All About Shania
By Dusti Worbets
My husband (Roy) and I were on our way home from a wonderful
US National Park vacation in April of 2001. We were heading home via Calgary
and my sister, Katy, (wannabe reiner, cutter, team penner) asked us to stop
by Shawna Sapergia's place in Okotoks to look at a reining horse for her.
We were having difficulties finding Shawna's place and I was ready to give
up. when Roy asked for directions. A man asking for directions??.... I should
have known right then that the sky was about to fall in!! We finally found
the facility, and as I was walking down the barn isle to check out this horse
for my sister, I happened to glance to my left and came eye to eye with the
cutest little sorrel mare that I had ever seen. It was love at first sight
and I didn't even know if she was for sale. Well, of course, everything is
for sale at a horse facility. Shawna gave me a lesson on her and the questioning
began. I knew nothing about reining and I knew nothing about this Shawna person.
But I did know two people who could help me out. I called Lynda Smith so she
could validate the honesty of Shawna (won't horse traders tell you anything
to sell a horse?) and I put my daughter, Royal, on a plane to come over and
check out the 'buttons' (what ís a button? on a horse??) on this wonderful
little
reiner. After days of indecision, a lot of haggling and a few tears, I made the huge
commitment to BECOME A REINER!
Now I had a great new horse, but I didn't have a western saddle (I had been endurance riding in an Australian stock saddle), nor did I have a trailer to haul this horse home in, nor did I even have a truck to pull this phantom trailer. Well, the next place we had to go was, of course, the bank. My little Shania was turning into a very expensive adventure. Thank goodness for Roy. It is at a time like this when you find out what a wonderful, supportive husband you have and how lucky you are to have him! After all was said and done I had new everything and was now a 'reiner'. Yea, right!
Our first show was in Quesnel, the third week in May. I had owned Shania for a total of three weeks, and Lynda had ridden her maybe twice. At the show, Lynda was in the first 3 classes on Shania. They did well ... Open-first place, Limited Open-first place, Novice Horse Open-first place. Wow, that was easy! Then it was my turn. We placed... Beginner A-second to last, Beginner B-third to last, Rookie-dead last. What is wrong here? I had been riding for 51 years. I was a good rider! Is someone saying I am not as good as Lynda? I am older than her; I have to be as good. I was totally devastated. I had spent all this money on horse, truck, trailer and saddle and I hated what I was doing! I was no good at what I was doing and I didn't want to do it ever again. (I now know I will never be as good as Lynda. Why would I pay her for lessons if I was as good as her??) So---I had a decision to make. I cry 'uncle' and sell everything or I put 110% into it, go for the gusto, and TRY to become, at least, a semi-good non pro.
What an amazing 3 years we have had going for the gusto! I
have enjoyed every minute of it. My Shania has earned eight WCRA Hi Point
awards. I have learned to look up, sit up and shut up, to put my hand
down, heels down and butt down ... to ride, drive and practice hard and most
of all to scoop poop!! I have learned a million things and have a billion
more to learn. Most of all, I have learned that a
beginner reiner needs a good coach. I would still be practicing my 51 years
of bad habits and coming dead last in Rookie, if it weren't for Lynda Smith.
Any successes that Shania and I have had, are due to her
tremendous effort, endless enthusiasm and undying patience. She is one coach
in a million, a woman of substance and a person I am proud to call a friend.
I actually think of her more as a daughter-you know the
age and all!! I hope we will have many, many more years together trying to
better ourselves, improve our sport, and truly become REINERS!!!
And now you know the rest of the story !