Paige Yamnitz & Spotted Rooster -
Cleaning Up For Versatility

By Paige Yamnitz
©Voice, February 2007

Horses have always been in my life. I think I was born to love them. I took my first ride when I was 4 months old. My Grandpa Yamnitz gave me a Whitman saddle (the same one that I ride in shows) before I could even walk. I rode many miles in front of my mom before riding solo on our family’s trusty bay gelding, Uncle Buddy. I got the show fever quick, starting in leadline classes at age 3. Uncle Buddy and I were successful together, but all good things must end. He became ill and had to be put down. It was a very sad time for our family and we wondered how a replacement would ever be found.

The search for a new horse started. It was a difficult task - lots of disappointment and even a bad purchase before we heard about a gelding for sale who’s owner had recently passed away. We knew that he was well broke - he was often seen traveling the streets of town. (Rumor had it that Burger King was his favorite stop!) His name was Spotted Rooster. It was the winter of 2001 and he was really hairy - he looked like a big spotted teddy bear, with kind eyes and a gentle manner. Much to my mom’s unbelief that we would even consider a spotted horse, we bought him. Although the loss of Uncle Buddy still weighed heavy on my heart, things were definitely looking up.

It was awhile before I could ride Rooster by myself. Even though he was well broke, he had lots of spunk, especially when riding with other horses. He had to be in the front and he didn’t care who he ran over to get there! That was pretty intimidating. But, it didn’t take long before I became a more confident rider and wanted to start showing him. I was 6 when Rooster and I started 2 gait classes at local shows. We did great together and people often said that we were a cute pair. Soon we were encouraged to enroll in TWHBEA’s Versatility Program, and that’s when the real fun (and sometimes frustration) started.

Rooster was no stranger to Versatility. We had heard that he was really quick at barrels and poles in the adult division with a former owner. Well, we weren’t ready for speed events starting out, but found quick success in 2 Gait and Trail. (There wasn’t much Rooster was scared of, so bridges and ‘snake pits’ in the obstacle courses were a cinch!) Cantering (my favorite) came easy too, and soon those 3 gait classes were covered. Rooster’s smooth gait made the Water Glass class a breeze, although spilling water on really hot show days wasn’t necessarily a bad thing! As I became more experienced, we were ready for the speed events. Rooster must have remembered the fun he used to have running because he always became really excited before the Barrel Racing or Pole Bending events. It was all I could do to keep him in the patterns! But it was great fun and the points came about as quickly as Rooster ran. However, Showmanship at Halter proved to be our biggest challenge. I learned the rules quickly, but I got little help from my partner, Rooster. He was a ‘dead head’ in hand. He wouldn’t park out, wouldn’t gait half the time, and just made halter classes simply miserable. When we got our last point in Showmanship - the point that put us over the top - my horse show friends let out a really big cheer for us and my Grandma Yamnitz yelled “Shelbyville, here we come!” What a great moment that was!

The name Rooster has always been a thing of interest, especially to those not familiar with his grandsire, Paint’s Rooster. However, as far as barnyard animals go, I think ‘Pig’ would have been a more appropriate name. This guy loves the dirt and mud - whether he’s trying to get rid of flies, scratch an itch, or make clean up duty harder for me, he’s pretty filthy most of the time. In fact, the first thing he does when we get home from a show is drop and roll. Maybe he just hates to be clean! Some of his best moments are those after a heavy rain - just look at the photo and you can see what I have to deal with! And don’t even think about putting him in the stall! He hates it! It’s wide open spaces for my buddy, Rooster.

Rooster is far from perfect, but he sure has brought a lot of joy into my life. He’s made me a better rider and has taught me a lot about horses in the process. He’s found a permanent home with our family and I will love him forever, whether dirty or clean. Besides Rooster, I’d like to thank the following for helping me accomplish the honor of Youth Superior Champion: Grandma & Grandpa Schubert and Grandma & Grandpa Yamnitz for all of their love and support; my little brother, Eli, for not complaining too much about going to horse shows every weekend; my parents for all the cleaning, packing, and hauling that goes with the demands of showing; my horse show friends (you know who you are) for all of your horse show tips; the TWHBEA Versatility Program for providing all of us an opportunity to promote the natural beauty and agility of the breed; and God for putting such a majestic animal on this earth and in my life.

–Paige Yamnitz