"SHOW YOUR HOSSES!"
IT'S SAID THE FIRST HORSE RACE OCCURRED WHEN THE FIRST TWO MOUNTED RIDERS MET UP. THE FIRST HORSE SHOW MAY HAVE OCCURRED WHEN THOSE TWO MOUNTED RIDERS MET THE FIRST JUDGE! THE HORSE SHOW SERVES AS THE CENTERPIECE OF MANY COUNTY FAIRS AND STATE FAIRS. FROM MAY UNTIL OCTOBER, EXHIBITORS, TRAINERS, AND OWNERS FOLLOW THE FAIR CIRCUIT RESPONDING TO THE RINKS ANNOUNCERS CALL TO "SHOW YOUR HOSSES". SHOWS OCCUR ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, BUT KENTUCKY, THE LOWER MIDWEST, AND UPPER SOUTH COMPRISE THE EPICENTER OF THE SHOW WORLD.
WHAT'S IT LIKE TO GO INTO THE RING OR TO INTO THE RING IN AUGUST AT THE WORLDS CHAMPIONSHIP HORSE SHOW IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY? HERE ARE THE REMEMBRANCES OF CAROLINE MILLARD:
THERE IS A FEELING, INDESCRIBABLE TO ANYONE WHO HASN'T EXPERIENCED IT, IN THAT MOMENT RIGHT BEFORE YOU ENTER THE RING. THE HOT, STEAMY KENTUCKY SUMMER TEMPERATURE DROPS 20 DEGREES AS YOU HIT THE RAMP TO DESCEND INTO THE RING. EVERY EFFORT YOU'VE PUT FORTH DURING THE SHOW SEASON HITS YOU. THEN YOU'RE THERE. FREEDOM HALL HAS A GLOW TO IT -- PERHAPS JUST THE LIGHT REFLECTING OFF THE GREEN SHAVINGS, PERHAPS BRIGHTENED BY THE REALIZATION THAT YOU'VE MADE IT THIS FAR.
IT IS INTENSE SILENCE (EVEN THOUGH IT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE SO) AS THE BUZZ OF THE CROWD AND THE ORGAN MUSIC BECOME MUTED, AND THE ONLY THING YOU SENSE IS THE HORSE BENEATH YOU AND THE OCCASIONAL CALL OF DIRECTION FROM A TRAINER ALONG THE RAIL. AROUND THE MASSIVE RING A FEW TIMES AND YOU FIND YOURSELF OUT OF BREATH, WHETHER IT'S THE EFFORT OF IT ALL, OR YOU SIMPLY FORGOT TO BREATHE! AND, HONESTLY, BOTH ARE JUST AS LIKELY.
THAT HORSE UNDER YOU BECOMES THE ONLY THING IN THE WORLD THAT MATTERS.
YOU DIG YOUR HEELS DOWN IN THE IRONS AND FEEL THAT ONCE AGAIN INDESCRIBABLE, PUSH DOWN THE STRAIGHTWAY. THE FEELING IS OF COMPLETE EUPHORIA; THAT POWER UNDER YOUR SADDLE PUSHED OFF IN EVERY STRIDE, BUCKLING HER NECK, AND REMINDING YOU OF EVERY REASON TO WANT TO BE HERE. THEN ALMOST SUDDENLY IT'S OVER, AND YOU STAND FOR PAINFUL MINUTES IN CHOKED EXPECTATION.
IT'S OUT OF YOUR CONTROL NOW. YOU STAND TO BE JUDGED.
FROM THE BOOK "IMAGES OF AMERICA, KENTUCKY'S SADDLEBRED HERITAGE"
BY: JAMES KEMPER MILLARD
COURTESY OF THE LOCAL LIBRARY
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