It does not seem like a year has already gone by and it is yet again time for the Youth World Championships in Oklahoma City. Although I will not be making the trip to OKC to compete this year since I am now an amateur, I find myself still reminiscing on the memories I made there last year.
What a year 2009 was for me! I finished out my final year as a youth with a big bang, hauling all over the country with my all-around gelding, Bearly Zippin. After much preparation, I was Youth World bound with my trainer, Andrew Augsburger.
I felt very confident and relaxed going into this show because deep inside I knew I had done all that I possibly could to prepare. I showed in several events, starting on the first day and ending on the last of the championships. All my hard work ultimately paid off, when I came home with a white ribbon for a Fourth place finish at the 2009 Youth World.
My show career had taken its ultimate peak and I could not have been more ecstatic. With a top five finish, we proudly packed up the trailer and began heading for our next show in Tulsa, the Reichert Celebration.
The drive from Oklahoma City to Tulsa was filled with astonishment and much exhilaration from our recent win. I cannot emphasize enough how truly excited and thrilled I was with the final outcome at my last Youth World. I was so proud and grateful to own such an amazing horse. I honestly thought NOTHING could bring me down at this point; However, I was soon proven wrong….
Topping a bridge before reaching the fairgrounds in Tulsa, we found ourselves hitting dead stopped traffic. Bear was the only horse on our six-horse trailer that was forced to come to a screeching halt. At the time, we just felt blessed to have been able to stop the trailer. As we pulled into the complex in Tulsa, we felt lucky to have made it there safely. However, moments later it was soon determined otherwise.
Reaching into the manger to begin unloading Bear’s buckets, I kept hearing a bang against the side of the trailer. With a great feeling of uncertainty, I ran to open the back door. It was then, that I found Bear lying down still tied and severely wounded. I think my heart stopped at this moment. I went from the ultimate highest point to the lowest point of my life in a matter of only seconds.
Stunned and in complete shock, I dropped to my knees crying with no assurance of what to do. Thankfully, it was at this point Andrew and Lori ran over to help, but were also in shock.
I learned a lot about people in the horse industry on this day. Countless numbers of people came running to our trailer to help us in this scary and unfortunate predicament. It really goes to show just how close everyone in the horse industry is and just how far they will go to support one another.
After nearly an hour had passed and the trailer was taken apart, they were able to finally get Bear up. He slowly was taken off the trailer and put on stall rest for a few days, until further evaluation by the vet.
Three days later, the vet told us to stick him on the lunge line to just see where we stood. Much to even his surprise, Bear went around entirely sound despite his various wounds and inflammation. He proceeded to tell me that I had one very tough horse and I was a very lucky girl!
The vet had original thought it would be nearly a month before I would be able to show again, and that was IF I would be able to then. However, Bear and I ended up showing at the Reichert only days after his accident. He may be a big horse, but he also has a great big heart to go along with it.
It was only a few short months later that together we went on to win the coveted title of Congress Champions. I was so overwhelmed with emotions at that moment because I thought about just how much this horse means to me and what we had to overcome to reach this point. At any given moment anything can happen, it is just part of the life we live in. We are then forced to cope with these situations, persevere, and move forward in life. Everything happens for a reason and although his accident was scary and tragic, together we both came out stronger in the end.
Looking back on that year, I find myself constantly referring back to a quote by Robert Kiyosaki…
“The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire, the size of your dream, and how you handle disappointment along the way.”
As I prepare to make another trip to Tulsa to compete at the Reichert this year, I will recall the events of last year and be so grateful for a strong horse and all of the caring, helpful, and supportive people who assisted me during this unfortunate time. Although I was forced to face disappointment on the path towards success, it is just part of the process. I can personally say that it ultimately made me stronger in the end and made all winnings thereafter, that much more bittersweet.
Lastly, I would like to wish all of my friends competing at the 2010 Ford Youth World this year, Good Luck!!!
