“That day I learned that everything is
unpredictable, and no matter how safe you try to be, some things are out of your
control,” Kaleena Weakly told GoHorseShow.com.
Exactly one year
ago, Weakly survived a trailer wreck when her Sooner trailer fishtailed on the
wet pavement, jack knifed the driver’s side of the truck, flipped the truck,
put the trailer on its side, and then finally slid into a muddy cornfield
facing the opposite direction. Her beloved horse, A Timely Promotion, better known as “Peaches” fortunately survived
the wreck with only a few cuts on his face that needed to be stitched.
Peaches
and Weakly were the 2007 AQHA Amateur All Around winners and were awarded the Sooner Trailer for their year-long efforts. That same year, this duo was Reserve
Amateur World Champion in the Showmanship at the AQHA World Show. At the time of the wreck, Peaches
had already gone blind from cataracts, and the accident caused a large amount
of scar tissue in his eyes which irritated his condition even more.
When asked what
Weakly remembers about the wreck, she said that her horse’s welfare was the
foremost in her mind. “I remember how worried I was about Peaches making it out
alive…and without severe injuries, because after I got out of my truck and
looked at the trailer, I didn’t think there was anyway!”
Physically,
somehow, Kaleena survived the crash unscathed. Mentally, though, Weakly
exhibits extreme anxiety and flashbacks when she has to haul horses. She tries
to avoid it at all costs. Weakly gave Peaches considerable time off after the
accident, and she is happy to report that he is home with her full time now and
doing better than ever.
Weakly decided to
retire Peaches due to one of her futurity horses showing great promise in the all around
events. Hours Yours And Mine is a
2006 sorrel mare by The Radical Hour.
“It was time to give her a shot at the all around, Weakly said. “Peaches
doesn’t really know he’s semi-retired because I have tried to keep him in
condition in case I want to show him again.”
Peaches has
undoubtedly earned his keep. This 2001 bay gelding has accumulated several
superiors, high point titles, and over 950 points in his show career. Weakly
misses taking him to the shows. “He was my partner for the last seven
years–the longest I’ve had any horse. That’s all he knew and he loved it. I
had shown him full time since he was a two year-old. He has given me so much,
and he has a home for life,” Weakly said. “But, on the flip side, it’s really
nice showing my mare with full vision!”
Since the wreck,
Kaleena has been working hard to build up her graphic design business, Katz
Graphics, which she says has grown leaps and bounds.
As far as horses go, she has been having fun
showing her two four-year olds. Kaleena’s other mount is Sweet Movin Hotrod. She has
been showing the 2006 Red Roan gelding by Hotroddin Zippo in the Amateur Pleasure and Non-Pro Maturities.
After winning major 3-Year-Old titles at the Reichert and Congress last year, this team is currently leading the nation in AQHA Amateur Western Pleasure.
“They are both very special and talented young horses,” Kaleena remarks. “I am
excited for their future!”
