High-Flying PBR

I had every intention of watching the segment on the PBR on CNBC's "On the Money" program last night, but the program was so incredibly boring that I didn't make it to that segment. I found a summary on the PBR web site. Maybe you saw the program.
The opening segment was on the nomination of Henry Paulson, the chairman of one of Wall Street's biggest firms, to be Treasury secretary. What a snooze-fest. The CNBC report droned on for nearly 10 minutes repeating the same 30 seconds worth of information.
My sources at PBR tell me the program took an in-depth look at the PBR's soaring popularity and its similarities to the growth of NASCAR. PBR President Ty Murry and top PBR riders, along with fans, talked about the secret to PBR's success.
Someone said a long time ago that all press is good press, as long as your name is spelled right. I suppose we shouldn't look a gift horse (bull?) in the mouth in this instance. PBR is a hot topic and has gotten considerable amounts of mainstream press in the past couple years.
I get the opportunity to talk to many of the PBR sponsors during the course of a year. I always ask what they get out of it.
Here's the most common answer: Exposure to people who have no other connection to the Western world. In other worlds, PBR fans aren't necessarily into horses or riding or any of the traditional sports connected to Western wear. So if you're going to increase your appeal, you have to stop preaching to the choir. I have yet to find any PBR sponsor who is not happy with the response.
The PBR tour came to Minneapolis earlier this year, and I was amazed at the number of people who I didn't think would have even a scant interest in bull riding who attended the performances. Granted, most went in t-shirts and sneakers, but at least they were there. Now remember, these are the same people who think I'm totally insane to crawl on the back of a horse because "they're dangerous."
So once they're inside the arena, the sponsors get a crack at them. Apparenly, some of them get the idea that if they attend a PBR event or a rodeo, they should be wearing boots, hats and jeans. That's good for companies that make those products. That's good for PBR. That's good for the equine trade industry.
Someone at CNBC must have an equine connection somewhere because they regularly feature pieces on horses and riding. But you have to ask, "is anyone watching?" There are probably more PBR fans at one performance than watch "On the Money" on any given night.

Too Smart for his Own Good

So how was your Memorial Day Weekend? We had record heat in Minnesota, so we tried to stay indoors in front of the air conditioning.

Saturday morning I had to meet the vet at the barn to get Jack his shots and annual physical. Mind you, the vet was there the Saturday previous to this, but my horse was the only one who didn't get his shots.

The barn owners, very capable horse people, couldn't catch Jack -- first time it had ever happened in his two-year stay at this barn. Somehow, he sensed that someone rounding up his buddies three and four at a time and leading them into the barn just couldn't be a good thing and he was having nothing to do with it.

It's hard to know exactly what he was responding too. Certainly the movements of the day were out of the ordinary, which set off his radar. Perhaps he thought this was it ... the truck for the slaughter house was out front and the final solution is near. Who knows.

What's he thinking when he unceremoniously goes around his paddock and bites each of his herdmates in the butt each time I put him back out? What's he thinking when we've been out on the trail for three hours and he's hot and sweaty but refuses to drink any water when led to it? What's he thinking when he watches a dog cross the road three miles away but jumps when he walks by the same manure spreader he's seen 100 times?

Of course, with me there, he was on his best behavior and was a real trooper for the vet. His teeth are good. His heart is good. His gut sounds are great. He looks about half his age ... wish I were as lucky! He'll probably live another 10 years (which would make him 30 in human years). And he'll probably still be biting his herdmates in the butt.

The extremely dry conditions in these parts means he's going to have to get back shoes to accompany his front shoes, as his hooves are cracking and breaking. Earlier this spring, the abundant water and snowmelt meant he had to be treated for thrush. Somehow, Mother Nature just never gets it right.

Those of you who are horse owners are probably smiling knowingly by now. Those of you who aren't into horses, look what you're missing!

$5 A Gallon Gasoline

Well, it's official. The high price of gasoline is impacting retail. Wal-Mart recently released a statement downgrading its earnings expectations in the next quarter because the price of gas is keeping shoppers at home.

