Brandon Brant was born in Weatherford, Texas, in the fall of 1982 and raised in Somerset, Pennsylvania, where he discovered his first passion: ice hockey. The sport instilled a strong work ethic, discipline, and competitive drive—qualities that continue to fuel his desire to run faster and slide further in the reining pen.
At age 15, Brandon rode a horse for the first time and found his true calling. He went on to attend the University of Findlay in Northern Ohio, riding under Clark Bradley and Steve Brown, and drawing inspiration from legendary horsemen such as Dale Wilkinson, Mike Flarida, and Bradley himself. Graduating in 2005 with degrees in Equestrian Science and Business Management, Brandon began his professional career under mentors Gabe Hutchins and Jordan Larson, where he developed a patient, horse-first training style rooted in true horsemanship—always respecting each horse’s individuality and building confidence throughout the process. Later in his career, Brandon sought further refinement by riding with Randy Wilson, widely regarded as one of the best in the industry, eager to improve his own balance, communication, and weight distribution to help horses perform with greater clarity, confidence, and longevity.
In 2007, Brandon launched Brant Performance Horses. In 2008, he reconnected with fellow Findlay alum Cathy Calendine, who became his wife and business partner in 2010—marking the beginning of an incredible journey both personally and professionally. Together, they are raising two wonderful children, Brayden and Finley, who are already deeply involved in the family operation. Brayden takes his role in full farm and ground management very seriously, while Finley is following closely in her dad’s footsteps, riding and showing with a growing passion for the sport.
Brant Family
Today, Brandon’s NRHA Lifetime Earnings total $953,300, leaving him just $46,700 shy of achieving his goal of becoming an NRHA Million Dollar Rider. His accomplishments include a Quarter Horse Congress Open Level 4 Futurity Championship, multiple Congress Reining Championships, NRHA Derby Championships, an NRHA Open Futurity Finals Top 5 finish, multiple Level 4 Open Futurity finalist finishes, multiple NRBC and NRHA Derby and Futurity finalist performances, a 4X NARS Futurity Level 4 Championship, a Buckeye Reining Spectacular Level 4 Open Futurity Championship, and numerous other major titles. Looking ahead, one of Brandon’s ultimate goals remains earning an NRHA Level 4 Open Futurity Championship—an achievement he continues to pursue with focus, humility, and determination.
Driven yet grounded, Brandon is always committed to improving his craft. A true horseman at heart, he embraces the challenges that shape him into a better trainer, better horseman, and better person—never losing sight of the belief that true success is earned through patience, quality, hard work, and always putting the horse first.
Major Accomplishments
Current NRHA Life Time Earnings: $953,300
Congress Open Futurity Level 4 Champion
Multiple Congress Championships
NRHA Open Level 4 Top 5
Multiple NRHA FUTURITY Level 4 Finalists
Multiple NRHA Top 20 Professionals
NRBC Level 4 Finalist
NRHA Derby Level 4 Finalist
4X NARS Futurity Level 4 Champion
Buckeye Reining Spectacular Level 4 Open Futurity Champion
Current LTE: $953,300