A Closer Look At Gordon Potts by by MARY MARY KIRKMAN KIRKMAN
Hee has has been been aa familiar familiar
sight sight in in the the Arabian Arabian show show ring ring since since the the early early 1980s, 1980s, aa perennially perennially successful successful trainer trainer with with aa low-key low-key demeanor demeanor whose whose deft deft ability ability has has netted netted him him and and his his clients clients aa boatload boatload of of ribbons ribbons..
Gordon GordonPotts Pottsisison onanyone’s anyone’sshort shortlist listasasone oneofofthe the top toptrainers trainersininthe thebreed. breed.While Whileheheisisnot notold oldenough enough totobeberevered reveredasasone oneofofthe theindustry’s industry’sgrand grandold oldmen, men, hehehails hailsfrom fromthe theera erawhen whentrainers trainerswere wereproficient proficient with withhorses horsesacross acrossthe thespectrum spectrumofofcompetition, competition,and and today todayhis hisbase baseatatThe TheBrass BrassRing RingininBurleson, Burleson,Tex., Tex.,isis home hometotohorses horsesand andclients clientsinina avariety varietyofofdisciplines. disciplines. Even Evenso, so,his hisin-depth in-depthbackground backgroundoften oftenflies fliesunder under the theradar radarfor fornew newArabian Arabianenthusiasts. enthusiasts.Back Backininthe theday, day, one oneclue cluemight mighthave havebeen beenthat thathehewas wasa amember memberofofthat that luminous luminousgroup groupofofyoung youngtrainers trainerswho whocame cameout outofofLasma Lasma ininthe theearly early1980s. 1980s.But Butthat thatisisjust justpart partofofthe thestory. story.
The TheTalent TalentBehind BehindThe TheReputation Reputation
Potts’ Potts’fascination fascinationwith withhorses horsesbegan beganatatthe theage age ofof3,3,when whenheherode rodefor forthe thefirst firsttime, time,hoisted hoistedupup ininthe thesaddle saddleininfront frontofofhis hisfather. father.Riding Ridinglessons lessons with withTexas Texasinstructor instructorSusan SusanMayo Mayoshaped shapedhis his introduction introductiontotoproper properhorsemanship, horsemanship,and andbybythe the time timehehewas wasa ateenager, teenager,hehewas wasgrooming groomingfor—and for—and learning learningfrom—trainer from—trainerDavid DavidGardner GardneratatBentwood Bentwood Farms, Farms,then thenthe thelargest largestsource sourceofofEgyptian EgyptianArabians Arabians ininthe thecountry. country.That Thatwas waswhen whenheherealized realizedwhat whathehe wanted wantedtotodo doininlife: life:train trainArabian Arabianhorses. horses.InIna a2010 2010 interview interviewheheexplained, explained,“They “Theyintrigued intriguedme mebecause because you youcould coulddo doa alot lotofofdifferent differentkinds kindsofofriding ridingonon them.” them.”After Afterthat, that,heheworked workedwith withmany manyofofthe themost most knowledgeable knowledgeablehorsemen horsemenininthe thebreed, breed,some someofofwhom whom would wouldbecome becomehis hismentors, mentors,including includingDorothy DorothyDunn Dunn and andDoug DougThompson ThompsonatatZodiac ZodiacFarm, Farm,Kit KitHall, Hall,Walter Walter “Chappy” “Chappy”Chapman, Chapman,and andfinally, finally,atatLasma, Lasma,Gene Geneand and Ray RayLaCroix. LaCroix.(Lasma, (Lasma,hehesaid, said,was was“a“acombination combinationofof graduate graduateschool schooland andboot bootcamp.”) camp.”) The Thesignificance significanceofofallallthat? that?Among Amongother otherthings, things,that that Potts’ Potts’vision visionofofa ahorseman horsemanwas wasformed formedbybythe theicons iconsofof the thebreed, breed,the the“compleat “compleathorsemen” horsemen”who whowere werestill stillactively actively involved involvedwhen whenhehewas wasbreaking breakingin.in.Although Althoughmost mostare are gone now, their names come easily to his mind. “Bob gone now, their names come easily to his mind. “BobHart Hart Sr., Sr.,Red RedBeyer, Beyer,Walter WalterChapman, Chapman,Stan StanWhite WhiteSr., Sr.,Tom Tom McNair, McNair,Jerry JerrySmola Smola(the (theone onewho whowas wasatatLasma Lasmaininthe the beginning, who taught Gene)—those guys, and beginning, who taught Gene)—those guys, andI’m I’msure sure there therewere wereothers, others,came camefrom froma abackground backgroundwhere