The great Joe Namath once said, “If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?”
When Shine My Zipper was foaled on April 15, 1991, the world didn’t know that one day the sorrel overo colt would not only go all the way, he would go even farther.
A cropout by Zippo Jack Bar and out of the great mare, Rancholm Delight, “Homer” was bred by Hedy Levin of Sturgis, Michigan.
And the story of how he got his name should reveal just a bit about this larger than life horse.
“He had to be revived when he was born and subsequently bottle fed,” said Homer’s owner for the past fifteen years, Erica (Lang) Greathouse. “Apparently he would root around on people’s jacket zippers for the bottle, ‘shining’ them. And that’s how he got his name.”
Homer first caught Erica’s eye at the 2000 APHA World Show when she was a Novice Youth showing AQHYA.
“I saw him in the warm-up pen and just instantly had a soul connection with him,” she said. “I would go and sit in front of his stall and talk to him and tell him that I wanted to own him. I had no idea he was already a very famous horse.”
Famous Indeed
Jason Martin and Charlie Cole of Highpoint Performance Horses picked Homer up in 1996 from Jodi Henningson (pictured right) of Michigan for client, Dene Shaver of Lancaster, CA.
“We literally threw him right into the all-around,” Cole said. “All he had done up to that point was the western pleasure and some hunter under saddle.”
In 1997, Homer won the AQHA World Championship in the Senior Western Pleasure with Shane Dowdy aboard.
Assembling a “dream team” that included Jason Martin, Charlie Cole, Andrea Simons, Troy Compton and others, Homer won the Open All-Around at the 1998 APHA World Show earning a World Championship in the Senior Working Hunter with Jerry Erickson, and Reserve World Championships in the Senior Pleasure Driving with Simons, and Senior Trail with Cole.
He also won a Reserve World Championship in 14-18 Youth Western Pleasure with his new owner, Allison Carroll.
Carroll said, “I’ll never forget the first time I rode him. We were at the Rancho Murieta show and I was asked to warm him up. I went to lope him off and I never in my life rode anything that felt like that, or a horse that responded to my leg and body like that. I fell in love immediately and knew I had to own him.”
However, convincing Charlie and Jason that Homer was to be her next all-around horse wasn’t exactly easy.
Carroll said, “He could be difficult to ride and temperamental, but when I rode Homer, it was obvious we had a special bond.”
Cole added, “He was one of the most talented horses, but super tough. He didn’t give you a lot, you had to work for it, but he was super talented and it was worth all the effort.”
The Highpoint team assembled another “dream team” for Homer in 1999 and again came home from the APHA World Show with the Open All-Around title. Cole showed Homer to a World Championship in the Senior Western Riding and a Reserve World Championship in the Senior Pleasure Driving.
He said, “I always wanted to win the Senior Western Riding with him, and it was such a huge accomplishment when we did. He was still pretty green in that event but we just happened to have the right ride at the right time.”
Cole chuckled remembering their go in the pleasure driving as well. “I remember we were at the road gait going the second direction and I could tell Homer was done. Just ready to explode. I kept thinking, ‘please tell us to walk, please tell us to walk.’ Luckily they did and we ended up Reserve. That was the last time I drove him.”
By the year 2001, Carroll and Homer were a dream team of their own, winning World titles in the 14-18 Youth Western Pleasure and 14-18 Youth Western Riding under the guidance of Kristen Hertsgaard.
Hertsgaard said, “When I first started riding him he was on a break living in the Carrolls’ backyard. I actually was just trail riding him and anyone who knows Homer knows how crazy that sounds.”
She continued, laughing, “There were two giant pigs in the arena at the Carrolls’ house, so I clearly couldn’t ride him there. I ended up riding him at a place in Norco called Pedley Field and that’s where I remember doing my first lead changes on him.”
Hertsgaard said that having a horse like Homer in training was quite the opportunity for her at the time and she continued Homer’s success in the Open division creating a dream team of her own.
