United States Eventing Association

You’re an eventing family when you give your wife a new XC vest and tall boots for her birthday. Dad (Mike), Mom (Hope), daughter (Hannah), and son (Joe) ride with TeamCEO Eventing in Georgetown, KY. Hope brings Hannah and Joe almost every day, and Mike (a physician at nearby Georgetown Community Hospital) rides between shifts and when he’s on call. Pretty handy – his horse is closer to the hospital than his house!! Mike is an ex-football lineman who met Hope when they were students at the University of South Alabama. Hope has a teaching degree and taught until she and Mike began their family.

We first met the Goodwins when Hannah started taking lessons as a 9 year old. Mike always watched, and it seemed tous that he had a wistful expression on his face. When Megan asked him if he rode, he responded, “I wish I could.” She took that as a challenge, invited Mike to ride one of our horses at our next Adult Clinic, and he was hooked!! She then found a 4-year old Clydesdale in Louisville who had been rejected for the Budweiser teams because his coloring wasn’t perfect. The horse’s name was Dirt Road Spud, and Mike “sort of” liked him. As they drove away, Megan asked him if he was going to buy the horse. Mike said, “Well…………” so she told him “Either you buy him right now, or I will!” That first year Mike and Spud learned how to be a team, how to keep their balance together (Spud had little or no riding experience, his training was in harness), and to not spook. They began jumping the next year, completed our farm horse trial, and this year they ribboned in the starter class at the Greater Dayton Horse Trials. Spud was a superstar, adored by everyone at the show, even giving a 3-year old a ride back from the XC finish line – led by Joe!!

They’ve become very proficient partners, as shown in this recent picture schooling a downhill log at the Kentucky Horse Park (pictured left). Mike’s also our best jump builder, having built most of our XC portables. And his calm demeanor always helps; when several of the girls had a disagreement, he calmed the waters immediately when he used his medical training to astutely diagnose the problem as “Too much estrogen.” Austin, Hank, and Howard grinned in appreciation while dodging the grooming brushes that came flying at us.

This picture (at right) from an unrecognized show at Lexington’s Masterson Station Park never fails to bring tears to my eyes, representing the best of our USEA family values while being a very poignant reminder of how quickly the years go by. Megan is riding a customer’s 4-year old thoroughbred in his first show. She’s a young professional, trying to establish herself in a very competitive industry.

If she’s successful in her training, this young horse may event for 15-20 years; if she’s not, he may become a pasture puppy or worse – it’s her job to teach the next generation of horses. The rider on the pony is Hannah Goodwin, Megan’s student, waiting for her jumping test in her very first show. If the sport appeals to her, she could be eventing in 2050 and beyond.

The pony is Mighty Mouse, Megan’s first eventing ride 16 years ago who teamed with her to win 5 Kentucky 4-H state championships, Gold and Bronze medals at the Kentucky State Games, and who evented successfully against the big horses through Novice. It’s his job to teach the next generation of riders (pictured left), but to me that will always be little Megan on the pony (pictured right). Finally, the man standing beside the riders is Dr. Mike Goodwin. He’s unshaven, still in scrubs, because he’s come straight to the horse show after working all night in the hospital. His family is more important than sleep, comfort, or appearance.

When Hannah was ready for her own pony, she picked Pongo, a grade Appaloosa we developed from an unbroken 4-year old. After the working students competed him for a year, he became the most reliable mount we’ve ever seen. He understands he must carry his rider, that she must be safe and centered in the saddle, and he must jump whatever he’s pointed at. Hannah and Pongo are shown (pictured left) competing at Champagne Run at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Pongo’s been called a “heat seeking missile” when he goes on course, and I’ve even seen him alter his route to move back under an off-balanced rider! And the exciting news – Hannah has a new horse, a 17’2” grey thoroughbred gelding, The Aristocrat!! (pictured right).The new team is shown in their first competition together at the Jump Start Horse Trials. She’s also become experienced enough to help others just starting the sport.

