Welcome to another extended version of the Horseman’s Corner. This one is a true classic from the archives. Sharon Camarillo is a world-class barrel racer and trainer. This was an interview that Howard did with her several years ago. Howard Hale with Sharon Camarillo. Let’s listen in.
The Horseman’s Corner is an original production of Howard Hale Broadcasting on the air since 1994 with over 7,000 episodes with people involved in the world of horses. I’m Howard son, Brian, and we welcome you to the Horseman’s Corner.
[The Interview with Buster McLaurey on The Horseman’s Corner]
Brian Hale, “Here’s a fun interview with a couple old timers, Howard Hale and Buster McLaury. Let’s listen in.”
Howard Hale, “Buster give me some of your background. How did you get to the point where you were training horses for the public and putting on clinics?”
Buster McLaury, “I was born at four sectors and so I was a cowboy for I don’t know 30 years probably. And I met Ray Hunt back in mid-80s. Learned quite a bit about the horse from Ray. I run a couple of ranches for another 10 years or so and I never really set out to do any clinics. First one person and another and got to call in asking for a little help to throw them ranches as it’s coming. I helped their cowboy start to cope so the business just kind of came our way and that’s kind of how we got started.”
Howard Hale, “Before you met Ray Hunt, who were some of the folks that were kind of influential as far as your horsemanship was concerned?”
Buster McLaury, “Well, my daddy wrote really good horses and my granddad was a good horseman. A guy named Mark from a daddy named Keith Slower was really good and with a horseman and my daddy was friends with Buck Welch and Mike Larkrose and some of them guys so I got to be around them and had an early age on.”
Brian Hale, “Some real legends in the horse business. That was Buster McClaury with Howard Hale. Thanks again for listening to the Horseman’s Corner. That’s going to do it for today’s program. May God bless. I’m Brian Hale.”
Almost 50 years ago, I remember playing in my grandparent’s yard in the southwest corner of Carter County, Montana. There were big evergreens and a shady porch and on that warm day, a pretty red headed lady with three girls, (Sally, Johnna, and Virginia) and a baby boy, (Jesse) roll up to the ranch in a jeep. One of the girls is on crutches, which I found fascinating and they were just like me, ranch kids and we began tearing around the yard and playing and the pretty lady, I learned her name was Bobbi, and my grandfather went to look at horses.
This was not a strange phenomenon. We were used to people being at the ranch to peruse the livestock. My grandfather and Bobbi were connected spirits in the world of the Morgan horse.
Listen to “Bobbi Blankenship – Morgan Horses” on The Horseman’s Corner podcast with Nelseena Lehmann
My Grandfather’s heart horse, before such a thing was discussed, was a horse named Shawalla Major. A Hershey colored stallion that my parents went to Washington on their honeymoon to retrieve. The story goes they returned to the ranch pulling a modified U Haul bumper pull. That horse had an impact on the breed and on several generations of horsemen and women.
“Bobbi Blankenship on Old Smokey”
Bobbi had a heart horse as well. Her stallion “Smokey” was a game changer for the breed and he certainly left his mark on an industry and the people he encountered. He made his debut in Canada and showed the world what a Morgan horse could accomplish if one would let the notion out of the box. I am honored to have been able to share the story of one of the greats.
After my grandfather passed away in 1976, my dad continued with the Morgan horse program, but we eventually did graduate to more Quarter Horse genetics. We never lost track of the bond we shared with the people and horses of Eastern Montana. Morgans had a lasting influence on me and what I expect from a horse. If I had to sum up our horses in one word, it would be “gritty”. They were tough, solid, tenacious, kind, enduring and cowy. They had good minds, good feet, great dispositions and attitudes. They were treasured for their qualities.
“Bobbi Blankenship – Morgan Breeders”
The Blankenship family and our family have maintained a relationship over years and generations and what a blessing those relationships have been. We have shared the horses as a common thread, but perhaps the bond of agriculture as a whole, the belief in striving to be good, solid, hard working, salt of the earth folks and we share that with a multitude in the Western states.
