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Better Together:
Robie Herman and Family Pursue Horse Industry Passions 14 | PREMIER | JANUARY 2024
Robie Herman’s journey in horses has evolved like so many others. A horse crazy kid, Herman grew up showing, but took a break after entering college and beginning his career. When he ventured back into the industry at the urging of his young daughters, he and his family were soon all in. Their story is a testament to what it means to share and pursue your life’s passions as a family. “I started doing 4-H and showing hunter jumpers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,” says Herman. When his family relocated to Oklahoma in the early 1990’s, he transitioned to competing in the all-around on the APHA circuit and continued showing 4-H, including exhibiting young horses he trained in the state 4-H futurities. After college, professional school, and time spent in the US Navy in Okinawa, Japan, Herman—an orthodontist—was reintroduced to horses when his wife Krista began taking their daughters to a hunter barn for lessons. “The kids wanted to do something with horses. Initially I resisted,” says Herman. “I told my wife it will take over our lives,” he laughs. But both daughters insisted and eventually attended a horse summer camp. “They wanted me to come watch at the end of that week. They loved it and wanted to do more,” says Herman. It was then that Herman found local trainer Kevin George—a name familiar to him from his time as a youth on the paint circuit. “Years ago, I had competed with Kevin,” Herman says.
Herman’s daughters had officially been bitten by the horse bug and after purchasing a horse for older daughter Caroline from Kevin and a Welsh pony for younger daughter Ella Kate, the family began hauling into George’s farm for lessons, along with taking lessons at the hunter barn. It didn’t take the girls long before they found their passion in the world of all-around competition and Herman developed an interest in the increasingly popular AQHA/APHA double registered horses. Today, Herman, his daughters and son Jack all show on the quarter horse circuit. “The horses have taken over life in a good way. It allows us to travel and spend time together,” says Herman. Herman is married to his high-school sweetheart Krista, who did not grow up with horses, but serves as the family’s cheerleader and head of organization. Daughter Caroline is now 16, son Jack is 14, and youngest daughter Ella Kate is 12. Caroline competes in the all-around under the guidance of Leigh and Leonard Berryhill with VS Bettin on Red or Ricky. Herman says that their favorite class is western riding, which Leonard also shows the gelding in. At the 2023 AQHA World Show, Berryhill and VS Bettin On Red earned the bronze championship in Level 2 Junior Western Riding. In addition to Ricky, Caroline also shows Lets Holiday or Chanel in youth western pleasure under the guidance of Gil Galyean. Jack shows halter with Kelly and Adam Wainscott and is a three-time AQHYA World Champion. His primary show horse is
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TNR Latte On Ice. They brought home the gold globe in both the Two and Three-Year-Old Geldings in 2022 and 2023. In 2021, Jack and E Ventually won the Three-Year-Old Geldings at the AQHYA World Show. Herman shares that Jack takes the halter very seriously. “He’s never wanted to ride, but he loves going to shows and puts his all into the halter. This is why our industry is so good for families— there’s something for everyone and Jack found his place in the halter arena,” Herman says. According to Herman, youngest daughter Ella Kate does everything. He says, “She shows the all-around with Berryhills. We just bought her a new partner at the NSBA World Show this summer. His name is Dare To Be Best or Oliver and she does everything with him.” Ella Kate also shows western pleasure with Galyean and has already earned an impressive win with her mare J Loww or Kelce, winning the 2023 All-American Quarter Horse Congress in 11 & Under Western Pleasure. Ella Kate had previously won the Congress in Small Fry Western Pleasure. At the AQHYA World Show, Ella Kate joined brother Jack in the halter pen, earning bronze in the Two-Year-Old Geldings with Ese A Rocker. Later in the year at the Congress, the pair won the 2-Year-Old Youth Geldings on the same day Ella Kate won the pleasure. The list of Herman’s own show string is long and demonstrates the family’s commitment to and love for the industry as he shares many of the horses with his children. “I show Lets Holiday with Gil as well as J Loww,” Herman says. He also shows several horses out of the great mare Made By J, including two-Year-old gelding and full double The Chrome Shoppe. At the Congress they placed fourth in Two-YearOld Non-Pro Western Pleasure. In 2022, Herman and Calamedy J (also out of Made By J) won the NSBA World Show in Color Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure. J Loww is also a daughter of Made by J and this year won the Congress in Three-Year-Old Limited Open Western Pleasure with Dillon Vaughn. Herman also competes in halter and has had much success with TNR Latte On Ice. They kicked off this year’s AQHA World Show repeating as World Champions in the Amateur Three-Year-Old Geldings and won the same class at the 2023 Congress. It’s clear that the Herman family has a lot going on when they’re on the road at shows, but for Herman, that’s what makes the experience special. “The beauty is that we all get to show together. I know that for all of us, our favorite time is when we’re showing together at the same show.” Herman acknowledges that their schedule requires an incredible amount of planning and coordination. He says, “That’s where my wife Krista is the superstar in getting the kids to different 16 | PREMIER | JANUARY 2024
