
Nick has course designed and assisted for iconic equestrian competitions including CHIO Aachen, Hampton Classic, Global Champions Tour Miami, Old Salem Farm,
Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, the National Horse Show, Lake Placid Horse Show, Saugerties HITS $1 Million CSI5* and Silver Oak Jumper Tournament. Most recently, he has course designed for Ottowa International, Split Rock Jumping Tour, Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, The Ridge at Wellington, Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show, Angelstone Jumper Tournaments and Great Lakes Equestrian Festival.
In addition to competition course design, Nick sets the weekly training courses at the private facilities of top international riders during the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington. His clients include McLain Ward, Kent Farrington, Darragh Kenny and Double H Farm.
“Nick Granat has been involved with horses and show jumping his entire life. Nick has studied the sport, spent years apprenticing with top riders and course designers and brings a wealth of knowledge to his course design. He has a wonderful feel for the competition and an attention to detail that shows through in his work. I am always pleased when I see he is a course designer at a show I am attending.”
“I’m very happy to say I have watched Nick pursue his passion of course building from a young age. A passionate and knowledgeable horseman has helped him hone his skills in course building. I think his future is bright in the business and I look forward to see him showcase his skill on the world stage.”
“Nick Granat is a strong candidate for the future of course design. I like his “look” and mixture of fences. He is willing to be creative and puts extra effort into the aesthetics of a course. Because he was a rider he has a great feeling for the flow and rhythm for the horse on the track. He also works very hard to apprentice with many of the world’s great builders to develop his skills and depth. I believe Nick can be one of our top American course designers of the future.”
“Nick Granat is the best American Course designer since DeNemthy and Homfeld. Nick combines his passion for course building with a lifelong study of the history of the courses that shape our sport. Nick has worked as an apprentice for the world’s great designers, working side-by-side with Alan Wade, Steve Stephens, Arno Gego, Guilherme Jorge, Linda Allen, Olaf Petersen Sr. and Olaf Petersen Jr., and Frank Rothenberg. .”
“Nick’s courses are consistently very thoughtful and thorough. The questions that he poses are ones based on an understanding of correct horsemanship and conscientious training. I look forward to having our horses show and train over Nick’s courses. They always make sense to me!”
“Nick is a thoughtful and knowledgeable course designer. He has a great way of understanding the group he’s building for and the type of questions he should present. I respect the time he has put in with the great course designers of our sport. He is an asset to any competition.”
Event Clients
Private Clients
Blue Hill Farm | Darragh Kenny | Double H Farm | Gut Einhaus | Kent Farrington | McLain Ward | River Run Farm | Teddy Vlock | Windsor Show Stables
Calendar 2018
January - March
World Equestrian Center, Wilmington, Ohio
Winter Equestrian Festival, Wellington, Florida
April
Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, Katy, Texas
May
Old Salem Farm, North Salem, New York
June
Country Heir I & II, Lexington, Kentucky
CSO Blainville, Blainville, Quebec, Canada
July
Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, Traverse City, Michigan
Ottawa International, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
August
Sussex County Fair Horse Show, Augusta, New Jersey
Split Rock Jumper Tour Sonoma, Petaluma, California
September
Split Rock Jumper Tour Sonoma, Petaluma, California
FEI World Equestrian Games, Tryon, North Carolina (assist)
October
Split Rock Jumper Tour Columbus, Johnstown, Ohio
World Equestrian Center, Wilmington, Ohio
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Contact
Contact Nick about course design for your show jumping event or private facility.
Nick Granat
nick@NickGranat.com
(914) 536-1891