Most kids’ summer consists of staying home working, going to the beach, having bonfires, hanging out with their friends, and family vacations. While I consider my summer to be just as much fun - I can't say I do the same. My summer traveling started May 26 when I made my way to Oshkosh for a 2 week horse show. From there I came home for 2 days, and then made my way to Midland Michigan to show my Reiner for 5 days. Once again I came home for 2 nights and then went to Madison for yet another horse show. I was there for 5 days and then traveled north to Abrams WI where 2 of my horses live. I stayed there for 5 days to get in some practice before we went to the first major Futurity of the summer, The Tom Powers Futurity in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The total time I spent in Michigan for that haul was about 22 days. We went to Berrien Springs, Ludington, and then to Midland. This trip included 3 different horse shows, with 3 different horses, and 2 different trainers. I then came home and was in Kansasville for about 14 days before I left for the AQHYA World Show and the NSBA World Show in Oklahoma. I was in Oklahoma from August 2-21 (yes I did miss the first week of school). With all of this being said, very rarely was I able to be home hanging out with my friends before they left for college, but it was so worth it.
Now, most people don't really know exactly why I do this, and what I do. Number one, I do this because I absolutely love it, I live for showing horses and competing. I could go on and on about all the reasons I love showing horses. It's something not many people are able to do and I'm lucky enough to spend my whole summer (and parts of the school year) traveling and competing. But there is also a purpose behind all of this. My goal/dream growing up was to become a D1 athlete on an Equestrian Team. To become one, you do the same is if it were any other sport. When it comes to recruiting it is just like any other sport, the various college recruiters will be at the horse shows watching you just as if it were a football, basketball, or baseball player.
So, what exactly do I do? Currently I have three show horses and one retired horse. My retired horse (Zippos Tiger Bar, aka Butch) lives in Beloit. Two of my show horses (Made U Want Me, aka Dudley and Decidedly a Diva, aka Diva) live in Abrams WI in the summer, and Ocala FL in the winter. Lastly, my Reiner (Boogie Knight, aka Wayne Junior) lives in Fremont MI. I show Dudley and Diva in the Western Pleasure, and Wayne Junior in the Reining-- which are two totally different events. In the Western Pleasure I ride around the arena and the class is judged solely on the horse and how they move, it is a slow paced class. Now, that doesn't mean I just sit up in my saddle and do nothing-- it is actually a very difficult class that takes a lot of practice and feel. Reining is the total opposite and very fast paced. For this event you perform a pattern while riding your horse which consists of running fast circles, changing leads, spinning fast, and sliding far (hence my license plates). There are 13 different NRHA patterns, all consisting of the various maneuvers. Learning all of them and understanding the timing of each is the difficult part.
Below are some of my ‘bigger’ accomplishments from this summer:
Tom Powers Futurity
Campion Maturity Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure w/Dudley
Champion Maturity $2,500 Limited Horse Non Pro Western Pleasure w
Dudley
Champion Three Year Old Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure Super Sires
$10,000 w/Diva
-total earnings that show was about $15,000
Michigan Slide In
2x Winner Youth 14-18 w/ Wayne Junior
Liberty
Winner Rookie w/ Wayne Junior
NSBA World Show
Third Place $2,500 Limited Horse/$2,500 Limited Rider Open Western
Pleasure w/ Dudley
WORLD CHAMPION BCF 4-6 year old Limited Non Pro Western
Pleasure w/Dudley
-total earnings that show was about $4,000
Posts
