This may come as a surprise to some, but many of the judges in our industry have other occupations besides judging horses. Some of their jobs are completely unrelated to horses while others overlap and complement each other. There are some very talented individuals in our industry, and it is not surprising that they are well rounded and at the top of their game in their other profession. Some judges we talked to have diverse occupations including: real estate agents, artists, an announcer, entertainment related fields, a holistic pet food store owner, a funeral director, college equestrian coaches, and a journalist. Let’s find out more about some of the people usually seen, but not heard, in the middle of the arena.
Lisa Krohn – (pictured left) When the time came for me to leave the horse training business in 1996 after 17 years, my family suggested that I move back to Minnesota to be closer to some of my siblings. My brother, who had lobbied for and succeeded in saving three historic theaters in Minneapolis and was managing them for the City of Minneapolis, was also booking concerts, comedians and other various live shows into the theaters, and needed help marketing them. So, with no prior training in marketing (Biology was my major in college), I started working for my brother who taught me the ins and outs of media buying and promotions, and I am now the Director of Marketing for Hennepin Theatre Trust, an independent nonprofit. We added a Broadway series 12 years ago which fills an additional 18-23 weeks to our theater’s calendars each year. It’s been a wonderful second career and my favorite part has always been working alongside my brother. (fun side note is that Lisa is also the aunt of famous skiier Lindsey Vonn)
A few of the more humorous things that have happened relate to the artists who have come through our theaters. They often have crazy demands for backstage catering, liquor and protocol that defy moderation or common sense. Believe it or not, a small number insist that people who meet them in the hallways and corridors should avoid making eye contact. Would it be so awful to exchange a friendly hello with a stagehand who idolizes you? And the amount of food and beverages that some artists require could feed a small army. They feel entitled to include it in their contracts, probably because they know the presenters are obligated to comply. One very successful pop star, now past his prime, left behind in his dressing room a pair of pants with a generously padded butt. And I was once sent on a mission to buy spray-on hair dye for a comedian who had a bald spot, and had forgotten to bring his along.
Since my job is to support my team, sell tickets to the shows and reach sales goals, it can often be stressful, but seeing the smiles on the faces of our patrons coming to see the shows makes it all worthwhile. Thankfully, since I’ve been there so long, I never have any trouble getting time off to judge, so I’m able to fit that in with ease. I tell myself often how lucky I am to have moved on from training horses, yet, still stay connected to the true passion in my life, which is horses, and specifically the American Quarter Horse. I have so many great friends that I would never want to lose track of, and with judging, I can stay involved and continue to give back to the organization that has brought such joy to my life.
Laura Gilmer – (pictured middle) I think I have one of the best jobs in the industry. I have been the Senior Writer and Associate Editor for GoHorseShow since 2010, and I also hold several judges cards including AQHA, NRHA, NSBA, and APHA. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to stay involved in an industry that I grew up in while at the same time using my master’s degree in journalism to help promote and discuss issues and topics in the horse world. Both of my jobs overlap and complement each other. The opportunity to travel to write and also to judge has sent me to amazing places and venues all over the world. My favorite articles to write are about underdogs and people and horses in the industry who have overcome challenges. It is extremely satisfying to be able to introduce our readers to these people’s and horses’ stories. I am blessed to be able to combine my love of horses with my writing and judging.
Dean Ross – Some 25 to 30 years ago, I trained and showed horses full time, hauled down the road, and at times had up to 40 in training, along with my family and usually one or two associates. It was a very high time of my career. Long days, hard work, the successes were celebrated and the losses were mourned. In the busiest of times, raising a young family, I began to wonder how I would support my family if I was injured. It really seems like the next thing I knew in my late 20’s embarking on the addition of a career in funeral service.
The most common question, what made me choose funeral service? It chose me is my only answer. I started out working for a great family that allowed me to learn about serving families and also operate my horse business. I knew in my heart that I had something to offer both careers. Over time, I cut back on the training and showing to concentrate on the families that I had the privilege to serve. The years have flown by, now in my 50’s, I spend all my time either judging horse shows and operating my funeral business. I get the most interesting looks sometimes when people learn about my other profession. I take it in stride. I’m very proud of my service to my communities. I’m also very proud of my horse family. It has intertwined my personal and professional lives very well.
