One Journey Ends While Another Begins at the Congress: In Loving Memory Of All Blue Couture

By: Brittany Bevis

The path to the Congress isn’t a short-term affair. It’s a journey that often begins with a promising foal, progresses to a hopeful prospect, and continues to a well-trained show horse. However, sometimes even the best laid plans go awry, whether due to nature, bad luck, or grand design.

AQHA breeder and amateur competitor Debbie Hodde knows all too well that sometimes a Congress dream can be cut short. She was planning to compete here at the Congress in 3-Year-Old Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle aboard her beloved horse, All Blue Couture, aka “Buzz.” However, an unexpected illness took his life, despite the best efforts of the veterinary team at Ohio State University.

Debbie’s close friend and business associate, Samantha Eckert, explains.

“Trainer Scott Jones and Debbie only graced the show pen with Buzz a few times this year, planning to show in the 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle classes here at the Congress,” she says. “Each time they got into the pen, even the warm-up arena, people stopped and stared. He was truly a gift from God. Buzz had the lofty trot and naturally perfect lope that many horses and trainers can only dream of.”

“Unfortunately, just a few days before it was Debbie’s turn to show Buzz, he spiked a very high fever. After much work from Dr. Hassinger and his team, they decided Ohio State would be the best place for Buzz to get further help. The team of vets and vet students at Ohio State did all they could, but, as we know, horses can be very fragile creatures. His coffin bone could not hold up to the stress of the fever and weight of his body. In his best interest, they decided it would be best to lay him to rest.”

Buzz was by Allocate Your Assets and out of a mare formerly owned, bred, and raised by Debbie, Blue Couture, aka “Sky,” who was sold to Cathrin Gutmann of Austria. Buzz is also the full brother to another horse that Debbie brought here to the Congress, Al Ways Couture, a 2-year-old stallion Scott Jones will show in the Equine Chronicle Masters 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle tomorrow evening.

Sadly, Buzz was going to provide Debbie with her first chance to get back into the show pen since the sale of his mother Sky in 2013. Not only was he a show horse with a promising future, he was also part of the family.

“Debbie’s daughter, Carsyn, had to write an alliteration story for school and used Buzz as her inspiration,” Samantha says. “The Adventure of Busy Buzz was the title, and every page was filled with true antics that showed Buzz’s goofy and fun loving personality, something he will be greatly remembered for.”

Randy Hodde, Debbie’s husband, was deeply saddened to hear the news about the passing of Buzz and set about to create a fitting memorial to let Debbie know that everyone back home in Texas is keeping her in their prayers.

“We sometimes forget that even horse show husbands, moms, and friends are equally as impacted when they see us lose our chance at a dream,” she says. “Randy sent Debbie a message and a photo in an email on Tuesday evening.”

“As I was getting the grass off and grading the pad for Carsyn and Tyke (Rules Change), I kept thinking about Buzz. I thought he was destined to have his name broadcast over the loud speakers and his name in lights wherever you took him. So here’s a tribute to him… His name is in the dirt in Texas for him to look down on and remember where his home is.”

The impact of Buzz’s death reached beyond the Hodde family to many fellow equestrians here at the Congress, who have reached out to Debbie to offer their condolences. She and her family are touched by the outpouring of love and support and express their sincere thanks. They would also like to thank Green Mountain Equine Services for cremating Buzz so he can be brought back home to watch his siblings grow.

Although Buzz is gone, we’re certain he will be looking down on Masters night to watch his little brother, Al Ways Couture, and Scott Jones do their best to claim a Champion title.