In 2001, Jerry Erickson rode Homer to an APHA World Championship in Hunter Hack and Hertsgaard was Reserve in the Bridleless Western Pleasure.
“I remember Charlie (Cole) being in the stands chewing on his nails because it was totally crazy to ride that horse bridleless,” Hertsgaard laughed.
In 2002, Homer won three more APHA Open World Championships in Senior Hunter Under Saddle with Terri Ashley in the irons, Senior Western Pleasure with Keith Whistle, and Senior Western Riding with Hertsgaard.
They also defended their Reserve title in the Bridleless Western Pleasure (with Charlie Cole still chewing his nails).
Going MORE Than All The Way
Yes, Homer was famous indeed, and by the end of 2002, Erica’s dreams came true and Homer was hers.
However, she, too, had trouble convincing her trainers that Homer was the horse for her.
“He really was way too much horse for me,” she chuckled. “No one wanted me to have him. I was with Tim Whitney and April and Casey Devitt at the time, and it took a lot of convincing. Homer was the type of horse where you would have to change your program to fit him. Not the other way around.”
Erica said her first show with Homer was a disaster, “We were disqualified in nearly every class,” she said.
Not one to shy away from hard work, Erica decided to simply ‘make it work’ with Homer and they became a force to be reckoned with by 2003.
“My first World Show we won the 14-18 Showmanship, Horsemanship, and Trail,” she said. “We were Reserve in the Pleasure and Reserve All-Around overall.”
Erica and Homer also qualified for the AQHYA World in Horsemanship and Hunt Seat Equitation and ended up sixth in the western riding.
“He was brilliant in everything he did,” Erica said. “He didn’t just have one class. He was a specialty horse in every class. And he didn’t love the pattern classes but he did them for me.”
Not only did Homer “do” the pattern classes for Erica, he excelled in them, earning her APHA Amateur Reserve World Championships in the Horsemanship, Hunt Seat Equitation, Showmanship, and Western Riding in 2004 and a World Championship in Western Riding and a Reserve World Championship in Trail in 2005.
Erica and Homer also decided to haul in 2005 for the #1 APHA Amateur title with James Saubolle of Elite Performance Horses and ended up securing the title.
Saubolle said, “The year Erica was number one Amateur we traveled all over and had one of the most incredible years I’ve had, success wise.”
In 2006, the pair earned a World Championship in Trail and a Reserve World Championship in Western Riding.
The year 2006 was also the last time Erica showed him in what he was originally known for, western pleasure.
“I remember the last time I showed him in the pleasure I was scratching him in the holding pen and promising him that if he showed well, I would never show him in the pleasure again,” she said.
Well, Homer took Erica for her word and they won the class.
But in true Homer fashion, he decided he was over it by the time it was time to award him the buckle and neck ribbon.
“He reared coming out of the line up and tried to bite the person putting on his neck ribbon,” Erica laughed, adding, “We seriously never had any pretty victory lap pictures. He would always have his ears pinned and just wanted out of there.”
Despite his quirks, Homer was a horse who clearly loved his job and he continued his legacy that year in the Open events too, earning Saubolle his first buckle as a professional in the Senior Western Riding.
“He was my first horse to ever have in training,” Saubolle said. “But let’s be truthful, he trained me. He had a larger than life personality and always made his opinions known.”
The year 2007 was Homer’s last year of showing, and he and Erica earned an APHA Reserve World Championship in Amateur Horsemanship that year.
By the end of his career, Homer had amassed an impressive 1,305 AQHA points, 5,530 APHA points, had secured the AQHA World Championship in the Senior Western Pleasure, and boasted 27 APHA World or Reserve World Championships.
Needless to say, he certainly earned his retirement.
“I could have continued to show him,” said Erica. “But I wanted to go out on a high note. I wanted him to go out being dominant, not mediocre. And that’s exactly what we did.”
