Sandy Collier – A Woman of Many Talents

 

Sandy Collier is an amazing woman. In fact, she could easily be the heroine in any writer’s story.  She’s smart, savvy and can out-ride the men—as she did when winning the prestigious National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity in 1993. Up to that point, that event had been dominated by the good ol’ boys club. And, so far, her victory is yet to be achieved by another woman in the open division.  

Although horses have been a dominating life force for Sandy since she was a child, she’s extremely well rounded in other interests, as well. She excels at golf, has been a lifeguard at Cape Cod, and shushed down the slopes in Vermont, keeping them safe as a member of the ski patrol. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Sandy is also a licensed pilot, a realtor, and a martial artist. Wait—there’s more! She’s made a weeklong backpacking trip by horseback, alone, riding one horse and ponying three behind. All in all, I’d say without a doubt that she could give James Bond a run for his money, wouldn’t you?

Oh—one more thing…Sandy has just published her first book, called Reining Essentials: How to Excel in Western’s Hottest Sport. She’s here today to answer any equine or nonfiction publishing questions you might have. Fire away! And to thank our visitors for stopping by today, we’ll be drawing one lucky winner to receive a signed copy of Sandy’s book, Reining Essentials, plus a copy of my debut novel, Where the Wind Blows.
 
So if you will, please help me give Sandy a warm welcome…..
 

Sandy, to kick off your visit today I have a couple short questions for you.  First, taking horses out of the equation, of all the things you’ve done or perhaps dreamt of doing in your past, what would be your dream career?

I am living my dream career! I feel so fortunate to spend my days with the animals I love in such an amazingly beautiful place like Santa Ynez Valley!! And I’m surrounded by wonderful people. I constantly ask myself “What did I ever do to deserve such a great life?”
 
 
Congratulations on your debut book!  Can you tell us a little about how it came to be and what were the challenges in getting it done?  

My part was the easy part! It’s all things I’ve learned over the years and do on a daily basis. It’s what I teach my non pros and at clinics every day. The hard part was Jennys….she had to coalate, organize and present the information in an easy to follow book. 

 Sandy, what goals are you looking ahead to in the years to come?  Or what grand achievements are you gunning for on your horizon?  Inquiring minds want to know….

My goals seem more modest to me as I grow older. I’m more interested in the quality of my relationships, sharing what I’ve learned, making a difference (I’ve recently taken a position on the advisory council for the therapeutic riding program here in the county)…..but I’d love to win the Snaffle Bit Futurity one more time before I hang up my spurs!

Please leave a comment or question for Sandy by clicking the tiny comment link just below.  (Look closely) 

Thanks and happy riding!

A Dude Ranch of a Different Color!

In the Nicker of Time! is excited to introduce to you, Ike and Cheri Bunny, owners of Slide Mountain Ranch (SMR)located in the beautiful and remote  town of Tuolumne, California.  Combination breeding operation of fine Quarter and Paint Cutting horses and dude ranch, the operation offers the experienced and non-experienced a  horsey vacation they will never forget!!

 

I met Ike and Cheri years ago when they called me to come take pictures of their paint stallion, Too Much Pepper.  I was moved by the beauty of their land and when I had my first gimps of the bunkhouse I just had to ask, “When can I stay?”

 

Since then I’ve vacationed many times with Ike and Cheri, some with my horses and other times with theirs.  Everyone who goes, returns.  Why, you might ask?  Not only is it beautiful, not only does the darling wooden bunkhouse transports you back in time, you actually get to ride a “REAL” cutting horse,

AND cut the mechanical cow.  But, be warned, I won’t be responsible when after your first visit you sell everything to invest in owning a cutting horse.  They are addicting….

 

Q. With knowing that you are speaking with writers, give one funny story about guests that have stayed and an usual thing that happened.

