Velvet, the black Missouri Fox Trotter, was seen by approximately 12,000 people at Equitana 2001. Perhaps the numbers will increase as one of Velvet’s Parelli performances was filmed by HORSE TV. Pat Parelli’s live demonstrations in the big arenas pulled in approximately 3000+ people each day. His demonstration was squished into a smaller arena once with 5 deep people in the standing areas.
My performances with Velvet at the Missouri Fox Trotter Breed Demonstration pulled in 100-200 people each performance
Background: Jenny Vaught, endorsed Pat Parelli instructor, took Velvet to Equitana to ride in Pat Parelli’s Savvy Team Demonstrations. The Missouri Fox Trotter Promotion Chairman, Pete Rolfe, got me aquainted with the Missouri Fox Trotter Equitana Promotion Chairman, Richard Harrel (and wife Katherine). They were foolish enough to let me ride Velvet in the Missouri Fox Trotter Breed Demonstration. Katherine was the lucky announcer with the Velvet script!
Pat Parelli’s demonstration times were an hour or longer. Pat wowed the crowd first with performances of his instructors and their horses.
After the 2nd day’s performance, it became apparent that Velvet was always going to do something that would draw the attention of the entire crowd and end in thunderous clapping. This something was not anything that was ever PLANNED by Jenny!