There are days when I just need to escape and look into the eye of my horse and let their spirit re-energize me. On the other side. the families that I serve are always interested in hearing about my horse travels. I live in a very rural community, and we all support each other. It’s all apart of our lives. Oh and yes, I have a great sense of humor. I’ve heard all the funeral jokes, most two times over. I was destined in life for two things: the love of the horse and the respect and fortitude to serve families in a very dark time. I wouldn’t change a thing!
Bill Kaven – When I graduated from college I never expected to use my education to ever secure a job. I knew what I wanted to do, become a professional horse trainer. However after spending over two decades as a trainer, I found myself doing exactly what I thought I would never do, look for a new career path and one that required an education. In 2009, I was fortunate to find a job teaching Equine Science classes and coaching the North Central Texas College’s Equestrian teams in Gainesville, Texas. The transition from being self-employed to now having a boss was realistically the easy part of my career change.
The difficult part was two-fold, first, teaching is not just teaching. I soon found out there was a significant amount of administrative paperwork outside the classroom that you must also contend with, this was something I had not considered and with the help of my colleagues, I have a better grasp of now.
Second, was the notion that I would have to reprove my horse training capabilities to a bunch of students fresh out of high school. I was utterly shocked the first time I requested a student to work with their horse in a particular manner, and they would politely watch and appear to be listening, but when I said, “I would like to see you try what I just discussed”, they would refuse because, “that will not work on my horse.” I had to do some serious reflection about how to best handle this situation. I was use to clients and clinic participants hanging on every word I had to share as if my words were droplets of intellectual water that were required to nourish their horsemanship growth.
I decided to turn to a person I admire greatly and was one of my former college instructors, Carla Wennberg. Her advice to me was simple, “If you are in a class teaching and if one, only one, student is listening and trying to apply what you have taught, then, don’t let the actions of the others frustrate you and inhibit you from giving that one person the best you have to offer.” I can honestly say that since I have applied that advice; my new career has taken a turn for the better because I am now more relaxed and no longer get frustrated over the students not listening.
I thoroughly enjoy working with the next generation of horseman. Their energy is infectious and I hope I have enriched their lives as much as they have mine.
Clark Scoggin – I hold judges cards with AQHA, APHA and PHBA. I have also worked as a Conservationist with USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service for many years while juggling a successful announcing career which includes: AQHA Youth, AQHA Select, and Open/Amateur World Championship Shows along with APHA World, All American Quarter Horse Congress and numerous other shows throughout the year. (Photo © Emily Jo Starkey Peak)
At times it can be very challenging and hectic, finishing up late in the day at a show and driving or flying all night to get back to work on Monday morning. There’s nothing like staying busy. I have been on the go so long, I don’t know anything else. A few years back I judged the APHA European Championship show in Germany, the announcer had never seen the Team Penning and didn’t know how to announce the class. I volunteered to sit with him and tell him what to say. I would say everything in English and he would immediately repeat it in German. It was quite the fiasco, by the end of the class, I was totally confused and had no idea who had won and I’m not sure he did either.
I have had the honor to work with so many great announcers such as my great friend and mentor Louis Amedee along with the great Keith Bradley. I also have had the opportunity to work with many legendary horseman and judges through the years. It’s always fun when you show up the morning the show starts and the other judges ask, “Well, are you judging or announcing today?” Although I stay very busy, it is a wonderful experience to travel and visit with friends all over the world.
