GoHorseShow asked horse show father turned Reserve World Champion, Kyle Rampey, of Edmond, Oklahoma to share his amazing year of showing and sharing the love of horses with his daughter, wife, son, and father-in-law. It was a special year of three generations winning trophies at the Youth, Select, and Amateur World. Check out his journey and his first year of showing after 13 years of being on the sidelines.
Like a lot of horse show dads, I have only been a spectator and supporter. This year I was determined to quit being a wallflower, a stall picker and horse groom. I intended to begin showing horses with my daughter, Kaylee, who has been crazy about horses since she was a year old. I mean, it’s not every day that dads have the opportunity to compete alongside their daughters and or even their sons for that matter. After thirteen years of watching, I saw the field and I was in it. I was about to embark on a journey into a different World of horses!
Having been married to my wife, Kelley Rampey, for thirteen years you probably could guess that the topic of me showing had been discussed many times. I had been fickle on the idea to say the least and it wasn’t because I don’t like competing. I just hadn’t found the right horse. That is to say, until “he” came to my barn. This quarter horse gelding was truly “One Hot Amigo”!
We had only owned Amigo for a brief time when I watched my 11 year old daughter, Kaylee, show him in the Performance Halter class for her first time, and she ended up winning the Tulsa Holiday Circuit. Shortly, thereafter, I proclaimed to Kelley that I, the horse groom, was going to show Amigo! She was very supportive which was typical of her since I had made this proclamation many times the past. Kaylee on the other hand was not so sure.
“Yeah right Dad!” she said chuckling. “Yep,” I said, “I’m going to win an AQHA World Show trophy this year with you in your rookie year in the Performance Halter class and we can ask your grandpa (John Watts) to try to qualify for Select World too!” She chuckled again and after some taunting agreed that World trophies would be our goal. It seemed like an impossible feat, but, I was determined to give it my best shot.
My father-in-law, John Watts, was a supporter like me and never really showed competitively before, but, he was excited for the opportunity. Springtime came and John was able to qualify at the Spring Show, but I was not as fortunate at the Redbud which for the moment made me the weak link. I didn’t like that feeling and was determined to qualify so I decided to take a horse vacation in early July at the Big A Show, so, I could try and finish qualifying. It was here that I met Anne Prince, Amigo’s former owner, and I could not been so fortunate. My lack of practice was evident so Anne graciously offered some tips for which I am so grateful.
It’s not a common thing, in my experience anyway, to get advice from someone who is competing against you. It would have been so much easier for her to let me “reek green” but she didn’t! Too my fortune, I ended up earning the Reserve Circuit Champion Award and also finished qualifying. To top it off, my six year-old son, Karsen, showed him for the first time and earned Reserve Circuit Champion in Novice!
We had all three qualified so it was time to get serious and get some help from a family friend and accomplished halter trainer, Wayne Halvorson. Wayne began working with Kaylee and Amigo first since Youth World was at the beginning of August; which wasn’t much time. We inched toward our goal after Kaylee and Amigo placed third at Youth World and John also placed third at Select World in the Performance Halter Geldings. Kaylee followed up World nicely by placing third at Congress in both the Performance Halter and Hunter Under Saddle on Amigo.
This is when the number three became her nemesis and mine as I got a feeling that Kaylee now believed that Amigo was destined to be third. This is when the goal of merely receiving three trophies changed for me. I would have to better than third at Open World if I was to change her mind set.
Now it was up to me and I had a big goal so I set out to practice with Amigo and took some lessons from Mike Hall who works with Wayne at Halvorson Ranch. Wayne did a great job getting Amigo fit and seasoned. The time I put in seemed to pay off and I was confident we were finally in sync and ready.
As I made my way into the waiting line up for the Amateur Performance Halter Geldings in Oklahoma City, my nerves became uneasy and Amigo sensed it. He became very excited and starting prancing around in an excited manner which was not like him at all. I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out because I hadn’t had to handle him in that kind of mood before. As we made it to the gate, Amigo settled in quickly and we made our way past the judges and then to the lineup. Amigo had returned to his usual self and showed nicely. He just stood there in attention without any unsettled movements. It was amazing to say the least. I am not a so called horse whisperer but if I was I think I would say that Amigo sensed what was at stake and was telling me to calm down, and not to worry! I am glad I listened. Amigo and I were awarded Reserve World Champions in Amateur Performance Halter Geldings.
I am so blessed that we achieved our goal of three generations winning three AQHA World trophies with the same horse, in the same event, in the same year. And it was bitter sweet that Wayne also earned Reserve World Champion this year as well in the Open Performance Halter Geldings. But most importantly, I am so thankful for the opportunity to demonstrate the importance of faith and family to my children – the biggest trophy of all!