Most of the retailers in the equine industry have a clientele considerably above the level of the average Wal-Mart shopper, but I can't help but feel that it's beginning to impact retail of all stripes.

What gripes me the most is that so many American are totally demoralized over this issue. They've laid down on the ground and let the oil companies, sheiks in the Middle East and everyone else who wants to pile on do so. What Americans do best is wring their hands. We all know how much that accomplishes.

Here's my take on the situation. I think gas prices are too LOW. Yes, you read that right. Too LOW.

If gas were to sell for $5 a gallon for a period of time, people would get serious about curtailing their consumption or they'd demand that something be done to develop alternative sources of energy. I'm the last person generally to believe that taxes are a good thing, but in this case, it might work.

If the federal government slapped a $2 a gallon tax on gas and took the money and plowed it into alternative fuels research, our dependence on foreign oil sources would end rather quickly. In some ways, the government has been doing this with the subsidy to corn growers to produce ethanol. Ethanol has a bright future, but it needs to be taken beyond the boutique stage and into mass production.

I have no idea how much a $2 a gallon sales tax on gasoline would bring in over a period of a year or two or three, but I would think it would be enough to get a good jump on finishing the research on ethanol and maybe begin looking seriously at hydrogen and other sources.

I'm betting the American oil companies are smart enough not to let this happen. They let the price go up just until it hurts a little, then they let consumers get accustomed to that pain ... and then turn the heat up a bit more. The first sign of resistance, the price goes back down.

It's an addiction, all right. Americans are worse than meth addicts when it comes to gasoline.

Things Down South

Greetings from Tulsa, Okla. My wife and I were informed Sunday afternoon that her brother who lived here had died. We jumped in the car Monday morning and drove down for the funeral. It's about 10 hours from Minneapolis, Minn. to here.

Other than spend time with family and eat some good "down-home" food, I did have a couple hours this morning to visit two nearby Western stores a couple blocks from our hotel.

On one corner is Drysadles and on the other corner is Cavenders. Both are beautiful stores and a tribute to equine retailers everywhere. These are massive stores.

Not only do they carry the top of the line and then some in Western clothing, but they also stock everything from Tommy Hilfiger to Crocs right there next to Justins and Wranglers. It's a unique concept.

I'm not sure there are a lot of markets where this mix would work, but judging from the walk-in traffic during my brief visits, I'd say both are doing well. Staff was extraordinarily friendly and the stores were sprakly clean and organized, with lots of space to wander, touch and feel.

This Cavenders even had a small selection of Western tack.

A lot of Western retailers tell me that any time they stray beyond Western industry brands and products, it doesn't work. I'm sure other markets throughout Oklahoma and Texas can make this mix work.

I think it's a great concept. Put the best the Western industry has to offer on the shelf next to the best the mainstream fashion world has to offer and may the best man win.

I certainly didn't see anything from any of the Western suppliers that didn't hold up well in the comparison.

Groceries and Tack?

How would as an independent equine retailer feel if one day you breezed through your local Wal-Mart Super Center and one of the new departments was "tack, saddles and horse supplies?"

That's what your fellow retailers in Great Britain are going through right now. The supermaket chain Tesco would add an equestrian range, including clothing and equipment.

According to Equestrian Trade News, a spokesman for the company said the reason for the move was that more of Tesco's customers were discovering the joys of riding.

"With a full range of approved licensed riding hats, jodhpurs, jodhpur boots, waistcoats, gloves and half chaps, no one will believe you (customers) are dressed with more dash than cash. Tesco customers will be able to afford to spoil their horses too, with a choice of cozy summer rugs, brushes, head collars, bandages and brushing boots ..."

No mention was made of which manufacturers are supplying the product. Surely, they will become a pariah amongst specialty equine retailers, just as they would in our country.

Like Wal-Mart, Tesco has the idea that creating stores that provide one-stop shopping for everything from A to Z is the way to go. With the high price of gasoline both in the UK and here, that concept will likely make more and more sense to consumers.