Cindy Rucker – To keep my story brief, my husband Scot and I own three retail stores. We call them all Rucker Pet. We sell all natural and holistic diets for pets. Think of it as a Whole Foods store for pets. We enjoy great success and continued sales growth at all three stores. In 2015, our gross sales were over six million. There is a lot of hard work, sleepless nights and endless stress that go into those sales numbers. We are backed by a great team of approximately 50 employees. We have many pet related special events such as our annual Dock Dog Diving Competition which draws a crowd of between four and five thousand spectators over three days. We also do Pet Pictures with Santa to benefit the local humane society. Scot and I even dressed as elves – his idea, not mine. Our next special event at the Rucker Pet is going to be Pet Pictures with the Easter Bunny. Scot thinks we should dress up in costumes. I have the option of being a 5’4″ baby chicken or a bunny, complete with a cotton tail. (heavy sigh) Someone please call me for a horse show that weekend!
My other world is the horse industry. I did begin early in life training, coaching and showing All Around Quarter Horses and Paints. I count it as one of the greatest achievements of my life to have attained judging credentials with many associations. Judging horse shows has taken me all over the world, to places I would never have seen in my lifetime.
Then, there are the friends I’ve made along the way, my fellow judges, show secretaries, ring stewards and show managers. These friendships have become so intrinsic in my life that it feels like a big extended family. Of course, there is the actual job of judging. There is the occasional argument out there that those who aren’t “making a living” in the horse business have no business judging horse shows. I disagree, of course, but neither do I consider myself an expert. I do make a great effort to sharpen my judging skills when not on duty. I love judging; I love everything about it. Besides, it gets me away from retail some and it just may be the secret to a long and happy marriage. (laughs)
Lisa Moden – I am a Realtor with Ebby Halliday Realtors and have sold Real Estate for eight years. I also judge for AQHA, NRHA, APHA, and NSBA. I spend a lot of my day in front of a computer, searching for property for clients, running comps, trying to gain prospective clients and showing property to clients. I do a lot of work that you hope turns into profit. A lot of time it doesn’t. I’ve spent hours and days with people that then decided they weren’t moving or they picked another state. Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork…..and a lot of it. Our office has gone paperless, but I think that is only for the Corporate office as I still seem to have to use a lot of it!
Real Estate Law is something I don’t think the general public understands–we have to abide by it or we could lose our license or be fined. I primarily sell Ranch property in North Texas. I understand the horseman’s needs from my background in the equine industry. It is fun showing people property that I enjoy looking at too. The town I live in is a nice quiet area that people migrate to because of its sandy loam soil and the equine industry. I love the town, so it is easy for me to promote. I was also just approved for one of the highest designations in Real Estate–Accredited Land Consultant. It took me two years and a lot of studying, tests, and a large portfolio to complete. I will be presented with my designation at the National Land Conference in March.
One of my funniest moments was when one of my very good clients wanted to try to buy a property next to his–it was a bit junky on the outside, but I drove up and decided the barking dogs would be okay. The lady that answered the door was a hoarder. Her dogs were trying to bite my ankles on my way out. Good thing I had boots on! I enjoy going to work everyday. Sometimes I take my dog, sometimes I work from my house and I usually get to talk about my equine career and horses. I think I am good at what I do as I am pretty laid back and roll with the flow and sometimes the waves get high!
Abby Cosenza – My “other” occupation (silverwork) was supposed to be a fun thing to do to relax from riding/lessons and judging. Now, I am so busy it is very hard to keep up. The projects include silver on bits and spurs, saddle silver, conchos and some jewelry. When I first started, I did not know anything at all. I was polishing a small silver rod and it got away from me and hit me in the forehead. I came in the house with blood running down my face. Marc sees me and says, “You should call your business DUCK… Silver!” That was about 20 years ago and still makes me laugh. In the winter here in Arizona, I start early in the mornings and work before going to the barn. In the summers, we go outside early so I work in the hot afternoons. Summer time is when we judge shows and I sometimes take silver to cut out while I am in the hotel rooms. I do enjoy it very much because most everyone gives me artistic freedom to come up with something cool on their pieces.
Scott Neuman – I am the Director of Equestrian Studies and an Associate Professor at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana. In addition to that, I operate Neuman Performance Horses and I judge for AQHA, APHA, NSBA, WCHA. I also serve nationally on the board of NSBA. I don’t presently but have served on the Montana Quarter Horse Association board for 20+ years.