 

A. We’ve had several people come to Slide Mountain Ranch for their honeymoon and a few had cowboy style weddings here. One evening one of our newly wed couples was sitting around the old campfire site enjoying a glass of wine, the beautiful fire, and starry sky when the husband decided to take a photo of themselves.  He placed the camera on the fence post for an automatic shot, the camera fell off the back of the post. Without looking in the dark he jumped over the fence to get the camera and rolled down a steep hill into the mud.  He was not injured just disappeared from his bride. Look before you leap!  We all got a good laugh together when they told the story.

 

 Q. What is the most difficult aspect of running a dude ranch?

 

A. Making sure that everyone is having fun but at the same time insuring their safety.   Also, you never know when guest will book or how much income you will have, so you have to be very flexible. Starting a business like this takes risk.

 

Q. Most rewarding?

 

A. Running a livestock operation does not allow for many vacations, so meeting people from around the country is interesting and fun.  It was very rewarding to be successful in this adventure, we never really knew if it would work out.  We just jumped in and went for it. Each time someone offered us an opportunity we took it and ran.

 

Q. What are some of the magazines that have featured SMR?

 

A. Slide Mountain Ranch has been so blessed with media attention.  Our first big story was published in Western Horsemen Magazine in the mid 90s.  Kathy Kadash wrote a wonderful story about us with great photography.  That booked the ranch full for over one year.  After that we made the cover of the Paint Horse Journal as a result of traveling to Fort Worth, Texas to compete in the Paint Horse world show in the cutting classes.  Our daughter won the world on our mare Snowpepper in the amature division and Ike was 7^th on Cals Eclispe in the open.

 

We also had a very small student rider with us showing Cals Eclispe their photo made the cover along with a very nice story about our ranch , thanks to our friend Darrell Dodds.  Darrell’s photos of our cutting horses are still used by the APHA on their web site. We feel thankful for these write ups and appreciate each one.  Stories like this are essential to a small family owned business. Not only is it hard to find the time to market but also very expensive and easy to make mistakes with our advertising dollars.

 

Q. You have an upcoming TV special about the ranch.  When and where will that air?

 

A. Public Broadcasting Station, KVIE will air our show on California Heartland on November 17, Monday at 7:30pm.

 

Q. You’ve had visitors from around the world.  What are some of the countries that have stayed at your ranch?

 

A. England, Ireland, Austria, Hong Kong, Germany, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.  I stopped counting at 13.

 

Q. What is your ultimate dream for your ranch? 

A. If you would have asked me if we would do two television shows this year I would have laughed.  Turns out we did a German TV reality show.  It was really fun it aired to 1.7 million Germans on travel station.  I guess the dream is to keep this business alive.  With the changing world economy we will have to have new ideas and keep this next generation excited about horses and the outdoor lifestyle. Ag tourism has become very popular in recent years. We plan to ad a large garden so our guest can harvest food for their meals and make a connection to the origin of their food.  This will be so good for families. In some ways I look back over the last 18 years and feel that is the ultimate dream happening and now I am truly thankful my family and I are experiencing it.

 

 Cheri, thanks so much for spending time here and answering some questions for our guests.  Do you have anything you’d like to ask them?

 

Yes, I do.  I’d like to know what it is they look for in an outdoor adventure vacation?  How often they go? Have they ever been to a dude/guest ranch?

Don’t miss your oppertunity to ask Cheri about dude ranches, the reality of reality shows, paint horses and cutting.  Your name will go into the weekly drawing from which a grand prize winner will be chosen in September of 2009–our one year anniversary!  Click on the tiny link below….

Guest Expert~~Pamela Britton

 

 

We’re very excited to welcome Pamela Britton-Baer here today.  Pamela is a multi-published author with eighteen novels under her belt, over a million copies of her books in print, and tons of awards.  She’s written historical, cowboy series, single title and has carved out a new genre in the NASCAR industry, with lots of authors in hot pursuit.  In addition, she’s chasing points on the American Quarter Horse show circuit with her chestnut gelding Bippidy Boppin Along, in the hunter under saddle and showmanship classes.  If you are familiar with the American Quarter Horse Journal, you’ve most likely seen her bi-monthly column about her switch from the open Hunter/Jumper shows to the Quarter Horse circuit, something that’s been—according to Pamela—both hysterical and wonderful and, um…confusing.  (To the amusement of many.)

