About ten years ago, I can recall riding on a brisk day in our indoor arena with about seven beginner clients. As long as I live, I will never forget the time a neighbor came bounding through the door, uninvited, and proceeded to turn his green gelding loose in our arena during prime riding time. Scrambling for a phone, I dialed 911 (which in this case was my Dad), who had more than a few choice words for this trespasser. Defending his actions with all the passion of my Mom yelling at my brother’s football games, the man replied, “I am a certified trainer in the methods of (a popular clinician to the masses) and I am here to help your clients as a (neighborly) courtesy.” If his confusing actions were any part of a credible teaching process, I made the decision that this girl would never need “one of those” clinicians.
I hadn’t forgotten my experience, but my curiosity was peaked when two friends, whose opinions I trust, suggested I consider talking to the darling of RFD-TV, Clinton Anderson. Although my fellow horse show junkies may be in disbelief that I’d miss a day in the show ring, it was simple. The guy is hot, O.K., and I am sure many of you ladies would have gladly traded places!
Within moments of arriving at the venue, I was met by the roaring thunder of screaming and applause and was pretty sure I was in the wrong place – like maybe the Super Bowl? I was seriously waiting for Tom Brady to walk out the door. To put you in the right frame of mind, the Down Under Tour might be compared to a religious revival. When I asked Clinton about this notion, he replied, “Um, you know I just want people to enjoy their horses, have fun, and if they are a believer in my method, I know it will work for them. If they don’t believe in me, or the method, the method won’t work for them. So if they are a believer, it is a good thing!” While management admitted that sometimes it seems like a circus, the tour is run with the precision of a nuclear reactor thanks to a fiercely loyal staff that they refer to as family.
So what is the profile of the Clinton Anderson follower? He has been quoted that a “primary customer” is a middle-aged woman, between 40 and 50 years of age. Many have children in college who often leave Mom with their horse. I quickly met volunteer, Vicki, who fit the profile to a tee, and had paid her own expenses to experience a Tour behind the scenes. A cancer survivor, and ex-show Mom, Vicki was left to care for the horses while her daughter was pursuing an education. She found Clinton to be handsome, funny, entertaining, and learned that his teaching methods delivered immediate gratification. Let me assure you that the fans were men, women and children of all ages including John Zeliff who is a school administrator, and part-time staffer who freely admits that he has a problem! Seems the poor guy owns 10 horses, though he’s not complaining. John uses vacation days to work the tour which takes approximately 4 days out of his time with family a month. He quickly points out that Clinton’s best attribute is his ability to communicate. New convert, Alex Riley, was a serious minded ankle biter (that’s Aussie for a young kid…like you didn’t know that!) from Calhoun, Kentucky who was clearly enjoying his shopping experience. Asked what he liked best about the day, and he replied “All the stuff” – duh! His specialty is English pleasure, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he made a run at my four AQHYA Hunter Under Saddle titles one day. You go Alex!
As a culture obsessed with our friends Down Under (movie and recording stars, beauty aids, Outback restaurant and the like), I couldn’t help ask if Clinton felt that the whole “Aussie” thing afforded him extra sex appeal. (Of course it does – even my Chihuahua is named Bindi Sue). Clinton admits that “If people like Australians, it wouldn’t hurt, that’s for sure, so I am certainly not going to change my nationality.” I also couldn’t help but notice that their particularly hot saddle salesmen attracted the second largest crowd all day next to Clinton. Anderson’s Tour Manager, Amy, admitted that they are keenly aware that image sells. This company is young, innovative, and makes no excuses.
Although proud of his heritage, Clinton embraces citizenship in the States. With a politically correct demand for Made in America, his entire rope collection is hand braided and tied at the warehouse in Stephenville, Texas. Several pieces from this line are on my “MUST HAVE” list, including the hand knotted rope halter with strategically placed pressure points. Hey, I’ll be the first to admit my good ‘ole black mare is a little pushy, and she felt like butter in my hands with her new knotted halter. You’ll also want to consider the “handy stick”, which simply stated, is a 4’ whip used to designate a boundary of personal space for the horse when around the rider. If you are serious about showmanship, you’ll be thrilled to own one. Don’t just take my word for it. Catch Clinton’s exhibition with loyal mare, Mindy, instead.
When a popular Google Search of his name revealed “Does Clinton Anderson have a Girlfriend?” I knew I had landed on a hot button topic! Did I forget to mention that Amy the Tour Manager is also Clinton’s girlfriend? She is accustomed to hearing women comment about how Clinton is not married, and that they still might have a chance. Taking it all in stride, Amy ignores threads on forums that spread vicious rumors. When I asked Clinton how he felt about his personal life making news on a regular basis, he was surprisingly low key. “No, no, everything is good, and I don’t have a problem with it,” he responded. A rock star to his fans, he reciprocates hugs from his legions of female followers on Tour, and leaves them with the feeling they are the most important person in his world at that moment. You know the old concept “guys want to be, him women want to be with him.” Call fame one of the hazards of his job.
