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Back
to the Future.......
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"Back
to the Future" was a movie made several years
ago with Michael J. Fox.
It was a lighthearted sci fi production
about a nutty professor inventing a time machine.
It was fairly entertaining but our purpose
here is not to do movie revues.
Instead the purpose of these columns is to
try to deal with and understand the horse
business.
From
time to time, people ask why and how I got
interested in horses, both as recreation and as a
business. I'm
never quite sure how to answer that.
My family always had horses but for the
most part they were ranch horses.
I got bored with those at an early age and
was far more interested in the horses I saw shown
at the stock show in Denver. When I was in grade school through high school, the Denver
stock show was one of, if not the biggest Quarter
Horse shows in the nation.
The Paint Horse show, as well as the
Appaloosa show was very large, prestigious affairs
as well. It
was a horse lover's paradise to see horses that
one had heard or read about, and to watch
well-known horsemen ride and handle those horses.
I suppose that was my inspiration to have
what I eventually owned and still have.
As
soon as I was old enough to buy my own horses, I
would pursue what I thought were show prospects. I was fascinated with the halter horses of the time but truly
was interested in the reiners as well.
When I was a child, I would have rather
barrel raced than eaten but at the time that fast
became a woman's sport so I kind of drifted away
from that at an early age.
About the time that I graduated from
college, many of the well-known horsemen in
Colorado would encourage me to pursue the halter
horse part of the business.
Halter horses were a big deal at the time I
truly enjoyed it and that's what I did.
About
the time that I graduated from college and was
teaching school, a local rancher sent some
yearlings for me to show.
At that time, it was profitable for both of
us to show those yearlings and sell them.
I was able to make several of his yearlings
successful as halter horses.
And, I might add, many of them went on to
be successful performance horses later in their
life after they were sold to new owners.
I also had from time to time, horses of my
own that I would show and sell fairly well as a
result of the success as halter yearlings.
It
is important to point out that I never lost
awareness of the performance part of the business
and the race business as well.
Three of the best yearlings that I ever
showed were destined for the racetrack.
At this time, one had to be aware of all
aspects of the horse business to be competitive in
any one part of it.
With
that said, I should explain what horse shows were
like at the time.
(1970's and early 80's)
First of all they were horse shows
in the purest sense.
Regardless of the horses you had or
representing, or how you did it, you were as
everyone else in the horse business, striving for
the best horse.
Everyone had more or less the same goal, as
near perfect and versatile Quarter Horse as was
possible. One
big goal of many breeders and owners was to have
their horse attain the title of AQHA Champion.
This honor was (and as far as I know still
is) bestowed on any horse able to win a certain
number of halter points as well as a certain
number of performance points in different events.
That's more of less what we were all
shooting for.
Quarter Horse shows at the time consisted
of halter classes, yearling through aged horses
for stallions, mares, and geldings.
In late summer and fall, often times
weanling classes were offered.
There were various performance classes much
as there are now, split into jr. and sr.
divisions. The age of the horse determined which class they were shown
in. Naturally,
everyone going to a horse show had one or two
parts in which they were particularly interested.
But, many owners/exhibitors would show a
horse in halter and several performance classes.
At many AQHA approved shows an all around
award was given for that show.
It was awarded based on placings in both
halter and performance.
These awards were usually a saddle, a belt
buckle or something horse related item of value.
Approved
shows, whether they were AQHA, APHA, ApHC, or what
ever, were usually held in conjunction with county
fairs, rodeos, various livestock or Ag events or
sometimes they were just held on their own.
And, they were everywhere.
In the 1970's, there were nine AQHA shows
held within less than a hundred miles of where I
live. In
western Kansas, you could go to 13 different AQHA
shows in that many days.
It
should also be noted that horse shows of this era
did not have amateur classes.
This was about the time youth classes came
into being. At
most there would be a few classes, halter and
performance in which youth could compete with
others of their age and competency level.
Many times youth would simply show with
others regardless of age.
The whole focus was on which horse was best
and shown to exhibit that superior conformation
and or ability.
Now, here is the important
part- Quarter
Horse, Paint and Appaloosa shows of the 60's, 70's
and early 80's were large, popular and well
attended events. The classes were large.
It was nothing to have yearling filly
classes of 20 plus.
I can remember aged stallion classes of 12
or more. In
today's horse shows there are sometimes not this
many halter horses total. The people showing the horses were farmers, cowboys,
teachers, students, bankers, lawyers, construction
workers, housewives and people from every other
walk of life.
Everyone had fun and felt comfortable.
Sure, sometimes an exhibitor would get beat
and not feel good about it but you simply tried to
figure out why, tried to fix the problem and tried
to do better at the next show.
