Nebraska 4-H Profile

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

For many, a passion for horses starts at a very young age. For Amanda Shields of McCook, Nebraska, it started at only ten days old when she went on her first ride. Since then she has enjoyed riding horses, whether it be for the joy of it or to help the upcoming horse riders in her 4-H organization.

Amanda Shields / Photo by Amanda's uncle, Nathan Zachman

With the start of this show season, Shields will be starting her tenth year in 4-H. She will be graduating from McCook High school in May. There, she has been an active FFA member with an officer post for the past three years.
Shields owns one of her family’s eight horses. One of these horses, now five years old, was trained as a two-year-old by Shields for 4-H classes.

Shields is very dedicated and a hard worker. She does all the training of her horses on her own. She stated, “ŠI feel they are mine, I am going to show how talented I am as a rider and I am going to do all the work.”  When she encounters a problem or issue she turns to her employer, who also trains and shows horses in the NRCHA, for advice and guidance. He helps her see and understand what she is doing wrong in her training and possible ways of how to fix it.

Shields participates in the Horse Circuit that the 4-H puts on and in the State 4-H Horse Show. Outside of 4-H she shows in the NRCHA. Her horse, Whoie, is a reiner but has become very good, allowing her to be used for other classes such as Showmanship, Western Horsemanship and Trail. She does barrels and poles with Whoie occasionally, as warm up exercises. Shields recently showed in a jackpot put on by the NRCHA and won her class. She has also won many classes at the local county horse show and placed sixth at the State Horse Show in the Cow Work category.

Amanda Shields

Shields treats her horses right in order to earn their trust. She commented, “If you treat them right they can be a very nice animal.” She feels that the hardest part of working with horses is when either she or her horse is having a bad day. “I can get very frustrated with her, sometimes when I know she can do better. I know not to get mad at her; therefore, I just stay calm,” Shields said, when discussing a bad day.

Being very passionate about what she does and knowing how much a good relationship with a horse can be, Shields helps her younger local 4-H’ers with whatever they need. She has learned quite a bit from her horse in the past four years. She stated she is very proud of her and is glad she is able to let younger 4-H’ers ride her when they need help understanding something in regards to riding.

Many have stated Shields to be “a young talented rider,” whom they enjoy watching show. Being at a prime age, there is still much ahead for Shields. Her understanding, interest, care and passion for horses are a reassurance we will see much more from her and her work with them.

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

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear someone say “horse show”? Many immediately picture huge arenas filled with soft dirt, the odd yet sweet smell of horses and leather, and of course prize money, ribbons and trophies. In the case of Lacey Schardt, though, a day of fun, riding, socialization, and learning is what comes to mind.

Lacey Schardt / Photo Provided by Lacey Schardt

Lacey Schardt, from Carleton, Neb., has long been a passionate admirer of horses and a Nebraska 4-H member for 11 years. For the past five years, Schardt has showed and worked with horses after participating in other 4-H areas ranging from work with other livestock to knitting and computers. She is a 2009 graduate of Deshler High School and is currently a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she is pursuing a degree in Applied Science. In high school, Schardt participated in high school musicals all four years, One Acts and Speech her senior year, and was Secretary of the National Honor Society her senior year. She was a member of the FBLA.

Schardt mentioned it was her love for horses that got her involved in showing, and that one of the things that helped her get started was when she, her cousins and her siblings were given a gelding to share when they were little. She owned two mares until recently, when her registered Quarter Horse mare of five years passed away at the age of 25. Now, Schardt owns a four year old Paint/Quarter Horse cross mare with potential to be registered.

Lacey Schardt / Photo provided by Lacey Schardt

In past years, Schardt competed in almost every event with her Quarter Horse mare. These events included halter, showmanship, English pleasure, English equitation, western pleasure, western equitation, horsemanship, trail, and barrels, poles. This summer, she will be showing her four-year-old Paint/Quarter horse cross mare, but will only be competing in halter, showmanship, western pleasure and horsemanship, trail, reining and western riding.

Schardt stated that this is the summer she has traveled to horse shows the most. She usually doesn’t travel very far, staying within an hour and a half radius from home. With many new friends and fellow horse lovers from college, she plans on many more trips to shows and competitions.

She does all the training with her horse on her own. The cross mare she has now did receive some professional training before she purchased her last spring, but much of it must be re-taught by Schardt since her last owner didn’t keep up with her training.

While the feeling of winning is what drives many horse lovers to shows, Schardt is motivated by the desire to teach and learn with her horse. She views shows as an opportunity to see where she and her horse need to improve. She said, “Winning a show or competition has never been important to me,” which is honorable, and which you don’t hear many competitors say.
Schardt’s horse showing is more than just a 4-H project. To her, her horse is a great way of relieving stress. “I really love how I am able to get on my horse and forget everything,” she said.

Lacey Schardt / Photos provided by Lacey Schardt

While continuing her work and shows with her horse, Schardt plans on pursuing her goal of earning a Rodeo Queen title and representing a local rodeo. After college, she plans to find a career in the agriculture industry, hoping to someday manage her own farm.  She plans to always keep horses as a part of her life and someday use them to help her manage cattle in a cattle operation she hopes to one day have.

From a gelding shared between siblings to the indescribable feeling that takes over one’s body when riding a horse, there are many reasons why horse lovers start and continue their work and lives with horses.

Schardt’s passion for horses has gotten her a long way so far, and with the positive attitude she has for the progress of herself and her horse, only great things can be expected.