parts of the country and keeping them focused along with having everything ready.” On top of their busy show schedule and roster of impressive show horses, the Hermans own and operate Black Top Ranch in Bixby, Oklahoma, which is focused on breeding and developing young pleasure and hunter prospects. A premier breeding, boarding, and training facility, it features a 60-stall heated barn, indoor and outdoor arenas, a covered equiciser and round pen. The facility houses approximately 25 boarders along with Herman’s band of twelve recipient mares and a string of weanlings, yearlings, and riding prospects that are being prepared for halter, longe line, and pleasure futurities. Owning Black Top Ranch has given the Hermans a chance to build on their relationship with Kevin George who manages the facility and breeding operation and trains the young horses with assistance from Kitty Dorwart and Brookelynn Baber. Trainer Gavin Sahr oversees the development of the riding horses. Black Top Ranch is also home to the Herman’s stallion Count The Minutes. The 16-hand double registered brown and white overo stallion has been proving himself as a sire. According to Herman, the 13-year-old stallion had previously been caught up in several unfortunate situations that kept him out of the show arena and the breeding spotlight. When Herman saw an ad for the attractive stallion, he knew he’d like to own him. “He was shown in the hunter under saddle as a young horse and was reserve at the Reichert Celebration. Then he spent six years doing nothing,” shares Herman. To date, Count The Minutes has produced multiple futurity and longe line world champions. “Count The Minutes is a great mover with a lot of eye appeal PREMIER | JANUARY 2024 | 17
and he’s passing on his movement to his foals,” says Herman. Along with his looks and movement, Herman shares that he has a phenomenal mind and loves to do his job. “We still ride him. He’s eager to please and very professional. I love that he is easy and safe enough for my daughters to ride. He’s a gentle, friendly, and kind stallion,” says Herman. The Hermans are now opening their fourth breeding season with Count The Minutes and are seeing increasing demand and interest in his bookings. Herman believes, “People want to see what his babies will do as riders following the success we have had in the longe line.” Herman goes on to say, “He’s newer to our show market and has been reliable and consistent in producing quality movers that are intelligent and easy to train.” The success has made bringing a once forgotten stallion back to the market even more rewarding. “It’s been so much fun and great to see him happy and doing so well. I’m proud of what he’s been able to do when given the chance. He just didn’t have the chance before now.” Owning Count The Minutes has also given Herman an opportunity to focus on raising and showing young horses—a passion that dates back to his early days training two-year-olds for 4-H futurities. “I’ve got great World and Congress Champion mares and others that have produced successful longe liners. Along with owning and breeding to our own stallion and outside great stallions, we’re focused on quality of the bottom side of pedigree.” The longe line is a particular favorite for Herman and is an arena he’s been active in for the past several years. This past year, it’s been incredibly rewarding for Herman to achieve success with multiple foals by Count The Minutes in both the western and English futurities. Herman and My First Minute, who is by Count The Minutes and out of My First Instinct, were Reserve Champions at the NSBA World Show in Non-Pro Western longe line and were also Reserve Champions at The Premier and Back to Berrien. As expected, they are excited to begin the young mare’s under saddle career in the pleasure. With Body Lika Hourglass, who is also sired by Count The Minutes, Herman won the Non-Pro Hunter Longe Line Futurity at both The Premier and Back to Berrien, along with the APHA World Show. “It’s been really cool to have his babies winning consistently in both the hunt seat and western futurities,” says Herman. Looking ahead, Herman is eager to see how Count The Minutes will cross with some of their other proven show mares. At the end of the day, despite the many directions the Hermans are
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constantly traveling in, it all comes back to sharing an interest and passion as a family. “There are very few sports that the whole family can participate in at the level we do,” says Herman. “We’re able to cheer for each other and celebrate our successes as a family. “We’re also able to be there for each other when things don’t go as planned—and we all know that happens from time to time when you’re dealing with horses. We have a support network of family and friends that makes it all worth it.” Caroline perhaps sums it up best, saying, “Being at shows together is our chance to bond and have time together. We are able to lean on one another because we understand what the other person is going through, and the work that goes into this sport—that’s what makes it more fun and meaningful.” Article Written by: Elizabeth Arnold
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www.Livinglargestallion.com
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