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| Amy Davenport Photo by Rodney Davis |
by Gina McKnight
From the January 2023 Issue of Florida Equine Athlete
No duplication without permission
Amy Davenport is a horse girl, award-winning barrel racer, and a new puppy owner! She doesn’t have much down time. When not running the barrels, she is the proprietor of The Barrel Horse Life, an online store “shirts, hoodies, stickers and clothing for men, women, and children.” Amy is also the host of The Barrel Horse Life Podcast, interviewing talented and intriguing riders that will keep you engaged and entertained. With thoughtful persistence, intentional hard work, and a passion for everything barrel racing, Amy motivates and inspires all those in her path.
Welcome, Amy!
GM: Congratulations on your success! I enjoy connecting with you on social media and seeing what you’re up to, listening to your podcasts, and hearing what’s new in the barrel horse world. When did you meet your first horse?
AD: I’m not your typical horse girl that grew up
with horses her whole life. I didn’t get my first horse, Remmy, until I was 24.
I grew up showing my family’s Poland China show pigs until I got into college.
Although I always had a love for horses I had no idea how to take care of one. I bought Remmy as
a barely broke 4yo, around Thanksgiving in 2009. It was love at first sight!
She was a reject cutting horse that didn’t make the cut. We spent a long time
just learning each other and having fun. I didn’t even start barrel racing her
until I went to a Charmayne James Clinic in 2010, starting slow and steady.
GM: What horse(s) do you currently stable?
AD: My husband Chris and I own 15 acres that we
call Double Dee Acres. At our place we have: Remmy (aka Sister Remmy or MARE!)
is a 17yo sorrel mare. She was born a cutting horse and boy can you tell it.
Her attitude is your typical mare; very opinionated, impatient and as gritty as
they come. Sis (as I call her) doesn’t like kids, change or any other horses in
her stall. She LOVES to work, it helps her mind as well as her body. Being the
first horse I ever owned she has won me my first belt buckle along with many
other awards and earnings. She has the same run every run (as long as I do my
job). Remmy will be with us the rest of her life.
Jules Solo Sawyer (aka Sawyer or Sawyer Boi) is a
15yo sorrel gelding that I bought from my first trainer, Steve Grey. Sawyer has
been my main mount to run barrels on for the last six years. He will make the
exact same run every time, again it’s his jockey that gets in his way. He hunts
for the barrel and loves to run anywhere he can. I’ve never had a horse that is
as athletic and fun as him. After he rounds the third barrel he will run with
his ears back and expects a treat the second I get off of him. Sawyer prefers
geldings over mares, yet doesn’t have a mean bone in his entire body. He LOVES
cookies first, me second and rolling in fresh dirt third. Definitely the most
honest horse I’ve ever owned. He has made me into the barrel racer I am today.
Then there’s Princess Fiona (aka Fiona, FeFe, Baby
Girl or Princess). She’s the one that steals the show every time. Fiona is a
17yo red roan mare that is literally the sweetest mare on earth. I can remember
a few years ago, my vet came to the house to do her teeth. She sat right on the
ground directly in front of Fiona to get a good angle and never even worried
about it because she has always been so sweet and is so loving. First thing in
the morning, when I come to get her food bowl out of her stall, she puts her
nose up because she wants to smell my breath and nuzzle me. I know it’s super
weird, but it’s small things like that every day that makes her so sweet.
We are Fiona’s nursing home, because she has been
diagnosed with Equine Metabolic Syndrome and has severe laminitis. Taking care
of her until she tell us she’s ready is an emotionally hard task. There’s
nothing I wouldn’t do for that mare.
GM: They all sound sweet and lovable. Every
rider wants to know the secret to a successful run around the barrels. What's
your best advice for racers?
AD: First off, there is no one secret to barrel racing. You will learn what NOT
to do more than you will what TO do. My best advice is to work hard
EVERYDAY, don’t complain and don’t be afraid to ask questions to the right
people. Get a small group of people you trust to help you. Don’t ask your
best friend or your neighbor, GET A GOOD TRAINER!!
