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Select Show Horses …
A Lesson In Patience, Humility, Adaptability by K ara Larson
A
s individuals, Kellie and Dalton Budd have impressive pasts with the Arabian horse. Since they were young, they found a home in the saddle, success in the show ring, and fulfillment in every moment spent with the horse. And yet, it wasn’t until they combined their passions for breeding, riding, training, teaching, and coaching through Select Show Horses that allowed them to unlock the possibly of their future with the horse. A future filled with hard work, constant growth, meaningful relationships, talented horses, moments of elation, and a realization of honest success. As their individual strengths come together to build a partnership unlike any other, they are humble enough to recognize the importance of perspective. Now nine years into their partnership, Dalton attributes their growth and perspective to a greater understanding of the big picture. A great horseman, he thinks, possesses patience, humility, and adaptability. He explains, “I think you have to be humble enough to recognize that this is an ever-changing and constantly evolving industry. Whatever you’re doing today, someone may figure out a better way to do tomorrow. So adaptability is one of the biggest things horse trainers need to possess, but it can be hard because this is very much an industry that can allow you to get stuck in your ways. If it works, you want to keep doing it. But I think that it’s a necessity, especially in this day and age with so many young and successful horse trainers. You have to take something you learn, pay attention to that trend as it changes, and be willing to grow with it.”
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Training Philosophy This forward-thinking comes to life in the horses and riders of Select Show Horses. When Kellie and Dalton work with a horse and rider duo, they use their individual natural abilities to build a barn full of cohesive, talented teams. As Dalton primarily starts and trains the horses, Kellie is in charge of the instruction and teaching side of the business. However, each of them is comfortable in each other’s roles, and as such, they’re able to work through various problems that may arise for either horse or rider. Kellie explains, “Dalton is really good at lessons and I am comfortable to help him work and school horses. If we’re trying to figure out why a rider is having trouble on a horse, I can ride it a couple of times and we find out what that roadblock is.” Between the two of them, Dalton can work out what the horse has to do and
Kellie the rider, to make it work for both. This is essential to the success of Select Show Horses. Kellie relays, “When we’re giving a lesson, Dalton is really in-tune to what that horse is or isn’t doing that needs to happen in order to have it step up and be more successful. Whereas, my eye is always drawn to what the rider is doing to help them with any correction.” Their dualistic approach certainly translates into their ability to connect horse to rider. Their capacity to coach and train is unique and special—an undoubtedly rare gift. And it shows in the success of the youth and adult amateurs at Select Show Horses. In the past three years, their riders have garnered more than 100 national wins. Just this past year, the amateurs brought home 4 national championships, 11 reserve national championships, and over 75 top tens.
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These are accomplished riders—riders that show up to every class and ride with confidence, poise, and sportsmanship. And these qualities can be sourced back to Kellie and Dalton’s training philosophy. Kellie shares, “I think that if we asked the amateurs what our training philosophy is, they would probably answer that you can never really be content with where you’re at—you always have to be striving to improve, whether that’s practicing on a lesson horse or your show horse or doing things outside of the barn to make yourself better. As soon as you get complacent, somebody else is going to work harder and get better than you.” Kellie and Dalton impart on their riders that every ride is about working hard and striving to achieve your personal best. With as many adult amateurs and youth as they have, they find it vital to focus on not getting overly upset or critical of a bad ride, but using it as a learning experience. “Not every ride is going to be your best ride, but you have to be able to take something from that, because there are too many variables to this sport.” Dalton adds, “If you expect every ride to be a blue ribbon ride, you never really know how to handle the situations where things go south.”
With this levelheaded approach at the base of their teaching, Kellie and Dalton want to help their amateurs grow as people and as horsemen. Though they are tremendously competitive in the moment of the horse show, for Kellie and Dalton, the horses and prizes are secondary to all of the relationships formed in this community and how important it all becomes. “At the end of the day, nobody really remembers who specifically came out this year or that year as national champion in this class or that class. You just remember the riders who left an overall impression in your head as successful riders, good sportsmen, and great competitors. I feel like that’s so much more important than being that one kid who won a ribbon that one time.” The talented amateurs at Select Show Horses, Kellie shares, are the whole reason she isn’t focused much on the show ring herself anymore. Bottom line, she loves teaching people to ride, watching them compete and seeing them implement all the things that she’s taught them. “That’s the part, to me, that is most fulfilling.” She adds, “I think above everything else we’ve had the opportunity to do in this, being a part of those kids’ lives and watching them grow up and become good kids—that’s just more important than anything. It makes it all worth it.”
