GET YOUR GAME FACE ON

When people think of sports, they think of traditional courts and field sports like football, basketball, and soccer. Often times, the competitive world of equestrianism, is not included as “the same” as other sports. However, when the top competitors walk down the alleyway their mindset, their drive, their goal, all require 100% focus with their game faces on.

Brian Brady, from Little Rock, Arkansas who is a top-level exhibitor in the tough amateur division of the quarter horse circuit, knows how to handle the pressure of the show pen, not because he always feels confident, but because he knows he is prepared.

Brian has shown in the APHA, ApHC, ApHA, and AQHA circuit since 2002.

“I am most proud of my Showmanship wins back to back at the Pinto World Show and also National Champion in Showmanship in the Appaloosa, and won the Horsemanship in the pintos.”

Not to mention his multiple top fives placings in multiple events in APHA’s biggest shows.

“Frankly, I feel like my success is attributed to a lot of good luck, but I feel like it always comes together if I have put the time and effort into it.”

One of the ways Brian handles the inevitable stress and nerves that come with showing is to “break things down into different aspects to make myself prepared like making sure I have all of the components I need to win.”

Olivia Tordoff, from Powell, Ohio is no stranger to the winner’s circle. Olivia’s success has never been left up to chance.

“For me, I try to understand how important your mental fitness is, as much as your horse’s physical fitness.” In fact, Olivia worked with a sports psychologist last year to give her the tools to manage horse show nerves.

“The most important part for me to remember is at the end of the day when you are walking down the shoot, you can’t change what is going to happen. It’s either going to work or it’s not. I think if you work all year, then it will pay off.”

Brad Jewett, a professional allaround trainer from San Antonio believes in the power of being sports minded every time he or one of his students swing their legs over a saddle. He admits, “If I wasn’t training horses and coaching riders, I would be a football or basketball coach.”

Peaking at the back gate and being prepared is not a one-time feeling or goal for Brad or his students.

“Reaching the level of peak performance has to happen multiple times before you ever even get to the back gate. It’s no different than a walk through before a football game. Coaches and players go through plays

and making sure everyone knows where everyone is going to be. The quarterback needs to know where their receivers are and their blockers.”

Brad believes the thought process on the field and court should be transferred to the arena.

“It’s no different than what I’m currently doing with my youth kids preparing for the youth world. I try to grill them mentally, pretty in depth before we even get to the show. The last horse show before the World Show is the Big A in Georgia. I put them in similar situations as what they will experience at the World Show such as not being able to get on my student’s horse within so many minutes before they go in the pen.”

He continues, “I try to get my own riders to get their horses prepared. Whatever I feel like needs to be worked on between the Big A and the World Show, we work on during the few weeks we have at home. Then we go to OKC to see if we did everything right.”

Once at the show, whether it is at numerous World Shows or Congress, the plan to peak

depends on what works best for the individual competitor.

For Brian, schooling the patterns front to back, and vice versa help him stay focused and feel prepared.

“I don’t think we do anything different getting my horse prepared. It is a lot of basic maneuvers, precision, and techniques. We definitely school the pattern and elements of the pattern. We might even run it completely backward, so the horse stays fresh.”

Olivia on the other hand, only schools elements of the pattern.

“ [I think] the horses begin to interpret the pattern when you do it too many times and they will begin to anticipate. However, if there is a large fast circle in the pattern we will drill that maybe eight times until my horse almost forgets what he is doing.”

She continues, “ I think a lot of it is mentally understanding knowing where your marks are and how to handle adversities you might face in the pattern. We know this is the plan, but you have to make adjustments throughout the pattern and we make plans on how to handle various situations.”

Brad knows that no one approach to preparing to peak is a one-day wonder.

“All exhibitors are competitive just in different ways, they all have their own talent levels. The biggest thing I’m looking for is that rider to be confident. One may be able to gallop faster or change leads better, so whatever that combination does best is what I focus on. I will always encourage them and give them a confident last bit of words about a piece they do super well. If you’ve shown enough, it’s all about getting confidence in the show pen. When a horse and rider are confident in the that’s all that matters. At that point, the coaching steps aside. And once that rider can have a confident ride then the sky is the limit.”

Keeping a sports mindset also affects the horse, according to Brad.

time is the most important part. You can have a horse and rider peak in the warm-up, and even “win” the warmup and lose it 30 seconds before they walk in the pen. We want these horses to be so dialed into us and at the last 30 seconds walk into the shoot, and up to the green cone focused solely on the rider. If you haven’t done that 1000 times in your mind and you lose focus, your horse is going to be looking for you. You’ll have one misstep and you’ll fall right off the tracks.”

Even though it is “World Show season” and nerves are high, ultimately the winners never walk away with the gold by luck alone. Hours are spent creating plays for their horses, maneuver combinations, beating out stress situations, and working through any adversaries that come their way at the last minute. Being able to not only look confident but feel confident because deep down, you know you can complete the challenge in front of you is ultimately what drives you to the next level.

Next time you saddle up, think to yourself, “What is my goal? Where do I want to be?” Once you come up with that answer, ride toward that goal, for that goal, and never lose focus and always keep your game face on.