For many, the month of December in the horse industry is a time for reflection and regrouping from the show season. We asked several people in the industry how they make the most of the month of December. Do they take a vacation? Set goals for next year? Work with new prospects? Let’s find out how some successful trainers and exhibitors spend their down time and get ready for next year.
Kaleena Katz Weakly (Pictured right)–For us it depends on the year. For instance, the last two years, both Josh and I had AQHA high point titles in mind (All Around Amateur, Showmanship and Halter titles) that we wanted to secure. We used December as our “cushion month” to get any last minute points we may have needed. On other years, we definitely used December for family time and vacation–one year visiting Vegas with friends for the NFR which was a blast. This December, however, is quite different than any other… We are preparing for Baby Jax in January, and enjoying all that entails! And we have always used this time of the year to make goals for the upcoming year…giving our seasoned show horses some well-deserved R&R, selling some and searching for new projects for the next show season.
Leonard Berryhill–The Berryhill Quarter Horse calender is really 11 months long. Our year starts right after Christmas and ends with the conclusion of the AQHA World Show. That period of “down time” is spent doing the things we do at the ranch, catching up with some neglected friends, getting ready for the holidays, and going to the judges workshop. We also spend this time starting the new string of horses that have arrived and concentrate on adding new things to the ones that have been here. It’s an exciting time! We are blessed to have what looks to be one of the best crops of young show horses to cross our gate in a long time, and I hope that’s saying something because the ones we’ve had for the past several years have been pretty darned good. We also spend this time reflecting back over the past year, seeing things we could maybe have done better, trying to learn something daily from this crazy business and always trying to figure ways to make a better experience for our customers.
Beth Case–After the World Show, my favorite thing to do is start the two year-olds for next year. It’s like starting all over. I love it. I don’t really ever go on vacation. I like it here (in Pilot Point). We did go on vacation last year to Mexico for Courtney and Dave Archer’s wedding–I think that was in April or May maybe two years ago. It was fun but I don’t like leaving my horses. Last year, we went to Tammy and Sharnai’s house for Christmas that was fun too but still, no horses. Maybe I’m crazy, but I like to be by my horses all the time, even just to make sure they have their hoods on if it’s cold.
Kelly Boles Chapman–For the past few years we haven’t taken a break, and we’ll show in late December again this year. However, we’ll go skiing for a day or two before Christmas, weather permitting, as we’re fortunate here in Michigan to live close to a couple of ski facilities. I think it’s important for kids to balance showing with having fun in other activities too. As the dust begins to settle on our hectic 2013 show year, we’ll start making plans around goals, what shows we want to attend, school sports and other functions, etc for 2014. It’s a juggling act to but I think involvement in school sports and activities is important as well.
Lisa Ligon–We do all three Fall World Shows (ApHC, APHA, AQHA) which is a big undertaking. I come home from the last world show and completely gut my truck and trailer. I do all horse show laundry, wash curtains, restock the supplies and reorganize everything. Next, I go through and “spring” clean all of our work equipment. This time of year we do generally have some horses head home and the long yearlings start arriving. It’s exciting and I start planning for the next year….which events I plan to add to which horses, which events my customers want to participate in and what goals we are setting. After we work out a rough cut schedule we try to take a few days off….never as much as we would like, but at least a few days. This year we did a “staycation” but in the past have done Cabo for Thanksgiving which is lovely. This year we had Thanksgiving with friends and will do Christmas with the family. Of course, Christmas will be followed immediately by a holiday circuit of some sort. Seems as if a horse show is never far out of our sights.
Amanda Ringer–Our month of December is completely devoted to getting our new crop of coming two years-old broke out. December is all about them. Currently we have 15 yearlings turning two and with that many doesn’t leave much time for any showing. Of course, Christmas is spent with the family but we try to get all of them riding around before our little Christmas break.
Cheryl Hawkins–I didn’t attend the World Show this year ut the month of December is pretty busy! I relocated my business to a new fantastic facility in Ocala, Florida and I am getting all the horses ready to show at the Florida Gold Coast! Megan graduates on Dec 13, 2013 from the University of Georgia. Then, I am planning on spending Christmas with family and friends.
Kim Reynolds–Where to begin? We stay home and I mean literally! I don’t even like to go to dinner. We love spending lots of time with Kassie–volunteer to do as much as we can at school with her and watch her gymnastic practices. Curtis ropes, so we go practice. Kass and I bring up the steers–just have fun as a family. Then, we focus on teaching our horses new events. We end in November and start back up the day after Christmas, living in Florida makes our downtime just a little too short.
Amy Gumz–My husband owns and operates a commercial hunting lodge, so his busy time is November through February. Unfortunately that means no trips for us. So, I mind the fort while he is busy at the lodge. We are busy getting our stallions ready for the upcoming season, semen freezing and foaling is right around the corner.
