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A DREAM HORSE JOURNEY
Coliseum
Friday and Saturday 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Sunday 1:15pm - 2:00pm
Asteri Equine and the Blue Horse Theatre are about to take you on a beautiful, dreamlike journey through the fantastical world of horses.
Experience classic European breeds like Andalusians and Friesians together with Blue Horse Theatre's Nokota horses in an amazing forty-five-minute show that combines art, music and dance with excellent horsemanship at the highest level.
Dream Horse Journey is being presented by Christine Drentwett, Jerusha Steinert and their teams of international riders and performers.
Be amazed by the mystical Phoenix, beautiful Longlines, Liberty horses, Garrocha, High school dressage performances and a few other treats that will leave you filled with joy and inspire dreams of your own journey with horses.
Blue Horse Theatre
Blue Horse Theatre’s mission is to promote a deeper understanding of what horsemanship is through the expression of art, dance and theatre. Originally founded by equestrian Jerusha Steinert and dancer Dara Grimmer, Blue Horse Theatre has grown to be the collaboration of seven creative minds. Kelly Williams, an equestrian and artist, and Alyssa Adair, dancer, joined the troupe in 2021, greatly expanding the possibilities for creating horse ridden duets and quartets. In 2022 the troupe was honored to add dancers Jen Mclaughlin, Terri Fick and Kelly Jo Holt, who has also through her design work helped create the signature look of the costuming for Blue Horse Theatre.
Through the use of garrocha poles, hanging silks, wings, and live art creation each member shares their personal talents with the audience. This allows viewers to participate in creativity with horses in a unique way. This troupe continues to show the relevance that horses have in our modern lives by expressing artistry within horsemanship.
Jerusha Steinert and Mesabi Warrior
Jerusha Steinert, Equestrian and Artist
Jerusha Steinert has had horses since childhood and has been working as a horse professional and artist for over 20 years. While attending the College of Visual Arts and earning her BFA in 2002, Jerusha dedicated her artistic time and thesis to the art of horsemanship throughout history.
In tandem with her artistic education, Jerusha spent many semesters at Pat Parelli’s International Study Center, learning the art of natural horsemanship. She exhibited with her main Horse an Appaloosa ‘8 Seconds Ace’ on the Savvy Team representing natural horsemanship around the country. Her partnership with Ace led her to compete in Extreme Cowboy Racing in the professional division.
In 2010 Jerusha was introduced to the Nokota breed at a colt gentling clinic and fell in love with working with wild horses. Since that time, she’s become a board member for the non-profit, The Nokota Horse Conservancy and enjoys gentling Nokotas for new owners.
Jerusha and her main Nokota, Mesabi Warrior won the Grand Champion title for the Horse Woman's Challenge in 2014, which set them on a path to create the group ‘Blue Horse Theatre’. She now focuses on training her horses for these performances, gentling wild horses as well as introducing people to working with their own horses within a creative mindset.
Mesabi Warrior, 14 year old Nokota Horse
Mesabi Warrior is a perfect example of a traditional Nokota standing at 14.1 hands with blue roan coloring. He was bred and raised by the non profit, the Nokota Horse Conservancy.
He was offered for sale as a 3-year-old at a colt gentling clinic, where Jerusha Steinert selected him to be her horse for the Horsewoman’s Challenge Competition in 2014. After 6 months of training, the pair competed in Liberty, Cowboy Dressage, An Extreme Cowboy race and a Theatrical Freestyle. They were awarded the Grand Championship due to their outstanding performance.
Since then, their partnership has only grown. Mesabi is hardy, extremely intelligent and sensitive with smooth floating gaits. Mesabi is now the star of Blue Horse Theatre, where he shows off his liberty, garrocha, dressage and choregraphed dances with tricks at every event. Mesabi loves exhibiting at events and introducing people to art, magic and the breed of Nokota Horses. At home he assists Jerusha in colt starting by calming troubled horses in sessions and giving lessons to clients.
Kelly Williams and Nahockey’s Blue Moon
Kelly Williams is a lifelong equestrian who has competed in hunter jumper, dressage and extreme cowboy racing. She is an active member of the Washington County Sherrif’s mounted Patrol and she enjoys trail riding and horse camping. She joined Blue Horse Theatre in 2021. She lives in Stillwater MN with her husband and 2 Nokota horses.
Nahockey’s Blue Moon is a 2009 blue roan Nokota gelding standing 15.1 hands high. He is 100% foundation and was bred by the Nokota Horse Conservancy. Blue and Kelly met at a colt starting clinic in North Dakota in 2011.
Asteri Equines
Shawn Drentwett and Ricco
Shawn has been immersed in the equestrian world from an early age. She was born in 2002 to Christine and Toby Drentwett in Germany on the traveling horse musical “Der Zauberwald”. Before she even took her first steps, Shawn was already on the back of a horse sitting in front of the saddle with her mother, or with her dad supporting her while she rode their miniature horse Ashley.
After relocating to Florida in 2005, Shawn's family established “Paradise Farms” an equestrian boarding and training facility, while also continuing to work in the equine entertainment industry.
While her mother worked as head trainer for the dinner theatre “Arabian Nights” Shawn trained and performed in the show’s circus bareback act at the ripe age of 7. During this time she not only had the opportunity to watch her mother train a wide variety of horses, but also learned from other professionals at the show.
In 2014 the Drentwett family joined the “Gala of the Royal Horses” during their American tour where Shawn studied in the ways of dressage with the shows owner and head trainer Renee Gasser for several years. Finally in 2017 Shawn started riding for the company and still performs with them on a regular basis.
