Youth and Baylor Equestrian Ingrid Lecot shared a special story with us that we thought our readers would enjoy. Before her youth career ended, Lecot found her dream horse, veteran all-arounder, Bright Seeker Bars, that she successfully showed her last year in youth before heading off to college. But, that’s not the end of this heartwarming story. Find out how Alex is reunited with his forever dream home.
In Ingrid Lecot’s Own Words:
After years of leasing horses and showing on the AQHA Show circuit, my parents and I finally made the decision to buy a horse. With the help of my trainer, Kellie Hinely of Trendsetter Performance Horses, we came across Bright Seeker Bars (aka. Alex) at Zanetti Performance Horses. At 18 years old, we knew Alex was very accomplished and my family and I drove up to the Zanetti’s barn in Petaluma and gave him a try. We got along well together and I was especially surprised to see that he was very fit and muscular for his age.
We did a pre-sale vet check and he passed and then the next weekend he was on the trailer headed down the California Coast to my trainer’s barn in Chino Hills. A week after I got him, I went to the 2012 Sun and Surf Show in Del Mar, California and ended up Reserve Novice Youth All Around Champion! After that, we continued to have great success over the 2012- 2013 Show Season.
In June of 2013, I got a friend request and message on Facebook from Heather Lynn Werkema Smith asking if I rode Bright Seeker Bars (Alex). I replied and eventually over several messages, I found out that the Werkema family owned Alex from 1997 to 2005. They sold him to Cindy Beaver-Groverman of Petaluma, California and that was who we bought him from. Turns out that Heather and her two sisters all earned an AQHA Youth Championship on Alex–which is quite impressive!
We shared stories over the summer about Alex, and, eventually, I told her how I was going away to college in September of 2013, and I would need to sell him October. She told me that it was her dream to have Alex back home with her in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
I showed Alex at my last show in Las Vegas, Nevada at the 2013 West Novice Youth Championship Show. We did very well at the show–we were sixth in the performance halter geldings, 12th in the western riding, and 23rd in the horsemanship in some very big Novice Youth classes. It was a great way to end my last show with Alex. It was also the hardest goodbye I have ever had to say seeing him leave to be with his new owner. However, I know he could not be going to a better home.
Alex was delivered to the 2013 AQHA Congress where Heather (pictured left) was reunited with Alex after eight years. Heather will continue to show him at some local shows for a bit, and, then, eventually retire him.
I want to thank everyone who has helped Alex and me along the way including: Kellie Hinley, Deann Hudson, Ashley Merchant, Melissa Zanetti, and finally, my parents. It’s now time for another challenge riding for the equestrian team at Baylor University. I am really excited for what the future holds. Thank you, Alex, for being the best horse I have ever had the opportunity of riding and owning. Now it’s on from the sunny life in Southern California to the hearty winters in Michigan. But life will be good in your new heated stall and inside area. Heather, enjoy!
