Derek grew up in New York and competed on the hunter/jumpercircuit as a junior, winning the 2001 U.S. Equestrian Federation(USEF) Talent Search Finals– East and team gold at the2002 USEF Junior Jumper National Championships at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. After graduating from Rollins College in 2007, Derek turned professional and started his training and sales business, Split Rock Farm. From the summer Derek turned professional until 2014, he focused solely on Split Rock Farm, garnering numerous Grand Prix wins at notable competitions in both the United States and Canada. It was during this time as Derek traversed the country as an exhibitort hat he started envisioning a brand-new horse show concept. After traveling to Europe to compete while he was in college, Derek was determined to bring that European show experience back to the States. In 2015, Derek created the Split Rock Jumping Tour. Today, the hunter/jumper series runs 10 shows in four cities, stretching from Lexington, Kentucky, to Los Angeles, California. Derek and his team are also taking on the job as the organizers of the FEI World Cup™ Finals Forth Worth 2026, which consists of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final and the Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final.
Experienced, internationally seasoned Thoroughbred industry professional Richard Budge brings four decades of hands-on expertise in training, racehorse development, and rehabilitation. His career began in England and expanded through France, Brazil, and the U.S., working with respected horsemen including Toby Balding, Jonathan Pease, José Camargo, Cot Campbell, and Steve DiMauro. After training privately for Art Preston’s LOR Stables earning multiple stakes wins from a European-style training center in Texas, Richard joined WinStar Farm in 2002. At WinStar, Richard specialized in racehorse preparation and rehabilitation for the farm and top clients. He’s had the privilege of working with many elite horses, including Well Armed, Super Saver, Colonel John, Drosselmeyer, Uncle Mo, Little Mike, Constitution, Commissioner, Creator, Shackleford, Honor Code, Songbird, Forever Unbridled, Bee Jersey, Audible, Improbable, Justify, and others. From 2019 to 2025, Richard served as General Manager at Margaux transforming the farm into a premier breaking, training, and rehab facility. Key accomplishments included leading major infrastructure upgrades, collaborating on the design of two training tracks with different surfaces and a lameness-evaluation oval, and overseeing construction of state-of-the-art foaling and rehab barns. Richard also managed daily maintenance protocols for turf, tapeta, and dirt surfaces, assisted with lameness evaluations and rehabilitation planning, and served as a liaison for clients, veterinarians, and staff. Horses under the program during this period included Flightline, Just FYI, Moira, Citizen Bull, and many others. Richard values honesty, integrity, and always putting the horse first.
Known and respected by his peers as a versatile and thorough horseman, Smith Lilly brings many years of experience training show horses to the pages of Saddle Seat Horsemanship, the most comprehensiveand detailed study available on the subject. After developing his skills working under the direction of noted horsemen Larry Barbee, Mitch Clark, Nelson Green and Fred Sarver, Lilly returned to his family’s Mercer Springs Farm, which he operates along with his wife, Alexandra and mother, Sandy, as a public training stable specializing in American Saddlebreds.
From their base in Princeton, WV, the Lillys have trained crowd pleasing world champions in all divisions, including in-hand, junior and amateur riders, young horses and open grand champions. In all, they have amassed over 100 world and reserve world titles, including World’s Grand Championships in the Five-Gaited and Fine Harness divisions. While Saddlebreds are their specialty, the Lillys have experience working with many breeds, including Morgans, Arabians, Hackneys, Friesians, National Show Horses and Standardbreds.
On writing his book about Saddle Seat riding and training, Lilly says, “When I decided to make training show horses my life’s work, I wanted to learn as much as possible about the horse. While many books were available discussing training theories for other disciplines, precious little written information was available about show horses. Information on the topic was shared the truly old fashioned way, in discussions among horsemen, with young trainers learning from the master horsemen under whose tutelage they worked. I am indebted and eternally grateful to the men and women who have shared their knowledge of the show horse with me and hope that making this information more readily accessible serves to broaden the popularity of the sport. The majesty of the horse, fully on display in show ring competition, is truly a stirring sight worth sharing with others.”
At a young age, Kevin’s heart was set on horseback. His passion for horses was inspired by the legacy of his grandfather and father, who instilled in him the values of hard work, dedication, and an unwavering love for these majestic animals.Pursuing his dream with determination, Kevin became a standout in the horsetraining community, achieving remarkable milestones such as being the 2019 and 2022 Horseman’s Mission Colt Starting Champion and securing victories in prestigious events like the 2021 and 2022 Congress Freestyle Reining competitions.
Kevin’s journey is marked by a series of impressive accomplishments, including a third-place finish in the 2019 Missouri Mules Makeover and earning the title of Premier Horse Sales Best of Texas Trainer of the Year in 2022. He is also a proud winner of numerous local ranch, reining, and trail riding shows, showcasing his versatile talentand deep connection with horses.
At Diamond K, Kevin is dedicated to providing top-of-the-line care for his horses, ensuring they are in the best possible environment to thrive. His commitment extends to creating a positive, supportive atmosphere for his team, fostering growth and excellence in everything they do. Above all, Kevin is passionate about helping his clients find the perfect horse, one that meets their needs and exceeds their expectations, making everymatch a success.
