With two World Series rings as a relief pitcher for the San Francisco
Giants, Jeremy Affeldt is no stranger to the winner’s circle. His wife, Larisa is now searching for her own World Championship trophy to add to their trophy case. Due to her husband’s baseball schedule, the Affeldts call three places home; Spokane, San Francisco and Scottsdale. However, Larisa thinks she finally has a little time to pursue one of her lifelong passions–showing horses.
Under the guidance of Cheryl and David Busick, Larisa made her comeback to the show arena this year after a ten year hiatus. At the Novice West Championships in Las Vegas last month, Affeldt was a finalist in the showmanship and horsemanship and placed in the Top 10 in the western pleasure with her horse, Bonanza Sweet Gold.
This summer, Affeldt purchased UF Certainly A Priss from Cecilia Hylton. Coming up on Friday, David Busick will be showing the bay mare in the Junior Western Riding preliminaries at the AQHA World Show in Oklahoma City.
“Priss is a junior horse with so much potential to mature into an amazing all-around horse,” says Larisa, who looks forward to showing her in the amateur all-around events next year. “I am so excited to watch David show her in the Junior Western Riding this year, but even more than that, I am excited to watch her learn the trail and see what she can do in that event too.”
While in youth, Larisa rode and showed horses with Cliff Kelmer of Post Falls, Idaho. She sold her last and favorite youth horse, Critical Element to help get her family through the lean minor league years. Between having babies (3 boys), being a self-proclaimed “professional mover and packer”, and fulfilling the demands of being a baseball wife, Larisa wasn’t sure how she was going to find her way back to horses.
After playing a critical role in helping the Giants win two World Series Championships, her husband’s contract with the San Francisco Giants was up for renegotiation in November, 2012. The family had no idea what the future held.
“In my mind, I had us moving east like to New York or Boston!” states Larisa, who met her husband in high school in Spokane, Washington. “But, we ended up renegotiating another three year deal with the Giants. As soon as I knew we were staying in California, I called Cheryl Busick and told her we needed to start looking for a horse for me!”
That’s when Affeldt purchased Bonanza Sweet Gold and UF Certainly A Priss to get her back into the show arena.
“It had been too long and I was ready to be back,” Larisa says. “I love AQHA, the horses, the organization and the people. When I am at the barn in the saddle or at the shows, it’s my time, something I am doing for me that I love. I love to compete, and I love to challenge myself.”
Larisa continues, “I never really showed the trail growing up so I felt like being so close to David and Cheryl and having the chance to ride with them was such a great way to learn more and challenge myself in a new way. The more time I have spent with them I really feel so blessed to have this opportunity to ride with them. David and Cheryl have an incredible work ethic. They are so honest in everything they do, and also a lot of fun to be with!”
This week Larisa and her husband are celebrating their wedding anniversary in Cayo Espanto, just off the coast of Belize.
“We will be flying back to the states on the twenty-second and we will be heading straight to Oklahoma City to watch the Junior Western Riding finals–hoping to see Priss in the finals,” Larisa states. “But, if not, my husband is on a mission to find someone to talk to about the new Cowboy Mounted Shooting.”
Larisa adds, “I let him watch the event at the Congress this year online, and he is convinced that he will learn to ride and start dominating that event once he retires from baseball,” Larisa says laughing. “I told him next year that if I plan our anniversary trip, we will be spending it in Oklahoma City at the fairgrounds. I am looking forward to 2014!”
We wish Larisa the best of luck with her new horses and we are excited to see her back in the show arena.
CLICK HERE to view her ad in the World Show issue of GoMag.
Photo © Larry Williams
