Horses are an integral part of my life. I grew up competing in dressage & eventing and helping taking care of about 30 horses at our once small Florida horse farm. My mother, a passionate horse person from birth, originally asked my veterinarian dad for one horse. One horse with my mom at the helm and dad's assistance grew into a riding school and breeding farm called Valhalla. Our family eventually moved to a larger Florida farm to support the growing brood of horses and trainers where they are today.

My mother, Jean Brinkman, is well known for her Trakehner and Swedish Warmbloods that she has bred and trained and has won the USDF/USEF top dressage breeder title numerous times. Erin Brinkman, my sister, is a beautiful dressage rider, trainer and teacher who has trained 30 horses to FEI dressage.  What I find most extraordinary is her ability to 'read' a horse on a very deep level.

I was captivated by fine art and went on to study art, graphics and photography at University which eventually led me back to horses when in 1991 I was asked to photograph at a horse trials. In 1997 I moved to New Orleans and in 2002 started working on a long term photo project on the Preservation Hall Jazz Band that was finished in 2011, the 50th year anniversary of the Hall. This turned into a 2.5 year Exhibition at the Mint Museum in New Orleans and a co-authored book on the Preservation Hall published by LSU Press.

My devotion to sport horses has led me all over the world including multiple Olympics, World Cup, Rolex, Pan Ams and the World Equestrian Games.

Horses continually inspire me with their grace, athleticism, spirit (and High Spirits!) and their bond with humans. I am deeply grateful for this life-long relationship with these animals.

My goal is to show this feeling, this spirit, in the most artful way in the images and portraits.

You can also check my mother's site for horses for sale, lessons, stallions and horses-in-training at http://www.valhallatrakehner.com/
And my sister's site for lessons, clinics and horses-in-training.
http://www.spicadressage.com/

Go horses!!!