Ty and Rhea Pole have a mission: to get as many youth as possible to be actively involved in reining in some manner. For the couple, who live in Gainesville, Texas, where they own and operate Blue Collar Horse Co., getting kids to engage with peers, adults, and of course, horses, is the most important goal they have.
Both Ty and Rhea grew up showing horses and recall the camaraderie they had with their fellow competitors. “I still hang out and talk to people that showed with me as youth riders in Canada. Even though there is distance between us, we still talk,” Ty explained. “I think that’s the biggest part of trying to grow our youth associations – I know how great it is when everyone is friends with everyone else. I think that’s even more important than the showing.”
Rhea echoed that sentiment, and added, “There are so many kids in the industry and we want them to be involved for a lifetime. It’s important to us that they have a good start – with good friends surrounding them and people they can be comfortable asking for help – and that comes from having a good program where they know they can join and be welcome.”
Ty and Rhea have been growing the Texoma Youth Reiners program and said the first step for any adult wanting to develop or grow a program is to just start talking about it.
“A lot of talking to people about what you want to do, asking for help, using social media to reach people, and a lot of pizza and sugar,” Rhea said when asked what it took to grow the group.
Ty added, “The most important thing that everyone needs to realize is that everyone wants to help the kids. It doesn’t matter who they are, so you just have to pick up the phone and ask.”
A perfect example, he said, was when the couple was planning a gathering at a major event later this year. “I called (NRHA Six Million Dollar Rider) Shawn Flarida up and told him we were having a youth gathering and asked if he would be able to spend some time to talk to the kids. He said ‘absolutely,’ and then told me to send him the bill for the pizza,” Ty shared. “Every professional, no matter how big or important they are, has said yes when I called. That’s the point – just pick up the phone and ask.”
Events with accomplished riders like Flarida will help the Poles achieve another goal, which is getting young riders comfortable talking to the veterans. “Those riders that the youth look up to love to help them, and we want kids to know they can go up to the Shawns, the Caseys (Deary), or the Andreas (Fappani) and talk to them,” Rhea explained.
Ty added, “We want that kind of atmosphere where, although everyone is competitive, it’s like a big, fun family.”
Each meeting Ty and Rhea host is not only a time for socializing and fun, it’s also a chance to learn. At a recent youth gathering at the Winter Slide in Ardmore, Okla., NRHA Executive Committee member and NRHA Judge Ann Salmon took time to sit down with the youth to discuss judging.
“Ann did an outstanding job and our kids learned a lot. She’s another great example of how people want to help youth riders succeed,” Rhea said. “She even got hot-off-the-press 2022 NRHA Rulebooks to give to our youth that were in attendance; the actual judges hadn’t even gotten their copies yet!”
Both Rhea and Ty agreed that while showing seems to get the most attention, there are a multitude of ways that a kid can be active in reining. “You can look around and see all these people who have great careers with horses that have nothing to do with being in the show pen, but they’re an important part of this industry’s success,” Rhea said. “You have the vets and farriers, the show secretaries and managers, photographers, writers, vendors, insurance agents … the list goes on and on. We want those kids who may not be interested in showing but love the atmosphere to know they can still come to our youth meetings, meet people, and participate.”
Rhea and Ty both said they would love to help anyone who is trying to build a youth program, and invite anyone who is interested in discussing ideas to reach out to them.
“That’s the main thing – not being afraid to reach out for help,” Rhea reiterated. “Let’s encourage our youth members to be involved. Let’s make it fun, let’s make it a place to learn and improve, and let’s grow these programs so that they’ll be able to have that same sense of friendship with the other members that we are lucky to have.”
Contact Rhea and Ty on Facebook at Blue Collar Horse Company.
Find more opportunities for youth reiners at www.NRHyA.com.