On Saturday, Janet Taylor and Kenos Beduino entered the John Justin arena for the gelding’s first World Show performance. They competed in Open and Amateur Jumping—back-to-back classes. After a clear round in Open Jumping, they won the World Championship.
This win was a huge accomplishment for the pair, who just four years earlier, experienced some life shattering events.
During the record-breaking drought of 2006, the Fort Worth training facility where Taylor stabled Kenos Beduino was directly in the path of a wild fire.
The only place nearby with water was the pasture, so the boarded horses were quickly turned out together so they could find their way to the water and escape the fire should it get too close. Thankfully, the fire was doused, but the horses were stirred up and an unfamiliar horse kicked Kenos Beduino injuring him severely.
Taylor was contacted about the fire and rushed to the barn, only 10 minutes away. When she arrived, she found the gelding in the pasture injured. She quickly called the veterinarian and tried to get her horse to the barn. The diagnosis was a shattered tibia with virtually no chance of recovery and the vet recommended that Taylor put the gelding down.
“I didn’t want to put him down. I wanted to give him a fighting chance,” Janet recalled.
Taylor asked for other options. She had owned Kenos Beduino since he was four, and wasn’t about to give up on him. The veterinarian’s only other suggestion was stall rest to see if he would heal.
“Even the farrier would come into his stall to change his shoes,” Janet said.
Taylor faced her own set of health challenges. Her fight against fibromyalgia rheumatica made her unsure if she would ever be well enough to ride. She wasn’t going to quit on her horse any more than she had given up on her desire to jump again.
After seven months of stall confinement, the veterinarian cleared Kenos Beduino for hand walking and further evaluation. The gelding was healing slowly and Taylor’s trainer Peggy Friauf, who helped her purchase him, was able to start riding him again.
She kept riding and rehabbing the gelding until Taylor was able to get back in the saddle.
“I knew he’d be the perfect amateur horse for Janet,” Friauf said. “He’s one of those very forgiving, special, tries-his-heart-out for you kind of horses.”
After an amazing journey of recovery, 13-year-old Kenos Beduino and Janet Taylor are now APHA World Champions.
“This is a very special horse to me,” Janet said. “We healed together.”
