Day 5: Sunday, January 27
Countdown to Kentucky Round-Up

What's Kentucky Round-Up?

Sunday Musings

Sunday evening and the sun has gone down, the chill is descending and the horses nestle in their stalls. A good time for sitting down with the blog.

I went to the Tennessee Walking Horse sale yesterday at the KY Horse Park.  There had been a huge controversy over holding the sale at the Horse Park, because some people don't want any association with the TWH breed due to the industry's soring problems.  The Horse Council board supported having this sale, with the belief that you do not punish a whole population of good horses and horse owners due to the inhumane actions of a few.

Nice black mare and her new owners

What a great experience it was being there.  It was a good old horse sale just as they should be:  lots of people visiting and milling around; people of all ages and (by appearances) all income levels; horse that were willing and curious being shown in the arena; a barking but playful auctioneer trying to get that last extra $25 or $50 for a horse; concessions with lines; the smells of horse flesh mixed with the smells of hotdogs and nachos.

And what a good economic boost for the horse industry.  The TWH horse breed is the third largest population in Kentucky after Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. There are an estimated 36,000 of them here.  I have ridden with many on the trail and they are calm, courageous and personable.

I ran into Senator Robin Webb, a TWH rider, and spent quite a bit of time talking to her about the media attention to the sale.

Horse getting inspected

Horses were selling at relatively low prices, in my opinion.  I did see a few go for over $1000 but not many.  I didn't stay for the show horse part of the sale, though.  That's when the prices get higher I imagine.

I left a whole bunch of  Kentucky Round-Up flyers there.  Some I left with Mast Tack, who was set up there and also coming next weekend to Kentucky Round-Up.  Some I put on the front doors (don't tell the park staff!). 

Next year we'll have a better plan to tell people attending that sale about Kentucky Round-Up.  In fact, we'll have a better plan about getting articles and ads in lots of different show programs and sale flyers.  It just all takes time and you need to start early.

We are already talking about 2014.  I've been collecting ideas, and we are storing the names of those who volunteered after we filled all our spots. There is a lot of interest in this event and we need to keep it rolling.  What a better way to spend a February weekend than spending time with horses and horse people.

Til tomorrow...