Thursday, February 10, 2011

The Beginning

Everything has a beginning. Here's Sara, way back in '85. This was her first show, and that is her first trophy. She caught "the bug" at the tender age of 12, and there's been no looking back.

Growing up, her family had horses. Her dad had horses on the farm when he was a kid, so he passed the bug on to her. They mainly had them as pets, and they rode them around some. Then one day her dad told her to go get Skips Mary Jayne out of the pasture and give her a good brushing. They were gonna take a ride to Zablocki Stables and see how they'd do at a show.

Everyone knew of Zablocki Stables. Just off the main road to town, kids with the bug would press their little faces to the car window as they drove by. There were always horses to look at. There was always someone riding in the huge outdoor arena.


It was that day, many years ago, that Sara got to go in that arena. Totally unprepared, not even sure what to do in a halter class, her dad stuffed a hat on her head and pointed at the gate.

They took first place in that halter class. She caught the bug hard that day, and there's no doctor in the world that can cure it.

6 comments:

Jeffro said...

That's a good bug to have.

Christine and John said...

I think you have some of the details wrong on who got Sara started with the horse.

Terry said...

Very sweet!

Sherri said...

great picture, beautiful horse!

Anonymous said...

Would it be safe to say that the mare that wond that day was of SkipperW bloodlines?? I've been raising SkipperW paints for years, and I think they're the greatest! I too got the "bug" at an early age, and still have it.

Stacy said...

Zablocki Stables was one of the places I started at also. I believe the very first one was Timberline down in Cato, with my very first pony. I don't remember the beginning all too much, I just remember seeing pictures of me in those same sexy clothes. lmao! I remember way back in the day, showing horses with Sara, Eva and Jason! God were them the days! All the fun to be had at Kenny's place. It was a great place for many years and I often miss that place. I am proud to say that the same bug that bit Sara has bit my behind, and both my children! I owe a LOT of the credit for that "bug" to my great mom, who has always been my "groom" and "behind the scenes trainer". She was the one that would yell at me when my trainer was not around, the one to trailer me to all my lessons at Zablocki's, not to mention all the travel between Pulaski and Menasha (when Gregg Sheedy) was down there. And for trailering me to Shawano and Manitowoc for those shows. I remember Sara being at all of them also!