Chances are that people who choose to spend their spare time showing horses do so because they love two things, animals and competition. It only makes sense that many equine competitors would take their love for the show ring into another arena.
What is an animal that is synonymous with horse life? Think one that has been a cowboy companion for centuries and accompanies many riders across the show grounds. You guessed it, their canine comrades. GoHorseShow spoke with several AQHA competitors about their other other hobby, showing dogs.
The Wacker Family
From childhood through present day, Shannon Wacker of Hutchinson, Minnesota has shown horses and dogs. “I was a horse and dog crazy little girl, so I loved the show life. Growing up, my parents had horses they showed, but they also showed Afghan Hounds. I loved being around the horses, and when I found out there were horse shows, I was dragging my dad to them with my 22 year-old mare, Ginger.”
Once her daughters, Paige and Mara, showed an interest in animals, both the dog and horse show worlds took over Wacker’s life once again. “I took a back seat to showing to help pursue Paige’s passion with showmanship and the all-around events at a national level. Meanwhile, our youngest daughter, Mara, was coming to horse shows with us, but she found more interest in the dogs there,” Wacker recalls.
In order to support both daughters’ dreams, Shannon and her husband, Shawn, purchased a show dog for their younger daughter, Mara. When she turned nine, they bought her a North American Shepherd puppy, Sandy Creek Wanna’be Like Me, aka Tyson.
Today, you can find their oldest daughter, Paige (pictured right) competing in AQHA all-around events with her horse, Javah Mon while Mara enjoys spending weekends competing in Juniors Obedience and Rally with Tyson.
While the dog and horse show environments differ, Wacker says the two worlds share many similarities. “We were recently at the AKC Eukanuba in Orlando, and that was like the Congress of dog shows. There was a lot of energy in the air, lots of glitz and glamour in the conformation rings, plus a lot of similarities in handlers prepping dogs like halter horses.”
Wacker adds, “Watching the junior’s obedience was similar to watching showmanship. Some kids even have instructors who critique their runs. After being a horse person my entire life, I picked up on so many crazy similarities in behaviors of people; it was really fun to sit back and watch.”
One aspect of showing dogs that is not similar to showing horses is the clothes. “No Paula clothing there,” Wacker tells us laughing. “Conservative and professional clothing looks best. In obedience, which is what Mara does, you want your pant leg and shoes to match your dog’s legs and feet and not cause distraction as you want it to look smooth and rhythmic when you move. Confirmation, like what you see on TV at Westminster is different as the women wear flats and skirts.”
So how does a busy family balance their passion with dogs and horses? Shannon Wacker (pictured left with husband, Shawn), says it’s all about keeping things in perspective. “It has been a challenge to balance the dog show weekends with the horse show weekends. We’ve found that once a month for each is a good number.”
Wacker shares that the dogs enjoy spending their weekends off at the horse shows. “Tyson really enjoys coming to the horse shows and just being a dog. He is always on leash, but he really thinks it’s fun.”
Wacker adds, “Last summer, when we pulled into Oklahoma City for the AQHA Youth World Show, he thought we were at a dog show. It was pretty funny to see the look on his face when he realized it wasn’t all about him.”
The Christiansen Family
Much like Shannon Wacker, Sylvia Christiansen got her start in the animal world with a pony. Christiansen, who hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota has been involved with horses for 51 years. “It all started with a pony, and a few years later I was in the show ring,” Sylvia says.
Today, Christiansen shows her mare, Irresistably Famous, on the AQHA, APHA, and PtHA circuits. When she’s not at a horse show, Christiansen follows her other passion, showing Chinese Crested dogs. She shares that there are two types of Cresteds; “There are hairless ones with a mane, tail, and booties. They also have powder puffs that are full coated. I prefer the powder puffs; I like hair. My daughter, Audra, who shows with me and introduced me to the breed, prefers the hairless.”
The Christiansens show their dogs in conformation classes, which she says are similar to halter classes in the horse world. According to Christiansen, the judges are looking for similar traits to those we desire in horses. “A good animal has to have good conformation in order to move well. We want our Cresteds to be like a hunt seat horse. Their movement should be sweepy, with no high stepping.”
However, that is where the similarities end. “The obvious difference is size. Plus, our show dogs cannot have any product in their hair that a judge can feel. Dogs are probably less work, because of their size and how much they eat. Horses require much more training than a conformation dog.”
Flexibility and versatility are hallmarks of those who compete in the horse world. For the Christiansens, they are the traits that make their busy schedules work. “I actually turned our living quarter trailer into our dog show trailer. I can air condition the back of the trailer, so it works pretty well.”
When it’s time for a horse show weekend, the dogs come along. “My dogs love to come to the horse shows. They love staying in the living quarters. When in the show barn, they are safely tucked in their crate with a fan on each of them. I never tie them outside the stall, or let them run loose, because they are not always happy about bigger dogs. Many big dogs look at them as if they are cats to chase or a snack.”
The family has shown extensively on the national level where many of their dogs have earned top honors. Her daughter, Audra has shown well over thirty-five champions since 2011. She was the number one owner/handler in Chinese Cresteds at the Eukanuba Dog Show, and she has also shown at Westminster.
She adds that caring for, raising, and showing animals will always be a top priority for her family. “My husband, Dana, and I have been married for 41 years and he knows animals are my life. They are a passion for me. I love caring for them, and showing them has introduced me to wonderful people that have become lifelong friends. Showing teaches you to win and lose with grace. It’s teamwork, and when you both speak the same language; it’s truly thrilling.”