The downside, of course, will be if you need any help whatsoever with picking out a style or size that works best for your or your horse. I have only shopped in a Tesco twice, but it didn't seem like anyone there was an expert on any of the products in the store. And I can tell you without any fear of equivocation that no one who works at a Wal-Mart would be capable of advising a first-time rider on which bridle to use on his or her horse.

The impact of what's happening in the UK will force equine retailers there to promote even more strongly their expertise and professional advice. It may take something akin to the Tesco move to force retailers in the United States to take their role as an information source more seriously.

Thought for the day: How would you react if you were faced with what UK retailers are faced with today?

The Joys of Flying

Okay, this doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the equine trade industry, but then again, many of your who read this fly regularly so you'll find this interesting.

Is it just me or has the American flying public decided that for some unknown reason they now have to drag all of their worldy possession onboard an aircraft under the guise of "carry on" luggage? Two flights in the last two days, airline employees have ended up fighting with customers about the size, bulkiness and weight of their carry-on. One gentleman, when the flight attendant insisted he would have to check his luggage and have it put in the hold, emphatically said, "Well it goes where I go." To her credit, she said, "Fine sir, let me get you a blanket ... it gets mighty cold down there at 35,000 feet." He gave in.

He was attempting to bring onboard as "carry on" a piece of baggage the size of which I normally pack for 10 days overseas. Why on earth someone didn't intervene before he hit the airplane door with that steamer trunk is beyond me.

Same flight, different story. The woman sitting next to me wheels in with one of those duffel bags on wheels pieces. With canvas sides, you can really stuff a lot into them. Of course, they get rather fat and bulging in a big hurry.

It took her and two strapping gentlemen to ram, smash, crush and crimp that bag into the overhead. It took up the space of three normal carry-on pieces (you know, the ones that actually fit in the template the airlines provide).

There's no doubt lost luggage is a pain in the neck, but for a direct flight (which most of these people) it's nearly impossible for your baggage to go anywhere else, especially if you check it from the airplane door. It's tagged and send downstairs. No muss. No fuss.

But if you have to have that level of confidence your precious belongings will arrive with you, pack light and use a carry-on sized piece of luggage. And use one piece, not two or three.

Same flight on Thursday, a woman came on board with a rolling board, a side bag and a backpack. Even for someone math-challenged, that's clearly three ... and not permitted by federal regulation or airline policy. Didn't matter to her. It took her 10 minutes to find "homes" for all her junk. Meanwhile, everyone stood in the aisles while she fretted and stewed.

And while we're on the topic, when the cabin crew instructs you to remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop and the fasten-seatbelt sign is extinguished, do it! Same goes for that little message about turning off electronic devices in preparation for landing. I can't believe how many people simply ignore the admonition and just keep right on using their laptops. If there weren't a good safety reason for them to give you these instructions, I'm sure they'd quit. It can't be a lot of fun for the flight crew to have to babysit passengers.

One final rant ... if you have to bring McDonald's food onboard because you might starve if you don't eat 5,000 calories in the next two hours, don't drop your fries all over the person sitting next to you. People can be such pigs.

CEBS

Today, a group of nearly 50 leaders in the equine industry were briefed on a plan by Texas A&M University to start a Center for Equine Business Studies. The meeting was held at the international headquarters of the American Paint Horse Association in Ft. Worth, Texas.
University leaders spelled out a plan to create an organization that would take on the daunting task of quantifying the equine industry. In other words, if you're a retailer and you want to know how many riders in the United States are involved with Eventing or Reining, you will be able to turn to the CEBS for answers.
The center is in its infancy and there's a bit of territory to cover before the first statistics roll out, but after spending a day discussing it, the idea seems to make a great deal of sense on a lot of fronts.
For retailers and manufacturers (who were somewhat under-represented at this session) it means that for the first time in the history of the industry, you will have access to research to help you guide your future success.
The center will attempt to pull together all of the research already being done and add its own capacities. Members would be able to "mine" the data to serch for the answer to just about any equine industry related question.
Another part of the plan is an annual industry symposium, which would feature sessions on such things are marketing successfully to the industry and management training for retailers and their employees.
The plan as it stands today is ambitious and far-reaching and the smart money says that there will be narrower focus as it moves forward. The leaders from A&M acknowledge that unifying efforts in the equine industry are difficult and that they run the risk of people saying "been there, done that, didn't work."
The big plus for the organization is that it already has the backing of the powers that be at the University and now, if the support from the industry is there, the partnership will produce the intended results. No previous entity trying to do the same thing has had a major educational giant behind it to lend credibility and stability.
A fully report on Thursday's session will be posted on our Web site www.tackntogs.com in the next couple days.

