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October 15, 2004
EQUESTRIANS Judging follows discipline
By DON McDERMOTT
"I've been doing this - being involved in horse shows as a competitor and judge - for 40 years," said Gayton, who worked the Pahrump Valley Equestrian Association show Saturday in McCullough Arena. For 32 years, he was a professional horse trainer, handling and training as many as 15 different breeds and in all disciplines - Western, English, Jumping, Trail, Gymkhana, Parade, Cow Work, Driving and Dressage. His horses have won three world championships and many California titles. A native Californian, Gayton moved to Pahrump on Jan. 2, 2004, a day after he was the marshal for the 13th consecutive year at the Rose Bowl parade in Pasadena. The McCullough Arena show had 55 separate judging categories and Gayton handled them all with quiet, patient resolve. "I have been busy almost every weekend since February, and in August, I worked every weekend but one," said Gayton, who went to shows in Wisconsin and Florida, among other locales. "What I look for from each competitor is how each follows instructions to the letter; how poised they are, how much confidence they exhibit, and finally," said Gayton, "I want them to impress me with their horsemanship." Gayton judges horses on how well-trained they are, and how smoothly they make transitions from one step to another. "And I also judge a horse on whether it is lazy or not," said Gayton. He has given seminars on psychology of the horse throughout the United States. Among his travels, Gayton has been to Israel, Thailand, the Phillipines, Costa Rica, Spain, Germany and Australia. NOTES - The Pahrump Valley show was directed by Debbie Pastorelli; for information on the PVEA, e-mail Painted13@Usintouch.com |