wherepeople people used horses,” he said in the interview. “They provided used horses,” he said in the interview. “They provideda a foundation foundationfor forwhat whatwe wedodoasasa abreed.” breed.” And Andhehemade madeuse useofofthe theknowledge. knowledge.InIn1981, 1981,while whileworking working with Ray LaCroix at Lasma, he was the primary with Ray LaCroix at Lasma, he was the primarytrainer trainerforforthe the renowned renownedwestern westernhorse horseQuavado Quavadowhen whenthe thegelding geldingwon wonhishis first firstnational nationalchampionship, championship,the theCanadian Canadianaward awardininamateur. amateur. Quavado would go on to five more national Quavado would go on to five more nationaltrophies trophiesand andfive five reserves in the U.S. and Canada, with Potts up in 1988 reserves in the U.S. and Canada, with Potts up in 1988forforthe the U.S. U.S.National NationalChampionship ChampionshipininWestern WesternPleasure. Pleasure. In time, Potts’ experience added up to the title of head In time, Potts’ experience added up to the title of head trainer. After periods at Bassani Arabians in Canada, trainer. After periods at Bassani Arabians in Canada,
142A | A r A bi A n Hor se T i mes
Gordon 16-time Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure Gordonand and 16-time Half-Arabian Country English Pleasure National Champion AmericanBeautie +//. National Champion AmericanBeautie +//.
the Morningstar and theTexas Texasfacility facilityLaLaVerada, Verada, MorningstarArabians, Arabians, and Karho, called it it Karho,hehefinally finallyopened openedhishisown ownoperation operationand and called The TheBrass BrassRing. Ring.He Hehas hasnot notlooked lookedback backsince. since. The toto Thevarious varioussteps stepsininhishiscareer careermay mayhave haveledledone one another somewhat randomly, but Potts’ approach to another somewhat randomly, but Potts’ approach to horsemanship His horsemanshiphas hasnot notbeen beenhaphazard. haphazard. Histechnique, technique, fundamentally, rests in his communication thethe horse. fundamentally, rests in his communicationwith with horse. “I“Ithink horse has thinkthat thatthe thebasics basicsallallinterrelate interrelateand andthe the horse has got to go forward, meet the bridle, and soften,” he says. got to go forward, meet the bridle, and soften,” he says. “In he’s left oror “Inthat thatjourney journeyforward, forward, he’snot notgoing goingtotoleak leak left leak right. He’s going to stay in between your legs and leak right. He’s going to stay in between your legs and reins, InIndoing that, reins,and andnot notget getbound boundupupororkinked kinkedup.up. doing that, the horse will be cadenced; he’ll be soft and he’ll carry the horse will be cadenced; he’ll be soft and he’ll carry himself. they himself.We Wedon’t don’thave havetotohold holdthem theminina position; a position; they learn to accept it. That really is the essence, to me, of learn to accept it. That really is the essence, to me, of horsemanship, It’sIt’s allall about horsemanship,whatever whateverdiscipline disciplineyou yougogoin.in. about controlling the body and creating softness, that kind ofof controlling the body and creating softness, that kind thing. say, a reiner, thing.All Allofofthe thethings thingsthat thatyou youdodowith, with, say, a reiner, will work with a western horse or a hunter or English will work with a western horse or a hunter oranan English horse—it all interrelates. So, that kind of philosophy oror horse—it all interrelates. So, that kind of philosophy mindset allows you to cross over and do other disciplines, mindset allows you to cross over and do other disciplines, and anddodothem themwith withsome somedegree degreeofofcompetitiveness.” competitiveness.” Most he’s ofof a western trainer, hehe Mostpeople peopleprobably probablythink think he’more s more a western trainer, concedes, but in reality, he has enjoyed more success in English. concedes, but in reality, he has enjoyed more success in English. A glance at some of the headliners he has handled over the A glance at some of the headliners he has handled over the years corroborates that: Infra Red, New Fire, Salemm, The years corroborates that: Infra Red, New Fire, Salemm, The Volume 44, No. 4 | 143A