 

She’s married to a real life cowboy and lives on a working California ranch with their daughter and horses.  Thanks, Pamela for taking the time out of your busy day to stop by and answer some questions for our equine, historical and now NASCAR racing fans! 

 

Q: First, were you a horse person before meeting your future husband?

 

I was a horse person before HIM.  Yes, it’s true.  Michael had only ever ridden bulls when we first met so I guess you could say I’ve taught him everything he knows.  I’ve been riding horses since I was ten, and showing them since I was thirteen.  Over the past thirty-plus years, I’ve worked with some of the best hunter/jumper trainers in the nation.   I’ve been show champion at some of California’s most prestigious hunter/jumper shows, and state champion three times now.  Not that I’m bragging or nothin’, just that a lot of people don’t realize just how into horses I’ve been all my life.

 

Q: Is your place primarily a horse ranch or do you run cattle too?

 

We raise Quarter Horses and cattle, but we have a very small operation compared to many of our friends who own hundreds of head of cattle and thousands of acres.  We have five horses at the ranch right now, and only a few head of cattle.  But those numbers change as we buy and sell throughout the year.  

 

Q: Best moment in the show ring?

 

Absolutely, hands down, winning the state championship this year on a horse that I purchased as a baby (six months old) and that I raised and trained for the show ring myself.  That was just the neatest thing in the WORLD! 

 

 

Q: Best moment involving writing?

 

Walking into a store at the Daytona Speedway and realizing that the line around the store were people who’d come to see me.   Apparently, I signed more autographs that day than Jeff Gordon. 

 

 

Q: How did you get involved with the Quarter Horse Journal?  How long have you been there?

 

That was one of those things that just kind of happened.  I’d competed on the open Hunter/Jumper circuit for my entire life, but I recently made a switch to the Quarter Horse circuit.  I was making so many mistakes, and having such a good time, that I thought people might enjoy reading about it.  So I wrote a couple of sample articles, sent them off to the JQURNAL and the rest, as they say, is history.  I’ve been doing it for about a year now and still LOVE it.  I hope they keep me on.  So far, they’re still publishing me.

 

Q: What are your dreams and aspirations regarding publishing?  Showing? 

 

Showing’s easy, so I’ll take that one first.  I want to win a World Championship.  I just won the state and so that’s my next goal.

 

As far as writing, five years ago I would have said I want to write books about NASCAR, but I’ve accomplished that goal.  So I guess I would say I want to continue to write about car racing and cowboys for as long as the publishing industry will have me.

 

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your NASCAR book series…?

 

I’ve actually been a NASCAR insider since the early nineties.  By that I mean I got to know the crews and their families through a friend of mine, Doug Richert, and his wife, Robin.  He’s a long-time NASCAR crew chief and so it was a natural fit to want to write about a sport I’d gotten to know from the inside out.  Unfortunately, it took me awhile to convince New York that it was a good idea.  But I’m glad they finally came around because I so enjoy my little race car books.

 

Don’t miss your oppertunity to ask Pam about showing, writing, cowboys or Nascar.  Your name will go into the weekly drawing from which a grand prize winner will be chosen in September of 2009–our one year anniversary!

Designed for writers who want to use their precious time writing, instead of researching.

    Wouldn’t you rather be writing than trudging through endless books and web sites looking for information for your horse-related scenes? If so, In the Nicker of Time! is for you.  We’ll share stories about horses, make general horse keeping information easy to find, and dispel possible myths.   

 

Question? 

Do you know the difference between a stocking, a sock, a pastern or coronet?  A a buckskin, blood bay or dun?  How about a pelham bit or western spade? 

Would your hero saddle his horse from the left side, or the right? 

And, what would your heroine feed her orphaned filly? 

 

 

I invite you to saddle up and mosey on over.  We’ll have guests from every aspect of the horse industry, and more, to answer your questions.  It’s going to be a whole lot of fun.

Don’t be shy.  Ask away…..