When the little girl with the grey pony (pictured left) was uncomfortable about starting on her first XC course at our June Horse Trial, Hannah jumped on Spud and led her around the whole course. It took them 30 minutes to finish, but our starter courses are not timed and they completed. The little girl was so thrilled with the experience that she told her coach she was ready to do it on her own – and she did, the following weekend!!

Until now, Joe hasn’t been as enamored with riding as Mike or Hannah, frequently being more interested in our dogs or the cats or digging in the dirt. But our recent Pony Camp has re-ignited his interest – maybe the horse, or maybe the young lady who was also participating? Joe rides Zack, an 11 hand grey pony; the pair are (pictured right) at a lesson this winter. He finished our farm show last year and was quite competent showing in this year’s horse trial.

He rides the other Goodwin horses when allowed – shown here (at left) on Spud, but he rides Othello as well – and it’s my objective sometime in the next 100 years to get the helmet out of his eyes.

My favorite story happened while Hannah and Joe were waiting in the jumping ring for their lesson with Megan. Hope brought them McDonald’s fries and drinks and they were snacking while sitting on the ponies, side by side. Joe dropped Zack’s reins and had fries in one hand and his orange pop in the other. Hannah was doing the same, except she had also thrown one leg over Pongo’s neck and was sitting sidesaddle. Things started to get interesting when Joe dropped a French fry and Zack spooked. At the corner of the ring Joe dropped a couple more fries and Zack began running – the pony-eating French fries were chasing him!! The running pony and the prospect of falling didn’t bother Joe; at 7 years old, the real crisis was the possibility of losing either his fries or his drink! Hannah and Pongo didn’t move a muscle; both watched in amusement as Zach and Joe madly galloped around the ring, no reins, no stirrups, and flying French fries. The more Zack galloped, the more fries spilled, the more Zack was convinced they were chasing him, and the faster they went. Finally, Zack decided that Pongo was the only safe haven in the area, so he ran directly toward Pongo and Hannah. Pongo is a type A horse who bosses the entire herd, so it was natural for Zack to turn to him for leadership. But all we could see was a little grey rocket firing on all jets preparing to T-bone Pongo and Hannah at speed! Pongo has vowed to always protect his child rider, so before we could react he fixed the problem. Without moving, Pongo turned his head towards the approaching Zack, pinned his ears, and showed his teeth. Zack got the message!! From a full gallop, he slid to a screeching halt. Of course, without reins or stirrups Joe kept going when Zack stopped, straight at Pongo’s head. Did Pongo spook and bolt to avoid him? Nope, he just lowered his head, ducking a variety of airborne objects as Joe flew by in the middle of a perfect summersault. The bad news? Joe dropped his few remaining fries. The good news? He got up grinning, still holding his orange pop. It’s a guy thing – how many falls have I had without spilling my beer ……….er……………..my soda pop? And Hannah’s still sitting sidesaddle, finishing her fries, drinking her pop – neither rider nor pony moved the entire time.

And then there’s Hope. Always smiling, always patient, always helpful. I suspect Mike talked her into riding initially, and frequently she would ride out on Spud with the kids as shown (here at right) one winter day at TeamCEO.

Mike wanted to buy her an Appaloosa gelding, but then we found Othello, a brilliantly colored black and white overo (shown here at left during a stadium lesson at TeamCEO), and a true partnership blossomed. Othello is the sweetest horse in the world. His favorite gait is walk, followed closely by “Whoa” – or maybe it’s the other way around. He and Hope have forged a wonderful relationship, and she has shown him successfully in two of our farm shows. Look closely, in all of her pictures she has a beautiful smile; I didn’t pick them that way, I just can’t find any where she’s not smiling! And why were the XC vest and tall boots an appropriate birthday present? Because, in Hope’s words, “I guess it’s time for me to event!”

Family activities and family values – the cornerstone of the USEA, of TeamCEO Eventing, and the Goodwin family. Stop by and see the Goodwins when you’re in Georgetown and the Kentucky Horse Park. Until then, the Goodwins will continue to find new and unique ways to enjoy Spud and their other superstar horses.

Photos courtesy of Team CEO Eventing