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Tennessee
Walking Horse OnLine Congratulates
Adult
Supreme Champion
Mag Ranft, Ohio
Gypsie Reflection
By Mag Ranft
1986 was a year to remember for Gypsie Reflection and for
me. In March, Gypsie gave birth to a beautiful bay colt by Tracy's
Midnight and in September we garnered the final points needed for our
Adult Supreme Versatility Championship! Even though our story is not
spectacular, I'd like to relate some of the events that led to this banner
year.
"Buy a buckskin Walking Horse? No way!" That's what I would have said
prior to 1981 if anyone had inquired about my interest in a buckskin
Walker. I had never been fond of the buckskins I had seen and I had never
seen a buckskin Walking Horse! Then, in July of 1981, I saw Gypsie
Reflection at a show in Berea, Ohio and was immediately intrigued by her
looks and way of going. The more I saw her, the more interested I was,
even though she was obviously only green-broke. I had intended to spend a
long time looking for a new, "perfect" plantation pleasure horse to take
over for Coppertone C., my previous Youth Superior and Adult Supreme
Versatility Champion, as he was soon to be retired due to arthritis.
However, my heart prevailed and, in October 1981, I purchased Gypsie
almost immediately upon learning she was for sale.
I soon found out that Gypsie wasn't perfect and we had a lot of work to do
to become a show-ready team! As she was not well schooled in the basics,
and was also very fond of running away, I turned to Janie Cleveland, now
of Misty Meadow Farm of Chesterland, Ohio for assistance. As a dressage
trainer, she taught us both about natural collection techniques. She also
had experience in Western and Hunt Seat events which was a big help when
we began schooling for Versatility classes. With Janie's assistance,
Gypsie and I had improved enough to be ready to hit the 1982 show trail.
In 1982 we were still getting used to each other and there were some good
and some bad shows! All in all, was a very good year with 50 versatility
points earned in five events. In 1983, Gypsie was lame for about two
months in the summer, but we still managed to accumulate 27 points that
year and were only five model points shy of our Adult Versatility
Championship. The needed model points were obtained by July 1984 and our
first goal in the Versatility Program was won. In 1984, Gypsie was also
Mid-Ohio Walking Horse Association Overall High Point Horse. In 1985, we
began showing in reining classes and earned two reining points along with
35 other points, even though she was at Cedar Creek Farm being bred for
part of the show season. In July 1986, after weaning her colt, I began
showing her again with the intent to obtain the two trail and six reining
points needed to finish her Supreme Versatility Championship. The last of
the points needed were earned at the Southern Ohio Pleasure Walking Horse
Trials in September. Gypsie now has a total of 188 points in the Adult
Versatility Program.
Although it did not take us long to earn this honor, it was not always
smooth sailing. After several months of training to drive in 1983,
Gypsie's latent runaway tendencies surfaced again in pleasure driving
classes and driving was dropped in the interest of everyone's safety!
Gypsie also shows promise as a jumper, but she requires a very brave and
aggressive rider in order to jump well. As I get older, I find my
willingness to take risks has declined, so I have left jumping Gypsie to
the younger and braver - and I still close my eyes just watching! Reining
points were hard to earn as very few shows offer reining and the class is
usually small, but reining turned out to be the best choice for Gypsie and
me.
Gypsie was also ridden by several youth riders, one of whom, Nancy Downard,
earned 24 points in two years in the Youth Versatility Program. Heydays
and all-pleasure shows have been Gypsie's strong point, just as they were
for her stablemate, Coppertone C. Gypsie was High Point Horse at the 1984
Indiana Heyday and Youth High Point Horse at the 1985 Indiana Heyday. At
the 1985 and 1986 MOWHA Fun Show she was High Point Youth and Reserve High
Point Youth, respectively.
After all the years and all the awards, Gypsie is still not a "perfect"
plantation horse. She has not ceased to dislike indoor rings; she can be
tight and silly - usually at the wrong times - she hates to be bothered
when she's eating, and she has become somewhat heavy, especially in the
summer. But I am still very fond of her. She's comfortable, fun to ride,
and easy to work around. I give her credit for making our first experience
with breeding and foaling a breeze. She even carefully timed her delivery
so that I would be with her when she foaled! She had her colt right after
breakfast. (I knew she wouldn't miss a meal!) So far, her colt, Tracy's
Razzmatazz, has been a pleasure to have around and has done well when
shown. We are considering raising more colts in the future and I'm sure a
few of them will be Gypsie's.
Over the years I have become increasingly active in our local club, the
Mid-Ohio Walking Horse Association, because of my commitment to the
plantation horse which is very popular in this area. I served as club
secretary for eight years and have been active on the show and high point
committees. I am also a director of the Ohio Celebration. In 1985 I was
elected to be one of the representatives from Ohio to the Tennessee
Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) Board of
Directors and have particularly enjoyed serving on the pleasure committees
of the TWHBEA and the Walking Horse Owners' Association.
I think that the plantation pleasure horse is our best source of publicity
and credit the TWHBEA Versatility Program with increasing our willingness
to go to all kinds of shows, to try new things, and to develop the
multiple talents that our horses possess. In my opinion, all-breed shows,
exhibits, and trail rides are our best means of fostering a more favorable
image of this long-maligned breed. Our club's support of and participation
in local open and 4-H horse shows never fails to elicit favorable comments
from spectators and other exhibitors, many of whom had held very negative
opinions about the Tennessee Walking Horse.
It was a thrill to accept my award, a classy lettered director's chair, at
the recent TWHBEA meeting. I do appreciate all of the effort and support
given this program by Sis Osborne, Ann Kuykendall, and the TWHBEA.
Gypsie Reflection and I could not have accomplished this goal without the
assistance and support of friends too numerous to mention. I am especially
thankful for the assistance and patience given my 'horse habit' by my
husband, Steve, who didn't know what he was getting into when he married a
horse lover with one Walking Horse. Our herd has grown to four, so far,
and its hard to find me at home on weekends from May through October!
I hope to have many more horses earn honors in the Versatility Program,
and hope others will enjoy and appreciate it as much as I have!
(Reprinted from Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse
magazine April 1987)
Adult Supreme Champions
Youth Superior Champions
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