By
now the reader might be asking what does this have
to do with the Wiescamp/ Shoemaker horses. This was when these horses reigned supreme.
It was this kind of competition for which
these horses were designed.
They would win at halter, and they would
win at every performance event.
The breeders that our group is based on
were concerned with one thing, better and faster
horses. Regardless of the bloodlines used,
horsemen were concerned with improving the breed
with which they were involved.
I might add that there was a ready market
for horses that were proven and that breeders felt
might improve their programs and the breed as a
whole.
Let's
compare the above to today's horse shows.
In today's competition, each event or
discipline is represented by its own specialized
type of horse.
This is probably due to the high level of
competition in these events.
But, we are a long way from the versatile,
all around horse that the AQHA and related breed
associations made famous and the versatile horses
that provided enjoyment and profit for so many.
In today's horse world, halter horses are
not in the least comparable to reining horses.
Western pleasure horses are nearly a
different breed if not almost a different species.
This specialized competition has caused the
breeder/owner to focus on one thing.
If you cannot compete with the top 10% of a
particular event, you could be considered a
failure or at best a class filler for that part of
competition.
It seems to me that in today's world the
pressure to succeed far outweighs any enjoyment
that might be derived from doing something with
your horse. In
the intense level of competition of today's horse
world, most owners feel that they must compete
with the guidance and direction of a trainer.
I understand that this type of competition
sometimes leads to big money changing hands for a
few of the horses involved but it also leads to an
over supply of horses that trainers deem unfit to
compete in their particular discipline.
The results are that horse show entries are
down, the cost is prohibitive for many horse
owners and there is general chaos within the horse
business.
In
an attempt to rectify the situation, the breed
associations are trying different types of new
competition.
The ranch horse versatility class is one
possible answer.
Well, maybe.
It's ok.
But, they are reinventing the wheel.
Ranch horse competition is nothing more
than a watered down version of a horse show with
halter and the standard performance classes.
They are not the whole answer because the
breed associations must divide their attention to
the situation they have created as well as to the
almost contradictory type of competition that
comes with the ranch horse classes.
Then there are the performance halter
classes. As
I understand it, these classes are open to horses
with a ROM in some performance event.
That's admitting that halter horses are a
breed by themselves and not functional as horses
to ride.
Where
am I going with all of this?
Here's where. Don't fix what's not broken and don't reinvent the wheel.
A
few years ago, one member of our organization with
the help of a few others thought of having the
"Skipper W. Show".
A lot of thought was given as to how to do
this and produce the event.
That part was fairly easy. Just
think of how things worked so well for theses
horses a few years ago and do it that way.
Put the emphasis on the horses and not
people. Make
it a breeder's event.
The result was an instant success.
It has been held 4 times in Colorado and
once in Utah.
Each show was attended by lots of
spectators and for the most part, participation
was strong and enthusiastic.
About the only problem we have encountered
is the extremely high price of fuel, limiting some
possible competitors from coming to show. As far as the show goes, I have heard continued encouragement
and praise from horsemen from around the nation.
Here's
the good news. Once again in 2008 the "show will go on" as they
say. In
order to give a variety of horse owners the
opportunity to see what goes on and to
participate, and to give everyone a chance to
conserve on gas by attending two events in one
trip, we have moved the show to Iowa.
On Friday, September 13, John Finarty is
going to have a production/reduction sale with
guest consignments.
The sale will be held at the fairgrounds in
Osceola, Iowa.
On the next day, the Shoemaker/Skipper W
Bloodlines will have the annual horse show.
With a possible few exceptions in the sale,
all of the horses in the sale and show will be at
least 50% Old Fred bloodlines.
If you are interested in the sale, contact
John. Keep
in touch and watch for information about the show
in the near future.
This should be a fun weekend.
This
is a chance to put your horse in the spotlight and
to promote the family of horses with which we are
all involved.
The Skipper W. show is gaining attention
from horsemen across the country.
The horse that win the Champion of
Champions halter trophy and especially the horse
that wins the All Around trophy will gain instant
recognition from the people who appreciate these
horses. If
anybody reading this knows of someone that might
be interested in the sale or show please tell
them. If
you have questions regarding the sale, contact
John Finarty
(641) 862-4436 or (641) 203-4436.
If you have questions regarding the show,
contact any officer of this organization.
I hope to see everyone in Osceola in
September.
Another
way to sum all of this up is let's go back
and remember when our horses proved they were
superior in every way and prove it one more time
at the Skipper W. show.
Hopefully we can look to the future
when lots of horse lovers learn to enjoy the
horses the way we do.
John
Hayes
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