After 30 Years as a Horse Show Mom/Show Secretary, It’s Kay Haines’ Turn in the Show Pen

By: Brittany Bevis

After 30 years spent on the sidelines, cheering on her daughter and working in the horse show office, Kay Haines finally got her turn in the show pen. Over Thanksgiving weekend, Kay competed at her first Quarter Horse show, Mark Harrell Horse Show’s SOQHA Turkey Circuit in Wilmington, Ohio. The momentous occasion was made even more special by the fact that Kay turned 61 on October 25th. What prompted this sudden shift from spectator to competitor?

“I’m a cancer survivor, as of January 2015,” she says. “I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer, and it kind of changed my whole outlook. I’ve done this as a mom all these years. My daughter Jess Haines is almost 30 now, but she showed all throughout her youth career and she’s now a trainer.”

“I showed before in walk-trot classes at open shows, but that was 30 years ago. This was my first Quarter Horse show, and it’s changed a lot since then!”

When Kay received the all-clear that she was cancer-free, she suddenly had an epiphany, which was followed by an exciting conversation with her daughter-now-horse-trainer and a surprising one with her husband. “I think it blew my husband’s mind!” she laughs. “I just decided this was a wake-up call for me. I worked in the entry office for years, so I know all about this, but I never dreamed I would ever exhibit a horse. My husband has been so wonderful taking care of me and he’s a big supporter of me showing horses too.”

Kay’s partner for her debut in AQHA competition is her new horse, an 11-year-old gelding named Invitation Temtation, aka “Cowboy,” who was purchased just two months ago from her dear friend Patsy Geier. “I’ve always been in love with him,” she says. “He’s really broke, and he knows a lot more than I do! He’s like my babysitter.”

“He’s a huge, 16.3 hand puppy dog, so my daughter is very comfortable with me owning him. He’s 11 years old, so I figure when I’m too old to show, he will be too old to show too, so we will grow old together.”

Now that she had a horse, a horse trainer, and the desire to compete, there was one last thing Kay needed before she could head to the horse show, an AQHA membership card. After checking expiration dates, exhibitors’ status, and recording membership numbers for many years, as a horse horse secretary, Kay was thrilled when she applied for her first membership card this year at the Quarter Horse Congress.

“I live not very far from Roberts Arena in Wilmington, and my daughter lives in Columbus,” she says. “We go to the Congress every year, and I’ve even worked in the show office. I thought what better place to get my membership card! They were wonderful and couldn’t have been nicer. I know all the people; they’re like family in Ohio.”

When it came time to compete, Kay and Cowboy decided their debut class would be Novice Amateur Western Pleasure. “We placed low,” she says, “but we have nowhere to go but up! I’m still learning, but the main thing I want to do is learn how to do Horsemanship, Western Riding, and Trail. My daughter said Western Pleasure was the best place to start.”

“It’s like a little turnaround. I was that nervous horse show mom in the stands for all those years. Now, Jess laughs and tells me that she’s nervous for me, but I’m in there having a good ole’ time, just like she was when she was a kid. She’s so excited that I’m back riding again and we can share this together.”

“It was a wonderful experience. I’m hoping to show all of the Ohio shows next year and maybe some in Kentucky and West Virginia, wherever my daughter goes.”

Now that she has a new horse, Kay plans on practicing at the barn with Cowboy a couple of times a week, which serves a dual purpose. “Now, I have an excuse to come up and visit my daughter!” she laughs.

For those out there who think it’s too late in life to start a new path and blaze a new trail, Kay has a piece of advice.

“I thought it was too late too, until I had cancer,” she says. “Then, I decided it was time for me to truly enjoy myself. I absolutely love horses. It was the best thing I could’ve done, mentally. It’s made me very happy. Anybody can do it. You might think it’s too late; but it’s never too late.”

Be sure to cheer on Kay and Cowboy in Novice Amateur events at an upcoming horse show under the guidance of Jess Haines and Rachel Stiffler Performance Horses.