AL DUNNING INTERVIEW

BY TRACY WAGER

Q - Shadd is moving to the Almosta Ranch on May 1st, 2024, and you set this up. Can you tell us about how it's going to work?

A - My daughter and 2 granddaughters live here now on the 5 acres I retained when I sold the ranch to Kris. One day Kris asked me, “What’s in your future?” My answer was that, someday I have to slow down a bit. What I would really like to do is to help my son in law Shadd. So, I asked if she would ever allow him to move to the ranch, and she said, “Absolutely!” Just like that.

Since that conversation, Kris put into action getting a new barn so there would be room for Shadd to move here with all of his horses. I would like to help Shadd, help the customers, give lessons and do the things to help the ranch and customers to get better. I have gone, gone, gone my whole career to shows. Just a couple of years ago I went to 110 shows in one year. That was a lot of shows. Marilyn my assistant will work part time for me and Shadd. This is really a great plan for the next step in my life.

I think God sent Kris here. Being around her now for 2 years, I have learned to really appreciate her. This lady is really an amazing woman! She loves what she is doing and just dives in to get whatever needs to be done, and she gets it done! Kris is an incredible person.

Q - Tell us an about the new barn and the new configuration. A - What’s interesting is that Shadd is going to move into the original main barn. Then Erica Owen is going to move into the new barn.

The new barn is beautiful and has 16 stalls. It is tall, with an office and everything you could want in a barn. Along with all of the things that Kris is doing now, with Shadd and this new barn, it is only part of the amazing improvements that have been made at the Almosta Ranch. Covering the arena, building the new gate, all new fencing, refurbishing all of the housing is just a part of the improvements. It has really been amazing, and she is not done yet. What is crazy about it, is that she likes to do it herself. Kris is out there every day. This is just a testament to what a hardworking, wonderful, amazing and enthusiastic lady she is.

Q - Al, when you say that you are going to slow down some, that is going to make some people nervous. Are you still going to do lessons, be at shows coaching, but just not traveling so much?

A - Yes. I plan on not going out of state too much showing, but I will still be going to the local shows. I will go to the ones I want to go to and still offer lessons. That will be one of the main things I will do. Also, you have to understand, I have AD Tack, and Team AD our online training course. I have so many things that I do, but I want to screw it down to the things I want to do. One of which, is to spend more time with my family, and helping Shadd. My family, with Becky, McKenzie, my son Grady, Gracie and Hadley will be together more. Including trips to our cabin in Iowa and time together at the Almosta all as a family.

I have already cut down the number of horses. I only want about a dozen horses maximum for me to be training. I still think I can train a horse really well, but I don’t want to be on the road all the time.

Q - Everyone loves Marilyn! Tell us about what she will be doing.

A - Marilyn Brandt has been here with me for 7 years now. She has her master’s degree in Equine Science from West Texas A & M. Nobody takes better care of horses than Marilyn. She understands what horses need, their health, maintenance and everything else. She has become an increadable horse trainer and showman too. She won her first World Championship last year in the Level 2 Cutting at the AQHA World Show. She showed horses for me while my knee was out, and she was the Sun Circuit Junior Cutting Champion on my 4-year-old! Now she is ready to help Shadd and get more into the Cow Horse showing. Recently she had a lady that has been riding with her exclusively that went to the Stallion Stakes up in Vegas and won 3 events. That was a huge boost to Marilyn’s career. Now she will be helping Shadd with the Cow Horses too. Marilyn will still be over-seeing my program. We are so fortunate to have her here.

Marilyn is the first one here in the morning, she is the last one to leave at night. She gets up at night and checks all the horses. She does all that crazy stuff that I did 30 years ago. She has that positive energy and strength. She hauls the horses to the shows, she does everything. All I have to do is show up! That’s pretty nice.

Right now, I am surrounded by really great people. They love what they do, they are creative, and they are always thinking about each other. More importantly, they are happy. There is no drama ever at my barn and I like it that way!