I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to be involved with so many different parts of the horse industry. For me, there is really no trick to getting it all done. I simply surround myself with the most ambitious, industrious, positive thinking people anywhere. At Rocky Mountain College, the equestrian faculty are the best anywhere. When I leave to judge or show nothing skips a beat. They are all active professionally outside of their teaching roles, so they appreciate the hectic pace and understand the importance of equestrian professionals remaining current and active. We stay in contact virtually all the time and we all work well together.
At home I have the same situation. Amanda Kudrna Potts and Hayden Hadley both work for me and again they are both so extremely competent that nothing is ever left undone. From training the horses to helping the clients, they can do anything and everything I do. Finally, at home I have my wife Amy, who can raise our kids, handle our household and deal with any crisis, with or without me.
One time a long time ago I think I was telling my father about my hectic life and feeling rather self important about it when he gave me some great advice. He told me that if I died, the world would go right on ticking without me. It was a lesson in humility but more importantly it made me realize that I needed to surround myself with people who could assume any role I had. I am truly fortunate that in every area of my life, I get to have those people around me.
Gary Reynolds – I still run into people that think I work at AQHA, which I haven’t in over 20 years. What I do now is Television/Film/Video Production. I am the Director for the television show, Somewhere West Of Wall Street, hosted by Red Steagall. In addition, I wear a number of hats including Director Of Photography, and Editor. This show has given me the opportunity to tell the story of the “Western Lifestyle” and how it still affects so many of us this day. I have captured moments and put those into digital story form so that people can escape for a few minutes back in time and maybe even learn a little something.
During my tenure as director, we have interviewed television stars such as Robert Fuller who played on series such as Laramie, and Wagon Train, Buck Taylor, and Alex Cord. I stood in the very spot that Billy The Kid leaned out the window and shot Bob Ollinger with a double barrel shotgun. I was on the Navajo Reservation and videoed ceremonial dances where I was the only white man in attendance. I have dined in the Sherman House built in 1870 with the Commanding General of Fort Sill and his staff. I stood next to Lieutenant General Butch Funk as we held the map he used to chart the movements of the 3rd Armored division as they led the battle Desert Storm into Iraq. I have had the privilege of working on projects with DreamWorks, City of Los Angeles, along with numerous other organizations.
I have been very privileged to be able to move into this TV/Film industry and be able to tell the stories from what I call the judge’s standpoint, or the bigger picture. My background in the horse industry especially in judging has given me vantage point with which to bring and tell stories. I am very fortunate to be able to juggle my judging schedule and work schedule to facilitate both. I have several longer film projects in the works that will be positive family entertainment, that the horse related parts will be so real that “Horse Folks” will be proud to watch.
Carla Wennberg – 10 years ago I took at teaching job at St Andrews University in Laurinburg, NC. With teaching class and lessons for the college they also had an IHSA hunter seat team of about 60 students.I was hired to start a western team too for IHSA. I teach average about 5 hours a day every day and one night lecture class. I started out with no horses and little equipment, now I have 20 horses. Trainers from all over the country send me nice horses for my program as donations.
Now, when I worked for Colorado State University in the early 90s, we started a western states region and team competing IHSA. I have found in these programs, since some students don’t have their horse with them at school and/or the parents never would buy them a horse, the IHSA programs give students the carrot they need to get their horse fix and competing fix. It is much cheaper than regular horse showing and it is a team sport.
As a coach, I love it. Sometimes I hate the draw system, but learning strategies are amazing. Sometimes they work, sometimes not. No warm up, and the riders draw in morning before show begins. Each student draws for horse they compete in their division, they do rail work first in the horsemanship then pattern work. In the reining they step up and show the pattern without any warm up. Pretty amazing what students learn from all this. “Feel!”
I have some students who come from AQHA, APHA or NRHA. I have some who never have competed a horse or even owned a horse. What I have learned the most is about being a team. For this sport, it is about having the best ride for the team, that is individual, but points count for team points overall and that is what wins.
