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Community Heroes Series
From the
January 2006 issue of Alabama Living magazine
Article
by Kay Marshall
When
it comes to questions about Quarter horses, you do not need to look
further than Marion County to find the answers. Right in the heart
of our county is a Quarter horse farm whose owners are garnering
win after win from their show horses. Vicki and Frank Pugh, of Guin,
have been raising Quarter horses for over fifteen years. They have
a small breeding program here in the area, but primarily they raise
and show for their own pleasure. Their stock is both bred and raised
at their farm. Their bloodline is registered, and goes back to the
Zippo Pine Bar bloodline. “Zippo Pine Bar is known for producing
great pleasure horses,” Vicki Pugh noted. The Pugh’s both
belong to, and participate in the AQHA (Americas Quarter Horse Association),
and travel to AQHA shows throughout the Southeast, Oklahoma, Ohio,
Texas and Virginia.Their fascination with the breed began in earnest
when they were youngsters. “I was that typical ‘horse
crazy’ kid, and grew up wanting a horse,” said Vicki.
The fact that her family did not have any experience with horses,
nor have a place to keep a horse never deterred her interest. “My
mother thinks sometimes they picked up the wrong baby at the hospital,
as no other person in my family has this interest,” she laughed.
Frank had a horse as a youngster, but as Vicki recalled, “It
was your typical “backyard” pasture horse that he used
for trail riding.”
Their love for
Quarter horses eventually led them to breed, raise, and show their
own horses.“We started showing together at the local shows
throughout the surrounding counties, and we had a great time. We
showed both in Halter, and in Western Pleasure, at the local level
and won numerous high point awards in multiple associations,”
Vicki explained. The AQHA judges view riders in numerous event categories
or classes. For example, the Halter category evaluates conformation
of the breed. Halter classes are divided by age and sex, and horses
are shown with a leather halter, and are traveled before the judges.
The judges then determine the balance, structural correctness, and
degree of muscling within each individual horse. Other categories,
such as the Hunter Under Saddle, is a preliminary class for English
riding disciplines in which judges evaluate the horse as it walks,
trots and canters. The events are numerous, and there is something
for everyone’s  interest.
When the Pugh’s decided to show at the AQHA registered shows,
they bought an ‘All-Around horse’ for Vicki to ride. This
is a horse that is trained in multiple events. “I competed
in Halter, Showmanship, Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure, Horsemanship,
Trail and Western Riding classes,” said Vicki. Showing in all
the various events left her exhausted at the end of the event day.
Vicki
soon realized that she should pick one class, and decided to show
primarily in Western Pleasure. She noted that Frank trains and shows
their yearlings on a lunge-line. “A lunge line is a training
process that begins with a yearling on a 50 foot ‘lead’
line. They learn to travel in a circle at all three gaits: a walk,
trot and a lope. All on voice command,” she explained. Frank
has racked up several awards for his lunge-line training, and he
has won the Alabama and Tennessee Futurities with some of their
yearlings.
 The
Pugh’s have great success stories to tell regarding horses
that they have sold to other people. “It’s good to see
others have a successful show career with our horses,” Vicki
said. That generosity of spirit goes much deeper than just words
for the Pugh’s. They recently donated one of their best young
horses to the Auburn University Equestrian team. Their horse was
featured on the cover of the university’s Equestrian Team poster
and booklet, and the team’s coach, Greg Williams, has commented
that their horse is among one of the favorites at the competitions.
Competition
in the AQHA is quite intense. Good competition scores can mean an
increase in the value of a farm’s horse and breeding program.
Frank and Vicki both know what the judges are looking for, and shared
the signs of a championship horse. “Temperament is one of the
three things that a judge will look for,” said Vicki. “You
have to have an exceptional individual that holds up to the stress
of showing, and the long hours traveling to the shows. Movement
and Soundness are also crucial to the success of a show horse,”
she said. What the general public looks for in a good horse should
depend on what the horse will be intended for. “If it is trail
or pleasure ride outside of the show arena, there are many safe
horses in pastures and barns everywhere,” Vicki said. “But
if you’re looking to show a horse you need a more talented
horse, with a higher level of training.”
When asked the
most enjoyable aspect of raising and showing Quarter horses, Vicki
quickly replied that it was raising a young horse into a finished
show horse. “We enjoy seeing what we raise develop into a great
show horse. Plus, we enjoy our horses outside of the show ring –
we make sure that they are treated well, and that the individual
we trust to train them has the highest morals and integrity,”
she said.In addition to their horses, the Pugh’s also both
have demanding jobs. Frank works with Tombigbee EC as a lineman,
and Vicki works and travels for Hewlett-Packard. “Because of
my work schedule, we have a trainer. Currently Ray Riddle (Folsom,
LA) is showing my mare in Open events, and I show her in Amateur
events. Luckily, during the recent hurricane she was home with me,”
said Vicki. Their trainer’s horse farm was one of the locations
for the newly released movie, Dreamer, starring Kurt Russell and
Dakota Fanning. “We had a unique opportunity to see part of
the construction, set up, and making of that movie. It’s very
different to see how a movie is actually made on location,”
Vicki said.
As residents
of the area, the Pugh’s are very interested and hopeful that
a Multi-Purpose building will come to fruition for Marion County.
“We have travelled to many smaller communities who have buildings
such as the one proposed, and it has been a tremendous economic
boost to that area. A facility such as this is not just for agricultural
events,” Vicki said. In fact, the Pugh’s stated that one
of the first Agri-Business centers in the state was in Oneonta.
“We know the manager of that facility, and he stated that they
host school events, concerts, church, and livestock events throughout
the year. In Martin, TN the Chamber of Commerce president stated
that as a result of just one large show their local economy took
in approximately $300,000. “We would certainly love to show
our horses locally, while mutually promoting our community!”
Let’s all hope that this “dream” will come true.
Kay
Marshall is the Internet Projects Coordinator and Editor for TEC
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