A TRIBUTE TO LD
I often wonder how WHO would exist if it weren’t for some very special people and my friend Leslie Davis is one of those. I can count on one hand how many shows LD has missed in all the years I’ve known her. And I can tell you that these past couple of years we would have had to cancel shows or those of us riding would have had to not ride if she had not come to work. LD as I call her has been the treasurer of WHO seemingly forever, and unfortunately for us, this will be her last year. As a past president of this club I can tell you I knew WHO would never appear in the news as one of those clubs where the treasurer was helping themselves to the club’s money. I thank her for that thought never even entering my mind.
Throughout my time in WHO I’ve been lucky to have some great mentors which I’ve mentioned here before. Pam, Gayle and Sally come to mind, and LD is also on that list. I have been lucky enough to have her impart much of her horse wisdom on me over the years and am a better rider for it. And as she and I do our judging and timing at the shows we will talk about what each rider could do to help get to that next level, and it’s in those times that I really marvel at the extensive knowledge she possesses. And I am honored enough to be one of the very few people that she trusted to let me make a run on one of her great horses. And for many of you newer riders, there were so many. Leslie’s dad was a race horse breeder who bred some of the greatest horses that have ever run at WHO but wasn’t one of those old time race horse breeders that just track trained them. If you were lucky enough to get one of those horses that LD or KJ didn’t keep you were getting a well broke horse that was ready for you to take to great heights. The horse I was lucky enough to ride was one of her first WHO horses, Sugar Jet. What a thrill that was. And though I never got to ride Bunny, Keister, SOB, Two Cashes, Katz or Fame my son Heath was lucky enough to win Interstate on Chip in Individual Flags thanks to KJ and LD trusting him to ride one of their horses. One of my greatest memories of Interstate was one where I was president and I watched Colleen from Washington run a 10.000 and we had only one rider left and that was LD on Fame. I ran over to her and said LD, I need a nine out of you. She said I’ve never run a nine and I said, well then don’t check Fame before her turns. LD and Fame came through with their first nine for the win and the crowd went crazy. And Interstate is where LD will let her guard down and cut loose. She was part of the FOUR QUEENS as they were known. LD, Sandi Delker, Chris Ross and Geri Deskins were the life of the party at the Interstate dances and if you were lucky you were forced to dance with this great group of ladies even if you were hesitant to.
As I wrap this up I would love all of you to take time to think about a time when you didn’t see LD out in the arena supporting the riders of WHO. She isn’t loud like me, but if you are lucky enough to sit there with her and listen you can learn from this great lady. LD, THANK YOU for everything you do and have done to make WHO the great club it is. I know my life is better for having you become a dear friend. Tully