Many people in the industry know or have heard of AQHA World Champion rider and owner Joanne Garnett of Lincoln, Nebraska. However, many people may not know that the Nebraska native showed mainly in the speed events growing up, and she won her first AQHA World Championship in Youth Pole Bending!
“I have been in this business for so long and there have been so many people who have helped along the way,” says Joanne, who is currently under the guidance of trainers, Brett Clark and Tami McAllister. “I love working with the horses and riding as much as I can. I also love the friendships you develop along the way. My best friends show horses.”
Nowadays, Garnett shows mainly in the all-around western events. The amateur competitor has an impressive lineup this year including her horses, So Much Potential (Louis); A Sudden Illusion (Earl); A Good Order (Lincoln); and ARC Smokin Gun (Jethro). Last year, A Sudden Illusion completed a very successful show season when he won the Markel NSBA Maturity Open Western Pleasure Futurity Limited Final at the Congress with Brett Clark as well as being named the Junior All-Around Winner at the Arizona Sun Circuit last month. So Much Potential, who is a four-time world champion in the trail has earned over 3000 points and nearly $70,000 in Incentive Fund earnings over his illustrious career.
This year, Garnett will be showing Louis in the trail and western riding; Earl in the trail and western pleasure; Lincoln in the three year-old futurities, and Jethro in the Novice Amateur Reining.
“My goals for 2013 are to learn to show Earl in the trail and eventually do the showmanship on him later this year and to get back into the reining a little more,” says Joanne, who loves all her horses’ personalities. “Earl is the most laid back horse I have ever ridden. He just loves everything about life. Even though Louis is the oldest, he sometimes acts like the youngest. He hates loud noises and things above his head which sometimes makes it a challenge to get him around a show grounds, but he always comes through in the show pen.”
Joanne says that her favorite wins are actually ones she has been able to watch as an owner or spectator such as Louis’ first world championship in the Junior Trail with Bruce Vickery, Tami McAllister’s reserve world championship in the Senior Trail, and her husband’s first world championship in the reining on The Great Kid.
As far as her personal wins, she has three that standout above the rest. First was her first-ever reserve world championship in the Amateur Trail on Tuffys Impression.
“I had done most of the work myself so that was so special for me,” Garnett recalls. “My second favorite was my first world championship in the trail on So Much Potential. It was such a struggle when we started as a team, and, after all the hard work, it just meant so much to win that title.”
Her third favorite win is also one of her most memorable stories to date. Bruce Vickery was hauling her horse, So Much Potential, for the AQHA All-Around Junior Horse and they were on their way to the Texas Classic from a show in St Louis.
“We got pulled over for not paying for our gas,” Joanne remembers. “We both thought the other had paid for the gas–that is the one story I always associate with winning the high point title—the night we almost ended up in jail!”
Since Garnett has been involved in the industry for so long, she has many mentors and trainers that have helped her along the way. Joanne first mentions–Leslie Lange.
“We showed together as youth and she was always willing to help and encourage me in all my classes. She taught me so much about the all-around classes. Even as an amateur, she has continued to help me advance,” Garnett says.
Bruce Vickery—“I owe a great deal to Bruce Vickery in the trail. When he bought me Louis, I knew nothing about riding a horse with all those buttons on them. Through the years, he has taught me so much about riding, trail and most of all patience. I owe my two world championships in the trail to him.”
John Briggs–“I struggled really hard with the western riding. John spent so much time teaching me the class and getting me to finally understand it. I am thankful for him sticking with me, because it was a challenge. Thanks to John, I was reserve world champion in the Amateur Western Riding with Kat Man Shine.”
Tim Kimura–“Tim has taught me so much about the trail also. When I seem to struggle, he can always help me figure out why it is not working.”
Brett Clark–“He has helped me so much in the pleasure and most of all helped me believe in myself and that nothing is impossible.”
Tami McAllister–“She has always been there for me. She has helped me so much on showing with a positive attitude and the importance of always being positive. She has taught me so much over the last year, I can’t thank her enough.”
As illustrated by Joanne’s impressive list of current and past trainers, she believes that, “Nothing is impossible if you work hard and surround yourself with good people. In the horse industry, I have always found that most trainers are willing to help you if you ask. There are truly a lot of good people in the horse industry.”
GoHorseShow wishes Joanne good luck with all her horses this year. Click here to check out her ad in the March issue of GoMag!
Photos © Impulse Photography
