It's all over. .

     The 55th Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show is over. I finally got the last things unload from the truck into the garage. I just have to finish putting everything away. It is amazing how much stuff, not forgetting the people, it takes to do everything the Amateur Committee does during the show.  A huge thanks and pat on the back to everyone who pitched in day after day to make our activities a success!!!  THANK YOU!!
     Meet a Horse was a huge success this year. A young woman who had her picture taken with Clancy 5 years ago came back to see him again. Meet a Horse is a fixture now at the show. I hope Clancy and Rosie can keep up the good work.  We averaged 80 pictures a day.  We some how manage do it in one hour.  Thanks to Joe and Tempe Camera for providing us the means to give free photos.
     Barn Tours were huge. A low of forty people on Wednesday to over 200 on the final Saturday.  The education area with posters and breed information we arranged in the stalls was a big hit.  Having one location took much of the work and angst in getting barns to tour away, a huge relief for Bobbi and me.
     Unfortunately, I understand that several board members were less than happy with the arrangement even though we started talking about it with them in August. Several members felt it gave Bill Flood some kind of marketing advantage.  What a mess!
     It is really regrettable when the focus is lost on what we can do to promote the horse we love to what the show can do to promote your business. Bill, Darcy and Brandon got nothing from the tours except the inconvenience of trying to show and move horses through 100 people or more on a daily basis as they leave to show horses, or work them. I know they train my horses and I show with them.    I was one of them moving through the crowd, with Bolero, going off to show. 
     The crowds loved seeing a "real" barn in action. So, thanks Bill, Darcy and Brandon. I am so sorry it has cause so much controversy.  Good show despite the turmoil.
       It will be interesting to see how the Barn Tours evolve in the future. 

     Onward. . . .