A Lasting Legacy
Homer went on to be the resident brood gelding at the Lang’s ranch in Pilot Point, Texas for his many treasured years in retirement.
“He was always so kind and gentle to all the babies,” said Erica. “We honestly don’t know how to raise babies without him.”
Homer is one of the only double registered horses to win both the AQHA and APHA World in the Senior Western Pleasure and Erica said he “always knew when to show up to the party.”
“He just had an air about him,” she said. “He loved to be the center of attention whether it was good, bad, or ugly.”
It’s true. Every single person we spoke with who had a hand in Homer’s career had similar things to say.
Troy Compton, who had Homer for about a year said, “He was such a great horse. I never rode a horse that did so many events. I really had a lot of respect for him and there really is not another horse like that that I can think of.”
Compton showed Homer at the APHA World Show and was third at the AQHA Congress in 1999.
“To pull double duty as both an AQHA and APHA horse… he’s one of the few war horses I’ve ever seen,” he said. “He always matched me and was a very honest horse. He had a lot of confidence.”
Hertsgaard said, “He would always give you a humiliation lesson when you got too cocky. But I will always treasure him. I got the easy part as he was already well trained when I got him, but he never just gave it to you. You had to figure him out.”
Fun fact: In 2001, Hertsgaard made a bet with the Carrolls’ that if she won a title with Homer she would get his name tattooed on her hip. True to her word, after winning Reserve in the Bridleless Western Pleasure, Shine My Zipper is tattooed for eternity on Hertsgaard. He really was that special.
Speaking of humiliation lessons, Saubolle shared that once in Pueblo, Colorado, “We had an incredible show. Both Erica in the Amateur events and myself in the Senior Western Pleasure and Senior Trail. The last class was Senior Western Riding and Erica had already won the Amateur on all four cards so I was super pumped for my turn. I jogged down to the log for pattern three as confident as can be. As I loped off, Homer felt great and then I looked up and saw these horses prancing on the concrete. As soon as I saw them, so did Homer and he decided to bust out some cutting moves and was off! Needless to say, we didn’t win… but we sure did laugh!”
Carroll said, “He gave me the best years of my life. He brought all my dreams to reality in the show ring… to this day I still dream of showing him. I will never forget him and his human like personality. He launched me a couple of times but truly was the most amazing horse that ever lived. His heart was huge and if he loved you, he would honor you with the ride of your life. I will forever be thankful.”
“I would do all the embarrassing things all over again,” said Erica. “Homer taught me how to be fair. He demanded respect and he had to be respected in order to do it for you. He also loved Skittles and I would bribe him with them constantly.”
Known as Lector (as in Hannibal Lector), the Incredible Hulk, and a fire breathing dragon, Homer was the epitome of the talented horse with plenty of quirks to keep you on your toes, but he was clearly talented enough to make it all worth it.
***
About a week ago, Cole was driving by the Lang ranch as he does regularly and saw Homer by the fence.
“I had to get out and pet him,” he said. “He is never right by the fence and I drive by all the time. I’m so glad I did.”
And about a month ago, Hertsgaard also paid a visit to Homer.
“I never knew how emotional that would be,” she said.
On September 9th, Homer was humanely euthanized due to severe complications of colic at home on the Lang’s ranch.
Erica said through tears, “There’s a part of me that’s gone that I will never get back. I didn’t know who he was when I got him, but we had an incredible connection and I am so grateful to everyone who was involved in his career.”
Our deepest condolences go out to to Erica, her family, and everyone who was involved with this great gelding over the years.
Author’s Note: With so many talented individuals involved with this great gelding, it was impossible to reach out to everyone. In 2008, Homer had his “retirement party” at the APHA World Show and the Langs’ took out an ad recognizing everyone who had a hand in Homer’s life. We are sharing it here to recognize the village that loved and supported Homer.
Photos © KC Montgomery, Erica Lang, Jeff Kirkbride, Pro Photo,