Listen to “Morgan Trainability” with Bobbi Blankenship and Nelseena Lehmann on The Horseman’s Corner
Ranches have come and gone for both our families, we have lost Patriarchs and family members along the way, but the arrow style flies. The embers of fires across the years still burn for exceptional livestock, the legacy of breeding programs, the integrity of the horse and families who raise them.
Bobbi has passed on her passion to her children. I look for this legacy to impact the Morgan breed for many years to come. Thank you for sharing with all of us.
Please go to www.truewestmorgans.com to keep up with Bobbi’s program, see photos of past champions, current beauties and future rock stars. Be a too.
Editors Note : Nelseena Lehmann is the host of our radio programs, Horseman’s Corner and Cattleman’s Corner, which air on several radio stations throughout the true midwest. Visit www.HorsemansCorner.com or www.CattlemansCorner.com for more, including archived programs. You may contact Nelseena at imatoo@nelseena.com
This is not how I’d hoped our time together would end….
Sandy has been pulled from the Florida Extreme Mustang Makeover competition.
When I first got Sandy, he was obviously very tense anytime I was around. A few weeks into his training, when he started to really relax around me, I noticed something odd in his lower jaw. I couldn’t see it earlier, as he was always very tight-lipped, but the more he relaxed his jaw the more I could see what looked like a tooth exposed. He was still very guarded about me looking in his mouth so it took me a few days to be able to actually open his mouth. When I was able to really get a good look I saw that his lower jaw appeared broken.
We called Dr. Easley who came out that same day to do an exam and he confirmed that his lower jaw was broken. This is not something that happened here, it happened roughly 6-8 months ago while he was in holding. Sandy will be fine in the long run but he does need surgery to fix it. We had hoped that maybe the surgery could wait until after the competition but I’m already picking up on small indications from Sandy that he’s uncomfortable with much pressure on his head at all and it’s getting worse the more I do with him.
I will NEVER train a horse through pain, so that pretty much solidified the decision to pull him from the competition. Sandy will now go to the nearest TIP trainer (Trainer Incentive Program through the Mustang Heritage Foundation) once we get transportation details worked out. Once there, he will receive all the medical care he needs. After he’s healed up he will continue training there and be adopted out eventually.
I know that many of you have encouraged me to keep him myself, and while I understand why, keeping him was never in the cards. I have too many of my own that never get worked and adding him to the “list of my personal horses that never get worked” is not fair. The Mustang Heritage Foundation will make sure he gets both the care he needs and a secure future.
I was so excited for the journey with this sweet boy, as I know many of you were. It has been so encouraging hearing how much you all loved following along with his progress. Thank you all for your support and for believing in how far the two of us were going to go. I’m sorry it didn’t end the way we had hoped. ❤️
Perhaps this brings up a jingle in your head, or thoughts of flowers or birds.
For those of us that follow and work around people in the world of horses, the Spring means new babies on the ground. Brand new little colts that quickly come into their own. It’s an amazing thing to see really.
One of the select breeders in the highly successful BV&D Heritage Production Sale, Bradley Beauchamp of BT Performance Horses in Leitchfield, Kentucky has been busy lately posting photos of the new foals. We thought you might like to see all he has to offer under one roof, so we have included everything on his new website by Andi Hale at Hale Multimedia.
February 11, 2022 – EMM Day 25 (Video): For our next challenge, we played with the fog machine! As with all of the other obstacles so far he didn’t mind it too much. He’s not as clingy to me in this pen, he’s definitely more comfortable in his regular round pen. Good practice for when we start going new places and he has to learn how to adapt and get comfortable with me no matter where we are.
EMM Day 25 (Pictures): Played with the fog machine today!
Here’s your chance to listen in on some legends with hall of fame broadcaster Howard Hale. On this classic interview from the archives, we get to hear the late Marty Marten and Howard on an interview with Buck Brannaman. LISTEN IN!
LISTEN to Buck on Horseman’s Corner with Howard HaleImage of Buck is by Justin McManus.
