From The Publisher

From The Publisher

Two Year Anniversary and Loving the Lazy E

 

This issue marks the two-year anniversary of Western Shooting Horse. Twelve neatly framed covers now grace the walls of our offices where visitors can view the evolution of a vertical equestrian magazine published with passion, dedication and an understanding of the sport and its competitors.

 

Excitement continues to grow because this is one of the busiest times of the year for Western Shooting Horse. With the Worlds returning to Amarillo a month earlier and Western Shooting Horse’s very own Road to the Worlds competition in Albuquerque the week before, operations are in full gear and plans for 2010 are well under way.

 

Looking back at our travels covering events, the horses and the people involved in the shooting horse world, some assignments stand out more than others. One in particular, my personal favorite, is the Lazy E in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

 

Hands down, the Lazy E is the most beautiful setting for an arena that has ever held a major mounted shooting competition. With its lush rolling hills of green pastures and white fencing that allow the exercising of brood mares and their offspring, the manicured entry alone tells you you’ve come to a place of pride and dedication to horses.

 

In this issue and on the cover you will notice the stunning backgrounds of the Lazy E in Lucinda Wood’s beautiful photographs of Stu Townlian, Mikayla Zayas and Rock Clark’s Joker. We love the Lazy E for its incredible scenery and for the hospitality of the folks who manage it.

 

Yes, the Lazy E has one of the best indoor arenas in the country. It’s big. It’s designed to comfortably handle a large number of spectators, and most importantly it accommodates the competitors and their horses very well. But the Lazy E is so much more than an arena.

 

We were invited to tour the main function of the Lazy E and were privileged to learn about its state-of-the-art breeding program first hand. With its eleven standing stallions, including the great Quarter Horse racing legend Corona Cartel, we got to witness the multi-million dollar stallion do his part as the facility collected semen to be frozen for later use. Needless to say, the deed was impressive.  So are the rest of the facilities and their impeccable operation.

 

The Lazy E takes pride in their stallions as evidenced by the luxurious stud barn where each animal is cared for and tended to daily. Each has his own roomy stall and individual paddock for exercise. The grounds of the facility are impeccably clean and organized and present a comfortable living for the prized stallions. Considering that stud fees are upwards of $50,000, you can understand their attention to detail.

 

It was a thrill to watch the young colts exercise on the hot walker each morning. Feisty and leggy, these future racing champions are the intended results of the sophisticated operation and clearly display the quality of their breeding. Equally impressive is the herd of brood mares that charge across the green pastures during morning light. The Lazy E does Oklahoma proud.

 

The Lazy E is a rare gem among the great horse facilities that dot America. With pride, attention to detail and a commitment to excellence, this world-class operation exemplifies the best traditions of horse management. If you haven’t been there, attend one of the many equestrian events that take place year-round at the arena and see for yourself the majesty of a grand American horse ranch.

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