Back in Texas

Today, I traveled from Minnesota to Ft. Worth, Texas, where tomorrow I will be participating in a meeting regarding the newly formed Center for Equine Business Studies at Texas A&M University. More on that tomorrow.
I'm always amazed at how much of the equine trade business is in Texas. Some of the biggest manufacturers and some of the largest retailer are here, along with a plain lot of folks who are into horses.
In Minnesota, Wrangler 13s and Western hats make you stand out. In Texas, if you don't wear Wranglers and a Western hat, you stand out.
Several people over the years have asked me how the leading equine trade magazine ended up in Minnesota -- not exactly horse country as most people think about it.
The publication was started by a group of folks who were part of Miller Publishing in Minneapolis 37 or so years back. The company already published a magazine devoted to hardware store owners, so it was a short jump to put something together for the equine industry.
Most of us weren't around back then, but I sometimes wonder whether our forefathers in the publishing world ever suspected the magazine would become as big a force in the industry as it has.
Being Midwesterners and Scandinavian, I'm fairly certain they had no clue. You see, the tradition in Minnesota is to sit quietly by and if someone recognizes your work, you modestly deflect the compliment onto someone else or something else. Fate even.
Had those early founders of Tack 'n Togs been from the great state of Texas, I suspect the tradition would be somewhat different. Folks here don't have much compunction about telling you how great 1) they are, 2) Texas is or 3) how narrow-minded you are to live somewhere other than Texas!
I always enjoy my visits to Texas, although I've learned to take pro-Texas propoganda with a grain of salt.

Before Hard Drives

Is it just my imagination or has the equine trade industry become more innovative in the past decade? I remember early in my tenure with Tack 'n Togs being told by many retailers that they didn't need to stock the latest new products because their customers only purchased the same products over and over. Today, the story is reversed. Retailers tell me, almost unanimously, that if they don't have something new in their store on a regular basis, people stop coming in.

It makes sense. Nothing stays the same.

I was thinking about that yesterday while trying to explain what a dual floppy drive computer system was all about. If you're 40-something, like me, you probably know what I'm talking about. The first computers didn't have hard drives.

Huh?

Yep, that's right. The programming was housed on one floppy in Drive A and the files you created with the program were housed on one floppy in Drive B. Without a "boot disk," you were sunk. We always had dozens of boot disks around. That was in the days of the six-inch floppy disks that almost no one remembers today.

How computers have changed. How consumers have changed. How our lives have changed.

Nothing stays the same. For a long time, the equine trade industry tried to be the exception to that rule, but even the most old-line companies are now struggling to innovate and create new buzz for their products. Retailers work hard to make their stores attractive and to achieve a strong mix of products.

For some in our industry, the change has been too quick and has gone too far. For others, change as come at a glacial pace.

Clearly, some of the tenants on which the industry was founded -- quality products offered at good value -- will never change. Beyond that, if you're still plugging floppy disks into your computer, you might want to think about getting a new one!

Good Reading

I've been rereading a number of children's books the past couple weeks for a project I'm working on. A couple weeks back, I finished "San Domingo : The Medicine Hat Stallion," by Marguerite Henry. Right now, I'm reading "Justin Morgan Had a Horse," also by Henry. I've also breezed through "Black Stallion" and "Black Beauty."

