At the time, Select Amateur Rick Adkins of Laurel, Nebraska had no idea that the last ride on his favorite mount, Classic Deesire (Harley) would be at last year’s Congress. Though, Harley seemed to know different. Adkins and Classic Deesire went out on top in their last ride together and won the Select Amateur Trail with an unbelievable ride and score that was seven and a half points ahead of second place.
“I never rode him again after that ride,” Adkins told GoHorseShow. “We were about fifth to go out of around 80 and I thought someone would eventually overtake our score but they never did. Harley seemed to have a sixth sense that I would never ride him again and he was phenomenal. Over the years, he had been struggling with laminitis in his right front foot. We would rest him and then just show him at the majors shows, but unfortunately last week it got worse and we had to euthanize him.”
The 15 year-old bay gelding by Dee Invitation and out of Snips Classic Imp was bred by past AQHA President Jim Shoemake of St. Louis, Missouri. His past owners included Shoemake, Andrea Shaw, Whitney Walquist, and Rick Adkins. Classic Deesire amassed nearly 1700 points in several different events but he was known mainly for the trail with almost 1,000 points in that event alone.
Former owner, Andrea Shaw of Howland Center, Ohio says that she purchased Harley from Jim Shoemake in 2002 after seeing him show at the Congress in the two year-old western pleasure. David Dellin and Harley placed third in the class.
“We finally talked Jim Shoemake into selling him to me after I agreed to geld him,” Shaw remembers (pictured right with Harley). “He didn’t want any competition for his stallion, Dee Invitation who sired Harley. He was gorgeous and already really broke for a two year-old. I was so excited to be able to buy him. My trainer David Busick was responsible for making him the ultimate trail horse he became and excelled at over the years. He was so easy to add events to because he was great minded and big hearted.”
In 2008, Shaw who is a longtime friend of Bruce Walquist, sent Harley to his place to be sold. Bruce’s daughter, Whitney Walquist Vicars, showed him before Adkins bought him at the 2008 Congress. “Harley was a special horse. He was the greatest trail horse I’ve ever had the privilege of swinging my leg over. He taught me trail,” Vicars reveals. “I had never done any trail until I got Harley my very first year of Amateur. I showed him in pleasure, trail, and horsemanship for about eight months before selling him. Although we didn’t have a lot of time together, he taught me a lot. He carried me to the third place finish in Amateur Trail at the Congress.” (Andrea Shaw’s son pictured left with Harley)
“One of my other favorite memories of Harley was with my dad, Bruce Walquist at the 2008 World Show. They had a flawless go in the Senior Trail prelims and won them with the incredible high score of 238.5,” Vicars recalls. “Unfortunately, they had a few bobbles in the finals and did not finish on top but when Harley was in his trail zone he was very hard to beat. I was so excited for Rick and Harley when they were named the Select World Champions in Trail. They both got their moment in the sun that was so well deserved.”
Vicars adds, “He had a very kind and happy-go-lucky personality. Except when doing showmanship, his least favorite class by far,” Whitney remembers and laughs. “I actually gave up on that event with Harley, but not Rick. After he bought him, he and his trainer John Konecne worked and worked on the showmanship and they finally conquered it and Harley became a showmanship horse. Rest in peace Harley and may your pastures be forever green!”
Adkins’ trainer John Konecne of Greenfield, Iowa says that Rick and Harley had a special relationship. “They had a very trusting relationship,” Konecne recalls. “Rick would always leave his stall door open at the shows but Harley would never go anywhere. He also took care of Rick in the trail classes. Rick had a little trouble remembering the patterns and went off pattern a few times at the big shows but he finally remembered the pattern and they won the Select Amateur World Championship in the trail in 2012.”
Harley also won the High Point in the nation award in the Amateur and Select Amateur Trail in 2013. “They were a great team and I was so happy when they won these awards because they deserved it,” Konecne remembers. “Harley was a horse trainer’s dream. He had so much expression and always had his ears forward. He would look up in the stands like he wasn’t paying attention but we eventually got used to it. He was so talented, and he always made us look good.”
Adkins adds, “He couldn’t read a pattern but he always seems to know where to go and what to do. He was always willing and had a charming personality. He had great cadence and I would just point him in the right direction and he would always figure out what he was supposed to do. He was irreplaceable and there will never be another horse like Harley.”
