school reined cow horse classes. That success allowed him to compete in the Idaho High School Rodeo Association’s state finals. This past summer, he also accumulated enough points over the course of three shows to earn his second buckle, this time in the over- all showman category. Hunter discovered jumping and English riding because of a girlfriend; it was an activity that they could do together and he says that it looked like fun. “My favorite thing about jumping,” he says, “is that it makes me feel closer and more connected with the horse. The hardest thing to learn was pushing my heels down and counting my strides.”
He began his lessons
both horse poor and horse crazy, I could really appreciate a young person willing to put in the time and effort when the expense of full training wasn’t an option.
Amazingly, Kinaja
was visibly happier and more relaxed with Hunter. She had defi- nitely found her special person. Because of my friendship with Margo, she was kind enough to allow me a say in where Kinaja ended up and we decided unanimously to give her to Hunter for a symbolic one dollar. It was an easy deci-
Left: Hunter and Kinaja began forming a partnership at Parkwood Eques- trian Center. Right: Hunter and Kinaja at the Treasure Valley Classic, Nampa, Idaho.
at Parkwood Equestrian Center in 2016, hauling his rodeo horse Diablo an hour to the facilities from his home pasture. Sally Parks saw promise in the young cowboy and began looking for ways to get him on a jumper he could grow and learn with.
An Unexpected Pair Sally is beloved by her clients for her uncanny ability to assess horse and rider potential, and to draw it out. She paired Hunter and Kinaja in November of 2016. The rodeo star and the spirited redhead clicked instantly. “She was going to chal- lenge my riding skills and I knew in the long run that she would make me a better rider,” Hunter says about his initial assessment of the little mare. When Margo
and Sally told me about Hunter, I was intrigued. Here was a kid with enough gumption and deter- mination to see Kinaja through her tough moments, someone who wouldn’t give up on her in favor of a newer, easier ride. After my own college days as
sion for us to make. A five-acre grass pasture with other horses, a dedicated young rider with enough courage to meet Kinaja on her
own terms, and a family willing to support them with weekly lessons at Parkwood and the occasional show--what could be better?
“I kept thinking, why would someone choose me to give their horse to? I was quite amazed and shocked when I found out that she was going to be mine,” Hunter says of this very special gift.
Russia’s Rare Golden Horse Kinaja was sired by the leading Budenny stallion in America: Kaled, an imported show jumper
from the S.M. Budenny Stud in Moscow, Russia. After the dismantling of the USSR in the early 1990s, it was a time of great political upheaval and economic distress. It was at this time
that we first saw Budenny horses arriving in the United States. The Budenny (pronounced “bood-yaw-knee”) is a light riding
horse originally developed for use in the Russian cavalry at the close of World War I. It is named after the Soviet cavalry general who created the breed. Highly trainable and intelligent, these one-person horses are known to excel in show jumping, dressage and endur- ance. Famous Budennies such as Nona Garson’s Rhythmical and Nelson Pessoa’s Pass Op competed in the Olympics. More than 80 percent of all Budennies are metallic chestnut,
giving the breed the nickname “Russia’s golden horse.” There are currently less than 35 Budennies in the United States and an estimated worldwide population of 2,500. To learn more about this unique breed, visit
www.budennyhorse.com
Jumping into the Ribbons Jumpers is a great fit for both Hunter and Kinaja. Hunter still has much to learn and improve on, but he has an unflappable approach to jumping that sets the mare at ease. Despite the brazen overcon- fidence that often made her a difficult horse in the past, she genuinely looks to Hunter for reas- surance. Together the pair has devel- oped a unique style of jumping that suits them, one that will smooth out as they improve and learn
together. “I really love how she
chose me to be her rider and how we developed a connection
Warmbloods Today 29
Photos by Darcy Anderson
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