“I’m not sure if I was more nervous that it was my first horse show as an open exhibitor or that I was doing my first trail pattern in 16 years,” says Andrea (Farley) Kail, reflecting on her professional debut at the Sun Circuit earlier this year. “It was a big show to make my debut, but my husband and I always joke to ‘go big or go home!'”
Andrea is best known as one of the riders to cement the great Zippo LTD as a legend in our industry. During an extremely successful youth career together that started in the Congress Small Fry Horsemanship and spanned the 90’s, Andrea won the 1999 AQHYA World Championship in Trail, a Reserve World Championship and multiple Congress Championships with the talen
ted gelding who is AQHA’s second highest point earner of all-time with an astounding 5,779.5 points.
Little did she know that when she was 13 years old that she would meet Ryan Kail, the son of Bob and Debbie Kail and that he would become her future husband and training partner. After much consideration, Andrea decided to give up her non-pro card. “Ryan and I talked about it a couple of times when we bought out his parents and they retired from the training business in 2014, but the timing just didn’t feel right,” Andrea recalls. “Then, last year after talking to long-time client, Susie Johns, we decided that it was time. We were very busy, and it was way too much for Ryan to do on his own.”
Andrea did agree to give up her non-pro card under one condition. “If I did turn pro, I got to show Movin The Chains,” Andrea says laughing. “When we sold LT, I said I wouldn’t show another horse in the trail unless it was really special, and he is!”
She is now able to reflect on the emotions she went through at the time. “I was extremely nervous to give up my non-pro card and show with all the people I had admired growing up in this business. Although I was nervous, it was surprisingly a very easy transition – it just felt right.”
Andrea also says tha
t it works great for their training business because she’ll show primarily the pleasure, trail, and western riding and give Ryan more time to do the events he loves like the halter, reining, and ranch riding events.
She credits Ryan’s parents, Bob and Debbie Kail with helping them start their business out on the right foot and giving them the guidance to set up a successful training operation. Bob and Debbie are very well known in the industry as trainers of Congress and World Champions and are some of the most respected judges in the industry. “They retired from day-to-day training because they wanted to spend more time judging and being grandparents,” Andrea told us. “We can’t thank them enough for their wisdom and support.”
Additionally, this remarkable woman also just went through her second cancer surgery in July for tall cell papillary carcinoma. Her first surgery was in August of 2015 when they removed her thyroid and several lymph nodes. Andrea explained that they followed that with radioactive iodine. Unfortunately, when she went back for her six-month scans and tests, they found that cancer had returned in the lymph nodes of her neck and she needed another surgery to rem
ove those.
“The prognosis is very good,” Andrea says. “This type of cancer has a very large survival rate. We met with the oncologist and she is referring me to a radiation oncologist to possibly receive some targeted radiation. I feel great, I am still a little sore since they did cut my neck open on both sides.”
Amazingly, just three weeks to the day after her surgery, she showed at the NSBA World Show in the Senior Green Trail. Movin The Chains and Andrea received an impressive sixth place in a very deep class of competitors. “I was so happy to start riding again and be able to show at the NSBA World Show and my little perfect pony took really good care of me, as always.”
Andrea is grateful for the support she has received and has experienced first-hand how the horse industry pulls together to support its own. Â “We’ve had so many people on our cancer journey with us. It’s truly amazing the outreach we’ve received I’m so very blessed to have such an amazing support team in our family and friends.”
Throughout this journey, Andrea h
as found an even greater admiration for her husband. “He is truly the backbone of our business. He keeps everything together and picks up the slack of me running the kids around, or having surgery and never complains. Also, I have to thank my parents who worked so hard when I was younger to send me to the best trainers and develop me as a rider and a person. They still play a huge role in our business as my mom typically comes to the shows with us to help with the kids so we don’t have to leave them at home. They’re the best.”
Although she has seen more challenges in the past year than most, Andrea has maintained a remarkably positive attitude. It’s no wonder she has been so successful in the show pen as well as in life.
“We’re lucky enough to do what we love and get paid for it. We’ll never be millionaires, but we get to ride these amazing animals every day, what more could you ask for?”
