Nebraska 4-H Profile: Brandon Essink

By Noel Ochoa, Veterinary Technology Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Working with horses started off quite early for Brandon Essink of Syracuse, Neb. He was around horses since a very young age and soon took to loving them and enjoying working with them. His parents, Dennis and Gina Essink, were both in 4-H and had horses when he was born. He started showing in leadline classes at the age of two on their Morgan mare, Miss Prairie Queen. At the age of five, he was showing walk-trot on a four year old gelding, RG Bayou Blue Larrue, or “Blue” for short. By the age of six he was driving Blue on his own and his love for horses has continued to grow ever since.

Brandon Essink / Photo by Howard Schatzberg

Essink graduated from Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca High School in Syracuse. While in high school, he was in the Syracuse FFA Chapter in which he held a chapter office for three years. This past fall, he received his FFA American Degree. He was also a member and held several offices in the Better BA-Cs, 4-H club, and the Missouri Valley Morgan Horse Youth club. He was also the National Director of the American Morgan Horse Youth Association and was a member of the Nebraska State 4-H Horse council. He is currently a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in Agribusiness (banking and
finance) with a minor in animal science. He is a member of the UNL equestrian team.

For the past 12 years, Essink has been a member of 4-H. He showed horses in Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, English Pleasure, English Equitation, Reining, Poles, Barrels, trail, halter and showmanship. Outside of 4-H he also drove and competed in other running events. The Essink family owns 18 Morgans and two Quarter Horses. Essink himself owns one gelding, RG Falcon Prince, a Morgan given to him by his grandparents, Harvey and Myrna Grunden. He also owns a Quarter Horse mare, Splash Bar Supreme.

Brandon Essink / Photo by Howard Schatzberg

Essink has had quite a bit of success in the horse world. He was the Reserve Champion English Equitation rider at the state 4-H horse show one year. He was also on the Otoe County judging team that qualified to represent the state at the World Champion Quarter Horse Show in Ohio. That year he also placed 3rd individually at the state judging contest. He also won Reserve Grand National Morgan Parade Horse Champion in Oklahoma City. Along with all these honorable wins, he has also been in the top ten many times at the Morgan Grand National in Western, Saddle Seat, English Pleasure, Equitation and Driving. Almost every year he qualified for the finals in Barrels and Poles at the state 4-h show.

With his parents having grown up in 4-H when it meant learning to do it for yourself, Essink does most of the training of his horse himself.  He does not hire a trainer to train his horses. As soon as he was old enough to take over, his parents expected him to do his own training with their help and a few occasional lessons. He stated, “It is expensive to have a trainer and that is why it is so much fun to do the work yourself and still be able to compete with those that spend a ton of money for dead broke horses and full-time trainers. I have ridden a lot of different horses and complained the whole time. But I now realize that made me a better rider.”

The Essinks try to attend anywhere from 13 to 15 shows a year, traveling throughout Nebraska and into Kansas and Oklahoma. Essink mentioned his favorite part about working with horses is the amazing feeling of satisfaction after going to a show and beating out a horse that has been professionally trained and he has done all of his own training.

Brandon Essink

He plans to graduate from UNL in 2013 and become an agricultural lender in a rural bank. He is ready for a new challenge with horses and would like to get into cutting. He also would like to get into showing a Morgan in Roadster classes. This consists of a speed horse under harness. The faster they can trot the better.   He also plans to continue to show in local Open shows, Morgan shows, and continue to compete at the Grand National and World Morgan shows.

Essink said if he doesn’t do too well at a show he tries not to let it get to him too much. Instead, he goes home and, as he put it, will “bust my rear” to get better, in hopes that at the next show it might be he who comes out at the top. “Winners train, losers complain,” is the quote he said he likes to live by.

Horses can do great things when trained and worked with. It takes time, dedication and, as Brandon Essink has demonstrated, does not always take a lot of money. Whether a persons’ passion for horses starts off early or later on in life, this passion can lead to great success, happiness and way of life many enjoy.

