Larry and Donette D’Alonzo, a husband and wife team who are the owners and operators of D’Alonzo Ranch Equestrian Center, purchased land in 1994, with Larry’s knowledge of financing, construction, and development, along with Donette’s love for riding and training horses, it was destined that they build their own ranch and share their passion with others. Within a year D’Alonzo Ranch Equestrian Center was built and officially opened for business in January 1995.
About Donette:
Donette Marie Wyatt was born and raised in Stockton, CA, where she grew up in the country surrounded by horse stables. When Donette was just a little girl she always wanted to be around horses. She would spend the first eight years of her life watching and listening to the trainer next door, Mr. Marvin Mayfield, giving riding lessons and watching people ride. At 8 years old she saved $200.00 and bought her first horse. Immediately after getting her horse, she began to perfect her riding skills by riding for hours and practicing every day. She started competing in local schooling shows and play days. As time went by and doing very well, people started to ask her if she could ride their horses and help them. While working a full-time job she began little by little riding more horses and showing them.
Donette was a natural, after a few years her riding talents were noticed, and eventually, she was asked to work for a trainer she admired. So she moved and rode stallions and numerous breeds of horses and learned patience and how to ride each horse as an individual.
Returning to Stockton, Donette began training and teaching full-time. Together with her mother, Loraine Wyatt, who was already leasing and managing Sperry Ranch Stables as a boarding facility, they soon turned it into a training and boarding facility. Donette began training young horses from ground driving to the show ring. She won many awards and taught students to do the same.
In 1993 she met the love of her life, Larry D’Alonzo country line dancing. Where she literally ran into him and then asked him to dance. It was love at first sight and they were married that same year. Within a year together they built D’Alonzo Ranch Equestrian Center, a training, boarding, and event facility. She continues her career training horses.
Donette feels very fortunate for all the support and opportunities in her life and will never forget where she came from, The small local shows where she got started with her $200.00 dollar horse taught her so much. Since opening her own ranch she has strived to create an atmosphere where riders and horsemen alike can have fun and still achieve their goals. She wants to give all riders, horses, and trainers’ young and old the opportunities that were available to her.
Donette strongly believes that honesty and integrity are very important, and supporting the horse industry and treating horses and people fairly is a major key to keeping the ranch successful and the horse industry strong. She has always wanted to help make dreams come true, even the little ones because sometimes, that is as far as some people get and that’s ok if it makes them happy.
