Dawn Bolson (Gilbert)- Trainer & Farm Owner

Dawn is a 1997 graduate of the SUNY Morrisville equine program.  From 1997 through the early 2000s she worked for Jacquelyn Allen Quarter Horses in Central Square, managing broodmares and young stock, as well as showing WP on the local QH circuit and HUS in the Appaloosas.   

In the early 2000s, with the help of her then partner- farrier and trainer, Kenn Knowlton, Dawn formed D/K Show Horses and they shifted their focus to primarily showing Appaloosas on a National level.  Along with their customers, they enjoyed a fair amount of success earning World and Reserve World Championship titles in multiple events as well as National titles and year end high points.   

In 2010 following the dissolution of their personal relationship, the business partnership was ended when a horse fell on Dawn at the Pinto World Show and she was forced to stay out of the saddle for almost a year.   During her recovery, between surgeries for repairing a fractured leg, Dawn Gilbert Show Horses LLC was formed.    

From early 2011 through 2015 she focused on training and lessons - travelling to people while also working full time for Southern States.  In 2015, Dawn and her husband, James bought the 82 acre farm that is the current home of Dawn Gilbert Show Horse LLC.   This has allowed her to expand her services and begin to re-define her brand.  

Focusing largely on Paint, Pinto and Quarter Horse, her students have enjoyed a fair amount of show ring success from local shows up through the World Championship level, but these days the emphasis is less on the trophies and more on the enjoyment and skills gained.