GoHorseShow.com recently caught up with three major players in the horse industry while they were competing at a Cutting Horse Show; Darol Rodrock, Kristen Galyean, and Megan Merrill Miller. All three have dominated GoHorseShow headlines lately and we thought it was time to check back with them to see what they have been up to and check on their plans for the future.
Our senior writer and associate editor, Laura Gilmer lives in Franklin, Tennessee where all three were competing at the Music City Cutting Futurity. Laura stopped by to talk to Darol, Kristen, and Megan before they showed in the 4 Year-Old Non-Pro Futurity.
One of the passions of Galyean, Rodrock, and Miller are showing Cutting Horses. Since all have been top competitors in the AQHA industry, they all love a new challenge. Megan has been involved in the Cutting industry since she was a little girl, but Rodrock and Galyean are relatively new to this industry. Miller has won some major Cutting events throughout her career including her proudest achievement of being recently selected to be inducted into the NCHA Non Pro Hall of Fame in December.
While Rodrock has only been involved with Cutters for the past four years, he has had major success in the Non Pro classes as well as with his horse, Yadacat by High Brow Cat, who scored an amazing 226 to capture the 2009 NCHA Futurity Reserve Championship title with resident Rodrock trainer Michael Cooper aboard.
Galyean has been involved with the Cutting for two short years, yet, she has already started making a name for herself in this show arena as well. This year Kristen won the Limited Non Pro at the Breeder’s Invitational and was Reserve in the Non Pro with her horse, Harley. This duo also won the Limited and the regular Non Pro at the NCHA Derby. Gaylean and her horse, Shady Boonlight, won the 5/6 Year Old Limited Non Pro at the Superstakes last year, and this year, she came back and was Reserve at the Superstakes on the same horse. Galyean who has been married to Wes Galyean for two years in February credits her husband for all her success in the Cutting arena.
Rodrock, Galyean, and Miller all mentioned that they love the adrenaline rush and excitement of being on a cutting horse. “The top pleasure horses are pretty much known when they go into a class,” Rodrock says. “With Cutting, the introduction of the cow into the equation makes it a lot more complicated and the class outcome is never known. You could have the best horse in the class and still lose. You could lose a cow, pick the wrong cattle, or make mental mistakes. That is what makes it fun and challenging. It is like playing poker or gambling, but on a horse. You may still lose money but it is a lot more fun.”
Laura sat down with all three to get the latest scoop of what’s going on in their lives and what their plans are for the future.
Darol Rodrock
If you have never met Darol Rodrock, you are in for a treat. At 66 Years-Old, Darol still acts like he is a young kid in a candy store when he talks about horses and his philosophy about life. Rodrock competed this weekend on several different horses, and he didn’t have much luck this weekend. With the three 4 Year-Olds he showed in the Non Pro, he scored a 0, 190, and 200. This is from a base of 70 and having 5 judges where you drop your high and low scores. Needless to say Rodrock didn’t do too hot ths weekend. “I’m in a rut,” Darol says. “I can ride a horse, but I sure can’t show one lately.” His frustration clearly on his face, but he shrugs it off and laughs. “There are not many people my age that show cutters at the level I do. At my age, there is pretty much only golf left, and I would rather ride a horse as long as I am physically capable of getting up in the saddle.”
Rodrock adds, “Many people have their emotions tied to the results and to the outcome. That is not what’s it all about. It’s about the journey. I can’t control how my competition does, but I can control my attitude and try to do the best I can do. I would encourage anyone my age to go out and get involved with horses…just go trail riding and remain active. Horses are what have kept me young.”
Rodrock has been featured in the GoHorseShow headlines recently by his purchase of the APHA stallion, A Scenic Impulse. A few days ago he drove down to Kentucky to Gumz Farms to finally take a look at the stallion he bought sight unseen.
“I finally got to see him in person,” Rodrock said. “He is just a beautiful horse, and I believe he will be one of the dominant sires in the Paint industry.” When he was asked how much he gave for his newest addition, he smiled and almost spilled the beans, but decided to remain mum on the subject matter. Oh well, the attempt was made to get some juicy details.
This year, A Scenic Impulse, had a great Reichert Celebration where he sired the 2010 Reichert Color Class Champions and the Open 3 Year Old Color Champion which is an unprecedented event in Reichert History.While Rodrock has already sweetened the deal with mare owners that breed to his AQHA stallions, he is also adding A Scenic Impulse to his Rodrock to Riches promotion. The first horse sired by A Scenic Impulse that wins an Open World Championship at the Paint World will receive $25,000, and the breeder of the colt will receive $6250.
