Countdown Is On!

Approximately eight months ago, when I decided to voice my dream that I had of holding a barrel race that would help give horses a second chance, I couldn't even fathom at that time that it would all come together and  become a reality!

I guess after telling this dream to some friends and TEAM DO3 members, their encouragement and excitement helped me to move forward to the next step, and the next step and then next.  I simply started with a date of when this barrel race would take place.  I was told things such as "You know it takes a lot of work to put on a barrel race, how are YOU going to pull this off, do you have help." and "that date is already taken", but I moved past that stuff, picked a date and one by one figured out the rest.

Now we are less than a week away!  My garage is filled with awards, decor items, tshirts, and everything else I need to create the image I have in my mind.    There have been a lot of ups and downs through the whole process that is for sure and even some drama, which I do not like in the least.  In the beginning, there was some back and forth from some potential sponsors.  I imagine as it was a totally new idea, and we were going to be the pioneers for this, companies weren't wanting to take the risk of being involved, which I can totally understand.  I was willing to try at least, if I failed, it would be my embarrassment.  But if it turned into a success, it could potentially put Dreaming of Three on the map in the Equestrian World!  I was willing to take that risk.  I felt that if more people knew about DO3, that would mean more equestrians would be turning their passion for horses into an avenue to give back.   I felt if it were a success, and we held it every year, it would help more and more horses find a second career and to give them a second chance.  These two reasons made it a risk worth taking!

I think these last eight months, I have been so focused on making this Event a success, and although I knew we were getting some really big coverage in both radio, tv, internet and print (most recent article: http://www.wkbn.com/2013/07/27/horses-get-new-life-after-the-racetrack/  I have two pages now of coverage!) , I just didn't slow down enough to let it sink in.  This weekend, things started sinking in!  I am having some slight anxiety attacks at times thinking about it all.  I wake up in the middle of the night, heart racing, unable to catch my breath.  When I hear our host hotel is sold out.  When I hear our sponsor and my local feed store, Hookstown Feed, tell me how a lot of folks from the track (Mountaineer Race Track) are coming into the store talking about it and are planning on attending. When I hear that we will have a live feed from Channel 27 WKBN, Youngstown news at the Event.  When I hear some of my big sponsors higher executives are attending.  I just cannot believe it!

The trainers are starting to roll in from out of state too, so that makes it all that much more of a reality!

Me and Amelia Comar (North Carolina) at Mountaineer Racetrack this past Saturday.

  Several of the trainers are starting to haul to the arena to get some practice in as well.

Lacey Tomasik on Sassy

Lacey giving us all a heart attack, with her separated collarbone doing trick riding.

Laura Wiencek and Jessica Endres

Laura and Lacey (don't try this at home)

At first, when planning this whole thing, it was because I thought my own circle of barrel racing buddies were going to take part.  I thought perhaps I'd get 6 outside folks I didn't know.  When it came down to the wire, none of my own circle ended up applying due to schedules, etc.  So everybody that applied were strangers.  I didn't know any of them before it all started.  However, I can honestly say, the 11 remaining trainers have certainly all become what I can call a "friend".  My "circle" of horsey friends has certainly grown in these last eight months!  My knowledge of Thoroughbreds as well, as I really didn't know much.

Jen Ruberto, shown in this photo with Lacey (Jen owns Sassy), has also become a friend.  She was right there in the beginning, my guru of OTTB's.  I had to ask somebody that knew the breed better than I, to make sure it COULD work.  Jen is a CANTER volunteer and works with a lot of trainers and owners to find homes for their OTTB's.  She was totally thrilled when we talked, and as excited as I was and I certainly could not have done it without her!

The amount of support I've received from people I've never known before any of this, is mind blowing!  Joe Coalter, my announcer for the Event, was another one of those supporters from the beginning.  Joe not only was on board, helping us spread the word with ads in his Horsemen's Corral, but also getting me onto his "Horsin Around Ohio" radio show this coming week (will air Wednesday).  What amazes me even more is a week and a half ago, Joe drove a couple hours to Simmons Arena to look over everything with me for placement of the stage, sound, etc..  I know full well he did so to put me at ease, as this really is "my first rodeo" for such an Event that I am the "producer".  (Producer, I've been called that several times, but still makes me chuckle hearing it.  To me, I'm just a barrel racer, mother, wife and a daughter who lost her father and step father within 3 months of each other, decided to do something other than just grieve by creating DO3)

No doubt this week will fly by, as I question "Am I ready for this?".  I know I have the support of TEAM DO3, my husband and my kids and all the people I've met along the way who have supported me, supported this cause, and of course all the  new friends I've made this year because of dream of mine.  I hope in my next entry I will be able to tell all of you what a huge success it was, that we raised loads of money for CANTER and Bright Future Farms, and that the trainers involved got lots of inquiries for training and folks swarm CANTER or other OTTB rescues looking to locate and adopt an OTTB for their own.  I have no doubt and am planning on "wrinkles" in the evening, things I didn't know, or even cross my mind, but I'm prepared for those and won't let them get to me.  I'll deal with them, and move forward.  The most important thing is that the last 100 days have been a success....we gained alot of attention, showed everybody the versatility of these beautiful animals and I know made more folks aware of DO3.  Therefore, we have already succeeded.

I hope to see you at Simmons Equestrian Center in Negley, Ohio on August 2, this coming Friday at 8:00 p.m.!  Come celebrate with us!