In 2018 Shawn began to branch out, competing in endurance riding, competitive trail and dressage competitions. She also continued to train with her mother in the Spanish riding arts such as “Doma Vaquera” and “La Garrocha” along with learning how to work a horse in long lines. At this time, she was also creating her first feature act “The Phoenix”, with her heart horse the Friesian stallion Ricco. Their act had its debut at “Equine Affaire” in November 2018.
She and Ricco have continued to return to “Equine Affaire” several times over the years with ”The Phoenix” along with other acts such as “Long Lines” and “La Garrocha”.
This dynamic duo has since captivated audiences at various other shows including “Breyerfest,” “Cirque Ma’Ceo” and “The Dancing Horses Theatre.”
Shawn's dedication to her craft extends beyond traditional disciplines, moving onto a more natural way of working with her horses.
She went on to work with, and learn the ways of liberty from the acclaimed trainer Sylvia Zerbini, integrating this unique skill into her performances.
In addition to liberty, Shawn is now skilled in the Spanish riding arts of Doma Vaquera and Garrocha, as well as Long Lines and various High School movements.
Together with her mother, they travel all across the United States teaching and providing clinics to those who wish to learn. The mother and daughter duo also produced “Dream Horse Journey” a remarkable showcase of their shared passion and expertise in the equestrian world. With determination, talent, and a deep connection to her horses, Shawn continues to inspire and dazzle audiences nationwide.
Ricco
Ricco is a 20 year old stallion who was purchased in Holland by Christine when he was 1 1/2 years old and has lived with her family ever since. Christine’s daughter Shawn started riding him when she was a young girl and they have been inseparable for the past fifteen years. Ricco is a multitalented show horse who loves to perform, he perks up at the sound of the applause because he knows that means he’s doing a good job. In training he’s one of the most intelligent horses we have ever worked with and he puts his whole heart into anything he does, and that is prominent in his performances.
Christine Drentwett
Born in 1972 in New York, Christine began riding at the age of eight. She trained and later worked at the “Parkview Riding Stable” in Long Island, NY. At age thirteen Christine started showing English, competing with jumpers, and qualifying for the Medal Maclay. When she turned eighteen her family moved to Orlando, Florida where she started breeding racehorses and then later moved on, riding for Mark Miller at his world-famous horse show “Arabian Nights”. She stayed with the show for six years and underwent thorough training in trick riding, western riding, circus bareback riding, using bull whips from horseback and on the ground, dressage with Kim and Yvonne Barteau, firebolas from the ground, performing with liberty horses including showing Walter Farley’s Black Stallion and riding the Black Stallion without saddle and bridle and learning trick training from Pat Crampton who was trained by the famous Glenn Randol.
Christine trained Trapeez and Web for 5 years with Gayner Johnson and performed for Disney, as well as at the Sarasota Circus Festival. In 1997 Christine was hired in Germany at Europe’s biggest travelling horse show "DER ZAUBERWALD" which had been created by Franz Althoff and Guenther Froehlich, who had founded the FPS (Friesian Horse Society) in Germany in 1997 and was the first importer of Friesians to Germany, and at the same time introducing them into dressage competition. Having already a lot of experience working with Arabians, Quarter Horses and the warmblood breeds used for Jumping and Dressage, Christine was now challenged to train and perform baroque breeds like Friesians and Andalusians. She intensified her Dressage studies with great German trainers like Sabine Schut-Kery, Stephanie Meyer-Bliss, Thorsten Huesken, Britta Rasche, Fritz Kruemmel and Dutch Friesian specialist Cor deJong.
Christine had now developed the abilities to train horses for competition, as well as alternative movements for exhibitions such as Spanish walk, bowing, the lay down, the sit position, rearing on command, high trot and liberty. In 2003 Christine also started to ride with the Spanish "Garrocha", an almost 13 foot long lance that is used to herd the fighting bulls and requires the highest level of communication between horse and rider. After 8 Years of performing and training in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, Christine returned to the USA in 2005 to open her own boarding, training and exhibition facility PARADISE FARMS in Clermont, Florida.
In the Summer of 2006 "ARABIAN NIGHTS" offered Christine the position of Head Trainer and for the next two and a half years she was in charge of the training of all horses and riders involved in one of the biggest shows in the world. In addition, she constantly developed new acts and routines for the show, while she kept performing in it. According to Hanna Miller and her father Mark Miller who ran and owned ARABIAN NIGHTS", Christine mastered this exceptional challenge outstandingly. She stayed in close contact with the show, training horses and personnel and performing at special events until Arabian Nights was closed in Jan 2014.
In 2014 Christine went on tour for three years with the “Gala of The Royal Horses” and still rides for that show on occasion as a featured performer. Since then, she was also hired to perform “La Garrocha “and high school acts for various well renowned events like Jerry Diaz’s “Feria Charro”, the “Briar Fest and “Equine Affairs”. Christine appeared nationally on productions like Olossio Zamperla Zoppe’s “Cirque Ma’Ceo” and also works currently on shows and events with the world famous liberty performer, trainer and rider Silvia Zerbini.
Christine, who is also the mother of two beautiful children, daughter Shawn and son Aaron, and her husband, Tobias Drentwett continue to run "PARADISE FARMS", which Christine uses as her homebase from where she keeps venturing out into the world of horses.
Omni
Omni is a 13 year old Andalusian gelding who Christine purchased off of a good friend in 2020. He has a kind but nervous soul, and through his work with Christine and Shawn he has learned to be confident and secure in himself with a rider atop his back, and freely working at liberty. Omni is incredibly talkative and his nickers can be heard anytime a horse or human enter the barn. He tries his hardest in anything he does and we could not be more grateful for him.
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