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Tennessee
Walking Horse OnLine Congratulates
2000 Adult
Supreme Champion
Kathie Sandlin,
Colorado
Remembrance's Desert Rose
By Vickie Mazzola
Supreme Versatility Champion. It's a title coveted by many, yet bestowed
upon only few.
Those few who have won it are revered for their patience, perseverance and
dogged determination to attain such a distinction. It comes hard earned
only after years of constant effort.
For Gary and Kathie Sandlin of Colorado, you wouldn't think so. This
couple has taken not one, but three horses to "supreme glory". The title
is earned by a select group of individuals. Very few have gone on to earn
two such titles with their horses, even less have earned three. The
Sandlins now fall into that elite third category. Their first Supreme
Versatility Champion title came in 1991 with Mighty Sun's Lucinda. In
1996, it was 88's Merry Molly. And in late 1998, their own home bred and
raised mare Remembrance Desert Rose brought them a supreme versatility
triple crown.
The spring and summer of 1990 was extremely hot and dry giving the Sandlin
ranch a desert like appearance. The Sandlin's woke one June morning to
find a newly born, long-legged chestnut filly running around in their
corral, just as happy as could be. She was pretty with a true walk and a
natural head nod, just like her sire, Sun's Remembrance.
"We knew right away that she was something," Kathie recalls. And, boy was
she right.
"Rose was a real joy to have on the farm. We've treated her much like a
big dog. When she was young, we'd let her out of the pasture to hang
around the yard, and she followed us around like a puppy. One day, Gary
was in the tack area of the barn doing some work. When he looked up, there
was Rose right in the tack room beside him. Apparently, she had wanted to
see what he was doing!
"Also, at the time," Kathie added, "we had 200 head of cattle that
routinely needed to be moved, vaccinated, treated, and branded. We would
always load Rose in the trailer so she could 'help' round up the cattle.
She had a great time chasing the calves. The only problem was that she'd
run the cattle in the opposite direction we needed them to go! Needless to
say, she quickly became aware of water-filled ditches, rough terrain, and
strange surroundings. To this day, she has no fear of practically
anything, and that has certainly helped her be competitive."
According to the Sandlins, Rose received good basic green training with
reining trainer, Guy Vernon. Then, she went on to a walking horse trainer,
Jennifer Grant. Under the direction of Jennifer, Rose's showing career
started at the 1992 Colorado Heyday which was held in Colorado Springs at
Penrose Stadium. It was there that Rose earned her first three points in
two-gaited competition.
Rose continued her showing career in and out of training with Jennifer as
a three-year-old. She returned to Guy when she was four to refine her
canter. Since 1994 however, Rose has been shown by either Kathie or Gary,
both amateur riders. Over the years, she has received high-point awards in
Amateur Owned and Trained classes and has often placed high in open
classes against professional riders or amateurs riding professionally
trained horses.
According to the Sandlins "fun is the name of the game". They enjoy
showing in trail classes, western riding, reining, ribbon ride, costume
class or just anything that is fun and laid back. That's not just at
gaited horse shows either. They especially enjoy taking their horses to
all breed shows for the "fun" classes. Not only does it give them a chance
to earn points, it also provides a wonderful opportunity to promote the
walking horse as a versatile and competitive horse.
"We've found that spectators and judges alike are very impressed with the
performance of patterns and agility of our gaited horses," says Gary.
"After they've tied the class, many judges have commented on how well our
horses execute the patterns. That's quite a compliment from a stock horse
judge."
At the last all-breed show, Rose was in hot pursuit of her Western Riding
points. They ran the western riding pattern against seven others, quarter
horses and paint horses. They earned the points, all right, and also the
trophy and blue ribbon!
"That show and that win was a real treat to us because we had our own
walking horse cheering section. We thank Charla, Paul, Kathie and Damon
for their support and for being there with us." Those friends proved their
worth, too.
After the western riding class, Gary and Rose were entered in the reining
class. Unfortunately, it was right in the middle of an electrical storm
and heavy downpour. Even though the public address system was out, all the
quarter horse and paint horse reiners intended to stay for the class. So
Gary and Rose stayed, too, since they couldn't just up and leave the stock
horses to win!"
In the past two years, Remembrance Desert Rose has broadened her
versatility even more and earned 91 hours under the TWHBEA Distance Award
Program. She loves to cover the miles on the trails, and while there, she
constantly works as a great ambassador of the breed. "Hikers always enjoy
the chance to pet her on the nose," says Kathie. "In fact, even parents
hiking with their babies on their back love for their kids to pet the 'big
horsy'."
Even as big as she is, Rose instills confidence in riders, knowledgeable
or not. Her height can be intimidating since she is a tall, powerful,
long-strided, ground covering horses, but Rose's personality wins them
over quickly. That's one of the things the Sandlins appreciate most about
their mare.
It's also satisfying for the Sandlins to note that Rose's show career
started in Penrose Stadium in 1992 at the Colorado Heyday. Then, it
culminated at the same Penrose Stadium during the 1998 Gaited Horse Expo.
That's where the mare earned her final points for the honor of Supreme
Versatility Champion.
"It is rewarding working with our horses to attain these titles," says
Kathie. "But that's not all there is to it. We have made many friends over
the years, not only in walking horse circles, but also in the circles of
stock horses, roping, NRHA reining, and all-breed shows and clinics. It
just goes to show the Tennessee Walking Horse really can do it all!"
Reprinted from Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse
magazine, March, 1999
Adult Supreme Champions
Youth Superior Champions
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