I remember reading these books as a child, not because I was particularly enamored with horses, but because I was a voracious reader. If it was in the library, I read it. (There wasn't that much else to do out on the plains of North Dakota!)

But what strikes me today is how well these books hold up all these decades after they were written. The story lines, the drama, the excitement are all still there, just as fresh as when they were written. That's the sign of a great book, I think.

Today, if you want something with a horse theme in the way of a children's book, you pretty much have to look for a movie. There have been some good ones in the last couple years, too, but I don't think they'll have the staying power of a Marguerite Henry book or a classic like "Black Beauty." Incidentally, I thought the movie version of Anna Sewell's book was excellent.

I guess it's just the preference of my generation. Books were our Internet. our Ipod, our GameBoy and Nintendo all rolled into one. Books opened up a world beyond our imagination, created by our imagination. I think that's one reason why so many people of my generation are among the best movie directors today. We have a lot of practice making words into pictures in our heads. Directors get the chance to see those visions transferred onto the big screen.

The larger question in this discussion is this: How are we going about attracting youngsters to a lifelong love affair with horses? It seems to me we've thrown up more barriers than invitations for young people to get involved with riding. All too often it's been made out to be an elitist thing, mostly by those who already are involved.

If you read the history of the American Youth Soccer Organization, you'll understand inclusivity. Yeah, soccer is a bit less complicated than horseback riding, but it's not rocket science. AYSO single-handedly look a little-known sport (at least in our country) and exposed nearly every child alive to the joys of soccer. While soccer isn't as big as some other sports in America today, you can't find anyone who doesn't know about it.

Now, how do we make the sport of horseback riding into the next soccer? Answering that question would certain go a long way toward cementing a solid future for the retailers and manufacturers in the equine trade industry.

Online Forums Informative

You can learn a lot about the equine industry by reading online forums. There are a couple dozen of them out there. I try to check in here and there and glean what I can when I have time.

If you're not familiar, these are basically message boards in which people discuss all manner of horse topics, everything from hoof problems to teaching a horse to back to the best product to use to untangle a tail.

The forums would be of interest to manufacturers since their products are occasionally mentioned, sometimes in a not-so-good light. For retailers, it gives great insight to how people are thinking.

Here's an example. Almost universally when you read equine online forum, if someone posts asking "where can I buy ..." whatever, the answer is almost always someone referring them to an online retailer. Almost no one mentions traditional brick-and-mortar equine stores. If someone does (which I occasionally do under cover!) you get flamed (an online forum term for smacked in the mouth) by others on the forum.

Their response is usually something like, "yeah, get if rom your local retailer if you want to pay twice what you'd pay for it online" or "the retailers in my area don't carry enough product to be able to meet my needs." Sometimes it's just pure ignorance on the part of the poster, but sometimes the complain is legitimate.

But if you really are interested in what a large body of horse-owners think about traditional retail stores, this is a great place to pick up information. You may not be pleased with what you hear, but that's another matter entirely.

Clearly, the preference by a large group of consumers to purchase online means that their perception of the retailers in their area is poor and that's something that needs to be addressed, both individually and as an industry.

Google "equine discussion forums" and check a few of them out. See what you think.

A Brand is a Promise

Rob VanGorden of the Richards Group was one of the keynoters for the WETA All Industry Conference last week in Austin. He talked a lot about what it means to be "branded" and how to use your brand to garner the biggest impact from consumers.

One of the most interesting lines in his presentation was after he asked those gathered to define "brand." He started out by tellling us what a brand is no. It's not a logo. It's not a company. It's not the CEO.

No, a brand, he says, is a promise. In other words, what do you offer consumers in terms of value and how consistently do you offer it? If your brand is a promise, how well do you keep your promise? That's how effective your brand will be.

He used Starbucks coffee as an example of a company that does a good job with its brand. Several other speakers I've heard recently on the topic also pointed to Starbucks, so I guess it must be a good place to look.

