Meet The Team
Laura Balisky
Laura began her equestrian journey competing on Western Stock Horses but transitioned to English riding at age 11. At just 16, she made history as the first Canadian and youngest female to win both the ASPCA Maclay Finals at Madison Square Garden and the AHSA Medal Finals in Pennsylvania. The following year, she earned Individual and Team Gold at the North American Young Riders Competition.
Laura has represented Canada at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games, the 1986 World Championships, and was part of the Gold Medal-winning team at the 1987 Pan American Games. Over her career, she competed in five World Cup Finals.
As a coach, Laura is one of only three in history, to have won the AHSA Medal Finals and coached a student to the same achievement. Together with her husband, Brent, she has guided numerous riders to victory in the CET Medal Finals at the Royal Winter Fair, Canada’s premier event for riders 21 and under. Many of their students have gone on to successful professional careers in the horse industry.
Brent Balisky
Brent enjoyed a successful junior career with multiple championships at Spruce Meadows in Calgary. In 1982, he met Laura, moved to Langley, BC, and helped establish Thunderbird Equestrian Centre, where they married in 1985.
Brent coached Laura through two Olympic Games, the 1986 World Championships, and multiple World Cup Finals, achieving many Grand Prix wins. He has also coached numerous students to the Grand Prix level and led the BC Young Riders Team to a Silver medal in 2002.
Brent continues to compete at both the Hunter and Grand Prix levels and, with Laura, runs a successful training facility with over 50 horses and students excelling across North America.
Laura-Jane Tidball
LJ began her equestrian journey as a young rider, competing in EC, McClay, Washington, and CET Medal classes both locally and on the East Coast. In 1994, she won the Equine Canada Medal and was a member of the BC Young Riders Team in 1996. By 16, she was competing in the Grand Prix division, and later that year, she competed in Europe, returning in 2001 to compete in Germany.
In 2005, LJ joined Thunderbird Show Stables, where she applies her skills to riding client and sales horses, both at home and at shows. Whether switching from a Hunter to a Grand Prix jumper, LJ seamlessly adapts her style to bring out the best in every horse.
Currently, LJ competes accross all divisions, all the way up to Grand Prix. With her professional, positive approach, LJ is a valuable asset to Thunderbird Training Stables.