Minority Report – Young Male Competitors in a Ring Full of Girls
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By Megan Arszman
A lone, rather plain ship bobs along a sea of sparkles and bright colors. He tends to stick out from the crowd because his attire lacks all the glitz. Then again, he also blends in with the wall, so he’ll pilot his horse a little more to the front to let his ride shine. This might be the lone male rider in a youth Western Pleasure class or the only young man competing in Showmanship.
It seems as if female equestrians outnumber males in most youth and amateur classes, with the exception of perhaps Halter, Western Pleasure, and Trail. Once you get into the open ranks, however, the numbers seem to even out, if not leaning a little more towards men.
“I’ve never been able to figure that out,” says APHA and AQHA trainer Becky George. She says, “Maybe, most guys don’t think the rail classes are cool, so they stick with the Cow Horse classes, Reining, or Trail. I always tell my male youth kids that the smartest place they can be is at a horse show where they’re surrounded by girls!”
For the non-pro rider, it can be seen as both an advantage and disadvantage to be the only male equestrian in the arena. But, for these four young horsemen, they’re proud to stand out in the crowd.
Cole and Kade Gower
The Gower brothers from Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada, have taken the AQHA world by storm. Both 21-year-old Cole and 14-year-old Kade compete primarily in Trail under the guidance of Highpoint Performance Horses. Both started in the 4-H ranks, where they were still in the minority as far as being some of the few boys in the show pen. “From 4-H until now, there have always been more girls,” Cole says. “I’ve had a few fellow male competitors, and we’ve always made the most out of it by helping each other out.”
“It’s never really bothered me [being in the minority],” Kade adds. Since both gentlemen primarily compete in Trail, they don’t feel there is any real distinct advantage or disadvantage to being outnumbered. “[Trail] is judged on the horse’s ability to maneuver over the poles and not so much on the presentation of the rider,” Kade explains. He competes with Design By Leaguer and She Made It Happen in Youth Trail classes. “It really depends on the class,” says Cole, who competes with She Made It Happen in Trail and Showmanship, as well as Design By Leaguer, Chex Me I’m Cute, and Blazin Onthe Horizon in Trail.
“For Western Pleasure, in the amateur division, it’s a really close split—it’s typically half and half,” he says. “I think there’s a slight disadvantage in Western Pleasure, simply because we don’t wear the jeweled outfits that can catch the judges’ attention. You can get lost in a group easier, so riding smarter is key. In Showmanship and Trail, I think it’s almost the opposite. Judges remember you more because you stand out. You don’t get lost because there are so few of us.”
When asked which male exhibitors they look up to, both Cole and Kade agree that their coaches—Charlie Cole, Jason Martin, Brad Ost, and Adam Smith—have helped them bring each horse’s potential to the top. Cole attributes his ability to create his own unique style in the show pen to his coaches. “You see a lot of the open men wear brighter colored shirts and saddle pads to stand out in the show pen,” Cole says. “Another way I try to stand out [among the sparkle] is by showing smart. I might follow someone who is a bit faster than my horse, or ride a little more off the rail. It’s really just about how comfortable you are showing your Western Pleasure horse,” he concludes.
As younger riders look up to their older male counterparts, this makes Cole an ambassador of sorts, especially in the eyes of his brother. “I look up to my brother for his determination and success. He has worked hard in the show pen,” Kade says. “There is nothing like being successful in this sport with a horse you love, whether you’re in the minority or majority.”
Justin Clay Arrington
When you’re born into horse show royalty, it’s almost second nature to follow a path in the business. For 16-year-old Justin Clay Arrington, he doesn’t worry too much about being one of the few males, but instead being a youth competing against older non-pro and open riders in the futurity pen. “I don’t feel like I stick out being the only guy,” he says. “However, being a youth competing at the futurities, I do stick out.”
The Graceville, Florida rider is focused on working with 2-year-old prospects at his grandparents’ farm [Vickie and Ronnie Kent]. In 2015, he showed I Will Be A Good RV to a win at the Tom Powers Futurity and placed third at the NSBA World in Non-Pro 2-year-old Western Pleasure. He also rode Won Vital Code RV to a top 15 placing in the Coughlin Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure at the All American Quarter Horse Congress.
While he’s looking forward to progressing his Western Pleasure futurity prospects into Trail competition, Arrington doesn’t see himself competing in any other disciplines besides Trail, Western Pleasure, and possibly Western Riding. “I think it’s just what guys like,” he says. “I think guys like the natural feel that is Western Pleasure and Western Riding more than other events,” he explains.
Domenick Heibing
Thirteen-year-old Domenick Heibing is a competitive guy, whether it’s on the soccer field, track arena, or in the show pen, and he doesn’t mind being the only boy in the class. He likes to stand out from the crowd by not being as “shiny” as his female competitors, which is a good thing, since he refuses to wear any bling. “I would never wear a jacket like that. Only, maybe, if someone paid me…” he jokes.
Heibing currently competes in Western all-around classes with his APHA gelding, Mr Sudden Pleasure.
“I like Trail the best because it’s what I’m the best at,” he says. “Western Pleasure gets a little boring for me, but I like it. I feel that the judges give you props for being the only guy out there. Then again, you have to work a little harder to sit as well as the girls do. You have to compete as well as them and show maybe just a little bit harder,” Domenick says.
He isn’t afraid to work hard. During the school year, Heibing goes from school to football practice, before spending an hour at the barn riding then heading to soccer practice. Most nights, he doesn’t get home until nine o’clock. His trainer, Becky George, says Domenick’s competitive drive helps him stand out in the show pen. “He puts a lot of extra effort into everything he does,” she explains. “We try to pull out that ‘boy confidence’ he has by telling him that if he can pull off the pattern and look good, he’ll catch the judge’s eyes a little more than the girls. It gives him that extra boost of confidence instead of feeling like the underdog going into the arena,” she says.
Heibing’s list of male exhibitors he looks up to include Jeffrey Gibbs, Tim Gillespie, and Fred Tabor. “They’re just good people,” he says. “They give off this vibe that makes everyone around them happy. They’re serious about the horses, but they still have fun,” he concludes.
