C&I talks with last year’s American Performance Horseman reined-cow-horse champ Sarah Dawson on the eve of this year’s competition.
The winning team at the inaugural American Performance Horseman last March included Adan Banuelos, who won the cutting; Reined Cow Horse trainer Sarah Dawson; and reining trainer Fernando Salgado.
First, the stats on Sarah Dawson.
Hometown: Perrin, Texas
Lifetime Earnings: $1,967,488.80
Equine Partner: Shine Smarter (NRCHA earnings of $345,615.89)
Sarah Dawson on her Reined Cow Horse Shine Smarter at the 2023 American Performance Horseman.
C&I: What does an event like the American Performance Horseman do for the Western equine industry?
Sarah Dawson: It exposed us to a whole new demographic of people that we’ve never been able to be in front of before. To be able to go out on a stage like this and be able to showcase this sport and introduce it to so many new people was exciting for us. That’s the only way we can grow the sport. We as competitors, and the owners, know it’s really cool. But nobody else knows how cool it is, only because they haven’t seen it. To be able to put it into a format that’s palatable to a whole new demographic of people was amazing.
C&I: Has there been a direct impact on the horse business?
Dawson: We’ve already seen the impact from the [popularity of] Yellowstone, and now this event. The horse market right now is crazy. Membership numbers are up in the associations, and people are wanting to go to horse shows. Entry numbers are up. Horses are worth more every day. They’re just selling this whole dream — the cowboy lifestyle. It’s really taken off, and it’s super-exciting to see, especially when you make your living in that industry. Horses are easier to sell. All of it is a trickle-down effect of the industry growing.
Sarah Dawson comes to a sliding stop on her Reined Cow Horse at the 2023 American Performance Horseman event.
C&I: What makes the horse you rode at The American Performance Horseman special?
Dawson: Shine Smarter kind of started my career and then boosted my career. She was the first horse that I made the open finals on as a 3-year-old at the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, and she was my first open NRCHA Derby finalist, too. She opened the door for me to ride the horses I ride today. So for something of this magnitude to be able to happen for her and her career is pretty amazing. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better horse. She’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse for sure.
The partnership that you have with a horse is a huge part of it, but I’m sure if she was in someone else’s barn from the very beginning she would have been just as phenomenal. That’s just the kind of horse she is — just one of those amazing top-tier horses.
C&I: Western horse events are typically solo endeavors. What was the biggest challenge of competing with two teammates?
Dawson: This is the first time that any of us have had to compete in a team format. I think that was really cool, but it added a whole new set of different pressures. Usually we’ve got a lot of pressure, but it’s all on us. We’re the ones who have to go home with the results. When you have a teammate, you’re responsible for their welfare, too. So that definitely added a whole new level to the competition.
Sarah Dawson celebrates her win alongside teammates Adan Banuelos (left) and Fernando Salgado (middle).
C&I: Take us back to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. How would you describe the atmosphere of the event?
Dawson: It was electric! It was a huge arena to be riding in, as far as the actual size of the stadium itself. It was almost like a rock concert. They had the lights going and the music up, and the people were cheering. It was crazy. It’s a whole different dynamic than when you’re riding into a nice quiet arena in front of 100 people, as opposed to riding into a stadium with thousands of people, with the lights and the cheering.
Learn more about The American Performance Horseman.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Chelsea Schneider
