Whether they’ve shown consistently throughout their entire lives or have hung up their spurs a time or two to make room for life’s events, select exhibitors continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the show pen, racking up titles and championships in countless events and organizations.
Far from riding off into the sunset, they are as competitive and goal-oriented as ever, reaping more benefits from their years in the saddle than any ache or pain could hold a candle to.
Three top select exhibitors – Mimsi Coon, Carrie Warren and Joe Whitt, who have well over a century of show ring experience combined, recently shared their perspectives of the highs and lows of showing in their golden years.
You may be surprised to learn that, at least for these three, any obstacle that may come with age is quickly overshadowed by the benefits their lifelong passion and experience lend them in the show pen.
That step stool isn’t what’s giving them a leg up
It’s doubtful that too many select riders will pass up an offer for a leg up or a step stool as they mount up. Their life experiences – and all-too-often horse experiences – have left them with a few more aches and pains than they experienced in the past. Warren feels more tightness in her back, Coon wishes her strength and stamina were closer to what they used to be and Whitt notes, “In aging, your physical ability is not the same as it was when you were in your 30’s and 40’s.”
But for Coon, Warren and Whitt, the additional time in the saddle and experience in the show pen that their age has offered them, though physically taxing, translates into a benefit these days. They know what they want to pursue, the avenues to get there and how to strut their select stuff in the show pen.
A Congress champion at age 12, Warren’s experiences have spanned the spectrum, but as a select, she’s learned to be faithful to her passions in the industry and spend her time and energy pursuing those.
“In my 30’s and 40’s, I was trying different things from western pleasure to reining and a little hunt seat. It just depended on the horse I had and what the trainers wanted me to do. But now as a Select, I do what I want to do,” she says, explaining that her passion indeed lies in hunter under saddle.
Experience and more time in the saddle and show pen through the years is one advantage of being a select exhibitor, but resources, both regarding time and money, is another. “I am at a place where I have the resources to do what I love and it allows me access to great opportunities,” Warren says, noting “that can be a challenge too because we have some fabulous exhibitors and amazing horses in our division for the same reason.”
If a select exhibitor is retired, they have the advantage of having additional time to spend in the saddle, Whitt says. If not, a demanding career is as much of an obstacle for them as it is for any other aged exhibitor.
Golden year goals
While other fifty- or sixty-somethings are looking forward to chasing their grandchildren around a perfectly manicured lawn or putting their feet up for some well-earned years of relaxation, it seems that select-aged horse people have golden year goals that look more like golden globes…AQHA Select World Show globes to be precise (though they make sure to plan for family-time, too).
Coon, Whitt and Warren will all show at the AQHA Select World show either this year or next – or probably as long as they can.
According to AQHA, more than 540 highly competitive exhibitors competed at the Adequan Select World Championship Show last year. This year’s event will be held August 24 through September 1 at the Tri-State Fairgrounds in Amarillo, Texas.
Coon has nine championships and many reserves under her belt, but, like the others, she’s still got a laser focus on adding to her collection if it’s in the cards. “That first world title is one of the greatest highlights of my time in the industry, but making lasting friendships has been a close second. My husband, Thomas Coon, and [trainer] Ted Turner also show the same horses, and we have fun competing with each other. It’s friendly, adds to that desire to do our best. I look to win another title or more, though, if it is meant to be.” Coon says.
Whitt, who will compete at the 2019 Select World when it’s held in Fort Worth, demonstrates a similar competitive focus. “Despite age, one of my goals has always been being the best I can be,” Whitt, a self-proclaimed goal-oriented person, says. “I’m always looking forward to being a better exhibitor every time I enter the pen.”
In addition to the top tier goals he’s always had, Whitt explains how goals and expectations do change with age. “Just having fun and enjoying the hobby has become more important as a select exhibitor. I am very focused and have a demanding career, so it’s important to me to have a hobby that offers competition and is also something that you enjoy doing and look forward to being a part of. I enjoy being with the horse as much as I do showing. Competition is important, but the social aspect that comes with it is also important.”
Camaraderie amidst competition
Perhaps more than any other division, select exhibitors have built a culture of camaraderie within their division. Whitt, Warren and Coon all commented on a sense of family and lasting friendships forged within their competition. “The people who show in select are fun to be around and fun to be with; they are genuinely happy to see each other do well,” Whitt says. “I’ve developed some great friendships throughout my career, but even more so as a select.”
Warren seconds that sentiment. “I find that AQHA competitors in general, but particularly the select group, are so supportive and encouraging of each other and truly proud when people to do well and succeed,” she says. “That makes it all super fun.”
We wish everyone the best of luck at this year’s upcoming Select World.
About the author: When she isn’t wrangling 12 and 13 year-olds in her middle school English classroom, Megan Ulrich enjoys riding, showing and judging horses. She lives in Holmen, Wisc., with her husband, daughter, two dogs and two horses. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
