Home from the Virginia Equine Extravaganza

What an action packed weekend!
Kent, the kids and I arrived in Richmond on Wednesday evening in Richmond for the Extravaganza. It was a long drive but the kids were really great!
Thursday had us helping folks setting up booths. Wade, my oldest is always running around trying to help folks out. He ended up meeting the folks from Golden Venture Farm ... these folks own Maxmillion the buckskin tobiano sporthorse. Man, he's one gorgeous horse. He looks a lot like my good friend Jody Cook's horse Charlie www.doublecstables.com
Templeton and Sam pulled up later on Thursday evening in their new "Angel Rig" thanks to their sponsors American Spirit Trailers and Suncoast Bedding. It was raining and yucky, but we were all praising the Lord for the rain. We got Jane settled in the barn and hooked up with old friends. It's like a family reunion after doing this magazine for 8 years. It's always a hug fest.
I got to spend some time talking to Ken McNabb who'll be competing at Road to the Horse. Ken is good people y'all. Much as I love Chris, it'd be hard not to cheer loud for Ken cause he's just a doll. I usually don't feature folks from outside the South but I am making an exception for Ken. Make sure you come to RTTH in March and see him too.
Scott Purdum who competed in the N.C. Trainer Challenge is a sweetheart and has so much talent it is really amazing to watch him both ride and interact with the crowd. He's a young guy and his star will rise quickly. He's a total Rockstar. You'll learn more about Scott in an upcoming issue too.
Got to meet Scott Holmes with Absolute Innovations ... that's Kiser TR3 rake. Scott is a great guy and is blessed with a beautiful singing voice. He sang "how great Thou art" at Cowboy Church on Sunday morning, with no music. It was outstanding. He spent 10 years in ministry before hooking up with his partner and doing the Arena Specialist thing. Get to know this company and the folks behind it, you'll not regret it.
Ok I know y'all want to know about the Trainer Challenge --
Ed Dabney won the VA Trainer Challenge with his paint sport horse from VA Sport Horses. He competed against Bob Jefferies and Kenny Harlow. Let me say right now that Bob is awesome and deserves everyone's total respect for not riding his horse. He had the most difficult horse and he made the dicision to not push him and I think he taught the crowd a valuable lesson by not riding. He told me in his booth that pushing his colt would have been wrong. He knew it would cause unfixable damage because his horse was really fearful.
Kenny Harlow I didn't get to talk to much but he seems like a really fun loving, great guy. He smiles a lot and I like people that smile a lot. Kenny is entertaining and made the trainer challenge more fun that it might have been to watch. He really amped up the competition between he and Ed Dabney. To the unknowning, Ed seems like a real quiet, reserved guy. He is in a lot of ways ... but the man has a wild streak. (Don't all cowboys?)
I missed the second day, I am sorry bout that. I tried to blog in Richmond but kept loosing internet connection.
The first day Bob, Kenny and Ed just went to work. Desensitization, gaining respect, introducing saddles, slickers, obstacles etc. They all did a good job. Kenny and Ed's final scores were one , only 1 point apart.
The difference that I saw is that Ed has a quiet confidence and he doesn't pay much attention to the crowd or the other competitors. He just does his job. I know Ed well and he can be funny, he can talk for a while about what he thinks etc. But during both the VA and NC competitions he just stays focused. Even when asked to comment, he doesn't say a lot. Except for a little arena race with Kenny ... Ed just stuck to the task at hand.
Kenny got a lot accomplished with his horse. He did every obstacle, all the while smiling and making the crowd laugh. I like Kenny. His horse was just a little, not much at all, but a very little less trusting in him as a leader as Ed's horse was.
It was close. I still give Bob major kudos for his decisions during this competition.
I told him I thought he was a rockstar and Suzanne Shephard, his partner .. said "great, now we won't be able to get his head in the truck!". Great people!

Til next time

Tess