2.) What are some of the highlights and successful moments involving the Arabian horse for you in 2015?
I have been very pleased with the success of our Facebook page “In The Ring With Arabian Trail Horses” which I started as a place for Trail Horse enthusiasts to share their ideas, successes, and experience with people who are interested in learning about the discipline. It has been very valuable for us to communicate with each other about issues which affect us and to help promote trail horses for newcomers. Michael Damianos agreed to assist as an administrator and we have grown our private group in the past year to 461 members.
1.) What are some of the highlights and successful moments in the 2015 show season for you?
The whole year was wonderful– but although winning Regional Championships and Res Championships in Trail and winning 2 Western Dressage Regional Championships was exciting and showing 3 horses at US nationals in 7 classes, winning 6 Top Tens and standing number 11 on my HA Trail Jr Horse was very Satisfying- there were 3 really stellar moments- First was having the high score in the AOTR English final go and the 2nd high score on the Western AOTR final go with my 21 yr old mare, second was standing 8th in the PB Open Trail on her, But one of the really special moments was watching my trainer Sterling Bradley who helped train my PB Futurity horse 3 yrs ago and was bitten by the bug repeat his last year’s Championship win in the HA Trail futurity plus win the Championship in HA JR Horse on KMA Zipped Byan Angel- a horse I bred and chose to send for training! Watching the rebirth of Trail in Region 9 has been a very satisfying experience.
2.) Who has been your biggest influence in the Arabian breed in getting you to where you are today?
In trail my REAL HEROS have been Edie Lehman who helped with KM Aristoson+// years ago and more recently Michael Damianos who has come down to Texas for the past 3 years for me to put on Trail Clinics to help promote Trail to Region 9 riders, Tim Kimura who has worked with me to fine tune my skills with occasional lessons, and of course Sterling Bradley- my trainer- who agreed to step into new territory to help a client and who has become the trainer and coach for a big group very successful of amateur riders. In the other Working Western disciplines Jim Baker was a big help when I showed my reiner, Relentles, to a regional Res Championship years ago, Bill Munson gave me my Cutting horse AM Jaunty, and he and Edie Lehman and Travis Braden were great sources of help with our National competition when we were in a 3 way tie for Top Ten out of 23 horses in our first year of cutting competition.
3.) If someone were to describe you, what would they say about you?
That I work very hard to have myself and my horses ready to do our best in the ring. That my horse are a huge and important part of my life. That I have mentored, encouraged and cajoled friends and acquaintances to show their horses in trail.
4.) Name one show ring quirk you have:
I am very superstitious about my socks when I am showing. I am FIRMLY convinced that wearing anything other than BLUE socks will lead to unmitigated disaster!