THE RIDER SEPTEMBER 2010 HILLS OF HEADWATERS SPOTLIGHT /3 In Praise of Older Horses - An Interview with Vanna White By Kathie Wilkinson


Reining Horse Diva, Vanna White is inter- viewed by the ORHA


dle are impeccable, and although reserved with adults, I do like children under 12.


ORHA: At 13.3, and being perlino, you stand out at a reining. What’s it like to have such noto- riety?


Vanna White: I enjoy it. Everyone knows me. Often, when we go to a reining, we meet people who know me, especially when we go to western Ontario, where a lot of people come over from Michigan. People come up to us and say things like “Is that Vanna White? I knew her when Rick/Sabrina had her. I showed against her years ago. How old is she now? Boy, she looks good!” Why, even some of the judges have rid- den me!


ORHA: What’s special about older horses?


ORHA: Vanna, tell us a little about yourself, especially your early reining career.


Vanna White: I was born in 1986 and have been a professional reining horse all my life. I was born and bred for it, my granddaddy was Holly- wood Jac 86. In 1990, I was Non-Pro Derby Co- Reserve Champion with my owner and rider at the time, Rick Middlebrook. At the Derby I made $2107.36. In other showing, my Category 1 earn- ings total over $5,100. Then I made a career shift, and showed Youth with Sabrina Lynn Hontz and earned 128 youth points. When I was with Rick and Sabrina, I lived in Michigan, but for the last ten years, I have lived with Joanne Milton in Hillsburgh, Ontario. Since being with Joanne, I have broadened my horizons beyond reining, but more about that later.


ORHA: I understand you had a difficult child- hood. Can you share some of that with us?


Vanna White: Certainly. I was an orphan, but I that didn’t hold me back. Although I am 13.3 hh, I can beat up any bigger horse, if they’d only turn me out with them. Unfortunately, they won’t let me loose with other horses so I can prove it. However, my manners in the barn and under sad-


Vanna White: We’re usually more experienced and wiser than our riders. We know the business, and there’s a lot we could teach our riders if they would only listen. Unfortunately, most riders think they know more than their horse, and that’s where things start to go wrong. I’ve had riders who I’ve tried and tried to get them to ride me correctly, but they just won’t listen, and insist on doing things their way. Of course, that gets them nowhere.


ORHA: So what’s your advice for beginner rein- ers?


Vanna White: Concentrate on doing your job, being the best you can be, and ignore your human when you know better.


ORHA: Ah, actually I meant the beginner rid- ers.


Vanna White: Get out the way and let the horse do its job. It knows more than you do anyway. The role of the human is to drive the truck and get the horse to and from the show safely and on time, make sure the horse has its pedicure and hair done and looks gorgeous before going into the ring, and to stay on pattern. It’s been my experience that it’s really hard to find a human


ORHA: What is your opinion of clinics?


that can do those simple things well. Oh, I nearly forgot the most important role of the human, which is to feed the horse. I find, as time goes on, it’s really hard to get good help these days.


ORHA: Tell us about some of your more recent accomplishments.


Vanna White: At 19 and 20 years of age, I showed my owner’s friend, Kathie Wilkinson, in Ltd. Open and Rookie Pro classes in the Ontario Reining Horse Association (ORHA). In 2005 we were ORHA Ladies Reserve Champion, and made NRHA money in the Ltd. Open class. In 2006 I had NRHA earnings in Rookie Pro, and we qualified for the North American Affiliate Championships in two classes. How many other 20 year old horses are doing that?


ORHA: How do you feel about going to shows at this time of your life?


Vanna White: Well, currently I’m pregnant, but that’s a minor inconvenience. I was pregnant while showing all last year, and it didn’t slow me down. I am fit, sound, feel great, and am ready to go to a show anytime, anywhere.


ORHA: So you’re a broodmare too.


Vanna White: Well, sometimes. I’ve had five gorgeous babies who everyone says look just like me. But first and foremost, I’m a professional reining horse.


thing for them. You have to make them work for success. I’ll work exactly as hard, and as well, as my rider does, no more, no less. That’s one rea- son I’ve stayed sound so long.


ORHA: You mentioned earlier about branching out and doing things other than reining. Please tell us about that.


Vanna White: In order to tell you about that, I have to tell you about my current owner, Joanne Milton. Joanne is involved in many areas of the horse industry. She has a small farm, teaches lessons, and has a few broodmares. She has been


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Vanna White: A horse should take its rider to as many clinics as possible. Often, you are trying and trying to tell your rider how to do something, but they’re just not getting it. A good clinician, especially one who knows older horses and rec- ognizes their value, can often act as an inter- preter, and tell the rider in terms they can under- stand, how the horse wants to be ridden. Of course, it’s a given that with older horses you have to ride them the way they want. You can’t change them, you just have to figure out how to get their best out of them. I think if a rider isn’t doing it right, then the horse shouldn’t either. They’ll never learn if you just do every-


Opening September 2010


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