Rodrock says he looks forward to the 2011 breeding season, and says that the international marketing he has done abroad will pay off tremendously this coming year. Also look out for Darol Rodrock at the Congress showing in the 3 Year-Old Non Pro. GoHorseShow.com looks forward to reporting more to come from this legendary breeder in our industry.
Kristen Galyean
27 Years-old, Kristen Galyean has already put herself in the record books with her amazing performances on the incomparable Vital Signs Are Good–better known in the industry as Lucy. You definitely know your horse is famous when everyone calls her by her nickname. Galyean has had some extreme highs and lows the past year, and all of them graced the headlines on GoHorseShow.com. The first one being when Kristen sold Lucy to the Moran family after the Congress last year causing major shockwaves throughout the industry. Also, the success of her stallion by Lucy, VS Code Red, as well as the unexpected passing of the great stallion, Invest N Vital Signs, dominated our headlines.
Kristen and her husband Wes Galyean have been married almost two years, and they appear to be the perfect match for each other. “I tend to be more intense,” Kristen says. “So, Wes helps me remain more calm and laid back.”
Galyean, who has the poise of a young Grace Kelly, is unassumingly beautiful, well spoken and holds herself with such grace and composure even when asked difficult questions. When asked what it is like not having Lucy around, she pauses and says, “I miss her a lot.”
As for her Congress plans this year without her? Galyean is going to skip the event all together. “It is going to feel weird not going to the Congress for the first time this year after going since I was 11 years-old,” she said. “We went out on top. We won six of seven classes at the Congress last year. There was nothing else I needed to prove with her. She went to a wonderful family, and I know Charlie and Jason will take wonderful care of her. I just felt it was the best decision for my family at the time, and it was time for me to let go.”
When Invest N Vital Signs (MJ) suddenly passed away on July 14, luckily, Kristen was attending the NCHA Derby and was not home at the time. Kristen says that this was the first time she ever had to experience a death of a beloved horse. “It was really difficult, and an experience I never had to go through before. The autopsy came back inconclusive. The vet tends to believe he either died of a blood clot in his heart or a brain aneurysm. But, he doesn’t know for sure. Having to go through this with MJ, it may have been a blessing in disguise that we sold Lucy because I’m not sure I could handle the day when she passes away.”
When asked about her future plans, she mentioned that she is teaching VS Code Red to change leads but she explains that his training has been inconsistent due to his breeding obligations. Galyean would eventually like to qualify and show him at the AQHA World Show in the Western Riding. She is also excited about a coming 2 Year-Old red roan mare out of Lucy by One Hot Krymsun that she plans to show at the 2 Year-old futurities next year. “I’m really excited about her (Reba). I think she is going to be special, and she has a lot of the same qualities as her mother. I also have a bay roan weanling by Lazy Loper that I will be fooling with the next couple of years.”
We congratulate Kristen on her recent success in the Cutting industry as well as looking forward to seeing more of Lucy’s babies in the ring for years to come.
Megan Merrill Miller
For those who do not know the Merrill Family, Megan’s father, Frank Merrill is a recent past president of AQHA, and they have been involved with showing at AQHA and NCHA events for several years. In 1998, Megan Merrill won the AQHYA World in the Horsemanship showing, Made To Be Good, under the guidance of Carol Metcalf. Over time, Megan became interested in just showing Cutting horses.
GoHorseShow.com reported five weeks ago about the birth of Megan’s daughter, Emery, and we were excited to finally meet the little one in person. At five weeks old, she is still tiny but seems to be the sweetest most precious baby. Megan took off four weeks after the baby, but started riding a few days before she came to the Music City Futurity. “I just felt a little rusty riding after having the baby,” Megan said. “I missed the last two big cutting shows because I was pregnant. I’m glad to be showing again. I’m looking forward to showing my futurity horses in November.”
Earlier this year, Megan won the Tunica Cutting Futurity in the Non Pro on her 4 Year-Old Starlight Scootie. She also won the 2009 Horse of the Year with Itawtathenapuddycat. Mentioned earlier in the article, she also reached one of her lifetime goals of being inducted into the NCHA Non Pro Hall of Fame. She and her husband, cutting horse trainer Matt Miller have their own facility in Poolville, Texas and they look forward to continued success in the Cutting Industry.
Special thanks to all three individuals for taking time from their busy show schedules and we wish them the very best of luck in all of their future endeavors.
Photo credits: Bar H Photography, Kelly Graphics.
