It is sometimes said that one should surround themselves
with people who inspire them. This is one cliché I can agree with. In the horse
world especially, it is so easy to get caught up in the competition and the cut
throat atmosphere. It is easy to become judgmental and even hateful at times.
Surrounding yourself with horse show friends who do not fall to these
temptations is something I try very hard to do. I have been very lucky to find
some ride or die friends who I can say, wholeheartedly, inspire me.
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| Just a slight height difference between our boys |
Around 2011, I had just started showing Charlie as an
all-around horse despite the fact he was just 4 years old and in his second
year of showing. A new girl around my age showed up at the Ohio paint shows
with a giant red roan gelding. Her name is Rachel Walcoff and her gelding is
EFC Holesinmysocks. My parents are longtime friends with her trainer and
through that mutual friendship we became friends. I learned the story of
“Socks”, her giant gelding. They came across him for sale for $3500 and all he
did was jump. He had cancerous sarcoids on his leg that had to be
surgically removed and treated. He didn’t know the all-around events and given
his older age, he wasn’t terribly interested in learning them. She was
transitioning from showing Appaloosas and didn’t know anyone of the paint
circuit. We quickly bonded over the crazy year of showing our polar opposite
geldings; mine was young and clueless to the horse show world and hers was old
and would rather not learn new tricks. We also just have a blast together;
every show I see Rachel is bound to be a good time. Throughout the tough shows
where the boys continuously screwed us out of winning with their antics, we
realized that we were both in this for the same reason: a genuine love for
showing and horses.
Fast forward a few years and we were back together again at
the Pinto World Show. The geldings were much easier to show now. They knew
their jobs and despite their ever present weaknesses; we both found great
success. Rachel and I stayed up all hours of the night braiding our fingers raw to help pay for our classes. Charlie and I won reserve world champion in Western Pleasure and
Rachel showed Socks in his strong classes of jumping and hunter events. I will
never forget watching my sweet friend win her first world championship on that
old roan gelding in the Amateur Dressage; my heart was overwhelmed with
happiness for someone who had worked so hard to take a horse that no one
believed in to the highest level of competition and WIN. She followed up that
buckle with a win in Amateur Working Hunter and she literally danced her way
out of the arena with her buckle. For someone who genuinely loves this sport,
loves her grouchy old man and pays her own way to the horse shows through her
summer job to reach such great success inspires me.
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| Because why not dance after you win your first world championship? |
Currently, I am sitting at home, preparing Law School
applications and writing papers and watching the APHA World Show live feed with
jealously. Many of my friends are there showing, including sweet Rachel for her
last show with Socks. I wish I was there with everyone. Two mornings ago I
turned on my webcam just in time to catch the end of Rachel’s jumping pattern
and the subsequent World Championship she received. Yesterday morning she won
another one. She is having the show of her life and living her dreams; all on
the back of a $3500 gelding that no one believed in. Despite the wish to be in
Fort Worth, I could not be happier to watch someone receive the success they
deserve. I am honored to be friends with someone who truly inspires me. I
absolutely could not be more proud and happy for the success she is having. She
pulled a diamond out of the rough and put in the hard work to make him the
world champion he is today. Also, I could not be happier for our good family
friend and Rachel’s wonderful trainer Ric who spotted the talent in that
gelding and helped Rachel every step to bring them to this level as a pair.
Never underestimate the power of hard work, dedication and a
little bit of love; the least likely candidate may just become a multiple world
champion. You don't have to have all the money in the world and the fanciest horse to win.
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Rachel-
I truly could not be happier for you. Thank you for being a great friend and thank you for inspiring me. Give Socks a treat from Charlie and I and I expect to see those buckles next time we get together <3
❤️ Brandy
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