I’m what we call a Weekend Warrior. I have a
full-time job so barrel racing is my hobby that I do on the weekends. My
husband’s rule is “if we aren’t having fun, we aren’t going.” I hate to say it
but he’s SO right.
My second piece of advice is to support your
fellow competitors. As many people that we have in this industry, it tends to
be a small world. Everybody knows each other, and you never know when you might
need their help. It’s a race against the clock, not each other.
GM: What a great motto! I’ve found, too, that the more
I embrace others in my field, the more successful I am! What accolades have you
achieved in your lifetime?
AD: Like I said, I am a weekend warrior. My goals
are never to hit the rodeo road hard or win the NFR. Knowing your goals
and how you want to get there is important.
One of my career highlights was at the BBR World
Finals in 2022. I had two great runs in both long go’s, which qualified me for
Sunday’s short go. Just by God’s grace, I had the opportunity to have one of my
mentors, Joy Wargo, lead me up the alleyway. I had the best run of my life
under the bright lights of the Jim Norick Arena. We landed just out of the
money in the 3D against the toughest horses & jockeys in the barrel
industry. Both my husband and I cried when I came out of that arena. It was
just one of those, holy crap, this is the coolest moment of my life moments.
One of my goals a few years ago was to win a belt
buckle in our local barrel racing circuit, ILBRA. I made out my schedule for
the year, along with my work schedule and made sure to attend the best shows to
gain points to win that particular buckle. At the end of the season I couldn’t
believe that I actually won the year end 2D buckle!
Most people don’t believe me when I say I’ve only
won a few titles in my life including: ILBRA 2D & 4D Champion, IL NBHA
Reserve 2D Champion and much more. To much disbelief, I have yet in my career
to win first place in a barrel race. We’ve came in second, which was a win in
my books. I care more about making great, smooth correct runs and having fun
while doing it. I believe that’s why both my horses make the same run every time,
from my consistency in training and my relentlessness to be better each day.
GM: Amy, you inspire so many! Your honesty and integrity motivate others to do their best. Walk us through a day in your life with horses...
AD: On the weekdays, I try to start my morning at
4:30am. First I take care of our new puppy, Nacho, then I head to town to go to
the gym. When I arrive home at 6:45am, I eat breakfast then I feed horses.
Trying my best to be in the saddle by 8am, do chores, Equivibe my horses and
try my best in the house by 10:45am. I shower and eat lunch, then the puppy and
I head to work. Owning my own salon I am VERY blessed to have a full clientele
that has stuck with my for 19 years. I’m typically off by 7pm, then chores
again and off to bed by 8:15pm. The weekends are usually spent barrel racing or
catching up with stuff around the farm. There’s always something to be done.
My days are very strict and disciplined. I have to
keep a steady pace in the mornings or I’m running late. The mornings are MY
time. So I try not to schedule anything or take any calls before 10am or so.
Focusing on working the horses with a clear mind is important.
GM: We all have that favorite horse that we will remember forever. Who is your favorite and when did you first meet him/her?
AD: I’ve been super blessed with a few great
horses in my life. There was my first barrel racing horse Tex, a 20yo gelding
that was completely bomb proof. He could do anything at any time and was a
great “first barrel horse” for me.
Yet my mare Remmy was my first horse I have ever
had, so I cannot say she isn’t my favorite. It’s hard to beat a solid mare that
has the drive and as much hustle as I do.
If I had to be honest it’s been Sawyer. I bought
him as a “step-up horse” and he has taken my riding to the next level. Together
we’ve traveled thousands of miles, won more than I ever expected and had
opportunities some people wait a lifetime for. He tends to get “hot” or “on the
muscle” easily, so doing things to make his mind comfortable has been trial and
error. In which it has made me a tougher competitor and horsewoman. After
consistently working and growing together he trusts me 100%. We just “click.” I
know him better than anyone. I believe knowing your horse can help in so so so
many ways. He also knows me, when I’m in a bad mood or upset about something. I
swear horses know, they understand us better than we realize.
