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jumpers at all so I took those rides. The more I rode them, the more I liked them and I decided those were my specialty and went out on my own eventually ending up at HCPEC where Tracy and I met.” The differences in the two of them are nothing short of a comedy act of sorts. “Mike is so patient while I am not,” says Tracy laughing. “Sometimes he just stands back and watches to see what I will do next, then he calmly and methodically explains why there is a better way to get something done. I am a control freak and am always in the middle of everything that it takes to run a barn, Mike takes a calmer approach which makes it a really nice balance.” “The first thing we do every year is get a big schedule book
and plan what we are going to do. The easiest thing in this business is losing control of it because of lack of organiza- tion. It can undermine everything so we constantly look at details together. Mike puts down his entire year of judging and course designing jobs, I put down what shows I’d like to plan on. That way we both know way in advance what the other is doing and we can plan accordingly. It also makes life easier for our clients and the people who work for us, they know what to expect and can plan their personal lives. Lauren Davis, trainer and barn manager, has been with us ten years. Carrie Coker, trainer, just about the same and Katie Carroll
who works at shows, the same. Our grooms for many many years each.” “The organization of a business starts at the top,” says
Mike. “Work ethic starts at the top too, you will never get more than you give or do. We start our mornings early here, Tracy is here around 6:30am and I am not far behind that. We want to make sure the day is ready to run itself and the clients and staff know what to expect. We don’t sleep in, we don’t use the excuse of being tired even though at times we are exhausted.” “First,” says Tracy, “we are horsemen and proud of that!
There is nothing that escapes us relating to the horses. It would be easy to just go home after a show but we ALWAYS meet the vans when they return from a show to be sure each horse is safely and comfortably back in its own house. They have spent a week packing us around, the least we can do is be sure they are safe at home again. The horsemen’s concept of care is what we live by, I’d rather be known for that than anything else.” The years in the business have educated Tracy and Mike
about what it takes to succeed, and on occasion really sur- vive. Being considered a professional is something they both value but also acknowledge that far too many young riders are thinking it is an easy road to the top. “If you really want to be
This Page: 1. Mike in the hunter ring, Photo © Rick Osteen. 2. Mike at Devonshire Downs. 3. Mike and Silent Partner, 1977, Photo © Fallan. 4. Mike and Brush War in the 1st Year Green, Photo © Jack Schatzberg . 5. Mike and students, Photo © James A. Nielsen.
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