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Embracing Evolution As Kellie and Dalton continue to have success in and out of the show ring, growth is constantly encouraged. With new amateurs and horses, they inspire promising horsemen to join the team— employees like Kelly Bangs, who Kellie sees as ambitious, hard working, and a necessity to their team and program. This growth has also motivated a few moves and additions to their facilities. In the beginning, Kellie started the operation at her grandparents’ farm just south of their current farm location in Sheridan, Indiana. She remembers, “My grandparents had a small family breeding operation and we were there until we were literally busting at the seams. We had stalls in the arena; we had makeshift stalls outside of the barn. It was rough. And then my parents helped us to build this place here, which has 55 stalls. “However,” Kellie laughs, “now we have stalls in the arena again— we’re busting out of this place, too. So, we just met with a contractor for the third time today to figure out expansion, adding more stalls and another workspace—it’s just always an evolution.”
Beyond evolving into and out of various farms, Kellie and Dalton continue to grow as horse trainers every step of the way. This goes back to one of the traits they believe makes a great horseman: adaptability. Kellie and Dalton make a point to learn from a wide range of people they respect, trying to expand their own skillset and inform their individual training and coaching style. It is with the guidance of trainers and instructors they admire that Kellie and Dalton have honed in on their own creative voices working with the horse and their rider. Kellie shares, “We both always say that the point at which you think you don’t have anything left to learn and know how to do everything is the point at where you start to slip.” For them, it’s key to keep talking to people, not being afraid to ask questions, watching people work horses, and paying attention. Through all of this learning and growing, Kellie has one important note. “You can take a little bit that you learn from every person and let those be a part of the way you do things. You can’t emulate somebody else; you have to be yourself. You take all the things that you like that you learn along the way and figure out how
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you make those things your own and then create yourself. As a trainer or as an instructor or even just a rider in this industry, if you’re trying to be somebody else, you’re just not going to get very far.” One of the most impactful things Kellie has taken away from working with instructors she respects is the consideration of the way people say things. “Sometimes I think we all see it, but we can’t figure out how to say it. We’ve been able to work with Ellen Beard and Lillian Shively and Mandy Robinett—all kinds of different people with different backgrounds. So when I listen to them, I don’t just try to think about what they’re saying, but how they’re saying it.” It’s no secret that a fresh voice can repackage a phrase or instruction in a new way and you finally hear it. For Dalton and Kellie, it’s about assessing their work, watching intently, and translating it into their own words and methods. Time and experience are also attributing factors for success with this duo. As they have grown more patient, they have an appreciation for each of their primary roles. On the instruction side, beyond a wealth of special moments inside and outside the show ring, one of Kellie’s major successes came in travelling to South Africa with a rider on the Elite USEF Young Rider Team. And on the training side, Dalton has been able to demonstrate his riding and showing prowess through outstanding performances. Just this past year, he took home 2 national championships, 2 reserve national championships and numerous top tens in some of the deepest classes in the English division. Beyond the show ring, every moment with the horses and the people affords Kellie and Dalton an opportunity to progress. “Every year you do this, you encounter different things and new things come up.” Dalton adds, “Once you’ve experienced something, you deal with it better the next time. Whether that’s client management or horse management or traumatic situations or exciting situations—you handle yourself differently with each experience.”
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Thinking Ahead When Kellie considers how the horse has shaped her life, she pauses and laughs. “That’s it. For horse trainers in general, and for sure Dalton and I, that’s just all there is. This is not a job; this is a lifestyle,” she begins. “You do this twentyfour hours a day, seven days a week. That’s not to say we don’t have other hobbies or interests, but everything centers on the horse. It’s just such a good community and it makes everybody who they are—it’s just your whole identity. I can’t even be like, well what would I be without it? Because I have no idea.” This illustrates the commitment Kellie and Dalton dedicate to Select Show Horses. They have devoted their lives to this, and as such, they’re not about to get complacent or let anything get in the way of the integrity of their horses and amateurs. The final piece of the puzzle for them is figuring out, how to not only maintain, but how to improve upon this integrity. Kellie begins, “I think this is where Dalton and I are going to start to see a pretty amazing next cycle. We have had a lot of kids with us since they were little and now, they’re growing up and aging out and quite a few of them are interested in coming to work for us. And even though that cycle is just starting, it’s pretty amazing.” She adds, “To think about being able to teach someone from the very beginning and then growing your business so that they have the opportunity to get involved in this industry—it’s a full cycle.” Kellie and Dalton believe that having these elite riders join them on the training and instruction side is going to be an integral part of their growth process in the next four or five years. And that’s what they’re thinking about right now— their future in this all-consuming, wonderful Arabian horse world. As a final little nugget of perspective in the big picture, Kellie shares, “I think about all the time how this industry is just one tiny segment of all the things that go on in this world. It has created its own tiny sliver of a world within the world. All of us do this with so much passion and we’re all drawn to it and we’re all completely and totally immersed in this to the point that we really do live in the horse bubble. But in the giant scheme of things, no one really knows about this. It’s our own very individual, very special community of people.” And yet, this tiny sliver of a world is where this duo wants to live, work, and inspire those around them. n
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… just the right mix of CHAOS and Love. Love.
