Pain is Temporary; World Show Glory is Forever

By: Brittany Bevis

You never know what interesting sights you’ll come across when roaming around the grounds of a major event like the APHA World Show. Recently, we ran into Brandi Manning, a dedicated equestrienne who was using an interesting contraption while walking her mare down to the identification booth to prepare for the day’s competition.

Manning was using a hands-free crutch commonly referred to as a Freedom Crutch or Knee Walker, because she recently underwent surgery on her left leg on August 26th. Thanks to two accidents, one horse-related and one not, Manning is planning to compete here in Speed classes with two plates and 17 screws in her lower leg.

“They did surgery on the 26th of August, and I broke it on the 18th,” she says. “The [non-horse accident] happened when I was changing light bulbs on a 14-foot ladder and fell. Though, after that, I was walking and not having any problems, really. I thought I was about to get back in the swing of things; I had been taking care of it. I hadn’t even ridden in three weeks. Then, I took my young horse to a fun, little show, just for the experience, and we fell.”

“The doctor said there was probably a hairline fracture [from the first fall]. He even went back and looked at my initial X-rays, but it didn’t show anything, because a hairline won’t show up until after it starts to heal.”

Now, Manning was faced with a difficult choice. Should she skip the APHA World Show this year, or see how she would fare in the competition while injured. For Manning, the choice was a no-brainer, but her doctor still needed some convincing.

“Except for last year, [when my boyfriend Gary suffered a stroke], I had been to the World Show 11 years in a row,” she says. “I’ve won five World Championships on my mare in Barrels and Poles, and we’re hoping to continue that tradition, but we’ll have to see how my leg holds up. If I can not hinder her any, I think we will be ok.”

“I went back to the doctor two weeks ago, and said I was going to Fort Worth. He said, ‘That’s in December, right?’ and I said, ‘No, it’s in November.’ He kind of looked at me and said, ‘Are you sure?’ I said, ‘I’ll be fine doc; I promise. I got this.’ I told him my goal was to bring back a gold buckle, and he said he would be very impressed if I did. So, my goal is to take a buckle back to show my orthopedic doctor that he doesn’t understand what it means to be a cowgirl!”

Manning had two excellent speed horses to choose from when deciding who to take to the World Show this year. Given her injury, she settled on her old standby, an 11-year-old buckskin and white mare named Cruisers Doll, aka “Snickers.”

“I have a young horse, but I didn’t want to take any chances,” she says. “Snickers has been really good; I think she kind of understands that I’m injured a little bit. She’s taking everything really well. Sometimes, I use my crutches around her and then I’ve been leading her with this [leg brace]. She’s pretty good about it.”

Manning’s boyfriend Perry also made the trip down from Elgin, Oklahoma to Fort Worth, Texas. We couldn’t conclude the interview without asking how he feels about this whole situation. “I think it’s great,” he says. “Whatever she wants to do is great with me.”

Manning explains how Perry has enthusiastically taken over the role of caregiver following her accident.

“Last year, with his stroke and everything, I had to help him a lot and take on more responsibilities,” she says. “Since my leg has been broken, he has had to reciprocate. He’s had to take care of me and do all the chores and cook. It was just payback time from last year!”

Since this interview took place, we are happy to report that Manning and Snickers did very well in their classes here at the World Show. They placed 8th in the 1D division of the PBRIP Barrel Racing Sweepstakes with a time of 15.79. The pair placed fourth in Amateur Barrel Racing with a score of 15.884. and they were third in Senior Barrel Racing with a score of 15.875. Finally, the pair won the Open Pole Bending with a score of 21.010!

It turns out this dedicated equestrienne will be taking a World Champion belt buckle back to show her doctor what it means to be a true cowgirl after all. Congratulations Brandi Manning and Snickers!