My best story of coaching. I had two Lacrosse players from our University ride for the team as walk/trot riders. Neither had been around horses much, one never had ridden. Both won at our Nationals! Teaching in the college programs is my way of getting young people into the horse world. Kind of indirect becomes direct. Both of these young men will own a horse when they make enough money in real life to afford them. They fell in love with horses, they knew competition, and they of course learned to show.
Daren Wright – I think I have turned into a workaholic. Besides my full time judging schedule (typically every weekend and some weekdays for 10 -11 months per year), I also work a full time job and two part time jobs. My full time job is Scholarship Coordinator at Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio. With an enrollment of approximately 28,000 students and a scholarship budget of $400,000+, it keeps me very busy. I’m responsible for the entire scholarship program which involves helping with advertising, budget concerns and the entire application and awarding process for all high school, institutional and external scholarship programs.
I have a very understanding boss. He realizes that these judging opportunities were my childhood dream, so he has been very flexible with me being gone. In turn, I do my best to arrange my travel around my work schedule. Sometimes I drive instead of fly, so I can drive at night to stay the entire day at work or be back on Monday morning. Other times, I plan late afternoon flights to leave for a show and when I judge on the West Coast, I almost always take the red eye so can fly all night, arrive at the airport first thing in the morning and go right to work.
As for my two part time jobs, I am an agent for Kaplow Insurance Agency and occasionally teach online equine related classes for Ohio University. Fortunately, those two jobs allows me to work in my spare time, from home, etc.
Juggling all of those duties and responsibilities has not always been easy. I often times arrive at a show very late at night, don’t get much sleep, judge for two days and fly or drive all night to get back to my work duties. So, this lifestyle isn’t always as glamorous as some may think. But, for those of you who have judged with me know I wouldn’t trade a minute of it.
Jodi Finkenbinder– My mother introduced me to gourd art about 20 years ago. She took me to a gallery in Wickenburg, Arizona and gave me a book on gourd art. She said,”You can do this!” I started on gourds I grew and now shop at various gourd farms to find my vessels. They are like working with wood, so the options seem unlimited. I use various dyes and paints, wood burning, and carving are my main components. Also basket weave tops, beading, rhinestones, and feathers. You name it; I have tried it on a gourd. The higher priced ones have inlay of turquoise or Mother of Pearl. The thing I like the most is they are all originals. No two are alike. I have some favorite versions of best sellers but always vary something. I love custom work and like to make a piece special.
Larry Sanchez – I am the head NCEA coach for Oklahoma State University. I was a trainer and coach for awhile but the coaching soon took over. I enjoy the recruiting process and finding team players to be a apart of our equestrian team. It takes a special type of rider to be able to ride an unknown horse under intense pressure. It is fun to be with and teaching the girls for four years and then a new group comes every year. It is a great way to be able to combine my love of horses, teaching and competition and meet people I would have never have met otherwise. It is great to also be able to judge because it keeps me tapped into the riders and what’s going on in the industry. I am blessed that my jobs overlap and I am able to be involved in all aspects of the horse industry.
Tina White – In addition to judging horses, I am an artist. I create animal and people portraits using color pencils, and it’s something I enjoy tremendously. I started working with pencils a few years back because I had trouble sleeping and the art gives me something to do at night when sleep evades me. The funniest thing that has happened to date concerning my art career happened this last November. I had a booth at the Paint World and was very busy working on Christmas commissions while sitting at the booth. I was working on a horse that a husband had commissioned for his wife, when someone grabbed me from behind and started talking very quickly. I looked up and realized it was the ‘wife’. I quickly closed my laptop and placed a piece of paper over the image all the while trying to be very nonchalant about it. She was in a hurry because her husband was in the trade show as well and she didn’t want him to see her talking to me. Turns out, she wanted me to do a painting of his dog for Christmas. I agreed and off she went. She was so concerned about being seen by her husband that she never realized it was a painting of her horse I was working on right in front of her. I thought it was funny they gifted each other with portraits by the same artist!