DALTON + KELLIE BUDD | 317.531.1326 | INFO @ S ELECTS HOWHORS ES.COM W W W. S E L EC T S H OW H O R S E S .CO M
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Sure Fire Redemption CHERYL WENDLING
� Kellie & Dalton, We can’t thank you enough, for the opportunity to
“Live the Dream.” We are beyond proud of what you both are accomplishing, and so grateful to have the chance to be part of it! Love you so much! Cheryl & Lova
�
(aka “Mom” & “GMR”)
Vegaz Showstopper
DALTON BUDD
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ďż˝
Gives Me
Thank You for all that
Goosebumps
you have done for us over the years. From a pony ride at an elementary school 11 years ago, to our first shows, and ultimately to national championships, you have been there to inspire us to do our best. You have taught us not only horsemanship, but more importantly how to be better people in all aspects of our lives. We are eternally grateful to have you as trainers, and blessed to have
MATT HUKE
you as friends.
ďż˝
Matt & Megan Huke
Hot Heir PF
MEGAN HUKE
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ďż˝ Kellie and Dalton,
From the beginning, you have always been my
champions. There are no words to express how grateful I am for all the years you dedicated to me. I truly could not imagine where I would be without you. As I have progressed through this journey, my hopes and dreams have done nothing but grow, and your unwavering support is what has allowed me to accomplish what I never thought possible. I am so proud to be part of Select Show Horses and everything you have accomplished.
WCC CH
Anderson Cooper
ďż˝
All my love, Faith Robbins
O My Martini LOA
FAITH ROBBINS
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FAITH ROBBINS
� Dear Dalton and Kellie,
I’m so beyond grateful
for everything you have done for me over these past few years. You have helped me to achieve my wildest dreams and the two of you work harder than anyone I know. I can’t wait for the years to come! Thank you for everything!
�
Love, Nora Shaffer
�
I’m so thankful to have
Kellie and Dalton in my life. They have made me into the rider I never thought I could be. Through their mentoring and friendship, I am able to call Select Show Horses my second home. Thank you, we love you both!
�
Corrine Joss
Blaze Afire BF
CORRINE JOSS
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�
Let me start by saying, thank
you, for taking the time to be two amazing horse trainers. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and to all of us, that means the world. You both have not just taught me how to play the sport, but have become part of what I consider home. I feel fortunate that I have been given all these opportunities in the show ring, but I am even more grateful to have you two by my side. I am looking forward to the future and continued success! I love you both!
�
Skylar Gunlicks
�
There’s no one quite
like a special coach in life, and no coaches quite as special as you, Kellie and Dalton. Thank you, Connor Koch
�
Helluva Storm LR Ar abian Horse Times | 126 | Volume 47, No. 7
Man About Vegaz VA JANELL VOSS
� “Thank You , Kellie and
Dalton, for helping me to rekindle my passion for the Arabian horse and take it to a level I never thought possible. You’ve helped me find some amazing horses and worked so hard to train them and coach me so that we could achieve phenomenal results. I appreciate your honesty and integrity in all aspects of the operation and your unwavering commitment to the success of every horse and rider that comes through your barn. It’s been fun and I’m looking forward to an exciting 2017.”
Mac Shoc WA
DALTON BUDD
�
Janell Voss
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Prosuasion NATIONAL CHAMPION
SF Specs Shocwave x Mz Kitty
2008 Chestnut Stallion | AEPA Enrolled Sire CONTACT FOR B REEDING INFORMATION : DALTON + KELLIE BUDD | 317.531.1326 | INFO @ S ELECTS HOWHORS ES.COM W W W. S E L EC T S H OW H O R S E S .CO M
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