From Babe Woods of Woods’ Western:
Little did we know in 1985 that this was the beginning of a now 30 year trek for Woods’ Western to the AQHA World Show. The first year, I was proud of our 10’x10′ booth, that was second row from the back of the building. By the end of that show, we knew we had to be further up than the trailers and needed more space.
The next year, we moved our booth space to a 10’x20′ and, then, finally, the rest of that block 20’x20′. That worked well until we took over Kathy’s Show Equipment and combined that with our chaps, show clothing and saddle blankets in a 10’x80′ booth right at the main door. This has been our booth for many years, having a great vantage point to experience the changes of the show.
Before we all had websites, live streaming, the Select and even Novice, spectators/exhibitors came to watch and dream. There would be people waiting at the doors, while still locked up, just waiting to come see all the new show apparel and products all the vendors brought to the show. Even the final week brought the owners to the World Show to see what their horse and trainer were going to do, everyone had a shot.
Much has changed over the years from then to now. Several shows have split off and stand alone from the World Show, but this is still the AQHA World Show. We still have many of the same customers, and, more importantly, we still have the same wonderful bond of friendship among them. The show still has some of the same vendors as then, but now, their kids are running it. I knew we should have had kids!
One year several vendors got together for a night at the go cart track in town for fun. It turned into a bit of a competition. So, the Woods’ Western team – all three or four of us – showed up that year at the track with goggles, long red neck scarves, gloves and an attitude to win. Well, unknown to me, sometime that year, they installed a big mirror at the underpass where you used to be able to tag another cart and spin it backwards. As I was getting kicked off the track, I was trying to explain why the other go cart got turned around the other way in the tunnel. He just said obviously you didn’t notice the big mirror that allows us to see what happens when someone tags another in the right area of the car to spin them. Well, that just took a lot of the fun out of those little cars!
We are grateful for these years of friendship and business, for wonderful friends we have lost, and new friends we haven’t even met yet.
Little did I know that when Dan told me he would show me the world, it would be the Quarter Horse World, Paint World, Appaloosa World and Pinto World, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Looking forward to seeing you all at ‘The World’
Babe and Dan Woods
