Run THe Plan
by Donna Irvin
Ropenator and Vaquero during my
professional development leave.
In 2005, I took a professional development leave from Black Hawk College to enlist Sharon Camarillo as my Performance Coach, compete in several professional rodeos, and to keep a journal of training experiences while on the road.
My personal goal and commitment has been to elevate my competition to the professional ranks. This section is a compilation of my experiences throughout the last several years. Please click on the topic of your choice in the box under the main menu. The most recent experience is on the top and the rest are in descending order. Every couple of months, I will add an experience to this journal. It is my hope that my continuing journey and experiences will benefit you in your own pursuit of excellence.
Introducing My Horses
was qualifying on Ropenator for
the 2007 Dodge National Circuit
Finals Rodeo.
Ropenator, barn name Sneaky, is my Numero Uno horse. To date he is the best horse I have ever owned. I have owned him since he was a yearling and I am proud to say he has earned AQHA points in a variety of events, including a Superior Award in Barrel Racing. He has a solid foundation and usually gives me the same run regardless of the conditions. Ropenator loves his job, and I love him! Ropenator is approaching his prime. He is now over 10 years-old and I have worked with him to maximize his performance, make each run count and manage his competitive career for longevity. You will find that many of my competitive experiences are focused on my performance with Ropenator.
Vaquero was my younger horse and is featured in terms of training and preparing a younger horse for competition. I devoted time and care to his training and he was turning into a great athlete. Unfortunately, Vaquero passed away after the 2006 Camarillo Classic.
Recently, I acquired a new horse, Gay Sugar Tivito, purchased from Camarillo Performance Horsemanship graduate, Robin Schmidt. Because each horse is different, I know you will benefit from my ongoing expereinces, through association or evaluation of our work based on your horses and your efforts. See my latest article, Developing a Parnership with a New Horse.