9 minute read
By Amy G. hadachek
Vernon performance horses
By Amy g. hadachek
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photos courtesy of Valerie Vernon
Transporting his team of performance horses from colorado across the high Plains down into oklahoma city Thanksgiving week was an important trip for Guy Vernon.
Vernon owns Vernon performance horses in Kiowa, colo., and it was the 50th anniversary of the National reining horse Association. The milestone coincided with the start of the 2016 NrhA Futurity & Adequan North American Affiliate championship Show.
“Nowhere else can you go and find the massive amount of talent, both horse and rider, that can be found in (oklahoma city) from Thanksgiving until the first Saturday in December. There is everything from Million Dollar riders to little kids that show up to compete, which is one of the things that makes this sport so great, as there is a place for every skill level to compete,” Vernon said.
“i haul the horses myself with a good old-fashioned truck and trailer, and i attend the NrhA Futurity and NAAc almost every year,” Vernon said. “it’s an exciting time of year, as the reining world converges upon oklahoma city every year at this time."
Guy Vernon
Vernon performing in the Dodge Invitational Freestyle in Denver.
The sense of anticipation is large.
“our riders bring very talented young horses to compete at a very high level. During these next several days (around Thanksgiving) we award $2.2 million in prize money with a new NrhA Futurity champion announced by the first Saturday in December,” said gary carpenter, NrhA commissioner. “you can’t win this with luck and you can’t win it with a good horse; it takes both. And, we have a strong group of open riders and non pros from colorado, including guy, whose horses are always well-prepared.”
Vernon has been on the NrhA board for eight years, and he said he’s proud to not just be part of the association, but to be part of what he calls the “greatest reining horse show in the world.”
The sport of reining is a western riding competition, in which horses are guided by their riders through a specific set of circles, spins and stops. horses are guided through a moderate ride known as the canter, or speed is upped to a gallop.
The biggest difference between performance horses
regarding his preferred bloodlines in the industry, Vernon likes to mix it up. “We've had so many different bloodlines, my favorite of all time was a horse named Endeavor Doc and he was by hobby Doc, but we've had a lot of success with so many different bloodlines it's hard to name just a few,” Vernon said. he also acknowledged the most notable would probably be hollywood Dun it, topsail Whiz, cuttin colonel. But he said he doesn’t have a favorite. Vernon got started in the business right after he graduated from college. he’ll Vernon with his wife, Valerie. never forget the person who influenced and other horses is probably the level of specialization, him and propelled his zest and ambition according to Vernon. to thrive in the industry.
“i'm not sure there's any difference in the beginning. “My biggest influences came from terry Wegener you could probably think of it as some horses graduate who introduced me to reining horses, and my wife who high school and some graduate college, and then there are supported my dream. i had no idea what reining was those that go on to graduate school,” Vernon said. until i saw terry give a clinic while i was in college and i
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knew i wanted to do that. he gave me the opportunity to work for him and that's how i got started,” he said.
Now Vernon trains actively each day, but enjoys it so much that he doesn’t consider it work.
“i keep 15 horses in training. i usually ride about 12 horses a day, but i have assistants who help saddle and ride some of them too,” Vernon said. “We don’t really breed anymore, maybe one or two, but if they’re bred, we’ll specifically breed them to reining stallions or reining mares.” Vernon grew up riding horses but not show horses.
“i rode ranch horses and rodeo horses. growing up, my dad was a cowboy. outside of 4-h, i never knew the horse show world existed until after college. When i was a kid, i grew up on ranches and feedlots where i roped calves, bull dogged and rode bareback horses,” Vernon said. his passion for performance horses quickly morphed into his lifelong passion. Along with assistance from his wife Valerie and from their daughter Lacey, the Vernons have been raising and training reining horses for over 25 years.
Vernon’s ardent support of the reining horse industry is what he calls vital to trainers and the industry.
“it’s important to support the industry that you’re in. The importance of belonging to different equine registries and associations is that it helps promote the equine industry. in this day, there is a tremendous misunderstanding by an increasing number of people about what is the role of livestock,” Vernon said. “it's very important that those of us in the equine industry have a voice and a means of educating the general public about what we do.”
According to carpenter, there is a growth in parareigning, and that opens up possibilities for riders who have physical or mental disabilities.
And for Vernon, his biggest wish is for the industry he loves to continue for many others.
“i hope that raising and training reining horses can be enjoyed by people for generations to come,” said Vernon. “it is a true labor of love.”
for more information on the show and programs, like entry level reining, go to www.nrha.com
Vernon judging the high Roller classic in Las Vegas earlier this year.
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