To begin, the 2006 Skipper W. show is now history.  For the most part, it went off as planned with no upsets.  (Barring a scary moment or two during the barrel race.)  Participation was down a bit.  That is probably due to the record high fuel prices.  Several events of various kinds suffered a decline in attendance and participation due to the astronomical price of diesel and gasoline.  But, on the up side, I have been told that this was one of the best attended horse shows to be held in Colorado this summer.  That says something positive about what we are doing.   

Plans are being discussed by the officers for next year’s show.  It will be much the same as previous shows.  We are trying to think of ways to improve the format so more people will feel that it is a worthwhile event in which to participate.  If anyone has suggestions or ideas, please let the officers know.   

This leads me to bring up something of a more personal nature.  I want to clarify something.  A few people have referred to the Skipper W. show as “your show” meaning that it is mine, John Hayes’s horse show.  I have never considered it “my show”.  It belongs to everyone that has had even a slight interest in this family of horses.  I just happen to live where it is financially practical and feasible to have the event.  It is much easier to hold this show in an area where someone lives due to the fact that much of the preparation is easier, if not automatic.  Some of the things involved in putting on a show like this are nearly impossible to do by remote control.   

I will write the rest of this column to inform those of you who have not been to the show about how it works, its history and its future. 

A few years ago, Joe Taylor and I went to a “foundation show” to investigate possible marketing opportunities, etc.  The events of the day were amusing in retrospect but that is a topic for the future.  The short version is this.  The “foundation” shows were the new thing at the time.  But, the format and the direction that was taking didn’t quite suit either of us and we felt it wouldn’t suit our horses.  On his way home, Joe called and said “John, we can do better than that.”  And we did.  During the following winter we planned the first Old Fred show.  I might add here that a lot of credit is due Joe for his foresight and inspiration to get this going and off of the ground.  We discussed and debated every angle that we could think of.  We didn’t and don’t always agree, but we had a common goal and the first show was a success beyond our biggest expectations.  The second show the next year was a big show with a lot of support and interest.  The one thing we did lack was organization and we fell victim to some underhanded “politics” (for lack of a better term).  We had to cancel the third year’s show.  After that, for legal and organizational reasons, the Shoemaker-Skipper W. organization participated in the management and a third show was held.  Once again the show enjoyed success as it did again for a fourth time last month.   

From the very beginning, we tried to design and plan this show to be fair and equal for everyone.  A variety of people have given considerable thought to the format of the show to maximize the importance of the horses and show them off to their best.  I have to look back and think we did a fairly good job of planning.  There is nothing that I am aware of that needs a lot of change or adjustment as far as scheduling and classes offered.  An example of what works well and is unique to this show is the division of the halter classes into Quarter Horses and colored breeds.  All of them share the same bloodlines but can be split into the two different categories giving more people a chance to succeed and eliminating any prejudice a judge may have, positive or negative, for certain colors or lack thereof.  Careful consideration was given to the fact that this show is made up of primarily breeders.  The produce of dam and get of sire classes remain popular and exciting.  The all around award is given to reward what this family of horses has excelled at for decades – versatility!  It all seems to work.  There is always room for improvement and everyone concerned is aware of that and open to suggestions.   

One thing that we have done is to combine past and future.    No bloodline or even breed of horse can come close to matching the history and heritage that our horses represent.  The Old Fred horses, especially those from Wiescamps and Shoemakers, have enjoyed a distinctive and unique look for nearly a century.  I think an unspoken and unwritten purpose of this show is to exhibit this look to other breeders and exhibitors and spectators.  To have horses with “the look” has been an objective of some for decades.  Another way that we honor the past and blend it with the present is to try to hire judges that will recognize and emphasize horses with Old Fred characteristics.  I think as a group of breeders of these horses, this should make all sorts of sense.  That’s why we raise them and the Skipper W. show is a way to measure our success within our own part of the business. 

Although we honor and respect the past and try to preserve the desirable parts, we as a group of exhibitors at the Skipper W. show are all pretty much aware that it is important to have horses that can compete in today’s competition against all horses regardless of breeding and event.  Many of the horses at the Skipper W. show are seasoned show horses and have spent several show seasons competing.  Other owners come to the show to start young horses or simply make the show the one big horse event for the summer.  But it all meshes and works well. 

As for the future, there have been a few suggestions given and several ideas being considered for shows to come.  We will perhaps rework the futurity to make it more lucrative financially, consider a way to exhibit older breeding stallions, and think of various activities that would compliment the show as it is.  I personally think that we shouldn’t “fix what’s not broken”, but expand and change only in a prudent and careful manner. Again, I would encourage any reader that has suggestions or ideas to contact any of the officers of this group.  That is how things happen.  And, what needs to happen is to make this one of the quality horse events of the year.   

John Hayes