About Us

About Us

Passionate about Western Riding & Quarter Horses since the 1970's

Sovereign Quarter Horses is owned and managed by David & Sarah Deptford, set in the heart of the Fens in Cambridgeshire. It was established in the 1970’s by David and his Father, Henry Deptford, before David and Sarah began running the business in 1990 with the aim of breeding and training top quality American Quarter Horses here in the U.K. Since it was established, they have produced multiple European Champions among other great achievements such as earning three horses their AQHA champion Awards. This is one of the highest accolades a Quarter Horse can win.

As a level 3 UKCC coach, David has been teaching all levels of riders for many years and is unfailingly patient and knowledgeable. He is foremost an educator of both you and your horse. Whether you are new to riding and want to learn the basics for a ranch holiday or with a view to one day owning and competing your own horse, you are in the right hands with David.

If you are more experienced and hoping to improve or add new skills, he will tailor your lessons to your own aims and ambitions. Over the years David’s pupils have excelled in western competitions in all disciplines. He has also provided coaching and help to English riders with their horses with them going on to be very successful in their own competitions and disciplines. They also excel in just enjoying their horses, all of which are important.

Competitively, David is a true all-around competitor always training his horses, whatever discipline they are bred for, to be able to show in any class.

  • 2015 AQHA European Champion Junior Ranch Riding with Heir to A Jay who he bred and trained
  • 2015 AQHA Reserve European Champion Performance Halter Stallions with Blazin Chic Olena
  • 2017 AQHA Reserve European Champion Junior Ranch Riding with Story of Love who he bred and trained
  • 2018 AQHA European Champion Halter Aged Geldings with Kryptonite
  • 2009 ApHC European Champion Halter Yearling Mares
  • 2006 ApHC Bronze Medal European Champion Halter Yearling Stallions with Rustlers Private Bil
  • ApHC Bronze Medal European Champion Snaffle Bit Pleasure with Rustlers Private Bil
  • Earned two stallions and one mare their Open AQHA Champion Award
  • Member of the Great British Reining team multiple times
  • Earned multiple AQHA Halter and Performance Register of Merits and All Around Awards
  • Qualified for AQHA World Show and won AQHA International High Points in multiple disciplines

David is a master showman, with demonstrations at Your Horse Live, the British Dressage Championships, at the Excel Centre in London and in Dubai for the Royal Family, Al Maktoum. He and his horses prove you can go anywhere or do anything with an American Quarter Horse.

David Deptford
Sarah Deptford

Sarah is an accomplished horsewoman in her own right, having grown up showing ponies to County Show level and working for Davina Whiteman. Having converted to western riding when she met David and qualifying as a UKCC Level 2 coach in 2010, Sarah has a wealth of knowledge to help not only existing western riders but also those who are looking to convert from English riding to Western. Trail is one of Sarah’s favourite disciplines to teach the horse and rider and she has competed very successfully in the class among others. 

Using her first class presentation skills which she developed working with show ponies, Sarah has always been the power behind the turnout and success of the young stock David has shown in Halter. Her talents are not only limited to show preparation, Sarah is an extremely successful trainer and an accomplished all around competitor too, in many disciplines. She showed in Amateur classes for many years before becoming an open rider when she started her teaching and training career.

  • 2019 Reserve European Champion Junior Ranch Riding with her own bred and trained Jays Candy Chic
  • 2018 Finalist Senior Ranch Riding at the AQHA European Championships with her own Chex Out This Action
  • Earned Snippers Della Reed her AQHA Open Champion Award
  • Earned multiple horses their Amateur and Open Halter and Performance Register of Merits
  • Achieved many Amateur and Open All-Around Awards
  • Qualified multiple horses for the AQHA World Show across many disciplines
  • Achieved AQHA International High Point Champion awards
  • 1998 French Quarter Horse Festival, Le Touquet, France winner of Amateur Reining

 

Sarah has a love of Trail and Ranch Riding, showing both her own and her clients’ horses in these classes. She has also shown very successfully in reining with her mare Chex Out This Action before taking her to the European Championships in 2018, qualifying for the finals of the Senior Ranch Riding Class. This was a fantastic achievement for them as Chexy was the oldest horse in the class at 18 and showed that she’s still got it and that Quarter Horses really do last a lifetime! If you come for lessons here you may be lucky enough to ride Sarah’s other extremely talented show horse, Snippers Della Reed (Della) who became an AQHA Champion in 2018.

Olivia is a UKCC Level 2 coach and is the assistant trainer here at Sovereign Quarter Horses. She has been working alongside David since October 2016 where she has had many fantastic opportunities to ride and train talented horses of all breeds and to teach great students. Her coaching is very versatile and she can adapt to the level of horse and rider tailoring the learning experience to you and your horse. She has experience teaching first time riders all the way through to international competitors on the AQHA UK Youth and Amateur teams.

Olivia has trained and competed in a wide range of western disciplines in Youth and Open including Showmanship, Horsemanship, Trail, Ranch Riding, Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation, Halter and the Versatility Ranch Horse classes.

  • 2019 AQHA European Champion Senior Ranch Riding with SQH bred White Faced N Blazin who she trained
  • 2019 VRH Ranch Riding Open Circuit Champion at the AQHA European Championships with White Faced N Blazin
  • 2019 Finalist Junior Ranch Riding at the AQHA European Championships with SQH bred Sweet Lovin Jay who she trained
  • 2017 Bronze medal Junior Ranch Riding at the AQHA European Championships with White Faced N Blazin
  • 2017 AQHA International High Point Junior Ranch Riding with White Faced N Blazin
  • Qualifying horses for the AQHA World show in Halter and Ranch Riding
  • Achieving AQHA performance register of merit for White Faced N Blazin
  • Member of the 2016 AQHA UK Youth World Cup team competing in Tamworth, Australia.

As well as training and competing, Olivia thoroughly enjoys teaching. She finds it very rewarding to see people progress and enjoy spending time learning with their horses. She strives to help people to bring out the best in themselves and their horses. One of Olivia's biggest teaching goals is to encourage more young and female riders into the sport of western riding. With the Sovereign Quarter Horses team, she has ridden at events including Your Horse Live and many of the big county shows in England delivering demonstrations and information on western riding, promoting and growing the sport and animal she loves.

Olivia Lochhead
Some amazing facts

Numbers speak for themselves

Sovereign have bred

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wonderful foals
Sovereign have won

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International medals
David representing GB in Reining

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Times

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