Dana Avila Interview

Dewey won the Circuits in the Select Ranch Riding, Select Ranch Trail, Amateur Ranch Rail, and the Select Reining, he also was 3rd in the circuit in the Amateur Performance Geldings for a total of $2,200, as well as picking up 11 Select Horsemanship points and finishing up qualifying for the AQHA World show!

Q - Congratulations on your great show at the The EMO Celebration in Las Vegas! Can you tell us about what happened?

A - Thanks! The EMO Celebration was the first real outing for a new horse that we recently purchased, and he really did well for us.

Q - You have a new horse. Give us a the details about your new superstar horse.

A - We Purchased a 5 yr old gelding by the name of ALWAYS DO in March of this year. He is a darling grey gelding by CAT MAN DO and out of a WIMPY/WHIZ bred mare. He was a finalist in the NP Reining Futurity, he has worked a cow a bit and he has even spent some time in the roping arena. We have been looking for a new horse that I could show that would hopefully cross over into the roping pen for Bob and he fits the bill perfectly. We have been introducing him to the Ranch events and the Horsemanship and he has been doing great.

Q - How did you find him?

A - Believe it or not he walked into our place! A friend of ours Ronnie Thompson cane over to ride with us on a rainy day and “Dewey” was one of the horses he brought with him. Bob and I saw him, and I know we both had the same thought at the same time....”We have GOT to have him”!

Q - Everyone raves about how fun The EMO Celebration is to compete at and attend. What are your favorite parts of this event?

A -The EMO Celebration is a really nice show. It started out as a casual not too of a big show to go to in July when it is hot at home. Let’s face it South Point is a pretty great place to go show especially when the weather isn’t very nice outside! The show has grown way out of that nice little show to a very big competitive show. It is competitive in all disciplines from the Cow horse events to the All Around. The schedule is very well done to allow the Ranch, Reining, and Cow horses to show together in the beginning of the show and then the All

Around events come in for the last half of the show. I believe I heard they sold right around 1,000 stalls this year!

Q - Who puts this event on?

A - The PCQHA puts this event on.

Q - What are some of the prizes that you won?

A - Throughout your career, you’ve won numerous prizes. Could you share some of your most treasured or memorable awards or moments?

The show has done something a little different and the Circuit awards are now prize money. Champion gets $500, Res Champion gets $300, and 3rd gets $200. It is kind of nice for a change to have a chance to offset some of the cost of having fun!!!

I have been blessed with some Great horses in my life BROTHER WHITE has to be at the top of that list we won so much it is hard to pick just one title, he was truly a once in a lifetime horse! (He is now 27 and retired at our place in Scottsdale) After him our mare ONE SMART PEPTO came along she and I had a storied career in the west coast reining events, and she has gone on to produce foals that I have shown and had success with which is super exciting and gratifying as well. I am thinking that DEWEY may have what it takes to be considered in the company of those special ones, time will tell.

Q - Tell what is next for you two?

A - Bob and I wanted to do something different this year, so we decided to take DEWEY to the NSBA World Championship show in Tulsa this month. We have always heard it is a great show, and we have lots of friends that attend so we are looking forward to it.

Q - What plans do you and your husband, Bob, have in store for the future?

A - We have been getting a chance to go out and spend some time on our boat this summer, which has been great. It is something we really enjoy, and we have a couple more trips planed before summer is over.

Q - Will you be at The Run For A Million?

A - Unfortunately, we will be at the NSBA World Show during the Run For A Million.