Thorsten was born and raised in Haan, Germany. His father was always involved in horses and brought Thorsten into the sport at age 7. At the age of 8 he drove his first Combined Driving Event with a single pony. From that moment he was hooked on the driving sport and moved quickly up the levels with a single horse. At the age of 16 Thorsten started training with World Champion driver Michael Freund. At the time he was still in school and it wouldn’t be until after he finished his schooling that he would begin working for Mr. Freund full time. At the age of 21 he made a life changing decision to leave his learned profession of a butcher to become the Stable Manager and Assistant Trainer for Mr. Freund. Thorsten and Michael worked together for 11 years, until 2010 when Thorsten decided to start his own training business in Viernheim, Germany. Thorsten and Michael are still very close, getting together often to share training ideas. 

Thorsten’s passion is driving horses. Nothing would stop him from pursuing his driving career, even if that meant having to drive whatever horse was available. But with persistence, and of course the mentorship from Michael Freund, Thorsten quickly learned the skills necessary to bring horses to the international level. After conquering the single horse competition by becoming World Champion in 2010, he decided it was time to train and compete a pair of horses and was again very successful. Thorsten then went on to sell his experienced driving pair in 2014 so he could fully commit to his next endeavor of immigrating to the USA and being the United States Equestrian Federation Combined Driving Coach. The position as head coach involved coaching the developing and high performance US drivers, teaching private clients and clinics throughout the country, and of course coaching at international shows and preparing a team to compete at World Championships. Thorsten has coached drivers to over 12 national championship titles in 3 different countries. Thorsten now runs his business Zarembowicz Sport Horses with his wife Allison who trains and competes young horses in the ridden dressage sport. Zarembowicz Sport Horses is based year round at their farm near Ocala, Florida.

Accomplishments:

2004: 5th place German National Pair Horse Championship

2005: Reserve German National Single Horse Championship

2006: Bronze Team Medal Single Horse World Championship

2008: German National Single Horse Champion

2008: 8th place Single Horse World Championship

2010: Team and Individual Gold at Single Horse World Championship

2011: Reserve German National Single Horse Champion

2012: 1st place at the International driving competition in Lahden

2012: Reserve German National Pair Horse Championship

2013: 4th place German National Championship

2013: 1st place CAIO Riesenbeck

2013: Silver Team and 8th Individual World Championships Pair Horses

2014: Beginning of season sold experienced horses, new start. 

2015: Developing Driver Coach Team USA

2016: United States Equestrian Federation Combined Driving Coach

2019: Devon Horse Show Coaching Division Champion

Allison Zarembowicz

Allison Zarembowicz was raised near Payson, Utah. Her family wasn’t “into horses,” but at age 8 her parents agreed that if she could fund it, she could have a pony. The family dog had puppies, and after 7 puppies were sold for $100 each, she was able to purchase a green broke Arabian gelding that later took her to her C-1 United States Pony Club rating.

At age 12, Allison needed a better way to fund her horse addiction, so she and her sister each received a loan from the United States Department of Agriculture to support youth in agricultural entrepreneurship. They each started with $4,000 to start their business of training and selling ponies. Over the next three years they were able to purchase, train, and resell over 20 different ponies and horses along with paying back the loan, continuing her education through Pony Club, and funding her personal off the track thoroughbred which she trained to and passed her C-3 rating with, then finishing her time in USPC with the H-B rating. Allison did a variety of things to support her equestrian goals such as galloping thoroughbreds, teaching in the equine therapy program at a residential treatment center, and having pony camps for kids.

At age 18 Allison tried to escape the horse bug and went to Brigham Young University, but quickly realized her real passion was working with horses. She then took a working student position at Knox Farm in Chesterfield, Idaho where she learned more good basics of horsemanship, dressage, jumping, eventing, and combined driving. After 2 years there, she wanted a change that resulted in her working at Escalante Outfitters in the Escalante National Monument in southern Utah as a wrangler with Grant Johnson, where she and Grant would take a string of 6 horses to the slick rock desert back country to deliver essential supplies for wilderness crews. The opportunity then came to be head groom for an international combined driving team in Europe driven by Allison Stroud. She was in Europe for a busy 9 months of international shows, culminating in a season finish with the team competing at the World Equestrian Games in Normany 2014. With the European adventure over, Allison moved to Ocala, Florida where she became an Equine Veterinary Technician and working student for Hidden Acres Dressage.

Allison and Thorsten met at a horse show in 2015, and soon decided to combine forces and start Zarembowicz Sport Horses where they specialize in bringing along highly talented quality young horses for combined driving and dressage sport. Allison feels fortunate to now train her horses exclusively with Anna Marek. Allison and her horse Harjan were part of the USEF Young Dressage Horse Program. Allison has now earned her USDF Bronze medal on Harjan, her KWPN dutch harness horse she started under saddle and trained.