Tim and Gypsy O’Neal
It seems for most competitors showing horses become the gateway to showing dogs. The same is true for Tim and Gypsy O’Neal of Fort Scott, Kansas. Tim started showing horses for a man named Jackie Childs while he was in high school. From there, he went on to work for industry legends, including Nancy and Bubba Cahill and Sam Wilson. At age 22, O’Neal won an AQHA World Championship in Two-Year-Old Stallions with, Skipa Lindy Streak.
Today, the O’Neals enjoy showing both horses and Miniature Australian Shepherds. “Gypsy decided she would like to raise and show Miniature Australian Shepherds,” O’Neal says. “Gypsy decided she liked doing the grooming, and since I had shown halter horses, I would need to do the showing.”
The two make quite a team wherever they show, a fact proven by their accomplishments. Their dog, Newton’s Matinee Star, won Best of Show at the 2014 Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America’s National Championship Show and Best Opposite at the 2015 National Show.
In 1988, Tim won the Senior Western Riding at the AQHA World Show and the Senior Trail at the Quarter Horse Congress on Handfulla Charm. The family also boasts multiple Congress, Select, and Youth World Championships.
Perhaps the reason for their success rests in the similarities found between dog and halter horse standards. According to O’Neal, “We fit a dog and a horse in much the same way. They have to be groomed, exercised, wormed regularly, fed properly and taught to set up. The Miniature Australian Shepherd sets up on the ground in a free stack, and by hand, similar to the halter horse. The dogs also have to become familiar with setting up on top of a table and allowing a stranger to put their hands all over them.”
He adds, “When breeding, you are looking for similar qualities. We want quality individuals with pretty heads, clean long necks, a good slope to their shoulders and strong bone. In both animals, we want a strong level top line, but with our dogs, we want their backs to be slightly longer than the dog is tall.”
Whether in the halter or conformation ring, grooming is key. Horse competitors may find it interesting that dog show exhibitors manipulate the animal’s appearance to emphasize their best qualities, much like we do for show horses. “We groom our dogs on a table with a variety of products and grooming tools. We fluff their hair with a dryer and lift the hair on their legs to accentuate the size of leg bone. We trim the hair on the ears, head, and underline to give a pleasant but not over groomed appearance.”
Like all who choose to balance multiple animal driven hobbies, the O’Neals make it a point to keep their schedule organized. “Right after the Christmas holidays, we sit down with a pocket calendar and mark the dates of the dog and horse shows we want to target in the coming year,” O’Neal shares. “There have been times we have left a horse show and driven all night in order to make a major dog show.” He goes on to say that doing what they love, with people they have come to consider family, makes it all worthwhile.
Heidi Nelson-PichottaÂ
Heidi Nelson-Pichotta of Menomonie, Wisconsin has a need for speed. Whether she’s showing her Border Collies in the agility ring, or riding her horse through a reining pattern, speed and accuracy are the name of the game. Nelson-Pichotta competes on the NRHA circuit. “My current show horse is Hondo, or Peppy Doc Chic Olena. He is my rock. He helped me rehab through a serious accident.”
Pichotta shares that as she was leaving a horse show, her truck malfunctioned and she became trapped underneath. She was run over by the truck and trailer, sustaining serious injuries. The motivation of getting back in the saddle helped her through a year of therapy.
“I pushed through a lot of pain, but having Hondo really helped my recovery. I did all of the training on him myself, and I finished him when I had no feeling from the waist down. It takes a special horse to handle that and then continue to improve. He has taken care of me. Showing him again for the first time was an incredible feeling.”
Her dogs, Reiner and Riata, accompany Heidi to every show. “The dogs stay in my living quarters. I enjoy running back to the trailer between classes to take a short walk, or to play ball with them. They are such a great stress reliever. It is also wonderful to come back to the trailer at the end of the day and just have them there with you.”
When the dogs aren’t keeping her company at shows, she and Reiner compete in agility. The young Border Collie, known as, Hob Nob Spin to Win, has had his share of challenges.
“Reiner is very talented and is progressing nicely in his training, but he suffers from Idiopathic Epilepsy (IE). IE is a common disease in Border Collies. At this point in time, we are working to control his seizures with medication.”
Despite the challenges, Reiner gives his all when it’s time to compete. Much like preparing for a reining run, Pichotta follows a strict routine to prepare the dog for show time. “When we arrive at a show, I find a spot that will work for my dog and set up my crate and chair. We usually begin with a walk or short run to loosen up and get focused. When it’s time to run, I take my dog out of the crate at least a half hour before my turn. In the warm up area, I work on focus exercises and tricks to ensure he is listening.”
For Heidi, the similarities between dog and horse shows don’t end in the warm-up. “Agility and reining are similar in that you have to be able to think quickly during a run. Reaction time and the ability to recover from mistakes are critical. The amount of memorization needed for agility has helped my reining patterns. I noticed after I began doing agility that memorizing and executing the reining patterns became a lot easier,” she says.
No matter if she’s running on foot through an agility course, or spinning to win in a reining pattern, Nelson-Pichotta believes there are life lessons to be gleaned from every arena.
“Animals teach us to take each day as it is. We aren’t always on, and neither are they, but we go on and make the best of what we have that day. They teach us patience. We can plan out a perfect agenda and time frame for our goals, but life doesn’t operate on an agenda. Neither do our animals. It comes together when it comes together. That is the beauty of it all.”
Who amongst us would argue that the beauty of it all, win or lose, is sharing our lives with four-legged friends. Because horse and dog owners everywhere know that sometimes our best friends are those who never say a word, but faithfully carry us and walk beside us.
