Pieter Franken and his wife, Angela began importing the stunning Friesian horses and elegant European driving carriages after they made the move to their Grand Meadows Friesian Farm in Solvang, California located in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley. Pieter’s credentials as a horseman are impressive.

He was trained at an early age by Luit Dubbeldam, the father of Jeroen Dubbeldam, an Olympic Gold Medal winner in Athens, Greece as well as some of Holland’s most respected dressage riders.

Later Pieter’s interest and passion started to shift toward the magnificent Friesian breed and their driving and dressage capabilities. Pieter still works with Renee and Marian van Dijk, both highly respected instructors in driving and dressage in Holland. Pieter returns to Holland every three months not only just to visit his family, but scouting for the best quality Friesians and, of course, his direct involvement with the manufacturing operation that produces the excellent quality carriages that Carriage USA imports from Holland.

Angela and her family help Pieter run the daily operations of Grand Meadows Friesian Farm. Angela also helps out with the daily dressage training during Pieter’s absence or when he’s involved with customers in their large carriage showroom or driving a carriage out on their on-site test driving course. Angela and Pieter attend many equine events during the year displaying their carriages, grooming products and feed supplements and particularly sharing their vast knowledge of the Friesian horse and the excitement of carriage driving.