After settling in the states, Clinton launched his TV series in 2001. Although he took a huge gamble by purchasing his own production equipment, the venture proved to be an astounding success. He boasted that the program is number one equestrian themed show on RFD-TV, and jokes that it is the second most popular show on the network behind the Classic Tractors. Amy is quick to reply that TV drives the business. Without television, the entire brand, and the rest of the media would not be nearly as successful. Don’t forget to check out his website which is really well done too! Howard Stern may be the self-proclaimed king of all media, but I can assure him that Clinton Anderson is game for the chase. So the guy thinks of everything, right? Not so fast. A Wikipedia search of his name reveals that Clinton Anderson is a deceased state senator from New Mexico. Would someone please get the guy Down Under a Wiki!
In spite of his success as a producer and TV personality, don’t look for Clinton to become the next Ryan Seacrest. Although the staff would love for him to take on additional projects and talent because of his proven skills, he is fiercely focused on Down Under Horsemanship, and does not want to get so spread out to the point that the brand ultimately suffers. Darn. There went a chance for me to get discovered for TV 😉
While math is not my favorite subject, I have to say that I did a lot of it this weekend. You know, like the cha ching cha ching kind? Clinton has many enterprises, but a very successful niche is his “No Worries Club” which is kind of like a fan club meets book of the month. When a business bulletin from the floor came into the office announcing that they had just signed up 245 new members in one weekend, I could understand why they call it the No Worries Club! Let’s see now; 245 x $199.99 = “no worries” Good answer, Dakota!!! The guy is ingenious, but he delivers to his fans.
Clinton says success is all about keeping an open mind, and remaining educated. Although his days begin at 4:30 a.m., he is the master of time management. A typical day starts with a trip to the gym, followed by riding, helping apprentices, then heading to the office. He is a HUGE fan of self help audio products by authors like Patrick Lencione, and Dale Carnegie. He explained that the Lencione course helped him to “run his business better, have better people work for us, and better communication. (Hesitates) I’m always looking to improve our business skills, and learn from as many people as I can, so I try to keep an open mind.” (Could someone hold the presses while I run to the library?) When I asked if he would ever consider writing a self-help book himself, he said “not right now, but maybe in a few years.”
Of course I had to press for at least one thing that many of his fans don’t know about him. Although he doesn’t dislike country music, he doesn’t play it. Clinton is a fan of Nickelback and rock which will hopefully not tarnish his cowboy image for fans – LOL. He is also a huge movie buff who loved 300, and is obsessed the History Channel.
Clinton has many of the same goals as the rest of us. His hobby is showing horses, which he explains is “something fun to do….kind of my hobby…it keeps me trying to get better.” He keeps the dream alive of “winning something of significance” such as the open reining futurity, but says he “wouldn’t necessarily be disappointed” if he can’t get it done. “You know, it takes a lot of time to do it, and right now my horsemanship takes focus over my reining career.”
Although successful in the reining arena, Clinton most notably was the first two time winner of the prestigious “Road to the Horse” competition which is a wild horseback breaking contest taking place over 3 hours in front of a large crowd. You will hear it first on GoHorseShow.com that Clinton is planning to go back to compete there in 2011. Although he has proven that he can cross over successfully from clinician to horse show exhibitor, he doesn’t know that the professional horse trainers today would be equipped to cross over and compete in Road to the Horse. “It’s a completely different element,” Clinton explains. “You know most good trainers don’t start colts very well”.
Don’t take it personally. On the Cart sensation and legendary trainer Doug Carpenter would agree, citing his own experience. Doug said that if he would have been armed with Clinton’s knowledge of Down Under Horsemanship 20 years ago that it would have changed his whole business. Doug described that for every 100 horses he started as colts that only a handful went on to make good show horses. He acknowledged that in hindsight, a high percentage of “throw-aways” might have been due to human error which could have been minimized if had he possessed Clinton’s techniques. He admits that the “guy is amazing”.
Known to be a generous philanthropist, the Tour stop raised nearly $2,500 for central Kentucky horse charities. It was clearly a win-win for the community. The tour was also held in one of the new Kentucky Horse Park venues, which raised exposure and anticipation for the World Equestrian Games to be held there this fall. Anderson is already committed as a major vendor, and participant at that event, and I have no doubt the crowd will be back in legions to see him.
After he had given thousands of people a piece of himself, I could sense that at the end of the weekend he was a bit weary. Suffering from a cold and mild laryngitis, he graciously made time to do my interview. He did confide that the next 10 years are “gonna hopefully be a lot better where I can stay home more – a lot more – and do a lot more competing. I’ve been travellng hard for 10 years and I wanna say home.” I know how he feels. In the end, Clinton showed me the same courtesy that he shows his followers. He never leaves a venue without signing every last autograph, taking photos, and listening to people with problem horses. I think about our own industry at times, where some of our idols seem unapproachable.
I was the last one in line that day after waiting for thousands to have their turn. In the end, it was well worth the experience. I have a new found respect for this man, and feel armed with knowledge both in and out of the horse industry that I might never have learned elsewhere. Clinton’s last words to me were “Thanks for taking your time.” Trust me, it was my pleasure! With my head reeling with ideas, I’m off to put them to good use. Gotta go, or should I say g’day!