GM: Yes, you’ve a new puppy and we want to know
all about him...
AD: His name is Nacho, and he’s actually in
English Springer Spaniel. His color is called blue tick roan. We got him on
October 1 at 8 weeks old. We had just put down our beloved dog Kallie, that we
had for 14 years just a week prior. We were so grief stricken and heartbroken
that we decided to get a puppy right away.
We bought him from a kennel in Tennessee that was
called HeavenSent Springers, he even has a little heart on the top of his head.
I’ve always believe that God has everything planned out for us and he sure did
a good job on this situation.
As we all know having a puppy is a challenge yet
it’s so fun to watch them learn and grow so quickly. He loves to play outside,
chase our 6 barn cats and has already learned a few tricks. He will give kisses
to almost anyone he meets (or a little nibble too)!
GM: Tell us about your podcast – The Barrel
Horse Life Podcast. How did it begin?
AD: I started this podcast by myself two
years ago. Being a huge podcast fan, I just couldn’t find one that could
scratch my itch so to say. So, after doing some research, I jumped in headfirst
to the podcast world. I am a one-man show with little equipment, yet it works
great for my set up. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with the best people in
the barrel racing industry, including Charmayne, James, Stevi Hillman and her husband,
Ashley Shafer, Joy Wargo, and so many more. You can listen to the podcast on
Apple podcasts, Spotify, and more.
On top of that, I decided to launch a brand
stemming from the podcast, called The Barrel Horse Life. I have done all the
graphic designing of the T-shirts, website and sales myself. My passion to
develop a brand that people would be proud to wear was the first and foremost.
Often, as barrel racers, we get a bad rap. Through some popular TV shows and
social media, people from the non-western industry tend to laugh and look down
on us. When in all reality, it’s the complete opposite. If you’ve ever spent
more than a few minutes with a barrel horse trainer, you’ll understand
how hard working and proud we are of what we do.
GM: Do you have advice for novice riders and those
looking to purchase their first horse?
AD: I am not the best
at horse buying myself, every horse that I bought just fell into my lap the way
it supposed to. My advice would be to seek to help someone you know and trust.
Doing it alone is not an easy task. If it doesn’t feel right, then don’t buy
the horse. There’s too many good horses out there to not have the one that
suits you. But whatever you do, DO NOT buy an inexperienced horse if you are an
inexperienced rider. This makes for a bad combo. Don’t be afraid to ask for
help, I did and it was the best decision for me. I still ask for help when I’m
needing it.
GM: What does horsemanship mean to you?
AD: I thought a lot before writing this answer to
the question because you were right, it does mean something different to
everybody.
To me, horsemanship means listening and
understanding your horse. I don’t want to go down to much of a rabbit hole
because I could talk for days about this. There isn’t enough horsemanship in
the barrel racing industry. This is something that I am constantly working on
with my horse on the ground and in the saddle. For me it starts on the ground.
First thing in the morning when I walk up to my horse to put his halter on, I
try to make sure my attitude is neutral, and I am not going to ride him with
any emotion. It’s very hard not to get your emotions involved, especially as a
woman. Our emotions can be up and down easily. Doing what’s right & best
for the horse to get the desired result you are going for. Also having the
knowledge on how to get there. Often I get frustrated and need to take a step
back and asses what I’m doing. Typically I am the problem, not the horse. Being
humble enough to say “hey, I’m the problem” has been my game changer. Taking
responsibility, taking a deep breath and moving onward all while being
conscience of where my body is and what I’m telling him to do. That is
horsemanship to me.
Connect with Amy…
Facebook @Amy Davenport
Instagram @its_amy_davenport
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| Amy and her Husband Photo by Lanie Kay Photography |
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| Marie Littlefield Photography |
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| Traci Davenport, Photography |
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