EC amateur Profile – Tony Anderman
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34 – March/April, 2020
By Erica Greathouse
It’s no surprise that Tony Anderman turned out to be horse crazy. It would’ve been more surprising if he hadn’t. Tony has been immersed in the horse world since birth. He grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota where riding and showing horses was a family tradition. Tony’s grandparents on his mother’s side began the horse tradition. His grandmother, Gloria Enger, was one of the founding members of the Minnesota Quarter Horse Association when it was known as the Upper Midwest Quarter Horse Association. Gloria was an AQHA judge, served as an AQHA Director, and was MQHA’s longest-serving secretary to date.
“My grandmother is one of the main reasons we’re all still so involved in AQHA to this day,” Tony explains. His father, Monte, was also involved with horses from an early age. Monte and Tony’s mother, Anne, met when they were both working for Tim McQuay in Minnesota. “My mom showed a lot as a kid in All-Around events and Reining. During her last year of youth, she was third at the Youth World in Showmanship and tenth in Hunter Under Saddle. She still shows and trains to this day. My dad showed in All-Around events but eventually transitioned to showing Reining horses exclusively,” he says. While Monte relocated to Pilot Point, Texas, Anne trains at his grandparent’s farm. “I never knew a life without horses,” Tony laughs. Tony and his younger sister, Emily, grew up in the barn and at horse shows. “When we showed as kids, we would stop playing long enough to get dressed to do our one walk-trot class on whichever customer’s horse was the most broke and then continue to play around the show grounds until it was time for dinner,” Tony laughs.
Learning the Ropes
Tony’s first project horse, Top Dollar Tootsie, was given to him when he was in the 13 and Under division. “Topper” was a green, 4-year-old mare that didn’t make a top futurity horse, and it was decided that she would become Tony’s new all-around project. “I would ride whatever horse I was given and would do my best to find an area in which each horse could excel,” he says. “I had a gray gelding by Deck of Stars named Evolving Star. He was a maiden 5-year-old, and I had to try to find a job for him.” Tony also showed horses that his grandmother raised and had many successes along the way including Youth Championships and Superiors. One horse that stands out in Tony’s mind is a gelding named Als Hot Rod, a racing-bred gelding that he showed to Superior awards in Showmanship, Horsemanship, and Hunter Under Saddle.
Although Tony mostly showed close to home, he always dreamed of competing at the Congress and Youth World. “I finally got to show at the Congress during my last year in 12-14 and at the Youth World in my last year of youth eligibility. Both times were-n’t what anyone would call successful. In fact, they were slightly above what one might consider a disaster, but I learned a lot,” he laughs.
By Erica Greathouse