The Draft Horse & Driving Club at UC Davis
President: Anneliese Oprea
Anneliese is a third year Environmental Policy student at UC Davis. She grew up in Santa Barbara, CA, before moving to Davis to attend school.
Before the DHDC, Anneliese has over 6 years working at a non-profit horse rescue and volunteering at barns. She's learned all of her driving experience from being an involved member of the driving club for three years. Anneliese also worked as a summer camp counselor for outdoor nature camps for three years and enjoys teaching students of all ages.
Outside of the club, she enjoys playing music, birding, hanging out with friends, and visiting Olive at the horse barn.
Favorite club activity: Driving in the arboretum on a nice, sunny day. There's nothing more relaxing than soaking in the sun on the back of the cart with your club friends.
Favorite class at Davis: CLA 010 (Roman, Greek, and Near Eastern Mythology). I really enjoy Greek and Roman mythology, and enjoyed the wide overview that the class gave.
Contact: aaoprea@ucdavis.edu
Vice President: Katarina Kent
Katarina is a senior double majoring in Viticulture & Enology, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. She was homeschooled through high school, and went to Contra Costa Community College during covid, before coming to UCD. She grew up with a love for horses, but never got involved with them until joining DHDC!
Contact: katkent@ucdavis.edu
Driving experience before the club: None at all
Horse experience before the club: I’d groomed a horse before and gone trail riding—that’s it!
I learned about it through involvement fair, but never had the courage to go to any of the meetings because I was a little scared of horse people and was worried about not fitting in. Then I made a friend during second year in Ochem who invited me to go and I’ve been coming ever since! Everyone was really nice and welcoming, and getting to work with Olive has been a big source of relaxation and recreation for me!
Favorite Color: Depends on what it is: black, emerald green, dark purple, and wine red
Favorite Food: Probably pizza or burritos, specifically from Gordo’s
Super power you wish you had: Teleportation
Top 3 favorite movies (or franchise): Lord of the rings, The Patriot, Princess Bride
Top 3 favorite books (or franchise): Narnia, Hunger Games, the Bible
Dream job(s): Pilot (hey I’m dreaming ok?), pharmacist, professor (of chemistry)
Favorite Class: Astronomy 10G and Ochem (because of the people I met :)
Hobbies: Sewing, baking, cooking, singing (especially Disney), writing
Treasurer: Eden Feinstein
Eden Feinstein is a fourth year animal science student on the equine track. She has been working with horses for her entire life and has a soft spot for drafts! She's worked at most of the equine facilities around campus and has a lot of experience with both general horse work and veterinary work with horses. She enjoys pet sitting on the side, walking dogs, traveling and listening to music amongst many hours of studying!
Contact: emfeinstein@ucdavis.edu
Driving experience before the club: None
Horse experience before the club: 17 years
I heard about the club on Instagram! I have been thinking about joining since freshman year but hadn't gotten around to it. I loved seeing the draft pictures and seeing Olive around campus.
Favorite Color: Lavender or Navy
Favorite Food: Grapes
Top 3 favorite movies (or franchise): The Hunger Games, Wurthering Heights (lol!), The Florida Project
Top 3 favorite books (or franchise): The Hunger Games
Dream job(s): Veterinarian
Favorite Class: Animal Science 1
Hobbies: Walking, traveling, listening to music
Social Media Manager: Sabrina Agazzi
Sabrina is a fourth year transfer student from the East Bay. She is studying Communication with a minor in English. She also enjoys taking elective animal science courses.
Contact: saagazzi@ucdavis.edu
Driving experience before the club: None!
Horse experience before the club: I grew up riding horses at a local equestrian center and going on trail rides. After graduating high school, I worked for three years at a ranch where I cared for several horses and taught young kids how to ride.
I first heard about the DHDC when I was in high school and attended Picnic Day. I saw them in the parade and loved the unique opportunity to work with draft horses.
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Food: Cranberry sauce
Super power you wish you had: Communicate with animals!
Top 3 favorite movies (or franchise): The Sound of Music, While You Were Sleeping, and Tangled
Top 3 favorite books (or franchise): Little Women, Emma, Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Dream job(s): Working with service animals, veterinarian, wildlife photographer, costume designer, or anything at Disneyland!
Favorite Class: Introductory Companion Animal Biology (ANS-042)!
Hobbies: Ballet, embroidery, costume design, camping, and watching too much reality TV
Drive Leader: Leigh Houck
Leigh is a fourth year Spanish and Portuguese PhD student who received her masters and bachelors in Spanish and Portuguese at UC Davis.
Contact: lmhouck@ucdavis.edu
Driving experience before the club: None!
Horse experience before the club: I had about six years of hunter jumper riding experience and two years of horse rescue volunteer experience.
I am so glad I found the Draft Horse and Driving Club! I have made so many great friends over my six years here- and of course I love Olive and Dee. Everyone in the club is so down to earth, friendly, funny, and welcoming! I would recommend anyone who has an interest in horses and/or driving but who’s been scared off by other exclusive or expensive groups to check out DHDC. One of my favorite memories from college so far was prepping the horses and driving in the Picnic Day parade with the whole club!
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Food: Mexican Food
Super power you wish you had: Shapeshifting
Favorite Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Favorite Books: Shadow and Bone
Favorite TV Show (if you have one): Hawaii 5-0
Dream job: Writer
Best Class: Spanish Literature classes
Hobbies: In addition to DHDC I love doing yoga, going for hikes, and rollerblading!
Drive Leader: Karen Watling
Karen is a second year veterinary student planning to specialize in wildlife conservation medicine. She got her B.S. in Biology form Cal State Channel Islands before moving to Davis for veterinary school
Contact: kmwatling@ucdavis.edu
Driving experience before the club: None!
Horse experience before the club: I moved to Davis in June before the school year started and applied for a job at a horse farm as a stall cleaner with zero horse experience before. I then joined the Draft Horse and Driving Club 3 months later.
I grew up going to watch the horse shows at my local county fair every summer with my mom, and we would watch the draft and carriage shows the most. When I started vet school, I met a friend who had previously been a member of the club when she was in undergrad and learned about the club through her and was so excited about the prospect of being able to try it out for myself. I went to the first drive of the school year where we hitched up both horses and drove them both around the arena and have been hooked ever since. I enjoyed how knowledgeable the drive leaders were and how they were willing to teach every step of the way, from just haltering and bringing the girls to the barn all the way to actually driving them around. Since then I have learned so much and have felt welcomed into a community.
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Food: potatoes
Super power you wish you had: telekinesis
Favorite Movie: Star Wars
Favorite Books: I’m a sucker for cheesy romance books
Dream job: wildlife veterinarian in South Africa
Favorite Class:
Hobbies: baking, polo, board games
