Page 22 - Appaloosas Now October/November 2020

OWNER SUBMISSIONS UNDERCOVER
At the ABRA
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I’ve been competitively showing Appaloosa horses for close to 30 years. Growing up, I was one that required my horse to have the true Appaloosa coloring. That was until I was 14 and got my first solid Appaloosa and real- ized it wasn’t so bad to have an appy in disguise.
Fast forward numerous years. Mom and dad had high hopes for the foal by LB All The Rage (ApHC) and out of Iced Scotch (ApHC). They were hoping for a colored filly. Well we all know what happens when you want one thing, you typically get the exact opposite. Low and be- hold that cross gave them a completely solid, dun, stud colt (No Scotch Needed, ApHC & ABRA). I don’t think he was dried off before I got a photo of him with the caption “Here’s your next show horse.” I was so excited because I knew I would be able to show in more than just Appaloosa shows and be able to prove that Appaloo- sa’s can compete with other breeds.
I took it slow with him and didn’t even start him until 2019 as a 3yr old. I’m the only one that has ridden him and being a Non-Pro I felt like I had a lot to prove with him. We competed in a couple of ApHC shows in 2019 but the week of Thanksgiving he had an impaction and we were just hoping for no surgery.
We were able to make it through that without surgery, but he did lose a lot of muscle and weight through the process. I didn’t pick up riding him again until Febru- ary of 2020. In March, we had a fluke accident where he stumbled and went all the way down on his side. Unfor- tunately, my leg was still underneath him and I ended up fracturing my fibula. With COVID-19 and a broken leg, my goals of showing at the ABRA World Show was slowly falling out of sight. I was cleared end of May to start riding again. I had less than 2 months to get my gelding ready.
I was able to focus him and myself in and we rocked the next 6 weeks at home and showed up ready for the 2020 ABRA World Show in Tulsa, OK. We ended up coming out of that show with a Reserve World Champion Green Ranch Trail, 8th Green Ranch Rail Pleasure and an 8th in Amateur Ranch Conformation.
I was able to prove that my full blood registered Appa- loosa was able to compete with all the breeds represent- ed at ABRA World Show. It’s been a year and a ride with this gelding but it’s a ride I’m happy I get to have. ~
22 Appaloosas Now - October/November