As 2014 comes to an end, it has become a GoHorseShow.com tradition to look back on our top-10 most popular stories of the year as determined by our readers. GoHorseShow.com’s goal is to combine unbiased and responsible journalism, entertainment, education, interaction and fun and to provide a reading experience unparalleled to any other in our industry. We will reveal the top-10 stories of the year over the next 10 days. Each story’s ranking is determined by how many times it was read.
The year 2014 will be remembered for many things as our top-10 list will recall and GoHorseShow was there to cover it all. We would like to offer a special thank you to GoHorseShow.com readers for making 2014 the biggest year to date for our web traffic, solidifying GoHorseShow.com as the industry leader for yet another year.
NUMBER 1
Horse Show Cyber-Bullying Only Hurts Our Industry
Published 1/16/2014
The most popular story on GoHorseShow.com for 2014 addressed the hot topic of cyber bullying. GoHorseShow.com writer Sarah Elder Chabot took the subject head on in her controversial article that set GoHorseShow.com records for the number of comments on the website and Facebook page. The long-term effect of this story prompted our industry to call for better treatment of each other and sparked and encouraged a new trend, kindness. We hope that this trend continues in to the new year.
Click here to view GoHorseShow.com’s most popular story of 2014 Â
NUMBER 2
ATV Accidents:
Prayers for Sunni Hecht Injured in ATV Accident
Published 7/20/2014
Brad Ost Released from Hospital Following ATV Accident
Published 10/04/2014
The second most popular story, or stories in this case, dealt with two extremely unfortunate ATV accidents. Technically, these two stories were the second and third most popular stories of 2014 on GoHorseShow.com, but because they both dealt with ATV accidents, we are combining them into one topic.
As we reported in June, Sunni Hecht of Lewistown, Montana was injured in a serious ATV accident and underwent emergency brain surgery and remained in a coma for weeks. Today, according to Sunni’s sister, Courtney Stewart, who has kept us all updated on Sunni’s CaringBridge page, “Sunni has adapted to her life at QLI (a post-hospital center for brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation) in Omaha. This facility is an assisted living environment, which will not only continue her rehabilitation, but will also help her rebuild her life. She will remain there for the foreseeable future.” On behalf of everyone at GoHorseShow.com, we wish Sunni and her family well on her long road to recovery.
Trainer, Brad Ost was also injured in an ATV accident in September and spent two weeks in the hospital in Denton, Texas. After nine days in the ICU and multiple surgeries, Brad has made a very successful recovery with miraculous wins at the Congress and AQHA World Show shortly after his release from the hospital. Despite the horse show community rallying together to raise money, Brad’s hospital bills that well exceeded $100,000, are a burden that he will continue to deal with and a reminder to all of us about the importance of ATV safety.
Click here to view Sunni’s story
Click here to view Brad’s story
NUMBER 3
10 Things Mentally Tough Equestrians Never Say by Kirsten Farris
Published 2/12/2014
GoHorseShow.com readers have loved Kirsten Farris’ savvy and intelligent monthly columns dating back to her first one for us in 2009. Farris’ reach has never been stronger than in 2014 and she clocks in with the third most popular story of the year. In this column, the multiple AQHA World Champion helps riders cope with the insecurities and doubts that many of us face.
Click here to view the 3rd most popular story on GoHorseShow.com in 2014
NUMBER 4
We Ask the Judges: Show Trends They Wish Would Go Away
Published 8/8/2014
GoHorseShow.com has long relied on the opinions of carded judges to give their thoughts on varied subjects. We asked many judges their opinion about show trends they wish would go away, resulting in the fourth most popular story of the year for 2014.
Click here to view the 4th most popular story on GoHorseShow.com in 2014
NUMBER 5
14 Tips to Spark a New Trend: Kindness
Published 2/05/2014
How the horse show community treats its members was a hot topic in 2014 as you will see in the upcoming days. February 10-16, 2014 was Random Acts of Kindness Week and the fifth most popular story of 2014 gave 14 suggestions of how we could treat each other with kindness. Were you on the giving or receiving end of any of these suggestions?
Click here to view the 5th most popular story on GoHorseShow.com in 2014
NUMBER 6
Five Things Winners Never Do with AQHA Judge Stephanie Lynn
Published 8/18/2014
GoHorseShow.com added well-respected judge, trainer, author and clinician, Stephanie Lynn to its team of writers in 2014 and she instantly became a reader favorite. Her insightful and positive columns spanned various subjects, mostly written from a judges’ perspective. In the sixth most popular story of the year for 2014, Lynn discussed five characteristics that separate winners from the rest of the crowd.
Click here to view the 6th most popular story on GoHorseShow.com in 2014
NUMBER 7
Judges Discuss the Do’s and Dont’s of Western Fashion
Published 5/20/2014
May was GoHorseShow.com’s month for fashion and the seventh most popular story for 2014 had top AQHA and APHA judges discussing the do’s and don’ts of western fashion. Our judges agreed on some things, but not on others, proving yet again that fashion is in the eye of the beholder.
Click here to view the 7th most popular story on GoHorseShow.com in 2014
NUMBER 8
Where Are They Now?: Crundwell Sale Horses
Published 2/21/2014
Rita Crundwell was sentenced 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for stealing $53.7 million from the city of Dixon nearly two years ago, and yet the public still remains captivated by her fall from grace. The eighth most popular story on GoHorseShow.com for 2014 took an in-depth look at what happened to several of the high profile horses that were sold in the
online and live auctions held in September of 2012. Many of the sale horses have gone on to win more Congress and World Championships while some, unfortunately, are no longer with us.
Click here to view the 8th most popular story on GoHorseShow.com in 2014
NUMBER 9
GoSmart with Charlie & Jason: Tips to Keep Horses Sane & Sound
Published 04/27/2014
The ninth most popular story on GoHorseShow.com for 2014 was part of our
highly popular GoSmart column with Charlie Cole and Jason Martin. In April, Charlie and Jason offered five helpful tips of how they keep their show horses sane and sound. Martin and Cole credit much of their success to the fact that they respect and love horses and treat them with dignity. “Charlie and I are just plain and simple,” Martin states. “If your horse is happy and healthy and enjoys their life and their jobs, most likely they will try harder, look happier and have a longer career.”
Click here to view the 9th most popular story on GoHorseShow.com in 2014
NUMBER 10
29 Year-Old War Horse Storms Back into Show Arena
Published 10/06/2014
The tenth most popular story of the year for 2014 was one of our personal favorites and apparently a favorite of our readers as well. GoHorseShow.com writer Meghan Smith introduced us to 29 year-old Storm Commander, affectionately known as Ralph by owner Roy Schwab who purchased the gelding 20 years ago for his daughter, Becki. Despite having been retired for the past 10 years, Ralph had a triumphant return to the show pen this summer with Roy proving that a horse’s career doesn’t end when he retires from showing and that it’s nice to have old friends around when you’re in need of a little boost.
Click here to read the 10th most popular story on GoHorseShow.com in 2014
