Biography

René Wade

My story is not near as interesting as the people I've met and places driving has taken me. I've had a love affair with horses all my life. I start driving some 30 years ago when I bought an old farm team at a yard sale to save them from slaughter. I knew nothing of driving but they knew enough for us both. They were a pair of 25 and 27-year-old Saddlebred/Quarter Horse crosses. I loved them dearly and drove them into their 30s. When they were gone I went on a quest to replace them, searching high and low, all breeds and crosses I knew of. However, nothing came close to what I had.

Then a friend of mine introduced me to a few wild little Hackney Ponies who needed to be rescued and loved and this is where my hackney passion began. Imagine how wonderful it was to find out they made these in HORSE size! The Hackney Horse became and is my breed. It just took me awhile to know it.

I live in Washington State and own OakBriar Park were we strive to produce quality foals and share our Hackney passion. I worked as a Journeyman Millwright in a large Paper Mill, am a retired Registered Combined Driving Judge and Technical Delegate for the American Driving Society, a member of the Carriage Association of America and a Lifetime member of the American Hackney Horse Society.