Hometown: Arroyo Grande, Calif. Birthday: 6/15/1967 Sport/Disciplines: Combined Driving, Para-Equestrian

Diane Kastama is a lifelong equestrian who started off riding dressage. In 1991, a car crash left her paralyzed from the waist down. Following the accident, Kastama turned to driven dressage and then to combined driving. She started competing with her home bred Appaloosas but later competed a pair of Section D Welsh Cobs, Rupert and George, who she drove single, pair, and tandem.

Kastama competes against able-bodied drivers all over the West Coast and occasionally on the East Coast at the Intermediate and Advanced level. She has also demonstrated her skills at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian in Lexington, Ky.; the Horse Expo in Sacramento, Calif.; the "Night of the Horse" in Del Mar, Calif.; Equine Affair; and various therapeutic horse programs throughout California. Kastama also participated in the closing ceremonies at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. She is always willing to share her skills and knowledge and bring driving to the forefront of equestrian sport. 

Kastama has been very successful in international para driving competition, first competing for the U.S. at the FEI Para Driving World Championship in 2000. She came home with individual silver and team bronze driving a borrowed Welsh Cob stallion at 2002 World Championship in Greven, Germany. At the 2004 World Championship, she placed fifth with a borrowed Welsh Cob in Edinburgh, Scotland. Two years later, Kastama won individual gold driving her own Welsh Cob gelding, Jasper. In 2008, she earned individual bronze and team silver driving Jasper once again. At the 2012 World Championships in Breda, Netherlands, Kastama finished in 14th place individually. In 2014, Kastama and her own Welsh Cob gelding, Rupert, helped secure team bronze in Sandringham, England, finishing in 11th place individually. 

Kastama was the recipient of the Becky Grand Hart Trophy in 2014 as a USEF International Equestrian of Honor.