Joni Nelson–In December, we do a big “regrouping”! Since we sell most of our finished show horses toward the mid to end of the year, we spend most of December through January getting another group of show horses put together. We hope each year is just as good or better than the previous year. We also do planning for the Denver Stock Show–usually our first show of the year and one of my favorites. My goals have changed over the last couple years. We make goals at the end of the proceeding year for the newbies and older horses. We look for goals for the horses to peek toward the mid to later part of the year, we build toward that. Luckily this year, actually as I speak, we are very fortunate enough to go on a week vacation! Here in Florida, it’s 60-70 degrees warmer than our house.
Reid Thomas–We spend lots of time with family and friends. Also, we have been spending a good amount of time getting to know new horses and organizing the program. Each December, I spend a lot of time mapping out goals for each client/horse for next year, make a detailed six month show schedule. We work really hard to make sure we get everyone’s perspective and goals lined out.
Sandy Jirkovsky–After our World show this year, I judged the Paint World and the NRHA Reining Futurity. These shows really helped me realize that I need to step up my program for 2014 to stay competitive! Usually December is a time to regroup and give the horses a little break, but after seeing the outstanding quality at both of these shows, I can’t wait to get back in the saddle! December is always a time to remember the victories and the defeats of the year and to try to learn something from both perspectives. Time to get caught up on paper work which is always never ending and time get excited about the 2014 show season!
Lindsay Soderberg–As soon as the World Show is over, I start planning for next year’s show season. I like to sit down with each of my customers and plan future goals. Then, I map out a list of shows and the upcoming show string. Starting colts is like Christmas for me… I love seeing all the new potential! On a normal year, I would take a little trip with my best friends–either to the NFR or to a beach somewhere. But this year, I’m just enjoying staying home and relaxing with my amazing family. Living in Canada can be a little tricky during winter months… Sometimes we get snowed in and are forced to stay home, but I make the most of it and try to get to the mountains to go snowboarding every free Sunday.
Debbi Trubee–In the breeding farm business, it’s our slowest time. Yearlings are all sold, weanlings are all weaned and kicked out and broodmares are just hanging out getting bigger by the day. We thoroughly enjoy this time of year around here. I actually can find some time to ride and do some projects around our place! I’m afraid we’re pretty boring around here this time of year!
Kristy Starnes–We take a break during Thanksgiving week–still work horses on walker and turn them out, just not much riding and spend time with family. We do a big Thanksgiving at our house, so, it takes all week to get organized and cook! Then, the rest of December is focused on the coming twos and maiden threes. The show horses get a good break and can use the time off. We do not go to another show until Sun Circuit at the end of January, so, we get to stay home and do projects around the farm that were put off while we were showing all summer and fall. We are not really big on New Year Resolutions–we try and have goals for all of our horses and clients throughout the year to strive to make them all their personal best.
Jennifer Leckey–We returned home from the World Show this year and headed right back out to the Turkey Circuit at Gordyville! Ideally, not what you would like to do, but we have loyal customers who haven’t shown since September and deserve to go. We will have a couple of hectic weeks preparing for the winter Florida circuit then we head out a few days before Christmas. We are blessed because my family celebrates the holidays in Florida at my parents winter home. We will show through the 15th of January then enjoy a couple more days of family and Florida sunshine before returning home. Slowing down in February and March is normally our plan, just doing some weekend shows and focusing on new or green horses.
Missy Thyfault–December is a great month of regrouping for me. I stay home from shows that are during the holidays. I grew up in Momence, Illinois (near Gordyville) and all my family is based there. I visit on Thanksgiving and Christmas religiously. Once my son goes away to college, I will be open to doing shows around the holidays, but I don’t want to miss any more time away from him than I already do. I also enjoy the colts and new projects coming in, it’s my favorite time of the year–thinking about what they could become and planning their future is very exciting. It’s also a time for horses to add new events or learn something new like a lead change and for the clients to strengthen their skills. I also annually shop for young stock this time of the year for myself. I have several customers needing horses as well and that is very time consuming. Big on my list is catching up on paperwork and organizing my mess from the rest of the year! I avoid that like the plague. Housework is another area that gets some attention. My spring cleaning happens after Congress. I also try to read a lot to keep learning. I also reflect on all the goals reached in the past show season and try to enjoy that for a minute. Because before you know it, its old news and you are on to the show schedule for 2014! Also, something I try to do in December.
Clarice Cooper–For us it’s all about family. We normally just make it home in time for Cooper’s birthday from the Congress. One would think it would be slow in December, but the phone still rings. People want to book mares, have questions on what to do with their mares, etc. We also freeze our stallions during this time of year. We try to spend as much time as we can with Cooper and Liam because we realize starting January when breeding season hits it gets crazy. Every year we strive to learn more and how to separate business and family.
