GoHorseShow is sad to report the passing of Mr Oakie Scotch (Oakie) due to complications associated with colic. Oakie was bred by Jim Dudley and was sired by his great stallion, Scotch Bar Time. The feisty bay gelding was 29 when he passed on June 17, 2013.
“Oakie was my first horse and introduced me to horse showing at the level I wanted to compete at,” says Ariel Herrin, who owned Oakie the last 15 years of his life. “He didn’t give me anything I didn’t work for, which taught me so much about riding from the very beginning. Oakie had a lot of spunk. Covered pens and night time were his least favorite things, and the occasional meeting of those usually ended with him bucking across the arena. That was just Oakie, and we excused him from it because he was so wonderful in every other way.”
Many people will remember, Mr Oakie Scotch, showing at the AQHA shows up until he retired at age 21 shortly after he was crowned the 2005 Reserve Congress Champion in the 11 and Under Trail with Ariel Herrin. The last record AQHA published in 2009 of highest incentive fund money earners ranked him sixth, earning, $64,712.72. Oakie was one of the first horses ever to be a part of the AQHA Incentive Fund. Between novice youth, youth, amateur, and open classes, he accumulated 1,956 points. His first major accomplishment was Reserve Justin Rookie of the Year 31-49 in 1987, as a three year-old. Oakie went on to be the AQHA Reserve All-Around Amateur in 1992 and 1993, as well as the High Point Amateur Trail horse in 1993. In the last record available, he was listed as the fourth all-time Amateur Western Pleasure point earner in AQHA history, with 589.5 points.
According to his long-time owners, Dan and Lynn Riegle, Oakie was an orphan who had a nurse mare that raised him. Oakie started showing as a weanling and won the Iowa’s Breeder’s Futurity. The Riegle’s said they bought him as a three year-old sight unseen from prolific horse breeder, Lawrence Bishop. Oakie had that highly recognizable “LB” brand on his left hip. In their debut outing, Dan Riegle and Oakie won the Amateur Western Pleasure with 20 in the class at the Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Most of the time we kept Oakie at home,” Lynn recalls. “Dan taught him the trail and horsemanship maneuvers. We tried teaching him the western Riding, but he thought a buck was needed in order to do a lead change. Michael Colvin helped us get through that–he was a fun horse and had tons of personality.”
Trainer, Michael Colvin, helped Dan at the 1992 and 1993 World Shows. In 1992, he made the finals in trail and showmanship. He placed fifth in showmanship and thirteenth in trail.
“He accomplished every goal we set for him,” Lynn says. “Oakie was a special horse that we showed for ten years. We retired him in 1997, but he did not like it. He was not quite ready to leave the show arena.”
In April of 1998, Lynn talked to Cathy Herrin while they were at a show in Columbia, Tennessee. Her daughter, Ariel, was four years-old at the time and would be five at the end of May.
“I asked her to please take Oakie home with her so Ariel could ride him, and he would probably be a good walk-trot horse for her. He was much happier and they went on to make a great pair, until Ariel outgrew his small 14.3 hand frame.”
Cathy Herrin agrees, “We are very thankful to have had the opportunity to own Oakie. He was a one-of-a-kind horse, teacher, and most of all, friend for Ariel. Watching Ariel grow up with him was awesome, watching her say good bye was the hardest thing ever, but the in between–we wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
“He was just really special,” Ariel fondly states. “He was booming with personality, and he was always up for some loving and a few treats. He had all those points and all that talent, but he was also a really sweet horse with a heart of gold. He is greatly missed, but 15 years with him was a true blessing, full of memories I’ll cherish forever.”