Starbucks sells a cup of coffee it probably takes the company 25 cents to produce for upwards of three dollars (four if you're in an airport). How? Because it's great coffee, sold in a pleasant atmosphere (unless you're in an airport), people inside the Starbucks shops generally are happy and content (not in airports though). They're paying for the experience of socking out $3 for a 25-cent cup of coffee ... and loving it.

I've never heard anyone in a Starbucks complain about the price. How many consumers have you heard recently complain about the price of your product?

Therein is the biggest advantage of having a strong brand. You can charge what you want (within reason of course) and people will pay it ... and thank you for the pleasure of shelling out their hard-earned money.

Whether you're a retailer or manufacturer or something between, you can benefit from brand-building. If you haven't given it much thought lately, perhaps you should.

Get a Horse

I have the solution to the current high gasoline prices. Get a horse.

Maybe that could be the next big promotional campaign for the equine industry. Last night on the news, I saw a story about a guy in Texas who is riding his horse to work these days, saving $70 a week on gas and wear-and-tear on his vehicle, not to mention the hassle of driving.

Of course, he's in Texas and that probably wouldn't seem weird there. In Minnesota, it would definitely raise some eyebrows, particularly in the metropolitan area where we live. Interestingly enough, there are trails almost continuously from our home to my office that we could use and plenty of lush green grass along the way. Jack would have a blast!

I guess I'd have to keep him in our garage, which might be a violation of our condo association rules (I'd have to check). Heck, half the stuff in our garage is his anyway! Why is it horse people collect things so readily? I have a perfectly good Western saddle in our garage that's much too small for Jack, but do I get rid of it? No. I store it in the garage. No wonder my wife keeps telling me our garage smells like a barn.

I'm only seven miles from work so it wouldn't really be that much of a strain for either of us. We go at least that far on a quick trail ride around the trails where he's boarded. I could get him those citified plastic shoes that are supposed to be great for horses on pavement and other hard surfaces.

There's a beautiful stretch of green grass in front of our office building. Jack's stake-out trained. His previous owner was short on grass, so she'd stake him out for several hours during the day and then put him back in a dirt paddock at night. He's one of those horses who can stand on his own lead line and not panic. Eventually he figures out which foot to lift to free himself!

Heck, I just looked out my window, there's even a water fountain out there and the shade trees are huge. Really, it would be a horse heaven!

I envy those who live in rural parts of Colorado and Wyoming (other states too) who actually can ride their horses to work. That would be ideal! Not only would you not have to buy $3 a gallon gasoline, but you could relax and enjoy the scenery on the way to work, as well.

Let's see if we can't get this trend off the ground!

Largest Conference Ever

This morning, I'm back at my desk after several days in Austin for the Western-English Trade Association's annual All Industry Conference. With nearly 100 member and guests registered, this was the largest conference the organization has ever held.

The mood was predominantly optimistic as leaders from both the Western and English sectors of the industry gathered to learn, network and have some fun. By Sunday morning, many of us were bleary-eyed, thanks to a continuous round of thunderstorms that rolled through Austin, interrupting sleep three consecutive nights.

Here are some highlights of the conference:

* Gary Mandelbaum of Roper Apparel and Footwear took over the presidency of the organization from Ron Schmitz. Gary laid out a forward-looking agenda for the organization at the annual membership luncheon meeting on Friday. Continuing the organization's marketing initiative and continuing the quest for members are among the top commitments for the coming two years of his administration.

* Many excellent speakers were on hand throughout the conference, designed to enlighten and inspire those who attended. Learning how it's done from the experiences of others in different industries gives everyone present a frame of reference for implementing the same ideas in our industry.

* The annual AIM Awards Banquet on Saturday evening was an opportunity for all those who work hard at marketing to be recognized for their efforts. At this year's event, executive director Glenda Chipps was recognized for 20 years of service to the organization.

* A variety of committees met during the conference to chart their course for the coming year. The membership committee is working on a variety of concepts, including raising the profile of the organization so others will want to join and be part of the activity.