Nebraska 4-H Profile

By Noel Ochoa, Veterinary Technology Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

The reasons for riding and showing horses are unique to every person. For some it is a hobby, to others it is lifestyle. To Rachel Kettelhake of Elk Creek, Neb., it is an exhilarating and worthwhile passion, as well as a 4-H project. When asked how long she has been involved with horses, Kettelhake commented, “I have been riding horses since I wore diapers.” Actually, to be more specific, Kettelhake has been an active member of her 4-H club since the age of eight. She took horses on as her project at age ten.
Kettelhake graduated from Johnson County Central High School in May 2009, where she participated in FFA, Student Council, and golf. Currently, she is attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney, majoring in radiology.
After college, she wants to stay in Nebraska and begin her career. Regardless that horses have always been part of her life, Kettelhake was a bit hesitant about working and riding with horses after falling off one at the age of four. With the encouragement and help of her father and other 4-H members, she went ahead and got back on a horse. She later began working with the four young colts her family raised. Kettelhake does not own any horses, but her family buys and raises horses for her to use for her projects and competitions. Currently, the family has six horses, but they have had up to ten. Kettelhake participates in pleasure, halter, and showmanship events. She works the most with a dun mare named Shasta. All of the colts the family raises are halter broke. The horses are taken to the trainer before riding. Each horse spends thirty to sixty days at the trainer and from there it is up to Kettelhake and the rest of the family to keep working with them. The trainer starts them on pleasure but that is the extent of it. Kettelhake has used Shasta in both halter and pleasure classes. “I have briefly worked with her on speed events, just starting to get her familiar with the patterns,” Kettelhake said.
Kettelhake’s first appearance with horses was at the Fourth of July Horse Show in Tecumseh, Neb. She prefers to stick to shows and events near home.
She also participated in the 2009 Johnson County Fair 4-H show and the open class horse show in Tecumseh, Neb. There she received mostly blue ribbons.
From back when she wore diapers to today, horses have been a passion for Kettelhake. As she continues preparing for speed events, Kettelhake plans on furthering her success with horses as a project and enjoying them as a hobby, as do many Nebraskans.

Nebraska 4-H Profile

By Noel Ochoa, Student, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture

Mikensie Wright of Broken Bow, Neb., is a proud member of her local 4-H organization. Mikensie, who is sixteen, has participated in 4-H activities for seven years and has had the opportunity to participate in many projects, including sewing, cooking, photography, BB gun and air pistol shooting with her brother, though her main interest lies in working with horses.
In 2009 Mikensie made it into the top fifteen at state for horsemanship. She has done very well at county fair, placing second and third in different categories.
Mikensie is involved in 4-H with her twin brother and her mom, who is the organization leader in Broken Bow. Mikensie also works at the local floral shop, and is very involved at Broken Bow High School. She is in the band, art club, speech team, and FFA. Horses have been a part of Mikensie’s life since she was very young. “My cousins had horses and I would always go over and ride them,” she says.
In the summer of 2009, Mikensie attended about eight shows in various places. On the ground, she does haltering and showmanship. While on the horse, she does western pleasure and horsemanship. Mikensie says these events cause her the most stress and pressure because the judges’ attention is focused on her the whole time.
Mikensie has two horses that she uses for events, Woody and Sunny. She also has an upcoming project named Roxy. Although Roxy is four years old, Mikensie plans on using her for her next 4-H project and training her for shows and events. In addition to showing, Mikensie has done barrels, poles, and goat tying. For these events, she uses Woody, a bay. She uses Sunny for pleasure and horsemanship.
Despite having begun her horse career fairly young, Mikensie has done all the training and getting ready herself, except for some help from past 4-H’ers and local friends. From busy nights with homework to working at the flower shop after school, she is very well rounded. Enthusiastic about the future, she plans to better herself and her horses and to continue winning many more awards.