What Matters? Versatility Matters.

As we think about how to make the American Saddlebred more accessible to more people, we would be wise to take in the lessons discussed in David Epstein’s 2019 book  Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. In it, Epstein states, “Overspecialization can lead to collective tragedy even when every individual separately takes the most reasonable course of action.” He argues that versatility is key to success of a collective; adaptability, flexibility. What does that mean for the American Saddlebred? Well, let’s take a look at what happened this past week at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.We all know about the Lexington Junior League Horse Show. Hundreds of American Saddlebreds competed and showed the breed’s adaptability in a number of show divisions. Three Gaited, Harness, Pleasure, Park, and our breed’s own unique Five-Gaited division. Some of the biggest classes that featured American Saddlebreds were the Western Country Pleasure and the Hunter Country Pleasure, demonstrating the versatility of the breed and the accessibility in the show ring.Also, showing at Junior league were many of our horses in the ASHA National Select Series classes. These big classes were some of the most exciting of the show. They encourage more people to show American Saddlebreds and strengthen the show horse market by providing classes where horses of the same relative level can compete against one another. This once again demonstrates the versatility and accessibility of our breed at all levels of competition.As the Junior League Horse Show was drawing to a close at the Kentucky Horse Park over the weekend of July 10th, the Champagne Run at the Park Horse Trials, an Eventing Competition, was being held on the grounds as well. Eventing combines the disciplines of Dressage, Show Jumping, and Cross Country into one overall competition. Many of us stopped our cars and watched some of the Cross Country riders as they competed near Rolex Stadium. What many of us may not know, though, is that a number of the competing horses were American Saddlebreds. They ranged from those that found their calling as sport horses to those  that had excelled in the show ring who are now finding great success in their second and sometimes third careers as eventers.Two Saddlebreds shown by Lily Callahan from Harrisburg, Missouri, captured first place in two different divisions. Callahan, who was named 2018 ASHA High Point Eventing National Champion, ASHA High Point Hunter National Champion, and ASR Sport Horse of the Year, competed and won on Royal Crest’s Granit Permission (“Moose”) and The Phantom Pistol (“Pistol”). We also saw horses that had earned champion designations in the show ring competing successfully in eventing. CH Good Deal and CH Juicy Fruit are two Saddlebreds that had tremendous success for their owners at our breed shows, who are now finding great joy competing outside of the ring. Champagne Run marked CH Juicy Fruit, 2017 Adult Country Pleasure World's Champion, first recognized eventing competition at Beginner Novice, where she took home a huge third-place finish out of 17 in her division. This once again demonstrates the versatility and accessibility of our breed outside of the show ring.What a week. So much fun. So many interesting stories of the incredible versatility of the American Saddlebred.What Matters. One Horse—Many Skills Matters.

CH Juicy Fruit from 2017 Adult Country Pleasure World’s Champion to Eventer.  She had a big weekend taking home a third in Beginner Novice at Champagne Run with trainer Elizabeth McGinley for owner Karen Thompson. Photos courtesy of Howard Schatzberg & Xpress Foto