We'll be posting additional information on the conference, along with photos, on the Web site this week. Watch the printed edition of the June edition for more coverage.

WETA Conference Under Way

Country music entertainer Zane Lewis performed at the gala welcome bash for the Western-English Trade Association All Industry Conference Thursday night. Zane is former publisher of an equine trade publication so the concert was a homecoming for him in many ways.

AUSTIN, TEXAS -- The Western-English Trade Association All Industry Conference kicked off last night with a welcome bash of Texas-sized proportions. Live music, food, drinks, and even the opportunity to have your butt sketched by a professional butt-sketcher were featured.

The conference is an annual event sponsored by the association. Thursday morning, the organization's board of directors met, Thursday afternoon participants could either play golf or go on the third annual WETA All Industry Trail Ride. The day ended with the gala welcome -- and a Texas-sized thunderstorm, complete with 60 mph. winds and hail.

Friday morning's session is ongoing as this blog is being written. Later today, the general membership luncheon will be held. The session ends on Saturday evening with the annual AIM Awards Banquet.

If you are missing the conference, you should be asking yourself, "why?" It's a golden opportunity to learn more about your industry and meet many great people.

Second best, come back over the next few days for more reports and photos from the conference.

Rodeo Family - Bunch of Yahoos

It's always amusing when someone from inside the equestrian world is tapped to be part of one of the mainstream reality shows. Now there's a phrase I never thought I'd write in my life ... Reality shows in the mainstream. It's a sad commentary!

Anyway, last night on one of the major networks' wife swapping shows the wife of a rodeo family and the wife of a snobby city family traded places. Normally, the rodeo mom would have had me on her side, but in this instance, she did more to damage the cause of horses, riding and rodeo than PETA.

yesteryear manufacturers go to great lengths to produce great-looking styles that have some class and panacea, and then this woman shows up in Tammy Wynette throw-aways. Her husband wears a Western hat continuously (much to the chagrin of his "new" socialite wife), but the hat is a piece of junk. It looked like something you'd buy at a dime store.

The rodeo kids were also dressed in what looked to be ill-begotten, hand-sewn clothing. Their riding skills as a whole were highly suspect for people who had "been around horses" all their lives. I could go on, but suffice to say, it wasn't the best representation of the Western lifestyle you could wish for on network television.

Oh, and the table-turning fist fight at the end was not the response of a true cowboy. This guy was a yahoo.

It's all done for effect and ratings, of course, but it still irks me that a network would use this opportunity to poke fun of the Western lifestyle. If you replace "Western" with almost any other word, what they did would probably be considered unacceptable. But it's still okay to poke fun at people who wear Western, ride horses and live the Western lifestyle -- at least on mainstream network television.

A sad commentary, indeed.

Being John Lyons

Record numbers of people watched John Lyons at the Minnesota Horse Expo this past weekend. Although always a popular addition to the program, the incessant rain drove more people inside where warm and dry seats awaited.

While the rain caused a big mess, everyone inside was treated to the usual high-quality presentation you've come to expect from John Lyons. If you've never had a chance to watch him work a horse in an arena, you have, indeed, missed a learning experience.

John has been a regular at the King of Prussia Trade Show for several years. I've seen his presentations dozens of times, but I always walk away having learned something I didn't know before.

One of the best things I learned from John Lyons is about focusing on your horse. In other words, when you're riding, give the horse the benefit of your time and talent, instead of yacking with your fellow riders or smoking or drinking pop or whatever your favorite vice.

People often expect a horse to pay unflagging attention to them, but how many riders pay that same level of attention to their horses? In my experience, not many.

Like any of the big-name trainers, there are a few things John pushes that I'm not all that fond of. A couple of them I have tried to adopt but haven't been able to make them work. In those instances, I turn to another trainer who might have a technique I understand better or that works better for my horse.

Riding and training takes it toll on a person's body after a few decades. John was moving a little slower this time than the last time I saw him, but his performance was high a quality presentation as ever. If the equine industry had a "nice guys" hall of fame, I'd nominate John Lyons as the first inductee.