My Latest Favorite photo

Driving back through the mountains in California I found this jewel of a lake on a lesser travelled highway I've highlighted in my Atlas for future reference. I truly wish I would have noticed the beauty more at the time but it was really cold! You can see the grass starting to grow close to the water though. Spring was springing...

I want to be a cowgirl

Since going to Quarter Horse Congress last year (see photos) I made the decision to see how seriously I could reconnect to the horse community. I have old acquaintences there, I enjoy the lifestyle, I enjoy the animals ......

Trouble is I'm not really interested in full time horse ownership at this point. My mother was able to afford good horses and good trainers. Most of them respected and recognized within the AQHA industry today. So I was spoiled, or lucky. And I'd want to have the best if I was going to start trying to ride or develop a horse, which I just can't afford to do yet.

The AQHA - The American Quarter Horse Association - is my area of interest. But ring mastering, doing local &/or child oriented horse events or agricultural shows will more than likely be how I ease my free time back into the horse community. But eventually, I do want to explore opportunities with the AQHA both as a competitor, a judge and a business comrade. I may be helpful in spreading word about the AQHA to the entertainment industry. I have my own "fish to fry" in that arena currently with the Carter Boys (see related articles), but one day, when I'm ready, I hope to make the AQHA proud and to give something back to the community that helped to "raise me right."

I was elected Tennessee Quarter Horse Queen for my first 2 years of college. I become 2nd Runner-Up over all at the Congress in 1991. Previously I held offices as TJQHA President and Secretary, and represented the TN Youth Team at both the World & Congress shows, over 10 consecutive years. My first major quarter horse win was Congress Reserve Champion in the Small Fry Walk Trot in 1979. I was 8 and riding M'Lady Riker, a 17.2 hand mare! I had been showing in TN may years prior to this, competing in Lead Line & Walk Trot classes on my first horse, Skipter's Chief.

My main showing/competing years in AQHA were spent under the tutelage of Charlene Carter, riding Duncan Parker & Bett High to numerous state all around and national wins. I showed every season through middle school & high school until I left for college and Bob Kingsley went on to retire Duncan out in California riding him on the weekends in saddle club shows and feeding him carrots. Better-roo-roo spent the rest of her days at Charlene's place, hanging out with babies in the pastures and was later buried by the swimming pool. Skipter's Chief is laid to rest out here in Leiper's Fork, TN, where I currently live, and I see Irish, M'Lady Riker's baby, every day, as she's become our beautiful pasture ornament.

Most of our horses have become family members, so it's hard to imagine getting back into buying horses right now, as I constantly travel, and my cash flow isn't that good yet. So I've decided I'd start ring mastering and go for a judges card or two. How hard can it be? Look for a later entry regarding the CBC (Equine Judges Testing Seminar) to see what I ended up testing for. argh!!

It will be financially worth spending some free time over in the horse world because I've always thought the graphic design, photography & imaging I do for the music business, would be successful in the horse industry. I've represented Manuel, the reigning cowboy-couture-designer to the stars, and could help the young girls with their costumes and advertising, etc....... one thing at a time! I'm just thrilled I'm finally taking the time to do something for me and getting back around the horses is turning out to be a great plan!

The more I'm back around the horse shows, I'm realizing the horse industry is a lot like the music business. They are both a form of entertainment.