Smart, free and as handsome as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean is a horse I showed for several years. Wilson. He came from a small farm in Iowa and even as a yearling was showing signs that he was a force to be reckoned with in the show pen. It was though he knew. Knew what? The arena was his, not yours or theirs….HIS….YOU just hang on.
I had proclaimed retirement from the show pen due to a difficult knee surgery. Just a bucket girl. And then Wilson turned three. “Get on that DAMN horse and show!”, my ‘loving’ ex-husband yelled at a show in Michigan. Well, I hardly had any show clothes in the trailer, but I put together a sensible outfit….still had my 70X black hat. And I never showed Wilson in any other color other than black after that victory in mid-August 1997. I had given thought to replacing the diamond horse shoe on my hat with a diamond skull and cross bones! One show after another, one nationally ranked amateur after another having to settle for second place. Riding Wilson was like sailing when the water is like glass....unless he wanted to wreck. Then, of course you ship wrecked in style. It didn't matter...he was good…oh, and I hadn’t retired.
The 1998 season began. I call it the Steel Wheels Tour (sorry Stones). Over twenty thousand miles booked before it was over. It was quite a march. Tulsa, Findley, Lansing, Indianapolis, Jackson, Memphis, Columbia, Arden, Ashville, Perry, Montgomery, Houston, Newberry, Ocala,……you name it, we won it. Our competitors began to realize it was better not to ride on the same day as us. On the days we were to show our class would dwindle to 3 to 5 head. On the days we didn’t show the class was back up to 20-26. That’s okay, we’ll see you somewhere out there. You’ll ride at the World Show, we’ll be there. Wilson and I went into the World leading the nation the year he was four. Now, they had to ride against us. I would have to get past the prelims and semi’s to get into the finals. No pressure here. The pressures of having to make finals were intensified by having to deal with the contrary husband. Then there were my expectations. I expected a GOOD ride; I knew it would be a good ride. I knew from the first day I showed Wilson that we would be in this exact spot.
As the sun rose on morning of the ride Wilson and I took a long walk out the fields that surrounded the fairgrounds. And my mind went from expectations to gratitude. We had become ‘famous’ in our world. Thank you Wilson for making me feel worth something while I swam in a sea of worthlessness. Thank you Wilson for giving me a sense of pride. Thank you Wilson for carrying me through troubled times. Thank you Wilson for letting me just feel good. We were truly best friends, and together we thrived. That day went by in slow motion, from the morning hand walk, to the warm up pen. We sailed through the prelims and semi round. NOW back in the arena for the finals. The Coliseum had filled to capacity. Amateur night always commands a full house. Having placed the highest in the previous rounds we would enter the arena last. As the riders entered the arena the crowd cheered for their favorite. And then it was our turn. I remember trotting down the entry way, giving Wilson a pet on the neck, and the next thing I heard was an ear shattering roar from the crowd. I acknowledged their favor and Wilson and I went to work. We never missed a beat, in fact it felt as though I could lay the reins down and Wilson would handle it. Before I knew it we were lined up on the wall waiting for placings. World Show victory was NOW or NEVER… 15th, 14th…9th…..5th……..AND Third. Wilson and I placed third. I bent over and kissed Wilson’s neck and gave him a pat…..the crowd went wild as though we had won. Wilson and I had won their hearts. Was I disappointed? NEVER….we were two underdog pirates who fate wisked together, we blew in on the wind. We took what we wanted and gave NOTHIN’ back. We might not have won the world but we got our touch of glory nevertheless. Soon the year was over. A lot of things were over that year.
Wilson and I did reunite later for a short time just to wreak havoc on the competition again. Although it was brief, it was just as adventuresome and thrilling to walk out of that arena first. Wilson and I never ever gave anything away and left nothing in the pen. We always stuck to the code……One for all and All for one.
Wilson now resides with his favorite family...he’s teaching two growing boys the way to sail through prelims straight to finals.
Hmmmmm. Feel the wind pick up?.... the young pirates are coming……you’ve been warned.
Thank you Wilson....for all of it....forever. AND you have to listen
